CrossFit Midtown is very excited to announce our June 2017 Member of the Month, Damon Lopez! Even though he is new to CFM, Damon has quickly become one of most involved members here at CFM. Read on to learn more about Damon and his CrossFit journey. Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the CFM community!
Name: Damon Lopez
Nickname: N/A
Age: 28
Hometown: Warner Robins, GA
How did you get exposed to CrossFit? I am one of those guys who watches people workout on TV and thinks “I can do that.” A friend of mine who had already been doing CrossFit for a few months wouldn’t shut up about how amazing it was so we sat and watched a couple hours’ worth of old CrossFit Games montages. He started telling me all his stats and I thought, “I can beat that.” I was wrong for the most part, but the long distance competition gave me a reason to keep showing up and keep getting better.
What brought you to CrossFit Midtown? I had been doing CrossFit for almost two years in Savannah when I decided I was going to move to Atlanta to take a different job. I asked the coaches there about where to go in Atlanta and we looked at the programming some of the gyms were offering. CFM seemed like a solid fit and once I put about a week in it just felt like an extension of home.
What was your very first day at CrossFit Midtown like? Humbling. I had not been working out very much at all in preparation for the move to Atlanta, and as a result, my cardio definitely suffered. My first few weeks at CFM were tough (they are still tough but hey….if it was easy everyone would do it), but that first day back with a proper workout really put me on the ground.
What changes have you seen in your overall health and fitness level since starting CrossFit? I am certainly stronger than I have ever been. Endurance is on the way back up, and probably the biggest change is paying more attention to what I eat. CrossFit obviously puts most of the emphasis on the workouts themselves and statistics, but there is always and underlying current of eating healthy to support performance. Much more flexible now than ever too which is embarrassing considering I am still probably the least flexible person at the gym (#progressnotperfection)
What kind of changes have you you experienced since starting CrossFit that were completely unexpected? I did not expect to enjoy the community events (BBQ, anniversary, the open, going to the movies etc) as much as I do. Especially moving to a new city and not really knowing anyone it is nice to come into a great group of people and feel welcomed.
Favorite WOD: Definitely the “Marvel Galaxy” WOD. Super creative. Nothing says functional fitness like pretending to be a super-hero for a whole workout.
Least favorite WOD: Can’t say I have a least favorite WOD. I even enjoy the ones that totally gas me just because I know I got something out of it. That being said some of the more skill-based movements (Muscle ups, Toes 2 bar in particular) are frustrating somedays.
Favorite CrossFit Midtown moment: Probably getting to join a team to go try the Ultimate Spartan Team Challenge course. It was awesome to go through the crazy obstacles.
Hobbies, Talents and or Interests Outside of CrossFit: I am big into gaming, movies, and comics. I am also in the baby steps stages of developing Virtual Reality headset apps
Advice for new CrossFitters: No one will be impressed if you injure yourself with bad form to get 1 or 2 more reps. Definitely better to scale and finish properly week after week than to over-do it and be out for a month. Do not be afraid to ask the coaches questions. Take care of yourself. No ripped hands are not cool; Rhabdo is not a badge of honor. Do not drop an empty barbell!
