Posted 10:59 pm Sunday, August 05, 2012
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Festivus Games giving CrossFit enthusiasts place to shine
Throughout the last couple of years, Fit City Success story subjects told us that CrossFit changed their lives. Now they're hoping The Festivus Games will show them how their fitness level stacks up against 100 other CrossFitters.
Every day is a competition again-st yourself in CrossFit.
"I started with my husband at home initially," Sa-rah Nichols said. "When he left for Afghanistan, I came up here and wanted to stay accountable and not lose progress."
Sarah Nichols has come a long way since coming to CrossFit Tyler in February. She's lost almost 65 pounds with challenging WODs. For CrossFitters, that's the workout of the day.
"I feel like it gave me my life back," she said.
Last week this mom was training for her first CrossFit competition.
"We are calling this, the Festivus for the Rest of Us. It's a chance for the rest of the CrossFitters to have a feat of strength or throw down to see where we are at," she said.
Amy Chesley, co-owner of CrossFit Tyler helped bring the games to East Texas and is hosting this year. She says contestants, novice and intermediate, can expect a good test of their strength, with rowing, dead lifting, kettlebells and pull-ups to name a few of the exercises.
"That is what CrossFit is all about. You definitely see the progress when you put in the work; it definitely is a sport of fitness," Ms. Chesley said.
That's why 19-year-old Nathan Saali joined CrossFit earlier this year.
The former high school athlete wanted to take his athleticism to a new level.
"There are CrossFit games, but those are the elite of the elite, but for people who are just getting into it, this is a way to show your skills and see how much you have improved," Saali said.
"When you get into an environment of friendly competition, you excel," Ms. Chesley said.
More than winning, the competitors want to see what they're capable of and maybe set some personal records along the way.
The competition was held Saturday morning at CrossFit Tyler.
Watch Dana Hughey's "Fit City Success" stories Thursdays on KYTX CBS19's 10 p.m. news.
