April 2021 Athlete of the Month - Tracy Albanese

Congrats Tracy and thanks for displaying the qualities we look for in our Athlete of the Month. You are certainly very relatable to many members in your fitness journey. Tracy isn’t the best athlete and does not necessariluy have all the skills. There are a few things I have witnessed over the past year and a half that have put her at the top of my list for this monthy honor. Tracy began elements with coach Amanda in the fall of 2019. In conversation with Amanda and soon after when having Tracy in class, I learned that she is a hard worker. Tracy made fitness a priority in her life and it clearly shows through her dedication to attend class. You may see her in a weekday morning class, 7pm fitness class or a weekend class. When she decided to take my Engine Specialty class, I knew she was determined to improve her weaknesses in the gym. She hated and quite possibly still hates using the echo bike but I’m glad she has spent the time to understand it more and get more confortable on it. Two other areas in which I have personally witnessed and coached her on are double unders and barbell technique. It was a Friday night class when I saw her work on double unders and realized “Oh wow, she’s getting them.” It was a very cool moment for me because they don’t happen too often. I asked Tracy to practice more after class as I gave her more pointers. Since then, I have witnessed more improvement in the movement. Another time where the dedication was seen was when she requested to borrow a dumbbell during the winter when she needed to quarentine from school because a student tested positive. Sticking to her daily exercise is improtant and she wanted to be able to do the ‘at-home’ program. The things I touched on may seem so simple to some but it’s satisfying as a coach to be a part of progress and success. Tracy, you are great to have in class and I hope you continue to work for your goals. Those pull-ups are coming!

Written by: Coach Rob Moloney

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Q&A
Why did you start functional fitness cross-training?
I started functional fitness cross-training because I wanted to build my strength. I was going to the gym and taking kickboxing classes before starting here, but my fiancé suggested I come to IP Fitness to add strength training into my workouts.

What’s your background? (Athletic)
I played sports, mostly basketball, and danced from a kid until high school. I always went to the gym and then started boot camp/personal training after I graduated college. When I moved to the Long Beach area, I started kickboxing before coming to Island Park Fitness.

How long have you been a member and how long have you been doing functional fitness?
I have been a member at Island Park Fitness since October of 2019, so I have been doing functional fitness since then.

What is your favorite thing about the gym?
My favorite thing about the gym is how each week usually builds on to what we did the previous week so I can work on my skills at my pace without feeling like I’m not ready for a workout. I also love how supportive everyone is of each other.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome since joining the gym?
Building confidence in being able to do more than I think I can - adding more weight to the barbell, using a heavier dumbbell, being able to climb to the top of the rope.

What is your favorite moment at the gym so far?
My favorite moment at the gym is the first day I was able to climb the rope to the top. I was getting about 3/4 of the way up previously and then would lose my confidence and climb down. When I finally made it to the top, it made me realize that I could do more than I thought, which helped build my confidence in other skills/workouts.

What's your favorite "cheat" food?
My favorite “cheat” food is going out for Mexican food and margaritas.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about starting?
Go for it! If there’s something you can’t do yet, ask for modifications. The coaches are always willing to change a workout to fit your needs.

What drives you?
Continuing to see progress being made in the gym and out. I feel stronger, have more energy, and people are noticing that I look different. It helps to know that what I’m doing is working to keeping me healthy and feeling good about myself.

What is your biggest fitness goal right now?
A specific fitness goal I have right now is to do unassisted pull ups. But overall, I want to continue working on my fitness so I feel comfortable and confident in my body.