2021 April Spotlight Athlete- Gabby Chapin

This month we are more than excited to share one of your clients who especially embodies the spirit of CrossFit Zachary. Gabby greets everyone she comes in contact with with her infectious smile and enough encouragement for the entire gym. She embraces the hard work knowing it’s going to have a lifelong effect on her and her family. We are definitely a better gym because of Gabby being a part of our family. You’ll be inspired by her account of over coming an injury that had been plaguing her for years. We often have clients with those types of injuries but they quickly find out that the methodology of CrossFit is designed to get the entire body stronger to support and with time eliminates those injuries. Gabby has come a long way and we’re excited to see how far she goes with her fitness. Congratulations on all your accomplishments Gabby!

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Why did you join us?

It feels difficult to pinpoint just one reason why I joined Crossfit Zachary. Ultimately, I owe it to the encouragement and coercive tactics of my best friend, Jodi, who had already been an active CrossFitter for some time. 

Initially I was hesitant for a few reasons and after just one day at CFZ, I realized they were all completely unfounded! I had always thought CrossFit was to too hard or too intense or even dangerous. I was also nervous about asking my family for the extra time away and help babysitting our three kids so I could join a fitness program 35 minutes from our home. It felt like a big commitment and at the time I struggled to justify both the expense and time investment. 

CFZ didn’t leave any room for excuses. Coach Fabian responded to my inquiry quickly and enthusiastically, leaving me no time to second guess myself (a method I see in his coaching on the floor frequently). A kids’ room also meant space for motherhood and fitness to coexist. Every excuse I had was met with a solution.

That’s what CrossFit does…it meets you where you are. 

I came in for my No Sweat Intro and knew immediately the right decision for me was to join right away. In 2019 I had committed to leaving behind fear as a guiding factor in decision making. I looked at a membership at CFZ as the perfect opportunity to invest in my mental and physical health, and I felt like the coaches were invested in this goal with me. It was a great feeling!

Um, we can’t forget the social aspect. I think anyone reading this who knows me knows how chatty I can be and how much I love my CFZ familia. During that first class I could sense something special between the other members. It felt more like a community than a gym. 

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What’s been your biggest accomplishment since joining us?

In 2006 I injured my neck doing yoga, of all things. I am a slightly competitive person and I had never done yoga before. The class went into an inversion, free standing headstand, and I couldn’t resist participating. I left class feeling a bit tense, but overall OK. A few hours later I was catching a ride to the hospital because I could hardly move or breathe. Scans showed no conclusive results, I was pumped full of pain meds and sent on my way. I was in my early 20s and thought little of it beyond that. The injury continued to affect me for 13 years, eight of which I spent pole and aerial dancing competitively, sometimes flaring up every month or more, keeping me home from work, unable to drive or even dress myself without excruciating pain. 

I eventually went to physical therapy and while that helped some, I still experienced severe flare ups…thankfully just not as often. I remember when Jason and I started having kids, I sat in bed one day in tears because I couldn’t even pick up my baby. I was so over it! 

It’s 2021 and since the early summer of 2019 (about 1 month after joining CFZ) I haven’t had a single issue and I’m performing movements that would have previously wrecked my neck for days. I’m performing many reps of these movements and often with significant weight. CrossFit did for me what physical therapy could not. It helped me fully recover that injury and gain serious strength that protects my body and enables it to function properly.

I can carry my kids, assist my neighbors and family with difficult physical tasks, and cartwheel without fear. 

Another accomplishment I’m very proud of is my consistency. I do have some weeks where homeschooling my kiddos or my photography business means I can’t make it as much as I like. But most weeks I am able to attend 3-4 times, that’s a 9-12 hour commitment per week once you factor in my time to linger and chat after workouts. 

What are you working on now?

EVERYTHING! Hah! It’s difficult to choose considering how varied the programming is and I love improving as an athlete all around. But I have been dedicating some extra time after classes to work on a few different things lately.

A broad goal I have is to improve my overall speed and efficiency through good technique and proper form. I LOVE watching everyone at the gym performing different movements, studying what works and what doesn’t. 

Preparing for Festivus (competition) with my teammates Brooke and Katie, with a special focus on some of the movements we’ll see during the competition WODS is a big goal. Then personally, I have been enjoying some extra handstand and handstand walking practice. I would really love to get beyond that middle pull of a strict pull up…I’m still getting stuck down there. I did my first kipping pull up earlier this year which was super exciting! 

I’d love to get more than four dubs in a row. I know double unders will click for me one day, it just hasn’t happened yet.

See what I mean…tough to narrow it down!

What’s your favorite memory at our gym?

There are SO many. One in particular happened outside the gym walls, but never would have happened without my connections at CFZ. Making a meal for Kelbert when his Mother passed earlier this year was a gift I will never forget. Being able to contribute in a meaningful and helpful way during that difficult time brought me great joy. To quote a great, “If you give, you begin to live.” -DMB

Participating in the Open this year is definitely a memory within the gym at the top of the list. Everyone challenging themselves and cheering for one another was a very cool experience that has me feeling very excited about Festivus later this month. 

Another thing I should mention is how I see the way my time at the gym has influenced my children positively. They were genuinely excited about the 10 year party and during quarantine; Amelia did all of the workouts with me. She even writes her own programming sometimes. I challenge any of you to run 100 laps around the “oak chree” faster than her! All of my kids express a desire to join the kids program when they’re old enough. I love the thought of being able to share this with them as they grow. What a gift!

But it isn’t so much a specific memory that has left the biggest impression on me though. It’s more the overall impact of the CFZ mentality and community that I love most. Every time I walk through those doors I know I’m going to see faces of people I care about. Being a part of a community that seeks to lift others through encouragement is truly special. I feel like all the coaches and members as a collective are responsible for every bell ring, no matter who initiates it. Every PR is a community celebration as well as an individual effort. Any workout where I get to shake it with Tarra is a good one too. 

What motivates you to continue training here?

Ice cream. I love it. I want to keep eating it. But I don’t want diabetes. Ok, I kid…kind of. 

My CFZ Family!  

The results, physical and mental.  

And the playlist. Never mind what everyone else says about Fabian’s playlist, Tarra and I know what’s up. 

CrossFit has changed my life. Physically I am stronger and more capable. Being able to do movements and perform lifts that once scared the leggings off me has been a huge boost in self-confidence. I never thought I would, but I LOVE lifting heavy now. I love the challenge that every workout presents and the feeling of accomplishment when I do something that used to scare me, like lifting heavy over my head. How I approach a difficult WOD transfers over into how I approach trials in life. I make sure to pace myself and focus on good form, 1 rep at a time, and I never…ever take the encouragements of others for granted. I am so grateful for how CFZ has impacted my life. 


Fabian Herrera