CFSP Member Profile: Nick Bandy

What brought you to CrossFit in the first place?

That’s a two-part answer for me. First and foremost was my wife Susie. Susie has been a CrossFit Sandpoint member for about five years now. It’s pretty common for me to drag Susie out on adventures that aren’t really things she’s passionate about but she does it for me and she knows how much these adventures mean to me. She’s such a great sport about it, so I wanted to do something with her that she was passionate about and share that experience with her. CrossFit gives us something that we can talk about together, motivate and push each other together, cheer for each other, and at the end of the day whine about how sore we are from the workout together.


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The second is to rebuild myself after a lower back injury that happened over ten years ago. I think of myself as an active person who’s passionate about the sports I’m involved in. My back was affecting my activities to the point that never doing them again felt like a real possibility. I didn’t want to default to surgery but I had to make a move and get myself better. I’ve gone to other gyms and done other home workout routines with very little success.

The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. I needed to do something that I’ve never done before that will push me physically and mentally in a new way. CrossFit Sandpoint has done that for me. I feel stronger with less pain in my movements than I’ve felt in the past ten years. 

What was your first impression? Has that changed?

At first, I didn’t understand what CrossFit was truly about. I thought that it was all about squatting heavy weights as fast as you can and throwing big weights around. So rightfully so, for someone with a bad back, I was extremely intimidated. In all reality, I couldn’t have been further from the truth. I don’t think I can truly explain how much my impression has changed now that I have become a consistent member. It didn’t take long to see that CrossFit Sandpoint was about helping you become your best physical self at a pace right for you. It’s about support, teamwork, getting stronger, and doing it all with like-minded people.

What was your first success?

There has been a lot, from large to small, but the main one that stands out the most for me is when I finally started linking my Kipping Toes-to-Bar. Coach Amanda (sounds very official) had worked with me on the movement a few times before and after our workouts but it just wasn’t clicking. Then one day we had Toes-to-Bar in the workout and Amanda jumped up on the bar (literally… enough said…) to show me the technique and proper movement one more time. I really focused on her body positioning and form. Then when it came to the work-out and the clock started, I stepped up, thought about how Amanda executed the movement, grabbed the bar, and linked all of my Toes-to-Bar through the entire workout. I was so excited. It was that feeling when a movement and technique just clicks and you can feel it through your whole body.

What are you working on now?

I’ve avoided certain movements for many years because they had always caused me pain. Now that I’ve built myself back up a bit and have my back under control, I’m working on building strength in my lower back and legs. I’m trying to focus on good form and good habits in all of the squatting movements and just trying to get stronger.  

What’s your favorite CrossFit Sandpoint memory?

I don’t think I have just one. It’s more like a constant generation of fun memories each week (yes I know that sounds cheesy… but it’s true). Sometimes it’s watching Susie’s hard work pay off as she nails her squat positioning and sometimes it’s racing Jen Stark through the day’s WOD (she’s so fast for having shorter legs than me!). Every day at the gym is an opportunity for a new favorite memory for me. Sometimes it doesn’t happen and I have a bad day at the gym, but bad days just make the good days that much better.