2024 October Athlete of the Month – Sam Hinson!

 

We have so much appreciation for our community, and love to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work and commitment. Meet San Hinson! Sam jumped into his time at Terminus feet-first and continues to make a positive impact on our community. Not only does he show up with a smile on his face everyday, but Sam is always willing to learn and grow! Let’s dive into his journey at Terminus a little further, and make sure to give him a high five the next time you see him in the gym!

 

Q: How long have you been going to Terminus? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since joining?
This month marks exactly 2 years since I joined Terminus. Physically, I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life. Mentally, I feel so motivated to seek out challenges and give it everything I have. Physical and mental wellbeing work together in harmony, and what I’ve learned is the strongest growth happens when you implement consistency over a long period of time.

 Q: How has your journey at Terminus helped you outside the gym?
Truly, it’s awakened a level of grit and intensity I didn’t know I had, and what I carry with me into the other areas of my life is never giving less than my best effort at anything I do. Whether I’m focused on my career, my family, my friends, or anything inbetween, I make an effort to show up and be the best version of Sam that I can be. Life can be challenging at times, and that’s okay, just shake it out, take a deep breath, and get right back into it.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?
I owe this shoutout to my OG friends who initially recruited me to Terminus: Ro, Diana, & Lacey. Apart from what I’ve learned from them in the gym, they are true friends to me and my life is better with them in it.

Also, even though he moved to Chicago, Carl Knight truly was an inspiration to me in my early Terminus days. Dude’s an absolute rockstar. He showed up, made zero excuses, and got it done every day. I wanna be like Carl when I grow up! (Carl, if you’re reading this, we still miss you and you can come back anytime!)

Q: How would you describe what it’s like to be a part of Terminus?
It’s a community of so many vibrant personalities that all share the common value of embracing the grind. Picture a Venn diagram that goes in hundreds of directions, but is held together at its core by one of the strongest and most authentic values. Everyone is there to support and encourage you to be 1% better than you were yesterday.

Q:  Tell us about your first day of class at Terminus.
I can’t say I remember exactly what the workout was, but what I do remember is a lot of people making me feel welcome, quickly getting humbled by the workout, and waking up REALLY sore the next morning. But against all odds, I showed up the very next day to do it all again. Fast forward 2 years and I’m still loving it.

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?
I’ve been cage diving with a great white shark – and honestly, if you’ve talked to me for even less than 5 minutes, I’ve probably voluntarily told you about it.

One other thing is that I hate ketchup with a passion. It’s a long story but I’ll gladly rant about it anytime.

Q: What are your top 3 memories or proudest moments in CrossFit?
Nailing my first bar muscle-up for sure, finally overcoming the fear of getting upside-down in a handstand, and I’m proud of throwing myself into the RX division of the 2023 Turducken games when I had every reason to talk myself out of it.

 Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term goals in the gym?

My current ongoing goal is to RX the workouts every day that I can. There’s still days that I fall short of that, but I don’t get down on myself about it. Instead I still find a way to challenge myself to keep my journey moving forward. Those small pushes toward excellence will most definitely compound over time.