"What I like most about CrossFit is that it develops strength, but at the same time, works on other skills ... all in a healthy, competitive environment."
Photos by: Artemis Rodopoulos
Although Marina Ramos Jorge has been doing CrossFit for two years, it was only in the past four months she started training regularly and being coached.
Granted, in her short time of training she has been consistently achieving solid scores in the Open, and now the 27-year-old ranks 17th among the women of Latin America.
Originally from Brasilia, Brazil, Ramos has been active in sports since she was 7. She played tennis, practiced Judo and Jiu-Jitsu, achieving third place in the Jiu-Jitsu Pan American Games in 2006.
Upon discovering CrossFit, she stopped all other activities and started dedicating herself exclusively to this sport. She started out on her own before finding BSB CrossFit.
“I really enjoy strength training and I love a challenge,” she says. “What I like the most about CrossFit is that it develops strength, but at the same time, works on other skills ... all in a healthy, competitive environment. This is my sport forever.”
Another reason Ramos quit the practice of other sports like tennis and Jiu-Jitsu, was the high possibility of getting injured.
“I have always gotten injured doing other sports, but never with CrossFit. I believe that CrossFit … does not hurt people, but helps in preventing injuries,” she explains.
“CrossFit uses functional movements that are natural to our body and when performed with proper mechanics and technique, the chance of getting injured is much lower than in other sports.”
Ramos also believes CrossFit helped her in other aspects of her life.
“CrossFit makes me feel like I’m ready to face anything. I feel that I am more ready to deal with difficult, everyday situations in my life,” she says. “Before learning that I can reach my limit, and go further, I didn’t always have the strength to face my problems the way that I do now. CrossFit has shown me that I am much stronger and much more confident than I ever imagined.”
She regularly trains at BSB CrossFit and attributes much of her success to her coach, Bernardo Camargo.
“Having a coach with whom you connect is so important in order to guarantee your success and advancement on your training,” Ramos says. “I feel more confident by knowing that he knows my weak spots and supports me as I become a better athlete.”
Ramos scored 155 reps on 13.1, 295 reps on 13.2, 240 on 13.3, 75 reps on 13.4 and 75 reps on 13.5.
“The Open was well planned in a way that it included a broad range of exercises, but it was harder than I expected,” she admits. “I still need to master the muscle-ups and the chest-to-bar (pull-ups) definitely took the Fran to a whole new level.”
She hopes to represent Brazil well at the Latin America Regional in June.
“I will take Regionals as a great chance to learn from my fellow, more experienced competitors. I will be ready for anything and I will give my best at every moment.”
