Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesca Grazzi.
Francesca, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have been an athlete all my life. I played competitive soccer and was recruited to play in an international tournament overseas to represent the United States at age 13. What I never saw coming was the next five years in my athletic career. From the ages of fourteen to nineteen, I went through four major reconstructive knee surgeries. After every surgery, I recovered (some recovery processes taking a year), and I would manage to get myself on a higher ranking team every time.
Beginning at age 14, I was taught not to take my abilities for granted, and that greatness is earned, not given. I played my last year of soccer at a community college by the name of Orange Coast College. This is where I had my fourth and final knee surgery and was forced to hang up my jersey for life. Suddenly I felt like my life had no meaning. I had so much fierceness and momentum in my athletic journey and for it to rapidly come to an end hurt me deeply. My emotions suffered, my mental health suffered, my grades suffered, and I felt like I had no purpose. I looked desperately for an outlet to showcase my athletic ability and drive. But how could I? I was almost 20 years old with soccer as my only sport. I thought I was too old to begin a new sport and excel at it. Little did I know, that I just so happened to be attending the only community college in the country with a rowing program. They were recruiting athletes with no experience. And although rowing does heavily utilize the legs, it is a low impact sport and non-contact. I showed up to practice to observe. All I did was compare it to soccer. Despite this, I showed up every day after that for two years straight. I joined the team and competed with schools such as USD, UCSB, Sac State, UCI and more. I woke up at 4 am every day and consistently was the first one to arrive at practice. The value of strength and dedication I learned through my injuries was coming in handy. I traveled to different states to row and even finished off my rowing career winning the heart and hustle award given to me by my coaches, received an athletic achievement award from the college, and helped my team win a second-place national title. A year after my rowing career, I was diagnosed with arthritis in the knee that bore three out of my four knee surgeries. My rowing career helped my closure with soccer, and my competitive athletic career as a whole.
Today, I am twenty-four years old and I workout every day still. I manage a fitness studio (F45 Training North Mission Viejo) and participate in weight training, and HIIT training weekly. My surgeon has let me know I am the most active person he has seen in his professional career as a doctor despite my injuries. I am so proud of my younger self those ten years ago who decided to persist despite the circumstances. And ten years later, I have the same attitude, and I am stronger than ever.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road of life and fitness has indeed not been a smooth road! It’s been rocky, rough, exhausting. There has been so much pain, tears, and frustration. That being said, it is all one million percent worth it when you decide to overcome it, rather than have it consume you. My advice? Be sad, be frustrated. Use your negative feelings and channel that into a desire to relentlessly make things right. You are fully in control of your days. Take the circumstances you are given, and make it a priority to make the most of it, no matter how many times you get knocked down.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I currently am the manager and head trainer of F45 Training North Mission Viejo. We are a part of the fastest growing fitness franchise in the world. We emphasize functional movement in the style of high-intensity interval training. I am so immensely proud of this job as it is a tool for me to facilitate empowerment through movement and fitness. I have seen hundreds of lives change. Fitness is made for everyone. Once you find what works for you and the result makes you feel confident and strong, your life forever changes.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
In the fitness industry, females a second thought when it comes to guidance in strength and fitness. It may be true that men can outperform females physically, but our fierceness and knowledge can be matched, and even outweighed. That being said, I am constantly seeing forward movement in females being leaders and people who inspire both women in addition to men.
Pricing:
- Online training – 25/week
- Discounted F45 membership 39/week
Contact Info:
- Website: https://f45training.com/northmissionviejo/
- Phone: 949-842-7939
- Email: fkgrazzi@gmail.com
- Instagram: @francescagrazzi
- Facebook: Francesca Karina Grazzi
Image Credit:
Travis Kross
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