(How the Wild Man Came to be)
Name: Phong Huynh
Age: 42
Height: 5-8
Weight: 170
Crossfitting Since: 2014
Attends Class: weekday mornings usually 7am
Favorite Quote:
Teddy Roosevelt “The Man in the Arena”
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT CROSSFIT?
A business associate of mine suggested that it would be ideal for me since I was looking for something different that combined both strength training and cardio.
WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS WHEN YOU STARTED CROSSFIT?
My goals were very simple: 1. Keep an open mind, 2. Try my best, and 3. Don’t hurt myself.
HOW HAS CROSSFIT DIFFERED FROM YOUR FORMER TRAINING?
Before Crossfit, I would typically go to the gym, do 20-30 minutes of cardio and then do 30 minutes of weight lifting. But my routine had become very stagnant and boring, and I was becoming much less enthused about working out.
WHAT TYPE OF RESULTS HAVE YOU SEEN WITH CROSSFIT?
My stamina and technique have improved dramatically and measurably. I have run marathons before but the ability to maintain a heavy pace over shorter time periods is not something I had done before. Secondly, there were many movements that I could not do when I first started; a perfect example is the overhead squat. Having sat at a desk for over 20 years now, my flexibility and mobility in my shoulders and back were very poor when I began Crossfit. I could barely overhead squat a PVC pipe. Today I still can’t do much weight but it’s a long way from where I started.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CROSSFIT HOBOKEN?
It has been incredible. The coaches are excellent. They provide the right combination of encouragement and technical feedback. And the fellow athletes have also been nothing short of inspirational. We have some amazing athletes who can perform at elite levels—this is so cool to watch. But just as motivational for me is watching individuals stepping out of their comfort zone and trying to conquer new challenges.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEXT YEAR IN YOUR OWN FITNESS?
Where to start? There is so much I still can’t do, and of course, I wish I could do every movement more efficiently. On a general level, I would like to shed a few pounds. We do so many body weight movements that my shoulders would benefit from less of a load. On a more specific skill level, my next challenge for myself is to overcome my fear of going upside down and conquering handstand pushups.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY OF FOOD LOOK LIKE YOUR YOU?
I try to stick to a low-carb/quasi-paleo diet but I am hardly strict about it. Fruit for breakfast, salad with some protein for lunch (easier to do at the office), but dinners are challenging (I have a toddler at home who loves pizza and French fries).
Name: Tiffanie Pina
Age: 29
Height: 5”2
Weight: 135
Crossfitting Since: on and off since February 2013
Attends Class: 4/ 5 days a week
Favorite Quote:
“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud” – Maya Angelou
(Totally girly)
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT CROSSFIT?
I’ll never forget- I was watching TV when on comes a Reebok commercial. I mean, the goosebumps that filled my body watching the athletes in the commercial move with such strength, endurance, confidence and passion… it was insane. I knew right then I needed to get involved. And actually, I signed up to Crossfit Jersey City, the next day.
WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS WHEN YOU STARTED CROSSFIT?
I wanted to workout with a level of intensity I couldn’t alone achieve in a gym.
HOW HAS CROSSFIT DIFFERED FROM YOUR FORMER TRAINING?
The energy and sense of community when you walk into a CF gym is just different from walking into your typical gym. There’s something about being in class surrounded by athletes who may not all be at the same fitness level but for sure, all are working to their strongest abilities. It’s motivating
WHAT TYPE OF RESULTS HAVE YOU SEEN WITH CROSSFIT?
Strength! While I’m not (YET) strong enough to perform muscle ups, rig dips or strict pull ups and the list goes on… I am without a doubt stronger and have more endurance. I mainly credit that to working out in a 110 degree gym 5x a week.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CROSSFIT HOBOKEN?
My love for Crossfit Hoboken grows weekly. Aside from the awesome, knowledgeable coaches who push without being pushy, there’s something about knowing I can bring my 17 month old with me to a WOD (when I need to) just knowing that while I’m out doing a 400M run with a 25lb plate over my head, my fellow athletes are stepping in to happily entertain my kid. Ya’ll are the awesome. Thank you!
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEXT YEAR IN YOUR OWN FITNESS?
I would love to match my upper body strength to my lower body strength. A muscle up would be nice and lord knows I’d love to shed the last 7lbs of baby weight. OY! But more importantly, perfecting the technique is key for me. I actually love to be corrected, I can almost always instantly feel the difference
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY OF FOOD LOOK LIKE YOUR YOU?
Oh you mean when I’m forcing myself away from Pizza, Chocolate, beer and an obscene amount of peanut butter? But seriously, with a toddler, it’s sometimes hard to get meals in. So I just try to keep my diet high in protein, low in sugar. And I try drink tons of water!