Sunday, July 10, 2011 – Athlete Profile: Ashleigh Bowers

Come out to support your fellow athletes in the King Street Throwdown t0day at 12:30pm in front on Lululemon!  See you there!

Athlete Profile:  Ashleigh Bowers

1. In general, what is your background?

I’m originally from Greenville, SC (well, actually a tiny town called Powdersville… but we barely make the local “upstate” map so I’ll stick with Greenville). I started dancing at 2 years old, gymnastics came next, followed by cheerleading, & then mom threw us (my sister & I) in clogging shortly after (yes, I said clogging… but not the hillbilly knee slapping kind. We competed. ) By the time I was in my teens I was on 3 competitive cheerleading teams, still dancing & clogging, & trying to keep focused on school all at the same time. OK, Probably wasn’t so focused on school at that time, but it was still squeezed into the mix. I eventually dropped the dance and clogging, and only competed with my high school team (Wren HS). We were state champions my freshman year and 1st runner up the next couple. I have to toot our horn a little bit because we were good. I was always on top of the stunts & LOVED it. I was obviously a lot skinnier then. Oh well, my new motto is “If I can’t be as skinny as I’d like, might as well be able to throw around those that are.”

As far as the “gym scene” goes, I started working out my sophomore year of high school with my sister and our “crew” that consisted of a couple of those meathead dudes who had to scratch their back with a wall because they physically couldn’t reach it themselves. However, they were great to work out with. They pushed me hard to help me get stronger, but it took 2 hours each day at the gym instead of the usual 30 minute (or shorter) WODs we do. If I didn’t bench press more than the last time, I got yelled at and called names (“Jabroni” is one that still sticks with me to this day). They were great motivators and helped start my passion for working out. I absolutely love it, I just hate sucking. I have a long way to go with Crossfit but I am finally starting to see results so my negative attitude is fading, finally!!

I continued cheerleading my first year of College at Anderson University. Decided to make a change and moved to the University of South Carolina the next 3 years. I was on the danceteam for the Gamecocks and had the best time of my life. I majored in 5 points and minored in Nursing. With that being said, I decided after a wild and rowdy 3 years to move back home and focus on finishing school. I bartended my way through nursing school (but actually took school serious this time) and graduated in Feb. 2010. I didn’t really have anything keeping me in Greenville so I moved to Charleston the day after graduation to be closer to my sister (my absolute favorite person in the world) & the beach, ofcourse.

2. Age, Occupation?

27, Registered Nurse at MUSC (Was on the Cardiovascular floor, Recently made a change and now the newest member of the CT/Vascular OR team….assuming I don’t hit the floor during my first heart transplant)

3. How did you get to know about CrossFit and why did you start?

I found out about Crossfit in the Fall of 2009 by a friend in Columbia, SC. I visited Carolina Crossfit a couple of times when I’d go to Columbia & loved it. I didn’t live there, ofcourse, but immediately looked up a Crossfit in Greenville and found Crossfit alliance. It was a good start but it is not even comparable to Integrity. I did WODs there for a couple of months before moving. I joined Integrity when I got to Charleston. I actually joined a couple of times & then would stop going. I got pretty discouraged at first because of how bad I sucked, so stopped my membership & decided to live it up a little & do “spin” class at ESAC, combined with running/walking the bridge. Other than that, I was either saving lives on the clock or risking mine when I was off the clock. Not cool.  I had to battle through the negative but finally started back for good in February of this year and can’t get enough of it. I seriously get grumpy if I have to miss a day (unless I physically can’t move).

4. How has CrossFit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?

Hmm, I don’t even really know how to start with this. I think about everything I do and how it will effect my workouts for the day/week/etc. By that, I mean meals, drinks, partying, sleep, weekends, etc.  I have honestly lost the desire to go out like I used to simply because of the way it makes me feel and how it effects my workouts. I also try to get plenty of sleep which is VERY hard to do for a night shifter, but I keep Benadryl at the bedside for the hard days. During the week, I try to “eat smart” for every meal. Don’t get me wrong, I am FAR from achieving the “Paleo – Only” diet, but I try my best to get pretty dang close to it. I am not ashamed to admit that I have strong love for cheese (on anything) and bread/potatoes. I seriously would love to have a shock collar for everytime a carbohydrate entered my mouth, however, I would probably be pushing up daisies if that was the case. I feel so much better now that I’ve made Crossfit and bigger part of my life. I’m not as stressed, a LOT stronger, & a lot healthier. It’s definitely going to be a part of my lifestyle for a very long time.

5. Name one goal and/or personal record you would like to accomplish through CrossFit?

Realistic – Overhead Squat my body weight!! I have a VERY long time to go because I’m a meaty girl, but I’d love to by 2012  (also, Rx a WOD with pullups)

Not-so-realistic- Do a WOD with one of those gas mask things on like Brian did a few weeks ago… and live to tell about it. (kidding, maaaaybe)

6. Favorite CrossFit moment so far?

This is going to sound pathetic, so be prepared. But a few weeks ago Michael was coaching and had us do 3 rds of Cindy as part of our warm up. I didn’t use a band for those 3 different sets of pullups at all and was very proud of that!! That was a good sign for me that I was close to being able to Rx WODs with pull ups, as long as there weren’t tons of them in it! Otherwise the time cap would get me for sure. I’m at the point to where I can do like 3 unbroken before falling off. Baby steps.

7. What do you like most about CrossFit Integrity?

The fact that I can walk in and be sweating from head to toe within 5 minutes because of the brutal warm ups that we go through sometimes, followed by the fact that a WOD as short as a 10 min AMRAP can kick my butt more than a 2 hour work out in a globo gym can, & ofcourse, the people who yell at us during all of it… the coaches. They rock. End of story.

8. Favorite WOD?

Any of the chipper WODs. I hate them when I’m doing them but it’s worth the feeling you get after it’s completed… physically and mentally.

9. Least favorite WOD?

Anything with a lot of running because I suck at it and for some reason it’s the hardest thing for me to “mentally” fight through when it gets tough.

10. Favorite movement?

Overhead squats – I’m still terrible at them but I love doing them and watching my numbers go up, slowly.

11. Least favorite movement?

Snatches…. hate ‘em with a deep seeded passion. Deadlifts come in 2nd simply because I can’t get the form down. I blame scoliosis because no matter how hard I try, my shoulders aren’t even and I look like Quasimodo when the weight starts to get heavy. Serious face.

12. Favorite place to eat in Charleston?

Lost Dog on Folly beach is heaven in my mouth. (breakfast)
Five Loaves is pretty wonderful. (lunch)
Rue de Jean. Amazing (dinner, duh.)

CrossFit Integrity, Charleston, SC