Dan Forpahl

I grew up as a fairly active kid, playing baseball & football as a youth and ending up wrestling & playing football during my middle & high school years. Upon entering college my focus was more on academics than athletics so my activity level suffered, coupled with poor eating & excessive drinking. After graduation I knew I needed to get more active, but the monotony of cardio & weight machines made it a struggle- enter CrossFit. It helped reignite the competitive nature I had from my sports career & kept me from getting bored with the same thing day after day. After several years of just participating, people would ask me for help & tips, some even mentioned that I should pursue coaching. I realized that CrossFit had given me a way to get back to an active & healthier lifestyle, and I wanted to help others make that same change. As life brings about change, my CrossFit journey has also evolved over the years. Early on you'd catch me spending hours in the gym, doing multiple workouts a day, and even enrolling in several local competitions a year. As I've gotten older & my body requires more recovery, I realize that I don't necessarily need all that intensity, just consistency. My focus now is being smart about my training so that I can remain healthy & active. Personally & in coaching, I strive to always keep challenging myself- whether that be through learning or activity. As a coach I never want to be complacent with the credentials I have. Every new certification or skill makes me a better coach & better able to serve anyone that enters the gym. As an athlete, pushing myself has led to a generally active lifestyle & accomplishing a list of activities I never would've envisioned. I truly believe that outside of your comfort zone is where the most personal growth occurs.

I'd probably have to choose 2 turning points in my life. First would be when my dad had a heart attack in his mid-40s & was later diagnosed with diabetes. It was shortly after that I realized, although I do enjoy being active, it's truly a necessity. The enemy here is poor family heart history & while I'm not sure it's one you can "beat", it's one that I fight to keep at bay with every workout, run, or meal. The only thing within my control is my nutrition & activity level, so I try to do the best I can with those elements. The second turning point I would say is recently becoming a dad myself. It's not just about me anymore, I'm setting an example for someone other than myself. I want to be the kind of dad that can run around & play sports with my son, not the one that is too tired or out of breath. I want him to see exercise or activity as a normal part of daily life & hopefully view his dad as the strongest guy he knows ;-)

I don't coach CrossFit because I have to or because I need a hobby, I do it because I truly enjoy it. It was so instrumental in helping me get my life back on an active track & rediscover my inner athlete. I love working with people who are in the same situation. It's great to see them "getting their groove back" and even discovering new skills they didn't think they could achieve. My other favorite would have to be people that don't think they can do it. I realize that the preconception of CrossFit can be intimidating, but it's so cool when they realize that everything can be adapted to where they currently are & that no one is judging them- we all respect putting in the effort.