Name: David Novak

 Age: 35

 Occupation: I lead the finance and corporate development teams for Childcare Network

 When did you first start CrossFit? May 2019

 Tell us about your sports & fitness background.

Played soccer, basketball, golf, and tennis through high school. I went to a small private school, so it was relatively easy to be on all of the teams… no serious level of skill or commitment required!

Started weight training regularly in college and stuck with it over the years, as time and children allowed. Running has also been a regular part of my routine since high school- usually 3 to 5 miles once or twice a week.

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

I dropped into a couple gyms in Dallas and had an okay experience (3-5 times total)One gym seemed more focused on the fancy facilities than on coaching and training. The other gym seemed focused on packing as many people into each class as possible, so there was little individual instruction and no newcomer onboarding. Dropped into Eclipse as soon as we moved to Tulsa and immediately fell in love with it.

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

I’ve gone from a size M to L for the right reasons, which is cool.

I’ve seen a substantial increase in my strength, endurance, and mobility.

I’ve also noticed a direct correlation between my diet/alcohol consumption/sleep and ability to push hard during class, so I’m focused on improving all of those areas.

What impact has CrossFit had on your life?

 I talk about it a lot, I follow a bunch of CrossFitters on Instagram, I watch old competitions on YouTube, and I’m trying to get my wife into it. It seems to take up a lot of mind space.

It’s absolutely the most fun and challenging form of workout I have ever done. It’s starting to compete with snow skiing as my all-time favorite sport.

The Eclipse community has also become critical for my mental well-being, especially during COVID. I love the coaches, the comradery, my on-going fitness rivalry with Hugh, and my SugarWOD feud with Jason. Volunteering at KO was a blast and I had the chance to meet other members I didn’t previously know.

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

Don’t wait and don’t try to “get into shape for CrossFit.” It’s super intimidating for everyone at first- that feeling lasted a couple of months for me. Just keep showing up. The coaches will work with you and other members will encourage you. You’ll get more comfortable, start seeing progress, and goals will replace fear.

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

I used to have hobbies, but now I have children. My children evaluated my hobbies and decided they were no longer necessary.

What’s the wallpaper of your phone?

Lock screen is my 3 kids.

Home screen changes between my favorite beach (Punta Mita, Mexico) and a snow covered mountain, depending on which season is coming up.