FEATURED MEMBER - KYLE

THE INTERVIEW

How did your CrossFit journey begin? 

We stumbled across the CrossFit games documentaries a couple of years ago and whilst my wife came away from it asking why would you do that to yourself, I thought it looked like fun. Full credit to Jess though, not only did she find CM2, she convinced me to give the free taster session a go and has since put up with the constant CrossFit talk around the house. 

My first session was an eye-opener! I was surprised at just how unfit I was, I could just about hang on the rig and after what was optimistically about 30 air squats in the workout, couldn't walk properly for the next few days. It was brutal but I was hooked. 

When you started CrossFit was it anything like you had anticipated? 

Oh the pain, the pain of it all! I had a good idea of what to expect from the workouts but it was another thing entirely to be part of it, it’s an awesome experience to be part of a class and experience a WOD first hand but I was not physically prepared! On a side note, I was shocked to find out I'd been doing press-ups wrong my whole life and found that with full range of motion I couldn't manage a single rep! 

What do you do when you’re not training at CM2? 

Aside from work I’m currently training to become a chartered accountant, I’ve got four exams to go and if all goes well I should be qualified in March 2020 and finally get my free time back. Hopefully then I’ll have a more interesting answer to this question! 

What are your biggest CrossFit achievements so far? 

My first strict pull up was a big one. It was a personal target from my very first session where I struggled just hanging on the bar and the idea of actually lifting myself seemed impossible. The other big one was generally learning how to use a barbell. I had never trained with one before CM2 and the first 4-6 weeks I would go to Olyimpic lifting classes and just lift an empty bar, trying to understand the movement. It’s awesome to now go into Oly’s knowing I can handle the movements and push the weight and possibly go for a PB. 

What CrossFit goals and targets have you set yourself for this year? 

Ultimately, I want to be able to RX the open, whether that’s this year or next and until then I’m picking individual movements every few weeks and working on them for 10-15 mins after (most) sessions which is helping a lot. 

What has been your most memorable CrossFit moment so far? 

Not a specific moment but the Open in February was really impactful for me. I had only intended on tagging along for a couple of weeks to experience it but got completely swept up in the atmosphere and community around it and ended up doing the whole thing. It was also where things started to properly click as I realised I could push myself a lot further then I had been as the scaled workout standards were way above what I’d been doing up until that point. 

What is your favourite movement/workout and why? 

Double unders have always been pretty high on my list, largely because it was the first movement I had learned and the sense of achievement at that point was and has continued to be a huge motivator. 

What is you least favourite movement/workout and why? 

I think that rowing should be illegal, confined to some kind of secret underground fight-club-escque group who claim to “enjoy” it. I’ve definitely got fitter over the last 8-9 months but the rower continues to be a sad and humbling experience. 

What is the best thing about being a CM2 member? 

The community is incredible. Both members and trainers alike, I’ve met a lot of awesome, likeminded people who have encouraged and pushed me further then I thought possible, I owe a lot to the community. Plus it helps during the WODs knowing we are all suffering together. 

You’re part of the regular 6am crew; how do you find getting up at this time to train? 

It was a struggle at first, particularly as I started in early October so the weather definitely didn’t help. After a while it became part of daily life, I genuinely look forward to each session and enjoy doing something positive for myself to start the day. 

What advice would you give to any future CM2 members? 

Don’t be afraid to get involved with any of the workouts and don’t shy away from movements you’re not comfortable with. The scaling options available really do offer something for everyone and the community should be seen as an aid not a deterrent, it’s only as competitive as you make it! 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself? 

As a kid/teen I trained up to brown belt in Karate. This included joining the demo team, basic weapons training and generally living the life of a ninja turtle.