Nilda Soto isn’t concerned with the below-0 degree windchill outside. Even the atrociously ice covered and snow laden highways are no cause to skip an important trip to a small little garage in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood. Who in their right mind would travel all the way from Northeast Philly to Fairmount in weather like this? Better yet, what could possibly be worth the trip?! For Nilda, a ter for over three years, the answer is simple: it is time to train at Steelworks .
By day, Nilda Soto works as a program officer for the Philadelphia Out-of-School Time Literacy Initiative at the Free Library of Philadelphia. But as the sun slowly dips back underneath the horizon, this mild mannered certified language translator is transformed into a very focused and intense athlete. “I like using heavy weights during workouts, especially any shoulder to overhead because I think its one of my strengths” says Soto.
Nilda has been training with Steelworks since this past October. As a competitive ter and Olympic Weightlifter who had reached a plateau in her training, Nilda had been looking for another gym that was going to take her performance to the next level. “The coaching is one of kind and programming is different from other CF gyms that I’ve been to” states Nilda. “One of the reasons I joined was because of [head coach] Brian [Terpak]‘s unique programming…There is a clear purpose for training…Brian identifies each athlete’s strengths and weaknesses and builds upon it through individual programming to not only help you accomplish performance goals but to promote overall health and longevity in life and in this sport. The programming at Steelworks CF has also helped me improve my conditioning and overall strength tremendously. I still have a long way to go, but I’ve made great strides physical and mentally in the last 4 months….Since I started at Steelworks CF….I’ve PR’d every lift and improved my techniques.”
One of the biggest obstacles preventing Nilda from seeing improvement was her lack of mobility, which prevented her from hitting and holding good positions and utilizing her muscles effectively during lifts and subsequent conditioning workouts. However, after training at Steelworks the improvements became clear. “Once my mobility started to improve, my weightlifting and other bodyweight movements started to feel better which allowed me to improve my technique. Focusing on mobility in the last few months has prevented me from injuries and strains that I’ve experienced in the past, too.”
Nilda encourages anyone who is looking for a great place to train to come to Steelworks . “You will not regret it. Steelworks CF has great programming and that’s what distinguishes itself from other Crossfits in the area. Coaches are extremely knowledgeable, and they can help each member achieve their personal goals. Plus all Steelwork CF members are great people to be around every day.”
Want to start training with Nilda? Email Brian at [email protected] to get started.