Brief personal history and journey towards beginning your CrossFit journey:
I am a person who has consistently been a bigger guy throughout my life. Upon finishing high school and not being involved in competitions or athletics in general, aside from recreational in college, I let myself get further out of control and was not taking great care of myself physically. However, once I graduated college I knew I had to do something and make a change. I remembered my friend Mike Wudtke, who was always very helpful and informative towards lifting and a healthy lifestyle in high school as an upperclassman, and who also now happens to be a Trainer/Coach at CrossFit Muskego close to where I lived. He always posted on social media how he was willing to help out anyone who was committed and wanted to genuinely make a change, and so I told him I was one of those people and without hesitation he accepted. This was back in the middle of June last year.
What brought you to CrossFit Oshkosh?
I moved to Oshkosh back in August of last year and knew I wanted to join a CrossFit Gym. I looked up the closest one to where I currently live and came upon CFO.
Your first impression of CrossFit Oshkosh?
Very welcoming community who became more and more excited to see me show up to class once they knew I was serious about coming consistently and making a change.
What has been your biggest hurdle since starting?
Overall I would say having to scale several of the movements in order to complete many workouts. However, I revert back to a quote I came across close to when I started my transition of which said, “Do not compare your Chapter 2 to someone else’s Chapter 24.” Which for me means, I cannot be discouraged or upset that others in my classes can do certain movements or RX workouts or whatever, because they have already dedicated and put in the work to get themselves to that point, so once I do the same I too will be in their shoes and will hopefully have someone in my current shoes look at me then and want to get to that point.
What is your favorite aspect of CrossFit?
The genuine feeling that everyone around you cares and is excited for you to get better, whether that is physically in the individual workouts, or in your personal life. Even when some (many) workouts are just an absolute gauntlet and a pain in the rear, it is a place I am happy and excited to be at.
What are your current goals in CrossFit?
To continue to better myself to the point where I can do all movements with no restrictions.
What is something we don’t know about you?
CFO has been by in large the highlight of my move to Oshkosh and no matter where life takes me down the road years from now, I will be forever grateful and appreciative that I found this community and opportunity to better myself. I thank each and every person I have come in contact with who makes me want to push myself harder and helped me continue to enjoy the path on the way to my ultimate goal.