Well where to start, life before Crossfit Is one I’d like to forget but I choose not too as it is one of the main reasons that drives me to move forward, it reminds me of a place I never want to go back too. I’ve always been “the Fat Guy” well in my eyes at least, I was chubby from primary straight through to high school but I think I lost the plot once I started working. I work in a call Centre so my Job is a “bum on seat “ job. I grew Lazy and how can I say let myself go. I started struggling to do simple everyday tasks. I couldn’t climb a flight of stairs without panting like I ran a marathon and sweating buckets. I wouldn’t be able to tie my own shoe laces I dreaded going shopping with my wife as if we had to walk I would get all sweaty and self conscious, which would led me to being irritated and I would feel everyone was judging me you know “ Check that Fat guy “, especially when we to eat out as in some places i never fitted into the chairs. It got to the point where my wife Charlene had to go to do everything by herself, I didn’t want to leave the house and everything was just too much effort and if I did go with I would wait in the car. It got to the point where my friends and Family started telling me I need to do something about my weight. My mom kept on and kept on “ Leighton you must do something about your weight, I worry about you “ I think this is also due to the fact that my dad passed away due to a heart attack at age 54 he too was a large man. Friends and there families started telling me as well, I recall a friend telling me “Dude you must start doing something, you always used to be called the big guy now people are calling you the fat guy”. My Buddy Ray started Crossfit and he would never shut up about it, he kept on telling me just to come check it out. I kept on putting it off time and time again for about a month or two, until one weekend he made me promise I would check it out during the following week. I did, this is where I met Chad who knew at that moment that he was going to play a key role in changing my life. So came D-Day I was dreading it, I thought to myself today is the day I die, and where the hell they going to get a coffin to me in, LOL. But yeah I went I saw and I survived “ barely” but I did. I remember the Benchmark workout, thinking there is no way I’m doing this no way in hell, as I recall it was a 200m run 21-15-9 consisting of squats; push ups and ring rows then another 200m run. I explained my fears to Chad he was open and told me not to stress take it at my own pace and he scaled it for me to a 100m run 15-12-9 and another 100m run. I still didn’t think I was going to complete it but he reassured me all the way. It was hell I stopped every few meters on the 1st run that I walked slowly as I was gasping for air, after suffering through every rep of the 15-12-9, and then thinking to myself I’m not going to make the last 100m. Did this and all in a record time of 30min +, after which I collapsed to the floor sopping wet gasping for air like a fish out of water. I finished the 12 session onramp and before me stood my benchmark workout again I was dreading it as I knew what torment awaited me, but grinning and baring it I soldiered through hoping the past 3 weeks where worth waking up in pain from muscle stiffness and crawling out of bed. On that last run everyone at the box was outside cheering me in and all I could think was I hope I beat my time, I hope I beat my time, I had set my goal at shaving 2min max off. After running through the door shouting time Chad read me time, I asked him again and to make sure he smiled and said he is sure. I cut 15min off my 1st time and i was hooked. I can’t compare my life before Crossfit and now. Its improved leaps and bounds since I started. From not being able to do a sit-up, a burpee, a box jump or skipping. To being able to do all this and more (scaled but I’m a work in progress) with awesome people who are with you through your ups and downs, I can’t explain it. I’ve been given a second chance, a new lease on life and I would not give it up for anything. Everything is easier, everything is better. Every aspect of my life has improved tremendously including my marriage (if you know what I mean), and this with no real change in diet. I’m not sure what my weight was before starting Crossfit as there was no scale that could weigh me and I shudder to think what it was as I have to date lost 15cm around my waist. I can start seeing definition in my arms and legs. Big thanks to Chad who organised an industrial scale so I could weigh myself, I currently weigh in at 220kg’s. I recently started Paleo and I’m looking forward to the road ahead. I know it’s not going to be easy and there are going to be bumps in the road but as I said I know I’m not alone and I have the backing and support of my Crossfit family.

Open

Year Rank Worldwide Rank by Region Rank By Country Rank By Affiliate
2013 46204th Men 530th Men Africa – – – –

Benchmark Stats

  • Back Squat --
    Chad1000x --
    Clean and Jerk --
    Deadlift --
  • Fight Gone Bad --
    Filthy 50 --
    Fran --
    Grace --
  • Helen --
    L1 Benchmark --
    Max Pull-ups --
    Run 5k --
  • Snatch --
    Sprint 400m --