June 2015 CrossFitter of the Month - David Pedrosa

   June 2015 CrossFitter of the Month:
                  David Pedrosa


How long have you been training here at CrossFit Elgin, and what brought you here?
I started CrossFit Elgin February of this year.  A group of us friends were talking about how we used to be all fit, but now we were getting lazy. I knew I needed a change.  I had a traditional big-box gym membership or as I like to refer to it as a monthly donation to a big box gym, but I wasn’t going.  The more and more we researched CrossFit, the more it seemed to fit with what I was looking for. I needed structure & commitment. I found CrossFit gives me this.

Since starting at CrossFit Elgin, what has your lifestyle been like? Have you changed anything?
Since starting at CrossFit Elgin I have been more conscious of my nutrition and a complete awareness of how great my body feels after working out. As I think about the last few months and changes I have made, I can’t imagine going a week without CrossFit. The sense of accomplishment you get at the end of each WOD is hard to articulate using words – it is a feeling and emotion that is certainly unique in nature.  You feel accomplished, you learned to overcome your fears and self-talk of ‘I can’t” and you celebrate each milestone. To sum it up, my changes not only have been nutrition and commitment, but also psychological. I learned to pull through, trust my coaches and rely on the energy of everyone in the WOD. The journey has certainly been eye-opening, mind-blowing, rewarding and progressive.

What is your favorite movement / skill you have learned at CrossFit Elgin?
 My two favorite movements are deadlifts & box jumps.


What has been the most challenging part of your journey?
The most challenging part for me was getting into a routine of tracking my progress. I wish I had tracked my progress right from the start. The most challenging move has been the Handstand Pushup (my next goal is to master them).

What has been the most fun?
The coaches are amazing, caring and they genuinely get excited for everyone’s progress. The camaraderie at CrossFit Elgin is second to none. There is such a strong bond & of course friendly competition. 

As an added bonus, my daily goal is to beat Jed Doan’s times/reps/rounds.

How many days a week do you typically train at the gym?
I have been doing 3 times a week, but now I am going to increase to 4 or 5 days.

What is your approach toward nutrition?
 I have recently discovered Paleo and Whole30 and I don’t think I can go back to my old eating habits. Paleo compliments CrossFIt nicely as you are getting the necessary energy to pull through a WOD.

 Favourite activity outside of CrossFit Elgin:
 My life outside of CrossFit involves a diverse group of friends who are really supportive of me.  I also enjoy reading for knowledge which has somewhat landed me the go to person with strange questions.

 

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