Columbus Circle Athlete of the Month
Chad is a great addition to any class! He always shows up early, does the needed mobility/prep work to make sure he’s in a good position during the day’s strength and conditioning work, and always welcomes the correction and criticism from our coaches. We’re happy to have you, Chad!
— Coach Patrick
How/when did you get involved in CrossFit?
I have been involved in CrossFit off and on over the past several years.
Do you remember your first workout? How was it?
Oh yes, the first workout was Fran and it wasn’t too bad actually. But that is because I took at least 20 minutes to complete, and I am sure there were a few questionable pull-ups.
What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?
My initial goal was just to try and figure out how to do the main movements, and that is still the goal today. There are so many different movements — each with technical intricacies — which makes it a never-ending learning experience to get better. That is part of the fun in my opinion.
How have you grown in that time — health, body, mind, etc.?
The continuous process of learning and practicing has allowed me to do things a little better over time and that starts to build up and then you surprise yourself with a new PR or a movement/workout you weren’t previously able to do. That is something fun to experience not only for yourself, but to see others do as well.
What do you enjoy most about CrossFit?
The best part of CrossFit is the people.
Favorite lift and WOD?
I once dreaded the squat snatch, but it has become my favorite lift. Not sure I have a favorite WOD, but I do enjoy some of the benchmark workouts as it’s always fun to try and get a new PR.
What about your least favorite?
Not a fan of the chipper workouts or 12 min + AMRAPs.
What motivates you?
Overcoming movements/workouts/weights that seem out of reach.
Do you have any advice for new members?
If I could have given advice to myself when I started CrossFit, it would be to keep trying the things you can’t do yet and don’t worry about not getting it. It took me nearly 2 years to learn double-unders because I avoided them and wouldn’t attempt them in workouts. For movements that I haven’t figured out, I still attempt to do at least a portion of them in workouts and scale as necessary. Over time, you figure it out little by little and then you have it.
What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?
Just try and get a little better every day and hopefully that leads to a PR or figuring out a movement I can’t do.
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