Member of the month: Audrey proves that strength has no age

Some people start CrossFit because they want to get stronger. Others want to lose weight or are looking for a new challenge. For Audrey, it was her daughter who gave her that final push. One year later, CrossFit has become much more than a sport. It’s an investment in her health, her future, and proof that you can continue to surprise yourself at any age.

How did you discover CrossFit?

Through my daughter, Chayenne. She’s been doing CrossFit for years and had been telling me for quite some time that I should give it a try. Honestly, I thought I was already pretty fit. I swim in open water, cycle every morning with my dog, and ride horses. But my first workout quickly taught me that being fit and being CrossFit fit are two completely different things. Chayenne was right. (laughs)

You’ve always been active. What makes CrossFit different from everything you did before?

Being active has always been part of my life. I come from a family of swimmers and competed as a young girl. Later, I worked as a model, and today I’m a holistic therapist. I even learned breathwork and cold exposure directly from Wim Hof.

Over the years, I’ve tried many different sports. About a year before starting CrossFit, I joined a gym because I wanted to do more strength training. But it felt empty. Everyone was training on their own, wearing headphones, without any real connection. That simply wasn’t for me.

At the box, it’s completely different. You’re not training to look good; you’re training to become stronger and capable of doing things you couldn’t do before. And you do it together with other people. For me, that shift from appearance to functionality has been incredibly important. As a former model with a history of eating disorders, CrossFit completely changed the way I look at exercise.

What are your goals today?

I want to maintain my muscle strength and bone density. For women my age, that’s literally an investment in a longer, healthier life. I’m currently 61, and I refuse to believe that once you reach a certain age, you should only slow down.

“My future self will thank me for every squat I do today.”

What I love about CrossFit is that everything is scalable. Everyone trains at their own level, yet you’re still challenged every single session. That’s what keeps you progressing.

Has your nutrition changed since starting CrossFit?

I’ve always eaten healthy, so not much changed there. But I do have a history of eating disorders, which means my relationship with food is different from most people’s. Years ago, I said goodbye to diets and food rules. Today, I simply focus on what my body needs.

I consciously make sure I get enough protein and I take creatine as a supplement—not to lose weight, but to become stronger.

That’s probably the biggest change: I used to eat against my body, now I eat for my body.

What do you find most challenging about CrossFit?

Every workout is a challenge. Honestly, there’s never a session where I think, “This will be easy today.”

But that’s exactly why the community matters so much. If I were exercising alone at home, I would never push myself this hard. When the people next to you keep going, you keep going too. That’s the magic of CrossFit.

What are you most proud of since you started?

That moment didn’t happen during a workout—it happened on Lion’s Head in South Africa. Whenever I’m in Cape Town, I hike up the mountain. The year before I started CrossFit, it was a real struggle. I constantly had to stop, I was out of breath, and I practically dragged myself to the top.

After one year of CrossFit, I climbed the exact same mountain again. The difference was unbelievable. I reached the summit with energy left.The same body. The same mountain. But a completely different level of physical fitness.That was the moment I realized that everything I do in the box carries over into real life.

“The same mountain. The same body. One year later, I reached the top with energy to spare. That’s the power of consistent training.”

How would you describe the atmosphere at Moves?

For me, that’s the heart of everything.

As a therapist, I know how powerful it is when people feel supported by a community. I see that every day at the box. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 25 or 60. Everyone sweats on the same floor, encourages one another, and celebrates each other’s progress.

You simply don’t find that kind of connection in a regular gym.

What advice would you give someone who’s hesitant to start?

Just come!

The idea that you have to get fit before starting CrossFit is probably the biggest misconception there is. I thought I was already in good shape, and I was still completely surprised. Everything can be scaled to your level. And if you’re in your fifties or sixties, I’d even say: that’s exactly when you should start. Your eighty-year-old self will thank you for every squat you do today.

“You don’t have to get fit before starting CrossFit. You start first—and you become stronger along the way.”

Do you have a favourite workout?

Absolutely: team workouts. Suffering together, supporting each other, and giving just a little bit more for your teammates—that’s the essence of CrossFit for me. You discover a level of strength you would never reach on your own.

Where do you hope to be in ten years?

I want to still be training at the box when I’m seventy. More than anything, I hope there will be many more people in their fifties and sixties standing beside me—people who decided to start because they saw someone their own age doing it too.

That’s really my mission, both in my practice and at Moves: to wake people up from the belief that it’s too late.

Because it never is.

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Audrey proves that getting stronger has nothing to do with age. It doesn’t start with being perfectly fit—it starts with making the decision to begin today. One step at a time, supported by a community that challenges you, encourages you, and helps you grow.

Curious about what CrossFit could do for you? Come and experience it for yourself during a free trial class. Our coaches will guide you from day one, regardless of your age or fitness level.

And if you’d like to learn more about healthy ageing, we have more good news. Soon, Audrey will be hosting an inspiring workshop at Moves about moving your body and strengthening your mind at every stage of life. Drawing on her experience as a holistic therapist, she’ll share practical insights on strength, resilience, and sustainable healthy living.

Keep an eye on our social media channels for the official date.