1. Where are you from originally?

Wilmington, North Carolina

2. What is your favorite WOD/movement?

Squat Clean

3. What is your least favorite WOD/ Movement?

Thrusters

4. What were you doing before CrossFit? How did you hear about CrossFit and/or CrossFit Northlake?

I was working out at the gym 4 to 5 days a week. I moved to Charlotte in August and had wanted to try CrossFit for a while. I asked my friends Nick and Drew, who own CrossFit Reignited in Wilmington, which CF gym in Charlotte they would recommend. They said CrossFit Northlake, hands down.

5. What other sports or activities do you participate in as a family besides CrossFit?

I play basketball and enjoy an occasional round of golf.

6. How many times per week do you CrossFit?

4 to 5

7. What is your athletic background?

I played college basketball at UNC-Asheville

8. Give us some insight as to your thoughts after your first workout at CrossFit Northlake.

It was much more challenging than what I had become accustomed to. I had been a regular at the gym for around 3 years, working out alone and doing standard splits (Chest/Tris, Back/Bis, Shoulders/Legs, etc.) with very little in the way of real results. I stayed in decent shape, but I wasn’t getting stronger. The structure of the workouts at CrossFit Northlake (the strength component followed by the WOD) brought an additional competitive component to my training. With CrossFit, you get to compete against yourself AND others. There will always be days when you don’t quite feel like giving it your all. It’s easy to go through the motions when you’re by yourself at the gym (or just not go at all) – it’s a lot harder to do when your peers are beating you and a coach/trainer is there yelling at (encouraging) you to pick it up!

9. Do you have any special or favorite CrossFit Northlake memories/moments?

I’ve really enjoyed becoming a part of the community. It’s such a positive experience every day to get together with a group of people who are all trying to make themselves better. Also, I’ve gone up significantly on all my lifts in the 4+ months I’ve been at it, which is so encouraging after spending the last few years on a plateau.

10. What advice would you give to a newbie or someone just joining CrossFit Northlake?

Don’t be shy – ask questions. There are so many great coaches at CrossFit Northlake, and lots of members that have a ton of experience and are more than willing to help you learn. When I started at CrossFit Northlake, I didn’t know anything about Olympic lifting, gymnastics moves on the rig, etc., and I still have a lot to learn, which is part of what makes it enjoyable. You learn something new every day, and there is always room for improvement.

11. What is your eating style?

I’m not as strict as I should be, but I try to pay attention to my macros and avoid processed foods. Typically, I eat pretty clean throughout the week and then eat whatever on the weekend. One of my goals for 2017 is to clean up my eating and to gain 10lbs of muscle.

12. What kind of results have you seen since starting at CrossFit Northlake?

I’m as strong as I’ve ever been. I’ve gone up 20lbs to 40lbs in all my major lifts. Some of this is due to improving technique with coaching, but increased strength is a definitely major factor. My endurance has also increased substantially. I’m able to power through workouts with much less rest than I would have needed during my first couple months.

13. What do you do for a living?

I work in Private equity/real estate development and investment with a focus on the student housing sector.

14. What drives you to be an active family?

I believe that living an active lifestyle, insofar as the actions you fill each day with are positive and productive, leads to a happy life. CrossFit fits perfectly into this.