Evka Turpin
January 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Every bride-to-be is worried about what their body is going to look like on the day of their wedding. It becomes an obsession that is planned down to the last detail; what shoes to wear, how the hair will be done, who will do their make up, and of course the DRESS! Soon their minds start to scream “WORK OUT”. I was no exception. I knew how to use the treadmill and a few weight machines. I even had a gym membership! Like so many “I wish I had a better body brides,” I still lacked the self-discipline and knowledge to get the body of my dreams.
Then I was introduced to Emerfit. Chris Brown and his team of coaches was my perfect answer. They were able to take the guess work out of my workout regiment.
The Emerfit team became my workout family. They were always encouraging, never doubting and always concerned with my health. Within the first month I became stronger, leaner and started to see muscle definition in my upper body. I had shoulder muscles and I knew that strapless dress was going to look amazing!
The changes I saw encouraged me to make healthier eating choices and the Emerfit team was there to introduce me to a healthier way of eating. I watched the pounds shave off and after the second month I was a whole dress size smaller. Thank god I bought a dress that laced up in the back.
Emerfit, thank you for encouraging me to be in the best shape of my life, on the biggest day of my life!
Evka (Adams) Turpin. Boulder, Colorado. August 2008.
Tracee Carroll
December 11, 2008 | 4 Comments
I was very skeptical of CrossFit at first, because my husband would come home from a workout and tell me how brutal it was. Nothing sounded inviting about that at all.
Having let myself “go” after having Landon, it was very intimidating to think that I could just jump in and keep up with everyone else. Then, on June 10th 2008, I finally bit the bullet and I haven’t been the same since. Now, I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life and am waiting to conquer child number two with ease.
The beauty about CrossFit is ANYONE can do it. You make the workout what you want it to be, no matter what your goal in life is and no matter where you are coming from, be it the couch, the running track or a mountain bike.
EmerFit’s slogan is “Train here, succeed out there,” and I think this is something to be reckoned with. How can you go wrong with accomplishing movements at the gym that can only make your life easier in the real world?
My number one goal in life is to be a strong, healthy and spiritually-motivated mom and wife. With a husband in the military I feel I need to be extra fit both physically and mentally to hold down the fort back here at home, and EmerFit has proven true to this testament.
My lower back pain has vanished, I have more energy and I have more self-confidence as a result of losing the baby fat I inherited from carrying a child. I even lifted Landon, who weighs 27 pounds now, from the ground, over my head and onto my shoulders (aka a Thruster in CrossFit) the other day, without injuring myself.
For 31 years I have said, “I can’t do a pull up.” Well, not anymore. Not to toot my own horn, but I even accomplished my first dead-hang pull up just last week (not to mention I can do kipping pull ups as well!). I’m also proud to boast that I think my son is the youngest child to ever do burpees, at 19 months, and I’ve got the video to prove it!
Chris Brown is such a viable asset to the CrossFit community. His ability to determine everyone’s threshold and push you just enough to make the right amount of progress without sacrificing form is impeccable. When I think of Chris Brown, the words patience, approachable and hard working come to mind. The other two coaches at EmerFit, Jeff Guthrie and Crystal Nelson, do just as good of a job at making sure we are pushing ourselves to the fullest, yet not overdoing it.
EmerFit has truly been a blessing to me. The relationships I have built with other CrossFitters, including the coaches, has completely surpassed my expectations of meeting great people after moving here in March. So go ahead, bite the bullet. Your only regret will be that you didn’t do it sooner and that you might need counseling because you have formed an addiction to hardcore exercise!
Tracee Carroll. Fort Collins, Colorado. December 2008.
Chris Gubbels
December 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
As a chiropractor and certified wellness doctor with a bachelors of science in exercise science and biology I highly recommend participating in CrossFit. I know it will greatly help you get more out of life and increase your enjoyment of the activities you really love.
I was first introduced to CrossFit by a doctor that I interned with in Minneapolis. We did not have a CrossFit affiliate nearby so I started by doing the online workouts at a local gym. When I moved to Fort Collins in July 2008 I started a building a relationship with Chris Brown at Emergent Fitness. During my first workouts at EmerFit I was amazed by the difference between doing the workouts at an actual affiliate as compared to on my own. The intensity was drastically increased, I was getting a ton of coaching and I built friendships with the other members. Emerfit has a community feeling that is lacking in almost all other gyms.
I strongly believe that CrossFit is the best type of conditioning any individual can participate in for optimum health. As a college wrestler competing at a national level I’ve experience some pretty high levels of fitness, but I can honestly say CrossFit has given me more functional fitness than any other training. Very little of what most people do at the gym carries over to their real lives. Functional fitness is all about helping you get more out of life. If you’re a person who enjoys hiking, climbing, skiing or just wants to truly enhance your level of health then CrossFit is for you!!
When you study the physiology behind what type physical activity is required for the optimum expression of health you will find CrossFit to be the best thing out there. Doing long bouts of aerobic activity such as running long distances or does very little for your health. Your body is designed to do short bursts of intensive exercise using multiple large muscle groups at the same time. Crossfit is the closest thing to what your body innately and genetically requires for the expression of health.
Dr. Christopher M. Gubbels B.Sc., D.C., C.C.W.P
Gubbels Chiropractic & Wellness Center
November 2008
Sheila Dunn
November 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Empowering. If I had to choose one word to describe my experience at EmerFit, this is it. I left Colorado one month ago feeling the strongest, fittest and most empowered I have in my adult life, thanks to Chris, Jeff, Jessie and the amazing benefits of their program.
When I started EmerFit, I thought I was in good shape. I was a semi-avid cyclist/jogger and practiced yoga almost everyday. However, I soon discovered my very limited definition of fitness after my first few classes at EmerFit when I thought I was going to a)die or b)resemble the CrossFit mascot. But in all seriousness, I discovered that even with practicing yoga everyday, my body was lacking balance. I had come to rely so heavily on my flexibility, that my muscular support in poses was minimal if nonexistent.
A few weeks past, and I was leaving workouts at EmerFit feeling the same natural high I had always felt after a particularly wonderful yoga class. Everyday I felt my confidence grow, my endurance build and body thrive. No matter how difficult the workout, I would consistently leave with more energy than I came with and a myriad of benefits. In yoga classes, my postures felt more supported, more aligned and more balanced. (Although there were definitely moments when holding a yoga lunge that I would curse those damn Tabata squats).
I am in Guatemala for four months learning Spanish and I have to say, EmerFit is one of the aspects I miss most from my life in Colorado. However, I feel grateful to have discovered it before my trip, because I have noticed the benefits more than once in my travels. Traveling in Guatemala is somewhat unforgiving. You have to be quick on your feet and able to negotiate heavy bags on moving, unbelievably crowded buses. Traveling alone in the past, I would have been more apt to ask for (or need) help managing my heavy backpack. Now I can confidently grab my bags from overhead, work my way up the aisle of people, hop off the moving bus to my next destination.
Sheila Dunn, October 2008
Desiree Olson
November 5, 2008 | 5 Comments
By far the best work out ever - challenging, rewarding, and yet fun.
I grew up playing a variety of sports. Unfortunately, my body succumbed to several sports injuries over the years. I believe the injuries were in part due to my lack of strength, agility and flexibility. I only started working out and lifting weights on a regular basis during my first year in college. Since then I have worked out (at regular gyms) anywhere from 1 to 2 hours a day 5 days a week just to maintain my weight and the wee bit of strength I had. Needless to say, my strength over the last 17 years had only improved slightly but ‘Oh how I thought I was fit’. Not until Emergent Fitness was introduced to me in December 2007 did I realize how truly unfit I was!
Over the last 8 months I have experienced incredible results that have far exceeded my expectations. My upper body strength has exploded, I can now run short distances without knee pain, and recently rode 23 miles on my mountain bike and felt great! Earlier this year I conquered an 8-mile snowshoe trek in the Snowies, with very little knee pain. I love to snowmobile and this past winter I felt more balanced and more in control and didn’t tire near as quickly as before. My posture has improved; I feel taller as my body is more aligned. Furthermore, my energy level, agility, endurance and flexibility continually improve. I am 35 and this is by far the most strength I have ever had. I look forward to my progress on a daily basis.
Chris Brown is an awesome Crossfit trainer. His knowledge, patience and willingness to help everyone regardless of their skills or fitness level is truly refreshing. The daily workouts are always challenging and never the same; you will never get bored! I have many goals that I know I can meet or exceed with the help of Chris, all the trainers and all the athletes at Emergent Fitness. So for those of you who fancy a challenge that will continually test you both physically and mentally then please LEAVE your normal mundane gym routines and come workout with us at Emergent Fitness! We are an awesome community and you will be amazed at your results.
Desiree Olson, Fort Collins, CO
Rick Smith
July 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
From the age of 18, I have worked out typically with a combination of weights and cardio and some form of circuit training. It was not until December of 2007 when I found a workout that was tailor made for my fitness goals. I have been a firefighter for the past 18 years and my fitness goals have always been geared toward functionality for my profession, not only to look fit.
I was introduced to CrossFit from a co-worker and right away I knew this was the workout that would bring me to the fitness level I wanted for maximizing firefighting performance. I started CrossFit workouts on my own, getting them from the website and doing the best I could from the video demonstrations. I soon found out that I needed some help getting the lifts and the moves down as to not injure myself. This is when I found Chris’s information on CrossFit.com and set up a meeting; good decision! Chris gave the information and inspiration that I was lacking when I was working out on my own.
Chris is full of information and extremely good at giving easy to follow instruction in a motivating way. He is great at keeping you honest! Shortly after working out with Chris I responded to a fire and was involved in the fire attack. I noticed right away that I had more energy and was less fatigued at the end of the fire compared to fires that I had fought prior to Crossfit. I have been with Chris for six months and always look forward to the next workout. If you are looking for a life changing fitness program, Crossfit is the workout and Chris is person to make sure you get the very best out of the program. Rick Smith, July 2008
Eric L.
June 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“This has been the best investment in my health that I have ever made! What more is there to say? Well there is a lot more, but there is not enough room to fully describe the experience at Emerfit and the coaching from Chris.
I have been training at Emerfit for 3 months now and I have seen incredible results. I came to Chris extremely out of shape. I had researched Crossfit and Emerfit online for several weeks before stopping in. Several things sold me, one was the attention to detail that Chris provides. As a result my strength gains have exploded, my flexibility has increased, and my energy levels have also increased. I have seen results in my health and fitness that no other program was able to accomplish.
I have never truly looked forward to working out at a gym in my life, until now, even though I have not mastered all of the skill sets needed to complete some of the workouts as prescribed, I know that I am making steady progress in the program. The scalability of the workouts allows for continual improvements.
The camaraderie with the other athletes is an added bonus as we are able to encourage each other as we witness daily progress. If you are serious about making healthy changes in your life, then come join us. You have everything to gain and only the fat to lose!” Eric L., June 2008
Irene Schneider
May 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“My brother got me a gift certificate for a month of training at EmerFit. He had been doing CrossFit for some time and really thought I’d enjoy the community and workouts. As much as I hate to admit that he’s right, he was. When my month was up I decided that I had to continue.
The workouts can be grueling sometimes, but I found that my recovery time was quicker and that my endurance was greater. I had been doing some running before I started training, but usually had to walk sometimes or was ready to collapse at the end of a 5 mile run. I went out and ran 7 miles after a couple weeks of training. Not only did I run the complete 7 miles, but was ready to run some more after getting something to drink. I played soccer in high school, but hadn’t done much consistent training since. I now feel like I am in just as good, if not better shape then I was 10 years ago. I know I am stronger, dead-lifting 1.5 xs my body weight!
The community of Crossfit helps you get through those workouts that are strenuous. Not with just the good nature competition of it, but that they encourage each other through it, and once one is finished and rested they, more often then not, join the last person to help them finish. You don’t get that when you’re working out by yourself in a regular gym.
Chris is an excellent coach. He is encouraging and genuinely cares about his clients. His knowledge of Crossfit, kettlebells, powerlifting, and running allows for him to push people to their greatest potential with out injury. He is dedicated to learning more so he can offer his clients the best training possible.” Irene Schneider, EmerFit Alumni, May 2008
Jen Mendez
May 19, 2008 | 1 Comment
“I was introduced to the concept of CrossFit by a co-worker. I was immediately interested in pursuing CrossFit and as I was researching facilities, I came across Emerfit and Chris. He was highly recommended and Emerfit was described as one of the best gyms in Northern Colorado.
I have been attending Chris’s gym for almost 2 and half months and have seen incredible results in just the short amount of time. Working as a law enforcement officer, I am constantly challenged physically with daily tasks. The agency I work for requires quarterly physical fitness assessments. Before I started CrossFit, my results for the physical fitness assessment were as follows: 30 pushups in one minute, 40 sit-ups in one minute, and 13:15 minutes to run a mile and a half. My current results are as follows: 47 pushups in one minute, 55 sit-ups in one minute, and 12:27 minutes for the mile and a half run. I completed my first Iron Girl 5k run with a 27:23 time.
Chris has been instrumental in my progress. Not only is he an excellent CrossFit trainer, he has knowledge and training in other fitness areas such as kettlebells, powerlifting, and running. This gives him a greater understanding of how the body works in regards to fitness training. He has a knack for knowing people’s limits and pushing them just far enough to ensure great performance and progress without pushing them too hard. I have accomplished great results in a short amount of time and I am looking forward to seeing what my future progress will be.” Jen Mendez of Greeley, May 2008.
Mike Estlick
June 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“When I started CrossFit I had the vague goal of getting stronger. I didn’t know much about the program, and my previous experience in the gym was using weight machines and the elliptical trainer without much result. I was doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and at age 30 I was being overpowered on the mat by people 5 and 10 years younger than me.
After nine months of CrossFit, I’m definitely stronger than I’ve ever been. Now, I lose by technique more than by strength at BJJ. And CrossFit is much more rewarding than I thought it would be. Chris is a great coach and I really enjoy learning new movements. We’ve learned some Olympic lifting, Kettlebells, ring exercises, and more. We’re constantly refining our techniques and that keeps me motivated. Chris pushes us hard, and is able to scale the workouts to our current fitness and skill level. The workouts are also very time efficient. Class is one hour long, and I feel like I accomplish more in 30 minutes at CrossFit than I ever did in 2 hours at the gym by myself.” - Mike Estlick of Fort Collins. June 2007.
