11/26 Transformation Tuesday

James did his very first CrossFit workout in the park with Leslie in the summer of 2010.

CrossFit has made James physically and mentally strong and introduced him to obstacle course racing (OCR). He has completed four Spartan Beasts, the Knuckle Buster, and the K9 Gladiator with Nanook.

Coach James, Why do You do CrossFit?

I started doing CrossFit in June 2010 with Saturday workouts in the park. I was used to working out regularly but it was the very classic training method of long slow distances of running, biking, hiking. I was pretty good at those specific activities but also knew that I was not very strong so I was hesitant to do CrossFit. Once I did my first few workouts I knew the program was going to help me become stronger both physically and mentally, and it has. 
Leslie and I opened True Spirit CrossFit in 2014 because we remember what it is like to be new at something and wanted to take the fundaments of CrossFit and make it more approachable to more people as a way to build and live a healthier life. This takes a community and the community is what helps motivate me to get up and coach at 6 am or to do a workout with the best effort I can.
Through doing CrossFit and owning the gym, I am stronger physically and mentally. I have more confidence in my daily life. I have an outlet for my intensity. I can channel and harness the memory of a difficult workout or practicing a challenging skill (like double unders that took me a year and a half to finally get) that helps me put life's daily challenges into perspective. Plus I love the variety of what we do and accomplish. This is what helped motivate me to do obstacle course racing like the Spartan and Knuckle Buster. 
Showing up is success, being coachable is wise, participating with positive attitude is inspiring, using your brain builds one of the most important muscle in your body, and being a part of the community is the best exercise my heart can have. By learning with and through others, both as a coach and athlete, I am a happier "fitter" person. This is what True Spirit CrossFit means to me and I am transformed through it every day.
Life is the ultimate CrossFit workout, Live It.

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