My love/hate relationship with Breeze at CrossFit Dilworth

“Tough. I like the word tough,” she immediately responded with the biggest smile on her face as she jogged off to encourage the next person, and just like that I had my intro to this article about Emily Breeze Ross’ Boot Camp on Monday nights.

Emily Breeze Ross Watson (who goes by “Breeze”) is a former track athlete at Winthrop who now competes in CrossFit and owns Moga Charlotte. An extremely active member of the Charlotte fitness community, she decided to start a boot camp class on Mondays with the goal of having 50 participants.

Within two months, over 70 people now show up to CrossFit Dilworth at 6:30pm to participate in one of the toughest, but most positive workouts possible.

Don’t let the fact that it’s located at a CrossFit gym scare you off.

While there are members of the gym who go to the class, there is a large cross section of people who attend. From parents running with their babies in strollers to people who want to get in shape for the summer, the boot camp is for all and can be scaled to your individual skill level.

This is perhaps what Breeze does best in coaching the class. She has designed a system where everyone can participate with the only expectation being that you give it your all. She is able to lead a group of 70 while keeping an eye on each individual to coach and motivate them.

The classes take place outside – locations like Pearl Street Park or neighborhood hills – and are always within running distance from CrossFit Dilworth. Nearly all of the work is done in pairs and while kettlebells and medicine balls are used, you can pick a weight that best fits your ability.

No class is the same, and each is incredibly challenging in terms of forcing participants to push their bodies and mental endurance to make it through the hour long boot camp. I had to email Breeze for a full breakdown of what the class consisted of, because during the workout I was just concentrating on completing one task and moving to the next.

After being outside for 30-45 minutes running, squatting, doing burpees, and carrying your teammate, it is time to move inside for air conditioning and core work.

It’s there that Breeze takes it to the next level and for the next few minutes she goes to war on your abs.

As someone who carries a keg instead of a six pack this part of the workout is definitely challenging, but once again the encouragement of Breeze and other participants prevents you from stopping.

And finally the class is over. You made it. Afterwards as you look around you realize how great it was to push yourself and you already start making plans for how you are going to get better the following Monday.

For more information follow Breeze on Instagram. The classes are $5 and be sure to show up a few minutes early if it is your first time.