We’re excited to announce our Bring-A-Friend Referral Program is back for October! Every Saturday throughout October, any existing member can bring a friend interested in trying out CFD. If you don’t know someone that already works out here, no worries! Come check us out anyway! Here’s how it works:
RSVP to any 8am Saturday class in October (need help? Click ‘Sign Up Today’ or ‘RSVP to Class’ on the CrossFit Dubuque home page, or email us for assistance)
Show up!
Receive an automatic $50 off On-Ramp ($300 for 3 months!)
AND, receive 50% off your first month’s membership upon signing up after completing On-Ramp
Plus, any existing member bringing a friend in July receives 50% off their next month’s membership dues AND an additional 50% off if their friend signs up after completing On-Ramp. And yes – these benefits are stackable, so bring as many friends as you’d like!
Questions? Concerns? As always, reach out – we’re happy to accommodate and look forward to growing our community!
Spencer and Ashley Radabaugh with their kids (L to R) Camden, Jordan, Kelsie and Paisley.Chance and his girlfriend Courtney with Chance’s nephew Camden.
Spencer=S, Chance=C, Ashley=A
How long have you been a member at CFD?
S: Started in October of 2020, so coming up on a year
A: I started in May 2021, so about 3 months in.
C: 8 Months!
What made you want to get started?
S: I needed to do something different and it needed to have more commitment than just going to the gym. After doing some research, discovered that CrossFit had that competitive attachment to it that had been lacking since I graduated college. I also spoke to a few different people that said they enjoyed the experience in the past and said that the training would be there in the group setting that I also desired.
A: My husband, Spencer and brother-in-law, Chance would talk about the workouts and how sore they always were so I figured I would try it out to make sure they weren’t just being pansies. Kidding, they actually encouraged me to try it because they both really enjoy CrossFit and the environment.
C: My Brother Spencer started, and I needed to get off my a** and start working out again as I had stopped after I graduated from College.
What is your favorite gym music?
C: Anything upbeat that gives me some energy to lift. So sorry Coach Eric, just about anything other than what you play.
What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?
A: Nothing outside of walking and jogging.
C: When I was in college, I would lift a few times a week, but after I moved to Dubuque I didn’t do anything, and needed to get back in the Gym.
What is your go-to PR food?
C: If I go in at 5AM for class I typically won’t eat as I wake up 10 minutes before class. BUT, if I hit an after session, I would say a chicken salad so I don’t feel too full when I start!
What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?
S: Generally day to day weight lifting improvements. Between reps and form getting better, the jumps in 8 months of doing things have me excited for things to come. I can tell there have been changes in my shoulders and back as well, but the way I feel has been the major tell. I don’t make as many dad grunt sounds as I did when I first started.
A: Strength and flexibility improvements in general – I am no longer lifting just the bar!
C: I have gotten much stronger, and much more flexible. I lot of the overhead lifts felt impossible when I began and have gotten much more acheivable.
What do you like most about CrossFit?
S: The way it makes me feel through the rest of the day, no matter how the rest of the day goes I have done something positive at 5 am.
A: The atmosphere.
C: I have gotten much stronger, and much more flexible. I lot of the overhead lifts felt impossible when I began and have gotten much more achievable.
What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?
S: Hang and Power Cleans- They just seem to be more fun.
A: My husband will cringe when he reads this because we are opposites, but I don’t mind anytime there is some running involved.
C: I love squats, it is one of my best lifts, so I enjoy being able to push myself on those to keep adding weight!
What is the funniest thing you remember happening at CFD?
S: Chase wore a cut off shirt sometime last spring, and Mike went to his office and changed into a cut off shirt and followed him around for a bit claiming they were twinning.
C: Not one specific thing, but having Chase in class everyday at 5 AM makes for an interesting morning more often than not.
What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?
S: Burpees are the worst movement ever, I hate them with a passion. I am terrible at pull-ups so those are up there as well.
A: Anything with burpees.
C: Put a bar over my head, and I am internally complaining.
Have you ever chalked up to do something that didn’t require chalk?
C: No, but I tried chalk ONCE and i hated it, felt like nails on a chalkboard to me.
What is your go-to junk food?
C: Cold Stone ice cream. Monster cookie.
Have you ever been really dramatic when completing a movement only to then see someone next to you do what you did silently and with ease?
S: I work out next to Arthur in the 5am; essentially I do my weight and feel good about it, and he does 50% more and probably weighs 100 lbs less.
C: Always, especially when they are doing twice as much weight, twice as easily.
What are your goals going forward?
S: Short term would be 15 unbroken (without coming off the bar for those unfamiliar) pull-ups, and keep working on becoming a stronger healthier version of myself.
A: To complete 16 unbroken pull-ups.
C: Getting back to class consistently. Traveling for work has taken me out some weeks, but not wanting to get up at the 4:30 AM alarm has not helped. Simply need to get back to class more often to start increasing PRs and continuing to improve.
Have you ever won the warmup?
A: This is a funny question because the only advice Spencer and Chance gave me when I started was “don’t try and win the warmup!”
C: Can’t say I have ever “Won” but when the workout has me sweating like we have been through the first portion of the workout already, I love it.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD? I was intimidated walking in.
S: You don’t need to be, everyone is very helpful and respectful of your own ability. Everyone else in class with support you and push you. After attending a few classes, you start to learn the lingo and you will be on your way.
A: Ask questions! Even though CrossFit is a group class, the coaches will always take the time to help you one on one. When coaches have confidence in your ability they will always push you to reach your max potential, but there is no pressure to keep up with anyone.
C: Stick with it, even just three months isn’t enough, thats when you truly start to “get the hang of it” and lifts, form, etc. starts to feel right. As well, go consistently, the workouts will always be difficult, but they are much easier if you are there multiple days a week!
We’re excited to announce our Bring-A-Friend Referral Program! Every Saturday throughout July, any existing member can bring a friend interested in trying out CFD. Here’s how it works:
RSVP to any 8am Saturday class in October (need help? Click ‘Sign Up Today’ or ‘RSVP to Class’ on the CrossFit Dubuque home page, or email us for assistance)
Show up!
Receive an automatic $50 off On-Ramp ($300 for 3 months!)
AND, receive 50% off your first month’s membership upon signing up after completing On-Ramp
Plus, any existing member bringing a friend in July receives 50% off their next month’s membership dues AND an additional 50% off if their friend signs up after completing On-Ramp. And yes – these benefits are stackable, so bring as many friends as you’d like!
Questions? Concerns? As always, reach out – we’re happy to accommodate and look forward to growing our community!
Past Jeff (left) goes in for bro hug; gets snubbed by Present Jeff (right)
How long have you been a member at CFD?
Since the early fall of 2019
What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I had not been active in any kind of physical
regimen (other than lawn work) in more than 40 years.
What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?
I turned 60 a couple of weeks ago. Physically, I am stronger than I have ever
been in my life. I have lost 30 lbs. net, added muscle, lost about 5 inches on
my waistline. I have donated all my
jeans and all my large shirts in favor of smaller sizes.
Lab numbers have all improved. Since Crossfit, I have reduced my medical prescriptions
from 4 to 1. I met with my Doctor
yesterday and we expect to eliminate my last prescription within 6 months. Mentally, I have learned that there are some
limitations for someone my age and that scaling is not a bad thing so long as I
don’t use it as an excuse or easy out and always apply maximum effort.
What do you like most about CrossFit?
The culture of universal acceptance and comradery and I love the irreverent nature of it all! I read somewhere that CrossFit is the only sport where someone who comes in last gets the most cheers. I get a lot of cheers!
What is your go-to junk food?
I built a woodfired pizza oven in my backyard a few years ago that can bake pizzas in 60 seconds at about 850° F (see picture). I adhere to the strictest “Verace” directives from Naples, Italy (the undisputed birthplace of pizza). I make my own dough, sauce, etc. in accordance with those rules. Quite the opposite of “junk food” in my opinion, but something it took me 10 years to research, build, and perfect.
What are your goals going forward?
This year I want to get to 13 unbroken strict pull-ups (can only do 7 now), 300 Lb deadlift (from 265), improve double-unders, and generally gain in my understanding and form for all weight lifting moves.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
My dad (the fittest ex-Marine I ever knew) died suddenly of a kind of stroke the day after Christmas, 2016. My mother told me some months later that before he died, he had commented to her that he was worried about my state of fitness and being overweight.
That got me thinking about joining a fitness club.
About a year or so later, I met Phil by chance when he was having a beer with my son-in-law Jason Edwards at Lot One. During that conversation, I got drawn in and learned what CrossFit was and privately resolved to learn more and join (although it took me a while).
I had seen a saying somewhere around that time:
“Be brave enough to suck at something new” and that resonated with me. I texted Phil and we scheduled the
Foundations evaluation. When I joined,
the only one I told was my wife Vickie for several weeks. I wasn’t sure if I could do it and wanted to
save myself the embarrassment.
It was the hardest thing I have ever done physically and mentally. Neglecting my physical fitness for 58 years meant that I was starting from way, way behind. Warmups would leave me exhausted. Recovery often took 5 or 6 days. The sense of dread was there every day on the way to class. But slowly, I got stronger and more resilient (although not necessarily any smarter or faster). Eventually that sense of dread gave way to anticipation, readiness, and sometimes even excitement (depending upon the workout).
While the gym was closed during the pandemic, on
July 1 of 2020, I was diagnosed with COVID19 and spent 10 days at home in bed. When my oxygen levels plummeted, I spent 6
days in the hospital with Pneumonia and went through a treatment regimen including
Remesdivir, oxygen therapy, antibiotics, steroids, etc. I was very, very sick.
I sometimes wonder how well I would have fared
with COVID if I hadn’t joined CrossFit.
While in the hospital, I texted Coach Mike and told him that I wanted to get back into the gym as soon as I could. He told me to focus on getting better. But I knew that I NEEDED to get back. I returned in the middle of August and followed an individualized program design due to compromised lung capacity and weakness, but ultimately joined the general population again in October.
So, back to the question, “What would I tell someone who is new to CrossFit?”: It will be awkward for a while. It will always be hard, but it is honest and fair. Challenge yourself and go at your own best pace. Take inspiration from those friends you will make. I work out most regularly with Charlie, Scott G., and Jeff S. and I look up to them every day for advice and insight which they give freely, as has everyone I have met at CFD. Great Coaches, great place.
Lastly, I would tell them that CrossFit may have saved my life.
As my life got busy and I took on more responsibility, the easiest thing to cut out of my schedule was working out. It took the Covid Quarantine for me to realize how out of shape I had gotten. I also had a lot more free time, so I decided to put that time toward something productive.
What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?
This has been quite the journey. I grew up on a farm and was always active and working outside. Then I got heavily involved in wrestling as I got older. I didn’t realize I needed to dedicate time to fitness until college. In college, I grouped up with some other “retired” athletes to work out. That’s when I was introduced to some Olympic lifts, HSPUs, and I learned how to kip pull-ups. That being said, keg stand holds and 12 oz curls were the preferred movements back then. After college I mostly worked out by myself and results gradually declined.
What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?
I’ve seen a lot of physical changes. I keep hitting new PRs with my lifts, my times are getting faster, I can do movements I’ve never been able to do before.
I’d say the mental changes have been even greater. I don’t get stressed out as easily. I’m more optimistic. My whole day goes better after a good workout.
What do you like most about CrossFit?
The structure and the people. I’ve always had gym memberships in the past, but working out by myself without a plan didn’t work for me.
What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?
Cardio
What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?
Anything that works the chest, back, and arms. Heavy weight, low reps (see least favorite movement above).
What is the funniest thing you remember happening at CFD?
Mike’s impression of Eli trying to fix his excel sheet was pretty good.
Have you ever been really dramatic when completing a movement only to then see someone next to you do what you did silently and with ease?
Every morning at 5:00 A.M. usually during the warm-up.
What are your goals going forward?
There are a few movements I can’t do yet. I’d like to get strict muscle-ups and walk on my hands. Then maybe compete in a team competition someday.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
Buy yourself a foam roller, some ibuprofen, and scale everything. But seriously, just keep going. Focus on doing the movements correctly and the results will follow.
I started at CFD back in February of 2015 and had about one full week of preparation before the Open started. I wasn’t quite sure what the excitement was about, but I was game to give it a try. The first workout went great for maybe a minute. Toes to bar and 115 pound deadlifts weren’t too discouraging, but then the expectation was to be able to snatch that same weight. Wasn’t even certain what that was. It was an extremely long nine minutes. The Open that year wrapped up with a 27-21-15-9 thrusters and row for calories, which is still in my top five worst workouts I’ve participated in. Even with how terrible those five weeks were with those workouts, I remember hanging out after the Thursday night workouts with a couple of the other members and waiting for the announcements each week and listening to them strategize how to approach each workout. I knew Crossfit was a way to workout and train, but it was then that I really started to learn about Crossfit as a sport, and was introduced to the competitiveness of it, which is what keeps me coming back everyday………. Or every other depending on what Mike has programmed.
My first competition came about four months after that in an in-house competition, and it was an absolute blast. My wife and I teamed up with two other individuals who we hadn’t even met prior to that day. It was another guy who had just joined maybe in the previous 2-3 months and the intern who had just started. We showed up that day, threw down as hard as we could, and took first in the scaled division. Not bad for a couple of rookies.
What is your favorite gym music?
My favorite gym music comes out once a year when we do Murph on Memorial Day. That first minute of silence when you are fighting through the mental clutter of the excitement and nervousness of the massive challenge you’re about to take on, followed closely by the directing of your mindset to remembering why you’re doing it and erasing any excuses you may have to not push it as hard as possible is where that entire workout is won.
And as soon as that minute is up, it’s Team America, World Police. F#%& Yeah!
What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?
Just a whole lot of running. I started Crossfit barely topping 130 pounds with no idea what I was doing as far as lifting. The bodyweight movements always came really natural to me, but being a smaller guy like I was made those Olympic lifts really difficult. The challenge of trying to perfect those movements and drilling each of those positions was something that has taken quite a bit of time, and some days still evades me. I learned pretty quick that if I was going to get anywhere with the lifts, that I was going to have to ask a hundred questions, which I still do, not just of the coaches, but of the other athletes as well. All the little cues are how the full lift comes together, and sometimes just hearing something in a slightly different manner either from a coach or another athlete can make all the difference. For the first time in the six years I’ve been at CFD, I can almost say that double unders make sense, and it was because of a suggestion that a classmate Morgan made that finally clicked.
What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever seen Lincoln wear?
Most ridiculous thing I’ve seen Lincoln wear would have to be the Barbells for Boobs pink tights, tutu, pink power ranger shirt, which was so tight I am guessing he had to have it cut off, and a rubber horse head. Of course, that was only the second most ridiculous outfit that night behind Coach Mike’s pink sweatpants with Juicy across the butt.
What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?
The biggest change I have seen in myself since I started is obviously the physical side. I’ve put on 40 pounds of *mostly* muscle. Something that was always impossible for me outside of Crossfit. I like to think it’s from Crossfit at least.
But I would actually have to say the bigger change would be my mental approach to challenges. Crossfit has taught me to stop putting that hard shit off and just do it. Transitioning between movements becomes a tempting place to slow down and breathe, but if you just immediately jump into that next task at hand without thinking, it takes all the dread out of starting. What is the funniest thing you remember happening at CFD? “It just wasn’t your best performance.”
Have you ever chalked up to do something that didn’t require chalk?
I can’t think of anything that doesn’t require chalk.
Have you ever won the warmup?
Kayla tried to mess with us one day by making us power walk a 200. I took it more at a slow meander than a power walk. I took so long getting back that she’s never tried doing that to us again, so I consider that a win.
What are your goals going forward?
My main goal is to for once have everything moving together. I came into Crossfit being really strong at the bodyweight movements and long cardio chipper type workouts. Now I’ve moved to the other side of the spectrum and am more excelling at the faster workouts moving weight. If I can get that pendulum back to more center and get everything going together, I’d be pretty happy about that.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
Ask questions. A lot of them. To anyone, coach or other athletes. All the questions might seem stupid in your head, but most movements aren’t as simple as they sound. There’s more to touching your toes to the bar than just lifting your feet, and more to cleaning than just lifting the bar up to your shoulders. We’ve all been stuck on one movement or another and no one is going to shy away from trying to help you out. I’ll guarantee you that if you stick around after class, there will be someone else there willing to give you some pointers on whatever. Even if it’s just on how poorly you match your shorts and shirt, and better ways to color coordinate.
Hold each other accountable and push the hell out of each other. We all have our good and bad days, and that competition is what helps push you forward and makes you better, especially on the worst of days. Having the other athletes pick you up off the floor after you get smoked on a terrible workout is what makes Crossfit the best hour of the day. In the beginning, you’ll be getting picked up more often than doing the picking up, but with time, you’ll see it change.
And if there is one piece of advice you can take from me, it’s that eye contact makes everything better. Lots of it. As much as possible with as little blinking as you can manage. Go ahead and give it a shot. The other athletes in class will love it.
Coming up on three years now. I got into the movements and community through the twice-a-week Fit2Be classes. Once I was ready to take the jump into the full-time classes, I was hooked.
What is your favorite gym music?
Heavy rock, such as Pearl Jam, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine. Music has such a wonderful way of creating motivation, energy, and drive. When I’m running, my playlist is designed with beats to keep my pacing and get me moving faster. At CFD, I love the heavy rock to motivate me to push through tough workouts.
What do you like most about CrossFit?
I like that I can escape my mind for an hour. My brain is constantly in conversation with itself and I struggle to slow it down or just be in the moment. Running is a reflective activity and my mind keeps going as I run. I think about my lesson plans, students, upcoming events, future travel, whatever it may be… For CrossFit, I don’t have the ability to think and reflect (which is good) because the workouts are so intense. Also, I can’t let my mind wander and keep count of my reps… 😊 I also enjoy visiting other CrossFit locations when I travel. While everyone does things a bit differently, every place I’ve visited has been so welcoming and friendly. It truly is one CrossFit community.
What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?
Thrusters, wall balls, assault bike
What is your go-to junk food?
Whiskey, bourbon, or scotch
What are your goals going forward?
I need to stay consistent in my attendance. I go through phases where I’ll attend almost daily and then life gets busy and I find an excuse to stay home or stay at work. From a technique perspective, I’m close to double-unders, butterfly pull-ups, and handstand push-ups. I can do all three sporadically but not consistently. I want to get to the point where I can Rx when those exercises are on the white board. Overall goal is to keep getting stronger. I love what CrossFit has done for me and I feel mentally and physically stronger than any other point in my life.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
You are only competing against yourself and your goals. Everyone in class is different and it’s pointless to compare yourself to others around you. How do you want to get better each day? There’s nothing wrong with using someone else as motivation, but only if it’s centered around what you want to achieve. I’ve heard too many non-CrossFitters say they wouldn’t want to start because they are not in shape or they want get stronger before starting. And, I think that is the wrong attitude. Our community at CFD is full of wonderful, healthy, friendly people who are all at different points in their journeys. Lean into the community and focus on your own goals. Finally, I would advise them to keep going. Some workouts suck. Some workouts will absolutely beat you down. But, that’s why you’re there. That’s how you get better.
Hi I am Tammy, otherwise known as well….Tam. I am definitely a combination of every character in The Breakfast Club, I am a damn shit show! When I received the email from Coach Phil that they wanted to spotlight me, ironically I was pounding down a Bloody Mary with a cheese stick, true midwest style.
For a woman of somewhat low self esteem, i feel a strength of mine is being all in to constructive criticism. Open ears, Open Mind. And showing up with whom i consider elite athletes makes me smile in itself. Some mornings I leave feeling like Xena Warrior Princess, other days i leave feeling like Chris Farley as a Chippendale, that’s what keeps us showing up right? The good with the bad. The Swayzes vs. The Farleys .
Coach Tam Tam would call me crazy, yet give me props for never being one to look at the workout ahead of time, its funny to me that people think i’m the crazy one, how am i crazy? You guys see a workout that says Death by Burpees or run 800 meters 6 times etc. and you guys show up. You my friends are the crazy ones!
What made you want to get started?
Stop hiding in the f****** corner, that is what I heard and that is what stuck with me. It came across in a Richard Vernon voice from The Breakfast Club, but in all actuality it was Coach Mike.
Have you ever hidden junk food in your cart for fear that another CFD member might see it?
No i don’t hide any goods in my grocery cart, shit I got nothing to hide, look at me i’m a girl in progress haha.
What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?
My NEMESIS is definitely the rig! I can’t get my old large ass up to do a pull-up or toes to bar, I’m not leaving like Xena Warrior Princess on those days. But give me some hang cleans and push presses and you’d better open up the garage door for my head to fit through. hahaha not really, but whatever.
What is your favorite gym music?
You can say the word eclectic for my music choices, throw on some “How can we be lovers if we can’t be friends.” by Michael Bolton, with a little “You Cry like a Bitch.” Godsmack with a little Lil Troy and Tyler Childers and we have ourselves a mix!
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
To anyone considering joining CFD my only advice is be YOU : The Athlete, The Brain, The Basketcase, The Princess, The Criminal. Andrew Clark, the athlete, said ” We are all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, thats all.”Cue the music…….Don’t you forget about me!
Sean: I remember watching a CrossFit movie and thought it was really cool. I finally got the chance after college to join and did with the help of my girlfriend, Kara. Kara: I wanted a way to stay fit after college athletics were over. My two older sisters loved CFD during their time in college so it seemed silly not to join.
What is your favorite type of gym music?
Sean: Sometimes Mike’s screamo but other than that usually rap. Kara: Mainly rap or anything that was made after the 2000s…
What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?
Sean: I played football at the University of Dubuque. Kara: I played volleyball at the University of Dubuque.
What do you like most about CrossFit?
Sean: I know I will break a good sweat every workout which I love. Kara: I like how I leave the gym every day knowing that I am getting stronger and better. I also like how it pushes me both physically and mentally.
What types of workouts are your favorite?
Sean: Rowing, walls balls, back squat, some overhead stuff. Kara: Anything with wall balls, cleans, and occasionally burpees.
What is your go-to junk food?
Sean: Love me a good pizza I’d say Kara: Anything chocolate
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
Sean: Go in with an open mind and know it will be hard at first but you will progress with time. Kara: Stay committed and ask questions! The coaches are amazing and always there to correct and help you. Also, don’t forget that everyone has to start somewhere so don’t feel intimidated. I am one of the younger athletes in the gym and I still get my butt kicked almost every day.
I had a whole lot of unexpected life changes happen very suddenly and got caught in the “Big Sad”- for a long time. I needed to change what I was doing to change how I was feeling. Going to the gym was part of that strategy. Strength training was the only high school “sport” I ever enjoyed, and I know Lincoln from way back, so I decided to give CFD a try.
What is your favorite gym music?
‘80s rock and pop punk. (I’m a super angsty teenager at heart. You can see it in hair sometimes. Been listening to a lot of Queen, Bowie and MCR lately.)
What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?
My friend Dave and I used to (and still do) go on a lot of “fat walks” together. I also pace a lot while I’m reading and editing. Other than that, my fitness was dependent on whatever my current acting or directing project was – dance, stage combat, circus, etc. But there ain’t a whole lot of that going on right now…
What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?
I’ve burned off a bunch of fat since emerging from my depression coma and coming to CFD. This is the least fluffy I’ve ever been. (A lot of that happened during this COVID summer. I had nothing better to do… well, I had nothing to do… so I made a habit of coming more often.) I’m also starting to notice some muscle definition happening, which isn’t a thing I thought my body did. Overall, I am in the best physical shape I have ever been in, right now.
What do you like most about CrossFit?
I like that it changes all the time and someone tells me what to do. I think a lot, and I don’t want to. It’s nice to just show up and “go with it.”
What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?
Deadlifts and Strong Man. I like brute force, “move heavy shit” workouts. They’re cool. (Plus, my legs are great.)
What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?
Fuck wallballs.
Have you ever chalked up to do something that didn’t require chalk?
Old-timey fisticuffs.
What is your go-to junk food?
I cannot resist candy. My sweet-tooth is crazy. I once ate nothing but sour worms and Reece’s peanut butter cups for nine months. Honest to God.
What are your goals going forward?
At the very least, I’d like to maintain my current fatness-level. I don’t set a whole lot of expectations when it comes to this area of my life. It hadn’t been going well til recently. It’d be pretty cool to go from an Andy Dwyer- to Peter Quill-situation, tho! I’m somewhere in the middle now. At the end of the day, I have been feeling a lot better, and that’s why I started. If I can keep feeling good, I can keep being surprised by the other results.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?
Just show up and do it. My mantra is: “I can do anything for one hour.” It took a while, but coming to CFD eventually switched from a should-do thing to a want-to do thing. For me, that’s huge. There’s not a lot of things I want to do. At all. Many things are stupid. And suck. But this isn’t one of them. If you’re like me – a lover of routine and hater of change – just show up and do it. Then show up and do it, again. And again.
CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.
Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.
The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs.
How do I start?
If you are interested in speaking to a coach and learning more about our philosophy on fitness and how we can help you achieve your goals, get signed up for an introductory class! New Foundations classes start the first full week of each month, so get in for your intro class to get signed up for the upcoming month’s classes!
Is CrossFit hard?
Yes. But 'hard' is relative; it will be 'hard' for an elite-level athlete, and it will be appropriately 'hard' for an inexperienced or de-conditioned athlete. Nothing worth having comes easy. More importantly, what we do is appropriate, safe, and effective.
What do classes look like?
Each of our sessions are 100% guided and coached. Our classes are structured in smaller groups so that everyone is able to receive some individual attention. At times, we may bring in other trainers to help coach so as to not overlook anyone.
We will always begin with a dynamic warm up. This will usually consist of a few movements that ensure that the entire body is ready for the session. At this point, you should feel an elevated core temperature and maybe have a light sweat.
Next we work on skill moves. These include a variety of motions such as Olympic lifting, body awareness movements, or any number of others that fit into our programming. Coaching plays a big part in this section. Many of the movements we teach will be outside of the average skill set. Part of our goal is to broaden your base, constantly introducing new and different moves.
At this point we begin coaching the workout of the day (WOD). Often, the WOD will incorporate elements from the sessions’ skill work. After adjusting the WOD to each individual’s skill and fitness level, any last minute questions are answered. Then, it’s 3 2 1 GO! And we’re off!!
Do you track progress?
We do not track progress for you, but we offer you free services to help you track your own progress. With our WODHOPPER integration, you will be able to log your daily reps, times, and weights. Additionally, you are able to view the workout for the current day and see how everyone has performed.
How much does it cost?
Pricing varies depending on the number of classes you wanted to attend per week and which program you participate in. For detailed information, please visit our Programs section to learn about the details of each program we offer, and how much they cost.
Are the coaches qualified?
We pride ourselves in the knowledge of our trainers. Each and every one of our trainers are qualified to guide you along your CrossFit journey. We also believe that continuing education is paramount to the success our of members, so we help our coaches get any additional training that will advance their knowledge in the field.
