Testimonials

I started physical therapy seven days after surgery. Three days a week for two hours a day. I went to therapy do get my range of motion back and learn to go weight bearing. In therapy they were “grossed” out at how much my leg atrophied. We worked on a lot of isolation, and three set of ten exercises. I would often wear my CrossFit shirt that clearly says “Life isn’t three sets of 10”…

During that time, I sporadically would go to CrossFit and do the WODS and would leave MOST days in tears. I would go home and tell Lief how my ankle and my leg would swell; bruise and I would limp for the next three days. More importantly my emotional state was wrecked. My fear of everything had increased, my fitness had decreased dramatically. I eventually lost motivation and stopped looking at the website daily for the WODS knowing I couldn’t do it. I would call Tom once a week and ask him to program for me. He would give me workouts that he thought I could do and always told me he would figure something out. I would go sometimes, but emotionally in my mind I couldn’t understand why four months of not doing anything had set me back so far. I couldn’t begin to understand what everyone was telling me “it takes time.”

In mid November I went back to the doctor and he told me I needed to take six weeks off and do nothing because I was injuring my ankle.  Of course, I cried and called Tom and of course, he said we will figure something out… I took two weeks off and did nothing, and decided I didn’t care what the doctor said I cant just sit on my ass… My waist line WAS expanding…

December 28^th I had all the hardware removed, I was initially told two week recovery. I started doing some workouts before I was able to drive. After two weeks, I was told I needed another four weeks of recovery. I promised myself that I was going to class no matter what the doctor said and that I did. The last four weeks have been the most amazing four weeks I have had since July. I stopped picking and choosing what work out I would go to. (Long story ask Matt or Lief)

As most of you know yesterday was my first run and my ankle did amazing. Tom even checked on me last night….Thank you…. when Matt partnered Daunelle and me together for my first run since my injury… I started crying I was overwhelmed, and scared. Daunelle you are an amazing woman and thank you for carrying me through…

Today, I went to the doctor and I was cleared with out any restrictions and I told my progression in a short time was amazing..  I started crying, overwhelmed with joy and happiness knowing that I am FINALLY there I am done…. ( other than fear)

To this end, all of YOU have made the difference in my recovery. YOU have been my therapy both emotionally and physically and YOU have allowed me to progress so quickly. YOU have created a place of emotional wellness with physical wellness a balance that Tahoe needed. The overwhelming love and support I received from not only my coaches but the members of our gym is what got me through this long process with encouraging words, and thoughtfulness that extended beyond the gym walls.

To the people, who I love dearly and I am so thankful I have met you through CrossFit and adore you in and out of the gym and I want YOU to know how much I appreciate you : The Biscuit, Robin, Suzi, Michelle, Michele, Mary, Daunelle, Ken, Tim, Tom, Scott (Mcdizzle) Leslie and the three people who have changed so much in me; My coaches, Tom, thank you for always helping me, never telling me no and always thinking about my wellness outside of the gym—- to Matt ( please don’t leave and go to the NAVY) I NEED YOU….You always tell me NO, call me special but always workout way to teach me….and to my Liefy the most encouraging loving supporting man in my life…

Thank you,
Jill Miller

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The following is my personal rant, but it’s also the reason I am truly thankful for crossing paths with South Tahoe Crossfit. (Remember, I’m just an average joe who sits at a desk everyday and hasn’t regularly worked out in a couple of years, think-Homer Simpsonish in fitness ability, the only way I could run the length of a football field was if a bear was chasing me. So, I was fat. How fat was I? When the bear caught me and ate me, he would have instantly had a heart attack from the amount of fat in his food!) This is a little long, but honestly, I could double what I’ve put down here because there are that many relevant nuances to what South Tahoe Crossfit offers and can do for you.

I’ve always had a membership to a gym wherever I lived; I rarely used it in recent years and didn’t seem to make time or any other training oriented recreation and boy did it show. I could have made time for the gym (when I say gym I mean the stereotypical classic gym as most people know it – South Tahoe Crossfit should be thought of as the UN-gym as far as I’m concerned). I got to a point where I really needed to get back in the regular daily habit of working out, there’s no longer an option at my age. I just never liked the typical gym environment and some of the inevitable pretense of a lot of the members, not to mention that most people have a TV at home, what are you doing watching TV at the gym!? Get to work. The typical gym to me is a static and soloistic environment and that’s where the common gyms fail the bulk of their membership, self service only works for people with drive or major ulterior incentives of some sort. People join gyms to get to somewhere they are not currently at, if they knew how to get there, they’d already be there and wouldn’t really need a gym for the sake of change; they’re seeking new tools and information to make that change. South Tahoe Crossfit provides, on a daily basis if you need, the tool and information to make the changes in your fitness. The management and staff are always available and in the room, not in the back office. Consider them your trainers, because that’s what they are and they are happy to help answer any question you have. Think about what it would cost you to have a trainer every day at your old gym, easily over a thousand dollars a month.  There’s nowhere else where you can get daily Q&A with a trainer for no additional charge, if the price tag is your gripe I think I just killed that argument. Rarely does anyone achieve great results without help of some sort by others, only a concerted effort will get you to your lofty goals.

South Tahoe Crossfit, in my opinion, is the epitome of a strong concerted effort that WILL get you where you want to go and likely surprise you when you surpass your original goals because the net effect if you stick with this IS that good. Now, think of all the gyms you’ve been in over the course of your life and ask yourself if you could honestly classify any given gym as “all for one, one for all” in their attitude, approach and delivery of what you were seeking to reach your goals. Was there a sense of community whereby you could feel a dynamic that everyone there is pushing toward a common goal and that you’re contributing not only to your own development but also to theirs? What the hell am I talking about? Crossfit, you don’t know until you go. The community it obvious when you walk in, the common goal is interpretive (remember this is my rant). By common goal I mean progress that is achieved via the Crossfit method. Most people don’t train like this so there’s a mental leveling of the playing field because it’s new to everyone. Everyone does the same workout, scaled to fit their current abilities. You’ve got twenty people pushing it as hard as they can, at their own pace with the trainers watching the whole time helping with technique and safety. When you’re taxed and can’t go any more, you look over and there are fifteen other people still churnin’ and burnin’ and of course, you do find that you’ve got more in you and kick out another couple of reps. The beauty of it is that you’re doing them the same favor. You can’t usually get this positive psychological boost at the solo self service gyms and that’s another reason Crossfit is so much more effective. Productive synergy in the room is tangible as everyone grunts it out and digs farther down they would in other environments because it’s FUN. I know I can ski and ride my dirt bike all day every day because it’s fun, and likewise, I can Crossfit every day because it’s fun, it just doesn’t get stale at all. Everyone I meet thinks  that South Tahoe Crossfit provides them with not only a good butt kickin workout, but it’s different and interesting and FUN every time. The fun factor and synergy in the room are strong components in my growth, I can’t get enough, I hope the Crossfit in my new city is as fun and cohesive in its membership.

Another great thing is that you’re given a workout book to log your workouts. I’ve never done this, to my detriment as I now know. Log your work every day, you’ll be surprised (don’t whine, it takes 60 seconds if you’re hands are shaking because you’re so worked). I came in one day and had what I thought was a terrible workout, I was just tired and not into it all. I looked at my results from that day and from the day I did the same workout two months prior and not only was I faster, I was also pushing more weight. If South Tahoe Crossfit didn’t introduce me to logging my progress I would not have known that I made gains and probably assumed I hadn’t. That’s where I failed before in the self service solo gym environment and it was this lack of knowledge that led me to just quit again, as before.

South Tahoe Crossfit gives you so many of the necessary pieces to successful fitness that I really don’t think anyone can fail if they follow the advice and show up consistently and push their own envelopes. Of course there’s the human variable that they can’t take out. However, if you’re sincere, consistent and implement what they teach you, progression toward your goals and likely surpassing them is fairly certain in my opinion. Showing up is made easier by the fact that you don’t repeat the same workout usually for 45-60 days, the variety and muscle confusion are fun and eliminate rote.

I’ll wrap it up here, but if you’re thinking about South Tahoe Crossfit and are a little intimidated by the thought of Olympic weightlifting, kettle bells, kipping, and workouts like Jacket of Pain-Fight Gone Bad-Filthy Fifty  —  STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT, that’s bad for your health, Crossfit is good for your health.

As far as my personal growth in four months, I’d have to say that I could perform on any given day at least 75%-200% better in strength, speed, agility and recovery than the day I walked in to South Tahoe Crossfit. I really do attribute my successes here to the management and membership of STCF, you helped me get over the mental hurdle that I couldn’t before because you provided so many of the little extra pieces to my regular workout experience. I’m taking that with me to build on in my new city.

Thank you,
Casey R.
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Then Tim, Tom and Weldon found CrossFit. They went headlong into the world of the WOD. I was slow to start, but I liked it enough. It varied and kept me interested and it was anything but boring!

So, I went ching-chinging along, not quite committed, but not slacking either. Then one day, we did CrossFit Total. That’s a weight day of max back squats, shoulder presses and dead lifts to measure improving strength. After less than a year, I had improved my weight across the board.

And I hadn’t even been paying attention.

That’s when I had my first sip of Kool-Aid.

I am fortunate that my work is very physical and has helped me stay fit and sturdy. Now, I am stronger every day and I am more confident in my work. I have had specific incidences where my improved strength has played a role in my ability to protect my patients and myself from injury.

I have been doing CrossFit for over a year now. Often, I am last to finish. While I’m plenty competitive in other areas of my life, I never developed much of a competitive spirit in the sporting world. I may never have my name on the record board and I am A-OK with that. It’s a personal thing for me; I am proud of my personal accomplishments at CrossFit and I am a better person for it. CrossFit isn’t just about strength and speed. It’s about integrity and finishing something, even when you know you might be last. It’s about getting to the end and squeaking out that last bit of what’s in you. I never had that opportunity before.

CrossFit undid the cotton-filled lungs and silenced the shrill voice. And now…

…I RUN!

- Suzi
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