July - 2025 - Joseph Short

Joe Short—July 2025 Athlete of The Month

1.Tell us about yourself, your family, your occupation, hobbies/interests.
I am twenty-two. I grew up most of my life in the sky scraping forests of Oregon. I moved to Kansas in 2017 and went to high school here. I am an arborist and I love to be outdoors observing nature (mostly trees). One of my ambitions is to grow a forest that will hopefully achieve some status in tree height for Kansas.

2. When do you start CrossFitting? Why did you start? Why do you continue now?
I started CrossFit in March of 2023. I started because I was getting soft and I wasn’t very strong. I continue now because I see results, enjoy working out, love the camaraderie, and it keeps me stronger than my job.

3. Do you remember your first WOD? What were your thoughts after your first WOD?
I can’t remember for sure but I think it had box jumps. I had a slight fear of them because of other young men I knew who had cracked their shins on them, so I jumped like seven inches higher than I needed to. I remember thinking it was a good feeling to be working out again.

4. What do you enjoy most about CrossFit?
I really enjoy being able to workout in a competitive environment in such a Catholic atmosphere.

5. What is your proudest CrossFit moment?
Getting my first bar muscle up. When I first joined CrossFit I didn’t even know what a muscle up was.

6. What is your favorite movement or lift? What is your least favorite?
My favorite movement is the pull-up. My least favorite is the overhead squat. It feels unnatural.

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?
Muscle ups are my favorite achievement. I also am starting to feel decent with bar work like the clean. My goals are to get double unders (I dislike them because I’m terrible at them) and to break 325 on the deadlift. When I started CrossFit my deadlift was 215 and now I’m at 275.

8. What makes CrossFit different from other fitness programs that you might have tried in the past?
I did CrossFit for a little bit in high school as an extra curricular activity in the early morning so I already knew I liked it. I’ve also tried a gym membership as well as doing my own fitness plans at home. Fitness plans at home are never consistent and I really disliked the gym atmosphere. CrossFit is the right blend of coaching, camaraderie, discipline, and actual progress in fitness goals.

9. What impact has CrossFit Benedictus had on your life, in and out of the gym?
I have seen my stats go up steadily in everything. I also sleep well and I have more stamina and strength to do my job as an arborist. I know for sure I wouldn’t be nearly as effective at work right now if I hadn’t started CrossFit two years ago. It also adds more structure to your day and makes you feel more accomplished even if you have a bad day at work.

10. Tell us about your nutrition and how it has changed, if any, since starting CrossFit?
I have become more conscious of what I eat. I still splurge a little but I know longer eat any worst of the worst junk food. I primarily eat well before the big workouts that I want to score well on. I do see a difference in score between how I eat.

11. If you could write a WOD for the classes to do, what would it look like?
For time in order. 40 min cap
4 rope climbs
400m sandbag run
200m farmers carry. 100m each side
4 rope climbs
400m sandbag run
6 bar muscle ups
200m farmers carry
4 rope climbs
400m sandbag run
20 dumbbell thrusters
6 bar muscle ups
200m farmers carry
4 rope climbs
400m sandbag run

12. What advice do you have for others about the importance of the dedication of taking care of yourself, of investing in yourself?
Either you will regret it later if you don’t or you don’t know how much you are missing out on if you don’t take care of yourself.

13. What advice would you give to someone new to CrossFit or who is thinking about giving it a try?
Do it. Even when you are young and trying to hammer down a career, don’t forget your body. The benefits are well worth it. It is one part of your life that no matter how bad your score is you always have a better day.

14. Open Forum:
This place is awesome!