My first day at Heroes was November 20th, 2012. I had watched my buddy Russell Evans do a competition and was anxious to give it a try, so I strolled on up to the garage.
The first day, I went through a grueling WOD of handstand (attempts), a bunch of weightlifting, and rowing as hard and fast as I could. HB had to scale the weight back as well as the reps, but as I laid there at the end, I knew I was hooked.
Heroes CrossFit is more than a gym, it is a family of support that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. The coaches care about each client’s specific needs and goals. From that first initial day, I am down 22 lbs and the strongest I have ever been. I went from not even knowing what Olympic lifting was, to being (mostly) proficient at both the snatch and clean. So much so, that I actually love doing them now.
Jon recently took part in his first competition, the Eastbound Throwdown in Terrell, TX.
The biggest thing that sets Heroes apart though, is the injury prevention/management aka Mobility. Both Jason and HB are extremely knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to what I call the “fru fru” stuff: stretching and flexibility. I used to think these things were a waste of time, unless you were already injured. HB and Jason have shown me that these practices can be applied while you are perfectly healthy to not only keep you that way, but also to make you STRONGER! When I first started, my snatch, overhead squat and clean were 95, 115 and 205 respectively. After applying their practice daily, I am up to a 175 lb snatch, a 155 lb overhead squat and a 235 lb clean. These huge gains occurred almost solely because of the increases in flexibility that I didn’t think I even needed. All in all, Heroes CrossFit is a worthwhile experience. The coaches take a large, personal interest in each athlete and are extremely encouraging and positive. I am thoroughly looking forward to the Summer when I can train there 6 days a week!
Not only has Jon lost 22 pounds and gained a buttload of strength, but now he no longer has to wear glasses to see clearly. CrossFit is amazing stuff folks!
