We continue our interview series with one of our first members: Diana Galmati.
[En]
Q: Diana, how would you present yourself in couple of words?
Diana: I am Diana, I am 31 years old and working as a software developer, hence my day involves a lot of sitting. In the past years I started developing a passion/dependency for sport. I like spending my free time in nature, hiking in the summer and hiking or skiing in the winter. If I were to choose between going to the beach and going to the mountains, I would always choose going to the mountains; if I were to choose a hike that I would do one more time - it would be the hike to the Everest Base Camp. I am an optimistic person and I like learning and experimenting new things.
Q: What was your first contact with sports?
Diana: First time I went to the gym in high-school, when I attended some aerobic classes. I started enjoying doing sports and continued by joining a gym and going to group classes. I've also started running and weight lifting in the gym or doing CrossFit workouts which I found online. Eventually I discovered The Box!
Q: When and why did you start training @The Box?
Diana: Months before finding out about The Box, I started looking for CrossFit workouts, usually the heroes ones. I've started doing them on my own, avoiding some of the moves that did not feel comfortable. When I found out that there is a new gym, very close to the place I live, I decided to try the free class, even though I already had a membership payed for a full year at a different gym. After the first workout, I decided to try it for a month, even though I was going to have two active gym memberships. After the first month, I was addicted and I decided to stick with The Box!
Q: How did you change since starting @ The Box?
Diana: Before starting to go to The Box, my focus was mostly on cardio exercises and the number of reps I was doing; it did not really matter I was doing them with a beginners weight or that I was maybe doing them incorrectly. I feel that the focus has moved in doing the exercises correctly, and wanting to get better at the exercises I was struggling with. Also, I feel that sometimes I was going at the other gym just out of guilt (maybe because I just wanted to "burn" a heavy dinner I had the day before). Now I actually feel bad if I skip a workout, because I might miss an explanation for a technique and I will plateau. It's like missing a chapter in your favorite book.
Q: What motivates you to keep practicing sport?
Diana: The desire to improve my overall fitness level and the fact that I feel much better in the morning after a workout than after one where I just sleep in. I also feel more motivated when I see the progress, and I know that this comes with consistency and hard work.
Q: How would motivate your friends to start doing sport? What would you tell them?
Diana: I think I already explained this to lots of my friends, how sport makes you feel and the long term benefits.
Q: Can you tell me a funny moment since you started doing sports?
Diana: Now it seems like a funny memory, but at that time it wasn't. I remember that 8 years ago when I started running and was able to do a 10k run, I thought that it would be a good idea to run a half marathon at Apuseni Marathon. I subscribed for the race 2 weeks before the start, having no idea what a half marathon would feel like (not to mention a trail run feels like). After 12-13k I started feeling dizzy and started making 10-15 minutes breaks each kilometer - until I reached a source of energy (glucose). I learned it the hard way not to go to competitions for which I am not prepared. :)
Q: How do you see competition in sports?
Diana: I know that I am not an athlete, but I like to join competitions to check my current fitness level and what I have to improve. I usually attend running competitions where the other members are not athletes as well, so I can evaluate myself at my category. I like seeing the progress year after year, and this really motivates me.
Q: How important do you find the community, when practicing sports?
Diana: Before starting to attend The Box, I did not quite feel the community in sport; I just attended a gym where there were a lot of members, nobody knew anybody, nobody was interested on what the others were doing. I feel that here we are a group, we started to know each other, each one knows its level and we encourage and motivate ourselves to do better. I can say that the community can motivate one to continue to do sports.
Q: What does “The Stronger Me” mean for you?
Diana: I look at The Stronger Me as to a competition with myself, starting to monitor the progress to different types of exercises, starting to see that there is progress from one day to another, and feeling that I have a healthier life.
[Ro]
Q: Daca ar fi sa te prezinti in 5 propozitii, care ar fi acestea?
Diana: Ma numesc Diana, am 31 de ani si sunt de profesie Software Developer, si ca atare majoritatea zilei stau jos. In ultimii ani am dezvoltat o pasiune/dependenta pentru activitatile sportive. Imi place foarte mult sa imi petrec timpul liber la munte, vara hiking si iarna hiking sau cu schiurile. Daca ar fi sa aleg intre plaja si munte, as alege fara sa stau pe ganduri muntele, iar daca ar fi sa aleg o destinatie de hiking pe care as face-o inca o data, ar fi trek-ul catre Everest Base Camp. Sunt o persoana optimista si imi place sa invat si sa experimentez lucruri noi.
Q: Care a fost primul tau contact cu sportul?
Diana: Primul contact cu sportul a fost in liceu, cand frecventam orele de aerobic ce aveau loc la un club local cu un instructor. A inceput sa imi placa sa fac miscare, si am continuat prin frecventarea orelor de grup la diverse sali, alergare, antrenamente in sala, antrenamente de CrossFit individuale, in ultima faza descoperind The Box.
Q: Ce te-a determinat sa incepi sa te antrenezi la The Box si de cat timp faci acest lucru?
Diana: Cu cateva luni inainte sa aflu despre The Box am inceput sa fac la sala antrenamente de CrossFit, evitand anumite miscari care simteam ca nu le stapanesc. Cand am aflat ca s-a deschis o sala noua, foarte aproape de casa, am hotarat sa o incerc pentru o prima data, chiar daca in acelasi timp aveam deja abonament la o alta sala, tocmai incheiat pe un an. Dupa primul antrenament, am decis ca as putea sa incerc o luna sa vad cum este, chiar daca voi merge la 2 sali in acelasi timp. Pot sa spun ca a devenit dependenta dupa aceasta luna :) nu a mai contat unde am abonament, eram hotarata sa continui sa merg la The Box :)
Q: In ce fel simti ca te-a schimbat The Box?
Diana: Inainte sa incep sa frecventez The Box, simt ca eram mult mai focusata pe exercitiile cardio, pe numarul de repetari fara a conta in mod neaparat corectitudinea. Simt ca acum focusul s-a mutat pe a ridica corect in loc de a ridica mult si de a vrea sa progresez la exercitii pe care nu puteam sa le fac deloc. De asemenea, simt ca in trecut, de multe ori, mergeam la sala, parca din obligatie (cateodata doream sa "ard" o cina mai copioasa). Acum chiar abia astept sa vad ce vom face maine; parca daca lipsesc o zi simt ca am pierdut un capitol dintr-o carte :)
Q: Ce te motiveaza sa continui sa faci sport? *
Diana: Dorinta de a deveni mai buna la diferite categorii de exercitii, faptul ca ma simt mult mai bine intr-o zi in care fac miscare decat intr-o zi in care nu fac nimic si progresul pe care il observ daca sunt consistenta.
Q: O experienta amuzanta de cand ai inceput sportul?
Diana: Acum pare o amintire amuzanta cand acum 8 ani cand am inceput sa alerg cu o prietena, si puteam deja alerga 10 km, ni s-a parut o idee buna sa ne inscriem la semimaraton Apuseni, cu 2 saptamani inainte de start. Recunosc ca nu m-am documentat despre alimentatie, nici despre ce inseamna o alergare montana. Dupa 12-13 km am simtit ca picioarele cedeaza si am inceput cu pauze serioase de 10-15 minute o data la fiecare kilometru, pana la urmatorul punct de alimentare. Pot sa spun ca (aproape) m-am invatat minte si nu ma mai inscriu la concursuri fara pregatire.
Q: Cum ti-ai motiva prietenii sa inceapa sa faca sport? Ce le-ai transmite?
Diana: Cred ca deja am si transmis prietenilor, dar le-as explica feeling-ul pe care il ai dupa o ora de sport, bunastarea pe care ti-o poate da o ora de miscare si beneficiile pe care ti le aduce pe termen lung
Q: Cum vezi competitia in sport?
Diana: Stiu ca nu sunt un sportiv de performanta, dar imi place sa particip la competitii pentru a vedea la ce nivel sunt; mai ales ca de obicei particip la concursuri de alergare, cu alti oameni care nu sunt nici ei sportivi de performanta. Imi place sa vad de la un an la altul progresul si simt ca acest lucru ma motiveaza.
Q: Cat de importanta este comunitatea in sport?
Diana: Pana sa incep sa merg la The Box nu am prea simtit comunitatea in sala de sport; mergeam la o sala unde erau foarte multi membri, nu stia unul de celalalt, nu interesa pe nimeni ce face celalalt. Aici simt ca deja suntem un grup, ne cunoastem cu totii, fiecare stie la ce nivel este, ne motivam si incurajam unii pe altii. Pot sa spun ca este un factor motivant pentru a continua sa fac sport.
Q: Ce inseamna "The Stronger me" pentru tine?
Diana: The Stronger Me semnifica un concurs cu mine insami, faptul ca incep sa imi monitorizez progresul la diverse exercitii, faptul ca pot sa vad progresul de la o zi la alta, faptul ca simt ca duc o viata mai sanatoasa.