John Monroe
How did you hear about CCF?
Brian Morris told me that a friend of his was opening a new gym and invited me to check it out. We
showed up to the Murphy Law firm one Saturday morning in August 2007 and I was formally introduced to Paul Beckwith and Crossfit. Brian, Stuart Hope, John Bayard and I had been doing a boot camp class together for many years and this was right up our alley. The law office didn’t have showers so I didn’t join until April of the following year, shortly after Paul moved into the Blanding Street location. I haven’t looked back since…
Give us a little background about yourself.
I’m a Gemini, have a Smokin’ Hot Wife and am the father of three great kids. I grew up in Columbia,
played a little football in high school, graduated from Clemson and have been a financial advisor for 20+ years. Before Crossfit I had never considered myself an athlete BUT I AM NOW.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I secretly want to be a farmer.
What music can we find currently playing in your car?
MercyMe, Avett Brothers & Foo Fighters
What current things are you working toward when it comes to your health, training, career or personal life?
Improve my walk with God, love my wife more every day and raise my kids to love Jesus like I do -
everything else is gravy.
Tell us about your most memorable workout from CCF along with your greatest accomplishment
thus far.
Most memorable workout was my first in the Blanding Street gym: I ran to the gym from my office(abt
1 mile) and Kelly was the WOD – 5 round of Run 400 meters – 30 box jump, 24 inch box – 30 Wall ball
shots, 20 pound ball – I struggled to finish it in 45minutes and it took me the better part of an hour walk/crawl back to my office where I collapsed on the floor and slept for 2 hours….Hooked.
Greatest accomplishment was getting my son Jack interested in Crossfit. He started at the age of 10 and is now 13 and whippin’ my tail!!
What would you tell someone who is interested in Training with CCF?
I live in Blythewood and pass two other Crossfit gyms, 3 Gold’s Gyms, 2 New Life Fitness, YMCA and
countless other gyms on my way to CCF and the reason is Paul Beckwith’s expertise and programming
and the awesome community he has created at our gym.
Fitness
AMRAP pull-up/body row x 4
AMRAP push-up x 4; rest 90 sec
then
15min AMRAP
20 DB Squat Clean+Thruster 30/20lbs
Run 200m
—
Rest 3 min
—
15min AMRAP
15 wall ball 20/14
10 burpees
200m run
Sport
AMRAP CTB chin ups
Run 400m@85%
rest 2 min
x3
then
10 back squats 205#/135#
Run 400m @80%
rest 2 min
x3
then
7 power clean and jerk 135#/95#
Run 400m @80%
x2
Madison Cate-USC Dance Team Member
The USC Dance Team has been training at CCF for awhile, Madison is just one of the amazing athletes that we have had the pleasure of working with from the team.
How did you hear about CCF?
I had heard of Crossfit, but I had no idea what it really was until I moved to SC for school and my dance team signed up at CCF as part of our team workouts.
Give us a little background about yourself.
I am twenty years old. I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT. I wanted
to travel out of state for college and be apart of a college dance team, and a
friend of mine grew up in Columbia and told me all about South Carolina.
Now I am Carolina Girl dance team member and proud to be a Gamecock!
One thing most people don’t know about you?
I still watch spongebob squarepants on Saturday mornings.
What music is playing in your car?
Mumford & Sons, Billy Joel, Mackelmore, Moulin Rouge soundtrack.. and of course my idol, Celine Dion.
What current things are you working toward when it comes to
your health, training, career or personal life?Trying to keep up with healthy, clean eating, building muscle and to be strong enough to kick my sister Taylors’ butt in a workoutJ and I have no time for a personal life. Ha!
Most memorable workout? Greatest accomplishment?
Last year doing Karen for the first time. I couldn’t walk afterwards. I think
my greatest accomplishment so far is just a few years ago I was drinking
5 soda’s a day and eating fries and chips and the worst eating habits
imaginable. Now what I pride myself on is I rarely eat any processed foods
or drinks, and I have learned to love cooking clean healthy meals everyday!
What would you tell someone who is thinking of starting at CCF?
I encourage anyone and everyone to try CrossFit at CCF! People have
told me they would be to intimidated to workout with lots of strong,
crazy athletes, but what I love about CCF is people at all different
strength levels and working in a class helps to motivate and push you!
There are lots of great coaches and amazing supportive group of friends at
the gym!
Fitness
AMRAP pull-up/body row x 4
AMRAP push-up x 4; rest 90 sec
then
15min AMRAP
10 MBC
10 DB Thruster
Run 200m
Rest 3 min
15min AMRAP
10 wall ball
10 burpees
Sport
AMRAP CTB chin ups
Run 400m @85%
rest 2 min
x3
then
10 back squats 185#/135#
run 400m @80%
rest 2 min
x3
Brian Taylor
How did you hear about CCF?
My nephew, Xan Taylor, began doing crossfit in Breckenridge/Wofford. It sounded hard and it sounded like he was seeing results. Shortly after this, my brother, Wes Taylor, said he needed a change in his lifestyle as did I. He convinced me to give CCF a try. We walked in the door together.
Give us a little background about yourself.
- Born and Raised in West Columbia
- I turn 40 on St. Patrick’s Day
- Attended Brookland-Cayce High School, Class of 91
- Attended Wofford College, Class of 95
- Played Football
- Been with the Same Wonderful Woman since 1992, and married for 12 years
- We have an awesome 10 year old boy
- We love our Boxer and Dogue De Bordeaux
- I love good Beer
- I have really enjoyed the experience of Crossfit with my Brother
- When I started Crossfit in March of 2012, I weighed 270 lbs, wore a tight 42″ pants and was completely out of shape and headed in the wrong direction. Overweight, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure. It was not fair to my wife or my son. I was not a good role model. I could not run a quarter mile without getting out of breath and having to stop. It was not a pretty sight. Now, I am down between 50 and 60 lbs. I feel like I can run all day at a steady pace, and I am nearly as strong as I was back in college. Buying all new cloths sucks (Sorry LV Granger). However, I just bought a pair of 33/32 jeans and it felt great. If I can get my jean size/length to matching numbers, I will kiss Paul B on the lips.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I used to have hair.
What music can we find currently playing in your car?
I have a Spotify account and I listen to any and everything. However, the crap Jay is playing is getting tired.
What current things are you working toward when it comes to your health, training, career or personal life?
I am ready to double down. I want to lean up some more. I want to hit a Muscle-Up soon.
Tell us about your most memorable workout from CCF along with your greatest accomplishment thus far.
3 Minute 800 meter run was huge for me. I am actually starting to have some form of Abs. I have always been strong, but never in my life did I have large abdominal muscles.
What would you tell someone who is interested in Training with CCF?
I have convinced no less than 7 of my friends to give it a try. All of them are seeing results. Crossfit is worth the time, effort and cost. The workouts are short, varied and fun. You will never be board in a workout. You will see results. If you are committed to Carolina Crossfit, I can assure you that Paul and the other great Trainers will be committed to you.
Fitness
Run 400m rest 2 min
Run 200m rest 1 min
X 4
Sport
Run 800m rest 2 min
Run 400m rest 1 min
X4
How did you hear about CCF? Give us a little background about yourself.
I had heard about Crossfit several years before joining, from an out of town friend who had been training. I looked up CCF and stalked the Gym for a couple of years before my practice partner Dr Ryan Burke joined. Once he started I had to man up and come in.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I’m originally from a small town in south Louisiana. I moved to Atlanta the day after marrying my spectacular wife, to do my residencies. Eight years, and four kids later, we came to Columbia. I have been here for almost 12 years, with Palmetto Health, as a Surgeon. I am not now, nor have I ever been, much of an athlete, but I have always enjoyed being active.
I’m bald . I was also the first person in the history of my High School to be voted both most likely to succeed and most obnoxious. The first surprised me, sadly the second didn’t.
What music can we find currently playing in your car?
Because of the cloud and my teenage children, I never really know what will come up next, which makes it interesting. If I’m choosing it’s usually Blues or 80′s and 90′s alternative but on the way to CCF in the morning it’s always the Rage Against the Machine Pandora station.
What current things are you working toward when it comes to your health, training, career or personal life?
Trying to find the ever elusive balance. And a muscle-up.
Tell us about your most memorable workout from CCF along with your greatest accomplishment thus far.
I’ve thought a lot about this one and tried to come up with an alternative answer but I can’t. The most memorable day for me was the day of Miles’ accident. Certainly because of the gravity of the event, no pun intended, but in no small part due to what it showed me about the unique character of our community. In general, I am not a very social person and didn’t expect to find anything more than a great workout when I joined. What hit home for me on that day and in the subsequent weeks was how special the relationships that had been created at CCF had become. By far that has been the greatest accomplishment for me since joining.
What would you tell someone who is interested in Training with CCF?
Show up, despite what you think you see and what you might have heard, it truly is for everyone, if your willing to put aside your fears and insecurities. There is no one that can come through the door and not find something better, in themselves, here.
Fitness
AMRAP 7 min
A. DB Press 30/20
then
For Time:
21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Tuck Crunches
Rev Lunge ea leg
Sport
A. 1 1/4 back squat 3, 3, 3; rest 2 min
B. Barbell walking lunges; 24 continuous alt’ing steps x3; rest 2min
then
50 thrusters for time 115#/75#
*5 burpees on the top of each minute
Pete Cathcart before and after CCF
 |
 |
How did you hear about CCF?
Drove by on my way home from clinic after getting a great pimento cheeseburger at Mac’s and decided to stop in. Met Paul and loved what he described to me regarding the people and attitude with the box and decided to join.
Give us a little background about yourself.
I’m an internal medicine pediatric resident at the University of Minnesota, I studied at USC School of Medicine, and right now miss the South beyond belief. I played football and competed in the shotput at a small college in Minnesota. I guess if I’m not working I’m usually either at the gym, talking to my fiancé, or at a movie theater.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
The first concert I ever attended was Boyz II Men and Montell Jordan.
What music can we find currently playing in your car?
Anything, Katy Perry, Avett Brothers, or Common are some current recently played artists.
What current things are you working toward when it comes to your health, training, career or personal life?
Finishing up my wedding plans with my lovely fiancé, and trying to drop another 10 lbs.
Tell us about your most memorable workout from CCF along with your greatest accomplishment thus far.
Probably had to my assessment in October of 2012, I had no clue how far I’d come. I’d lost 40 lbs and had maintained my strength, and increased my aerobic capacity was pretty amazing. My greatest accomplishment is dropping 80lbs with PB’s guidance, and the support of my family over the last year.
What would you tell someone who is interested in Training with CCF?
If you want to train hard beside some of the best people I was fortunate enough to interact with while in Columbia join, you won’t be disappointed. You will make great friends, laugh, sweat, and make yourself better in some form every time you step through that garage door.
Fitness
A1 AMRAP Pull ups x 4
A2 AMRAP Push ups x 4 rest 90 secs
then
21-15-9
DB Thruster 30/20
KBS 16/12 kg
Sport
A. OHS squat; 3, 3, 3; rest 3 min
B. Squat snatch from high hang
then
5 rounds for time:
10 OHS 135#/95#
2 muscle ups/ 4CTB