DOVER
What was your fitness, CrossFit, or yoga "life" like before you started training with True Spirit CrossFit & Yoga?
I played sports in high school, college and beyond. I've had on again off again memberships in various gyms. When I turned 60 I knew I needed to do something or I would head down the inevitable path of old age. I was still active, hiking, riding my bike, backpacking and playing hockey, but these were getting harder and less enjoyable because I was out of shape.
I looked into CrossFit but figured I was to old for it. Fortunately for me though, I won a one month' membership in a local CrossFit gym so decided to try it out. It was hard but it was right for me. I liked the structure and coaching and the way I felt after a hard workout. The first couple of months were the most difficult, not so much for the workouts (yes they were hard), but I wanted to be like the other athletes (all 20-40 years younger than me) and I couldn't. It took me awhile to realize I was doing this for me and I just needed to do more than yesterday, just improve me.
CrossFit can be misunderstood as an elitist endeavor for young fit athletes and this is far from the truth. I have found that anyone can do it. It is so adaptable to every person and where they are in their fitness at that point in time. The one given is that with consistency, your fitness, strength, and endurance will improve no matter where you start.
What brought you to True Spirit CrossFit & Yoga in the first place?
I was getting discouraged at my previous CrossFit because I was not really getting the coaching I needed any more. I did not feel an important part of the gym.I figured I'd either give up CrossFit for awhile or look for something else.I had heard Leslie and James had opened their own gym so I decided to check it out. Leslie was one of my favorite coaches at the previous gym and I missed her. James and Jon weren't coaches then, but they were the two guys who were always there to help me and push me. The people I enjoyed the most had moved on to True Spirit and the people are who make the gym successful.
What was your first impression? Has that changed?
I was greeted that first day as a long lost friend. I never seem to get tired of walking through the door and hearing "DOVER!", like I'm the most important thing on the planet. I feel like every athlete who walks in is treated that way and for me it's real special. I love the people, coaches and athletes alike. It's a fun place where we torture ourselves and walk out that much better for it. When the workout is the hardest we seem to have the most laughs; well maybe after the WOD.
What was the first fun or positive thing you experienced while training with us?
I do enjoy the powerlifting and have made great gains in strength with that. It would be easy to just do that but I know the variety of everything else is essential for my total fitness. I can't say I love everything else like the lifting, but that's probably because I have to work harder at it and it's more of a challenge. That's what makes CrossFit such a successful way to workout, the variety makes you the best all around athlete. If I just lifted I'd just be strong in those lifts. I want to be strong and have the endurance to do lots of different things. The programing and coaching at TSCF is excellent. The coaches know when to back off and scale and when to push you to do more. They accept where you are on a given day and when with a little encouragement you might reach a milestone and swagger out the door full of yourself.
Are you working on any special CrossFit related skill now?
I will be forever working on pull-ups, double under and toes to bar. I've been at it for four years and still am not much better at any of those. The challenge will always be there and I don't expect to wake up one morning and have those challenges met. They will always be my nemesis but I will keep working on them.
How has you life changed since training with us?
TSCF keeps me young. I don't feel old when I'm at True Spirit, I feel competent. My strength and fitness continues to improve and I haven't found the threshold yet where there is a decline. I'm in the age bracket of decline yet I continue to get stronger so TSCF is the miracle drug for eternal youth.
What's your favorite True Spirit CrossFit memory?
I have so much fun at True Spirit it's hard to just have one favorite memory. I remember climbing the rope for the first time since junior high school gym class. After 50 years of no rope climbing I got it done. There was also a day when Leslie was loading the bar for me for either back squat or deadlift, can't remember, but I wasn't doing the math and didn't know what I was lifting, she knew I could do it and yes, new PR for me.
The atmosphere at True Spirit has such a positive influence on every athlete that walks in the door. It's hard to put into words the intrinsic gains one gets from working out there. I just know it keeps me going back for more.
What was your fitness, CrossFit, or yoga "life" like before you started training with True Spirit CrossFit & Yoga?
I played sports in high school, college and beyond. I've had on again off again memberships in various gyms. When I turned 60 I knew I needed to do something or I would head down the inevitable path of old age. I was still active, hiking, riding my bike, backpacking and playing hockey, but these were getting harder and less enjoyable because I was out of shape.
I looked into CrossFit but figured I was to old for it. Fortunately for me though, I won a one month' membership in a local CrossFit gym so decided to try it out. It was hard but it was right for me. I liked the structure and coaching and the way I felt after a hard workout. The first couple of months were the most difficult, not so much for the workouts (yes they were hard), but I wanted to be like the other athletes (all 20-40 years younger than me) and I couldn't. It took me awhile to realize I was doing this for me and I just needed to do more than yesterday, just improve me.
CrossFit can be misunderstood as an elitist endeavor for young fit athletes and this is far from the truth. I have found that anyone can do it. It is so adaptable to every person and where they are in their fitness at that point in time. The one given is that with consistency, your fitness, strength, and endurance will improve no matter where you start.
What brought you to True Spirit CrossFit & Yoga in the first place?
I was getting discouraged at my previous CrossFit because I was not really getting the coaching I needed any more. I did not feel an important part of the gym.I figured I'd either give up CrossFit for awhile or look for something else.I had heard Leslie and James had opened their own gym so I decided to check it out. Leslie was one of my favorite coaches at the previous gym and I missed her. James and Jon weren't coaches then, but they were the two guys who were always there to help me and push me. The people I enjoyed the most had moved on to True Spirit and the people are who make the gym successful.
What was your first impression? Has that changed?
I was greeted that first day as a long lost friend. I never seem to get tired of walking through the door and hearing "DOVER!", like I'm the most important thing on the planet. I feel like every athlete who walks in is treated that way and for me it's real special. I love the people, coaches and athletes alike. It's a fun place where we torture ourselves and walk out that much better for it. When the workout is the hardest we seem to have the most laughs; well maybe after the WOD.
What was the first fun or positive thing you experienced while training with us?
I do enjoy the powerlifting and have made great gains in strength with that. It would be easy to just do that but I know the variety of everything else is essential for my total fitness. I can't say I love everything else like the lifting, but that's probably because I have to work harder at it and it's more of a challenge. That's what makes CrossFit such a successful way to workout, the variety makes you the best all around athlete. If I just lifted I'd just be strong in those lifts. I want to be strong and have the endurance to do lots of different things. The programing and coaching at TSCF is excellent. The coaches know when to back off and scale and when to push you to do more. They accept where you are on a given day and when with a little encouragement you might reach a milestone and swagger out the door full of yourself.
Are you working on any special CrossFit related skill now?
I will be forever working on pull-ups, double under and toes to bar. I've been at it for four years and still am not much better at any of those. The challenge will always be there and I don't expect to wake up one morning and have those challenges met. They will always be my nemesis but I will keep working on them.
How has you life changed since training with us?
TSCF keeps me young. I don't feel old when I'm at True Spirit, I feel competent. My strength and fitness continues to improve and I haven't found the threshold yet where there is a decline. I'm in the age bracket of decline yet I continue to get stronger so TSCF is the miracle drug for eternal youth.
What's your favorite True Spirit CrossFit memory?
I have so much fun at True Spirit it's hard to just have one favorite memory. I remember climbing the rope for the first time since junior high school gym class. After 50 years of no rope climbing I got it done. There was also a day when Leslie was loading the bar for me for either back squat or deadlift, can't remember, but I wasn't doing the math and didn't know what I was lifting, she knew I could do it and yes, new PR for me.
The atmosphere at True Spirit has such a positive influence on every athlete that walks in the door. It's hard to put into words the intrinsic gains one gets from working out there. I just know it keeps me going back for more.
