My CrossFit Story

My CrossFit story officially began in mid-2010 when CrossFit.com became my workout program, but un-officially it began almost a year prior and yet that still isn’t quite the beginning, so we shall step a back a few years earlier. I would consider myself an athlete. I played quite a few sports growing up and eventually settled into football as the one in which I excelled. I had the distinct privilege of playing college football for the United States Air Force Academy. I entered the program as an undersized linebacker at 6’ 3” and 190 pounds, but played my last season at 248 pounds. Needless to say I spent a great deal of time in the weight room—and I loved it.

After college and my football days were done I slimed down to 215 pounds and stayed in shape with a typical mix of bodybuilding exercises and 15-30 minutes of “cardio” work on a treadmill or stationary bike. I still considered myself very athletic and I played in various intramural sports leagues. Fast forward to almost one year after college. I’m married, starting an exciting new career of learning to become an Air Force pilot and then my wife and I are in a devastating motor vehicle accident. My wife ended up with minor cuts and bruises—virtually unscathed. I, on the other hand, had eight surgeries to repair my lower right leg. After a year in a wheel chair and six surgeries which attempted to recover the working function of my ankle, I had a total ankle fusion. From that point on, I had absolutely no range of motion in my right ankle (I still have no range of motion—this will never improve).

So, as inactivity and depression set in, I gained weight. I felt I had lost my identity of athleticism and I began to say “I can’t” over and over again. I would make excuses as to why I didn’t want to do this or that, saying that I probably couldn’t do it. Next thing I knew it was 2009 and I was above my football playing weight of 248. I stepped on a scale and I was 252 pounds, it was shocking for me to be that heavy. I decided it was time to make a change. I wanted to get my life back and be a positive example for my family.

I made a conscious effort to get back into the gym. I had always been a student of strength and conditioning, and I understood what our coaches instilled into us while I was playing football—so I went to what I knew. I looked at how I trained as a 20 year-old college football player and tried to adapt that model for my current program. I still assumed a great deal of “I can’t” and removed any sort of Olympic or explosive lifting out of my initial program without even trying them first. My first steps at getting back into shape were very similar to a body building routine. I had a structured weekly routine, heavy on strength training and adding more and more “cardio” in the form of the elliptical or stationary bike each week.

I was making progress, and I was getting stronger. I had a few friends see the progress I was making and started to join in. They liked the idea of a structured strength program, much like in collegiate athletics. By the summer of 2009 I started to make some major changes in my program. I was not getting the results I wanted; mainly I wasn’t losing much weight. The first thing I did was create goals.

By setting goals I had a target, something to aim for and a reason to train. I was no longer just trying to get in shape; I was aiming for a body weight of 215 pounds. With specific goals, I could then target a specific training program to achieve them. After I created a list of goals I shared them with my training partners. This allowed me to have accountability and helped keep me on track. On days when I wanted to slide, my training partners could mention my goals and help re-focus me.

The next thing I changed with my program was to add explosive total body movement and circuit training. I was still hesitant to try much because of my ankle, but to reach a lofty goal I would have to try. I found that I was able to jump and move laterally. I could make short bursts forward or backward with very little limitations. I was not able to sprint at the top speed I had once enjoyed as a 248 pound guided missile, but I could move relatively quickly over short distances.

My workouts became very much like a rudimentary CrossFit program. Some days were only lifting, while others were a circuit of high repetition, light weight movements mixed in with agility or plyometric drills. I was now starting to see the results I wanted. I was feeling great, and for the first time since my ankle was fused I felt like saying “I can”! More and more explosive movements were added into my routines, and I began pushing the limits of my conditioning. Finally a friend showed me an article about the workout program the actors in the movie “300” went through. Immediately I was hooked, and tried that workout. I loved the fast paced, high intensity style of working out. I was telling my brother about the workouts I was doing and he told me about CrossFit. It didn’t take more than 5 minutes on CrossFit.com before I found my new “routine”.

My training partners and I began to strictly follow CrossFit’s programming in mid-2010. As I found CrossFit I had accomplished my initial goals. I weighed 205 pounds and I had to buy an entirely new wardrobe. Because of CrossFit I was given an entirely new outlook on life. I no longer feel trapped in a cage of self-doubt because of a physical limitation. I look at every challenge as a chance to adapt and overcome. Even though I may never again run a 4.5 second forty yard dash, I can now do muscle-ups and handstand push-ups, squat, deadlift, and Olympic lift. I can sprint on the rower and swing kettle bells until I want to puke, and then I can take my boys to the park and chase them around for hours. CrossFit has given me a new lease on life. It is way more than a fitness routine; CrossFit is lifetime fitness.   

Andy Kerschbaum

Bombers CrossFit

Owner/Coach