Unlike a lot of CrossFit coaches, I avoided sports in favor of movies & video games. Because I wasn’t into sports, I also wasn’t great at making friends, but I was great at making snacks.
I mostly hung out with Mario and Little Debbie until high school, where my most inspiring teacher convinced me to try throwing javelin on our Track & Field team; training in the weight room in 1997 marked my first step toward a healthier and more active lifestyle. Since then I’ve floated through a few globo-gyms, ran several half marathons and one full marathon, ran three Tough Mudders, and then hit a plateau so flat and so long that I considered learning to play golf. That’s how bored I was.
After trying my first CrossFit class in 2015, I spent the first month intimidated and insecure; I would watch other athletes perform heavy overhead squats, handstand push-ups and handstand walks, repeating to myself “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do that.” I kept showing up anyway, and tracked my progress – which was surprisingly fast – and got to the point where recording my progress became the best part of the workout. When I hit mental roadblocks, I was fortunate enough to have more than one CrossFit professional remind me that CrossFit doesn’t care if I can do something – CrossFit simply asks if I’m willing to try. As I see it, sometimes just trying counts as progress.
I’m thrilled to be a part of the excellent coaching staff here at Shred, where I hope to motivate others to show up, put in the work, and help them measure their physical and mental progress. If nothing else, I hope to keep them from getting bored enough to play golf.
When I’m not coaching, I’m spending time as Assistant to the Chief Family Officer (my wife Renee) leading Team Hansen, including our daughter Kate and son Jonathan (JJ). And sometimes I still play video games and watch movies.
QUOTE:
“Are you going to faint? Are you going to puke? Are you going to die? No? Then keep going.”
“Golf is a good walk spoiled.”.
