Featured Member - Derek
1. WHAT INTERESTED YOU ABOUT STARTING CROSSFIT AND JOINING CM2?
"A really good friend suggested CrossFit to me as he thought I would enjoy it, and I liked the fact that it involved so many different disciplines and was really centred on improving fitness. I came in for a Saturday morning trial and immediately felt the community vibe about CM2 which clinched it for me".
2. WHAT ABOUT BEING A CM2 MEMBER HAS KEPT YOU COMING BACK THROUGH THE DOOR WEEK AFTER WEEK?
"The spirit of CrossFit and the people that workout at the gym are fantastic, once you are through the door everyone is full of encouragement and you can't help but feel good. If I'm feeling at all low before I arrive, by the time class is over I am guaranteed to feel 100 times better".
3. WHAT ARE TWO OF YOUR BIGGEST TRAINING WINS SO FAR?
"There were certain things that I couldn't do when I started CrossFit, very technical and very taxing, so being able to execute these exercises again and again during a workout with good quality and consistently is a great achievement for me".
4. HOW HAS CROSSFIT IMPACTED YOUR LIFESTYLE?
"The biggest impact CrossFit has had on me is my mental state. I find that forms of exercise that push me to a point where I am completely spent, on a regular basis, have the ability to contribute to keeping my mind stable".
5. WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT SET OF TRAINING GOALS AND WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR?
"I have been at CM2 for 7 years now and as I am getting older I have noticed that I am prone to more injuries if I go too heavy during workouts. So my training goals are more about maintaining a very good level of fitness through Met-cons and building up my core strength with Gymnastics".
6. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE GYM?
"I like to Cycle outside of CrossFit, it's a similar principle to CrossFit in that you can find this meditative state where you're not really thinking about anything but the next climb that is round the corner or the descent where you just hit 60kph''.
7. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF TRAINING AT CM2?
"My best memory is from the Saturday morning CM2 trial that I did. It had overlapped into the following class and I was struggling to get through it, it was something like 5 rounds for time of Burpee Box Jumps, ground to overhead bumper plate and 50 single unders. I remember completing the last round and looking up to see everyone from the next class lined up to cheer me on and congratulate me for getting through it. It left me with a feeling of support and encouragement that has been there ever since".
8. IF YOU COULD GIVE ANY PIECE OF ADVICE TO SOMEONE THINKING ABOUT JOINING CM2, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
"I would say, take your time and be prepared to be patient and train consistently if you want to improve. It took me about 2 years to get to a level where I was training regularly and performing at a level that I actually enjoyed and felt really good about".
COACHES COMMENTS:
Coach Tom- "Derek is one of the longest serving members of CM2 and an all round great guy! He is always sure to strike a conversation upon arrival at the gym and always thanks the coach before leaving. Derek is a pleasure to have in class and is really good at taking on board any piece of coaching advice. When watching Derek in class it is clear to see that he moves well and with intent. Derek can definitely push his body when needed but is also smart enough to know when to scale or ease of the gas, this is a great quality to have when training for longevity. I look forward to seeing Derek continue his journey training with us at CM2. Well done Derek and keep smashing it!!"
Coach Rob- "Derek always arrives at the box and greets his coaches and training partners with a smile on his face, you can tell he really loves his training and is excited to be here. Over the past 7 plus years Derek has come to class consistently and has really improved his abilities across the board from strength numbers to gymnastic skills. He's hungry to continue improving his technique and is very coachable. I love to have Derek in class because with so many years experience he really knows himself as an athlete and is able decide what weight to use and adapt the workout so it's right for him. This makes my job easy but also means that others in the group can look at Derek and know that he's getting an appropriate weight on the bar and this gives them a bearing of how much they should choose. I hope to have Derek in class and sticking around afterwards to shoot the shit for many years to come."
