Member Spotlight

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!

Getting an oil change isn’t exactly what you would consider a life-changing type of experience, but for Brandon, it’s kinda close to it. While getting his oil changed, he happened to see the sign for CrossFit Undeniable and walk on in.

That was two years ago. Since then, he’s made a complete 180°.

He’s shown up consistently, and the hard work is paying off. His body has transformed, and he’s stronger now than ever. In fact, when asked what one piece of advice he’d give to someone new?

You’ll get stronger than you can ever imagine

Listen to Brandon’s full story including what he learned from winning a recent nutrition challenge. Speaking of nutrition actually, I loved this quote:

I feel so much better eating the way I do I couldn’t imagine going back to how I was eating before.

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!