MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: JACKIE AND TIM MURPHY
I never, ever thought I would be a member of a CrossFit gym! I did not grow up as an athlete but was coordinated. I was the kid going to Saturday morning art classes.
It was not until my early twenties that I started taking fitness classes like aerobics (all the rage at the time) and mostly because our apartment included a gym membership and it seemed like everyone else was working out. Over the years and after becoming a mom, my exercise routine became very sporadic. It was not a priority and I tended to be swayed by the social aspect and what I considered fun workouts that didn’t seem like working out. I took Zumba classes, played tennis, and the occasional bootcamp. When my kids’ sports schedules and my work got busy I stopped working out with any regularity. I really lacked motivation and I got bored with the workouts I was doing.
Fast forward to early 2020 when my husband Tim joined CFC. Our prior gym had closed and I could not decide where I wanted to go. Tim brought up CFC to me and I was really intimidated and I immediately said no. I didn’t think it was for me. I don’t think I had ever picked up a barbell in my entire life. I had the wrong impression that it was for body builders or really fit people!
I remember Tim would come home from every workout and tell our daughter and I (blow-by-blow) every detail of the WOD. We could tell he loved it. He did this recitation for us for probably the first month. I still didn’t want to try it.
It was not until CFC shut down with the pandemic and Tim starting doing the workouts at home that I joined him. I knew I was not getting a true CrossFit experience, but I liked us doing it together and the mental and physical challenge that Tim enjoyed appealed to me.
So in the summer of 2020 I attended 3 Saturday community classes and immediately knew I wanted to take the 101 class. Joe was so patient with me as I learned and practiced the barbell movements. It was totally foreign to me and I thought I would never be able to do a split jerk as I tried it over and over again. He said I would get it over time and that just showing up was the hard part.
That has always stuck with me. From the very start I have always felt supported by not only the coaches but the community. I have never felt less than because I am starting with lighter weights or not completing as many rounds or reps as others. I love how people say good job to each other. Because, yes, it’s an accomplishment that we all showed up to do the workout together.
I am still a work in progress but I definitely feel stronger and can tell I have improved in some movements and have been able to increase weight. Now that I’m on the other side of mid-40s my motivation is more about consistency and being as healthy as I can be, offsetting the wine, cocktails and going out to eat that I enjoy oh so much!
I feel a great sense of satisfaction after each workout and I don’t think I’ve EVER had that. I am still blown away that I am even doing CrossFit! I love the CFC coaches and community for challenging me and being motivating, encouraging and welcoming. And, of course, now I get to talk about it with Tim since we experience it together. When people ask me about CrossFit I now express how much I love it and how they can do it as well. This coming from a girl who never lifted a barbell or knew what a clean was.
Tim ...
While far from perfect I’ve been consistent about getting to the gym most of my adult life. Looking back now, I feel I did this mostly out of duty. My motives were less about getting fit and more about not letting myself go. Almost all of this time I belonged to traditional gyms filled with treadmills, circuit machines and free weights. As I got older, I found myself gravitating towards workouts that increased my heart rate but did not incorporate much of a strength element beyond body weight. I got more satisfaction from these workouts because I felt they were good for my health and I liked the sweat. Plus, at my age (50 this fall) and build, I concluded strength training wasn’t in the cards for me or sustainable.
I had few pre-conceived ideas about CrossFit except that it would be challenging based only on what read and saw on CrossFit Clintonville’s website and Facebook page. Since joining CFC in February 2020 I’ve learned several things. Tops on the list is anyone can do CrossFit. When friends ask about my experience I begin by telling them how much fun it is and how rewarding each workout can be. I finish by emphasizing how anyone can do it. Look across our gym and you see it all. I love that. I’ve also learned strength training, at least for me, isn’t about numbers or getting big. It’s about balance. I found my problem with strength training was I lacked creativity. I didn’t know how to do it in a way that worked for me. I would repeat the same exercises and never experience progress in a way that motivated me. That all changed when I joined CFC and experienced the variety CrossFit offers. I admit I’m still working on ways to find fun in the barbell going over my head, but will continue to work on it. Perhaps most important, I’ve learned that CFC cultivates a team environment with a near perfect blend of competition and non-stop support. I’ve belonged to gyms run by great people but have never experienced anything like this until joining CFC. I’m certain it’s the combination of working side by side, suffering together and experiencing success together that creates this unique experience. Second only to being part of an actual team.
I’ll wrap up by sharing a short list of my favorite things about CFC. 1) Programming. This solved so many problems for me. CFC challenges me in ways I never would have imagined. 2) Fun. I’ve never had this much fun working out. This only improved since persuading my wife, Jackie, to join last summer. The physical and mental uplift I get from each workout is invaluable and to witness her experience the same is double the reward. 3) Coaching. Truly saving the best for last. They are special. I have a close friend who always preaches Attitude and Effort. This resonates with me because it’s two things you control. These Coaches got it. They make the experience better each visit.
Thank You to Patrick, Brian, the entire coaching staff and fellow members.