Upper East Side

Hey folks,

My apologies for the delay. This months athlete spotlight was very special to me for a number of reasons. Seeing as this is my last one I had to make sure I gave it my best effort. The athlete chosen is also someone who I consider a brother. I really had trouble sitting down and writing this but here is my best shot. This months Athlete spotlight, I am very proud to announce is

Mike Taylor

We caught up with Mr Diesel himself and asked him a few questions about his EVF CF journey. Here is what he had to say in his own words

How/when did you get involved in CrossFit? What has motivated you to stick with it?

I got involved roughly 2 years ago. I was looking for something to fill the void of not playing football/track anymore in college. I was doing CrossFit workouts in a globo gym … It was the dumps! I came down to one workout, and Eric and I were battling max box jump heights. I was hooked. My motivation to continue has been my failures. Striving to just become a well-rounded athlete has pretty much consumed me.

What do you enjoy most about being a member at EVF?
Hands down, the people! I couldn’t imagine what my day or life would consist of without the coaches or members walking through the door every day. Performance class people, I seriously love you guys/gal. Literally my happy times in life are Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Do you remember your first workout? Looking back how did it go?
Can’t remember it exactly, but it was a chipper: KB swings, pull-ups and lots of running. I remember I convinced a few of the coaches to throw down with me. Went great, but I clearly remember tripping up the stairs habitually.

What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?
First starting, I wanted to compete at the highest level. At this point in my life, I really just want to push myself and those around me to become the greatest versions of ourselves that we can become. I am happy with that. Wouldn’t mind a trip to regionals, though.

How have you grown in that time — health, body, mind, etc.?
I have definitely grown in strength and torn tons of jeans thanks to Coach Q and squatting. More importantly, I think I have grown tremendously in the mental aspect that CrossFit provides. Humility, acceptance of limitations (and how to destroy limitations), desire. I can’t tell you how being at EVF has saved me from despair and given me an outlet to grow as a human being for the better and become a happier person in general.

Favorite lift and WOD?
Tough one. It has to be a toss-up between Elizabeth, Fran and Jackie. Love me some pull-ups and can’t say no to hang cleans.

Least favorite movement and workout?
PISTOLS! I just don’t know what it is yet, but my body hasn’t grasped/accepted this whole concept.

What drives you through the door each day?
Complacency… I just refuse to live my life “just getting by.” I want to get better each and every single waking moment of my life. Days are too precious to me not to train; 24 hours in a day — find an hour and get lost in it slinging some weight.

Do you have any advice for new members?
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and the moment you compare your achievements to others you automatically have lost sight of your objectives. CrossFit is all encompassing. You will do movements and lifts you never done. It will humble you. Please know that, but also bask in the accomplishments and strides you make when you conquer one. Celebrate the shortcomings, long-comings, 2-pound PRs or even your first pull-up. Success is measured in how you handle disappointment, battle adversity and courageously ask for more.

What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?
To be a better Michael Taylor than I was last year, hang a bit more with you clowns outside of the box, 300+ lb. clean would be nice/200+ lb. snatch would be sexy, defend title of EVF most fittest, do better in the open and most importantly help out others more (in and outside of the box).

Great stuff Mike!

We are all very proud of Mike and what he has accomplished for himself as a man and as an athlete. I am one of mike’s biggest fans and am honored to call him a brother.

Mike is one of the most loyal and dedicated people you will ever find. There was a time when I was programming for the coaches and a few other athletes separately. After a few weeks it was questioned and most dropped off. Mike stayed the course with me. In fact, he yearned for more and more programming. He continued to get stronger, faster and improve with each workout. Obviously he came in with great natural athletic abilities but his work ethic and determination made the programming successful.

It also showed who he was as a person. He believed in me and knew I would always give him my best. That confidence that he had in me forced me to hang in there and get better as a coach and as a programmer. Till this day I will never forget that loyalty that he displayed.

I have no doubt in my mind that Mike has the abilities to achieve all of his goals that he sets out for himself. What I really look forward to is watching him realize that he can as well. When that happens, I promise you will see something very special and magical happen for this young man.

I think its fitting to end this with a quote from Arnold

“For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is NOT simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve and to conquer” -ARNOLD