- What brought you to CrossFit?
I was playing hockey and one of the guys in the dressing room was mentioning he had started CrossFit. He was talking about flipping tires and how the strength training was helping his hockey. It sounded interesting so one day when I was driving up Dunbar I saw Corey and some others through the window so I stopped in and signed up. It’s funny that flipping tires is what peaked my interest in CrossFit and that’s probably the most useless movement we do.
- What was your first impression? How has it changed?
I immediately thought CrossFit was fun, I had no idea what I was doing but I always felt better when I finished. Empower at the time I joined was such a small community I often was the only person in the 8pm class. I had so much respect for Corey right away for his work ethic and commitment to coaching. I think he spent something like 16 hours a day at the gym 7 days a week. Even when I was the only one in his last class of the day he coached it like I was a competitive athlete. I felt a sense of belonging right away and as the community grew it became more and more enjoyable.
My impression now is still very similar to when I started. I still think CrossFit is fun. I still look ahead at the WODS and the harder it looks the more excited I am to do it. The main difference now is the group at 5am. It’s the same environment as the sports teams I played on growing up. We spend most of the class chirping back and forth and making fun of each other but at the same time help each other as athletes and push each other to be better. The other great thing is the days I don’t want to get up nor feel like working out I know there is a coffee after class which gets me out of bed.
- What was your first bright spot (win/positive experience)?
I think the biggest win is my commitment to 5 classes a week and grinding that out year after year. If you keep showing up to class you will continually get better at the movements even if the progress seems slow sometimes. I wish I remembered exactly what Sandman said but it was something about making your workout the same as putting on your pants, you just do it. You still do it if you are tired or it’s raining or whatever. That stuck with me, obviously not enough to remember his exact quote but it was great advice.
- What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on beating Point Break in a WOD. This guy dropped in from Australia and flies through every workout!!! All kidding aside Rowdy and I are working on Overhead squats at the moment. As active rehab it is really helping strengthen my bad shoulders. I am trying to get through 100 reps in 4 sets at 95# and the challenge is fun. This week I did it at 80# so I have a ways to go!
- What’s your favourite Empower memory so far?
It’s hard to pin point one favourite memory but the day Road Warrior told a story about watching his neighbour’s chickens, his brother, and a shotgun has to rank up there. I don’t think I have been in a group of people laughing that hard in years. The workouts tend to blend together the memories are built through the coaches and community and I’m grateful to be a part of this group.
Yeti