Michele Matyschsyk

I was physically active at an early age, starting competitively swimming at the age of 10 and continued throughout my college career. After college I got into running and ran 5 half marathons and 1 full marathon. I found CrossFit 7 years ago or it really found me. My husband found CrossFit and fell so in love with it that after being an engineer for 4 years he wanted to open up our own box. Before we opened I would CrossFit once in a while, but always-reverted back to long distance running. To be honest I couldn’t understand why people loved CrossFit so much. Then we opened BrickYard and this is when I fell in love with CrossFit. BrickYard has an atmosphere like nothing else I have experienced. This is something that you just have to come in and experience for yourself. I have found myself doing things that I never thought possible like pull ups, muscle ups and handstand push ups. I still run when it is in the workout of the day and I love every minute of it. I have found that CrossFit has made me a fastest runner than I have ever been, without running miles at a time that would mess my knees up for days. CrossFit BrickYard also challenges me everyday to work harder and kick my old self’s butt from time to time. I am 35 years old, mother of a 8 year old, and I am stronger, faster and in the best shape that I have ever been in my life. I owe that not just to CrossFit but the amazing and inspiring community that is BrickYard. Besides being into physical fitness, I always had a love for science. More specifically a love for how things affect health. I received a BS from Iona College in biology and continued my scientific career at the University of Connecticut where I earned a PhD in molecular and cell biology. After graduating, I did a 3-year post doctorial at Yale University in the school of Public Health. My focus has always been digestive tract symbiosis, ie; how microbes interact with the digestive tracts. During my time at Yale I began to learn about how foods affect the microbes that live in our gut. This inspired me to focus more on nutrition. I truly believe that nutrition is the foundation for success in everything we do. One of the best parts of my day is hearing about people having success with not just weight loss but with body image and overall health. We are not just a number on the scale; we are humans that are capable of doing physically amazing things with our bodies. My goal as a box owner, coach, nutrition advisor is to show our members that there is beauty in strength and embracing this is the way you see results.