My journey at Alternative Athletics started January 11, 2010 at 0830.  Cathy had asked me at her Christmas party if I would be interested in this “different” kind of gym – she sold me on trying it, saying she had a “free” one month membership to this “different” gym.  You see, I was going through a difficult time in my life, in the middle of a divorce and money was tight.

Anyway, I picked up Cathy this Monday morning in January and we went to this “different” gym – ignorance is bliss, isn’t it?  I had no idea what I was in for – I found out months later that there was a newbie shuffle, I was just thrown into the WOD!  Well, I have blocked out most of that first experience, I do remember doing back extensions and some lift with a bar – I remember leaning over the bar with Clint in front of me and telling Clint I felt like throwing up.  It bley my mind when he said,  “there’s the bucket.”  I walked off without completing my reps to move on to the next exercise – Clint hollered at me apparently to come back and finish – I just didn’t understand the whole WOD thing.  Anyway, that workout was about 25 minutes and those 25 minutes changed my life.  These were 25 minutes I didn’t feel sorry for myself or worry about any of my problems at the time.  I was only trying to breathe without vomiting.

Since then:  I have lost 22 lbs. But, remember, we are not about weight at Alternative Athletics, so I tried on a dress I haven’t worn in years which was purchased for my wedding rehearsal dinner 13 years ago.  I weighed 125 back then and was working out at a more “traditional” gym.  Well the dress fit!  In fact it was a little loose.  I have dropped 3 sizes since January.  I am off antidepressants.  I haven’t had one hypoglycemic episode since modifying my diet.  I no longer nap for 2 hours everyday that I can.  I have the energy I need to get done what a single mom needs to.  I have a libido more than I ever have.  CrossFit has truly effected ALL aspects of my life!

A few of my gains since starting:  Pullups then with 100lbs of assistance, now with 20-40lbs of assistance. Overhead squat then 35lbs, now 80lbs.  Push press then 40lbs, now 55lbs.  Box jumps then 18 inches stepping on the box, now 20 inch jumps.  Back squat then 120lbs, now 145lbs.  Dead lift then 135lbs, now 180lbs.  Shoulder Press then 65lbs, now 80lbs.  Clean and jerk then 80lbs, now 95lbs.  Front squat then 45lbs, now 105lbs.  Push ups then on my knees, now all plank.

I refused to run when I came in January.  In fact I told Clint “I don’t run.”  I rowed instead for a few weeks.  Then, because Clint is so motivating or a huge PITA depending on how you look at it, I tried to run and couldn’t make it to the light on the corner without stopping.  In May I ran 2 miles without stopping in 23:11 (Thanks Cathy!) In August, I ran 2 miles in 19:07.

Remember, NOTHING is free, but progress facilitates persistence and persistence pays!

Wow. Where do I begin? First off I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  If there is one thing that I could be addicted to, it would be Crossfit. Not any ol’ Crossft, Alternative Athletics Crossfit!

If you were to graph my injuries, diet do’s and don’ts and gains since January 2010 it would look like a roller coaster. {Bobbi Jo suffered an injury to her shoulder and back trying to push her truch in her icy driveway} My shoulder injury continues to bother me from time to time. My low back since May has improved, I believe due to my strength and diet.  I now understand Clint what you mean when you say your joints hurts more when your diet is out of whack. I have experienced that feeling of the brick wall on my back while trying to do pushups and it is not a good feeling physically and mentally.   As far as weights go, wow, I have muscles in places I never knew! I love that soreness I experience after a tough workout.  I have made the board on Annie and Kelly. I have recently been able to RX some of the workouts.  I’ve had some looks in campgrounds while doing burpees or made up box jumps off of a bench but hey, it was fun using nature!

Looking back at my journal. My time at Heart and Sole in 2009 was 35.30. This year it was 29.55!
January 2009- my notes indicate the 3 deadlifts @165# was too much weight. I finished 110 of them last Saturday @ 165# and felt great!
January 2009- my box jumps were stepping an 18′ box. Kelly last week was jumping 20′ and man all that was was a mind game for me! I did it!
January 2009-OHS 45# and just made my one rep max at 90# last week! I love it!!
January 2009-my shoulder press on 1/25/10 was 75# where I failed at 80#. I PR’d on 8/20 with 92.2!!
Push ups are plank, wall balls are 16#. My band went from green to blue but injuries put me back at green for now.
As you can see I have gained in all aspects of my weights. Granted due to injuries they could be better but it’s a good 9 month gain!

You know what I love is when we did farmer walk on 9/14/10 the kettlebells weren’t hitting the fat pockets on the sides of my legs, I think those are gone! I love walking up the stairs with a full laundry basket feeling it push against my hip bones instead of the fat on my stomach is a great feeling! Plus I don’t wind as easy. Ha ha ha.  My husband has some things on his mind he would like to tell you but they would be too sexually explicit for this!! HA HA HA.
My clothes fit better. I am down 1-2 pant sizes depending on the brand. I feel better and am down 25#!! I am more confident in the way I feel and look. I get compliments at work and that feels great! Yes, there are still problem areas I have and sometimes I look in the mirror and am not so happy. But hey, I’m a woman and I have that time of the month every 28 days!! ha ha.

So thank you for everything you have done for me. Thank you for pushing me and saying just the right thing to get me going again.  Clint telling me he doesn’t think I should do the Nov. 6th competition crushed me, yes I know it’s because of my shoulder but something inside me said, “Oh yes I am.”  And Katie telling me to try 80/20 paleo because of my whining must have been reverse psychology because I don’t want to do it.  I want to be 100%!!  Anybody that is not in crossfit does not understand nor do they have a clue what we do. I’m sure people at work are sick of me talking about those days where I am completely jacked about my performance! Oh well, they are going to have to listen to it because I am only going UP from here!!

Love you guys! And Gwennie!!

My primary motivation when joining Alternative Athletics was to find a fitness program that would help me achieve overall health. I wanted a place that would keep me motivated and consistent. I have found my “Garden of Eden” and have “enjoyed” every minute. I love the changes I see in my body, my strength, and endurance level. I enjoy food on an entirely different level–as fuel to help me perform rather than just something to put into my mouth/stomach. The biggest changes I have noticed are in my version of running; both in ability and attitude. An activity I once feared I now look forward to as an opportunity to rest. That is just crazy talk!! I have been receiving many compliments lately but the very best came just last week from a patient of mine. She told me that I “just look healthy.” Does it get any better than that? Oh, and the fact that I have beaten Susie twice in the past couple of weeks has also been a bit satisfying and should, in my opinion, speak for itself….

I consistently RX weights now.  Got pullups on the rings.  Top female score in Coe (ring pushups/thrusters) and that deadlift/clean/jerk workout the other day.  I’ve lost 25 lbs and 2-3 pants sizes.

Mike – “A Letter For The Struggling”

I have spent most of my life trying to lose weight or work around being heavy.  Unlike a lot of people, I was ok with the guy on the inside but limited by the body on the outside.  Then in Oct. of 2009 a new gym moved in next door to the office, Alternative Athletics.  I met Clint and Katie Hull and found them to be well versed and driven to provide a great and different workout experience.

I avoided the place until my wife started working out with Clint.  The first few trips I saw the start up pain phase of Cathy’s trainig, I was sure I was not going to go and feel like she did but it was all she could talk about wanting me to join her.

I first started hanging around and watching, the whole time thinking “I am almost 50 I can’t do this.”  One day I could not stop myself and joined a workout, then I want tthe next day and the day after.  I soon broke throught the pain and started to feel alive.  Each day my goal was to just finish the WOD, very soon I was trying to RX the workouts.  I WAS AMAZED that I could get this done.  Each day feeling better and stronger, WOW!

Once I was a month into CrossFit I had lost a few pounds mostly without trying, but all the body weight workouts were kicking my butt.  I overheard someone talking about this Paleo thing?  I asked Katie “what is this?” (Not another diet, I hope) I had spent most of my life losing and gaining weight, always gaining more than lost.  Clint and Katie explained Paleo was a lifestyle change and if I wanted to increase my performance and lose weight I had to try it.  Not wanting anybody to know I stepped up to the table and “drank the cool aid.”  That was 9 1/2 months and 50 lbs ago.

Today without Clint and Katie I would not be lifting, running and jumping longer, faster, and stronger than I could when I was in my early 40′s.  Don’t get me wrong, each workout is a bitch and CrossFit is not for everyone, because you are asked to hang it all out each day you enter the gym.

TRUST ME ALTERNATIVE ATHLETICS WORKS

Thanks Clint, Katie, and Gwen

In the beginning of 2009, my husband Kyle and I were given the news that we would be getting an addition to our family that fall.  That Spring Kyle stumbled across a little gym called Alternative Athletics/CrossFit and was instantly hooked; I on the other hand thought he was a little crazy.  For months all I would hear is Alternative Athletics this and CrossFit that.  Then one day Kyle asked me to come and watch him get the gym record for the back squat; as I was sitting there I kept thinking I could do this, I could really do this, so I talked to Katie and Clint and they were game with letting a 5 months pregnant out of shape woman start CrossFit. {While pregnant, Jo did the “CrossFit Moms” workouts, a scaled back, less intense version of the WOD’s}

So this is really where my transformation began…

The day after I gave birth to Cecilia I actually weighed less than I did before I got pregnant and over the last year it has continued to drop.  I don’t actually own a scale but the few times I have stepped on one it has shown a drop of 20+ lbs.  Since the food challenge started I have drastically cut back on my gluten intake and have noticed a significant difference (when I stick to it) in my day to day life.  I am not as groggy, bloated, and irritable, my work outs are easier, my joints don’t hurt and my clothes fit better.  Overall I just feel better and look better.

As for the results, I think every day is a result.  I am constantly doing better, I have yet to go backwards nor do I see that happening, EVER!!  My Murph score was improved and shaved by 20 minutes.  I came in 10th place at the Bridger CrossFit showdown.  I danced with Fran 2 times and the first time she had me at 10:40, scaled to 55# and 60# of assistance on pullups, the second time I was at 12:40 with 75# and only 20# of assistance.  My physical result is, well it’s costly $$.  My very nice, very $$ jeans do not fit anymore and my shirts, well I need new shirts.  Actually Kyle bought me a shirt about 5 years ago, it’s a freakin sweet Dogtown shirt, anyhow it never fiit, it was one of those California large shirts, and now I am proud to say that I can WEAR IT!!!

So there are my results, I only see my progress going forward because I am CrossFit!