SEPTEMBER - 2015

 

The SEO coaches are delighted to announce that September’s member of the month is Sergio Ulloa.

 

Sergio might be familiar to later-in-the-day SEO-ers because his name frequently appears on the whiteboard alongside a top score of the day. To those of us who watch him arrive each day, it’s not surprising that Sergio finds himself in that spot, since he shows up at 5 am already raring to go. On days when our warm-up is a little too slow for Sergio, he will pace back and forth just to keep moving. He’s always ready to wod and gives his all in every wod.

One of the things the coaches respect about Sergio is how, despite his obvious dedication and commitment to the sport, he never overtrains. Instead, he’s quite smart about how he approaches his workouts, coming to the gym only three to four days each week, never more. (Given that he is an orthopedic surgeon and father of three little ones, this regular attendance alone is impressive.) Sergio proves that rest days are as important as training days. Because he takes days off, he can tackle every workout with high intensity.

He runs like a gazelle (seriously, no exaggeration), he moves well on the rig with a great kip and a non-stop engine, and his barbell movements are constantly improving. Here too, Sergio’s intelligence pays off: He carefully analyzes the coaches’ cues and adjusts his movement patterns in each lift (even though it clearly kills him to stop moving during a wod, adding seconds to his time as he listens to pointers!). As a result, his squat has improved overall, he’s now comfortable with the overhead squat, and he can move a surprising amount of weight for his size. We know Sergio hates double unders but he tackles them every time they come up in a wod. Another training paradox Sergio exemplifies: because he’s willing to go down in weight to fix mechanical issues, Sergio continues to get stronger.

Above all, we love having Sergio around for the wonderful energy he brings to the box. When he finishes a workout, he always cheers for his fellow classmates. We occasionally hear other members asking him questions about physiology, and he is always willing to educate others with what he knows. This is a testament to why he is so good at what he does: He truly cares. When the wod is over, you’ll see him making the rounds, sharing high fives and comments on the wod. And who can help but get caught up in his friendly competitive drive? Sergio’s enthusiasm and drive pushes everyone around him to move a little faster, work a little harder.

We’re so grateful for all that Sergio brings to our community. Keep up the good work Sergio! We can’t wait to see what you do next.