Congratulations to our February 2016 Athlete of the Month!
Chris Nguyen
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My hood – Iowa grown, born and raised. My journey – Austin transplant as of last year. My Facebook status – 10 years married to my beautiful wife Anh. My gig – VP, Marketing Director. My motto – Faith, Family, and Friends. My addiction – tropical beaches. My saying – I can always eat.
What brought you to CrossFit?
Since moving to Austin, my life was taken over by the many taco trucks and BBQ spots so I needed balance in my life. I was looking to get in better shape – improve my cardio, build muscle, and tone-up for my Cancun vacations. I’ve done the gym thing and I’ve done the fitness classes, but I was drawn to CrossFit because of the combination of strength and conditioning through the very physical and active workouts. I also needed the expert coaching so that I’m working on all the right major muscles and movements. (I don’t appreciate the calluses though)
How long have you been doing CrossFit?
Celebrating 5 months of waking up every weekday for the 5:00a.m. class
How has CrossFit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?
Although my bigger quads make my pant legs tighter (you won’t see me in skinny jeans), I’ve been in the one of the best shapes of my life. For a good stretch, I was just working, eating, and sleeping so having a daily workout has given me much more energy. I like starting my day early knowing that I’ve accomplished a good sweat before many people even wake up. Staying active is a regular part of my life now even outside the box.
Favorite CrossFit lift/movement?
Stretching and rolling out the knots from the previous day’s workout are my favorite movements. Besides that, back squats have treated me well…helps that I’m shorter and have tree trunk legs. I also semi-enjoy box jumps and wall walks.
Least favorite CrossFit lift/movement?
Overhead squats – I have some mobility restraints in my shoulders that make it feel like I’m going to tip over on my face when I get to the squat position but I’m improving with every rep. Gotta stay on my heels!
Name one goal and/or personal record you would like to accomplish through CrossFit.
My personal goal is to lean out a bit and continue to tone-up. I need to match my workout commitment with my diet commitment.
Do you have any advice for someone who is just starting CrossFit?
Be ready to sweat and do a ton of laundry. Be patient – I’ve had many frustrating moments because I expected more from myself, thought I was more coordinated than I really was, or thought I was stronger than I really was. I encourage anyone starting up to spend time in building solid technique as you’ll benefit in the long run. This might mean lifting a bit lighter so that you don’t break your form. Push yourself but know there are great peeps who will also push you…big shout out to the beastly athletes in the 5:00a.m. class, Coach Vic, and Coach Quincy who motivate and inspire me to do more and do better. Keep grinding…you’ll get addicted to the progress and feel proud in your improvements.
