health & fitness
STRONG I By MAREK MAKOWSKI
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mid the din of blaring heavy metal and nearly 20 people scurrying across the gym of CrossFit Huntley is Jyllianne Czanstkowski, an Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit coach, swinging her feet to a pull-up bar tucked away in a back corner. Midway through her Saturday morning reps, she doesn’t stop coaching.
Czanstkowski sways from the bar as she galvanizes a member trembling during his first rope climb at the gym. “Come on,” cheers Czanstkowski,. “You’ve got two more pulls.” He puffs and yanks himself upward, touching the top of the rope. Sliding to the ground, he paces to catch his breath. Czanstkowski walks up, encouraging him.
8 | JANUARY 2014 | MCHENRY COUNTY MAGAZINE
They rotate positions and continue their workout for the day, striding through the cacophony in the room, beneath the military flags on the walls, beside the sweat-drenched faithful who span three generations. Czanstkowski, who lives in Lake in the Hills, has been with the program for three years. She’s one of three coaches, CrossFit head trainer Bobby Mickey says, in a gym that has a 60-year-old working out beside a college soccer player. mchenrycountymagazine.com