January Athlete of Month!
Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 7:01PM 
Ryan P. Athlete of the Month!!!
It’s a brand new year and time for a brand new Athlete of the Month…Ryan Piester! Ryan has been checking into CrossFit South Brooklyn since November of 2008 when he was still living in Pennsylvania. Ryan is, and has been for a while now, one of CFSBK’s top athletes. When programming men’s RX’d loads for a WOD, we’ll often ask ourselves “what can Ryan do this at?” He stood out to us because of his commitment to the programming, his ability to rock almost any WOD on any given day, and the quiet push he has in him. He is someone that a few, if not many, of our athletes are inspired to be better and push harder by. Ryan is definitely not a yeller, nor does he want to have a screaming coach in his face but he definitely has a bit of the dog in him when attacking a lift or a WOD. While he came in with bunches of ability, it’s been nice to see him get better over time. So, heeeeeeeere’s Ryan!
Fox - Thanks for staying after class, Ryan. No BSing, you’re our January Athlete of the Month.
Ryan – Dude, you really need to find a new way to let people know. “Can I talk with you before or after class” is really obvious. Yeah, thanks man, let’s do this. You gonna record this or something?
Fox – And here, I thought I was being sneakier by asking you just this morning. Oh well. Anyway man, congrats. I just take some notes and then make shit up. Ready to get started? Tell me first, how did you find CrossFit?
Ryan – My buddy Kevin in PA put me on to it. He and a few other friends had been CrossFitting in a regular gym and asking me to join them. After a while I just did. I had started lifting weights at a juvenile detention center where I worked and was ready for something new. I’d grown bored. We started at this globo-gym that was actually pretty cool. They trained cyclists there, and had kettlebells and bumps and most of the stuff we needed. They’d let us take it outside and go bananas. That’s when I started doing some CrossFit workouts.
Fox – Do you remember your first WOD?
Ryan – It was the deadlift and burpee WOD from the games that year. I had never really deadlifted, I think I did them at 185 or something and it really killed me. I was hooked though. CrossFit wasn’t monotonous, it was challenging in different ways, and I was into that.
Fox – So, you visited CFSBK at the Lyceum in November ’08. When did you start training with us?
Ryan – In June ’09. I knew my girl and I were moving to New York so I had visited and scouted out a CrossFit in the area. I saw CrossFit South Brooklyn on the mainsite and figured, “I can workout there”. I visited a few times before moving here. From the first time I met David and everybody I knew I’d like it.
Fox – What did you like about SBK, and what do like about it now?
Ryan – The coaching and the community. It’s a whole different experience than lifting by your self without a program. I really like that we do strength training consistently here and I think it’s made me a better athlete. Being stronger has made all the WODs easier. When it comes to lifting, you guys are really all technique first which is great. I can tell there’s a real thought process going on with the programming and I think it’s made a lot of us better, myself included. I really dig the atmosphere of the gym, which David has cultivated. I like the relaxed vibe and the friendly atmosphere of South Brooklyn. I think David has done a really great job of developing that, and choosing coaches who continue it.
Fox – So why do you CrossFit?
Ryan – It feels good! I mean, it feels good to be able to do stuff. I really cleaned up my diet for the first time when I started coming to SBK, so that’s been big. Coming here is a huge stress reliever too. To come in and focus on working out and sometimes be a curled up heap of exhausted sweat at the finish…that’s my stress relief right there. I think that fitness translates to other areas as of life as well.
Fox - What drives you to still get better?
Ryan – I just want to keep beating my lift numbers and WOD times. I think I’m motivated enough by that. I mean, if you do something in a certain time I’m gonna want to beat you, but that’s just fun.
Fox – You were on the CFSBK Affiliate team last year. Tell me a bit about that.
Ryan – It was fun. I’m naturally competitive so I liked that aspect. It’s really a whole different level of competition out there. I really enjoy the local competitions like the Subway Series we had last year. That was a blast. I could be convinced to try out for the Affiliate team again this year though…
Fox – Tell me something from outside of CrossFit. What do you do for work?
Ryan – I have an MSW and I’m a therapist at a mental health clinic. I really enjoy my job. It’s challenging, I get to help people, and I get to keep learning new things.
Fox - What about non-fitness interests?
Ryan – I’m into films and books. I usually just read about something or hear someone talking about it and I’ll check it out from there. There’s no particular type of book or movie that I’m in to. If it’s good, I like it. I really like outdoorsy stuff too. I like hiking, although I don’t do it as much now that I’m in New York. It was nice to be home for the holidays and go on some hikes. This summer my girl and I went snorkeling in the Virgin Islands. That was awesome, we were out there every day in the water exploring. And as you know, Fox, I’m a rabid Eagles fan. (Ryan has taken great pleasure in watching along side me, as the Eagles beat the Giants big time, twice this year…).
Fox – Yeah, yeah, yeah…All right… Back to CrossFit. What’s something that you want to improve upon this year?
Ryan – (without hesitation) Handstand Pushups and Double Unders! I suck at those. And I’ve been following along with the Mwod to address a few issues I have also. (Sub 3:00 Fran, here he comes!)
Fox – Ryan, last question. What qualities do you think we should look for in a future Athlete of the Month?
Ryan – I respect the people who come in and are pushing themselves, mentally and physically, to the best of their abilities and also show dedication to moving better and improving. I think those are qualities an Athlete of the Month should have.
Thanks and Congratulations to Ryan for being CFSBK’s January Athlete of the Month. We coaches look forward to seeing you progress in 2011, and to continue to inspire our athletes and us to get better. Keep up the good work!
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Reader Comments (25)
I remember watching Ryan come in one day, and he just decided to do Fran. And, if I recall, if was sub 4 minutes. The guy is a fire breather. Also Murph with a vest on.
Fantastic choice for a variety of reasons! Congratulations Ryan!
Congrats.
I thought I was alone in using Ryan' numbers to (down)scale from. Guess not!
Good dude (except for the whole Eagles thing)Deadlift325x5x1Chins4,3,3Dips8,7,7
In one of my very first WODs at CFSBK (FT - 500m row/40kb swings/30 pullups/20 thrusters/10 burpees), Ryan was assigned to be my partner and count for me. He had just finished his heat - killing it, of course. I thought, wow, this sweaty dude's gonna think I'm so lame. Not only did he NOT have an attitude but he was super-supportive and helpful. Now I've come to know that along with that kindness is a fierce athlete with a great rye sense of humor. I think the only thing that I can say negatively about Ryan is that, as Gabrus mentioned, he is an Eagles fan.
Either way, yay Ryan! Always inspiring to watch.
You know, keep your enemies closer...especially if they have a really awesome dog that you can hang out with.
Hehehe.. I kid, I kid.
On a serious note, congratulations Ryan! Look forward to seeing you and your newly inflated ego at the gym ASAP. Everyone has already said all the sweet things I could think of so just re-read everyones comments and pretend they're from me.
And, at last I got you to post on the blog. Start of a new leaf? Even Sarah H posts on the blog now.
i really want to fight ryan. being humble is a weakness.
terrible choice.
baz
BSQ 215x5x5Press 120x5x3Clean 165x3x3
First day since resuming the cycle on my own that everything didn't feel super wonky or sore. Good time working with Joe who was a good sport with me dilly dallying and didn't bat an eye when I almost became the first person to ever fall over backwards while overhead pressing.
Strength Day 3
BSQ - 190x5x3Press - 100x5x3Clean - 155x3x3