My CrossFit Journey – From 4X to 1X For many that know me personally, you all know my weight has yo-yoed for years. You also know that I have self-image issues that were derived from harsh comments and teasing received in my junior high years, and the fact that I am posting these before pics is extremely hard for me. Hence why you see my wife and kids in pictures but not me most of the time. I do not like to show weakness. I have tried every diet fad imaginable with some initial success. Mostly in the hopes of a quick fix but as soon as you stop you will inevitably gain the weight back in spades. In August of 2017, I received my blood work back from my health screening for my insurance. It was for the first time in my life with awful results!!! I was pre-diabetic among other bad parameters that were tested. I was morbidly obese 347lbs and a BMI at 50. I had been in denial for years on just how big I was. You don’t get this big overnight. I had started having issues with my knees and feet. It’s extremely hard on your body to carry around that much excess weight. Imagine doing your entire daily routine with a 12-year-old kid on your back from when you get out of bed in the morning until you go to sleep at night. At first, I thought my genetics had finally caught up to me and I was destined to have type II diabetes like my parents and bad cholesterol and heart disease. However, I then thought, “There is no way I am going to resign to the fact that I cannot fix this. You did this to yourself; now you are going to get yourself out.” I knew I did not want to do it via pharmaceuticals. I have witnessed, from friends and family, how harsh that stuff is on your body. You fix one thing but then cause other issues and side effects. But, where do you start?? The health industry is full of fad diets and misinformation made to make money and not change lives. My neighbors had been asking me to join their new CrossFit box (In CrossFit it is not a Gym; it’s a Box) they had just opened. I had watched them go from their garage by themselves to having friends over to workout with them in their garage. I watched as they outgrew their own garage and opened their own Box. I was intrigued, but I had the same misconceptions many have about CrossFit. I thought, “I’ll need to work out for a couple years before I can walk in there and try CrossFit.” This perception is the equivalent of someone saying they are not going to try skiing because they are not as good as an Olympics downhill skier. They were persistent and I finally signed up for their CrossFit introduction class (On-Ramp). These classes introduce you to the fundamental, functional movements of CrossFit and for that matter Life. Once you build that base, you move into regular classes at your Box. Once I left that on-ramp class and joined the regular classes, strangers walked up to me and cheered me on, people who don’t know you, yet they recognize why you’re there. They come in and they want to see you do your best, no matter what it is. This was my first experience with the atmosphere of caring and encouragement that you find at every CrossFit box that I have witnessed at every box I have been to from Wyoming to South Carolina. You go to a regular gym and everyone is there for themselves, ear buds in and ignoring the world around them. It’s very easy to get in a rut, get bored, and quit. I have been a member at many of your normal chain fitness clubs, and I have never had the success or witnessed the successes that I see every day at our Box. 1201 CrossFit members are like family. I never knew I needed these people in my life. I have never experienced anything like it. With CrossFit every day is different it is continuously variable. I love walking in terrified thinking, I’ll never complete this workout. Then walking out feeling accomplished. I love sweating until I’m soaked, wearing callouses like a badge of honor on my hands, and leaving sweat angels on the floor. I committed myself to just 3 classes a week, each for 1 hour. It is only 3 total hours out 168 hours in a week. I did not want to burn myself out and I wanted to be successful. I could always increase my workout days if my fitness dictated it was appropriate. I also changed my diet 7 months ago to a ketogenic diet based on 2500 kcal per day and a balance of fat and protein macros and limiting carbohydrate intake to 25 grams or less. In 11 months at 1201 CrossFit, I have bared witness to so many people young and old changing their lives for the better. I have seen more people not only lose weight but also have dramatic changes in body composition. I think we sometimes are hooked on just losing weight. Many peoples’ only goal is to just lose weight, to essentially disappear. We get so focused on one thing we miss the real point of improving our fitness. I have seen many from an older generation regain their functional movement. They go from not being able to get up off the floor without assistance to doing their first Burpee. I am here today down 103lbs!!!!!!!! and 10 inches smaller in the chest and waist. I am no longer pre-diabetic and back to normal. It has been such a wonderful and rewarding journey. So, if you’re like me 11 months ago, with type II diabetes and overweight or if you just want to move better, stop by 1201 CrossFit and we will show you how to change your life. If you don't live near us than get on CrossFit.com and find your own CrossFit family in your city or town.
Open
| Year | Rank Worldwide | Rank by Region | Rank By Country | Rank By Affiliate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 121413th Men | 17518th Men (40-44) | 30754th Men North America East | 5069th Men (40-44) North America East | 45970th Men United States | 7834th Men (40-44) United States | 22nd Men CrossFit Doors of Daring | 5th Men (40-44) CrossFit Doors of Daring |
| 2022 | 114109th Men | 15742nd Men (40-44) | 51913th Men North America | 8190th Men (40-44) North America | 45447th Men United States | 7276th Men (40-44) United States | 14th Men CrossFit Doors of Daring | 4th Men (40-44) CrossFit Doors of Daring |
| 2021 | 90837th Men | 12508th Men (40-44) | 48221st Men North America | 7422nd Men (40-44) North America | 42415th Men United States | 6626th Men (40-44) United States | – – | |
| 2020 | 88855th Men | 18376th Men (35-39) | – – | 38682nd Men United States | 8544th Men (35-39) United States | – – | ||
| 2019 | 130429th Men | 26783rd Men (35-39) | – – | 60526th Men United States | 13343rd Men (35-39) United States | – – | ||
| 2018 | 183822nd Men | 36282nd Men (35-39) | 11104th Men Mid Atlantic | 2240th Men (35-39) Mid Atlantic | 93574th Men United States | 19477th Men (35-39) United States | – – | |
Benchmark Stats
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Back Squat 1RM 410 lb Deadlift 1RM 515 lb Fight Gone Bad 305 reps Filthy 50 26:47 Fran 06:19 Grace 02:20 Helen 13:52 2007 Hopper -- 30 Muscle-ups For Time -- Abbate -- Adambrown -- Adrian -- Alec -- Alexander -- Amanda -- Andi -- Andy -- Angie -- Annie -- Arnie -- Artie -- Back Squat 3RM -- Back Squat 5RM -- Badger -- Bar Muscle-ups -- Barbara -- Barbara Ann -- Barraza -- Bell -- Bench Press 1RM -- Bench Press 3RM -- Bench Press 5RM -- Bert -- Big Sexy -- Bike 50 Cal -- Blake -- Bowen -- Bradley -- Bradshaw -- Brehm -- Brenton -- Brian -- Bruck -- Bulger -- Bull -- Buriak -- Cameron -- Candy -- Capoot -- Carse -- CHAD1000x -- Chelsea -- Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups -- Cindy -- City 100 -- Clean & Jerk 1RM -- Clean & Jerk 3RM -- Clean & Jerk 5RM -- Clovis -- Coe -- Coffey -- Coffland -- Collin -- Crain -- CrossFit Total -- Dae Han -- Dallas 5 -- Daniel -- Daniel Ray -- Danny -- Deadlift 3RM -- Deadlift 5RM -- Del -- Desforges -- DG -- Diane -- Dobogai -- Dominic J. Hall -- Donny -- Dork -- Double-Unders -- Dragon -- Drew -- DT -- Dunn -- DVB -- Elizabeth -- Ellen -- Emily -- Erin -- Estrada -- Eva -- Eva Strong -- Falkel -- Feeks -- FERN -- Finseth -- Foo -- Forrest -- Fournier -- Free Handstand Hold -- Freestyle Diane -- Front Squat 1RM -- Front Squat 3RM -- Front Squat 5RM -- Gage -- Gale Force -- Gallant -- Garbo -- Garrett -- Gator -- Gaza -- GHD Annie -- Glen -- Goose -- Grettel -- Griff -- Gunny -- Gwen -- Hall -- Hamilton -- Hammer -- Hammy -- Handstand Push-ups -- Hang Power Clean 1RM -- Hang Power Clean 3RM -- Hang Power Clean 5RM -- Hang Power Snatch 1RM -- Hang Power Snatch 3RM -- Hang Power Snatch 5RM -- Hang Squat Clean 1RM -- Hang Squat Clean 3RM -- -
Hang Squat Clean 5RM -- Hang Squat Snatch 1RM -- Hang Squat Snatch 3RM -- Hang Squat Snatch 5RM -- Hansen -- Harper -- Havana -- Heavy Grace -- Helton -- Hidalgo -- Hildy -- Holbrook -- Holleyman -- Hollywood -- Hoover -- Hope -- Hortman -- Horton -- Hotshots 19 -- Ingrid -- Isabel -- J.J. -- Jack -- Jack's Triangle -- Jackie -- Jag 28 -- Jared -- Jason -- JBo -- Jennifer -- Jenny -- Jerry -- Johnson -- Jonathon Farmer -- Jorge -- Josh -- Josh-O -- Joshie -- Josie -- JT -- Justin -- K27 -- Karen -- Kelly -- Kelly Brown -- Kerrie -- Kev -- Kevin -- Klepto -- Kutschbach -- L-Sit Hold -- L1 Benchmark -- Ladder Nancy -- Lane -- Larry -- Laura -- Ledesma -- Lee -- Leehan -- Liam -- Linda -- Locke -- Loredo -- Lorenzo -- Luce -- Luke -- Lumberjack 20 -- Lyla -- Lynne -- Maggie -- Maloney -- Manion -- Manuel -- Marco -- Marguerita -- Marston -- Martin -- Mary -- Matt 16 -- Maupin -- Maxim 56 -- Maxton -- McCartney -- McCluskey -- McGhee -- Meadows -- Michael -- Miron -- Monti -- Moon -- Moore -- Morrison -- Mr. Joshua -- Muller -- Murph -- Muscle-ups -- Nancy -- Nasty Girls -- Nasty Girls V2 -- Nate -- Ned -- Nick -- Nickman -- Nicole -- Northrup -- Nukes -- Nunez -- Nutts -- ODA 7313 -- Omar -- Otis -- Overhead Squat 1RM -- Overhead Squat 3RM -- Overhead Squat 5RM -- Ozzy -- Partner Kelly -- Partner Weston -- Pat -- Paul -- Paul Pena -- Peyton -- Pheezy -- Pike -- Pikey -- PK -- Power Amanda -- Power Clean 1RM -- Power Clean 3RM -- Power Clean 5RM -- Power Snatch 1RM -- Power Snatch 3RM -- Power Snatch 5RM -- -
Pull-ups -- Push Jerk 1RM -- Push Jerk 3RM -- Push Jerk 5RM -- Push Press 1RM -- Push Press 3RM -- Push Press 5RM -- Rahoi -- Ralph -- Randy -- Rankel -- René -- Restrepo -- Rich -- Ricky -- Riley -- RJ -- Robbie -- Rocket -- Roney -- Row 1000m -- Row 100m -- Row 2000m -- Row 250m -- Row 3000m -- Row 500m -- Row 5K -- Roy -- Run 1 Mile -- Run 100m -- Run 10K -- Run 2 Miles -- Run 200m -- Run 400m -- Run 500m -- Run 5k -- Run 800m -- Run Row Run Rx -- Run Row Run Scaled -- Run Row Run Sprint -- Ryan -- Ryan Comas -- Ryan SO -- Santiago -- Santora -- Schmalls -- Scooter -- Scotty -- Sean -- Servais -- Severin -- Sham -- Shawn -- Ship -- Shoulder Press 1RM -- Shoulder Press 3RM -- Shoulder Press 5RM -- Sisson -- Small -- Smykowski -- Spehar -- Split Jerk 1RM -- Split Jerk 3RM -- Split Jerk 5RM -- Squat Clean 1RM -- Squat Clean 3RM -- Squat Clean 5RM -- Squat Snatch 1RM -- Squat Snatch 3RM -- Squat Snatch 5RM -- Stephen -- Strange -- Strict Elizabeth -- Strict Handstand Push-ups -- Strict Muscle-ups -- Strict Pull-ups -- T -- T.J. -- T.U.P. -- Tabata Something Else -- Tabata This! -- Tama -- Taylor -- Terry -- The Chief -- The Don -- The Ghost -- The Lyon -- The Other Total -- The Seven -- Thompson -- Thruster 1RM -- Thruster 3RM -- Thruster 5RM -- Tiff -- Time Priority Angie -- Timothy Helton -- TK -- Toes-to-Bar -- Tom -- Tommy V -- Topsy -- TPT9000 -- Triple Deuce -- Tully -- Tumilson -- Twelve Days of Christmas -- Tyler -- Viola -- Wade -- Wall Handstand Hold -- Walsh -- War Frank -- Weaver -- Weighted Pull-up 1RM -- Wes -- Wesley -- Weston -- White -- Whitt -- Whitten -- Willy -- Wilmot -- Wittman -- Woehlke -- Wood -- Wyk -- Yeti -- Zembiec -- Zeus -- Zimmerman --