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Athlete of the Month

April 2019 – Tommy Greene

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We love taking time each month to highlight an invaluable member of the Terminus family!  This one has been with us since the very beginning… in fact, long before Terminus ever existed! Introducing our April Athlete of the Month, Tommy Greene.

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since beginning CrossFit? 

I will hit my 11 years of CrossFit in July of this year. I have trained the entire time with Ben as my main coach. The difference I have noticed in my body over the years has been amazing. I went from barely exercising most of my life to starting CrossFit at age 36 and have never looked back. CrossFit also provides a great stress relief for my extremely busy life. I am able to check out from the daily grind when I make it to the gym.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym? 

When I started CrossFit, I was overweight with no muscle and on the verge of needing to start medicine for cholesterol levels. After almost 11 years, I have never had to take those meds and continue to maintain my health goals outside of the gym.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you? Jennifer Eastman inspires me at the gym. She and David got me to try CrossFit in Decatur when it was still “Sonz” and her drive and desire to work hard and maintain her fitness make me want to continue to come to the gym every week. We have worked out together many times over these 11 years and continue to do so today.  I am also inspired by Ben Benson. His care and dedication to make people better and live longer healthier lives is second to none.

Q: What is something that we may not know about you? 

I am a licensed residential contractor in the state of Georgia and have a passion for renovation of historic homes. Last year we did a 1929 Mediterranean that was inhabited by a hoarder and I am currently working on a French Normandy Farmhouse designed by famed architect, Philip Shutze which had 175 year old oak tree fall through it last April. My wife of 20 years and I work on these projects together and it is great to see the finished product.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time? 

Don’t be afraid. I still seem to hear from people all the time that CrossFit is dangerous and people get hurt. This is so not true. I am almost 47 and have never had a serious injury (except for the one I will mention below) and before CrossFit, I never worked out.

Q: What are your top 3 memories in CrossFit? 

1. 4 months in, I had a box jump mishap, which resulted in 20 stitches to my knee. I have a nice scar to show for it. 2. Completing Karen with a 20 pound Wall ball in under 12 minutes. I missed this mark during one of my early CrossFit Opens and it was nice to do it finally a while back. 3. My recent memory is finally starting to string together kipping pull-ups. I find myself able to get 8-10 pretty regularly lately.

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment? 

The fact that I have done CrossFit for almost 11 years. I really had never exercised before and it has changed my health and my life.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long-term CrossFit goals? 

My long-term goal is to get that handstand pushup that I missed during the open this year. Short term is to maintain the consistency that I have had in 2019. I have spent more time in the gym this year than all of last year and that is the key to my goal of living a long healthy life.

March 2019- Meet Olga Costa

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Our March athlete of the month has been at CrossFit Terminus for almost 4 years!  She is quietly confident and is a consistent member of the 6 & 7am crew.  She comes in to work hard and then get on with her regular work day!  Introducing Olga Costa… thanks for being a great member of the Terminus community! Get to know her a little better here.

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically, mentally) since beginning CrossFit?

I’ve been doing CrossFit for 5 1/2 years. Before that I was a pretty serious runner, so I gained quite a bit of muscle when I traded my running shoes for CrossFit ones. This was a huge mental shift for me too. It took me a while to appreciate my new ‘CrossFit body’, but now I have so much more appreciation for what it can do!

Q: What is your favorite movement? Something you feel like a rockstar when doing. What is your least favorite?

Lately I’ve been loving double unders. It took forever to be consistent with them, so now I feel pretty awesome when I can do them unbroken in a workout. As far as my least favorite movement—I completely dread wall balls. 

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym?

CrossFit has helped boost my self-confidence and is a good reminder that I can do hard things. I am super proud of my achievements inside the gym and that carries over into other aspects of my life.

Q: Favorite workout jams?

Give me all the upbeat pop jams (bonus if I know the words) and I’m pretty happy.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?

All the strong, fit mamas! These ladies are my current fitness goals, but they’re also such an inspiration for when I hopefully become a mom one day.  

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?

I love visiting new places! I think seeing different parts of the world and learning about other cultures is the coolest. I’m always finding ways to collect skymiles so that all my travel dreams can come true. 

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?

I think it’s easy to feel intimidated by how competitive CrossFit can feel when you first start out. My advice for someone new would be to not compare yourself to others. Some of the people in the gym have been doing this for a long time, but everyone was once a beginner. Be proud of what you’re doing in the gym and keep pushing yourself to be better everyday.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long-term CrossFit goals?

My short-term goal is a bar muscle up! Long term I’d like improve my capacity for workouts that require both speed and power. 

Thanks, Olga, for being an inspiration to our community!

February 2019 – Meet Joe Daher

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We have so much love for our community, and want to take the chance to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work – if you haven’t met Joe yet (or even if you have), make sure to give him a hello and smile next time you see him at the gym!

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically, mentally) since beginning CrossFit? 

I’ve been doing CrossFit now for about five years, all that time I have been a part of the Terminus community. I’ve seen a lot of changes physically and mentally in that time. I have definitely lost weight, gained muscle, and just felt healthier overall. Over this past year I have tried to focus on my diet and what foods I am putting in my body. This has led to some really great results and I am excited to continue to push my body to see what else I can do.

Q: What is your favorite movement? Something you feel like a rockstar when doing.  What is your least favorite?

I love almost every Olympic lift but if I had to pick one I would say squat cleans. Pull-ups are probably my kryptonite after about 10 reps…but still working on it.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside of the gym (in your daily life, at work, at home etc.)?

CrossFit helps me outside the gym a lot. I work in a warehouse and I’m on my feet for more than 10 hours a day and before I did CrossFit it would go home with a sore, tired and sluggish. CrossFit has helped my body become more adaptive and withstand the demands that work requires. Overall though, CrossFit just gives me more energy and helps me get my day started.

Q: Favorite workout jams?

I like to switch between any dance/remix playlist on Spotify.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?

My good friend Paulino definitely inspires and pushes me everyday in the gym. Whenever I have a doubt about a workout I’ll always go to him and ask for advice and we push each other with a healthy competitive drive. He likes to send me a text with a picture of the white board when he beats me at a workout and my replies are always the same….

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?

That I am a huge gamer and I’m currently play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?

I would say just give it a try! Go in with some goals and stick with it.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term CrossFit goals?

Short term – To get a bar muscle-up soon (accomplished on January 25th!) Long term – I really want to work on my endurance as a whole.

December 2018 – Meet Ryan Oubre

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Each month, we take the time to put the spotlight on one athlete that has walked through our doors on day one and been hard at work ever since. Next time you see Ryan at the gym, tell him to show you his newest addition to his playbook – muscle ups!

We asked Ryan’s coaches what they thought about him, here’s what we got:

“Ryan is the first to encourage other members, to recognize something positive they have done and to cheer them on in workouts.”

“There was one time during a workout, where Ryan and I were working on pull-ups or T2B (I can’t quite recall) at neighboring bars and man was I struggling. We barely knew each at the time, but he made sure I pushed through. He was right there, cheering me on. That’s family!”

“Ryan came into the gym on day one, willing to put his ego aside to allow him to get better. He pushes himself on every workout. He always encourages his fellow athletes and consistently extends himself to talk to others, especially new people. “

“He is always look for a way to connect, to make someone comfortable or to make them smile. His easy-going nature belies the hardworking intensity he brings in workouts and he’s always sure to help fellow gym members along. He is a supremely positive presence.”

“My first memory of coaching Ryan was on the Assault Bike 50-40-30-20-10 calories-for-time workout. He blew up so hard on the set of 50, he was physically unable to continue. Instead of being down or embarrassed about it, he came back the next day and told me, ‘he would conquer the Assault Bike on day!’ I was blown away by his positive attitude and can appreciate his intensity! He’s very competitive, but doesn’t let an ego stand in his way of taking a step back if needed in order to make long-term progress.”

Looking for a personal hype man? We suggest this guy. Need a little more insight before you decide? We get it. Here’s more about our boy, Ryan:

Q: What changes have you seen in yourself (physically, mentally) since beginning CrossFit that you never had before?

Physically I feel close to the best shape I’ve ever been in! A friend of mine who has been doing CrossFit for a couple of years always had told me to start and that I would love it and that he was in the best shape of his life. I travel a good bit for work and always used that as an excuse but after moving back to Atlanta earlier this year I decided to give it a shot. After a few months I’m happy where I am physically. Mentally: it’s an incredible stress reliever and just an awesome way to decompress from that day.
Q: What is your “super power” movement? Something you feel like a rockstar when doing.
I’ve grown up around a barbell so anything that involves one I feel pretty good with: squats, power cleans, bench press. Body weight movements are normally pretty good for me also. Keep me as far away from the rower or assault bike as possible please.
Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside of the gym (in your daily life, at work, at home etc.)?
Not to get philosophical, but CrossFit is very meta in my opinion. It’s a constant reminder that everyday is you vs. you yesterday. I do enjoy the competitive nature of someone being a few steps ahead of me on a run or a few meters ahead of me on a row to push me along, but most of the time I forget the who and remember my result week over week. I remember that a kipping pull up was tough in last weeks workout but a few weeks later it’s how can I string multiple together. The week after that I’m trying for my first muscle up and the cycle continues. When you can apply that to your professional and personal life it makes the impossible seem possible as long as your willing to work for it. It’s a great daily reminder that if you put in the work – you’ll see results.
Q: Favorite workout jams?
I created a few playlist on Spotify for the gym and have been slowly getting plays during WODs. Rap preferably: Kendrick, Rick Ross, TI, Jeezy, Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Future, 2 Chainz – anything along those lines.
Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?
I’m a big fan of Jess. First of all, the guy is just an animal in the gym. I was a few months in, thinking I had the hang of this and we partnered together on a Saturday morning WOD. The short version of that workout: Jess did a lot of heavy lifting, and I did a lot of heavy breathing. He seriously may have completed a whole round for us by himself. Outside of the gym he’s been an awesome guy to get to know over the past few months and he’s about to be a published author, that’s for sure a bucket list item for me – how much cooler can you be? We have a running joke that he has to give me Jess’ daily words of advice every time I see him – hasn’t led me wrong yet.
Q: What is something that we may not know about you?
Outside of the gym I’m really active in recreational sports – I play in a lot of flag football, soccer, and kickball leagues. In college I got really into intramural sports and won 2 national championships playing flag football. I’m still in communication with a lot of the guys and we play pretty regularly in the Atlanta area.
Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?
1 – Prepare to be humbled early and often. Progress doesn’t happen overnight and as much as you want to do beat a PR or consistently work a new movement, without failing at those things – it wouldn’t make the wins what they are.
2 – Come on the days you don’t want to. On the days I don’t want to workout it’s normally because it involves something I’m not as comfortable with. You’ll never get better without being uncomfortable.
Q: Moving forward, what is your short term and long term CrossFit goal?
Short Term: 100 unbroken double unders
Long Term: I really have to get this whole engine thing down. Anything over 10-15+ minutes and it gets weird for me.
You’re the man, Ryan. Thank you for going the extra mile to make our community welcoming and encouraging. We appreciate all of the hard work and good feels you bring to the gym. Keep it…and road to 100 dubs, here we come!

November 2018 – Meet Eszti Horvath

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We love taking the time each month to highlight members of the gym family. This month, our athlete is nothing short of hilarious. If you have never crossed paths with Eszti, drop in for a 6 a.m. and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Oh, and did we mention it’s her BIRTHDAY MONTH?!

A little outsider perspective is always important. So, we asked our coaches what their favorite thing about Eszti was. Here’s what they said:

“I like that she has a sense of humor even at 6 a.m.”

“I genuinely enjoy her acerbic wit. She is brutally honest and quick to cast shade, but it is never from a place of menace. She brightens the room with her humor and it’s noticeable when she is absent. But most of all, I like how she knows herself in a workout and has never walked out sour or down on herself.”

“Her willingness to continue to learn and her wonderful sense of humor.”

“Eszti talks a big game before, during and after all of her workouts. Most of the time it’s for humors sake – something to get through the painful exercise. In that same breath, it’s generally self-affirming and positive, which is the kind of outlook we could all stand to gain from.”

 

Told you she’s pretty neat. Now, onto some more questions to help you get to know her a little better:

 

Q: What changes have you seen in yourself (physically, mentally) since beginning CrossFit that you never had before?

One thing that’s kind of cool is this muscle that I can see on top of my shin that protrudes when I row – haha. Also, my butt looks great! Mentally, I love doing CrossFit because it puts me in a great headspace before work.

Q: What is your “super power” movement? Something you feel like a rockstar when doing.

Guys…I’m not great at this, so please don’t watch me at the gym, BUT I really like doing pull-ups. Kipping is a weird CrossFit thing to outsiders, but it makes me feel like a Games athlete.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside of the gym (in your daily life, at work, at home etc.)?

I work in software sales, which is really stressful. The gym helps by providing a positive space to decompress, hang out with my friends, and #getfit.

Q: Favorite workout jams?

The album “ABBA Gold” by Eurovision Song Contest’s winning band, ABBA.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?

My friend Joe (@furjoe), because he’s had a big transformation on his bod (check out his Insta – the man posts constantly).

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?

I feel like my 6 a.m. friends know more about me than anyone else, BUT you might be surprised to find out that I used to live in Hungary, and I compete in Dressage on a national level.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?

I mean, honestly – just do it. It can be scary and uncomfortable, but you always feel great after class. You make really fun, cool friends and you end up forging (elite fitness) friendships for life.

Q: Moving forward, what is your short term and long term CrossFit goal?

Short term: Handstand stuff (walking, push ups, just standing).

Long term: Muscle ups!

 

Thanks, Eszti, for being such a bright light inside the gym – at such an early hour, might we add. You’re drive, wit and determination is contagious. May you have the best birthday month ever and continue achieve everything you hope for in year 25. Muscle ups, here we come!