What was your athletic background, if any?
I did a lot of martial arts stuff back in college that made me feel overconfident in my ring kicking abilities.
What led you to Crossfit and CFA specifically?
Got a job across the parking lot, and I was very very out of shape.
What do you do when you’re not at CFA?
I’ve got 3 kids and a wonderful wife to keep me busy at home. I also teach middle school kids how to program Lego robots (FLL) at Eastside Christian School.
When did you realize that CrossFit is right for you?
About 2 weeks in when I stopped being sore every day 🙂
Do you remember your first WOD?
I remember there being box jumps, jump rope, and pushups. I was probably in the worst shape of my life and Josh got me the smallest box. About 3 jumps in he came back over and suggested I just go with step ups. I was also pretty terrible at jump rope and my calves locked up and really scaled back the pushups.
What is your favorite or least favorite WOD/movement?
I HATE RUNNING.
What is your most proud CrossFit moment?
Finishing my first Murph (even if it did take me 74 minutes).
What motivates you during a tough workout?
I think of my kids. I’ve got two kids with physical disabilities and having the strength to get them from a wheelchair into a van or help carry them down to the beach or wherever keeps me going. It’s also a good motivation not to do stupid things and get myself hurt. When I’m running saying prayers helps distract me from the pain.
What are your goals going forward and what do you think will help you achieve them?
I’ve got a goal to do string together 2 strict pull ups and run a sub-10 minute mile by the end of the year. To get there I’ve been showing up early to class to get pull up practice in and attempting to run a few times a week outside classes.
What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness or just day to day life since starting CrossFit (before/after?)
I’ve lost roughly 40lbs and it’s still slowly coming off. I also had a lot of knee, back, and neck pain that has almost entirely gone away. I feel mildly sore 24/7 now, but in a good way. The biggest one is probably running. I’ve never been able to run in my life like I can now, not even when I was a kid even though I still hate it and I’m very very slow.
What would you recommend to someone who is just starting out with CrossFit or is too afraid to try it?
Be humble, and don’t be intimidated by what others can do. It looks awful (and it is) but that’s the biggest strength of crossfit. You can always ask the coach to scale it down to something that is awful but not impossible. Eventually you realize that everyone is scaling each workout down to something that pushes their own line between awful and impossible. Just do you every day.
If you could have one skill or characteristic of another member at CFA what and from whom would it be? Or which other CFA member are you the most motivated by?
Dave Valko gets there every day sometimes twice a day and on weekends and is constantly pushing himself. He’s older than me, but that inspires me to get that old man strength.
Quick Questions
Favorite Cheat meal: Fried Fish from Cousins Chicken
Favorite Workout song: Space Jam
Favorite Place You Have Traveled: China
Favorite TV Show: Corner Gas
Favorite CrossFit Athlete(if any): Vellner
Coach’s comment:
Seeing how much Jordan has improved since he started CF has been truly impressive. We know how much he hates to run but when he started i’m not sure if he could jog 200m. He’s still not the fastest guy but his ability to jog for distance has gotten so much better. He has lost more than 40 pounds since starting with us and improved his strength, cardio and even his pull-ups, plus for a big guy his flexibility is unmatched. It’s nice to see him push himself everyday and always give it his best. Plus his personality and smiling face are something we look forward to having in the gym everyday. Keep up the hard work Jordan, you rock!
