CrossFit Invictus Stole 17 Pounds and I Don’t Want Them Back!

CrossFit Invictus Stole 17 Pounds and I Don’t Want Them Back!
Written By Invictus Member Steve Corney

Having never experienced or participated in CrossFit, my coach in Australia suggested if I were going to try it, Invictus was the only place I should train in San Diego. I had no idea eight weeks ago how right he was! The reputation this facility has cannot be faulted, and you can only hope that the reputation carries on to your experience. I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that Invictus goes above and beyond any expectations.

From the moment I contacted the facility, Miss Karen ensured me that I was well informed and booked in to start my training journey. Every time I entered the facility, regardless of whether it was Downtown or Point Loma, I was greeted with a smile and a welcome – this alone surpasses most gym experiences.

The programming the gym offers its members is world class. CJ is a leader in this space and it is evident with the programming that is challenging yet scaleable for each person’s individual ability. Couple this with exceptional coaching and there is nothing that will stop you from realizing your goals in this place.

On the topic of coaches…WOW! I have paid for personal trainers and one-on-one time for years and I received more one-on-one support and instruction during the regular Invictus classes than I ever did during my private sessions back in Australia.

The coaches are the best in the business for a reason. They are actively involved in health and fitness, they are constantly open and willing to learn more, and they are completely dedicated to ensuring you get the most out of each session.

The two coaches I worked most closely with were Lindsey and Bryce.

Lindsey is a ball of positive energy that made me look forward to a Monday morning class. I would get there early and she would either be working with the online community or finishing her own workout. She was so approachable to everyone and was able to adjust sessions on the fly to cater for injuries, or simply tight muscles that didn’t need to be made tighter. She provided copious amounts of advice beyond what was expected and pushed me beyond where I thought could go.

Bryce in my opinion is Lindsey but taken to a whole other level (taking nothing away from Lindsey). This guy walks his talk and then some. He was a constant source of motivation and inspiration for me. He would go out of his way to introduce himself to new members, be able to dissect movement patterns and fix issues whilst teaching the rest of the class and for me, personally, he went above and beyond to teach me about my limits and my capacity as a human being.

The semi private sessions with Bryce will make it difficult for me to train with any coach or trainer one-on-one again because the service will be sub-standard. He listened to everything I wanted to achieve, knew what was realistic or a little hopeful and created sessions that taught me more about myself and my ability than I ever thought possible. He has a great ability to take a complex movement and break it down multiple ways to guarantee understanding and application which shows me Bryce is one smart dude!

Tuesday was a day I would look forward to mainly due to rowing club! Shane is an amazing individual whose passion for the erg and rowing in general made for one of the best hours of training ever. He allowed me to jump into the group and push myself to points I didn’t know possible. His support and encouragement and knowledge was inspirational whilst making me want to get to rowing club and train myself as hard as I possibly could. Such a great program and accessory training option.

Results-wise I will be leaving the USA seventeen pounds lighter than when I entered. I am the fittest I have ever been and this was proven and directly translated into the canoe. You see, I race outrigger canoes. As a result of my training, I was able to race back to back races as if they were nothing, recover quickly, and be able to keep pushing and pushing all the way to realizing the major goal of the trip.

Thanks to the programming, community and coaches at Invictus, I leave the USA as a US champion in the Co-ed 9 Man Changes Race from Newport Beach to Catalina Island. Without all of your help I would not have raced at the intensity and level of mental strength required to achieve this result. It also helps that I managed to misplace seventeen pounds of unnecessary tissue thanks to the intensity and variety of the training!

I look forward to continuing my training via the blog and further developing my strength and endurance to go on to qualify and compete in the World Championships next year.

Legends!! From the bottom of my heart thank you for being incredible humans and the benchmark for fitness instruction and training in the universe. It’s been an amazing summer!

Aussie Steve 🙂