What’s your favorite exercise?
Good question. Rope pulls are way up there: grip, back, arms, deep hinge – they’re a great all-around choice. Kettlebell swings are the athlete builder. Kettlebell get-ups are weighted yoga. Military presses teach core stability and subtle movements of the shoulder. And then there are sandbag down and ups – the best bang for your suffering buck.
What’s your least favorite exercise?
I’ve always hated burpees, and we’re still a burpee free-zone. They’re too frequently butchered, which basically ends up teaching athletes to screw up their push-ups, and I’d rather keep push-ups strong and high-quality, and use conditioning exercises. Like down and ups.
How do you like to move when you’re not in the gym?
I mountain bike, road bike, ski, hike, ruck. I love to hang out with my wife, I love to spend time writing and reading. And drinking coffee.
What’s your primary goal?
I want to live to 120 years old and walk into my own grave. I want to be able to do everything I want when I’m 80, without assistance.
What else do you want to achieve?
Personally, I’m always experimenting with programming, especially from a rehab-to-strength standpoint, and programming to build endurance. For WFA, the community, and our athletes, I want to continue to build: build the community, build the team, build the space, and build the programming. There is always a new way we can do better, and I keep chasing those improvements.
What’s your story? Your ‘why?’
As a kid I played, and hated, team sports. CrossFit was the first exercise experience (outside of running and cycling) that I enjoyed. After several years training and coaching in a few different communities, I realized there was something missing. I wasn’t satisfied with the degree to which CrossFit coaches focused on quality movement, and I didn’t appreciate the always-competitive nature of these gyms. When we opened WFA, the intentions were clear: build quality and then layer on intensity; build cooperation among athletes and competition for each athlete with self; and provide an experience where everyone leaves happy, strong, and moving better than when they came in.
