September Athlete of the Month

Congratulations to Kyle Bristol for being named the Athlete of the Month for September. Kyle joined us almost a year ago and has shown what commitment to exercise and diet can do in a short period of time. Kyle has strived in the gym individually with our food challenge and everyday in his workouts. Not only has he made himself better but he has made the gym better for everyone else whether it be helping someone learn a new skill, building fun toys for us to play with in the gym, or putting together a group raft trip for the gym. Thank you Kyle for making the gym a better place.

Please​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​about​ ​yourself.

First​ ​off​ ​I​ ​am​ ​a​ ​terrible​ ​speller​ ​and​ ​I​ ​can’t​ ​figure​ ​out​ ​if​ ​this​ ​darn​ ​thing​ ​has​ ​spell​ ​check. Lucky​ ​for​ ​me​ ​I​ ​have​ ​a​ ​very​ ​smart​ ​ten​ ​year​ ​old​ ​daughter​ ​Natalie​ ​who​ ​can​ ​help​ ​me​ ​out.​ ​I also​ ​have​ ​two​ ​crazy​ ​dogs​ ​Ginger​ ​and​ ​Skipper.​ ​I​ ​moved​ ​here​ ​from​ ​Montana​ ​seven​ ​years ago​ ​in​ ​search​ ​of​ ​sunnier​ ​winters.​ ​I​ ​love​ ​to​ ​do​ ​most​ ​anything​ ​outdoors​ ​-​ ​boating,​ ​climbing, camping,​ ​hiking,​ ​skiing​ ​ets.

When​ ​did​ ​you​ ​become​ ​a​ ​member​ ​at​ ​Defiance​ ​West?

I​ ​believe​ ​I​ ​joined​ ​last​ ​October​ ​so​ ​almost​ ​one​ ​year.

What​ ​made​ ​you​ ​join​ ​Defiance​ ​West​ ​and​ ​why​ ​do​ ​you​ ​do​ ​it​ ​now?

Roc​ ​was​ ​peer​ ​pressuring​ ​me​ ​for​ ​almost​ ​a​ ​year​ ​to​ ​join​ ​but​ ​I​ ​was​ ​too​ ​scared​ ​that​ ​people would​ ​point,​ ​laugh,​ ​and​ ​throw​ ​tractor​ ​tires​ ​at​ ​me.​ ​Finally​ ​I​ ​gave​ ​in​ ​to​ ​my​ ​fears​ ​and​ ​tried​ ​a Free​ ​Saturday​ ​class.​ ​It​ ​only​ ​took​ ​one​ ​class​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to​ ​realize​ ​that​ ​Defiance​ ​West​ ​is​ ​where I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​be​ ​and​ ​what​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​do​ ​for​ ​my​ ​fitness.

What​ ​were​ ​your​ ​thoughts​ ​after​ ​your​ ​first​ ​workout?

That​ ​even​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​in​ ​good​ ​shape​ ​tractor​ ​tires​ ​are​ ​hard​ ​to​ ​throw.​ ​Truthfully​ ​I​ ​was​ ​a​ ​little disappointed​ ​in​ ​myself​ ​for​ ​not​ ​joining​ ​sooner.

What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​athletic​ ​background?

Not​ ​much​ ​in​ ​the​ ​way​ ​of​ ​traditional​ ​sports.​ ​I​ ​grew​ ​up​ ​hiking,​ ​cross​ ​country​ ​skiing,​ ​Judo, working​ ​out​ ​in​ ​the​ ​gym,​ ​and​ ​later​ ​on​ ​rock​ ​climbing.

What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​favorite​ ​movement​ ​or​ ​workout?

My​ ​favorite​ ​movements​ ​are​ ​anything​ ​with​ ​body​ ​weight​ ​-​ ​push​ ​ups,​ ​pull​ ​ups,​ ​sit​ ​ups,​ ​air squats,​ ​dips​ ​etc.

What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​least​ ​favorite?

Turkish​ ​get​ ​ups,​ ​and​ ​renegade​ ​rows​ ​(not​ ​sure​ ​why)

What​ ​has​ ​been​ ​your​ ​favorite​ ​or​ ​proudest​ ​moment​ ​since​ ​joining? I​ ​have​ ​many​ ​favorite​ ​and​ ​proud​ ​moments.​ ​The​ ​first​ ​was​ ​the​ ​food​ ​challenge​ ​which​ ​was not​ ​easy​ ​but​ ​it​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​an​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​push​ ​myself,​ ​clean​ ​up​ ​my​ ​lifestyle,​ ​feel healthy,​ ​and​ ​build​ ​confidence.​ ​That​ ​combined​ ​with​ ​the​ ​work​ ​outs​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​enough confidence​ ​to​ ​run​ ​my​ ​first​ ​obstacle​ ​race​ ​with​ ​Cory​ ​and​ ​Cierra.​ ​Running​ ​this​ ​type​ ​of​ ​race was​ ​something​ ​I​ ​have​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​do​ ​for​ ​most​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life​ ​but​ ​made​ ​too​ ​many​ ​excuses​ ​of why​ ​I​ ​wouldn’t​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​do​ ​one.​ ​With​ ​continued​ ​training​ ​came​ ​the​ ​Hog​ ​Back​ ​Hustle (which​ ​the​ ​year​ ​before​ ​I​ ​couldn’t​ ​run​ ​a​ ​5K),​ ​the​ ​Pyro​ ​Race​ ​and​ ​of​ ​course​ ​one​ ​of​ ​my​ ​most favorite​ ​moments​ ​was​ ​watching​ ​21​ ​people​ ​from​ ​the​ ​gym​ ​cross​ ​the​ ​finish​ ​line​ ​at​ ​the Spartan​ ​Race​ ​in​ ​Breckenridge!!!​ ​Having​ ​Sue​ ​stepping​ ​on​ ​my​ ​back​ ​comes​ ​in​ ​a​ ​close second.​ ​The​ ​gym​ ​float​ ​trip​ ​was​ ​fun​ ​too.

How​ ​has​ ​Defiance​ ​West​ ​changed​ ​your​ ​life,​ ​lifestyle,​ ​and​ ​level​ ​of​ ​fitness?

I​ ​realize​ ​I​ ​am​ ​a​​ ​little​​ ​older​ ​these​ ​days​ ​but​ ​I​ ​am​ ​in​ ​the​ ​best​ ​cardio​ ​shape​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life.​ ​Now that​ ​I​ ​see​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​both​ ​in​ ​diet​ ​and​ ​exercise​ ​I​ ​do​ ​not​ ​want​ ​to​ ​go​ ​back.

What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​fitness​ ​goals​ ​for​ ​this​ ​year?

To​ ​be​ ​like​ ​Justin​ ​cause​ ​he​ ​is​ ​an​ ​animal.

What​ ​is​ ​something​ ​most​ ​people​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​about​ ​you?

I​ ​am​ ​a​ ​Sagittarius.

What​ ​advice​ ​would​ ​you​ ​give​ ​to​ ​people​ ​looking​ ​to​ ​get​ ​started​ ​at​ ​our​ ​gym?

I​ ​took​ ​my​ ​turn​ ​and​ ​peer​ ​pressured​ ​someone​ ​to​ ​join​ ​the​ ​gym​ ​even​ ​though​ ​they​ ​realized​ ​their​ ​fears​ ​were like​ ​mine​ ​not​ ​warranted​ ​it​ ​was​ ​not​ ​for​ ​them.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​something​ ​you​ ​will​ ​need​ ​and​ ​want​ ​to​ ​do​ ​for​ ​yourself. Many​ ​people​ ​join​ ​for​ ​different​ ​reasons​ ​and​ ​continue​ ​for​ ​their​ ​own​ ​reasons.​ ​Wether​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​look good,​ ​challenge​ ​yourself,​ ​maintain​ ​what​ ​you​ ​have,​ ​or​ ​just​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​eat​ ​Spaghetti​ ​O’s​ ​and​ ​hot​ ​dogs every​ ​night​ ​don’t​ ​let​ ​fear​ ​stop​ ​you​ ​from​ ​trying​ ​it​ ​out.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​an​ ​amazing​ ​group​ ​of​ ​people​ ​with​ ​great coaches!