Congratulations, Maria Williams!

Maria joined PUSH511 in September 2020. We love having her in CrossFit classes because she always works hard, stays focused, and has a smile on her face! Let's hear what Maria's coaches have to say about our latest Member of the Month!

Maria has been an absolute pleasure to coach, and I've really enjoyed watching her improve while she's been at PUSH. She makes incremental changes when coached, stays focused on appropriate weights, and through that steady work, she continues to excel. She comes into the gym every day with a smile, and despite how terrible a workout may be, she leaves with a smile which just shows how awesome her mindset is. Keep it up Maria, you're flippin awesome!!

I’ve only had Maria in class a couple of times but she has a great attitude and always puts forth a great effort. Super willing to learn and always positive to others!

I haven't worked out with her much, but every time I have, she always has a smile on her face, a great attitude, and is super open to tips/coaching!

Maria is a great athlete and comes into every class with a big smile on her face. Always encouraging of others, super coachable, and so much fun to have in class.

Maria has been a great addition to the PUSH511 family! She has a positive attitude and is always a friendly face to see at the gym when I'm in classes with her. She works hard and never complains about the WOD's whether they're in her wheelhouse or not. Since joining Push, she has embraced everything we have to offer. In addition to the weekly classes, I've seen her on the weekend in yoga classes, in the Beast Cave during Open Gym doing accessory work and she even joined our 2021 Nutrition Reboot early this year. She knows how important nutrition is to hit your overall goals and used the Reboot after the holidays to get back to meal prepping and working on her sleep. She was a pleasure to work with and is a great choice as our Member of the Month!

She has never once had a bad attitude in class. She's always very coachable and moves really well. Never bites off more than she can chew and chooses weights/movements appropriately. One of my favorites to coach.

Now let's get to know Maria better!

When did you start CrossFit? On and off for about 4 years. Joined the Push fam in August of last year.

What's your fitness background? I played basketball up until high school and was familiar with weight training & conditioning style workouts. I didn't play sports in college and would occasionally go to the gym. These pre-Crossfit college workouts consisted of using cardio machines like the elliptical & treadmill. That got old & boring real fast!

What’s your favorite CrossFit movement? Unpopular opinion but double unders!

What’s your least favorite movement? Thrusters.

What do you do for work? I work in Marketing for Stanley Black&Decker, specifically with the BLACK+DECKER brand.

Tell us a little about yourself and your family. I was born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, and graduated from West Virginia University. After graduating, work took me to Pittsburgh for a couple of years and just last summer, I relocated to Baltimore for work. I have an older sister & a younger sister with who I am very close. Both of my sisters & my parents live in West Virginia so I find myself going to visit quite frequently.

Tell us something we don’t know about you! I lived in England for 5 months while I was in school, right on the outskirts of London. Best 5 months of my life! I actually had a little too much fun & that was partially the reason why I joined a Crossfit gym when I got back to the US.

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym? When I first started going to Crossfit, I really just wanted a good workout that someone else would program for me. Since joining, there have been so many more positive things that have come from Crossfit. I met some of my closest friends at the gyms that I've been a member of. My nutrition & healthy eating habits have improved 10 fold. Working out is something I look forward to every day & is no longer a chore. Crazy how I started off my Crossfit journey with just wanting a good workout & there have been so many other positive takeaways!

What do you enjoy most about PUSH? The people! There are some incredible people, both coaches and members, at our gym and I really think the community aspect is what keeps us all around. The dogs are also a huge bonus.

What tips would you offer someone who is just getting started with working out? Every day that you come into the gym, try to be a better version of yourself than you were the day before. Everyone from the coaches to the members are here to help!

What's your favorite song to work out to? Let Me Live / Let Me Die by Des Rocs annddd anything else Cardi B.

What's your favorite restaurant? Based on the amount of times I have been, it is Lee's.

Who's your hero (real or fictional)? I have to say, probably both of my sisters. My sisters are my best friends and I don't know where I'd be without them. Feels like they know me better than I know myself and always have the right thing to say. And that is always what I need to hear, rather than what I want to hear.

What does your frequently used emoji tab look like? 80% of the messages I receive are funny memes.

Words to live by or favorite quote? So many to choose from but one of my favorites is "Every person that you meet knows something you don't, learn from them."

What's your favorite travel spot? Hawaii! So far away but the perfect vacation for outdoor adventures.

If you could win an Olympic gold medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be? Rock climbing. Because I desperately want to be good at it but just am not.

What's your hidden talent? Making cookie dough disappear.