December Athlete of the Month: Tommy Hoskins
Congratulations, Tommy! You are our December NoCoast Athlete of Month!!
Tommy is a former collegiate football player, a newly married man, an awesome guy, and a rockstar in the gym! Surprisingly enough, he is pretty new to CrossFit and has been with us for a short 6 months. In this time, he has already impressed everyone with his ability to crush every workout he comes in for. He and his wife, Brenna, (who is also a rockstar member) recently got married and are such a great addition to our community. It’s been a lot of fun watching him lift heavy weights as well as learn some new gymnastics skills. His hard work and dedication at the gym have not only improved his conditioning but those gymnastics skills too! We are thankful to have you(both) and look forward to all the gains and improvements to come!
Quotes from Tommy:
“I can tell my conditioning has really improved from CrossFit and it is always an outlet and stress relief at the end of a long work day. Having CrossFit and the gym to come to everyday is great and I really enjoy being able to compete alongside the great people that come to NoCoast, it makes it much more enjoyable and easy to push yourself through workouts.”
“Brenna and I always really enjoy working out together when our schedules permit, it is great to compete and push each other and also have the ability to come home every day and talk about the WODs and often relate on how much the WODs kicked our butts. Overall we feel fitter and healthier as a family, than we did before we found CrossFit.”
Age/Weight:
28, 220 lbs.
Athletic/Sports history/highlights:
I played competitive football from age 7 through college at Colorado School of Mines. Took a shot at the NFL and went to rookie camp with the Falcons, ended up getting cut and decided to hang up the helmet.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
I started back in February of 2020, so about 9 months.
How did you get into CrossFit?
I had always admired the high level CrossFit athletes and enjoyed watching the games, but never really wanted to get my butt kicked. Once I realized my wife worked within walking distance of a great CrossFit gym (NoCoast) we decided to give it a try as extra incentive to get in shape for our wedding. I also have done a couple competitions in Olympic lifting in the past so CrossFit has allowed me to rekindle my interest in Oly lifting.
What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?
I enjoy anything that is a new movement especially gymnastics, I had never done anything kipping until we started CrossFit this year. Anytime I complete a gymnastics style WOD I can tell I make a little improvement every time. I always enjoy barbell work because I am comfortable with it from the football background and the rower is one of my favorites as well as it is a great full body workout.
What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?
Anything involving burpees, being a larger individual it is tough to get down and up off the ground quickly without exhausting yourself. My heart rate usually takes off while doing anything burpee related, so it is a battle attempting to figure out pacing on these WODs.
What is your most memorable CrossFit moment?
I don’t think I necessarily have one exact moment that is my favorite, but I do enjoy that every time I try something new it is a PR and conquering new movements such as kipping pull ups and toes to bar always feels great!
How does nutrition play a role in your fitness and recovery?
Being a student athlete, I was lucky enough to learn about nutrition in college and how it plays a role in fueling your body for performance so I have always tried to hold nutrition in a high regard. I attempt to find the balance between eating completely for function and eating the foods that all taste good, so Brenna and I like to try new recipes that are hearty and healthy but break up the monotony of a chicken, rice, and broccoli style diet. I can always tell in a workout if I’ve come off a weekend of not treating my body well and eating more junk than I should have. I don’t have the strength or stamina to make it through WODs as quickly as I should be.
How has CrossFit improved your overall wellness?
I can tell my conditioning has really improved from CrossFit and it is always an outlet and stress relief at the end of a long work day. Having CrossFit and the gym to come to everyday is great and I really enjoy being able to compete alongside the great people that come to NoCoast, it makes it much more enjoyable and easy to push yourself through workouts.
How has CrossFit changed your family?
Brenna and I always really enjoy working out together when our schedules permit, it is great to compete and push each other and also have the ability to come home every day and talk about the WODs and often relate on how much the WODs kicked our butts. Overall we feel fitter and healthier as a family, than we did before we found CrossFit.
Advice to new people:
Make it to as many workouts as possible. When I first started I was hesitant to attend certain workouts because I knew there were movements I had never done or would not be good at but now I try to come to every workout I possibly can and I am a better CrossFitter for it. There is still so much I have to work on but I really look forward to learning new movements and improving on the ones I struggle with.