Melissa enjoyed being a young, competitive athlete; however, as an adult, she could not find an activity or interest to duplicate that collegiate athletic intensity. She toyed with Nautilus machines and dance fitness workouts—something was always missing. After her first CrossFit class (at ASDC CrossFit), she realized that she had found her athletic outlet. Each day presented a unique, challenging, and measurable experience; all the movements mirrored real life. Lifting a barbell reminded her of grabbing a large case of water. Pressing dumbbells overhead echoed her storing holiday decorations on the top garage shelf. Doing a Burpee is what she does to grab the dog from under the table (lol). When coaching new athletes or those new to CrossFit, Melissa’s mantra is patience! “Be kind to yourself as you develop new skills, build new muscle fibers, and create new neural pathways,” she explains. CrossFit is a journey that each travels at his or her own pace. Some skills will come more quickly than others, but Melissa promises that each athlete can gain mastery with perseverance.
Melissa assists Coach Brian in training a beautiful group of special needs teens and adults from the Starthrower Group in Flemington. Melissa takes time with each athlete to focus on form and build body awareness. She has inspired them to have their first box step-up, push-up, 100-meter run, or kettlebell swing. These athletes experience randomized physical challenges and develop mental and physical resilience to handle the unexpected while having fun.
If you promise to go to bed early, you can enjoy working out alongside Coach Melissa during a 5:00 am or 6:15 am class. She is a morning person, and it would be a miracle if you could reach her past 8:30 pm. Melissa likes both the country and the city. Her favorite cheat food is chocolate ice cream balanced with a healthy meal of grilled chicken and peppers. If she could have a favorite superhero power, it would be invisibility. Melissa lives in New Jersey with her husband, teenage daughter, tween son, four goats, two dogs, one cat, and thousands of honey bees.