Read on to get to know David, a guy who has all the goals, enjoys things like Hammer Races, beer, and pizza.  Can you relate?

What do you do for a living?

I do Orthopedic research on mice at Mayo Clinic.

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

Playing good board games with my family and friends.  See me for details!

What made you decide to try Progression?

I had a very, very interesting (yet enjoyable) experience in the first Hammer Race.  That was the first race I had ever run, it is surprising I ever ran another!  After suffering through that, I picked up a habit of running (with elliptical during the winter) for a couple years with the goal of performing better in future Hammer Races.  I saw an advertisement for Progression bootcamp and remembered their affiliation with the Hammer Race.  The rest is history.

How long have you been at Progression?

About 2 years.

What was your experience with fitness like prior to Progression?

Little league baseball (not good), some Ultimate Frisbee while living in Omaha a few years back.  I enjoyed trail and road running for a couple years before joining Progression.  I had never stepped foot in a gym before.

What was your biggest fear when you started?

That I would have to smile a lot and talk to strangers.

Favorite cheat day meal?

Lots of beer and pizza.

What goal(s) are you currently chasing?

Snatch my body weight, DL 300#, C&J 225#, box jump 52 inches, kipping pull ups, bar muscle up, back squat 300#, hand stand walk.  I don’t focus on a specific goal because I never seem to get any closer to achieving it.  However, sometimes I accidentally achieve goals, which is nice.

 

What’s one thing your fellow CFP’ers would be surprised to learn about you?

Seeing weights/wall balls out of order gives me anxiety.  I secretly long to break into Progression and fix everything to my liking.

What’s your favorite piece of advice you’ve gotten from a coach or member at Progression?

There have been so many… I can’t narrow it down.  Recently though, while doing extra work before class with Tony, he suggested I should take a look at the workout (coming up in 30 minutes).  He told me that “I will want a break”.  I told him I had no need for a break.  Never have I been so wrong.

How has your outlook on health/fitness changed since starting at Progression?

I find myself thinking a lot about diet / exercise all the time.  I try to develop plans to improve myself and the people around me.  I am probably getting annoying because I always have little suggestions about food or form.  I also find myself making sure my kids see my good health choices (trying to limit the bad ones).  They’re both getting more and more interested in health and fitness.  We use crossfit as a verb; such as “can you crossfit that huge load of laundry upstairs for me?”.

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

Sometime toward the end of boot camp, I found out that Progression had developed into habit. It just made me really happy (and confused) to think that I had developed an addiction to something that is good for me.

Why do you think you’ve stuck with Progression?

The coaches and all the people I met, of course!

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

Stick with it.  Give it 2 months of hard, routine work.  You will fail, you will finish last, (after 2 years I still do most of the time), but it gets easier and more fun if you just keep going.  Before long, it will be the best part of your week.  Put one shoe on, then the other, then grab your keys and get to the gym.  Your future self will thank you.