Member Spotlight: Seth’s Strength, Surprises, and a Steady Climb
Lynne Steiner • July 16, 2025
When Seth first walked through the doors at CrossFit Roselle in mid-October 2024, he wasn’t looking for shortcuts. He was looking for progress—and not just on the leaderboard.
“I’m proud of the consistency,” he said. “Every class, I’m pushing myself and learning more about where I’m strong and where I’ve still got work to do.”
That mindset has carried Seth through some incredible milestones:
- A 2.5-inch drop in waist size. “I don’t enjoy clothes-shopping, but the belt alone wasn’t enough anymore, so I finally had to cave,” he laughed.
- Twenty pounds lighter—about 2.2 pounds per month.
- Growing stronger, more flexible, and more confident with every lift.
Now he’s chasing benchmarks like bench-pressing his bodyweight and RXing workouts. And for the long-term? He has his eyes on the wall: handstand push-ups.
But it’s not just about PRs. It’s about progress he never expected.
“One thing that really surprised me was GHD sit-ups. When I started, I could barely do one. Now they’re part of the grind. And I’m making steady progress on pull-ups—something I know takes time, but I’m putting in the work.”
He’s also learning to listen to his body: navigating recovery, managing schedule conflicts, and aiming for three classes a week—even when life (and kids and golf) pull him elsewhere.
And speaking of life outside the gym…
“I can already feel the difference in every aspect: playing with my kids, tackling household chores, even improving my golf game. CFR helped me push through a plateau.”
You can learn more about Seth and his success here.
Seth’s story reminds us that progress doesn’t always announce itself with fireworks. Sometimes it shows up as a quieter GHD sit-up, a smaller waistline, a day chasing your kids without needing to pause.
That kind of progress? That’s the real PR. Ready to start making your own progress? Click the Book a Free Intro button in the top right corner of the page and let's get started. 💪
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Gym Etiquette 101: How to Be a Great Member Walk into any gym and you’ll see two types of people. The first? The silent hero. They finish a set, wipe down the bench, re-rack the dumbbells, and glide away like a ninja of courtesy. You barely notice them, because everything just flows. The second? The gear hoarder. They’re building a fortress with kettlebells, chalking the air like LeBron before every set, and—oh look—there’s their sweat angel plastered across the bench you were about to use. Which one would you rather train with? Being a great gym member isn’t about lifting the heaviest barbell or crushing the fastest metcon time. It’s about something simpler (and honestly, more impactful): respecting space and equipment so that everyone’s workout is smoother, safer, and more enjoyable. Let’s talk about two big etiquette mistakes—ones that make or break the training experience—and how to avoid them. Equipment Hoarding: The Fitness Equivalent of Cutting in Line Picture this: you’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet. But one guy grabs an entire tray of shrimp, guards it like treasure, and leaves everyone else staring at empty platters. That’s what equipment hoarding looks like in the gym. - Why it matters: In a CrossFit class, equipment is a shared resource. When you “claim” four different bars, two sets of dumbbells, and a rower for yourself, you’re essentially telling your classmates, “Sorry folks, the buffet’s closed. I’m the shrimp king now.” - How it affects the room: It slows everything down. Other people have to wait, ask awkwardly to “work in,” or skip a movement altogether. Not exactly the community vibe we’re going for. Quick fix: Only take what you need for that moment. If the workout calls for a barbell, grab a barbell—not a barbell plus three kettlebells “just in case.” You’ll always have access to what you need if everyone plays fair. And if you’re worried about losing your equipment mid-class? Relax. Nobody’s plotting a barbell heist while you tie your shoes. Clean Up: Your Sweat, Your Responsibility Here’s a truth bomb: nobody wants to accidentally sit in your sweat puddle. Leaving behind your DNA in chalk, sweat, or skin flakes (yep, it happens) is the fastest way to turn your gym into a biohazard site. It’s also, quite frankly, gross. - Why it matters: Hygiene is respect. Sweat and germs spread quickly, especially in group classes. By wiping down your gear, you’re saying, “I care about the next person who has to use this.” - The bigger impact: It keeps the gym safe and smooth-running. Nothing derails a class faster than someone slipping on a sweaty pull-up bar. Quick fix: Wipe down everything you touch—rower handles, barbells, benches, the works. Most gyms have spray bottles and towels everywhere for a reason. And let’s not forget re-racking weights. Leaving plates scattered on the floor is like leaving Legos in the hallway—it’s a guaranteed trip hazard and a guaranteed curse word waiting to happen. Why This All Matters: More Than Just “Rules” Some people roll their eyes at gym etiquette, like it’s a fussy set of rules written by the “Fun Police.” But etiquette is actually about energy. When everyone shares equipment fairly and cleans up after themselves, the room feels lighter. Workouts move faster. People smile more. Coaches can coach instead of playing janitor. It’s not about rules—it’s about respect. And respect is the glue that holds a strong community together. The Takeaway (and a Simple Tip to Try Today) Being a great member doesn’t require you to be the fittest, the fastest, or the strongest. It requires something far simpler: thoughtfulness. Here’s the cheat code: - Use only what you need. - Clean up when you’re done. - Re-rack like a legend. Do those three things and you’re not just a member—you’re the kind of person others want to train with. So the next time you finish a set, think about the person waiting behind you. Wipe it down. Re-rack it. And in that small, ninja-like act of courtesy, you’ll pass on the positive vibe that makes your gym one of the best places to be.
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Picture this: your alarm blares at 5:30 a.m. and suddenly you’re negotiating with yourself like a lawyer in a courtroom drama. “If I skip today, I’ll go tomorrow.”“ If I just get more sleep, I’ll perform better next time.” Sound familiar? Here’s the hard truth: the universe is not going to clear your schedule, tuck your kids into bed early, or refill your coffee pot so you can have the “perfect” conditions to work out. Life is messy, chaotic, and sometimes downright rude. And yet, the secret to fitness success isn’t buried in some obscure training manual or locked inside a macro-tracking app. It’s simpler—and harder—than that. The real secret is showing up. Especially when you don’t feel like it. Why Obstacles Aren’t a Sign to Stop Life throws haymakers daily: - Your boss schedules a late Zoom meeting. - Your kid has soccer practice that somehow requires three hours of driving for a one-hour game. - Dinner burns because you answered a work email and forgot the chicken in the oven. At the end of the day, your workout starts to look like a luxury cruise: nice in theory, impossible to board. But here’s the twist: those obstacles aren’t signals to quit—they’re signals that this is the exact moment you need movement most. - Busy schedules convince us there’s no time. But what if fitness isn’t competing with your schedule—what if it’s fueling it? A 30-minute class can give you more focus for the next eight hours. That’s a return on investment Warren Buffett would be proud of. - Stress and fatigue whisper that skipping a workout is the “safe” choice. But skipping doesn’t recharge your batteries—it drains them further. Exercise is the world’s most underrated stress relief valve. Miss it, and you’re building pressure until the lid blows off. The Psychology of Just Showing Up Here’s a fun fact: your brain is terrible at measuring effort. It screams, “This will be awful!” before you even touch a barbell. But once you walk through the door, say hi to your coach, and start the warm-up, the story changes. Suddenly, what felt impossible feels… doable. Think of it like dragging your feet to a party you didn’t want to attend. You almost bailed three times. Then you show up and—what do you know—you’re laughing, eating chips, and wondering why you resisted in the first place. Fitness works the same way. The hardest lift is the front door. Flip the Script: How to Show Up When You Don’t Feel Like It Instead of chasing “perfect conditions,” practice this mindset: - Shrink the workout. Don’t have an hour? Do 20 minutes. No gym? Knock out squats and push-ups in the living room. Something is always better than nothing. - Anchor to identity. Stop saying, “I have to work out.” Start saying, “I’m the kind of person who trains, even when it’s hard.” That tiny linguistic tweak shifts your brain from obligation to ownership. - Stack the deck. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Book your class in Wodify. Tell a friend you’ll meet them there. Future-You will be grateful when Current-You tries to chicken out. The Conclusion (And a Pep Talk) Here’s the takeaway: the secret sauce isn’t motivation, luck, or perfect conditions. It’s the gritty, stubborn decision to show up anyway. - Your schedule will always be busy. - Your energy will sometimes be low. - The stars will never align just right. But when you show up through the chaos, you win. Every. Single. Time. Pro Tip: Next time you’re tempted to skip, try this: tell yourself, “I’ll just go for the warm-up.” If after 10 minutes you still want to leave, you have permission. (Spoiler: you won’t.) So lace up your shoes, roll your eyes at your inner excuses, and step into the arena. Because the only true failure in fitness isn’t a missed lift or a slower run—it’s not showing up at all.
