Clay Rosales
Q: How did you find out about Ballston CrossFit and what about it convinced you to join?
– I used to live next door to BCF and would always walk by on my way to work. I was looking for a part-time job to earn some extra cash and walked through the door looking for a job doing anything BCF needed. I’d never done CrossFit before and the workouts at BCF looked INTENSE. I didn’t have a ton of drive to join CrossFit classes, I was just looking for a place to earn some money on the side and maybe deadlift every once in a while. As I started working the front desk, I began to notice the camaraderie in classes, something I’d never seen in a gym before. After working the front desk for a little bit, Brock threw me into Foundations and I loved it from the start.
Q:When did you start at BCF and what were your goals going into it?
– I started BCF in late 2021. Going into it, I’d never done anything remotely close to CrossFit. The snatch sounded like some kind of bad disease. My biggest focus going into it was building more strength. I’d been running for a little while so I felt I had a good aerobic base but strength was an area I was greatly lacking in.
Q: What has helped you achieve success at BCF?
– Showing up every day. BCF does a great job of making it easy to show up every day – lots of class times and a great community to enjoy your hour in the gym. When I started showing up consistently, I saw the hard work paying off, which drove me to continue to show up day in and day out.
Q:What advice can you give to others that are new to CrossFit?
– Show up! It’s amazing the results you can get when you remain consistent. As Brock always says to the folks graduating foundations, “If you show up consistently and give efforts, you’ll see results”…or something like that.
Q: Besides working out, what other lifestyle changes did you make outside of the gym to achieve your goals?
– In the beginning of 2022, I participated in the Nutrition Challenge at BCF. Prior to that, I had never tracked what I ate – I tried to eat 3 square meals a day. The nutrition challenge opened my eyes to how nutrition can really affect your performance and recovery. Since the challenge, I haven’t tracked every calorie but it laid the foundation for good nutrition every day.
Q: What has been your favorite thing about Ballston CrossFit?
– Without a doubt, it’s the people and culture of the gym. Prior to BCF, I only went to LA Fitness and did some running on the side, so I’d never experienced a group class. I quickly learned that being in a group setting was not only more enjoyable but it held me more accountable. There are too many people to thank for showing up every day with me and pushing me to be the best.