*Sung to the tune of Love and Marriage*
Joey and Stella
Joey and Stella
She’s a fierce gal and he’s a tall fella
This I tell ya, brother
You can’t have one without the other
What brought you to Renew and how long have you been a member?
Stella: Joey! He’s been doing CrossFit for a couple of years, and in January 2023, I finally decided to give it a shot to boost my mental resilience. Before this, I hadn't really been into working out, but Renew is such a friendly place for beginners. I did a couple of classes through the BAFF program and found myself really enjoying it, so I've stuck around since then!
Joey: Found Renew on Google maps and decided to give it a try because of its great reviews. Dropped in for a workout when Stella and I just moved to Austin in 2021, and really loved the friendly atmosphere. I’ve stuck around ever since.
Q: Where are you from? If not here, when did you move here?
Stella: Originally from China, I moved to the States for college in Virginia. After graduation, Joey and I were on the lookout for a change of scenery, so we picked Austin. It's the perfect blend of fun, size, and vibrancy for us.
Joey: Originally from China, moved to Virginia for high school and ended up staying there for 9 years through college. Moved to Austin in 2021 after graduating because we wanted to be in a place with just a bit more city vibe.
Q: One year from now, what do you hope to have mastered? What skill or lift do you hope to add to your wheelhouse?
Stella: A year from now, I'm aiming to nail pull-ups and double-unders. They're challenging, but I'm up for it!
Joey: I really want to get better at gymnastics stuff. So my goal is to be better at TTB and to be able to do CTB in a workout. Gymnastics movements have always been hard for me, but I’m finally getting the hang of pull-ups this year.
Q: What’s your favorite movement?
Stella: I like box jumps, not because I’m naturally super good at it (like the airbike to Joey 🙄️), but because they mark a significant progress for me. I started off super hesitant, barely willing to test my legs, but I've seen great improvement since.
Joey: In general I like Box Jumps, Double-Unders, and recently Cleans (if I can do singles). I also like to “send it” whenever we have the Airbike* in a sprint WOD.
*Tall guy things
What do you do outside of the gym? Both for work and play?
Stella: I work as a marketing specialist/designer at a biotech startup, targeting a transition to a full-time product designer role. I also lead creative projects at a non-profit. Outside of work, I like handcrafts, journaling, trying out sports (tennis, recently bouldering), and playing video games now and then.
Joey: I work as a UX Researcher at a company that develops tools to help retail stores set their prices. I also like to do some design stuff in my free time (apps mainly). Outside of work, I'm big on watching shows, movies, and occasionally anime. I also have a passion for traveling and food. I particularly enjoy recreating dishes from various cuisines we've experienced on our travels.
What’s your favorite eatery in Austin?
Stella: Sour Duck Market is my top pick for Sunday brunches with our dog.
Joey: Stella and I are big fans of exploring the diverse food scene in Austin, and it's tough to choose just one favorite. However, our fail-safe spot when we can’t decide on what to eat is a Thai food truck near our home called 'Chaba Kitchen.’ The owner is incredibly friendly, and the food is always on point.
Tell us something about the other person we don’t know.
Stella: Joey has this quirky habit of imitating interesting sounds or pronunciations from different languages. He tries to resist, but more often than not, it’s just me who ends up being his audience.
Joey: Stella is a huge fan of all kinds of snacks, she is particularly obsessed with every kind of chip-like snack from different cultures. If the packaging looks cool, she's gotta try it. But she also often forgets them in our pantry 🙄️.
Did we just become best friends? Yup. Joey and Stella! Thank you for being such a wonderful part of our community. We’re so proud of the progress you’ve made since joining – can’t wait to see what you add to your wheelhouse this year!!
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