Despite the early hour that Jason typically works out, he always comes into class ready to get to work! His work ethic during the workouts is admirable and then he’s always ready to have a laugh or two after class! -Coach Meridien
Member since: November 4, 2015
I am a masshole born and bred, but I spent 10 years in California right after college. I guess that would qualify as the most adventurous thing I’ve done in my life because I really didn’t know anybody there and I had to build my social life from scratch. After 10 years I decided to come back home, certainly not without the influence of my wife Nicole who I met out there and is from East Coast, but also not without some awesome memories of spending my 20s on the opposite coast.
There are some things I miss about living there and I still have friends that are there, but its a decision I don’t regret at all. I do wish I could say I was a CrossFitter before I left California, because I was just a few miles from where they used to hold the Games each year, but I stuck to what I knew and played a lot of very competitive soccer with guys from all around the world right up until a few months before I left Cali when I had my second knee injury in the course of a few years.
Ironically, I tried to come out of soccer retirement just a few months ago last summer, 6 years later, and ended up with my 2nd torn ACL which I still need to get reconstructed. The cool part is I’ve learned that I can do about 90% of the things we do at Torque without an ACL and with some reasonable scaling here and there. Shout out to the Coaches who are always looking out at Torque!
What was it about CrossFit Torque that made you want to join?
I had exactly one friend who did CrossFit, as I started to understand what it was about, I knew I would like it. I was definitely looking forward to expanding my network of like-minded people around fitness and fun!
What has kept you coming back to Torque day after day?
So, I don’t necessarily consider myself uber competitive because I like to enjoy sports as much as compete, but my favorite part about CrossFit is the ability to measure yourself, try to focus on improving weaknesses (and “scores”), and to always be gaining something out of a workout.
What is your proudest accomplishment thus far?
Tie: finishing 16.2 scaled the second time I did it, and competing at the Southie Showdown in 2017. I finished middle of the pack, but it was my first and only time competing like that and I was really happy with the balance of competition, fun, and focus that was required for jumping into one of the more well known local comps.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Consistency, especially since I’ve taken a few hiatuses in the summers.
Do you have a favorite movement?
I’m going to go with squat cleans, see reference to 16.2 above, and I also REALLY like to program my own workouts and make them challenging or include challenging movements. I was pretty pumped when Amanda let us do my quarantine WOD.
What piece of advice would you give to someone who is looking to start CrossFit but hasn’t yet?
Don’t overthink it, just make the call or show up, chances are you’ll love it, but if you don’t, you’re going to learn some things about fitness and about yourself either way.
Anything else you’d like to share?
CrossFit Torque has supported me and my family in a way I never imagined. When my wife got diagnosed with breast cancer, Amanda had a fundraiser set up within a couple days and the entire community seemed to show up. I really didn’t expect that, but it was full circle from why I was looking to get involved in this type of community, and it has been a blessing. I will forever be grateful and I know my family and Torque will be intertwined forever.
