Todd
While growing up, I was an All Star Soccer player for several years. However, after high school, I started packing on the weight – topping out at over 250 pounds! I decided to get my life and body back on track and began my own exercising and nutrition schedule. Over the course of the next fifteen years, I lost 100 pounds and became involved with several indoor and outdoor boot camps. I was even an ACE Certified Trainer for over two years. I was thin, toned, and feeling good……so, when I walked through the doors at CFMG, I thought I was in the best shape of my life….not so much.
I had heard about CrossFit, but didn’t really know what it was. My first week at CFMG was awesome and extremely humbling! I quickly lost my cocky attitude and began to realize there was so much more to “working out” than just vanity (my previous boot camp had mirrored walls….seriously….every wall). I could not do more than one pull-up unassisted, double-unders and wall balls were foreign to me, and I couldn’t run more than 800 meters without being winded. How could I be so cocky when I couldn’t even lift half of the girl’s prescribed weight?!?! But, Coaches Ian and Geo made me feel welcome, kept encouraging me, gave me modifications in order to correctly perform each lift/movement, and reminded me that everyone has to start somewhere in order to make progress. I was so sore the first week or two…..but, it was the good kind of sore….the kind of sore that makes you realize that you’re accomplishing something! I hadn’t felt that kind of sore in a few years. This was amazing! I had to stick with this!
A year and a half later, I have hit countless PRs: In addition to running the AFC Half Marathon last August, I am getting ready to run in my second Ragnar Relay next month and my first full marathon within the next year, I’ve hit 50 unbroken pull-ups and 80 unbroken double-unders, I can do the men’s prescribed weight on most WODs, my one rep max on almost every lift has been between 110-200% of my body weight, I have competed in two Throwdowns, and am currently competing in this year’s CrossFit Games Open! Now, instead of modifications, the coaches encourage me to take my WODs further every time. Even with all of these accomplishments, I have more goals on the horizon – that’s the best thing about CrossFit, you’re always getting better and moving forward for life!
As a bonus, my new CFMG Family is incredible! Not only are all of the coaches excellent, the members genuinely support and encourage each other both inside and outside of the gym. I have established the most amazing friendships through CFMG….gym friendships that have turned into movie nights, dinners and brunches, happy hours, birthday parties, dog sitters, weddings, trips to Vegas, barbecues…..even my dog, Ruskin, has a new 160 pound best friend, Frank!
CFMG has already changed my life in so many ways! I look forward to more changes and growth in the future!