March Athlete of the Month: Em-J Staples!

If you thought it was impossible to smile in the middle of a brutal workout, you definitely haven’t met our March “Athlete of the Month,” Em-J Staples. With an infectious positivity that radiates throughout the gym like sunshine, Em-J has a way of making even the hardest CrossFit workouts look effortless and fun. Always a lightning-fast runner, she has recently impressed us even more with the recent addition of Rx pullups, toes-to-bar, strong numbers in all her lifts, and her participation in her first CrossFit Open (in the Rx category, no less!) But what makes Em-J even more special beyond her natural athletic prowess is her spirit, always there to support and cheer on every last athlete in the room! She is one-of-a-kind, and we are proud to call her one of ours!

What do you attribute your success at the gym to?

It’s a combination of the coaches, the people I’m working out with, and the ole’ SugarWod app — all of which encourage my competitive spirit.  Hearing hoots and hollers from Collin and Meghan at 5:30 and people like Maya egging me on to RX really make me want to work harder, and of course getting those digital fistbumps never hurts.

I started CrossFit a little over a year ago, and I have felt the results in other sports— stronger surf sessions, longer trail runs and steeper mountain bike climbs. It does the body good.

What are your favorite CrossFit movements? Least favorite?

I think pullups are my favorite. Not the strict, nor the chest-to-bar, but the CrossFit kipping swing version. I feel like a 5^th grader flying on the monkey bars at recess.

(Editor’s Note: As of this writing, Em-J got her first chest-to-bar pullup — and then did 39 more, to be exact — in her first CrossFit Open workout! Amazing.)

Least favorite has to be handstand pushups. I haven’t quite figured out how to make friends with gravity on that one.

What keeps you coming through the doors at CrossFit Sausalito every day?

The good vibes for sure. Everyone there makes me happy, and I think it’s incredibly important to have that feeling going into a brutal workout. CrossFit Sausalito is this sacred space sandwiched between a nail salon and a liquor store. On a given day I’ll workout with so many different people — PG & E 9-5ers, coast guard pilots, bar managers, stay-at-home-moms, teachers, pro cyclists — and they’re all so badass. I feel honored to be a part of such a great crew of athletes.