We’re excited to announce Max as our August Athlete of the Month! Max is a valued athlete at Solcana and is known for his positive and receptive energy. Read more about our August Athlete of the Month below!
Coach Neesh says, “Max; an incredibly delightful human being, and a really fun athlete to watch. Max always comes in with a smile and an attitude that is ready for any challenge. Max is a genuinely kind person and a joy to have in class.”
Coach Jeff adds, “Max is a wonderful anchor of our powerlifting squad? – he is generous with his questions and knowledge and can make anyone laugh even after a heavy set.?He’s been a big help in turning Powerlifting into a legit team here!”
Coach Brooke remarks, “We are so lucky to have Max in our community!! Max is kind, open-hearted and strong. I have always appreciated the way he bridges new connections in class and humbly lifts heavy weights.”
Max details his journey as an athlete and at Solcana: “I have been lifting on and off since 2016, and joined Solcana mostly because I wanted more guidance with my strength training. I felt like I kept plateauing no matter what I did, and it was really frustrating. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved being able to be in strength classes with other athletes. Being able to do movements I enjoyed, while being in community with other queer folks, where my experience as a trans person was normal and embraced, was what I never knew I needed. I have been in a lot of different fitness spaces, and have the privilege of not necessarily needing to feel uncomfortable in most of them. But there is truly something about the little things of like… people not making weird gendered comments about your form, how your body works, or even just not needing to explain your trans body. You don’t realize how much of that you carry with you, until you don’t have to!?“
He also details his experiences in both Powerlifting and Trans Strength classes:
“My lifts have benefitted heavily from being at Solcana! I have mostly been attending trans strength and powerlifting classes (I hate metcons!!) and it has been crazy to see how much my weights for all my major lifts have pretty much skyrocketed with consistent training. Who knew that guidance from coaches and motivation to show up to class to see my friends would make such a huge difference? I never believed I could hit a 200lb bench! Or that I’d feel comfortable at all doing any Olympic lifts. It has felt amazing to thrive in an environment where I truly feel like I have found my people. I can’t really imagine what I’d do without this gym.”
“A side effect of this is how much I have realized I love powerlifting as a sport. None of my friends (at least, those not from Solcana) understand when I try to explain to them why a certain lift an athlete did was SO cool and beautiful to watch. They think I’m crazy, but I’m realizing this is probably what my friends who enjoy “conventional” sports feel when they try to explain football to me. I guess I am a sports person now. Thanks, Solcana!”
Coach Traci says, “Max is such a kind human, he always makes me laugh and smile.? I love coaching him during powerlifting.?He asks great questions and is always open to feedback.?He has a really good sense of how hard to push himself and is also very supportive of others.?He is just a joy to be around.”
Coach Lara says, “I am often struck by Max’s generosity, kindness and humor, as well as his steady growth and leadership as a powerlifter. And I’m super impressed at the organizational and design skills that he’s contributing to make Drop Deadlift Gorgeous an amazing success as a fundraiser!”
Coach Garrett H adds, “Max is so strong! I appreciate his presence in trans strength so much –?he’s?a leader for his peers!”
About Max’s Life Outside of the Gym:
“About me: I work as a professional graphic designer for UW—Madison, fully remote. I consider myself lucky to work for an offshoot that works especially with student-facing, fun events. We do everything from posters, catalogues, window graphics, apparel (one of the attached photos is me modeling a design I made!), really out-there retail initiatives, and even beverages as of this August. When not at my day job, my real passion is painting and illustration. I really enjoy painting animals (especially people’s pets), studying master comics artists, and drawing fantasy worlds. One of the things that drives me most in my art is the way you see folks eyes light up when the art clicks for them. A dog that looks like their dog, a story that feels relatable, something that reminds them of their childhood.”
“Art is such a connecting medium, with so many ways for people to feel seen. That powers me! I also have a lot of passion for cooking, food systems, and getting creative with what I eat. Cooking food for others, in my opinion, is one of the greatest displays of love, and I really believe there is almost nothing that draws people together like a meal. After all, we always need to eat, why not enjoy it? I of course, also love giving my dog kisses on his big flat head. And existing outdoors on a nice day in a hammock.”
More Facts About Max!
- Max has broken both of his middle fingers.
- His birthday is on Pi Day!
- His dog has three legs.
We appreciate Max’s presence and all of his delightful contributions to the Solcana community. We cannot wait to continue watching Max not only excel in powerlifting, but also get stronger with us!
Solcana Fitness 