Kyle began CrossFit only a short while ago in October 2017. Although he hasn’t been a member for very long, he has already made it a point to include CrossFit in his daily morning routine. When a friend, who is a current member at Ole Glory South, kept insisting that he “just give it a try”, he finally gave in and signed up for the On Ramp class. He had known Natalie and Beau for years, and decided he was ready to become more active and do something productive for his health. He may not recall his first WOD, but he remembers thinking, “God, I hope I don’t make myself look like a dork doing this!” Despite his nervousness, there was a huge sense of encouragement and pride on the fact that he completed the workout. Since then, he has continued his dedication and consistently walks through the door with a smile on his face every morning at 5:30 AM.

Prior to CrossFit, barn chores and riding multiple horses a day was the extent of his fitness activities. Since starting at Ole Glory, he has noticed a change in his stamina, mobility and flexibility, as well as his overall muscle tone. According to Kyle, “nothing beats filling out a pair of jeans or slacks.” Some of Kyle’s favorites at OGS include rowing and running and the Memorial Day WOD, Murph. Kyle stated “it was rough, but it made me push hard.” During his 8 months with us he has already accomplished some of his goals, some of which include doubling his overhead weight and competing in his first CrossFit Open this past year. In the future he hopes to compete as an RX athlete in the Open.

When Kyle isn’t at the gym, you can find him working at his hair salon in New Iberia. He has been a hairstylist for a total of 19 years, with the last 14 of those being the owner of Salon 24. His hobbies include raising and training horses, as well at competing about two weekends out of the month. But, his most cherished past time is spoiling his four legged kid, a golden doodle named Frankie.

When asked what Kyle liked most about Ole Glory, his response was, “The camaraderie amongst the members and coaches is undeniable. It’s a friendship, a support group, and a family all mixed together.” The community is what keeps you coming back for more. Kyle’s favorite quote to live by is “Never give up, because you never know if the next try is going to be the one that works.” -Mary Kay Ash. This compliments the sport of CrossFit so well! As the saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The truth is you probably won’t get it on your first attempt. You’ll have to work hard at it everyday, but when you finally achieve that goal, the reward is bitter sweet!

For anyone who is interested in giving CrossFit a try, Kyle recommends committing to the On Ramp classes and giving them a fair chance. By the end of the classes, even if you were indifferent to the experience, at least you can say you gave it a shot. Congratulations again, Kyle! We admire your hard work and dedication!