MONDAY

I hope you all had a great weekend! Let’s start the week off with an athlete profile from Pat O’Neill! Thank you Pat for reminding me why I opened Thor Fitness 9 years ago. I Love hearing the CrossFit journeys and what people get from being a part of my extended family at Thor Fitness. Check it out …

Where do you live?
I live in Saint James with my wife and 3 children(Brendan 6, Maeve 4 and Erin 3).

What brought you to CrossFit?
I started Thor Fitness in September 2014. My wife and I welcomed our 2nd child in July 2014 and I looked like I had carried the child inside my body for 9 months. I was going to a gym, but I wasn’t pushing myself. It just felt like I was in a rut and couldn’t fix it. I always wanted to try CrossFit but was intimidated by what I thought it was. Then I ran into my friend Chris Tully, who had trained under Patty for a while. He told me what Thor Fitness was all about. Chris described scaling the workouts to fit your abilities and the results he saw. I called Patty the next day and showed up for my first workout that week. I even brought my wife Val too.

What were your goals? Have you achieved them?
I didn’t come in with any specific goals other than getting in better shape. Mission accomplished! There are times that my weight creeps up or I get lazy with showing up to the gym, but it’s easily remedied with a few solid workouts. At 41 years old I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. Also, I’m using muscles that I never knew that I owned. I try to explain to people that my favorite aspect of CrossFit is the push I feel to go faster and harder. I would never push myself as hard and far as I do in a CrossFit class if I was by myself.  There’s something about working out with others and with a timer that makes me want to push harder. There’s plenty of times that I finish last, but I’m ok with it. The competition in class is healthy and good natured, everyone pulls for each other. So… yea, I accomplished my goal.

What do you do when your not at the gym?
When I’m not at the gym I spend most of my time with my family. Although I spend time with them at the gym too. Val and I workout together often and I think everyone knows my 3 kids that sit on the side patiently waiting for us to be done. For work I’m a Sergeant in the Nassau County Police Department and I work nights on patrol. I play on the NCPD lacrosse team (oldest guy on the team),recently started training in Brazilian jiu jitsu, coach any sport my kids wanna play(soccer, lacrosse, basketball etc…) and occasionally find some time for a few BudLights in my yard with friends.

What CrossFit exercises are your favorite? Least favorite?
I like Jerks and push presses. Pushing heavy weight over my head feels good. Also, I like overhead squats… I had so much trouble with overhead squats for months and years, but one day it clicked and I found that sweet spot that let me really pack on some weight and get full range of motion.

I HATE WALLBALLS!
There’s nothing about them that I like. 

Any other tidbits… 
I’m probably not what most people think of when they hear CrossFit… I don’t have a ton of CF gear and I workout with my shirt on (you’re all welcome.) I love it though. I always tell new people that if you just keep coming to class you get in shape by accident. I keep that thought in my own head and try to get a workout in whenever I can.

STRENGTH:

Push press + push jerk

1 + 1 x 5

METCON

4 rds:

500 meter row

2 rope climbs

8 push jerk 

OPEN 185#/135#

PERFORMANCE 135#/85

FITNESS 115#/65#