TESTIMONIALS
I’ve always been on the fringes of CrossFit - an outsider looking in, occasionally trying a Workout of the Day but never actually finishing. The various documentaries and features on CrossFit and the CrossFit Games were exciting and inspiring to watch but the price of membership scared me away. It wasn’t until I realized that I was spending more money each month making myself sick that I finally understood the value of membership at CrossFit Kivnon. I was literally eating myself toward Type 2 Diabetes, spending almost 3 times the cost of a CrossFit membership on unhealthy food!
​
In February 2020, I made the decision to finally sign up. I started with the free one-week trial here at CrossFit Kivnon and haven’t looked back since. My first day was a lesson in humility. Having done some body building in the past, I thought I was strong but when I came in with the slowest time and could barely move an empty barbell at the end of the workout, all of my supposed strength was for naught as I left the gym sore and barely able to move.
​
Fast forward to today and although I still post slow times, but I now also post some faster times – something I would have never thought possible when I started. I am still working on building more strength and I know that will come with time and work. More than the physical strength though is the mental strength that you build while doing CrossFit. When you’re at what your body is telling you is your last repetition of a movement but you’ve got 10 more and the coach along with the entire gym all scream words of encouragement, you find the mental strength to crank out 10 more reps. Then the next time you do this same lift or a similar lift, those additional 10 reps are a piece of cake (or a lean chicken breast if you’re eating clean).
​
I’ve lost a little over 40 pounds of fat and have put on about 15 pounds of muscle since I started. These have been some of the best gains (or losses, depending on how you look at it) I have ever had in any of the fitness programs I’ve tried and I don’t see myself letting go of it.
To add to that, my overall mobility has improved in leaps and bounds that I feel like I am in my teens, err twenties, err thirties, err… I feel great! I can move so much better than when I first started in February and my pre-Type 2 Diabetes symptoms have all but disappeared. Becoming a part of the Kivnon family was one of the best decisions I have ever made!
Jaycee Bagtas
Member since 2020
Pat Ryan
Member since 2013
My first exposure to CrossFit was through a good friend and co-worker. I laughed my head off at his stories of how he barely survived something called a “WOD.” It was obvious that my buddy was dropping weight and getting back into shape. Finally, I attended a free Saturday workout. My first WOD was August 3, 2013; I walked into Kivnon and met Mick Wilson. He was writing the daily workout on the board. I quickly learned what “AMRAP” meant. Mick asked me three times during that workout if I was okay. “Just trying to breath” was my reply. Prior to leaving Kivnon that day I weighed myself and to my dismay (but not surprise) tipped the scales at 252 pounds. Sore muscles and all I kept coming back. In the following days I met Stefan Provenzano and Coach Ryan. All three take a genuine interest in every person at Kivnon. It is obvious they care that each workout is done properly and that the atmosphere is fun.
​
I typically attend the 5:30 am class during the week. Once in a while I’ll hit the rowing machines in the evening and have the pleasure of meeting some of the night folks. A HUGE benefit of belonging to Kivnon is THE PEOPLE that comprise the membership. I’m easily old enough to be the parent of virtually every member and I routinely am the last person to finish each WOD. For example today, January 28, 2014, I was dead last. However, I never finish a WOD alone. My classmates and coaches shout encouragement and good natured teasing until I complete whatever torture has been assigned, usually BURPEES!!
​
At the conclusion of today’s workout I again stepped on the scale. I was very pleased to see the dial stop at 212 pounds. FORTY POUNDS in just under six months! I couldn’t be happier. Even my doctor is pleased with the effects of CrossFit. My blood pressure hasn’t been this low in 40 years.
​
It’s a win all around and I want to say thank you to everyone at Kivnon, especially Mick and Stefan.
Prior to starting CrossFit at Kivnon I had never even joined a gym and I was scared to. I was always of the mindset that all I needed was some cardio at home. So, now and then that's what I did. I always wanted to be in shape, which I thought meant being skinny. I never thought of it as getting strong, but Kivnon has totally changed my mind.
From day 1 I was hooked! My focus has shifted, I'm not so worried about the numbers on the scale going down as much as I am the numbers (lbs) on the bar going up. I have gained so much self confidence, doing things I never thought I'd be able to do thanks to the AWESOME coaches that we have here helping us every step of the way. I don't get to come as often as I'd like to (only 3 times a week) but I have gained so much from the days I am able to make it. It has been a great help for me in dealing with some emotional stresses that I have. So much so that I was able to get off medication for anxiety just by pushing my limits and leaving my stress in a pool of sweat on the floor.
Another thing I like is that my husband and I can workout together and to our own abilities and both leaving feeling like it was a wod well spent. He doesn't have to slow down to my pace and I don't have to kill myself at his, but we are able to workout with each other, push each other and enjoy that time together. The family that works out together, stays together..Right?!
Kathryn Luman
Member since 2015
Sian Griffiths
Member since 2014
I’ve been a member of CrossFit Kivnon since September 2014. I came to Kivnon out-of-shape and with very little previous workout experience. I was really nervous about trying CrossFit, but the coaches and other members put me at ease. They are so helpful, supportive, and passionate about CrossFit that it’s hard not to feel comfortable and feed off the energy and encouragement.
CrossFit itself has been a life-changer for me. It’s the first type of exercise I’ve ever done that I’ve enjoyed and stuck with. I love the varied programming so it’s never predictable or boring. The workouts are challenging, but the coaches are always willing to scale or modify the movements to your abilities, while at the same time giving you that little push to get you outside your comfort zone. Because of that, I’m doing things I never thought I would ever be able to do!
Since I joined Kivnon, I’ve lost almost 50 pounds and I feel stronger, healthier, and more confident than ever. And although the physical and measurable benefits of CrossFit are enough to keep me coming back, it’s the community, environment, and people at CrossFit Kivnon that have me hooked!