I attended my first CrossFit class at Crosswinds in October of 2015. I was 51 years old, with a knee and bicep held together with screws. I was carrying extra weight, and I’d come to terms with the fact that I was an old man. I was actually getting pretty good at the old man thing, and looking forward to my AARP discounts at Denny’s and McDonalds.
And then a funny thing happened. I started working out, with help from Dan, Kristy, and the other coaches at Crosswinds. They helped me ease into it. They taught me to check my ego at the door, and work on proper form using PVC pipes and body weight. The support from other members was amazing. The cheers for the person that gets their first pull-up are as loud as they are for the person that beats their personal best with a 400lb. deadlift. We slowly added weights, always making sure I was focused on safety. I lost twenty pounds in eight weeks, and I was starting to see muscles that I thought I’d lost forever. I was also starting to lose interest in Denny’s and McDonalds.
Fast forward two years. I’m in better shape than I was in my 40’s. I realized somewhere along the way that I’m not just working out for myself. I’m working out for my family. A family that needs me around and healthy. I’m so grateful I’ve found a group of friends that pick me up when I’m down, push me, and inspire me. Crosswinds is so much more than a gym. It’s been life changing for me.
- Joe Dickie, member of Crosswinds CrossFit since October 2015
And then a funny thing happened. I started working out, with help from Dan, Kristy, and the other coaches at Crosswinds. They helped me ease into it. They taught me to check my ego at the door, and work on proper form using PVC pipes and body weight. The support from other members was amazing. The cheers for the person that gets their first pull-up are as loud as they are for the person that beats their personal best with a 400lb. deadlift. We slowly added weights, always making sure I was focused on safety. I lost twenty pounds in eight weeks, and I was starting to see muscles that I thought I’d lost forever. I was also starting to lose interest in Denny’s and McDonalds.
Fast forward two years. I’m in better shape than I was in my 40’s. I realized somewhere along the way that I’m not just working out for myself. I’m working out for my family. A family that needs me around and healthy. I’m so grateful I’ve found a group of friends that pick me up when I’m down, push me, and inspire me. Crosswinds is so much more than a gym. It’s been life changing for me.
- Joe Dickie, member of Crosswinds CrossFit since October 2015