March 2023 Athlete Of The Month

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Name: Ali Veljkovic

Age:32

How long have you been a member at BBS&C? 7 Months

Were you athletic or involved in sports when growing up? When I was 7 I started speed skating (indoor, outdoor, and ice). I pretty much did that until I was 21. And throughout high school I also got involved in spring and winter track for all 4 years. I have a thing for sports that involve racing around 🙂

Were you working out regularly prior to joining BBS&C? If so, what were you doing? Yup! I started doing crossfit in October of 2020 at my original gym in New Jersey and I’ve been hooked ever since. 

Why do you workout? At first I started working out just to feel healthy, but it’s evolved to so much more than that. After becoming pregnant I’ve realized that there’s a lot of ‘conservative’ views and opinions surrounding the two.This made me do the research and see all the benefits that it has to offer. Now I workout to feel great during pregnancy, to prepare myself to give birth, and to have an easy recovery into my new mom bod. 

What is your favorite lift or movement and why? Power cleans and handstand pushups! Power cleans have always felt really comfortable to me and even more now since joining Built thanks to Tony and Dom. And handstand push ups were always my favorite pre-pregnancy. I thought that it was pretty cool that I can push my own body weight up while upside down. 

What is your favorite workout or type of workout and why? Long and gritty. I feel like it’s those workouts that build character and most of the time you end up surprising yourself with how much of the ‘suck’ you’re willing to go through. 

What have you accomplished as an athlete (big or small) during your time at BBS&C? I love how comfortable I got with the barbell again. Previous to this I wasn’t as confident with anything that involved it. I also love how I can feel my technique getting better (again, thanks to the coaching). And that goes for any lift! 

What fitness goals do you have for the next year? I want to get stronger with my lifts and try doing muscle ups the correct way. How has your fitness influenced and/or impacted your life outside of the gym? I believe fitness really builds character as what type of person you can be. Almost like the more you’re willing to push yourself physically, the stronger you become mentally. That mental part really comes into play in my work life and future goals. Just gotta keep on pushing the limits!