Shannon Racculia

Height: 5ft 4in
Weight: 120 lbs due to half marathon, typically 128
Age: 33
Kids: Elliana 4, Domenic 3
Family: Married to Nicholas (also a power lifing hobbyist)
Career: Behavioral Therapist, Addictions Counselor (on hiatus) and CPT
Idol: Mark Rippetoe. Knowledge is rarely concise with such hysterical delivery.

I began informal weight training with my father, Gary, when I was about 8 years old. He was an amateur power lifter and also dabbled in martial arts. The first lift he showed me was the bench press. We used the bar; he did most of the work, of course. He had an old bench in our basement and a homemade squat rack he also used for dips. I was taught to lift using the barbell primarily, with some dumbbell work. I have never been and cannot ever foresee me advocating the use of “machines”. I am passionate about the barbell.

I dropped all training in highschool and the early part of college after being diagnosed with chondromalaysia and experiencing almost constant pain. I resumed in 1998 with a whole new dedication. For the next 2 years I was utterly obsessed. During this time I achieved my bench press max of 150 lbs (still my best to date) and began learning the foundations of clean eating.

After college graduation I hit another fitness rut and became rather career focused. During the next 10 years I was almost entirely inactive, aside from short bouts of motivation (emphasis on short). Not coincidentally these were incredibly unhappy years. It has become my experience that many of us work out to expel an over-abundance of energy. For me, failure to harness and release that energy productively leads to extreme restlessness. Interesting to note, my knees were at their worst at this point. My knees are only NOT painful when I use them. I run and I squat. Exercises executed with proper form correct many problems (paraphrased and cleaned-up version of the infamous Rippetoe quote).

In 2008 I decided to move, for vanity reasons primarily. I made it through about a month of group led “girl” aerobic classes before I quit and ran back to the barbell. It was also in 2008 that I received my CPT certification. I am a nerd, I just enjoy studying and I had no intention of working in the fitness industry. In 2008 it finally stuck. I had enough life experience and insight from my studies in Psychology to understand that it was not happenstance that I was only happy when I was healthy. Clean eating returned and eventually evolved into Paleo. Weight training 5 days per week became and remained my norm. After having 2 children I am fitter, more energetic and happier than I have ever been. People function in a realm of lies they come to make excuses. There is always time. Healthy food tastes delicious. Children do not doom you to obesity. We have choices...we are powerful enough to enact any choice we make with success.

Why do I train? To stay sane, literally. I have too much energy. I either expel it productively or get into trouble. Training keeps my moods balanced, it makes me confident that I am strong enough to conquer any obstacle. I train to be healthy for my children and to teach them to be healthy and confident as well. Fitness is magic. Truly a secret to a better life.

Where do I train? Everywhere! The 24 hr gym down the road, in my basement gym, on my gameroom floor, at the park (I love monkey bars), and on the streets (when I run I do 10 burpees per mile, every mile).

My philosophy on training methodology is simple: Do it all! I was trained originally in the power lifts. Then I came to love isolation lifts. Then I went CrossFit and developed attitude about isolation lifts. Now I do it all: power, Olympic, body weight, isolation, isometric, running, biking, plyometrics (my favorite cardio), rowing, climbing (gets me into trouble all the time).

Sample week's workouts

Monday:

Upper body weight training (power and isolation) and plyometrics (plyo between sets in place of rest)

Tuesday:

Run (often with a sandbag, always with burpees) not less than 5 miles and core

Wednesday:

CrossFit WOD or modification (Olympic lifts and plyo, typically)

Thursday:

Run (often with a sandbag, always with burpees) not less than 5 miles and core

Friday:

Lower body, heavy lift (Squats, dead lifts, walking lunges)

Saturday:

Rest

Sunday:

Long, slow distance run (typically 10+ miles), core

Competition and Accomplishments

I run 5ks, 10ks, obstacle runs and now ½ Marathons. These are all timed events, so I suppose I compete. I run 5ks for speed (average: 8.5 minute miles), obstacle races I run for completion and camaraderie. My last lifting competition was in 1998 (150 lb bench press, 1 rep max at a body weight of 118lbs). It is time to get back in that game! My biggest accomplishment is being active, period. It is always easier to do nothing…especially with little children and a job. My movement seems to inspire people, so if I get one person to move that is an amazing accomplishment. Better than any 1 rep max, for sure.

Current Goals

Increase 1 rep max for all lifts. I had a severe shoulder injury and spent the summer rehabbing and running. As a result I lost a lot on my lifts. As of November (the end of race season) I will be focusing exclusively on building strength, it is my passion. I look to be competing within 6 mos. Ambitious? Sure. Everyone needs a goal, though. My dead lift should break 300 lbs soon…that is my short-term goal!

I love CrossFit. I always leave wrecked and humbled and I just adore it. If I vomit, all the better. As for a single lift, without a doubt I love the squat the best. While if I had to pick one and only one lift to execute for total fitness I would recommend the deadlift.

Unleash your inner beast. RIGHT! The gym is where I leash my beast. I whip him a few times and make him to do my work. I learned to control him, subdue him on those concrete floors while holding that bar. Some people need to learn to find their primal side, to conjure it, to meet it. I know my primal side all too well. These days the only time he is allowed out to play is in those rooms.

My personality and lifestyle is one of extremes. My passion is currently my work. My children love to play actively. My husband is as gym-obsessed as I. It is hard to identify with the notion of balance for me. Sure, we do other things, talk other things and have rest days. But everyone’s passion is in the same direction for now.