“I very quickly realized that coaching wasn’t something that was taking extra energy away from my ability to be an athlete, but it was enhancing it. It was giving me more reasons to love what I was doing.”
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CrossFit Level 3 Trainer and three-time Semifinal competitor Kelly Kelly joins host Adrian Conway on today’s episode to talk about the balance between competitive athlete and coach, her CrossFit beginnings, and preparing for the CrossFit Level 3 Certification.
Kelly was a competitive collegiate soccer and water polo player, and she found CrossFit in 2010 when she walked into a larger gym that was running an affiliate within the building. She was immediately drawn to the class atmosphere when she saw the members laughing and high-fiving each other, despite being hesitant about the barbell work.
Kelly’s competitive CrossFit career started after she decided to compete in a team competition “just for fun.” After realizing she wasn’t “capable of competing ‘just for fun,’” Kelly made the decision to pursue competitive CrossFit.
A lifelong learner, Kelly eventually took the CrossFit Level 1 Course, began coaching, and is now a Certified CrossFit Level 3 Trainer, coaching at CrossFit UP in Santa Cruz, California.
In today’s episode, Kelly opens up about her athletic background and working through injuries before and after finding CrossFit. She explains how her mindset has changed over the years, highlighting the importance of rest and recovery, and finding balance.
Kelly also details her road to becoming a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer. She tells the story of why and how she pursued the certification, and shares how her experiences as a coach and an athlete have helped her be a better coach for her members, and in turn, a better CrossFit athlete.
At the recording of this episode, Kelly was weeks away from competing at the North America West Semifinal. She gives her perspective on the Semifinals tests, details how she prepared for the competition, and explains why even CrossFit coaches — who are also athletes — need coaches.
Kelly — formerly Kelly Clark — placed 38th among the fittest individual women at the North America West Semifinal.
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