Sunday, July 22, 2012

Posted by: gina

CFLB Athlete Profile: Benny Grissom

• Hometown:Long Beach
• Age:22
• Occupation:Personal Trainer
• When did you first start CrossFitting? 12/03/2011
• When did you first start training at CFLB? 12/03/2011
• Favorite WOD:Collin
• Least Favorite WOD: Diane

Tell us about you sports & fitness background: PLAYED SPORTS ALL MY LIFE: BASEBALL FOR 10 YEARS AND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FOR 4 YEARS. I BEGAN WEIGHT TRAINING WHEN I WAS 14 DURING FOOTBALL OFFSEASON. I CONTINUED TO TRAIN AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AT 24 HOUR FITNESS WHERE I GOT HIRED IN 2008. EVEN BEFORE CROSSFIT I WORKED OUT 4-5 TIMES A WEEK DOING THE TYPICAL WORKOUTS WE SEE AT GLOBO GYMS.

How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD... what was it, and how did it feel? I MET A GUY WHO HAD MULTIPLE CERTS IN CROSSFIT AND HE WOULD NOT SHUT UP ABOUT IT. THE PASSION HE HAD ABOUT IT REALLY INTERESTED ME AND WE MET AT A TIME WHERE MY WORKOUTS AND RESULTS WERE NOT VERY GOOD. IN DECEMBER, I TOOK THE CROSSFIT LEVEL 1 CERTIFICATION, AND I DID "FRAN." GOT MY ASS HANDED TO ME. I FIRST THOUGHT 95 POUNDS? THATS IT?! ONCE I WAS DONE I COULDN'T BREATHE. IT WAS SCARY. I NEVER FELT THAT MUCH PAIN EVER. IT WAS A STRUGGLE FOR ME ON DAY 2 OF THE WORKSHOP BECAUSE I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN. THEN WHEN I DID "BASELINE" AT CFLB A WEEK LATER I FELT A SIMILAR TYPE OF PAIN THAT I BEGAN A THIRST FOR.

What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF? (before / after) IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO MY CROSSFIT LEVEL 1 CERTIFICATION, I WAS ON THE "GET BIG OR DIE TRYIN" PLAN WHERE I GAINED 15-20 POUNDS FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER. PEOPLE ALWAYS GAVE ME COMPLIMENTS ON HOW BIG I LOOKED, BUT I WASNT COMFORTABLE. I WOULD SAY, "YEAH, THANKS. I LOOK GREAT WITH A SHIRT ON." I WANTED TO GET AS BIG AS POSSIBLE THEN USE CROSSFIT TO SLIM BACK DOWN. SINCE JOINING CROSSFIT I LOST THE 20 POUNDS AND GOT BACK TO MY ORIGINAL WEIGHT BUT I'M STRONGER AND LEANER THAN EVER. I'M PUSHING THE SAME WIEGHT NOW AS I DID WHEN 20 POUNDS HEAVIER. IM LEANER THAN EVER, AND IM NOT SHY ABOUT THE WAY I LOOK ANYMORE.

What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected? ONE CHANGE I REALIZED WAS THAT BECAUSE OF CROSSFIT I FEEL AS IF I CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. THERE USED TO BE THOSE DAYS WHERE I WAS AFRAID OF A WOD. BUT NOW I LOOK AT IT AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY WHERE I CAN GET BETTER RIGHT HERE AND NOW. I'VE TAKEN THAT APPROACH WITH SCHOOL AND LIFE IN GENERAL -- I TELL MYSELF I CAN DO THIS BECAUSE ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SET MY MIND TO IT AND I WILL SUCCEED. 

THE OTHER CHANGE THAT HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE IS THE WAY MY INDULGENCE TO CROSSFIT HAS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MY LOVED ONES LIVES. I LOST 20 POUNDS IN 2-3 MONTHS AND PEOPLE SAW THAT AND WERE LIKE, "DUDE, WTF?!" I TOLD THEM ABOUT PALEO AND CROSSFIT. LOW AND BEHOLD A FEW MONTHS LATER ALL MY CLIENTS I TRAIN, MY DAD, SISTER, HER FIANCE, AND 2 OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS LOST A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WIEGHT. I'M PROUD TO SAY I HAD A SMALL PART IN THAT.

Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CFLB moments: DUDE, I LOVE EVERYDAY THERE. I DON'T CARE IF THE WOD IS THRUSTERS AND DOUBLE UNDERS I JUST CANT GET ENOUGH OF IT. PIN POINTING A DAY THAT I LOVE MORE THAN THE OTHERS MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IM DISRESPECTING ALL THE OTHER DAYS BECAUSE ITS SAFE TO SAY I'M AN ADDICT HAHAHA

Any advice for people just getting started? JUST JUMP IN! THE FASTER YOU INDULGE THE FASTER YOU SEE RESULTS AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER. DON'T LOOK BACK JUST GO!

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit? I LOVE TO WATCH MOVIES! HUGE MOVIE BUFF! BUT ALSO BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT CROSSFIT AND WORKING IN THE FIELD OF FITNESS I SPEND MOST MY TIME RESEARCHING ABOUT CROSSFIT AND NUTRITION TO BETTER MYSELF. BUT OTHER THAN THAT MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS KEEP ME GROUNDED AND I ENJOY MY TIME WITH ALL OF THEM. IM VERY FORTUNATE.