How long have you been coaching at CFKOP?
Since April 2012
What got you into CrossFit and coaching?
I was initially introduced to CrossFit in late 2010 by my Personal Trainer at the time(he's actually the owner of CrossFit Ridge Ave. Shout out to Jim Pfromm!) He had me following the main site programming and I definitely thought it was crazy compared to the standard workouts I was doing with him for the year or so beforehand. In spring 2011 a friend made me aware that there were local CrossFit gyms that run the workouts in group classes so I looked it up and found KOP. As for coaching I took the level 1 about a year after I joined KOP. My only intent was learning more about improving my own health and fitness. I was a gym bum at the time and as fate would have it, I did not apply what I learned and tried to bulldog my way through a round of the Bear Complex and ended up pinching a nerve in my lower back. I was sitting on the floor trying to pretend I was fine and Aimee walked up to me and asked if I would be interested in Coaching. She said she thought I could become a good coach and I was there all the time anyway. But what I really think is that gym was growing and she needed bodies to fill the schedule. 11+ years later though, here I am still filling in the class schedule!
What do you love about coaching?
Having a captive audience that has no choice but to listen to my jokes!
How has your coaching changed over the years? Do you feel there are things you've learned along the way?
At the beginning it was definitely rough, I would walk through classes just telling people what they did wrong. i.e. "you're in your toes on the squat" and "you're not locking out overhead on a the press". Aimee pulled me aside to tell me that I have to give actionable feedback to correct the issue. In these examples "shift your weight back and drive through your heels" for the squat and "reach/push to the sky" for the press. You could say I carry more tools than just a hammer now. Sometimes I’ll just use a scalpel.
I’ve definitely learned many things along the way. The number one thing is that if you have a goal, you need a plan to achieve it. Because a goal without a plan is just a wish. Another, and it relates to setting and achieving goals, is that “Fitness is never finished unless you quit”. If you achieve a goal(or don’t) you are most likely not going to quit. You either set a new goal and work towards that or regroup and reset your plan for the goal you didn’t reach. In the end, you’re never going to be finished.
Do you like to compete in competitions or would you prefer to be a judge?
Although it is few and far between, I prefer to compete. But don’t get it twisted, I’m always judging!!!
What movements do you enjoy either as an athlete or a coach?
As an athlete, if you’ve known me for more than a minute, you’ll know it’s the snatch. As a coach there’s not one particular movement but I will say “coaching of the fly” or during the workout. I accel at seeing things if real time and giving “actionable queues” that end in the desired result. If you don’t understand what that means, ask Pam about “Pop and Drop” during one of the girls on girls competitions a few years ago.
Are you currently working on anything inside the gym as an athlete or a coach?
As an athlete my current goal is to keep myself physically fit enough to run down to the park with my dogs every morning. I coach 6am in the gym on Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday but I coach 7am with my Bruce and Ivy every morning rain or shine, hot or cold, it doesn’t matter. I am running down there with them every single morning to make sure they get their “workout”. There is no such thing as a rest day for a Malinois, especially two! That coupled with the fact that Alicia has started a small farm at our house gives me the need to be ready for anything at a moments notice.
