Matt Killing some American Kettle Bell Swings
What brought you to CrossFit in the first place?
I knew about CrossFit and had seen some of my friends in Spokane benefit from the workouts. Three years ago I was going on a Dall sheep hunt in Alaska with my brother who is a guide and I knew that I needed to change my workout routine which never really elevated my heart rate. I needed someone to push me, build my core and get me into shape so that I wouldn’t be exhausted on the hunt and ruin a once in a life time experience by being out of shape.
What was your first impression? Has that changed?
My first impression of CrossFit Sandpoint was close to what I expected in terms of workouts and the facility but only because I’d participated in one workout at Spokane Valley CrossFit and hung out at their box with my friend a few times. However, even though it met my expectations in some ways it also exceeded them in many more ways. The first class I went to was at 6am and the people there were awesome..and still are. They were so encouraging, helpful, and just so much fun that I wished we had more than an hour long classes. Kenny was also a huge part of exceeding my expectations along with all the coaches. I never expected it to be such a great time to get to know people, have them encourage you, train you and then push you when you were slacking or just needed to be pushed. I really enjoy being coached, team atmospheres, and am super competitive so it was just a perfect fit for me. Over the past three years I’ve learned so much about myself, gained more confidence, and am in the best shape of my life. My expectations have been blown away every year in what CrossFit has done for me, the people I’ve met, and the daily experiences I have there. I love how I can be having a horrible day and all I want to do is go to CrossFit and when I leave I have a huge smile of my face. I can’t tell you how many times that’s happened and I freaking love that feeling of being happy and knowing that you are now healthier for pushing yourself through the workout.
What was your first success?
My first success was getting a double under. I’d never really jumped rope anytime before CrossFit and I worked on the DUs for many months and watched countless videos. Finally the day before the 2014 Open I was able to get one in my garage. The next day I was able to do the Open workout doing one DU at a time without giving myself a welt every time I jumped. I then proceeded to link a double and single and last year became effective at DUs and can now do 50 or more without stopping.
What are you working on now?
A few weeks ago I completed my first ring muscle up and my goal now is to work on them so that I can link them together and do four in a row. After that I need to work on HSPUs. That’s probably my weakest movement as is anything overhead and I want to be able to do these in a workout.
What’s your favorite CrossFit Sandpoint memory?
My favorite memory…Man I’ve had so many over the past four years.
-Glen having a “senior moment” and making us do a really hard workout as individuals when it was supposed to be a team workout. I don’t think we let him forget that for a while. We still love you Glen.
-Matt and Steve going head to head last year in the Open with the garage doors open and people screaming at them to crank out another HSPU. That was freaking awesome!
-But my favorite memory has been over the past 6 months as you all have rallied behind me and my family as my wife has been fighting breast cancer. It’s been tougher than anything I’ve ever been through and it’s your support that’s helped us. I can’t tell you all how much it has meant to receive meals, financial help, and just the emotional support or encouragement. To me this is one of the biggest benefits I’ve received over the past 4 years and its something that you can’t just create at any other gym. We all care about each other and support each other and its not just at CrossFit but anytime I’ve seen someone around town they are always asking if they can help out, how it’s going and to let them know if they can help in any way. For me this is what sets our CrossFit apart from any others and makes it one of the biggest reasons I’m so proud of being a member. Thanks Kenny for creating this culture and growing our CrossFit to be so much more than just a place to work out. I’m sure that you will continue to develop and grow this culture and our kickass members. Thanks for all you do, we really appreciate you!