Athlete Spotlight - Moose

When you've coached and worked out alongside someone for 15 years, you get to witness a lot more than PRs and workout scores. You watch them struggle and grow; you watch them succeed. If you're lucky, you get to hear the occasional honest admission that they joined because they wanted to "look great naked." That's Moose in a nutshell.

Outside the gym, Moose works in real estate and content creation, but when he first walked into CrossFit New Haven in 2011, he was a recent college graduate looking for something bigger than a workout program. At nearly 300 pounds, his mental health was declining, and he wasn't sure what direction life was headed. What he did know was that he wanted change. He wanted to feel better and yes, he wanted to look great naked. Honestly? We respect that.

Like many people who join Strength Haven, Moose was looking for more than just exercise. He was searching for confidence, purpose, and a way to become the person he envisioned for his future. 

Ask Moose what made him stick around, and he'll tell you it was "the vibe of the tribe." He connected with the community, the coaching, and the accountability. He says, "My coach was very intuitive and was also holding people accountable in the best way. But then I did the filthy 50 [during] week 3 of my on-ramp course, and truly never felt better. I was able to achieve something that I [had] never done before and pushed myself." Every coach reading this is probably smiling right now.  That's a core athlete memory, and it's moments like these that we've had the privilege of watching happen countless times over the years.

One thing he takes pride in is starting his day before most people have even hit snooze for the second time. He says that when he's locked in, he's locked in and the comfort of knowing he has coaches and a community behind him, who genuinely want him to succeed, has helped him navigate stress, stay accountable, and continually recommit to becoming better.

We'd be doing Moose's story a disservice if we didn't mention one accomplishment he's particularly proud of: he can now deadlift and squat more than most people. Moose says he is "extremely proud" to say that he is still a member. "The vibes carried over from the small space next to U-Haul to District, and now in Science Park."  He's been a part of our community long enough to see every chapter of ours.

Moose's advice to new members: "Been here for 15 years and I’m never not coming back. Take the leap, cause that’s all life is. And you’ll be better for it. Take it one day at a time, and remain consistent. It gets easier the more you go! One day at a time!"

Moose may not be our most punctual member, but he is one of our most consistent and longest-standing members. We are so glad to be partners in his fitness journey!