October Spotlight Member - Sam Rifkind

1. How did you get started on your CrossFit journey?
   I began doing CrossFit after a health scare during my senior year of college. Once I graduated, I wanted to find a way to be healthy, fit, and enjoy my time at a gym. One of my friends was an avid CrossFitter and convinced me to drop into a class. I was keeled over jelly legged ready to barf after that class, but I was also hooked.

2. How many years have you been a member at Equity?
   I have been a member at Equity for about 4 years.

3. Best advice for someone thinking of joining Equity?
   My best advice would be to take a chance. CrossFit is not for everyone, but you won't know until you try. Equity is a welcoming community for all, no matter your skill level/experience, race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation. My best advice for someone new to CrossFit would be to walk in each day with a goal and compete against yourself.

4. What was your first impression and how has that changed?
   My first impression of CrossFit was that it is for elite athletes only and it led to a high risk of injury. 7 years into my journey, I now realize that CrossFit is for anyone who wants to be fit and that emphasizing form, being smart about weight choices, and being coachable lead to risk of injury being the same as training for and playing any other sport, if not lower. My first impression of Equity was that it was a no judgement environment with coaches who were knowledgeable and cared about each persons' fitness journey. This has not changed in my 4 years, and Equity continues to foster an atmosphere where you can do hard things and get better without getting hurt.

5. How has the gym improved your life?
   I have general anxiety disorder, which usually manifests as constant worry about what-ifs and social anxiety. The gym has become a sort of safe haven for me. It allows me a dedicated hour to really focus on the workout for that day, shifting my thoughts from worry to strategy and execution of the movements. It allows me to challenge myself and provides an atmosphere where I can "fail", which has been a struggle for me. I remember telling Berek soon after I first joined that I never thought about competing because I know I am not skilled enough to win; I did not want to fail. Fast forward to May 2022, and I competed in my first competition. Our team finished toward the bottom, but we met our goal of completing all of the workouts under the time caps. It was so much fun to be there, compete, and cheer everyone on. I hit a PR and become closer friends with my teammates. This provided me a concrete example of the fact that success does not always equal winning, and I have used this to slowly become more comfortable with taking risks. Everyone is also very friendly at the gym, which makes it a low pressure environment to talk to people. I know once I walk into Equity, I can be myself without being judged. This has helped me overcome some of my anxiety and work towards some of the goals I currently have in my life. Besides the mental health benefits, I also see my physical health improving. I am a firm believer in functional fitness, and I know as I get older I will have the physical capability to continue to do the things I enjoy because of what I am doing now.

6. What do you do for a living and how has CrossFit impacted that?
   I am a Chemical Process Engineer at WL Gore. CrossFit has allowed me to work on my problem solving skills outside of work. It has also provided me a much needed outlet to relieve stress. You do not necessarily need to be physically fit to be an engineer, but it comes in handy if you have to work long days or are helping support a team that works in a fast paced environment.

7. What is your proudest moment at the gym?
   My proudest moment is when I hit my first ring muscle up (Krista posted the video on the Facebook group). I realized at that moment how much stronger I have gotten and that I need to start trying things I told myself I would never be able to do, because I can do them. My favorite general moment is during the open qualifiers. The energy and amount of support during those weeks sums up Equity in a nutshell.

Favorites:

Food: Pumpkin pie (any time of the year)

Color: Orange

Movie: Spirited Away

TV Show: Adventure Time

Holiday: Passover

CrossFit Movement: Toes to bar

Thank you Sam for being a member of the Equity Family!!