Coaching Feature: Dave

WelcOMe to my monthly coaching feature! I'm excited to announce a new feature on my blog each month that highlights one amazing coach/instructor that you MUST check out.  Personally, I am always on the hunt wherever I travel and even locally for fantastic coaches, new tips, and how to improve as an athlete. I am delighted to share with you the best of the best instructors to hear and learn more from them out of the CrossFit Box or yoga studio!!!

Meet Dave Torpy!
Dave is one of my favorite coaches and manager at my home CrossFit affiliate, CrossFit Adaptation.  Check out more about Dave below! 

How did you start coaching ?- I had always enjoyed training and teaching in my former career and the  transition to full-time coaching seemed right.  I had great coaches take an interest in my goals  and worked with me for many hours, which I greatly appreciated.  It is both challenging and  rewarding to work with adult, motivated, and informed people, even more so in this setting.

What are your favorite fitness books, websites, trainings, or resources for coaching?  There is so much on-line with many people weighing in on CrossFit. What’s new, what works, what’s the next best approach.  So filtering what is decent is an important and difficult task. I currently enjoy the websites Barbell Shrugged, T-Nation, G-Wod, and the Journal.  I also like to use Supple Leopard as a kind of a textbook at times.

What tips would you give to new and/or experienced CrossFitters? New or veteran to CrossFit, it’s vital to have goals.  Whether large or small, they should be reasonable to you as well as challenging.  There is so much to accomplish in CrossFit, which makes it both appealing and frustrating.  If it’s not strength, it’s mobility.  If it’s not gymnastics, it’s double-unders.  Looking at this as a longer journey in fitness and for good health - with dedication in its time and adapting with those goals.   Scaling can be the smartest thing you do at the gym in a day.  Not scaling can be a huge momentary set back, both athletically and emotionally.

How do you balance your role as a coach and parent?Having two young girls (5 & 7), we are no more challenged as parents than any other parents who work full-time.  Being involved in an affiliate’s day-to-day can be time-consuming.  Limits have to be set, and time spent with kids is paramount.  But CrossFit is important to us.  Being healthy, exercising, eating well, and relaying that info to kids – both verbally and by example - is our life-long goal with them.  Plus, having girls who inherently may be exposed to the body image issues so many girls battle with, an active environment like a CrossFit gym sends a rather clear message: no matter height, weight, age, background, hair & eye color, or ability – women can be beautiful by being athletic, by being strong, by being fast, by being whatever you’re good at or dedicated to.

How do you find strength outside of CrossFit (mentally or physically)? I think being in the CrossFit world can be completely consuming.  For some, that’s their Zen, their outlet and where they feel most comfortable.  Others, it’s a way of release, a kind of personal commitment to fitness that’s challenging and intense.  But I’ve always needed strength outside of the gym.  As much as I enjoy the atmosphere, the coaching, and the people, I need that small family unit.  I let that be my Zen, and our small family provides that.

Finisher: Words to inspire or live by? Take an active role in your health & fitness.  It’s not a regrettable effort.

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