Michael Aaron

CrossFit Midtown is very excited to announce our October 2022 Member of the Month, Jon Grim! He has been a member since June 2021 and has hit huge PRs, made incredible friends, and is an avid open-gym goer! Read on to learn more about Jon and his CrossFit journey. Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the CFM community!

Name: Jonathan Grim
Nickname: Jon
Age: 34
Hometown: Canton, Ga

How did you get exposed to CrossFit?
I remember seeing clips of the CrossFit Games when I was in college (2012ish). The events looked nuts, and the athletes looked super human to me (let’s be honest, they both still do). I didn’t know where you went to get that kind of training, and in any event I was pretty happy with my focus on powerlifting at the time, so I didn’t investigate it much.

What brought you to CrossFit Midtown?
I’d hit a fitness and mental slump. I needed to shake up things and find some new challenges. When I thought about what kind of shape I wanted to be in, CrossFit seemed like it might be a good choice. I searched for local CrossFit gyms and chose CFM because it looked like an established gym with a good reputation.

What was your very first day at CrossFit Midtown like?
I was super nervous and didn’t really know what to expect. Coming in, I thought I was in decent shape, but that foundations test left me light-headed and gassed. Still, I was hooked from day one. The challenge and atmosphere was too exciting.

What kind of changes have you you experienced since starting CrossFit that were completely unexpected (ie. new friends, “family”, the community, more self confidence, etc)?

I’m a remote worker, so the gym is my chance to interact with others outside of a computer screen most days. That real life connection and the class experience has become really important to me, and has drastically helped improve my mental well being. We have great people at our gym, and I’m really thankful for everyone.

I’ve also got a renewed sense of confidence. Seeing that I’m capable of taking on hard physical challenges and getting life changing results has inspired me to try the same in other areas of my life. For instance, I’ve always had an interest in entrepreneurship and now I’m finally taking steps to make that a reality.

Tell us some of your recent accomplishments. What goals do you have for 2022!?
One of the things I’m most proud of is the progress I’m making with the Olympic lifts. I started going to the barbell class over the summer to get extra help, and David has been a great coach. My form on both the clean and snatch feels so much better, and I have tons more confidence walking up to the bar.

For the rest of 2022, I want to work on getting ready for the next open. My goal is to do the RX versions this time, and one area I know I consistently struggle with is my endurance, so I’m planning on working on that. Me and the rower are about to become good friends.

What does your frequently used emoji tab look like? (screen shot and send it!)

What is your favorite workout and if you could make up your own workout what would it be?

I’m a fan of EMOM and Tabata workouts. I like that regular cadence and the challenge of if you can match what you did last round, and I think the format is great when you need to create a workout while out travelling or just want to work on some skills. I’m also weirdly into wall walks and being upside down.

EMOM 5 Rounds
Minute 1: Wall Walks
Minute 2: Weighted lunges
Minute 3: Pull-ups
Minute 4: Row

What is your favorite dessert or “treat yourself” meal

Hot wings. J.R. Crickets 20 piece, hot, with extra blue cheese and fries. Tropicalia to drink.

Favorite CrossFit Midtown moment (doesn’t have to be during a class, just any favorite moment at CFM)?
I loved our scaled competition: CFM Rise Up. I partnered with Jason and got to know him that day (he’s awesome and an inspiration!). I started super nervous, hit some PRs in the second workout, and then completely fell apart at the end of the last workout and Jason saved my ass. The atmosphere all day was great, and it was so much fun watching everyone. 10/10.

Hobbies, Talents and or Interests? What does a day in the life of you look like outside of being a Crossfitter?

Travelling, eating, watching sports (mostly soccer), making software. I miss playing sports and want to play them more – if you play a sport and want an extra hit me up!

Advice for new CrossFitters

Keep coming back – just showing up is an achievement. Don’t worry about the score – you’re here to compete with yourself and that’s what matters. Good diet and good sleep are game changers.