Eric Smies - Head Coach and Co-Owner
Certifications:
CrossFit Level I Certified Trainer
CrossFit Endurance Certified
CrossFit Striking Certified
Concept 2 Certified Instructor
US Rowing Level I Certified Coach
Heart Zones Certified Triathlon Coach
CPR/AED/First Aid Certified
Athletic Acheivments:
2 Time Ironman Finisher
Just eight short years ago Eric was sitting in a bar, with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, watching football, as he had done many times before. One of his friends mentioned something about trying to complete a triathlon the following summer. After he figured out exactly what a triathlon was, he thought it might be something fun to try. Little did he know it would change his life. Eric started training for the triathlon and quickly fell in love with how it made him feel. He loved seeing the physical effects on his body and felt empowered by his strength and endurance improvements as the weeks went by. Since then he has competed in many triathlons, half marathons and marathons, most recently completing Ironman Wisconsin 2009.
He started rowing a few years ago under the expert direction of Nell Shuttleworth and quickly discovered the benefits of rowing. After just one season of training on the rowing machine, he noticed significant improvements in his bike and running times. He feels that rowing is not only a fun and engaging workout, it helps in other aspects of his training life. Rowing works 84% of the muscles in the body, training it to work fluidly, while building strength and endurance, not to mention providing significant weight loss.
Eric is living proof that whatever physical shape you're in, you CAN achieve your goals, improve your health and happiness and make this an essential part of your life. Eric wants to share his passion with you and help you achieve your fitness goals, whatever they may be. He looks forward to meeting and working with you.
Read Eric's Journey to Fitness
Email: Eric@rowfitchicago.com
Nell Shuttleworth - Owner and Lifestyle Educator
Health Coach in Training
Certifications:
US Rowing Level III Certified Coach
Concept 2 Certified Instructor
Heart Zones Certified Triathlon Coach
CrossFit Level I Certified Trainer
CrossFit Rowing Certified Trainer
CrossFit Endurance Certified Trainer
CrossFit Kids Certified Trainer
CrossFit Mobility Certification
USA Weightlifting (USAW) Level 1 Coach
FLT Certified Lifestyle Educator
AFAA Indoor Cycling
CPR/AED/First Aid Certified
Recovery on Water Board Member
Athletic Achievements:
PAC 10 All Conference Rower
Silverskiff Medalist
Head of the Charles Medalist
Ironman competitor
Boston Marathon Qualifier
CRASH-B Qualifier
CrossFit Regional Games Qualifier
I played sports growing up. I played Netball and Tennis, a little Lacrosse and some Indoor Soccer. From time to time I would run, but I never got really into it. I took a rowing class at Marina Del Rey, CA the summer before I started college. I joined the ‘crew’ rowing team in my first quarter at school. It wasn't necessarily the rowing that I loved, though I grew to love it more than anything else I'd ever done before. What drew me to the sport and what kept me coming back, was twofold; I loved feeling a part of a team and I loved how I learned about myself while rowing. I learned I was driven, determined and strong. We all want to feel like we belong and that we are included. Rowing made me feel like I belonged to something special. The team became my closest friends and every weekend and almost every meal, was spent hanging out with this group. In a large school, with over twenty thousand students, I felt like I had my own private club. Before long, I felt as though not only was I rowing, I was A ROWER, that’s who I was. I felt defined by my power as an athlete and I felt supported by my teammates in that role, which encouraged me even more. After college, I kept rowing, but it wasn't the same. The focus was different. When I moved to Chicago, I found the Lincoln Park Boat Club Women’s Rowing Team and felt like I was part of something again. One of my friends from this LPBC team was a bridesmaid at my wedding. Schedule conflicts and a lack of steady coaching sent me over to the sculling (single) side and I found myself rowing for the love of the sport, but without the camaraderie. It was lonely. When I began training for an Ironman, our coach introduced us to CrossFit. I was skeptical because I'd been so far removed from a team atmosphere for so long; I had forgotten what it felt like to be encouraged by others, supported by athletes, part of something. CrossFit brought me back to the community atmosphere that I loved so much before. I want to bring that feeling to RowFit. I want our athletes to feel a part of something that helps them define who they are as people. Rowing helped me to understand who I was as a person. I felt strong, independent & incredible when I was rowing and when our team was together, supporting each other and encouraging each other to work hard, I felt unstoppable. Being part of that team made me confident, self assured and determined, in sports and in life.
Join Team RowFit and release YOUR potential as an athlete, as a person. Find out what drives you, what defines you.
"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."
Email: nell@rowfitchicago.com
Kris Kazibut
CrossFit Level I Certified Trainer
Concept 2 Certified Instructor
AED/CPR Certified
A life long fitness generalist, Kris was always attracted to sports. Having dabbled in everything and anything you can imagine including gymnastics, soccer, martial arts, and bowling (He holds on to that last one as a sport), it's only natural that he would be attracted to CrossFit. Kris spent his years before CrossFit exploring the depths of his nearest globo-gym, pounding out bicep curls and climbing the never ending stair master. One day, his friend invited him over to his building's gym to participate in a workout known as Fight Gone Bad. Several expletives and a lot of sweat later, he was hooked.
To this day, Kris affirms that CrossFit is the most comprehensive strength & conditioning program for achieving general fitness. CrossFit's versatility to a wide range of physical movements and athletic profiles makes it a sound choice for people of any fitness level. Kris strongly believes that the CrossFit community strongly enhances this program by providing a comfortable & encouraging environment for athletes to achieve their maximum potential.
Heather Refenes (aka Mighty Might)
You could say I grew up in various fitness clubs. I spent the better part of the early 80s in gym child care centers while my mom taught aerobics classes (yes, leg warmers and leotards!) and did some personal training. Aerobics for kids was my first fitness experience. After that, I was a cheerleader in grade school and ran track in high school. My events were the 100 meter hurdles and 100m and 200m sprints, mostly as a member of relay teams. In college, all I did was kill the treadmill. I literally can’t even look at one anymore. My fitness goals during high school were just to stay active. In college, I became determined to have well defined arms. I tried things like Arms & Abs of Steel (workout tape), The Firm, which is an 80s workout video series – aerobics with weights (I can still break out these moves on command), and lots of dumbbell work with all the grunting men at various globo gyms. I did things like that through college and for many years after with only moderate improvement.
At the time Kris, a long time friend, discovered CrossFit and pushed me to join. I largely ignored him, making various excuses. Finally, he got to me (okay, he convinced my husband) to go to a CrossFit box that had recently opened near our apartment.
I ended up joining CrossFit after my first WOD, which was 3 months before my wedding. And all I heard at my wedding was how awesome my arms looked. 5 years of low weight/high rep weight lifting – nothing. 3 months of CrossFit – immediate noticeable improvement!
Not only was I getting the better results doing Crossfit than any other fitness routine, I was making a large number of friends with similar interests. The community of people at Crossfit pushes you through workouts, and makes you want to do your best. Fitness went from a daily lonesome drudgery to an inspiring social activity. I used to dread dragging myself to the globo, hoping my machine of choice was available, and trying to do a million high rep/light weights, putting on my iPod to avoid an unnecessary conversation – all of which would suck up over 2 hours of my night. Now I look forward to seeing my friends and accomplishing new feats daily, all in less than an hour.
In addition to Crossfit and Olympic Weightlifting, the only other thing I do is yoga, which I would like to do more, and I love the RowFit classes and the Erg!
Christine Case
|
Level 1 CrossFit Certified Trainer Christine came to Rowfit to improve her on the water rowing through CrossFit. Little did she know how CrossFit would impact her life. She lifts things she never thought she could lift, does things she never thought she could do and continues to accomplish what she once thought impossible. Christine wants to help you overcome those hurdles that hold you back and put you on the road to being the best athlete you can be. Christine implemented our "Fitter, Faster, Stronger, Better" program to great success, working with our athletes on goal setting, eating correctly and attacking workouts. People saw some great results. With a background in social work, Christine has the tools to help you in setting goals for your athletic ambitions and other aspects of your life. She is happy to work with people on a one on one basis as well.
Derick Larrow Level 1 CrossFit Certified Trainer
Never having taken to the "globo gym" and its "check me out but don't talk to me" theatrics, Derick's fitness life started with his first rowing class. A few rowing classes led into boot camps, which exposed him to cross fit. Having an explosive style to his athleticism, he naturally took to the "high intensity" work outs that CrossFit had to offer. Having found his spot in CrossFit, and with a nudge from coaches Nell and Eric, he went on to obtain his CrossFit certification in 2010. Now loving the gym and its sense of camaraderie; while being supplied with an energy that is contagious, Derick is always quick to welcome you to the gym with a smile and a high five. Always at the ready with a positive attitude, he helps to instill the sense of community that has made RowFit into the gym it is. Once a member and now a coach, he leads our Elements classes and gives the students the tools necessary to tackle the CrossFit WOD's both mentally and physically.
Brandan McCanna Level I CrossFit Certified Trainer For Brandan, a childhood that was dominated by athletics followed by a stint in the military resulted in an increased appreciation of camaraderie and team dynamics. Unfortunately, the conventional adult fitness life does not cater to either, and Brandan found himself spending countless, solo hours in various gyms. Each passing year proved more difficult to see and maintain results, which lead to decreased performance in the few intramural sports that his company participated in. After much frustration, and a few too many fluctuations in fitness level, Brandan decided to make a change. In 2010, Brandan began endurance training, which provided a new focus, challenge, and community of athletes. Long distance running became a passion, but also resulted in decreased fitness in the general sense. Enter CrossFit. After following the website and trying to make workouts fit with the space and equipment provided by a local gym, Brandan decided to take it to the next level and join a dedicated CrossFit gym. In January of 2011, Brandan walked into RowFit and found everything that he had been looking for; intense workouts spanning over a spectrum of fitness realms, an overwhelming team atmosphere, competition, discipline, results that could be applied to anything that life could throw at him, and most importantly a community of athletes and friends. CrossFit also proved to be a wonderful program to increase performance in endurance sports. After a year of working out at RowFit, Brandan decided to become a coach and share his passion for fitness and CrossFit. |
