Meet the March MBS BAMF, Joy Howell.

If you’ve dragged yourself out of bed for the morning classes at MBS, chances are you’ve seen Joy, the blonde, petite little powerhouse, steadily working toward perfection. Joy is dedicated to proper form and giving it all she’s got. She’s so quietly busy busting her butt that you might not notice her until you see her impressive score on the white board. Congratulations on AOTM, Joy!

Vital Stats:
Height: 5′ 2″
Weight : 110′ish (I avoid getting on a scale…as long as my clothes fit, I’m good!)
Career: Sr. HR Analyst
Favorite CF move: Back Squat
Most Hated CF move: After a double wipe-out during a WOD a few months back, box jumps have moved to the top of the list! Yes, ahead of burpees!
How long have you been Crossfitting? I’m coming up on my one year anniversary!

What got you into CF? I was experiencing chronic hamstring injuries, some tendonitis issues in my feet and then I had an achilles injury that completely took me out of running for a couple of months. I was a walking injury and something had to change! I kept reading articles about athletes that switched to Crossfit and were able to train/run less and still make significant athletic improvements it sounded like something I needed to give a try.

What were your athletic endeavors prior to CF? I was actually trying to train for my first triathlon before starting Crossfit, but I truly hated swimming and even after working with a swim coach and making some decent improvement, I couldn’t understand why I would spend so much time doing something I disliked so much. I was also a regular commercial gym goer ever since graduating from college. Lifting weights definitely helped me with my power in biking and running, but the downside was how incredibly tight and inflexible it made me! I can remember the first time we did scorpions in the On-ramp class and when I was on the floor with my arms out I couldn’t touch the ground! It was also pretty shocking to find out that my shoulders were so tight that I couldn’t raise the PVC past the front of my face. Oh yeah, and squats were completely on my toes! I’ve made so much progress with my mobility and flexibility in the past year thanks to Crossfit!

Any goals, athletic or otherwise, you’re working on right now? Right now my goals are all Crossfit related. I’m currently participating in the Pull-up Clinic so that I can get my kipping pull-ups. Another short-term goal is to get my handstand push-ups. I really struggle with getting weight over my head, so I’d say my long-term goal is to improve my Oly lifting and start getting some heavier weights moving!

Give us some insight into what goes on in your life outside the gym.
I’m a total foodie and love cooking, so I’m in the kitchen quite a bit! When I joined MBS I made the decision to also give Paleo a try. It was a gradual transition for me because I had a lot of Costco/bulk food items to work through, but once they were gone I replaced them with a Paleo alternative. I’ve definitely got a few dishes that I make on a regular basis, but I’m constantly searching for and trying new recipes. I also enjoy trail running, hiking and biking.

What’s your favorite non-paleo food? Pretty much anything chocolate, but brownie sundaes are at the top of the list lately. :)

What was your favorite toy as a kid? Probably my roller skates! My mom taught skating lessons at the local rink, so I spent a lot of time skating and taking lessons.