1. How long have you been a member at Hybrid?
Two plus years. We started February 2010.
2. How did you hear about the gym originally?
We initially heard about the gym through a close friend’s wife – Sue O’Connell. She had been going to Hybrid for around six months and was very happy with the results and passionate about the place. Her husband and a few of his friends (including me) jumped into the ramp up about two years ago and have been coming since.
3. What is your favorite lift?
Mike – My favorite lift is Power Cleans. It had been a number of years since I had done cleans while playing football in college and I really like the overall body impact of this movement.
Joe – Burpees. Yup, Burpees. Technically not a lift, but a bunch of us in the 5:30 AM class are working on the “Royal Burpee Challenge”. We started in mid February with 1 Burpee and added a Burpee each day. We’re up to 109 today and finish at 115 next week.
4. What is your least favorite lift?
Mike – My least favorite lift is overhead squats. I have a pretty bad shoulder and I have a significant struggle with this one. One of the things that I love about the gym is the creativity that trainers like Timmy demonstrate to help find ways for me to work around this limitation without it being a big production in class.
Joe –It’s a tie between overhead press and knees to elbows. I’m working back from a rotator cuff injury so the overhead pressing is still a struggle. After the burpee challenge is over I’ll start doing some extra work on double unders, knees to elbows, pull-ups and overhead presses.
5. What has been your biggest achievement since starting at Hybrid?
Mike – I think it would be a combination of overall body fat reduction and general improvement in core strength. Or maybe it is the 17 pounds that I lost and overall better fitness level…
Joe – A bunch of things. Losing 4 inches off my waist. Strengthening my quads so I can now do long runs and completed a Sprint triathlon. Flipping the big tire. 300-lb deadlift. The biggest is achieving a level of fitness that dramatically changed my health as I approach “middle age”.
6. What other improvements have you seen since you joined?
Mike – I feel like my energy level is better and certainly my overall fitness has improved over the last two years. I think my clothes are fitting better as well.
Joe – We all have stressful jobs and lives. The Hybrid WOD gets me work my body to remove stress and fire me up to tackle the day.
7. How many days per week do you workout at Hybrid? Elsewhere?
Mike – I lead consulting business that requires me to travel extensively. When I am in town, I attend the 5:30 AM class at Hybrid four days a week and I keep that frequency on the road. The training concepts that Hybrid promotes travel well and I keep up my workouts on the road for the most part. I typically supplement the Hybrid routine with a long run and a bike ride over the weekend.
Joe – I come 4 to 5 times per week to 5:30AM. On the weekends I try to mix in a 6 mile run or Mountain Bike at Mianus River Park.
8. What movement are you still struggling with and what are you doing to fix it?
Mike – Aside from the previously mentioned overhead squats, I am really trying to improve in double unders and pull-ups. I have had some good coaching from Timmy and James on double unders and have made a lot of progress this year. (from zero in a row to about fifteen now)
On pull ups the same coaching applies and I just need to keep at improving my range of motion and strength in my weak shoulder.
Joe – Toes to bar
9. What were your stats, physically, before coming to Hybrid? Weight?
Mike – Let’s just say I have adjusted my weight from around 207-209 down to my current level of 188. Percent body fat has dropped around six percentage points.
Joe: Before – 37 inch waist, 193 lbs, body fat ~ 23%; Today 33 inch waist, 178 lbs, body fat 17.5.
10. How has your nutrition changed?
Maybe one of the most important adjustments for me. I joined a Paleo challenge a few months back and learned quite a bit about my approach to nutrition. In a few discussions with Rob I think it was becoming clear to me that my nutritional approach was in need of a slight tweak. I now have a better mix of protein in my daily diet and have a much healthier approach to breakfast. (not that a bacon, egg and cheese won’t find its way back on the menu from time to time)
Joe – Prior to coming to Hybrid I really didn’t have a plan. The 5:30 AM class ran a Paleo Challenge in January and we had great results. Although I cheat too often recently, I have a repeatable plan to come back to and get myself right.
11. What motivates you daily?
Mike – Good question… to make it to a 5:30 AM class four days a week something has to be motivating you. The spirit of collaboration is a very big deal in the Hybrid Athletics world. We have a sense of comeraderie that reminds me of the environment that is built in team sports. I really get the sense that the 5:30 group feeds off of each other’s energy and commitment. We cheer for one another and celebrate our successes together. We are competitive, but not really with each other but collectively with ourselves. We all are passionate about improving our time in the 500 meter row or the number of box jumps we can do in a given time or our PR for power cleans. I have been going to a gym of some kind or another most of my adult life. I am certain that I never felt as committed to a program or satisfied with the environment as I am with Hybrid.
Joe – Camaraderie, fun, community, achievement. Hybrid is such a positive, motivating place. It’s both fun to come to and the community celebrates everyone’s successes. And the feeling after completing the Hybrid WOD is one-of-a-kind. I love the fact that I can just come and the trainers have done all the homework, planned the WOD, and we can just “go”!
12. What advice would you give to someone who might be intimidated by Hybrid?
Mike – Start slow. The transition form casual athlete to full time cross fitter takes time and a bit of a full body evolution. I felt like I had to tear myself down first before I started to really see the positive gains. The ramp up program is huge and I will always be grateful for the patience and commitment that Mike Burke showed with the OG crew to help us get with the program. After start slow, comes go hard. You get from Hybrid what you put into it. They provide the fun, safe and supportive environment with great, professional trainers. You need to provide the commitment to get fit!
Joe: Give it a try. Call and get assessed. You just won’t find a more positive, motivating, achievement-oriented workout community. All you have to do is show up.
BEFORE
AFTER