Amari Brocatto

From Headphones On to Finding Her People: Amari Brocatto’s Nearly Eight-Year Journey at CFBC

August 2026 Athlete of the Month – CrossFit Broken Chains

By Coach Nate Hemphill, CCFT-L3, Owner/Head Coach, CFBC

When Amari Brocatto  first walked through the doors of CrossFit Broken Chains nearly eight years ago, she wasn’t necessarily looking for a community.

In fact, she was perfectly happy keeping to herself.

A former high school athlete who loved lifting weights, Amari was searching for a way to bring structured fitness back into her life as a young adult. CrossFit caught her attention, CFBC happened to be nearby, and she decided to give it a try.

Almost eight years later, she’s still here.

And somewhere along the way, the quiet athlete who once came in wearing headphones, completed her workout, and headed home found something she wasn’t necessarily looking for: her people.

Finding Her Way Back to Being an Athlete

After high school, Amari missed the structure and challenge that came with organized athletics.

“I was used to being a high school athlete,” she remembers. “As a young adult, I was looking to get into some sort of organized fitness, and I loved lifting weights.”

CrossFit checked both boxes.

What began as a convenient place to train eventually became a significant part of her life.

• “I’m naturally a very introverted person. When I started at CFBC, no one made me come out and talk. I came in, wore my headphones, and left.”

But something began to change.

• “With time, the environment started to help me come out of my shell. I started making friends and just kept coming back for the fitness and community.”

That evolution may be one of the best examples of what makes a gym community special. Nobody forced it. Nobody rushed it. Amari was given room to be herself—and eventually CFBC became much more than the place where she worked out.

335 Pounds of Proof

Spend much time around Amari and you’ll quickly discover that she loves a barbell.

Her favorite lift is the deadlift, and fittingly, her proudest CFBC accomplishment is a big one:

335 pounds.

That deadlift PR represents years of work, thousands of repetitions, and countless hours spent becoming stronger.

Outside of barbell work, Amari enjoys box jumps and jump rope. There are still movements that challenge her, too. Rope climbs remain difficult because of her fear of heights, and handstand push-ups are another skill she continues to work on.

After nearly eight years of CrossFit, that may be an important part of her story.

There is always something else to learn.

There is always another weakness to work on.

There is always another opportunity to get 1% better.

The People Behind the Progress

Ask Amari how CrossFit has changed her life, and she doesn't start by talking about her deadlift.

She talks about relationships.

• “Inside the box I found a group of girls who are true friends to me.”

She specifically points to Keegan and Francesca, two women she describes as “powerhouses” who have become genuine friends beyond the gym.

• “We push each other inside the box and lean on each other outside the box.”

And CFBC brought another pretty important person into her life as well: David Yepez, whom Amari calls the love of her life.

That’s quite a return on a decision that originally began with simply wanting somewhere to lift weights.

Eight Years of Perspective

After almost eight years of training, Amari has some perspective for the person walking into a CrossFit gym for the first time and wondering how everyone else seems so strong, fast, or experienced.

Her advice?

Stop comparing your beginning to someone else’s eighth year.

• “We all started somewhere. Don’t look at the people flying through workouts and lifting massive weight and quit.”

Amari knows firsthand how much time goes into developing strength and skill.

• “I started this almost eight years ago. Of course I may be stronger than you. But as long as you come in and do the work, you will also get stronger and faster.”

Then comes the part that matters most:

• “The hardest part is showing up.”

Respecting the Work

For Amari, the CFBC Bond is closely connected to integrity.

If she completes a rep, it counts. If she doesn’t, it doesn’t. She believes in recording an honest score, respecting the workout, and giving whatever she has available that day.

• “Some days I may be tired from work, but I know I need to continue my fitness journey each day to become 1% better.”

That respect extends to the gym itself.

Anyone who has trained alongside Amari long enough has probably heard one of her favorite reminders:

• “When an empty barbell falls on the floor, an angel loses its wings!”

It’s funny—but behind it is something Amari takes seriously: respecting the equipment, respecting the space, and appreciating the opportunity to use both to become healthier.