andrew poore

When I moved to Austin, I was looking for a gym nearby and found CrossFit Central. I showed up unannounced to take a look around and was impressed by the size of the gym and its programming. I wanted to improve my abilities and eventually compete in the sport.

Prior to joining CrossFit Central, finding a gym was my top priority after moving. I had researched gyms months in advance and felt ready to dive in and improve myself. The gym was holding their TFX Qualifiers when I joined, and I decided to participate with no expectations. To my surprise, I just barely qualified, which was incredible because I never thought I’d be competing, let alone so soon. This experience shifted my focus to continuous improvement, and now I treat every workout like I’m competing. Initially, I didn’t plan to compete, but now my goal is to be a top 25 in TFX and achieve 80-85% in the Open.

Since joining the community, I’ve seen tremendous progress in my Olympic lifts, thanks to the programming and guidance from Coach Chris. My mindset has also shifted—rather than wondering if I can do the RX weight, I now think about how fast I can be or how much weight I can add. I’ve gotten faster, improved my technique, enhanced my speed, and developed a better approach to workouts overall. The gym pushes us to tackle challenging exercises, and if you fully commit, success follows.

CrossFit Central has also reignited my competitive spirit, which has been important to me since I was young. Growing up, I competed in six sports—football, wrestling, lacrosse, diving, golf, and MMA—but as I got older, I missed that drive. CrossFit has filled that void, fueling my athletic competitiveness more than anything else could. While I still enjoy golfing, my new PRs or fastest times in CrossFit are what truly motivate me. Competing in my first CrossFit competition last year, thanks to CrossFit Central, was both exhilarating and exhausting. It gave me a purpose to continually work towards. Since then, I’ve competed in the TFX team event and qualified for the TFX winter competition. CrossFit Central has provided me with an outlet to keep competing, giving me more purpose and drive in my daily life.

I’d like to thank the coaches, especially Chris and Amy, for their patience and support. I’m also grateful to Caleb, my workout partner and great friend, as well as Ross, who has since moved to another gym but always pushed me in every workout. The 8:30am crew—Jay, John, Claudia, Rich, and others—have been incredible friends and a huge part of my journey. CrossFit and this community are truly about the friendships and support that form along the way.

While I didn’t get a body scan when I first joined, I know I’m stronger, faster, leaner, and bigger than I was before. My weight has fluctuated—I went from 185-190 pounds when I joined to about 168 at one point, and I typically hover in the low 170s now.