What was your athletic background, if any?
Played football at Albion College. Ran a marathon in 2013 and have done a few triathlons. I also play basketball and flag football through our church.
What do you do when you’re not at CFA?
Work and spend as much time as possible with my family. If we aren’t home, we are usually at a softball field or a gym somewhere for volleyball.
When did you realize that CrossFit is right for you?
No, but I remember my first Saturday. To this day I still can’t stand doing Med ball cleans!
Do you remember your first WOD?
Right away. I loved the power lifting tied in with the cardio. I also love that all I have to do is show up. If I commit to showing up, I know I will see improvements. Everything is there and ready to go and there is always someone there to push you to do better.
What is your favorite or least favorite WOD/movement?
Favorite- Power cleans and overhead squats
Least -Where do I begin… BURPEES, MEDBALL CLEANS, and pretty much anything that involves being upside down!
What is the one thing you have done at CFA that you never thought you would do?
The Murph! Right after I started last year, everyone was preparing for the Murph and I thought there is no way I am going to be able to do 100 pull-ups, I could barely do 5 with the bands. It took me 53 minutes but I finished the whole thing and I had a blast doing it.
What motivates you during a tough workout?
Literally, the person in front of me or the person behind me. I don’t want to be passed and I want to push to catch that person in front of me. I also love seeing the old scores when we do a workout that we did in the past. I get motivated by being better than I was!
What’s are your favorite things about CrossFit?
Every morning at about 5:30 when I walk in, see the board and find out what I get to do that day for my workout. I don’t have to plan anything, I just have to show up! Plus, the people that show up for the 5:45am class make it a blast. I find myself getting excited to go workout the night before and trying to guess what we are going to do based on what we have done so far that week.
What are your short term and long term goals?
Short term- I want to be able to do a muscle-up!
Long term- I want to be able to complete all of the movements in the Crossfit Open without having to scale.
What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CrossFit (before/after)?
I have more energy. I am a lot stronger especially in my core. All of my shoulder pain has gone away. I used to wake up and my arm or hand would be numb, that does not happen anymore. I set a PR in my 5K by almost a minute and I ran a mile in under 7 minutes. I have gotten a lot faster!
Do you have any advice for people just getting started at CFA?
Stick with it no matter what level you start at. You will find that you can do things you never thought possible and you will make a bunch of new friends while you are at it. Also, if you wear your CFA shirt around, be ready to be asked about crossfit and how you like it. It is a fun conversation starter at times.
Quick Questions
Favorite Cheat meal: Pizza, Tacos, Turkey & stuffing, Dessert… Pretty much everything. Favorite Workout song: Chris Stapleton In the gym: Anything upbeat that gets me moving. Favorite sports team: Lions, Pistons, Tigers, U of M, and of course the Albion College Britons!
Favorite Place You Have Traveled:
Favorite TV Show: Sports & Last Man Standing
Favorite CrossFit Athlete(if any): No idea
Coach’s comment:
Jarrod has been one of our regulars at the 5:45am class for over a year now. He shows up every day ready to work hard no matter what the workout is. He has made huge gains in both his strength and endurance since starting with us at CFA. Plus he always bring his friends, family, and kids to workout which is awesome. He has rightly earned September’s member of the month spot. Keep up the hard work, Jarrod!
