1.Were you active prior to CrossFit?
After traveling in NASCAR for 10 seasons, I only started to get active again just prior to starting up with CFV. I allowed myself to get pretty far out of shape (although I would argue that round is a shape) with the amount of travel I was doing. We had a contest at work modeled after the Biggest Loser. I started working out and running – made some changes to my diet and dropped 20lbs. Around that time I had started to see a friend of mine posting pictures of her CrossFit box in LA and it intrigued me – and as fate would have it Steve put his “CrossFit Gym coming soon” sign just up from my office and he has been stuck with me since.
2. When did you first start doing CrossFit?
Whenever this joint opened up (2010 March in the garage)
3. What were your thoughts after your first workout?
“What do their neighbors think is going on over here?” (garage wod)
“Where are all the people? I am tired of Steve having only me to yell at.” (after the box opened)
4. What do you enjoy the most about CrossFit?
There are a lot of things – so it is hard to narrow it down to one thing…
-As an athlete (or at least a person who does CrossFit), I would point to the friendships and community that come from being a part of the box – but don’t let the friendship talk fool you, I love the competitive nature of CrossFit. So now that I think of it, I take it back, forget the “friends/community” junk. I like the Whiteboard and seeing Nick Bormann ranked lower than me.
-As a coach, it’s seeing members accomplish more than they thought they could.
5. What were your goals when you first started?
My goal in starting was to work out as often as I could and not die. For me it was fun to get back to pushing and punishing myself with workouts.
What are they now?
Improve my technique and positioning on my barbell movements. I kind of capped out what I could do with my “so so” or “I guess that was a real snatch/clean/deadlift” technique and if I want to continue to slaughter Nick Bormann on the white board I know I have to correct the bad habits.
6. What is your favorite CrossFit movement?
I enjoy rope climbs and some heavy (well, heavy for me) complexes in the progressions, but I will not miss a day if we are squatting with weight overhead… I also like the move where I lay down for about 5 minutes when I am done with the day’s workout.
7. What is your least favorite movement?
Not a real big fan running, or handstand pushups, or burpees, or kettlebell swings, or… there are a bunch. HSPU is probably the most frustrating.
8. What kind of nutrition plan do you follow and has that changed since you started CrossFit?
I am much more aware of what I eat… doesn’t mean I am strict about my diet but I make sure I eat healthier more often than not. So I would say I eat better than I did prior to coming to CFV by far, but my diet is still a limiting factor in my performance and my level of shirtlessness.
9. Talk about your results from doing Cross Fit?
There are plenty of things I could list physically but really I think I am happier than I am healthier. CFV is my refuge where I get to work with the athletes as a coach and help them accomplish their goals, I get to train with my friends, and mingle with some awesome people each day – it’s much better than popping ear buds in and slogging away on an elliptical by myself.
Oh, and I have shoulders now… so I have that going for me.
10. What have you taught Steve in your time at CrossFit Vitality?
The most important thing I have taught Steve is probably how to love.