Member Spotlight

Gina had a great month of March, coming into the 11:30 class always looking to improve as an athlete. She is always ready to take on the WOD and challenge herself, from box jumps, to gymnastics, or building her strength, she never backs down. As you guys know, Gina crushed the Open, coming in and completing the last three workouts Rx during Friday Night Lights! Gina’s energy in class is infectious, and she is a vital member of our community; she always introduces herself to new members, giving them a warm welcome and making immediately them feel apart of our CFU family. We are so grateful for Gina, always striving to be better than she was yesterday, always accepting the challenges put in front of her, and she is always smiling!

Read about Gina’s CFU experience straight from her below:

1. What brought you to CrossFit Undeniable (or CrossFit, more generally) in the first place? My husbands cousin got me into CrossFit out in California. I picked CFU because of Zach. He was the first coach I met and I knew that he cared about my personal goals.

2. What was your first impression? How has that changed? I felt defeated. I came into CFU after not seeing results at another gym that I was attending 6 days a week. I started to meet other coaches and members and everyone helped me get better so I started to become more confident in training. 

3. What was your first success or accomplishment? What made you feel like “Hell yeah…I crushed that!”?  I remember when I kept failing a 200# deadlift and how bummed I was. This last cycle, I was able to deadlift 300#. That felt amazing. 

4. What kind of changes have you noticed since joining CF Undeniable? These could be physical, mental, etc.  I’ve been able to turn a lot of fat into muscle. I’m much stronger than I was and I feel more confident in myself.  Mentally, I am happy in life. 

5. What are you working on now? I am working on fat loss, Pull-ups and handstands.

6. What’s your favorite CFU memory so far?  I have so many, if I had to pick one, it’s Evelyn’s expressions when she hits a PR. 

7. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself ? Ex. passions, hobbies, your why for fitness.  I’m glad I found CrossFit because I truly enjoy training, I also value all of the friendships I’ve gained.

Getting to know Meagan:

When COVID isn’t a thing she enjoys traveling on all her teacher breaks. She has been fortunate to go to a lot of cool places with great people and to do a lot solo as well. During quarantine she has learned how to be her own handyman (seriously go check out her instagram @mlgillcrist), play superheroes with her nephews (more just her running after them), and get outside to enjoy CO as much as she can.

Her “why” for fitness – Seven years ago she made a change in her life that brought her on the path of active recovery from an eating disorder. The process has not been all rainbows and sunshine but through it she has learned a lot about herself. Her philosophy being that “recovery is a choice you make every second of everyday.” “Fitness allows me to stay dedicated in that fight mentally. Knowing I can do hard things in the gym has allowed me to remain steadfast outside of the gym.”

What brought you to CFU?

“One of my close friends, as well as family members, are CrossFitters. For a while they had been encouraging me to try it out because they felt that it would be a really good fit for me. I’m pretty stubborn so it took me a while to do my “research.” CFU stood out to me the most in all of the online reviews. The biggest aspect being the community that CFU has built. I knew for myself that was very important in making CrossFit a long term lifestyle change. I’m very glad that I had people push me in the right direction!”

We do have an amazing community and it is because of people like Meagan.

What was your First Impression of CFU?

Her first impression of CFU came from our very own Zach who told her Crossfit is not only commitment but a process. Indeed, this is so true.
She also said “ My first 5am class was a bit intimidating. I’m typically an observer in a room of new faces for a while before I get comfortable. I realized after a few classes however just how supportive everyone is. It didn’t hurt that so many 5am’ers are also teachers! Now when I come in I love seeing familiar faces. The encouragement and support of the community as a whole is very inspiring.”

What was your first success or accomplishment? What made you feel like “Hell Yeah.. I crushed that!?

Meagan Hit 200lbs on her deadlift after our powerlifting cycle this past December and that is we she thought to herself “Hell yeah.. I crushed that!”

What kind of changes have you noticed since joining Undeniable? These could be physical, mental, etc.

“I’m a pretty big advocate for holistic health, particularly in relation to mental well being. I’m currently 7 years into active recovery and take it very seriously. Since coming to CFU I’ve noticed that I feel like an overall happier human. I’m able to let go of a lot more and focus on being present, which is a huge win for me! I also notice that I’m just stronger and honor my body for doing things I legitimately never thought I could do before.” 

What are you working on now?

“A pull up! It’s been my goal since I started. I was always the kid in gym class who they would tell to do the bar hang because I could never do a pull up. I even have hung rings in my basement to practice because I know it is a process that may take a while. That will be a great day when I get my first one after 33 years of trying.” 

What’s your favorite CFU memory so far?

“Nikki Christen came in on her 50th birthday! We made a circle and did a wave of 50 burpees after class. Each time saying happy birthday when we clapped! I know that had to have been cool for her. It just stuck out to me as something you wouldn’t do just anywhere and speaks volumes about CFU!”

Meagan, congratulations on 7 years of active recovery and your consistency in the gym. We’re super lucky to have you as part of the CFU community and appreciate all that you bring.

Trevor joined CrossFit Undeniable back in early July. He’s been amazingly consistent since Day 1, typically at the 7AM class.

We wanted to learn more about his story including how he found CrossFit Undeniable and his background. Find out Trevor’s past and future career (helicopters are involved) and what motivates him to workout.

If you head into the 4:30PM class tonight, you’ll see a familiar face leading the class. One of our long-time members, Zane, is stepping into the coaching role after obtaining his Level I certification and spending a few months shadowing and learning.

We’re excited to have him onboard! We wanted to share a bit more of his story. It’s hard to believe he’s been at CrossFit Undeniable for 7 years!

How did you find CrossFit and CrossFit Undeniable? What has kept you around the community for so long?

I found CrossFit when Zach and Karly came and taught a few group sessions at my church. Since all of the sessions were done at my church, we didn’t have any equipment so all of our workouts were body weight stuff like squats and push ups with a few PVC pipe movements sprinkled in.

I loved working out with a large group and realized I had a lot to learn about different movements so I joined CFU shortly after and have been here ever since.

One reason I have stayed with CFU for so long (7 years!) is also the one thing that stood out to me over the years: the amazing people I get to work out with. Over the years, I have participated in a whole bunch of group workouts and community events at CFU, and every time, it reinforces how great our community is, with the fellow athletes that I get to work with as well as the awesome coaches that drive me to improve.

What motivated you to become a coach? What do you enjoy most about coaching?

I decided to coach after informally coaching some of my roommates with the experience I had gained through CrossFit. I thought it was really fun to help them improve and wanted to do more!

What are you up to outside of the gym (hobbies, etc)?

Outside of the gym, I am a graduate student at CU Boulder and likely will be for a while longer, but I love camping and hiking in my free time.

Today, we’re excited to welcome a new coach to CrossFit Undeniable! Many of you have probably already met Ryan as he’s been dropping into classes over the past several weeks with his wife, Lizzy. We’re excited to have him on the coaching schedule starting today!

With that in mind, we wanted to share a bit more about how he got into coaching in the first place.

How did you find CrossFit?

I found CrossFit in 2014 after I finished my collegiate tennis career. One of my childhood friends encouraged me to try a class out, and I immediately fell in love with the community. The atmosphere was so different from the commercial gyms I had always gone to.

What was your first CrossFit workout?

My first workout was Filthy 50. I remember I couldn’t move for a few days afterward… it was great!

How did you find CrossFit Undeniable?

My wife and I were looking for a gym that felt like home. We moved here from Mississippi, where we were part of a gym for five years. Our top priority was finding a truly supportive community, and we found that with CrossFit Undeniable. Everyone here has been so quick to welcome us and make us feel at home.

What motivated you to become a coach? What do you enjoy most about coaching?

I knew I wanted to become a coach early on in my CrossFit journey. CrossFit helped me battle my own insecurities, and I wanted to help other people fight those battles as well.

My favorite part about coaching is watching an athlete conquer something that they’ve struggled with, whether it’s a specific movement, personal goal, or inner battle. There’s nothing better than that! 

What are you up to outside of the gym (hobbies, etc)?

When I’m not at the gym I’m either out hiking with my wife, or trying out a new brewery somewhere. 

And just to illustrate he can throw some weight around, here’s a 200 lb snatch. Looking solid!

With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down CrossFit Undeniable for close to three months, all of our athletes were forced to adapt to new challenges and circumstances. They had limited equipment on-hand and tons of new distractions standing in their way.

Throughout it all, we were blown away by the dedication we saw from our community. Facing new challenges, they absolutely rose to the occasion. We wanted to share some stories from our athletes on how they thrived during the shutdown and lessons they learned moving forward.

I’ve worked way too hard this last year to backtrack during these couple of months!

That’s the mindset Sarah took into the quarantine period. She’s been a part of the CrossFit Undeniable community for over a year, and she’s made progress in so many areas. She didn’t want to start over from square one again!

As an EMT, photographer, and full-time student studying nursing, she also has a lot on her plate. Here’s how Sarah stayed motivated during the pandemic even involving her family, nailing her first handstand push-up, and PRing two lifts!

Physical health is a common reason many new members seek out CrossFit Undeniable. That isn’t the only reason though. In Stephen’s case, he found CrossFit Undeniable as a way to control his mental health as well:

I originally decided to come back to Crossfit after a 4 year hiatus to help control and maintain mental health as well as the overall well being of my physical body.

He’s an Executive Chef in Colorado, and physical activity helps to combat stress he encounters in his day-to-day work.

When athletes look back after a few months of working out at CrossFit Undeniable, it’s hard to deny the physical changes. They’re stronger, leaner, and faster.

For Chris, those physical changes are actually just a by-product of what brought him to CrossFit Undeniable in the first place. He came to CrossFit largely because he recognized the benefits physical activity could have on him emotionally:

I knew, at least for me, physical exercise was necessary for emotional growth. I could spend all day everyday alone and thinking of things that would never come into existence. I love books and learning which are great but could also mean that I spend an enormous amount of my time and energy in my head, disengaged and not present to the world around me.

CrossFit represented a way to get out of his head for an hour and put in some sweat equity. The workouts were already prescribed. All he had to do was show up and follow what the coach told him.

Well, if he was looking for a way to get out of his head, he sure got one during his first workout:

Looking back, I wonder if Kyle [the coach] makes up for his stature [he’s on the shorter side] by thinking up grueling and punishing workouts for newcomers because that night as a first timer we did something like (implied hyperbole because I don’t actually remember) five rounds of 20 wall balls and 200 meter runs. All I really know is that I vomited, a lot.

Here’s where many folks would walk away and never come back. Chris? This left him feeling excited:

I went home that night a little wobbly, but definitely excited to come back.

And come back he has. He’s made so many improvements since he first started at CrossFit Undeniable, crushing difficult workouts including Operation Red Wing.

I remember the elation I felt after finishing Operation Red Wing, which was above and beyond the hardest workout I’ve ever attempted. My time wasn’t impressive by any means, but just finishing a workout felt like that was an accomplishment that precipitated a few emotions.

Oh, and remember his goal coming in? To use physical activity as a way to get out of his head and feel more “in-sync” emotionally? Certainly achieved.

For me, I feel more aligned or consistent inside and out. Of course, there are physical changes, but I didn’t join the gym to get into shape. I joined the gym to stop thinking about the how to’s of life and to actually do something. I’m more engaged with kids. I’m more present with my wife. I’m more social with others. I’m calmer in most moments. I’m peaceful about the future. It’s only when I stop working out that I find my life a little more chaotic.

Sounds like a win to me!

Kudos Chris for all of the improvements you’ve made since joining CrossFit Undeniable. Thanks for being such an amazing part of our community! I know your calmness has rubbed off on more than a few folks!