Success Stories

While it may have taken me a while to say this, CrossFit Surmount is one of the best things that I have experienced in my life. One word captures what Surmount is all about: community! Your skill level doesn’t matter, as you will always find support and encouragement from both the coaches and athletes. CrossFit Surmount is a great and nurturing box, that has taught me how to push myself beyond my preconceived notions of “impossible.”

I have been an athlete my whole life and am always looking for new ways to keep fit. I have done many at home programs that gave me great results, only to then get bored with the program and fall back to my old status. CrossFit Surmount is an all around game changer. It is never the same and it is an overall body workout. Before I started, despite being fit, I was intimidated by the idea of CrossFit. However, at CrossFit Surmount you are always welcomed, everything may be scaled, the coaching is excellent, and it is evident on the first day that you can do CrossFit. Not only does CrossFit Surmount enable you to get in the best shape of your life but it is the most welcoming and inspiring community in the world! I have never enjoyed working out in a group setting until I attended CrossFit Surmount where I feel empowered, encouraged, and motivated. I am in my mid-forties and because of CrossFit Surmount I can run faster, last longer, jump higher, climb farther, lift more weight, and have made lifelong friends. I have been CrossFitting for over a year and I still can’t wait for the next next day’s workout to be posted!

I am grateful to have found the CrossFit Surmount community. Paul’s coaching is supportive and prioritizes proper form over increased weight. The community he has cultivated is encouraging and open to athletes at every level. If you have ever wondered why people who do CrossFit are so fanatical, CrossFit Surmount is a great place to find out why!

I first heard of Coach Paul through my husband, who attended sessions Coach Paul led at another box.  All my husband kept raving about was how great this coach was, and how much I would like Coach Paul. and on and on and on. I really didn’t give it another though, but I did attend a workout he led — and I was instantly engaged with his style of coaching. Coach Paul really strives in emphasizing form and consistency.  Coach Paul focuses on what you are doing wrong and will coach you in doing it right, which speaks volumes for me, as I have had coaches before him and all I got was them standing there with very minimal coaching!  My defining moment with Coach Paul was when the metcon involved rowing. I was a little nervous as I had never rowed! During my last 15 seconds of, all in all, a 400m row, Coach Paul was right beside me shouting with motivation “C’mon Rona, pull it, strong legs…3 more strokes!” I finished, beating my fastest time (although by seconds), I still finished strong! I remember being out of breath and almost collapsing from my seat after the last second, and Coach Paul was there, literally hugging me for finishing! Three things played a factor of motivation: 1) Coach Paul and his awesomeness 2) I needed to beat my fastest time to not do burpees and 3) Tom Hardy waiting at the end of the finish line!

From being greeted at the door by our handsome mascot, Luke, to fun partner/team/individual WODs, to meeting new friends, to being trained by positively the best coaching staff in the Triangle area, CrossFit Surmount offers it all. I have been attending CFS for a year and a half and am absolutely amazed by the things my body is able to accomplish every time I walk into the box. Handstands, rope climbs, and overhead squats are a few of my favorite things! I am a school teacher, a single mom of two teenage sons, in my 40s, and I am in the best shape of my life. Thanks to CFS I have the strength, mentally and physically, to handle whatever life throws my way. CFS is a welcoming box where anyone can fit in, feel comfortable, get a great workout, and have FUN!

I’ve been on cholesterol meds for almost seven years. From 2007-2013, my blood tests have been consistent and with the help of my meds, my levels have been manageable. I became a member of CrossFit Surmount in March 2013.  I went for a physical in November 2013 and discovered that my HDL level went up by 20 points and my LDL level went down by 20. Great news! The doctor asked me what has changed and I told her that I started CrossFitting. She said to keep up the great work because it is working! I weigh the same and I look the same as I did back in March 2013 (well, maybe a little more toned now than then). Just because nothing has “changed” on the exterior doesn’t mean that exercising is not working.  I am now at a much lower risk of heart disease and I have my test results to prove it thanks to CrossFit Surmount!

Joining CrossFit Surmount has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions of my life. It has literally changed my life. Before joining CrossFit Surmount, I was the definition of the term “lazy.” In my late twenties I found myself severely overweight, out of shape, and completely unmotivated. After a brief period of dieting, I quickly realized that a strict diet was no realistic way to live my life. Something physically needed to change.  Initially, I decided to try CrossFit at another local box and walked away with a horrible first impression. This discouragement almost led me to give up on the entire idea of CrossFit. A friend suggested I try CrossFit Surmount because it was “different.” She could not have been more right. This gym is not just another box, it is a family. From the moment I met Coach Paul, I knew he was truly unique. He understood the concept of a fantastic coach. The level of comfort I felt, even a very beginner level, made me feel adequate; a concept often forgotten. Over the past year, I have witnessed this box grow with the same support, encouragement, and coaching that creates such a positive atmosphere. This, coupled with the superior equipment and constant variation, creates successful results. The most inspiring aspect is that this box defines the philosophy that anyone can do CrossFit. In recent travels, I’ve had the opportunity to visit several other boxes and I can sincerely say there is no place like the home I have found at CrossFit Surmount.

I have been a member of CrossFit Surmount for over a year. I can say I am healthier, happier, and fitter than ever! I have always been active. Playing sports in school, getting into video aerobics in high school, going to the gym in college and continuing to do so after but adding group fitness and a 5K race here and there. But I never had the personal coaching, the sense of community, and the encouragement to do things I never thought I could do! I have made great strides in my endurance, in my strength, and in my attitude about what I can do as an athlete. I would never have called myself that before, but now it seems appropriate. I thank the Living Social Gods for putting CrossFit Surmount in front of me with the Bootcamp class and then the athletes I admired on the “dark side” that made me an instant convert. Paul and the rest of the coaching team are amazing and I love looking forward to the WOD every single day!

With so many great things to say about CrossFit Surmount the most important points to hit on are the superb coaching and the wide variety of workouts offered every day. The owner and head coach, Paul, is an extremely knowledgable and motivating person to have there coaching most of the sessions. With him there watching over each session it’s like having your own personal fitness coach. The second thing I want to comment on is the wonderful variety that comes with each workout. Prior to joining CrossFit Surmount, whenever I would exercise I would do the exact same weightlifting routine everyday for months on end. Needless to say it got boring and became a chore to work out all the time. The opposite is true here at CrossFit Surmount! Each and every day is something completely different and uniquely structured by CFS to maximize the full-body benefit. It makes working out so much fun that you just can’t wait to show up for the next session!