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After hearing for months about the CrossFit craze from a number of friends; the newest and greatest way to work out along with the most intense and focused workouts that people have ever had, I thought “I need to look into this”. But I thought, maybe it’s too extreme? Maybe I need to be in better shape? I guess there’s only one way to find out.
On Thursday February 13th I stopped by the gym to ask some questions and see what CrossFit was all about. That’s when I met Deanna…… I’m pretty sure she’d just finished a work out of her own because she was “jacked”. And yes, I was intimidated. Haha. Well it’s true. Immediately, she welcomed me in and made me feel right at home. She answered all my questions, but to be honest I think she had more for me than I had for her. She wanted to know things like what experience I had working out? Had I ever done CrossFit before? What were my goals & what did I want to get out of it? Her interest was a sign to me that she cared about peoples experience at their gym and she truly wanted people to achieve their goals. She told me about the programs they offered and suggested I start in the CrossFit Lite class.
So February 17th was my first class, 3 days a week. What a great experience, the instructors and everyone in the class cheering each other on to push themselves that extra little bit through the work out. On February 28th I’d dropped to 208lbs through diet change and exercise, I was feeling healthier and more motivated than I had in years. Plus I’d reached my 20lb weight loss goal 1 month ahead of my target. Through March I continued the same program and continued to see modest decreases in weight but really noticed my core strength and cardiovascular conditioning improving. At the end of March I started the 1-1 Olympic lifting training with one of the fantastic instructors so I could move into the regular CrossFit classes. Now at 198lbs I started regular classes in early April, loving both the progress I was making physically and the supporting nature, instruction and motivation from coaches Deanna and Jeremy. Over the next couple months Deanna and Jeremy worked with me address my weaknesses and build on my strengths, a process they do for everyone in their classes. They get to know you and your injuries, and always customize a work out if there’s something prohibiting you from safely being able to complete it. Don’t get me wrong, they work you hard, real hard. But that’s why we’re there, and for me that’s why I keep going back. The sense of community, friendship, motivation and support seem to be the pillars in which Deanna and Jeremy have built their gym. I can’t imagine a better environment to inspire anyone who is looking at making a change in their life; as I did less than one year ago. Around the end of June I reached my sustainable weight of 185lbs, I feel great and continue my journey with CrossFit Vernon and a life style focused on physical and mental health. Although I have revised my beverage strategy a little now that I’ve reached my targets……..
Thanks to Deanna and Jeremy for creating such an amazing environment, inspiring people to do things they never thought imaginable and building strength through community. A gym is just a gym, it’s the people that run it, which make it a community.
-Ben Cave