Upper East Side

“Colin’s dedication and willingness to put in the extra work has paid off not only in his barbell work, but also in his gymnastics and conditioning. He drills his weaknesses more than his strengths and has seen great progress as a result.” – Coach Jenna

How/when did you get involved in CrossFit?

I started doing Crossfit about 2 years ago when I was looking to change up my gym routine. I had been doing the normal commercial gym routine for a few years and while I had gotten far with strength, I was looking to try and add some more cardiovascular elements to my training.

Do you remember your first workout? How was it?

The first workout I did was “Baseline”. Squats, sit ups, push ups, pull ups, and rowing. It was definitely an eye opener to how out of shape I was at the time. There were no weightlifting elements and I remember feeling like I was dying after the 500m row.

What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?

When I first started, my goals were mainly to get healthier and build up some cardio capacity. At the time, I had no problem squatting over 300 pounds, but struggled to run 400m without taking breaks to walk. Since then, my goals have become more CrossFit specific, like aiming for a 200lb snatch and getting a handstand walk.

What do you enjoy most about CrossFit?

The thing that I enjoy most about CrossFit, and what keeps me engaged, is how it always feels like there is room for improvement. When I first started, there was a whole list of new movements and techniques to learn. But once you start to get a new movement down, then it’s about learning to cycle it, or lift more weight, or transition better. It never feels like you’re done working on anything.

Favorite lift and WOD?

Lately, my favorite lift has been the snatch and my favorite WOD is probably Fran. It’s been fun re-testing and watching my time slowly go down.

What about your least favorite?

My least favorite is probably any WOD with long cardio elements just because I find it a little boring. It’s something I have to focus on getting better at.

What motivates you?

Knowing that there is always something to improve upon.

Do you have any advice for new members?

Stick with it. At first it can all feel a bit daunting with how much you might not be able to do, but if you focus on small victories they’ll add up over time.

What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?

I would really like to improve my capacity for higher volume WODs. And a 200lb snatch and 275 clean & jerk wouldn’t be too bad either.