Congrats to our August Member of the Month, Andrew Askins!
Since Andrew walked in the door he has had a positive mind-set and smiling face. He is one of the most encouraging people on the planet, he’s a great listener and a really hard worker. He founded and runs his own successful tech company – so he’s a busy guy that still makes the time to hit the gym at least three times a week – AND he comes to most of our social outings too!! Safe to say he’s gone loco for Loco…and the feeling’s mutual. Check out Andrew’s story in his own words below!
Q: What brought you to CrossFit in the first place?
A: I’m not going to lie, I was really resistant to trying CrossFit for a long time. The stereotypes of CrossFit bros who can only talk about CrossFit and people getting injured kept me away. It’s not cheap, either. But two things finally pushed me over the edge:
1) I had a friend who started doing CrossFit in Columbia who encouraged me to give it a try. He recognized how competitive I am and was convinced I would love it (spoiler alert: he was right). I still resisted for a long time, but then…
2) One day Jay came and knocked on our office door. He immediately struck me as a really good guy, and didn’t shy away from my questions about injuries or form at all.
I have always wanted to be more fit, and I know I’m happiest when I’m working out regularly. But I’ve struggled to stick to a workout routine over and over again. I figured if there were good people at the gym, and I could actually stick with it, it was worth taking a chance on.
Q: What was your first impression? How has that changed?
A: My very first impression was, “Oh my god, I’m going to die.” I hadn’t worked out in over a year, and the first Foundations exercise just about knocked me out. I was gasping for breath, I could feel the blood pumping all the way up in my ears, it was probably the worst I’ve ever felt after a workout. I don’t think I even finished in the time provided. But I also love to push myself, and I could already tell that I was going to like CrossFit (if I could survive long enough).
Since then, my cardio has improved drastically. While workouts don’t exactly get easier, I feel way more confident taking them on. And the fun, competitive edge to every workout is still there.
Q: What was your first “bright spot”?
A: My first “bright spot” was the end of Foundations. We did the same benchmark exercise that almost killed me at the beginning only two weeks later. This time I paced myself much better, and I finished in under the allotted time. It was such a high, seeing so much progress in such a short amount of time.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: The biggest thing I’m working on now is consistency. This month I hit 2 classes per week every week, but I want to get up to 3 (and eventually 5). I work weird hours sometimes, but I know I’m happier and feeling better when I’m working out consistently. And it’s the most important step if I want to make progress.
I also really want to increase the weights I can lift, but I know I need to focus on form now, while the weight is light. So I’m really trying to focus in workouts on improving my form.
I want to get my handstand too… there’s a lot I’m working on!
Q: What’s your favorite Locomotion Memory?
A: I love the moments outside of the gym, when we’re all spending time together and getting to know each other. We just did the river float this past weekend and I spent the whole day grinning like an idiot and laughing with my Loco Fam. But my favorite memory is from the Fourth of July. We had a brutal workout and afterward it started pouring, so we all just ran out in the rain to cool off.
Thanks for sharing YOUR story, Andrew! We’ll see you around the gym!!
