CrossFit Games | Noah Ohlsen

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“I didn’t realize that I was looking for anything new but on a whim I tried a crossfit class, it kicked by butt! I ended up loving it and the rest just sort of fell into place” -Noah Ohlsen

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And that is all she wrote for Noah Ohlsen!

Crossfit was something that Noah sort of randomly come across and has stuck with it ever since! “ I was eating lunch at EVOS, a little “healthy fast food” place in miami, and saw a flyer for a crossfit gym with a photo of a bunch of insanely fit people running on the beach and thought “man, I want to look like that!” So I called the number on the flyer for Peak 360 Crossfit, spoke to Guido Trinidad and and set up a time to try out my first class,” Noah explains.

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Start

Now don’t get me wrong, CrossFit wasn’t Noah’s first experience with fitness. Noah has always been quite the athlete. “I grew up playing a little bit of everything but lacrosse was my main sport. When I started High School I transitioned from the to wrestling to swimming and diving to playing water polo,” Noah says.

As an athlete, competitiveness is in Noah’s blood. So, it’s no surprise that when Noah got into CrossFit, competing was shortly to follow In 2011, Noah competed in his first CrossFit Games. “In 2011, I didn’t make it from the open to regionals but in 2012 I did. In 2012 + 2013, I just barely missed qualifying for the Crossfit Games. Finally in 2014, I made it to the Games. Rather than letting the losses deter me, I just let them fuel me to get better so that it wouldn’t happen again,” Noah recalls. Years later, he is still competing and is in amazing condition. “I am lucky that right now training and competing is my full time job,” Noah says.

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Join In

When I hear the word CrossFit, I think of a very intense fitness practice. Something that is meant for those already in fit condition, however Noah disagreed! Why? Because he’s seen for himself how ANYONE can join in the CrossFit frenzy. “I really do believe crossfit is for everyone! Along with being a competitor, I have coached group crossfit classes for years, the workouts can be scaled (or adjusted) for anybody in anyway. Both of my parents started doing crossfit a few years ago, they are 52 and 62 and a number of gyms even run crossfit kids programs! And the best part is you can always get better, even when you hit a big PR you can always add a pound or two to the bar or push to move a little bit faster,” Noah exclaims!

Reward

Despite having so much success in CrossFit, Noah’s real accomplishment comes from the many people he has helped along the way. “I love both being able to inspire others who may have started something without much of a background in it, to be able to work hard at it and succeed and being able to enjoy the opportunities to travel and connect with people around the world and in the Crossfit community,” Noah says.

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What advice would you give to a young person today who wanted to ditch a sedentary lifestyle and become more fit and healthy?

I would definitely recommend to try a class at their local crossfit affiliate.  It’s a great way to get guidance from a coach and connect with a community that has similar goals and will help hold you accountable.  

Why do you think a person’s mindset is so integral to their success?

I think your mindset can help keep you determined and on task to accomplish whatever goal you set for yourself. Being able to wake up everyday committed to do whatever it takes to reach it comes from having a strong belief in your own ability to succeed.

In your opinion, what are the most overrated and underrated exercises?

I think there is a misconception that you need isolation exercises to “get big” but i have been able to put on 30lbs of muscle doing full body exercises that are used in crossfit. Outside of Crossfit or weightlifting communities, the squat is an underutilized movement that is awesome for building full body strength, developing a strong and sturdy core, and adding muscle mass to your lower body.

What three pieces of fitness equipment should everyone have?

There is so much you can do for your fitness with 0 pieces of equipment, but if I could only choose 3 pieces to have, I would say a barbell, dumbbell, and some sort of cyclical machine like a bike or rower.

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Noah Ohlsen

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Compound Effect leads to Big Gains | Christmas Abbott

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Christmas Abbott is a crossfit pro & fitness enthusiast that encourages others to use fitness as a means to turn their lives around. She does this through as many channels as she can find: she’s written books, started fitness programs, she tours, does motivational speaking, and nutrition consulting.

“I’m using my personal turbulence I’ve experienced through life and applying it to the wellness and fitness industry. I want to help people wake up and realize that they have the opportunity to change their lives every day,” Christmas says.

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Start

Growing up Christmas had many challenges through life. By the age of 13, she was drinking, smoking and doing drugs. By 21, her habits lead to her doing meth and becoming an alcoholic. She didn’t really consider the damage she was doing to her body at the time. It wasn’t until she took a trip to Iraq as a civilian consultant that she had an epiphany. “I realized I was continuing to make bad decisions and continuing to put myself in compromising situations. I was going to end up killing myself because of the decisions I was making. I decided to make a better decision. I decided to quit smoking. I decided to work out and I discovered fitness and health and wellness. That became my new addiction,” Christmas explains.

The moment that Christmas realized she was capable of achieving a state of health; she started with the realization that she had positive power. She was able to commit herself to a 30 day regimen. For 20 minutes a day, three times a week, Christmas would work out on an elliptical. “This was like my gateway drug to fitness. It was a very subtle transition into fitness but by the third week, I noticed a difference in myself. It wasn’t necessarily physically fit, but I just felt better. I felt proud of myself for the first time in my life. That’s when I caught the bug of positive reinforcement,” Christmas says. Since then Christmas admits it’s still been a bit of a struggle. However through her transitioning she has gained self-worth and confidence. “I love myself fully and I want to enrich my life with positivity,” Christmas declares.

Childhood

Christmas grew up in a poor household, however her parents loved her very much. Her mother named her Christmas Joy because she brought joy to her mom’s world when she was born.  Christmas’ father was the epitome of a biker. And the biker lifestyle that the family lived, while very exciting is what lead Christmas to picking up some of the habits that she felt was taking away from her life.

Of course, Christmas doesn’t blame her parents. They just didn’t know of a healthier way of living. “For me, when I saw that I had an option to change that, I felt more empowered,” Christmas says. However Christmas still remains very close to her family. “I wasn’t a product of a healthy lifestyle growing up. And I want people to know regardless of what upbringing you have, you can still change your future,” Christmas says.

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Obstacles

Christmas had to overcome a lot of obstacles in her journey to being as fit as she is now. For her, the hardest one was to find self-worth. “I had to believe that I was capable and had to believe that I was worth something more. Once we find ways to feel proud of ourselves, that’s when we get on a path to loving ourselves. As soon as I started to love myself, that’s when the opportunities starting presenting themselves,” Christmas says.

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Wellness Wheel

According to Christmas, the keys to living a happy, healthy lifestyle comes from within. “I tell people you have five fingers and you usually have five obligations that you can commit to before it becomes overwhelming. You have to take care of yourself.

Sleep well, eat well, exercise, and meditate.

All of this comes into play. You can be eating well and be stressed out at work and still gain weight. So when one thing is out of whack, it has a ripple effect. Living a perfectly balanced life is pretty much unheard of, but you can get pretty close to it when you create this balance. It is a mental fortitude of tenacity. When bad things happen, you can actually navigate through them in a faster and more efficient way,” Christmas says.

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Christmas Abbott

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