Anthony Danna!!!
ATHLETE PROFILE:
Hometown: Lufkin, order Tx
Age: 23
When did you first start CrossFitting?: January 2011
When did you first start training at CFPB?: January 2011
Favorite WOD: Some of my favorite WODs include things like tire flips, pills swinging the sledge hammer, or rope climbs. I also love it when a workout ends with a sprint or a run.
Least Favorite WOD: I’m not a fan of the Turkish Get Up, so any WOD that involves those.
Tell us about you sports & fitness background: In high school I played varsity soccer and have played on a few indoor soccer teams in the years since. Before finding Crossfit I tried various gyms, running, as well as the P90X program without any substantial results.
How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD… what was it, and how did it feel? I first heard of Crossfit through an acquaintance on Facebook who kept posting about this crazy workout routine that kept kicking her ass day in and day out. So I looked it up online, and finally got the guts to show up at CFPB one freezing Thursday morning back in January. I looked it up, and the WOD that day was:
1 min Stations
3 rounds
Farmers Carry 70/44
Rope Climb
Hammer on Tire 16/10
Sled Pull 225/150
Tire Flips
Skill:
50 Knees 2 Elbows on your own
It was a killer workout, and I was hooked from that day forward.
What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF (before/after)? I’m definitely in the best shape I’ve ever been; I’m finally getting close to that six pack I’ve been chasing for years. I can run faster and farther, jump higher, lift heavier weight for longer, and then recover quicker than before. A side effect of Crossfit is that I’m eating much healthier than I used to, and I just feel great all the time.
What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected? Crossfit has given me a thirst for new experiences, and a bit of fearlessness when it comes to pursuing them. I’ve got my eye on events such as the Tough Mudder, the Spartan Race, and a Triathlon. Ultimately I’d love to see how I stack up against other crossfitters in the Crossfit Regionals, but I’ve got a lot of work to do before that day comes.
Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CFPB moments: I remember pretty distinctly the first time I missed a lift at the old CFPB box. It was my 4th or 5th attempt to split jerk 135lbs, I lost my balance, and had to dump the bar mid way up. To my surprise no one told me that I was trying to lift too much, or that I was tearing up the equipment. Instead the coaches gave me some pointers, and some encouragement and turned me loose to try again. That mentality is another reason I love Crossfit.
Any advice for people just getting started?
Form is everything; listen to your body and your coaches when they tell you that you’re doing a movement wrong. Ignoring this caused me a pretty painful setback, and took me out of the gym for about a month. It took a couple more to get back to 100%.
What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
I love to go snowboarding, and I’m always looking to put a trip together so anyone who is interested should let me know. Other than that I’ve gotten into mountain biking here lately, which is cool because its a lot easier to get out to the trails than it is to the mountains.