Why did you join CrossFit Central?

Mari: After the birth of my children I had lost the self-discipline I used to have to go regularly to the gym. I wanted to be as fit as I was before, but nothing seemed to keep my attention. Then one day I began noticing people running up and down Burnet Road and wondered what that was all about. I then figured out that the source of these folks was CrossFit Central. I immediately noticed that this place was different; they were doing pull-ups, things with gymnastic rings, lifting barbells, and everyone was working hard. There were coaches there to keep people on task, and I realized this was exactly what I needed – a place that would keep me interested, challenged, and a coach to make sure I came every day and gave it my all. I signed up without even trying a free community workout and committed 100% from day one.

Pedro: My wife joined Crossfit Central back in 2010 and after a year had seen some awesome results! In her 40′s with two kids she looks like a 25 year old, six pack abs included. At the time, as an Army officer and commander of a quick reaction team I wasn’t a slouch but I wasn’t CrossFit. My wife was achieving fantastic results and I was being left in the dust!

What was your life like prior to CrossFit Central?

Mari: Prior to joining CrossFit Central always felt guilty about not getting in the gym. I had lost my “baby weight” but felt flabby and untoned. I work for myself out of my home and was working late hours and not sleeping enough. I was not eating the right things and grabbing lots of food on the go, and didn’t take time to prepare myself the healthy food my body needed.

Pedro: Physically, I had hurt my back in 2011 and had gained weight going from 220 to 245. My knees started to hurt every time I ran/jogged and my hips also hurt after every run. Eventually I stopped running, which didn’t help my fitness level.

Mari: Lost 13 lbs., gained back 10 lbs. lean muscle, lost 15 inches and 14% body fat
Pedro: Lost 40 lbs., and 15% body fat

What results have you seen since joining the CrossFit Central community?

Mari: My first week of CrossFit training was the most humbling experience of my life. At age 44 I felt old, flabby, uncoordinated and slow. I cried during my WOD and begged my coach to allow me stop early. I couldn’t sit down for weeks without feeling my quads burning. I was always last to finish and did push-ups on my knees. My coach allowed me to “graduate” into a regular class after one month, and I chose a women’s only class. I found the environment surprisingly supportive and I knew I was in a special place. The class I attended was full of women JUST LIKE ME who also probably cried during that first week but now doing crazy things like deadlifting 300 lbs. I was in awe of them and wanted to be like them. As I struggled through the workouts using a “training bar” or PVC pipe while my fellow athletes threw huge amounts of weight over their heads I was very motivated. My coach encouraged me every day and was patient with me. I began eating Paleo and worked hard in every class. After 3 months I had lost 8 pounds and 5% body fat. Three months later I had lost another 5%. One day there were new girls in the class and I wasn’t last anymore, and I was actually the one encouraging them to work hard and finish their WODs. I was adding more and more weight to my bar. I WAS GETTING STRONGER. This wasn’t even an initial goal of mine; I had never logged weights, reps and times back at my old gym. One day a wonderful thing happened – I realized the scale didn’t matter so much; I wanted to lose fat, gain muscle and get stronger, and I was having fun competing not only with the other women, but myself. Could I do the workout faster next time? Could I add more weight next time? I quit caring about the scale and focused on solid nutrition, how well I was performing and how I felt. After my first year I began to see a “plateau”. To ratchet things up further I started attending LIFT, in addition to CrossFit Central, bringing my days in the gym from 3 to 4. After 3 ½ years, now I am actually one of those strong women like I used to look up to, and I am still getting stronger (I still can’t deadlift 300 pounds, but I will someday!). I enjoy doing competitions and trying new things. I love my coaches and gym friends; they are like family. I feel more confidence in everything I do and realize that I am yet to reach my full potential. I feel better right now than I have in my entire life, and feel that I am a strong role model for my children and my friends outside the gym. My husband started CrossFitting a year after I started and has also seen amazing results. We are showing our children that this is not a fad or trend but the way should all live our lives every day.

Pedro: I’ve gone from 245 to 205 and from a size 40 to a size 34. Now I run the mile in 7:10, deadlift 415, do almost 20 rounds of Cindy and have fun while doing the WODs. I’m a West Point grad and have been an Army officer for most of my adult life. I’ve always been hard charging and always trying to accomplish more. CrossFit brings it all back, great challenges and the ability to accomplishment wonderful things every WOD with great friends. You would be correct to say that CrossFit Central is where I go to exercise, to get fit, to lose 40 pounds, to get to 15% body fat on my way to sub 10% and dead lift 405 pounds at age 49 but that wouldn’t tell the whole story, not even close. CrossFit Central is where I go to surround myself with awesome fellow athletes, fabulously professional accomplished coaches, and an organization that lives by the values I want to be a part of.