Carol Ann Casagrande is our female Member of the Month for February. She came to the LAB as a member of our Elements 30-Day Fitness Mentorship Program, graduated and transitioned into group classes where she has thrived. Carol Ann is continually impressed by the methodology, dedication and vision of Coach Lee’s programming. After completing the Righteous 21-Day Challenge, her goal is to remain consistent by attending regular workouts and eating clean. Favorite movement? Pull-ups! Her favorite restaurant is Piattello Italian Kitchen.
What brought you to enduraLAB in the first place? I saw Coach Caroline with an enduraLAB T-shirt, and she explained how the LAB was like no other gym and encouraged me to start with Elements.
What was your first impression? How has that changed? My first experience was a fruitful one with Coach Lee in the Elements program. He was encouraging, motivating and incorporated humor which I love! His knowledge and science behind his methodology is impressive. I then transitioned to group classes where I liked the energy and intensity. Today, I continue to be impressed with the vision, dedication, and creativity.
What was your first breakthrough moment? Removing one of the bands for pull-ups.
What are your current goals at the LAB? My goal is to retain the consistency in attendance and clean eating that I started in January thanks to the Righteous 21-Day Challenge.
What’s your favorite enduraLAB memory? Coach Lee playing 9 to 5 for the noon class. I love music and the LAB has the best playlists from Lauren’s “Happy Rap” to Dolly Parton!
What advice do you have for anyone thinking about starting at enduraLAB? Go for it! It is truly a place of change. The coaches, the venue and workouts are extraordinary.
What is your favorite movement/lift? Least favorite? Pull-ups are my current favorite! They were intimidating at first, but I am striving to eventually do pull-ups without bands! I have a love/hate relationship with burpees. They are my Achilles heel, but I want to like them a little more than I do!
Favorite restaurant/bar in Fort Worth? My favorite restaurant is Piattello Italian Kitchen.
Favorite workout song? Anything with a good beat!
Where did you attend college? TCU
Patrick Shropshire is our male Member of the Month for February. He came to the LAB ready for a change, with a desire to test his endurance and a nudge from his friend David Kostohryz . The dynamic programming, community and accountability keeps him motivated. After the Righteous 21-Day Challenge, his goals are to continue to attack every workout without hesitation. His advice for anyone thinking of starting the LAB is to not be intimidated and the community is the best in town.
What brought you to enduraLAB in the first place? Boredom with the monotony of my previous yoga/bootcamp routine, the desire to see if I was capable of more and a nudge from David Kostohryz.
What was your first impression? How has that changed? I was desperately seeking dynamic programming that would keep me (mentally) engaged and accountability from other members. The former turned out to be far better than I imagined. The latter I knew would be there given those I knew that were already at enduraLAB.
What was your first breakthrough moment? I wish I could point to a single moment but it truly was the gradual, yet easily identifiable improvement in both strength and endurance (and the marrying of the two) that I experienced week over week. It became much more identifiable when I transitioned from three days/week to five after about three months.
What are your current goals at the LAB? I have a renewed focus on giving all I have every time I'm there. I went through a phase where some of the workouts would defeat me before I even started (didn't like the movement, it looked too hard/fatiguing or maybe I was just being lazy). Since the New Year I'm doing a much better job of attacking whatever I have in front of me and it's made the experience much more rewarding and enjoyable. It has helped my mindset outside of enduraLAB when facing issues I'd prefer not to face. It has helped me inside enduraLAB in my daily/futile pursuit of Carlo.
What’s your favorite enduraLAB memory? Completing the Murph two days after attempting my first ever kipping pull-up. They weren't pretty or efficient, but I somehow posted a respectable time.
What advice do you have for anyone thinking about starting at enduraLAB? I feel like everyone probably says you shouldn't be intimidated, which is 100% true. There are people of all ages and body types and we all work hard together with supportive coaches and zero judgement. A more original answer would be that the comradery alone will keep you coming back. While I admit I get up early in the morning to stare down father time, it's a distant second to hanging out with a diverse group of friends in a fun and competitive environment.
What is your favorite movement/lift? Least favorite? My favorite is the dip. I would like it to be pull-ups, but not there yet. Least favorite is definitely the power clean ... I think the bar should be below my hips or above, but not both.
Favorite restaurant/bar in Fort Worth? The Tavern - maybe the only place in Fort Worth where my kids will agree to go without complaint.
Favorite workout song? Lose Yourself by Eminem.
Where did you go to college? University of Virginia (undergrad) and University of Chicago (graduate).
