What brought you to CFG? How long have you been a member?
Charity: “Honestly, we were at a weird place in our marriage. We wanted to do something together. I talked bart into CrossFit. He didn’t want to do it AT ALL. Both eating like pigs and both the heaviest we had ever been. I have tried to like working out my whole life. I would prepay for trainers thinking it would keep me consistent, but I would still just stop showing up after a week. I knew the whiteboard (which I thought was a chalkboard) would motivate me. I am competitive and like to see results. I want them yesterday, however. We had foundations in October of 2016. Then went on a week vacation where they had a scale. I was heavier than I was at 6 months pregnant 😳😳😳😳 So November 2016 my goal was to make it 3 days a week. Going 2 times was a challenge. Lol.”
Bart: “Charity signed us up back in October of 2016 and I came in with the mindset of doing only part of the movements but thinking I was too old to doing any heavy weightlifting. I am not crazy about saying we were in “weird” place in our marriage as I know we would have been fine regardless; But, I would agree that we needed something else to do together as a couple and realized the importance of that. I had been working out since the age of 13 with my friends and my older brother who was a competitive bodybuilder and really didn’t think I could learn anything else about fitness or nutrition than what I already knew. Was glad Charity wanted to start working out too and followed her lead when she signed us both up for foundations class.”
What was your first impression? How has that changed?
Charity: “I don’t really remember my first impression. I do remember the warm up lap was sooooooooo hard. Lol. “Um, I’m good after that….is class over?” I love people and want to know what makes them who they are…so I pretty much fell in love with the 9 AM class instantly. The only thing that has changed is I equally love all the classes 😊”
Bart: “First impression (with the snatch weightlifting movements especially) was that I just might be able to do this BUT that I was in dire need of coordination. I also noticed that our foundation coaches, (Margaret, along with Marc Z, who was helping her), were very patient and encouraging which set the tone of a comfortable/ safe environment to learn and be vulnerable to something new. (how my impression changed would be of myself in answer #3)”
What are you most proud of?
Charity: “So this will sound cheesy. I can’t think of anything of mine? Maybe the one WOD I successfully paced that included rowing? Lol. Really, the past open when Bart got the MUs!! There is even a pic Rob took of me where you can see the excitement :). I also get pretty excited when my friends get something and I am there cheering them on. Like Melissa’s and Marc’s sister getting HSPU. Kim getting DU. Ashley T2B. Somehow, I convince myself that I’m amazing and helped them get it😂😂😜😜Where’s my shirt that says COACH?”
Bart: ” I am most proud that it is something that Charity has found (exercise related) that she has not only stuck with, but become passionate about and good at! For me, I am proud that I can do this at my age. My impression of myself was that I was on “the back 9” and never imagined I would be capable of doing these movements that I am working through at this point of my life. That thought has changed and CFG has given me a completely different outlook in so many areas. Instead of withering away for the rest of my life, I am now getting stronger, learning new skills, finding myself more fit and capable than when I was 20 years old, realizing new potential and surpassing physical and mental limitations I had come to settle with.”
What are you working towards now?
Charity: “Before the beach trip I was working on upper body strength 🙂 At the beach….working on stuffing my face 😩”
Bart: “Every day that I come in I want to do better at whatever movements are prescribed for that day. A few of things that I have isolated for myself : 7-10 un-broken butterfly pull-ups with good form ,”proper” ring mu’s on command, hand stand walks, improved clean and snatch form, and pacing. Overall, I want to be able to anything that is on the whiteboard for the day- a “complete” CrossFit athlete.”
What’s your favorite CFG memory?
Charity: “I cant pick favorites. Food. Colors. Friends. Can’t do it. So I’ll tell you how much I love looking at the pics Rob took of Bart and I watching each other. We started this to do together. We needed something other than eating together. Obviously, Bart ran with it and we can’t really work side by side. So these pictures remind me of why we started.”
Bart: “I would agree with Charity that the most gratifying memories I have been gifted from CFG would be the moments of connection Charity and I have had through some sort of surprising accomplishment that either of us made at that time. I think when any of us do something we hadn’t before deemed possible, that brands a great memory!”
Anything else you’d like to share?
Charity: “Another thing I love is how much this community loves my kids and vise versa. Thanks for putting in the hours for this. CFG can not only save lives it possibly assists in saving marriages. I’m thankful to be a part of this and will accept my Coaches shirt anytime. 😎”
Bart: “It was pretty fun catching the snake in your office :)”
