December Athlete of the Month: Ryan Bardeer

Congratulations Ryan, you’re our December Athlete of the Month!

Ryan started CrossFit after following his now wife Brenda to the gym and they have been a consistent presence at our 6pm class for the past 4+ years. Ryan’s hard work and dedication has not only improved his health and fitness, but he has also noticed instrumental mental health benefits as well. We love having Ryan and Brenda at NoCoast and are grateful for their commitment to our community.

Quotes from Ryan:

“CrossFit has been a godsend for my overall wellness. Aside from the obvious physical health benefits of improved strength and cardio, CrossFit has been instrumental for my mental health. During the peak of the COVID pandemic CrossFit was one of the few ways to get out of the house and to still have a sense of community. As someone who struggles with anxiety and stress, my regular CrossFit workouts help keep me sane.”

“Completing Chad this Veteran's Day was incredibly special. Step ups are historically a movement that is not one of my strengths. But it was amazing to see how many people from the community showed up to complete the workout. I went to the workout with the intent of only completing 500 reps, but once I hit 500 I knew I couldn't stop. I looked around and was inspired by the community so I kept going and slowly but surely made it all the way to 1000 reps.”

Age: 30

Athletic/Sports history/highlights:

N/A haha. I am the youngest of three and was always the least athletic. My brother and sister were the athletes of the family. I was the one being carted around to watch their games. All of my fitness highlights have come since I started CrossFit. Looking back at the fitness level I started at compared to where I am now always elicits a sense of pride. I have made huge strides in my cardio, my strength and my gymnastic skills.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

About 4 years

How did you get into CrossFit?

Brenda started CrossFit before me and was going for about a year all while telling me I should join. Self confidence has never been a strength of mine, especially when it comes to physical fitness so I was reluctant to try CrossFit. I had the idea that everyone at the gym would be incredibly fit and strong and that I would stick out like a sore thumb. But eventually I gave it a try and fell in love with the programming and the strong sense of community you get in a CrossFit gym.

What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

Toes to Bar

What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

Running

What is your most memorable CrossFit moment?

Maybe this is recency bias, but completing Chad this Veteran's Day was incredibly special. Step ups are historically a movement that is not one of my strengths. But it was amazing to see how many people from the community showed up to complete the workout. I went to the workout with the intent of only completing 500 reps, but once I hit 500 I knew I couldn't stop. I looked around and was inspired by the community so I kept going and slowly but surely made it all the way to 1000 reps.

How does nutrition play a role in your fitness and recovery?

Nutrition is definitely still a big area where I need to improve, but this past year with the addition of the recovery room has made CrossFit even more integral to my overall wellness. I started integrating regular cold plunges into my routine and in October challenged myself to complete 3 plunges a week for the whole month. Cold plunging has been an amazing tool for me to cope with my anxiety and life's various stressors.

How has CrossFit improved your overall wellness?

CrossFit has been a godsend for my overall wellness. Aside from the obvious physical health benefits of improved strength and cardio, CrossFit has been instrumental for my mental health. During the peak of the COVID pandemic CrossFit was one of the few ways to get out of the house and to still have a sense of community. As someone who struggles with anxiety and stress, my regular CrossFit workouts help keep me sane. I may sometimes dread the workout or not feel motivated to attend the class, but both Brenda and I have always said there has never been a CrossFit class that I have regretted attending. I always leave the gym feeling more positive and glad that I showed up.

How has CrossFit changed your family?

Attending CrossFit workouts with Brenda is always a highlight of my week. I am still always impressed and inspired by her level of fitness. We love to compete with one another, even though she wins 90% of the time. It is incredible to see both of us grow and progress on our fitness journey. We are both in such better shape now compared to when we started CrossFit.

Advice to new people:

My biggest advice to new people or people considering CrossFit is to just show up and give it a try. I put off trying CrossFit for the longest time because I didn't think I was fit enough, but the beauty of CrossFit is that it will meet you where you are currently in your fitness journey and progress from there. So show up and stick with it! The community is great and supportive. Everyone is there to show up and have a great workout and cheer each other on.