Michael and Richard
the “Cunningham Brothers”
Michael and Richard come from a family of athletes. Their father was a an old school baseball coach, their mother started and lead the Pom team at the University of Texas. Hard work, dedication, and resilience were shown and taught to them at a young age. After competing in college, both Michael and Richard found themselves back in Austin and searching for a way to stay fit and well. They found their gym home in CrossFit Central, which ultimately led to a competitive outlet for the brothers.
Fun fact: Their Mom was a CrossFit Central member when Cofounders Jeremy and Carey were just getting started in Austin with boot camps circa 2005, before they had found their first gym! Their aunt and uncle are also CrossFit Central members.
When did you guys initially join the gym and what initially drew you to CrossFit Central?
Michael: I have been coming to CrossFit Central off-and-on since 2015, but I formally became a member back in 2020 when I moved back to Texas from California. Mike Cunningham, another CrossFit Central Member, was the person who initially got me into CrossFit.
Richard: I joined the gym in October of 2019. I had just gotten married that same month to my lovely bride Marshall, and only a few months before in the summer of 2019, my baseball career at Baylor came to a conclusion. Working out for me prior to joining CC had always been for a pretty singular goal: to make myself a better baseball player. So, that fall of 2019, I was definitely having to rediscover why I loved being active and healthy. Fitness was always a nonnegotiable in my life, but for the first time, it was something I had to choose for non-baseball reasons. Not to mention, for the few months in between baseball concluding and joining CrossFit, I wasn't getting much life out of just going for runs around the neighborhood or working out on my own at the local gym.
Michael (older bro) was still living in California at the time and was always the fitness junky. He would win CrossFit competitions at his local gym, run Marathons at an absurd pace, etc. It always fired me up that he had this in his life, but I never knew fitness apart from it being tied to my sport. I think what ultimately led to me joining CrossFit Central that fall was always hearing about how much Michael loved CrossFit, and also my wife and I's cousin who became one of our best friends in Austin (Builder Brock) was joining CrossFit Central that same fall. I think the Lord used all of those factors and the timing to push me over the edge to give CrossFit a shot.
How did fitness and wellness play a role in your life prior to CrossFit Central?
Michael: Fitness and wellness have been a huge part of my life since I was a kid. I was an athlete growing up and played collegiate Rugby, so weightlifting and conditioning have always been part of my routine.
Richard: I grew up as an undersized athlete always trying to prove my size wouldn't hold back my performance. My siblings and I had amazing parents who were both high level athletes. They instilled in us at a young age that working with excellence will lead to opportunities. That was my approach with fitness. I knew I would never be upset about only getting stronger and faster on a sports field, and therefore it kept me motivated to stay after it in the gym.
What results have you seen since joining the community?
Michael: My olympic weightlifting form has drastically improved. Davis Collins is the GOAT of oly coaching and has helped me break the bad weighlifting habbits I have built over the years.
Richard: I would say the biggest results for me have come more on the mental and just overall joy side. I joined the gym only a couple months after hanging it up as a D1 Athlete, so by the grace of God, I was still in pretty decent shape. But, I was having to redefine the why behind fitness staying a cornerstone in my life. The CrossFit Central community has made working out so dang fun. Yes, the byproducts of staying healthy are of course enormous, and I have certainly reached new heights in my fitness thanks to the amazing staff and programming at CrossFit Central. Going to the gym unlocks so many special things for me outside of just the physical though. It awakens my competitive spirit, it creates motivation in other areas of my life, it gives me the opportunity to interact with such a special group of people also plugged into the Central fam.
Now, my engine has certainly improved on a physical front too! Us baseball players have never been known for being very quality aerobic athletes...let's put it this way...I don't know if I had ever run a full mile without needing to stop prior to Crossfit. So, it has been a ton of fun to get in a new type of physical condition that wasn't just centered around being able to steal bases, throw hard, or hit baseballs. My wife is also grateful I can at least make it on a two or three mile jog with her these days! Still not anywhere near her or my brother's fitness levels, but one step at a time!
In addition to the physical results, has anything else changed? What changes have you seen mentally and emotionally since joining the gym?
Michael: Being at Central has helped me remember how much I love competitng. There are high quality athletes at the gym that push me everyday. Perhaps the coolest addition has been teaming up with my brother for the garage gym throwdown and TFX. We haven't been in a competition setting together in over a decade, and now it's one of the things we look forward to most. We hope to do regular competitions together indefinitely.
Richard: I am a big believer that the most joyful people have very "whole" lives. They stay committed to their spiritual health, physical health, relationships, etc. Not that those things are ever perfect at any time, but that everything is integrated and plays off of one another. Crossfit has been an ENORMOUS part of keeping a number of facets of my life in a healthy spot. Crossfit has also been a very tangible outlet for me to help me keep work in its rightful place. The competitive athlete in me is often tempted to never put work away, and Crossfit has become an amazing avenue that helps me pull away from work and keep my priorities straight. A cool byproduct of that, is when I do get back to work, I notice my ability to focus and execute is heightened because of this balance.
How does fitness and wellness currently play a role in your family's lives?
Michael: It's Central. No pun intendend.
Richard: Outside of CrossFit, inspired by both sets of our parents, my wife and I live very active lives. If I am not at the gym, we are likely playing Pickleball, wakeboarding on the boat, running around the trail, on a hike back in her beautiful hometown of Chattanooga, fellowshiping with friends, you name it. We love to move and be active regardless of the setting. We are so grateful God has given us able bodies, and we get so much joy being on the move together. From a wellness perspective, though I fight this to the best of my ability, my wife keeps us eating and sleeping well. That accountability is so good for me, especially in a town with so much queso.
What keeps you coming back to CrossFit Central?
Michael: The People. Great staff, great community. As long as I am in Austin, CrossFit Central will be a big part of my life. My Mom, Betty Cunningham, went to Jeremy's boot camps back in 2004 at O.Henry middle school, before he opened his first gym. The Cunninghams have enjoyed being a part of this fitness community since then and look forward to seeing it grow in the future!
Richard: So much, but I think a one word summary would be the community. Crossfit Central has figured out something special, and I love showing up to the gym and working out alongside friends and being coached by friends.
Additionally, we only get one life, and these bodies of ours are on loan. We have a God-given responsibility to steward them well. I am so inspired by the example of my parents, who in their 60s, are still snowboarding with us, wake surfing, golfing, teaching fitness classes, running the Turkey Trot and Trail of Lights run every year, you name it. It is so cool to think about them being such involved and active grandparents should the Lord give us children someday. All thanks to the blessing of health and the ways they have stayed active. I am so grateful for this gym community! It's been 3 years and some change now that I have gotten to be a part of it, and there is nothing like "belonging" somewhere.
