Michael Kollin

50 And Still Going Strong

Michael Kollin knew his CFLB membership was paying off when ran down the block with his kid on his shoulders, without breaking a sweat. "He weighs about the same as those sandbags we run around with," jokes Michael. "So I guess CrossFit really is functional."

Michael's amazing transformation and progress since his On-Ramp days is definitely no joke. He signed up at age 48, with 242 lbs on his frame and a barely-used membership to a local athletic club. "My exercise pretty much consisted of sitting in their Jacuzzi," Michael admits.

A former competitive soccer and football player, Michael knew he wanted to get back to being fit. So he set a personal goal for himself: to be in great shape by the time he reached his 50^th birthday. Mission accomplished.

While looking for a personal trainer to whip him back into shape, Michael came across the CFLB website. He tried the free Saturday class, and was instantly hooked. By the end of his 4-week On-Ramp course, he had already lost nearly 20 lbs. Six months later, he was doing double-unders, rope climbs and kipping pull-ups with no problem.

"CrossFit Long Beach offers a great price point," Michael says. "Instead of paying $100 an hour on a personal trainer, I'm seeing great results and spending a lot less."

His results have a lot to do with his work ethic and determination. Michael puts 110% effort into every workout, and participates in just about every CFLB event we offer. Just a few months into his membership, he joined our Fight Gone Bad V Fundraiser and brought in over $1,000 - the highest amount. He did our Olympic Weightlifting Clinic and has been working overtime on improving his mobility.

Most recently, Michael joined 28 CFLB members who completed our 8-week Summer Leaning Challenge. A strong contender for the first-place prize, Michael lost 13 lbs and 3 inches in those 8 weeks. "I'm close to the same weight I was as a sophomore in high school."

While dropping pant sizes, he's seen some dramatic improvements in his energy, stamina and overall wellbeing. He plans on keeping up his healthy eating habits, with the support of his close-knit CFLB community. Which is excellent news for this wife Tracy (a fellow CrossFitter) and his four young children.

"When I started down this path, I was doing it for personal reasons," Michael explains. "But now I understand that getting into shape wasn't just for me. It's also for my family. I want to keep up with my kids."

At the rate Michael's going, we suspect they'll have to keep up with him.

"Michael is awesome. He really took CrossFit seriously from the start, put the time and effort in, and has seen amazing results because of it," says Coach Chad. "He is in better shape now than most people half his age."