How did you hear about crossfit?
I really didn’t know much about CrossFit when I first signed up. I had seen some social media posts , but really I just knew I needed something more than an elliptical machine and free pizza to get me serious about my health.
What do you do for a living?
I supervise the sign shop for local Highway Department, which means a lot less daily physical labor than I used to do and a lot more paperwork and computer time.
What are your interests outside of crossfit?
I’m constantly getting into new hobbies, I like learning new things and making/building things.
One word to describe yourself?
“Long-winded” which makes this really hard to answer in one word.
How long have you been at PCF?
Just about 2 1/2 years.
What do you like about Port Crossfit?
100% the people- The Coaches are incredible. The programming and workouts are challenging, fun, and engaging and the members are welcoming and friendly.
I was a member of a big box $10 a month gym for like 10+ years. I hardly ever used that membership, and when I did I would just zone out on a treadmill or roam around using random machines with no plan or intention because I didn’t know what I was doing.
Port CrossFit is the complete opposite of that, there’s structure to the program to push members to continually progress their fitness and training. There’s never more than 12 people in a class, which means there’s always a coach nearby to give pointers or demo movements and push you to do more.
The coaches get to know your current abilities and help scale any workouts so you not only get the same intensity workout as everyone else but are challenged enough so that in time you build strength and skill to start Rx-ing workouts.
What is your favorite WOD or lift?
Murph – the workout itself is so challenging, but the movements are basic fundamentals and they’re easily scaled. And knowing that once a year everyone in the gym, and thousands of other gyms are all doing the same workout to raise money for great cause and honor something so much bigger adds a whole other level.
What have you achieved since starting at PCF?
I’ve achieved so many measurable and tangible personal goals since starting at PCF – body weight and body fat goals, PR’s and firsts- first strict and then kipping pullups, chest to bar pullups, toes to bar, rope climbs, double unders, handstand pushups! All the things I knew I should be able to do and some I never thought I’d be doing ever.
But really my biggest achievement was the mental changes I experienced- I’ve become much more confident and physically capable inside and outside of the gym. I used to define myself and describe myself as the “unathletic, fat guy”. I was a 2 pack a day smoker, I drank … like a lot. I needed 2 energy drinks just to get my day started.
Now I think of myself as athletic and physically capable, someone who at least knows the healthy choice (even if I don’t make it every single time), I’m someone who goes for runs with my fiancé … like, for fun. I feel more like myself – a healthier, stronger and happy person.
What does your training schedule look like?
I always try to plan for 5 days a week. If I get 3 days, that’s a win, The 4th is a gift and if I get a 5th session in for the week, I feel like the Fittest man in the world… even if I’m the last one to finish the WOD.
How important do you feel nutrition/lifestyle choices play a role in performance and aesthetics?
Nutriion/lifestyle is huge, but it’s without a doubt the ‘hard’ part. Nutrition coaching with Coach Will and the nutrition challenges at PCF helped reshape how I view food and helped show me how to use food as fuel for work outs and activity.
It’s really interesting to see how nutrition and lifestyle choices affect performance in the gym and the other way around. When you train hard you don’t want to go home and destroy everything you did in the gym, and when you’re looking to train hard you start eating to fuel that work.
What would you like to accomplish?
I just want to continue to get stronger, faster and healthier…. but also I really do want that first muscle up and a sub 45 minute Murph time.
What suggestions or piece of advice can you give to anyone who has just started their Fitness or crossfit journey?
Don’t get too hung up or so hyper focused on one singular goal or outcome. And don’t set super strict timelines/deadlines for your goal. Instead, focus on enjoying the process of reaching that goal.
When I finally started training just because I enjoyed it, and started challenging myself to hit my macros in different and interesting ways day to day… all of a sudden I realized I had demolished my original goals. And since I was enjoying the process, it actually felt like it was almost easy (well, easier) to do.