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Julius is a bit of a unique athlete at Croga because he has a different background than our average client. He was an elite athlete that played sports at a high level through college and into the professional ranks and although many of us like to think of ourselves as “former athletes”, this is definitely a different level.
The beauty of Julius’ experience in athletics is that he had two things on day one that we sometimes have to work with athletes for years to develop. 1) He could “turn it on” or “flip the switch” and push his effort when he didn’t really want to and 2) He had the ability to focus on a goal and shut out temptation and that little voice that tells you to “just sleep in and skip class because it’s cold outside and it’s really not that important”.
These attributes that he developed during his playing years paired with a fun and competitive, yet friendly, nature make having Julius at the gym almost daily a real joy. This made the decision to make him our member of the month for February 2021 an easy one.
You have been a ton of fun to coach and watch succeed, Julius. Keep it up, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for you and your wonderful family.
When did you join Croga?
I joined Croga in July 2019.
What were you doing before for fitness?
Prior to joining Croga, my fitness consisted of pick-up basketball twice a week and the occasional attempt to pump some iron at work.
What was your first workout? First reaction to your first workout?
First workout was a 6 minute AMRAP consisting of 10 Air Squats, 10 Pushups, 20 Mountain Climbers and Run 100m. I’m pretty sure I was looking for an AED or asked if anyone was CPR certified. Needless to say, I was gassed…to make matters worse, it wasn’t even RX’d.
What improvements have you seen in the way you look, feel and perform?
I felt pretty good about the progress that I was making but wasn’t completely satisfied because my diet was just atrocious. It wasn’t until I enrolled in WAG and made an honest effort to get to the gym as often as possible that I noticed the results that I had set out to achieve. While my progress has been great, I think I still have a lot of room to improve.
What days and times do you come to Cróga?
Typically I attend 6a classes during the week and try to get to one class on the weekend.
What’s your favorite WOD?
Favorite WOD is anything that doesn’t involve thrusters or overhead squats!
What’s your least favorite WOD?
See answer above! LOL
“The Julius” WOD! What would it be?
1600m run (Buy In)
100 Double Unders
75 Russian KB Swings
50 Pushups
25 Air Squats
10 Burpees
(I’d need to consult with coaches as this might take way too long! But I’ve only selected exercises that I think might be advantageous when competing against a former collegiate swimmer that kicks my ass every morning.)
What’s your favorite post-workout routine?
Favorite post-workout routine is complaining about how tired I am while also stating how happy I am to have attended class.
What’s been your favorite culinary discovery since joining Cróga?
Hearing Dave’s preference for pizza toppings.
What’s your biggest fitness goal for this year?
To continue to improve no matter how incremental said improvement might be.
What do you love about this type of fitness?
I love that I’m able to get consistent workouts completed in a reasonable amount of time. For as much crap as I give Cody, his programming is well rounded and challenging no matter your fitness level.
What words of advice do you have for new members or people considering joining Croga?
To anyone looking to join or just getting started, you won’t regret it. It’s been a blast to be challenged by the different programs, measure my improvement and most importantly, be part of a community that is diverse, friendly and inspiring!
