Name: Jay Franks
Age: 56
Occupation: Business Owner / Engineer
Which class time do you usually attend? 9:30 MWF
Favorite WOD: Murph (1/2 Murph for me!)
Favorite Lift: Favorite? Is this a trick question?
Deadlift Max: 235
Back squat Max: 165
Favorite Food: Anything with peanut butter
Favorite Movie: Don’t really have a favorite movie but War Room looks pretty good!
Favorite Athlete: Sid Bream
Dream Job: Grand Dad
Dream Vacation Destination: Rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
“1 year.”
What keeps you coming back/motivated?
“The people.”
How did you find CrossFit?
“I tried the “standard gym” but could not get motivated to stay at it. It was very boring, so I tried CrossFit and I love it!”
What is your athletic background (If applicable)?
“I played ice hockey through high school and college (club sport) but that was 35 years ago.”
How has CrossFit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?
“It has shown me what can be and given me the motivation to keep working toward improving. Because I am in much better condition than I was I think more about taking care of myself and being proactive in that regard. I feel so much better than I did! I don’t want to go back to where I was and I’m willing to put in the time to achieve this.”
What is the one thing you have done here that you never thought you could do? (muscle up, double unders, heavy deadlift, run a mile, etc.)
“Heavy deadlift! I used to have chronic back problems, mostly because I had no core strength. All that is gone now.”
Who or what motivates/inspires you?
“Seeing personal progress. I still have a long way to go but I have come so far already. I appreciate the coaches and how they are patient with everyone but they will push you to do better than you think you can. So much of the improvement is between your ears, accepting what you are actually capable of, which is probably more than you think.”
What is your proudest CrossFit achievement?
“Hugo Open. Four people who mostly did not know each other came together and worked as a team and were successful. None of us individually were the strongest/fastest/best at any of the events but as a team we were.”
Name one goal/personal achievement you would like to achieve through CrossFit? “Moving from Essentials into Fitness! Better quality of life. I have a lot I want to do with my grandkids.”
Hobbies/Interests outside of CrossFit?
“Woodworking, home projects, my kids and grandkid(s).”
Any advice for new members?
“Don’t be intimidated. Everyone at the gym wants you to succeed. Have fun!”
Any additional thoughts/comments:
“Are you sure you don’t have me confused with someone else?
One aspect that I particularly enjoy is that most of the people I work out with are much younger than me. I enjoy their energy and just listening to what is going on in their lives. There are also several of us older guys and that provides a lot of camaraderie because we are more or less in the same situation. I think the gym has a great mix of personalities. It’s a lot of fun…and hard work.”
Coach Brandon’s Take:
“When Jay first started with us, he struggled with basic things like balance and coordination. He kept coming back and week after week we saw him continue to improve. A year later, Jay is doing things and lifting weights he never imagined just 12 months ago. I like to use Jay as an example for potential members that ask how many times a week they should train. I use Jay as the example if you come consistently three days a week you will see results. That’s the way it’s been for Jay the last year. I can count on one hand the number of days he’s missed. He’s always at the gym and ready to give his best effort.”