The Many Certified of CrossFit Sioux Falls
Nothing is more of a compliment to an affiliate owner they to have one of his members/students go and get CrossFit Level 1 certified on their own. It shows a commitment second to none about their fitness and helping others.
CrossFit Level 1 certification is the mother of all certifications in the fitness industry. I have been in the fitness industry going on 9 years and I have seen a ton of different philosophies and ways to approach fitness. I have other nationally recognized certifications and none of them holds a candle to the CrossFit Level 1 cert.
I salute Mary, Nate, Casey, Michelle, Chris P, Amy P, and in two weeks Mike B. You have made such a great impact on our community.
A BIG thank you to Rob Sietsema for the picture above.
cfsiouxfalls.com 
January 4, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Ever since I was a young athlete I have always had the drive to have no weaknesses and reach my full potential as athlete.
I heard about CF in July 2007. My brother told me about this website that I might be interested in. I checked it out and didn’t really understand how it all worked. My initial reaction was it reminded me of our High School off-season training program.
So my brother and I went to 24hr Fitness (globo gym) and tried a 7 Rounds of: 7 Front Squats, 7 Burpees, 7 Knees to Elbows and something else…we didn’t know what the heck we were doing and everyone was looking at us like we were crazy. We barely finished and my forearms felt like they were going to explode!
So what do you think I did…
I ran home and proceeded to watch video, after video, after video…and was hooked!
2 Months later Annie and I got married and we moved to Santa Monica and I joined CFLA and the rest is history. Got certified in San Diego of June 08 started training my independent clients CrossFit style, moved to Sioux Falls (Oct 08) started this box and damn it is truly living the dream:-)
I firmly believe now you can actually go further than your athletic potential. You can do better than you are designed to…I mean when men and women can do 50+ Pullups and Overhead Squat their bodyweight 15x you are doing more than you EVER thought you could…It is crazzzy.
My goals with CFSF is to give everyone a chance to reach “elite fitness” because anyone can, and know that this is not for everyone, but it is for the ones who are champions and want to take their life and fitness to an ALL TIME HIGH! It requires minimal skill and ALL OUT EFFORT (unlike a lot of sports). And the result you get is zero physical limitations, and life is a lot more fun and you get to experience it the best way possible.
That is my story and I am stickin to it!
BOOM!
Chris Mello
January 4, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Why did I get my Cert?
Over the past few years I have not been happy in my career or my life, I felt like I didn’t have a purpose and for those of you who know this feeling it’s not a good one. I go to work in a cubicle with grey walls, grey floors, no windows, it’s not the most enlightening experience that I’ve ever had. And to be honest…..it’s just not me…I don’t’ like sitting I like being able to help and talk to people. Last year I was sitting in my Vice President’s office and he asked me what my passion was….the first thing that popped out of my mouth was “Not This!”thank goodness he wasn’t upset. I then proceeded to tell him that I’ve always wanted to be around people and help them succeed and help them be happy in their life….. because I wasn’t. In May Amber Frerichs text me and said she thought she found something that I would love, Cross Fit. I gave it a try and my first WOD was 10 rounds 10 squats 20 burpees! I couldn’t walk the whole week and I loved that feeling, I was hooked! . From that first step into the gym I found people that were positive and great to be around and without even knowing it my life became better, happier and more positive…Because of all of you! Cross Fit has become the platform for a better life for myself. Normally people try to kick you when you are down and the people at Cross Fit Sioux Falls help you up and cheer you on to the next step. Only after being at Cross Fit a month I knew that this is what I wanted in my life. Here is my chance to actually do what I’m passionate about…help people succeed and believe in themselves. When I attended my Cert in Arizona in December I felt the same camaraderie with all the people there. There were people from Australia, London, Canada among others, all there for the same purpose. The trainers that were there were amazing. I got to meet the 2007 Female winner of the Cross Fit Games Jolie Gentry and the ever famous Josh Everett. (if there are some of you who don’t know who he is look him up you will be amazed) All six trainers were excellent and willing to help. It was great to watch them do WOD’s over their lunch….these are the best of the best and I was in awe of the amount of weight and speed they were capable of. I was sad to be leaving after day 2. I had an amazing time and would do it over and over again! It was well worth it! I’ve never been so proud to be a part of something as I am Cross Fit!
My future?
As some of you know I am currently shadowing classes. I hope that someday I will be given the opportunity to help you succeed with your goals. I want to take everything that I’ve learned from Chris, Annie and the rest of the staff and be able to train and perform at their level and provide you the knowledge and expertise you all deserve! Cross Fit allows you to push yourself to the limit. You can accomplish things that you never thought you could! It gives you the strength not only physically but mentally in your personal and professional life! It’s a great feeling to have so many people around you accomplishing goals that they thought were out of their reach and to be a part of that is a dream of mine.
Another goal I have set for 2011 is to participate in the Cross Fit sectionals in hopes to qualify for the games. When this is accomplished I will continue my education and try for my level 2 Cert in hopes that in my future will be HQ trainer…(that might be hard to attain but I know it’s not impossible!)
My promise to Cross Fit Sioux Falls and it’s members…..to always pick you up when you fall down, encourage you to be the best you can be, be proud of all that you have accomplished in the future and thus far and to achieve your fitness goals that you never thought you could attain! You are stronger than you give yourself credit! Be proud of how far you’ve come!
Chris and Annie…you are greatly appreciated! You have changed my life in more ways than one! Thank You!
January 4, 2010 at 9:07 pm
CrossFit. Holy wowie, where do I even begin!
I started doing CrossFit at the end of May 2009. I heard about it and knew I had to do it – I hadn’t worked out in years…like over 10 years! It sounded as if it was “the THING” I needed and have wanted for so long. I called Chris, and I believe I met with him the next day — we just went into it right away. We didn’t have a sit down meeting first, we just started it out with a WOWIE BANG! We did my baseline. Ummm, yeah. Did I say wowie yet? I signed up immediately, drove home, and literally was SO thankful that I didn’t have anything else going on right afterwards (cause I would haven’t have been able to do it!) — I walked into my house, saw the sofa, and PLOP! I starred at the ceiling for at least 30 minutes – maybe an hour — maybe longer. All I know is I just starred. After I was done just staring, I thought…ohhhhh yeah baby. I’m addicted!
Unfortunately at this same time, the company I worked for was just closing their doors and I was without a job. After 9 years of being in an awesome business of doing what I thought I’d be doing until I retired — loved the people I worked with, loved educating people on our products, loved working with customers all over the US — I was at a major turning point in my life. The industry I thought I’d retire in, made me second guess where I was going with my life. This job had given me so much in so many ways, but it also gave me a lot of stress that was not the best for me or my family. I worked easy 70 hr weeks, I was the girl to fix everything, make miracles happen, communicated my tail off, worked all (literally all hours of the day) and well….I was thankful to have built up a successful business, but then, poof! It was gone! And it wasn’t because of anything that I personally did. My business, my customers/my friends..pooof! Thankfully I still am in touch with many of them because they became friends, but the business side…gone. I decided to not jump right back into it and take time to really process what was important in my life – was I giving how I needed to give to my children and my husband – was I being the giving friend I always want to be – did I feel like I was making a difference in peoples lives – a lasting difference? I really needed to dig deep. (You see, I’m a little weird — (surprising, eh!), but I KNOW CrossFit came into my life for a reason and isn’t it interesting that it came into my life at that specific time?!)
So, I continued doing CrossFit — addicted, on a constant high, always taking about CrossFit to everyone, etc……yup….it was/is in my BLOOD! My husband and I were in Fargo, ND for their state fair. We were there working for our side business. We came back to our hotel from a long, but very fun day of work and of course CrossFit came into our conversation during my hubby and my quick trip to the hot tub. I told him, I gotta get certified. We went back up to our room and I booked my ticket to CrossFit Level 1 in Las Vegas and was I ever doing a happy dance! It rocked. He knew, trusted and saw in me that I truly believed and I had to do this. Mind you — this is at the end of JULY — so I had been doing CFit for only a couple months AND I was without a job – besides our side gig, cause I was “searching” — so money wasn’t just readily flowing in. We had to make sacrifices because we believed. And thank God we did!
It was October and it was Level 1 Cert time in Las Vegas! As I landed in Vegas I was so anxious for the cert to begin. I was so curious about the people I was going to meet, the energy that was going to be there, how were they going to actually certify us and make us the best coaches we could be, etc. That weekend of getting certified is a weekend I will never forget – no joke – cheesy, but true. The people — wow, the people. ALL top notch/quality people (coaches and students). People that make you want to be a better you. People that made you mentally and physically talk and question yourself on all levels. I went into my training so excited – knowing CrossFit was going to be a part of my life in a big way – I left my training on a high that I can’t even explain…these were people that wanted to change the world and guess what, I want to do the same thing…
I was asked when I first posted and told people that I was going to get certified, “What are you going to do with your cert, Michelle?” My comment then was “anything and everything I can.” My comment today would be the same thing. I am going to use that cert in any and every way that I can to help improve/change peoples lives for the better and I flippin love it. So, I go back to my time when I was laid off because our company shut down — I go back and give thanks I decided to really dig deep…cause this is it. You know when you know — and I know!
Ready to rock? Bring it on! CrossFit Kids! I am overjoyed that I, with Annie, will be coaching CrossFit Kids here in Sioux Falls. I am so ready to coach, teach, have fun, and make a huge movement here in Sioux Falls. The vision I have in my head is awesome and I can’t wait to watch it all happen. Let’s show these kids who CrossFit is done!
CrossFitters, I am thankful to have you all in my life! Annie and Chris, look at what you’ve done! To you I am also thankful – I just darn tootin’ love you all.
January 5, 2010 at 2:32 am
Hey everybody! Well I have been involved in athletics since I can remember… I was an avid member of your typical globo gym and enjoyed it for the most part. However it became increasingly difficult to get excited and to switch up my routines. Then I walked into they gym and Chris said “Do you need something?” I just wanted a little info on this “Crossfit Gym” that really wasn’t a gym. He explained the concept of crossfit is to be the best at 10 different types of fitness: (cardiovascular endurance, stamina, power, strength, speed, agility, flexibility, balance, coordination and accuracy) as one can be!
Ok so that seems to easy. Thats almost to simple. Who wouldn’t want that? Chris told me to come in for a free workout and decide after the workout. I thought what could be so hard about a few squats, pushups and situp??? right… Well no one told me we would be doing them by the hundreds as fast as we can with good form… Well I learned that at my first workout and just like everybody else I couldn’t walk right for a week! It was hands down the best workout I had in a long time if not ever! Then again I think I say that after every workout!!!
These workouts led me to the level one cert! I took this class to better myself and maybe lend some help and proper instruction if anyone needs help. I also wanted to find out the foundations of the movements and why they are suppose to be so effective. The level 1 cert. was great. Everything crossfit preaches on the main website is practiced and taught by the crossfit HQ trainers… and they are studs! The best part is watching your trainers workout during the lunch break!
Crossfit has opened many doors including better health and lots of new friends! The one cool thing is with all the competition during the workouts we have all remained friends cause really even though we compete against each other it is more against ourselves. It’s having the other people in the class to help push you to improve yourself. So I must say THANK YOU to everyone I have worked out with! You have all contributed in some way shape or form to making me and every other person in the class healthier!
January 5, 2010 at 2:35 am
Hopefully I don’t lose anyone on this…get ready for “War and Peace”
Well…I can’t speak of my Level 1 Certification yet because it is a little less than 2 weeks away in Golden, CO. I have been counting the days for a couple of months and I am super excited to continue learning about this thing that has changed so much in my life. An added bonus is participating in the Cert with my best friend Trevor.
However, I can speak of the changes that I have seen personally since joining CFSF on August 1, 2009…the day it all changed for me.
For those of you that know me well you probably realize that I am a little shy at first. I have a pretty close group of core friends outside of the box, but that group has expanded significantly since joining CFSF. The friendships that I have gained with CF are priceless and I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to meet so many people with similar goals and a passion for excellence. Not once in my 7 years of membership at other gyms did I bond so closely with the fellow athletes due to the extremes that we put ourselves through on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.
The confidence that is achieved from completing a difficult WOD or exercise does an amazing thing for your demeanor. I heard about CrossFit from a college friend from Omaha and he said I needed to check out the main website. I think the first video I watched was a highlight film of the games in Aromas, CA. At that time, I was a member of Sanford and wanted to give one of the WOD’s a shot on my own. “Angie” was my first choice and I didn’t stand a chance because I didn’t have many pullups at all. I ended up going to the assisted PU machine to limp my way through the WOD…humbling was only scratching the surface describing how I felt after the WOD. I had a flashback to the Presidential Fitness exam in 4th grade…kids that shopped in the husky section didn’t stand a chance to get a pullup and that was going to change for me at 33 years of age.
After starting at CFSF I soon befriended Chris and asked him to meet for lunch to discuss what was available with CrossFit above just attending classes and improving in my fitness goals. I still remember him saying that I needed to get better at CrossFit and use that as the catalyst to move on with the discipline. I took that advice and have introduced CF to a few of my college football teammates and we have been going strong for better than 2 months…we keep each other accountable with daily emails exchanging our WOD’s and posting our times to keep each other motivated. Probably the proudest moment of bringing CF to others, however, happened at Christmas. I did one of the at home WOD’s with the help of my niece and nephews and soon after my parents stated that they were going to try some of the movements. This Kool-Aid is mixed just right and it is addictive!!
Probably the biggest reason I chose to sign up for the Level 1 Certification was to determine if this could be something I want to do in the future. I am following the advice that Chris gave me in September and I am going to use the knowledge gained in Golden to continue to grow as a CrossFitter. My next objective is to be a volunteer/judge at the St. Louis sectionals in February to get a sneak peek of what’s to come in 2011. Like Mary Boomsma posted, my goal is to participate in the 2011 sectionals in an attempt to qualify for the regionals and ultimately the games in Aromas. Whether that is as an individual or as an affiliate team member, my goal is lofty but I will be prepared with the help of this awesome group of family we have at CFSF.
Qualities that I want to add to our community include intensity, excellence, accountability, support, and passion for a discipline that has literally changed my life.
Strap on your seatbelts, this is going to be one hell of a ride!
Mike B.
January 5, 2010 at 5:05 am
So my story begins a lot like chris’s. I have been an athlete all my life, and I after high school and college ended I was always looking for that workout that made you feel like you were in high school’s hell week again. I like Chris have many certifications from very many different fitness backrounds. I was the girl that Chris likes to call the queen of cardio! I would do about 3 hours of workouts a day (with no rest day) whether it would be the elliptical, aerobics, cycle name it all I did it, but I could not ever reach that feeling like I did in high school!! I like most girls also never touched any weight more than 12 pound dumbells in fear “I would get big LOL!
My turning point was when I was getting married and I really wanted to drop those few extra pounds before my wedding, so I decided since everything else didn’t work I would give CrossFit a shot. I started in August 2007 and ended up dropping those last 5 lbs I wanted to before my wedding in September. Chris and I moved to Santa Monica and I started doing psuedo CrossFit at 24hr Fitness. It was great I actually lost ten more lbs. I was excited about working out again, and I was finally seeing the results and getting the “hell week” high! It was really good but I was still picking the WOD’s I was good at and avoiding WOD’s I didn’t like.
When we moved to Sioux Falls and started a CrossFit, I was really excited this was my chance to get my “hell week” but with a team! Even with owning my own CF I still pick and chose WODs. I obviously knew the workouts, and I would go to the gym on the days that I did not like the WOD, or if I did do a weight intensified WOD, I would go light so I could finish quickly and not “get big”. Chris asked me many times to get certified, but I would always make excuses why I didn’t want to or why I couldn’t. For those of you that know me I believe honesty is always best so here’s the honest truth: I was so afraid of failing at CrossFit and not being the best. I thought if I get certified I really would have to sell out and believe in myself. I decided to get certified after I found out an aquaintance had recently got certified, and the competitive nature came out in me and I thought if they did I have to do it! It is a silly reason I know, but it gave me the motivation! I went to the Certification in August in Golden CO and It was the best experience! I went by myself not knowing anyone, and came back with a lot of information and good CrossFit contacts!
The Cert really changed my whole view on myself and CrossFit! I was no longer going to worry about being the best and beating times, I was going to focus on “Annie” getting better and stronger. I remember sitting in the airport waiting to come back to SF and telling Chris “My times are going to get longer, but I am determined to get better!! I was still scared to fail, but I realized with the help of my fellow CrossFitters, you never fail if you come!!! I have improved leaps and bounds since the certification, and not only am I getting super strong, I am getting faster, and more intense, I am getting more confident in myself.
My future goals for CrossFit are to possibly go to this year’s 2010 sectionals in St. Louis, continue to coach our athletes into the powerhouses that you all are! I want to continue education in all areas of fitness and make our CrossFit as successful as we all know it will be! I feel so blessed to have you all in our lives, I don’t know what I would do without my CrossFit family!
Annie
January 7, 2010 at 1:49 am
Well, said my friend. Terry and I are very proud of you. Not just because of this awesome program, called “Crossfit”, but because you had the insight to take a negative and turn it into a positive. And you didn’t do it for yourself, you are taking your team mates with you. These Crossfit Kids are blessed, to have you and you team working for them. Let’s fight childhood obesity. One child at a time. Go get’em guys!!!! Give those kids life, at its fullest. God Bless you girl.