Paul claims sheer luck is to blame for his introduction to CrossFit.  If you ask us, we’re the lucky ones.  It’s members like Paul that make CFP special.  Read on to find out how this engineer by day adds value to his own life and other’s lives around him.

 

What do you do for a living? 

I am a software engineer at IBM.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of the gym? 

Music.  I play saxophone and keyboard in two bands and play handbell choirs at church.

Favorite genre of music? 

Hard to put into one category of what I listen to but my favorite thing to play is jazz/big band music.

Favorite cheat day meal? 

After learning how to cook and eat primarily paleo I really enjoy good, well made paleo dishes, but when I cheat I love to have a loaded up pasta dish with garlic toast.

Chalk or no chalk? 

I’m a firm believer in the Josh Grenell “no chalk in the wild” policy. 🙂

Do you hate wall balls as much as we do? 

I don’t hate them as much as thrusters but they’re definitely toward the bottom of my list.  I’ve found they are a lot easier with OLY shoes if you are doing a long set of them.

What’s your favorite movement? 

Push press.  I also love when we have sprints in a workout.

What’s your least favorite movement? 

Thrusters.

What goal(s) are you currently chasing? 

I’ve recently learned some newer techniques on pull ups and have been pushing to seeing how many more I can get in a row.  (It used to be only 2-3).

Best piece of advice you’ve gotten from a coach? 

So much great advice from many coaches!  But that it’s good to push yourself a little bit on a workout/level that you aren’t totally sure you can do.  Often you end up surprising yourself and even if you don’t, it’s ok to scale down in the middle if you have to.

How do you make time to get to the gym? 

I prioritize my 4:30-5:30 gym time every day.  Even if I have to go back to work or do work afterwards, it is best for my day to go at the same time every day.

Why do you make time to get to the gym? 

I actually miss it a lot when I don’t get there on my regular days and times, (which is very rare).  I am a much better, healthier, more balanced, more productive person if that is a regular part of my day and my routine.  And I look forward to the workouts and the variety.

How has your outlook on fitness changed since starting CrossFit? 

My only goal when I started CrossFit was to “stop doing nothing”.  But this has gone way beyond any expectations I had.  I never thought I could be in this good of shape, even after spending years at other gyms and doing a lot of running.  I have also stopped using things like the scale and calorie counting as a measure of health and fitness.  I judge my health and fitness on how I feel and how strong I am.

How has your outlook on yourself changed since starting CrossFit? 

I think I am much more self confident about my physical fitness and what I am capable of physically.  I am no longer scared to try movements or things I used to think I couldn’t do.

How would you explain the feeling before you get to the gym each day? 

Sometimes excited by the workout; sometimes relieved that I’m done with work and getting to do something fun.  Sometimes tired or stressed but knowing I’m about to get “un-tired” and “un-stressed”.

How would you explain the feeling you get after you leave the gym each day? 

Almost always I am re-energized and ready to do whatever I’m doing that evening.  Often I’m sore, but “good sore”.

How has your life outside of CrossFit changed since joining CFP? 

I don’t think it’s changed a lot in terms of work activities, etc but I certainly feel and am more healthy and strong.  I don’t get winded or tired doing physical activity anymore and often get comments from people in my life saying how well I look which is nice.  My spouse joined last year too, which has been a great thing for us to do together.

What has been your fondest memory during your time at CFP? 

The throw downs and Friday Night Lights have all been loads of fun.  But the personal memories that stand out are the first day I got a 200# clean & jerk and the first day, (of my life) I did 1 strict pull up.

What brought you to CFP? 

Honestly, just plain luck.  I drove by the “old” gym everyday going to and from work and saw the sign.  I’d heard a couple of acquaintances talk about going to CrossFit and decided to just jump in and give it a try.  So glad I did!

What keeps you at CFP? 

The quality of coaching, the community (did not expect how great that aspect of this would be), the huge and continued improvement in my fitness, the variety of workouts and programming.  I love it all.

What would be your one piece of advice for someone who’s just joining CFP? 

Don’t worry that you can’t lift a lot or do a lot of reps right away.  It’s amazing how quickly you will improve if you just start doing work; no matter what level or weight it’s at.