4/16 Transformation Tuesday

Dugan Gravage, Why Do You Do CrossFit?

What was your fitness, CrossFit, or yoga "life" like before you started training with True Spirit CrossFit & Yoga. 
I would workout occasionally at a gym here and there but nothing regular or structured. I was pretty active outdoors; skiing, mountain biking, hang gliding etc. but it was becoming more apparent as I got older that my caliber of performance was slipping. I couldn't get by with the natural ability of being young anymore and still keep up.
CrossFit was super foreign and completely unknown to me. I had an athletic buddy once tell me that he tried out a couple classes and he said "That sh*# was hard, so I quit.", and from that report I was intimidated. All I'd seen of CrossFit was these crazy people on TV doing absurd things with their shirts off and super short shorts. I was skeptical.

What brought you to True Spirit CrossFit & Yoga in the first place?
I have no clue what motivated me to walk through the door or how I found CrossFit. Probably a Google search and the ease of signing up for an intro chat with Leslie got me to TSCF. I honestly don't know what I was thinking (still don't) walking through the door into something I had no idea about. Although calculated, it was pretty risky maneuver that paid off.

What was your first impression? Has that changed?
My first impression was that Leslie wasn't going to let me just show up and go half-ass. That's what I was looking for and needed. I'd been to other gyms where I'd do a short circuit and walk around and eventually end up at the basketball court shooting hoops. TSCF was a place I could show up, get work done and be on my way feeling accomplished. I still feel that way which brings me back for more!

What was the first thing fun or positive thing you experienced while training with us? 
Rather than narrowing down just one positive thing or experience, I'd have to say that the overall progression I've had with CrossFit is pretty neat to reflect on. From scaling pull-ups to finally getting a kip, to linking kips, then linking chest to bar is just one example of the seeing and feeling the progression. I think I could say that about just about everything we do at the gym. Digressing, although not impossible, is rare.

Are you working on any special CrossFit related skill now?
Everything? I feel that every movement or workout has room for improvement. Some more than other, but that is what this crazy thing we do is all about. I'd like to get the muscle up before the next decade is out.

How has you life changed since training with TSCF? 
I travel often for work and working out on the road always consisted of going down to the small, cramped, stinky, humid, dirty hotel gym to waste an hour of time just to say I "worked out". As I've refined my CrossFit skills and gained confidence in the sport I've been reaching out and exploring other CrossFit affiliate gyms around North America while on the road. This is something I would have NEVER done before. It can be intimidating walking into a gym in a large city, knowing no-one and everyone being super strong. But with the skills and confidence I've gained at TSCF, I face the intimidation and go for it.

What's your favorite True Spirit CrossFit memory?
Rather than choosing one memory about TSCF, I'll expand on my thoughts from what I've shared above. While traveling to the many different CrossFit gyms across the continent, the same thought has crossed my mind many times. That being just how special we have it at TSCF. Although the CrossFit community as a whole is super welcoming and I've met great people in many places, the caliber of coaches, programming and members here at TSCF hasn't been experienced anywhere I've visited to date. It takes the whole package to have a great gym and I'm always stoked to come home from the road back to TSCF to work out.

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