Kristin F.

Name: Kristin Ferguson

Age: 36

Occupation: Stay at home mom

Hometown: Discovery Bay, Ca

Favorite WOD:     "Annie"

Least favorite WOD: Hate Fran

Favorite lift:  Back squats does a booty good 😊

How long have you been Cross-fitting?  1 year 3 months

Which class time do you usually attend? 9am

How did you find Crossfit?  My Nurse Practitioner recommended it

What is your athletic background? Never been truly athletic as in sports but I ride horses and  have stayed physically active daily

Has Crossfit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?   Absolutely! I'm in better shape at 36 than I have ever been. Crossfit makes me feel good inside and out! I am physically and mentally stronger from it! I am constantly moving wether it be hiking, Crossfit or farm chores, it has made me able to conquer it all! I keep getting stronger there is no cap.

What motivates/inspires you? My Crossfit family definitely motivates as well as the changes I see in my body. People that have a love for life and being healthy with a positive attitude inspire me.

Name one goal/personal achievement that you would like to achieve through Crossfit: I would like to someday be able to do a bar muscle up, I won't quit until it happens!

Hobbies/interests outside of Crossfit? I love to hike, be outdoors, ride horses and play with our goats.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit experience? Um I was really sore, but I thought it was awesome and totally for me because it was fun and not boring at all.

What is your favorite cheat food?   Definitely Chinese.

Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know:   Deathly afraid of heights and snakes 🐍

Any advice for new members? Push through the initial discomfort take it slow one step at a time you will be greatly rewarded if you stick with it!

Scott Walker

Age: 59 

Occupation:

Environmental Engineer- semi-retired 

Hometown: Cameron Park

Favorite WOD:

Murph- challenging but not complicated and a great workout.

Least favorite WOD:

Anything I need much more progression on and have to significantly scale back (e.g., doubles unders, chest to bar pullups, toes to bar, muscle ups)

Favorite lift:

Clean and Jerk- not my best but powerful and involves the most muscle groups.

How long have you been Crossfitting? 

2 years

Which class time do you usually attend? 

4 days a week; 9 am MF; 8 or 9 TTH; sometimes 9 Sat

How did you find Crossfit?

From Megan at Dog Park

What is your athletic background? 

Moderate runner 10-12 miles per week; swim 1-mile in summer up to 2 days a week; hiking and backpacking; Little if any weight lifting, gymnastics, or team sports.

Has Crossfit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness? 

Absolutely! After 55 I noticed a significant decline, increase in weight and flabbiness, and lost strength even noticed just working around the yard.  Also, my doctor was hassling me to start cholesterol meds and lose weight.  Started some initial high intensity workouts at home with dumbells and had some gains but got bored and needed more.  I got hooked early on Crossfit and just after a few months my waist dropped a few inches and cholesterol went down to desired levels without medication. My weight is not down by much but it has redistributed itself into muscle and my body fat is low for my age.  I initially had problems with my shoulders but have largely worked through it and continue to progress although shoulder mobility and strength is my biggest weakness.

What motivates/inspires you?

Being challenged and competing against myself to improve.  Also the community feeling and great mix of genders, age groups, and levels of fitness of my workout partners.

Name one goal/personal achievement that you would like to achieve through Crossfit:

As close as possible to the Crossfit Cameron Park male equivalent to Janice.  That is a tall order but maybe start with top 50 in my NorCal age group at the next open.

Hobbies/interests outside of Crossfit?

Volunteer Wilderness Ranger- Desolation Wilderness; Hiking, backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit experience?

I initially felt anxious and intimidated but felt great with all the encouragement and support.

What is your favorite cheat food?

Pizza

Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know:

As a former exploration geologist I once got stuck in the snow in Eastern Nevada and got frostbite in my feet. Every 6 months or so I still would get nerve pain and be flat out for a few days to a week. Started to feel it coming on once a year ago but it was slight and went away in a day.  I think the workouts are curing it.

Any advice for new members?

Anybody can benefit physically and mentally from Crossfit no matter the age or level of fitness.  Be patient and scale it back if you need to, especially at first.  Feel good about progressing no matter how incremental. You will also have good days and not so good days but the good days will prevail.

Damon

Name: Damon Le Roy 

Age: 40   

Occupation: Information Security   

Hometown: San Luis Obispo, CA
 
How did you find Crossfit?
I don't remember, I had read about it online and a friend from college did it. I found the website for CFCP but it was over a year before I had the courage to contact Scott to try it.
 
What is your athletic background?
Wrestling in high school, kegstands in college, desk jockey ever since.
 
Which class time do you usually attend?
All of them except 5am. My work schedule is highly variable, I make time when I can. It's also great to go to classes run by different coaches. The small differences in the feedback I get from each really helps me understand what they're all seeing but I'm not feeling. This has been a big help for me on complicated movements.
 
When did you start CrossFit?
Spring 2015

What are your goals in CrossFit?
Increase strength with proper form. If I had to choose between form and strength, I'd choose form because injury sucks.

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?
Incinerate objects at will by looking at them, because drones piss me off.

Share two things you are working on inside the gym.
Snatch, squat

Share two things you are working on outside of the gym.

Lower back mobility. Ocular incineration.

What's the biggest lifestyle/behavioural/health improvement have you seen from CrossFit?
For the few years leading up to starting CrossFit I had lower back pain due to inactive lifestyle and my long-hours desk job. With Scott's help and self education I have learned how to heal my back and prevent future injury. It used to take me over 5 painful minutes just to get my socks on in the morning. I now have better posture, mobility, strength and am pain free. If this were the only benefit from CrossFit it would still be worth it to me. There are many other benefits too, like being the last of my friends to wear out when we spend 9hrs loading and hauling firewood.

Coolest place you've ever CrossFitted?
CrossFit Cameron Park! I love the new location.

What is your favorite healthy meal?
Cobb Salad with no olives. I can't believe people think those briny black vomit makers are food.

What is your favorite cheat meal/snack?
Spinach. I usually stick to a high protein, high fat, high carb diet, but sometimes I crave a big ball of spinach that squeaks when I chew it.

What advice would you give someone who is hesitant to try CrossFit?

It's only intimidating at first. This is an a-hole free gym.

Now that you’ve been doing CrossFit, what’s one thing you could never see yourself doing again?  (workout, nutrition, lifestyle, etc.)
Squatting in running shoes.

If you could master one skill you don’t have right now, what would it be and why?
Ring muscle ups. Because I want to get them before Megan.

Favorite music/song to CrossFit to?
Short WODs: Dragonforce, Operation Ground and Pound.
Long WODs: It doesn't matter, I'm too deep in the pain cave to hear anything.

Do you have a favorite WOD or movement?
Whatever I've just finished.

Tell us something that we don’t know about you.
I have three thumbs.

Taylar

from 10/5/14

Name:Taylar

Age:23

Occupation: Medical Assistant    
 
Hometown: Placerville.

Favorite WOD: Anything without burpees

Least favorite wod: Anything with burpees :)

Favorite lift: Backsquat and Split Jerk

How long have you been Crossfitting? 4 Months

Which class time do you usually attend? 7am and 9am

How did you find Crossfit? A few of my friends were doing crossfit, it looked fun so I decided to look up a gym near me and found CROSSFIT CAMERON PARK

What is your athletic background? Competitive softball 

How has Crossfit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness? I have become much stronger and I have lost weight. I can't wait to see what I will achieve in the next 8 months

What motivates/inspires you? Getting PR's and Megan she always pushes me to try harder and get me to those PR's when I don't think I can.

Hobbies/interests outside of Crossfit? Sewing and Crochet

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit experience? I'm going to be sore tomorrow

What is your favorite cheat food? Pizza

Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know: I love to go hunting, 4 wheeling, and ride 4 wheelers

Any advice for new members? keep going, never give up!

Patrick Tonge

from 7/21/14

Name: Patrick Tonge 

Age: 50

Occupation: IT Engineer  

Hometown: El Dorado, CA

Favorite WOD:  Still learning them…..I'Ve only done a handful.   

Least favorite WOD: WALL BALLS!!!  

Favorite lift:  Full Snatch

How long have you been Crossfitting?  ONE YEAR, since July 15, 2013

Which class time do you usually attend? 5:30pm Evening classes mostly, and Saturday 9am!!!

How did you find Crossfit?  A CrossFit members dad told me about CrossFit Cameron Park

What is your athletic background?  High School and JC Pole Vaulter
 
Has Crossfit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?  Wow… Yes!!  I pretty much stopped working out in my mid twenties as I got in my 30 and 40's I kept telling myself I better start doing some physical activity before my body "shuts down" on me.  When I hit 49 1/2 I found CrossFit CP and I have never looked back!!  I've never been over weight, I've been 6ft 165lbs since I was 25.  Thing was, I was mushy and weak.  One year later going to CrossFit CP, 4-6 times a week, my body is now once again toned.  Trying to still get stronger…..  Now my body is in "shape", I can finally start "training" again.  My JC track coach always would tell us during our work-outs that "The mind is willing, BUT, the body is Weak".  I've never lost that thought and don't want to be in that state again.  Working to get my "body" stronger.

What motivates/inspires you? Honestly, I get inspired most everyday by my fellow CrossFitters!!  Seeing them work hard makes me want to as well.

Name one goal/personal achievement that you would like to achieve through Crossfit: Get stronger and gain some weight.  It would be cool to "bench" 200lbs.

Hobbies/interests outside of Crossfit? Watching my kids participate in sports.  Indy Cars.  Camping.  A good Nap!!

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit experience? So, your bring back memories.  After my first session at Crossfit I went home and sat in my chair.  I didn't feel too good and just sat there for like an hour and  a half.  As I recall this happened everyday for the first 2-3 days.  Physically I wasn't in very good shape.  I am not sure why I kept going back "the next day".  I guess I wanted to give my body a fighting chance to "carry on".    

What is your favorite cheat food?  Wow!! I like most ALL food.  Ice Cream is always good!  

Tell us something about you that most people wouldn’t know:  I had dinner with Archie Bunker and knew "Grandpa Walton"  

Any advice for new members? Take it slow and don't push too hard.  You will get there!!