Dec 2021--Joe Summers

1.Tell us about yourself, your family, your occupation, hobbies/interests.
Born 1970 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Third oldest of eight children. Grew up in Parma, Michigan on a small farm. Little did I know that I was CrossFitting at a young age (before it was a thing.) Throwing hay bales were wall balls. Splitting wood was slam balls and carrying five-gallon buckets of water to the chickens was Farmers Carry. (I guess that’s why the movements are called that.) When I was 12 I got to go to summer camp at this wonderful place called St. Mary’s and learned what chiggers are. Joined the Marines at 19 and worked on AV8B Harriers for 6 years. Met my wonderful Navajo wife, Roberta, while in the service. She was in the Navy as an F-18 electrician. We have been married for 26 years and we have 4 girls and a sole boy who will carry on my name. Moved to St. Mary’s in 2011 for the school and have worked for Ken Moats ever since. My few hobbies are cutting and splitting wood to keep my wife warm in the winter, flying kites, and taking long Sunday walks with my girl Avery.

2. When did you start CrossFitting? Why did you start? Why do you continue now?
I started on-ramp just after Easter 2018. I started because my parents were concerned about my health. They heard there was a men’s on-ramp starting soon (thanks a lot Katie Hatty) and they offered to pay for on-ramp. I continue now because I hate wasting money and the more I go the cheaper each class is. Also, I am always looking for a laugh and if you chide your fellow gym members during the WOD it makes for a good time. “ Slow down JohnPaul, it’s not a race.”


3. Do you remember your first WOD? What were your thoughts after your first WOD?
How could I forget? April 23, 2018. 39 steps.
39 T2B
39 KB goblet squats
39 KBS
39 Burpees
39 Deadlifts
17’ cap

I capped with 30 reps still to go.
My thoughts after the WOD are the same after current WOD’s…“That was stupid, why does anybody do this?”

5. What is your proudest CrossFit moment?
The fact that I have been coming regularly for 3 ½ years. I hate exercising so that is something I am proud of. I would like to say that I am proud to have finished Murph under cap but I can’t. Apparently, if you are doing a 3,6,9 rep scheme you need 33 chips, not 23. (I wondered why I had a better time than Sam White. Always double count your chips.)


6. What is your favorite movement or lift? What is your least favorite?
My favorite movement is anything that doesn’t get my heart rate up. That being the case everything else is my least favorite.




7. Have you had one or two challenging CrossFit goals that you've achieved recently? What are your current goals and how close are you to reaching them?
Goals are overrated. I show up and do the best I can every class. If I can do a movement, great; if not I try to get better at it by scaling. If I scale correctly I can finish the WOD at the same time as Ryan Hargitt.


8. What makes CrossFit different from other fitness programs that you might have tried in the past?
I have never tried programs other than in the Marine Corp because I hate exercising. (Have I mentioned that yet?) After Marine boot camp we just had to pass the fitness test twice a year. The Marine fitness test was run three miles, 20 pull-ups, 80 sit-ups. Therefore I ran 6 miles a year, did 40 pull-ups, and 160 sit-ups a year, and not a rep more.


9. What impact has CrossFit Benedictus had on your life, in and out of the gym?
CrossFit is terrible. I loved my naps. I don’t remember the last time I took a nap. Now I just watch my wife and kids nap, then I take the dog for a walk.


10. Tell us about your nutrition and how it has changed, if any, since starting CrossFit?
CrossFit is awful. I used to eat whatever I wanted when I wanted it. Thanks to CrossFit I now read every label and agonize every decision. My diet was so much simpler before. Also, CrossFit has made me have to buy new clothes.



11. If you could write a WOD for the classes to do, what would it look like?
Burpees like bacon make everything better
5RFT
25 C+J
25 bar facing burpees
Run 400 m
25 burpee box jumps
Run 400 m
30-minute cap

12. What advice do you have for others about the importance of the dedication of taking care of yourself, of investing in yourself?
I don’t want to be a burden on my family or my community. The longer I can move around without a cane, walker, or wheelchair the easier it will be for everyone else in my life.


13. What advice would you give to someone new to CrossFit or who is thinking about giving it a try?
People do crazy things in their life and they always try to get other people to do it with them. This is one of those things.



14. Open Forum:
Thanks to all who are involved to keep the Box open on a daily basis. There are a lot of people in this town that need their daily fix. (I think they are a certain type of junkie.) Thanks to all my fellow WODders who provide me a good laugh. Thanks be to God for the cold weather and a cold sidewalk.