Jimmy Baker started training with Greg Glassman in the late 90’s at Spa Fitness Center in Santa Cruz, CA. He is now one of owners of, and trainers at, CrossFit Santa Cruz Central.

Back then, as is common today, CrossFit didn’t fit well within a traditional globo-gym like Spa. Even thought the Glassmans were the most successful trainers in the gym, they were eventually kicked out for being incompatible. Unfortunately for the Glassmans, this was the last gym left in Santa Cruz for them. There was nowhere else to go.

What was unfortunate for the Glassmans became a turning point for CrossFit. The Glassmans ended up renting the corner of Claudio Franca’s Jiu-Jitsu studio. From there, they rented their own space on Research Park Drive, which became the original CrossFit gym.

Jimmy was a client throughout these transitions. He was also one of their first financial backers, offering his credit card to the Glassmans to help buy equipment.

This video is a little of Jimmy’s story of the early days of CrossFit.

Watch this video in the CrossFit Journal here.