Today we’d like to introduce you to Yvette Martinez
Hi Yvette, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story starts with an unlikely kick-off point- trusting my passion. Most of my life I played basketball, I always had a deep love for team sports performance and when my basketball career ended I was left with a hole so to speak, I still wanted to feel like the athlete I was. I began working out on my own as a form of self-care. I fell in love with movement in a different way. Through some very challenging times I have always found working out and movement as a place for replenishment and restoration. I discovered CrossFit about 10 years ago, but I had no idea what it would lead me to. I was working as a Social Worker Investigator (SWI) investigating child abuse cases and as you can imagine that came with a ton of heaviness. CrossFit was a safe place for me to unload and decompress. After reaching near burn out on this career path, although I found tremendous meaning as a SWI, I unexpectedly found an opportunity to work at a CrossFit gym as an Operations Manager and a Crossfit coach. In 2018, I decided to take a leave of absence and further explore the role. I quickly fell in love with not only the sport, but also the type of union it brought within people. It was beyond working out, it was beyond the weights we lifted. It was healing. It was connection. It was community and that’s where it all began.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many, many challenges with starting a new business. I’m a first time business owner in my family and although I had the opportunity of managing other CrossFit facilities, there was definitely a huge learning curve with starting from scratch. Many of the challenges along the way were actually more internal I would say. They impacted me more on a mindset level than anything else. One of the biggest obstacles has been navigating silencing that internal voice of doubt. Moments when things don’t fall in place and sometimes that voice discourages you. It’s being able to tango with the “this may not work”, or “ I could fail”.
The first year of business has been all about learning to embrace hard work, long hours that are sometimes required to get ahead, managing my team, delegating tasks and keeping a positive outlook through it all.
We’ve been impressed with Crossfit Blvd Gym, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
CrossFit BLVD is by definition a boutique style community-centered gym. What makes this business so special is our mission driven commitment to community. We are in fact an exercise fitness facility but when you cross the threshold of our doors, you’ll be met with a devotion to social connection, inclusion, diversity, and a strong focus on social consciousness. While we provide group fitness classes, at our core, we are dedicated to changing the health of our members for a lifetime. We are committed to the principles of integrity, diversity, inclusion, and virtuoisty in our training methods. When I think about what we specialize in, I think the answer is-people. People are at the core of all that we do. In our community I would say that people have identified us as a gym that’s safe for all types of people. A place that you can get started with a lifestyle change, free of shame or judgement, or if you’ve never worked out a day in your life- this is your place to start. Regardless of your age or ability level, or the way that your body looks, you’re more than welcome in our space not only welcome but you’re celebrated and seen. Our entire team is dedicated and defined by our commitment to breaking down barriers that have kept specific people groups out of many fitness/health spaces. We also work hard to break down and debunk harmful fitness standards that exclude instead of create more pathways to more people learning about and participating regularly in exercise.
One of the things I am most proud of about our brand is our Strong Path Program. Strong Path is 100% free classes led by our certified instructors to men who are currently living in a court ordered residential treatment program. These men are working towards a court ordered case plan, sobriety, overcoming addiction, gang affiliation, and other ways they’ve been system impacted. We provide free CrossFit classes, breath, work, hot/cold exposure (contrast therapy), and mindset training to these individuals at no cost. Our belief is that this resource can be a huge asset to contributing to their recovery process.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think because I live in such a public setting in the gym surrounded by many different members over the last 6-7 years I feel that there’s a lot of my life that people know about. There is, however something that I think most people don’t know about. The reason I feel so committed and so deeply passionate about inclusion and authentic connection is because I spent a great part of my life, unfortunately, disconnected from other people. I experienced isolation, and most of that was rooted in my fear of being accepted as a queer person. There was a huge part of my adult life where most of my coworkers and family around me didn’t know who I really was. Much of my upbringing I was taught that being queer was not only unacceptable, but should be hidden at all costs. It was centered in shame and a lot of fear got in the way of me and my authentic self. For years I yearned for deep connection, more specifically a space or place or people group where I could be myself and be embraced. I read a quote in a book I can’t really remember who the author was anymore, but it was really simple, “if the thing that you need doesn’t exist, you can create it”. That is when I merged my love and passion for CrossFit with my passion for authentic connection and community then CrossFit BLVD was birthed.
But in all honesty, the gym has never been about me. It is much bigger than me. It’s the community of almost 200 people who call this place a second home. It’s the coaching staff that pours their heart into their craft, the community events, the Stroller Program for parents, Youth Program, the stories and journeys of our members. It’s a special place located on Whittier Blvd and it will be here for many years to come. I just know it.
Pricing:
- 175
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WWW.CROSSFITBLVD.COM
- Instagram: CROSSFIT_BLVD
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-4aEU7DsC9S682l-rWyEzA?app=desktop
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/crossfit-blvd-whittier
Image Credits
Photograper: Erika Viramontes
