Athlete of the Month

 CONGRATULATIONS BRETT!

Hometown:  Sparta, NJ

Current Location: A hotel room near King of Prussia 

Age: 34

Occupation: Construction Management

College:  Virginia Tech

How long have you been a CrossFitter? I've been a CrossFitter since March 2013.  I joined right after breaking ground on the construction of the new Target on 202.
Did you ever play sports? Yes - I love competitive sports.  Growing up in a rural town in Southwestern VA the options were limited to the major sports.  I played football, baseball & wrestled in high school.  I was First Team All-State in football & baseball.  Now I love soccer & I am trying to learn as my children learn.  I'm also an hack golfer, but love the sport.

Got some cool (or uncool) hobbies you'd like to share?  Not sure if this ranks in the cool or uncool, but I geocache with my children on any free sunny day.  Geocaching is hiking with a GPS find hidden containers throughout the world.  The containers have little trinkets that the kids trade with items that they bring from home.  

My wife and I also have date nights where we try different restaurants.  We've decided that there are so many great restaurants to eat at in NY/NJ area that we are determined to not go to the same place twice.  

What is your biggest achievement at CrossFit?  I think that I'm most proud of deadlifting 420 after finishing the inaugural Plentus' Barbulls class.  I'm also proud that I've been able to Rx many more WODs after completing the Barbulls course.  I've been truly amazed at the way a body adapt to lift more & more weight with consistent training.

What do you feel that you still need to work on? Everything....I struggle most with body weight exercises especially pullups & dips.  I'm also frightened of falling from the ropes.  One of the best things about crossfit and strength training is that there is never a point where you feel like it's mastered.  There's always more reps to be done & more weight to be moved.  I feel like I'll CrossFit the rest of my life.

Goals for the rest of this year? I want to do a muscle-up and do more than 3 DUs in a row.  I want to get more comfortable doing squat cleans and sqaut snatches.

What's your favorite WOD?  The Seven is probably the toughest & my favorite.  It is god-awfully long, but I always think about the CIA agents that lost their lives and how I'm sure their families would endure anything to have them back.  I'm extremely patriotic & I feel really motivated during hero WODs.  I lost a very close high school friend in Iraq in 2006.  I cut my hair after my buddy was KIA and I keep it short as a daily reminder for myself to live for him.

How about your favorite food/snacks? My favorite dinner is skirt steak with chimichurri sauce, baked sweet potato and a good craft beer.  I have never said NO to a brownie.  

What is the craziest workout outside of CF you have ever done?  I like doing mud runs like the Tough Mudder.  They are tons of fun and challenging.  The hardest workouts that I ever did was for my wrestling coach.  He was an 4-year undefeated state champion in high school and a NCAA champion in college.  He pushed my conditioning to places that I didn't think my body could go.  We worked out for two hours a night in a 40'x40' block room that he kept around 90 degrees.  The guy was nuts and it would never be allowed by the school officials these days.

What’s your least favorite WOD? Reverse Angie....and anything else that involves lots of pullups.  

Favorite lift/movement? Although I'm not very good at it, I love the snatch.  It is gracious & ferocious all at once.

What’s your least favorite lift/movement? Double Unders are my nemesis and most frustrating.

What skill have you been working on in 201​4​ the most? I haven't focused on a particular skill.  I've been working on getting stronger overall and it has helped with WODs.  I'm working on body weight exercises & have set aside extra time each week for ring dips.

Whats your favorite piece of workout "gear"?  I'd say my pre-workout & supplements that I get from NutriShop.  That is not a BS plug for Keith's shop either.  You can always find me mixing my cocktails before and after each workout.  BTW Keith - you owe me $20!

What you say is your biggest improvement since starting CF?  My overall strength & health.  I love feeling fit and being able to run around with my kids without being winded like other dads.  

Who is your favorite coach?  The KOP family is very lucky to have ALL of our wonderful coaches.  I work out in the evenings & I'm exposed to the sweet coaching techniques of Tim McCann, Keith, & Paul.  They're all great.  

Tim M - Your motivation and positive attitude is amazing.  Even if I've had the worst day, you always make me feel better.  Thank you for all your help with mobility.  It has helped me in Crossfit & life.

Keith - I'm in awe of your power from a smaller, lighter athlete.  I appreciate your candid corrections and straightforward approach.  You also crack me up with your dry humor.

Paul - Your classes are the most fun and your humor is great.  Thank you for pushing me when I doubted myself.  I always look forward to our chats before & after class.  I love the 7:30P classes because there are no kids around & the filthy language flows. 

AIMEE - I love when I catch your class.  You scares the s--- out of me and push me further than anyone else.  I can't believe how you can smile and laugh all the while you break me into pieces.  You're the smartest fitness coach that I've ever met.  You're also the FITTEST, BADASS MOM I've ever met.  No kids will ever pick on your children.  

PR's to mention? Goals Reached? Nutrition highlights?..  350 Back Squat, 300 Front Squat, 420 Deadlift, 230 Clean & Jerk, 170 Snatch. I think my main goal reached has been not getting heavy while spending the last 16 months on the road in a hotel room  The CrossfitKOP community made my time away from my family so much easier.  I am truly going to miss all the friends that I've made down here.  My last day in KOP is June 19th and it's bittersweet.  I hate to have to leave the KOP crew, but I'm so excited to get to spend more time with my family.  I'd like to thank everyone that has befriended me the last 16 months.  You have no idea how much easier my time away from my family has been because of you.