Member Spotlight

Everyone remembers their first CrossFit workout. For me, I remember it was a mixture of burpees and running. By the end, I had my hands on my knees doubled over for what felt like an eternity trying to catch my breath.

Gina remembers her first CrossFit workout well and the impression it left on her.

My first impression was, “Wow I am really in bad shape!” I honestly wasn’t sure if it was for me because I thought I was going to pass out after 12 minutes during Fundamentals.

The first workout signaled to Gina that she had work to do.

Afterwards, she chatted with Zach about the goals she had—losing weight and improving her overall health.

The first coach I met was Zach, and he was very honest with me. I appreciated that. He told me it was not going to be easy and not to get discouraged. He told me I might not lose any weight for a while. As much as I hated to hear that, I knew it was true.

Losing weight can be really tough and frustrating! Even if you add in a new workout program and flip your diet, it can take some time before you start seeing the pounds falling off. Your body also gets busy building muscle, which can influence your appearance without a big chance in the number on the scale.

Our coaches are there to encourage members and educate them on how to get to their goals while also setting realistic expectations. You can do it, but no, it won’t be easy. It takes hard work!

Hard work is exactly what Gina is putting in.

My biggest accomplishment was going from the 3 Days/Week Membership to Unlimited. Zach told me to start with 3 days a week to see how I felt and go from there.

I went 3 days including Saturday for a few months, and then I was ready to upgrade and make CrossFit Undeniable part of my everyday routine rather than just seeing it as working out 3-4 days a week. I gradually increased to 4-5 days a week then 5-6 days a week and I really see a change in myself overall.

That’s what we love to see. Start with something manageable. Experience some success. Build some habits. Then, increase to 5-6 days per week—start following “the process.”

Gina has seen some remarkable results already! She has been incredibly consistent with her workouts, and she committed to learning more about nutrition last year during our nutrition challenge.

I have more energy, and I am happy when I look in the mirror!

That’s what we like to hear!

Way to go, Gina. It’s been amazing to see you progress from Fundamentals to where you are now. Kudos to you for staying so consistent. The hard work is paying off!

To understand Jesy a bit more, you need to hear the story of her first pull-up. Back in 2016, Jesy was in a minor car accident:

I was in a minor car accident which resulted in a disc herniation in my lower back. Doctors were telling me I would likely have to have back surgery.

She continued to show up to classes on a regular basis anyway. That should tell you a lot about Jesy’s character and dedication. When it would have been easy to sit out for months, she stayed consistent and worked around her limitations.

While she worked through her injury, coaches found creative ways for her to join the class. Since she couldn’t run, she became very familiar with the rower.

Because I couldn’t run during that time, every time there was running in a workout, I was on the rower. And, every time rowing was in the workout, I was still on the rower.

Fast-forward six months (and a LOT of rowing), she’s “messing around” on the pull-up rig. And voila!

After six months of not being able to run (and therefore rowing… a LOT), I was messing around on the pull-up rig and quite unexpectedly did my first strict pull-up! I was stunned.

The funny thing was – it wasn’t because I had been working on pull-ups. It was because I showed up and was encouraged to do what I could with what I had during a time when what I had wasn’t much. It was a side effect of six months of rowing. My hard work paid off – in a very unexpected way.

Now that you know that story, I need to share another one with you. A few weeks ago, Jesy was at the Western Stock Show here in Colorado and stopped by the United States Marine Corps both for a little competition – how many pull-ups can you knock out at one time? She walked away with a free t-shirt for completing six perfect pull-ups.

Hard work does indeed pay off. Jesy definitely puts in the hard work!

The best part about CrossFit Undeniable is the community that’s willing to put in the hard work right next to you and cheer you on when it gets tough. Jesy reminisced about one such memory after a grueling WOD.

There was one workout that was particularly challenging – one of those long chipper WODs where you just want to collapse on the floor when you are done.

But on this day, in this class, the first couple people who were done came back and started doing the remainder of the workout with the people who hadn’t finished yet. Then, the next ones to finish did the same. In the end, the entire class was there, doing those last painful burpees with the person who was finishing last. I can’t even begin to describe the immense sense of support and community that day.

That sense of community is a large reason she landed at CrossFit Undeniable in the first place. She started doing CrossFit nine months before moving from Minnesota to Colorado. After trying six different boxes in the area, she and her husband (Troy, another awesome member) landed on CrossFit Undeniable.

Undeniable’s strong community was evident from the beginning. Members and coaches were welcoming and supportive. I loved the fact that people of all ages and athletic abilities were working side by side, cheering each other on.

Now, Jesy is looking to grow in a different way – as a coach.

CrossFit has made such a profound and positive difference in my life. I hope to one day be a part of that impact for others as a coach. To that end, last year I earned my CrossFit Level 1 and took a number of other CrossFit certificate courses. This year I am continuing to expand my knowledge, improve my own skills and abilities while also starting to learn and practice coaching.

It’s fun to see athletes reap the benefits of CrossFit from a physical and psychological standpoint – more strength and endurance, increased confidence, etc. It’s even more inspiring when they can create that same experience for others.

Congrats Jesy on all of your success thus far. We’re looking forward to watching how you apply the knowledge you’ve gained over the next months, years, and more!

Most new members walking through the doors of CrossFit Undeniable have some special “Why?”. Maybe they’re looking to gain confidence or build strength to play with their grandchildren.

For Jacob, that “Why?” goes pretty deep. As a Firefighter Paramedic with the Aurora Fire Department, lives literally depend on his fitness on a daily basis.

I had a recruit class instructor ask myself and Academy mates a simple question that has stuck with me for my short career and will no doubt endure my career. The questions they posed was, “Would YOU want YOU rescuing YOU?”

[Read more…] about Meet Our Members: Jacob

Anjela and Rocco have been a huge part of our CrossFit Kids program for quite awhile now. We sat down to learn more about their story – how they found out about CrossFit Kids and the benefits they’ve seen thus far.

Rocco was in Occupational Therapy or OT, and we were getting frustrated that it wasn’t really working for him. I talked to my pediatrician, and just said, “What difference can I make?” He said, “Why don’t you try a CrossFit class?” I didn’t really know what that was going to look like. I grew up on a farm so for me that’s CrossFit. So, I googled, and I ended up here, which is one of the happiest google accidents that’s ever happened to me.

Watch the full video to hear how CrossFit Kids has improved Rocco’s motor skills, confidence, and much more. Also, learn his favorite and least favorite exercises (hint: his least favorite is one we can all get onboard with!).

Thanks for chatting with us Anjela and Rocco! It’s been amazing to have you as part of our community.

Rachel has been training with us for close to a year, and it’s been amazing to watch her progress!

In this video, she shares how she first encountered CrossFit Undeniable, her initial impression, and how that impression has changed since. At the end, listen to what she would tell her earlier self. It’s advice we could all listen to more often!

Sometimes I would beat myself up that I couldn’t lift heavy or run as fast as some people, but I would definitely tell myself just take one day at a time. It takes time to build up your stamina and your strength. You don’t have to compete with all the other people in the class. If you came, got a really good workout, and feel accomplished that’s a good day at CrossFit.