January 2021 Athlete of the Month - Chris Stewart

If I’m being honest, a year ago I would not have had Chris on my list of potential Athlete of the Month candidates. That's not a negative comment. It’s just that Chris wasn’t super consistent with coming in to the gym and he was enjoying the social nightlife way more than bettering his health. Chris has had quite the uphill battle with an injury that I have seen before in Coach Amanda. Chris ruptured his Achilles tendon in early summer. As Coach Kyle said, “Chris could have made every excuse not to get his butt in the gym and just stay on the couch.” I’ve seen a maturity and plenty of strength gained (pun intended) through the last 7 months of adversity. Chris has been one of the most consistent members. He is on top of what he needs to do to return to every movement we program. This is a guy who comes in knowing full well what the program is asking of him and already has thought about the modifications he will be doing due to his injury. Thankfully, there are now less and less modifications needed as Chris is adding more movements back into his program. His power cleans and power snatches look crisp and it’s hard to tell he is even dealing with an injury. As Chris says in the Q&A, nutrition is not his strong suit but he has made positive improvements to his diet choices and I’ve heard him say “No drinking Monday through Thursday.” That’s pretty big being that he is 33 years old and lives in the West End. I’ve known Chris since I coaches his elements and I’ve hung out with him outside the gym. He’s a stand up guy and great member. Chris, please keep it up with the consistent training. You have made great improvements.

Written by: Coach Rob Moloney

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Q&A
Why did you start using the crossfit style training?
 I have no real reason for starting CrossFit too be honest. I did have friends and family who had joined so I figured I'd give it a shot and here we are almost 3 years and a lot of laughs later.

What’s your background? (Athletic)
My entire life no matter what age I've been playing sports to some extent. I was BIG into skiing, hockey and baseball when I was younger than it grew into skiing, football, hockey and baseball. One day soon I hope to get back on the field/rink once my rehab is complete.

How long have you been a member and how long have you been cross training?
I've been a member of IP Fitness and have been doing CrossFit for about 3 years.

What is your favorite thing about the gym?
My favorite thing about the gym is the coaching/programming and the flexibility especially if you’re not confident in your ability to scale a workout.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome since joining the gym?
My biggest challenge would have to be what is going on for me right now. I tore my Achilles (it’s not as bad as it sounds) back in September of last year, had surgery, and have been doing everything in my power to get myself back to 100%. I really want to thank all of the coaches for dealing with me in class when I can’t do 90% of the workouts.

What is your favorite moment at the gym so far?
I don’t think I can pinpoint one favorite moment at the gym so far because there have been so many. My favorite moment in recent memory was finally being able to walk back into the gym even if it was with a mask to feel some sort of normalcy since this nonsense began last March.

What's your favorite "cheat" food?
This is a terrible question for me because I don’t have a "cheat" food. As most people who know me in the gym know my diet is horrendous. My favorite "cheat" food would be late night taco bell.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about starting?
Don't be scared, there's people of all abilities and skill levels. Like I said previously, the coaches of IP Fitness are like no other you'll find in another gym. So, when you do decide to join, come to IP Fitness.

What drives you?
The idea of failing. Failing to anyone should be something that immediately puts drive in you.
 

What is your biggest fitness goal right now?
Being able to run or even jog again even though I HATED to run before getting injured.