Name: Brian Carroll
Age: 38
Occupation: Attorney

When did you first start CrossFitting?

• 11/23/2010 was my first time at Crossfit Eclipse. Before that I tried a Crossfit.com workout on 11/18/2010 on my own at a local health club.

Tell us about your sports & fitness background.

• Youth Sports: Football; soccer; competitive trail riding for North American Trail Ride Conference, equestrian jumping; Boy Scouts.
• High School: High School Track Team, 1 and 2 mile distance running; rock climbing; backpacking; canoeing; caving; hiking; Boy Scouts.

How did you first get into CrossFit? How did it go?

I discovered Crossfit from a fraternity brother who told me about a free workout program online that you could follow and was different everyday.

Before Crossfit I had a personal trainer at St. John’s Health Club. St. John’s was nice; pool, racquetball court, steam room, new and shiny equipment to work every muscle. But something was missing. At the time I didn’t know what was missing; all I knew was that I was running on a treadmill to nowhere and getting the same result. I wanted to improve my health and following the status quo of Elliptical Machine cardio and Weight Watchers was not yielding results. I didn’t want to be a fat professional who reminisced about a time when I was young and healthy. I wanted to be healthy now. I wanted to be healthy for my family. I wanted to enjoy my time with my wife and children and not be limited by poor decisions that lead to eating junk food and choosing sedation and television over life.

I started looking at Crossfit.com in early November of 2010, and soon decided that I would try one of the daily workouts. The day was November 18, 2010 and the workout was hang power cleans, the exact workout has been forgotten but the image of me harassing a St. John’s trainer to show me in 10 seconds how to do a hang power clean has stayed with me forever. I remember the trainer telling me not to hurt myself and to not drop the weights on the floor.

After trying not to hurt myself with a hang power cleans I knew I wanted to try this Crossfit thing. On Saturday, November 20, 2010 I drove to several Crossfit gyms, all were closed. However, the coach at Crossfit Eclipse came to the door and asked if I was looking for Soccer City. I told him that I was looking for a Crossfit gym and I have been coming back to Crossfit Eclipse ever since.  The coaches at Crossfit Eclipse are why I continue to return.

What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health, and fitness since starting CrossFit?

• Weight loss – 280 lbs to 205 lbs.

Crossfit has changed body, health, and fitness by creating confidence in my ability to push myself in life, not to stop when things get uncomfortable. This confidence was created through the encouragement of the Crossfit Eclipse coaches and the Crossfit Eclipse community in general. Crossfit is difficult and definitely outside the comfort zone of the average person. The coaches at Crossfit Eclipse assured me, and then reassured me, that I could push myself past my comfort zone. That I could challenge myself and not settle for the status quo, that I could make a change in my life. That is the change created by Crossfit and the coaches at Crossfit Eclipse. Life is challenging, work is hard; but you learn that if you can push yourself when you want to stop, then you can push yourself to complete other challenges in life.

What impact has CrossFit had on your life?

Crossfit has fundamentally changed my life and my family’s life. My family is actively aware of the food we eat and the necessity of daily exercise. Our mantra has become eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, and challenge your mind and body daily for happiness and success. Our vacations require movement and adventure, we need vacations that allow us to bike, swim, kayak, and explore. Crossfit has become a component of our travel plans. When traveling we are excited to try out new Crossfit gyms and to experience the community created by that gym. If a Crossfit gym is not an option, we plan Crossfit inspired bodyweight workouts with a scenic backdrop.

My kids are blessed with positive role models from the coaches and athletes at Crossfit Eclipse. I love that my daughter sees strong females who value strength, confidence, and hard work leading the community at Crossfit Eclipse.   Both children are surrounded by a community at Crossfit Eclipse that makes time for daily improvement. My children have learned through Crossfit that strength is beautiful, and that hard work is a requirement for happiness and success.

What is your advice for people getting started or thinking about starting CrossFit?

• Everybody has time to workout, you just have to value your workout time more than television or other daily distractions;
• Record your workouts;
• Start slow and set reasonable goals like attending class two to three times a week;
• When you see a daily workout that you dislike and you’re thinking about not going to the gym, force yourself to go. We dislike what we are not good at, and the only way to get better is to practice;
• Make mobility a part of your daily life;
• Embrace the community and meet new people;
• And of course, have fun at the gym. The purpose or goal of Crossfit is to improve your health so that you can maximize your time and enjoyment with your family.

What are your hobbies, interests, and other talents outside of CrossFit?

• Family;
• Aviation;
• Camping;
• Hiking;
• Backpacking;
• Climbing;
• Reading;
• Scuba diving.