In May of 2011, I went to Alison and Shawn at Crossfit Hi-Def a very different woman than I am today. I was broken! I was suffering from depression, Plantar Fasciitis, extreme back pain, and had lost who I was. I was taking Vicodin for the pain and walking around unconscious and unaware that my life would be changed forever.
I made a commitment to start Crossfit and was immediately welcomed by everyone there and encouraged the entire time by my new “family”. It was not easy. After all, I was a 236 pound mother of two year old twins, an eight year old, and teenager…all while working full time as a teacher. With Alison and Shawn’s encouragement and support, I began to get stronger, the weight started coming off, and I began to take control of my eating, my future, and my life. I set goals and worked hard to reach them.
My progress at Crossfit has been amazing! I went from ring rows to pull-ups, hand stand push ups on the floor to on the wall with only one ab mat! I went from not being able to run a block to running non-stop in a 5K on Thanksgiving Day in 27:41. I even went to Florida to compete in a fitness competition. I competed in the obstacle course, bench press, box jumps, shuttle run, and a fitness routine on stage with cartwheels, splits, handstands, and push-ups! I continue to reach new benchmarks and achieve new goals everyday!
I have done things and accomplished goals that I would have never thought possible eight months ago. Crossfit has given me hope and encouragement. They continue to help me bring out the inner athlete in me that was there all along!
-Update May 25, 2013-
~Susan Monge
I have been attending CrossFit High Definition for about 6 months and can say it has definitely had a positive effect on my life, not only physically but mentally. I am 46 years old and have been involved in various forms of physical fitness programs, in the military and law enforcement, most of my adult life. Most of these programs are pretty standard and, for the most part, have a limited area of focus.
As I got older the challenge and satisfaction of working out just wasn’t there anymore. In addition, I had suffered from several injuries over the years that were now coming back to haunt me. Because of my work schedule, and limited knowledge of proper eating habits, I had gained weight even though I still worked out 2-3 times a week. I thought, because of my age, I had leveled off physically and would never be as strong or as fit as I once was.
I looked into CrossFit after hearing about it from a couple of buddies. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by some of the workouts they told me about. I did some research on my own and liked what the Crossfit program had to offer. What other program claims to increase your cardiovascular, strength, power, balance, flexibility, coordination, and is fun all at the same time!
When I started CrossFit High Definition 6 months ago, I was overweight at 202 pounds and had lost a lot of my fitness over the past 5 years. I am now 178 pounds, have lost 4 inches on my waist size, and have gained a tremendous amount of overall strength. I am performing certain advanced exercises, such as hand stand push-ups and rope climbs, which I would have never thought I could do. The varied workouts, functional exercises, and level of intensity in the daily WOD’s are what I enjoy best. Every workout pushes me to my limits, physically and mentally. When I finish the WOD I have a sense of accomplishment.
The staff at CrossFit High Definition has been phenomenal. They are professional, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and supportive. When explaining and demonstrating the technique of a particular exercise, they are very patient, and will constantly monitor you insuring that you maintain proper form. When I need to be motivated to complete a workout, they are always there to push me a little harder. The staff also provided me with information on the “zone” diet, which has been essential to my weight loss and sustained energy during my workouts.
Thank you CrossFit High Def!
Chris S.
Crossfit has changed my life! Last year I was struggling with extra baby-weight after the birth of my fourth child. I had lost much of it by loosely adopting a Primal/Paleo way of eating–I ate fewer grain-based products and limited my sugar intake. However, I still had about 20 lbs or so that I wanted to lose and I knew that I was REALLY out of shape and deconditioned and tired all the time. I kept reading about Crossfit in various Paleo blogs but I wasn’t ready to try it or change myself because I was too afraid of the unknown. I finally contacted the coaches at Crossfit Hi-Definition and came in for my Foundations training. My first workout was tough! I did not have an athletic background, could barely squat my own body weight, and it took me about half an hour to recover enough to drive home. But I stuck with it, and I got better. Today, I am down from a pants size 12/14 to a size 8/6. I am strong. I can rope climb, do jump-rope double-unders, do push-ups, pull-ups, and heavy barbell squats. I can run and sprint and row. I can put 100 lbs overhead! Never in my life did I think I would be so strong. I believe that what you put into Crossfit you will get out of it. My strength and energy have transferred over into my day-to-day life. I am more confident. The discipline and mental tenacity I have acquired from my past year of Crossfitting are skills I use constantly as a mom of four. I have also learned more about good nutrition for health and performance, and this benefits my whole family as well. The community at Crossfit Hi-Definition is amazing. The coaches are dedicated to improving us as athletes and are constantly educating and improving themselves in order to be the best they can be for us. The people I have met through Crossfit are some of my favorite people. It’s hard to tear myself away from the gym after a workout because it’s also become a place for me to socialize, learn, receive encouragement, and support others in their journey of fitness and health. My only regret is that I did not start sooner!
-Rachel Mann