Testamonials

Here are some of our early testimonials.  If you've got something to add, please use the comments section at the bottom.  Thanks!

Gina Williamson

Working out at CrossFit Rochester has allowed me to raise my fitness level to a point that I didn't think was possible.  At 47 years old I have to say I am in the best shape of my life.   Although I have lost some weight and toned up, more importantly, I have a noticed a definite increase in strength and endurance.  My energy level is up and I am more active than ever. 

As a busy working mom I love the shorter, high intensity workouts.  Joe keeps the workouts challenging and adds lots of variety so we never do the same workout twice.  The workouts are also scaleable so anyone can participate, no matter what their fitness level is.  I really enjoy the personalized attention and the sense of accomplishment I feel after my daily workouts at CrossFit Rochester.

Ryan Kaza

In February 2007 I began Joe’s Crossfit program and am totally convinced this is hands down by far the best overall workout going.  Joe does a good job encouraging newcomers and scaling the workout routines to make them challenging to you regardless of your athletic ability.  Like a lot of converts, I had been intermittently going to a meat head gym for several years.  What a waste of time.  I saw more benefit in 2 months of CrossFit than the last 2 years of typical gym routine.  The overall increase in total body strength is incredible.  I encourage everyone I know to stop wasting their time and money at the gym and go to CrossFit instead.

I love the competition style format and the increased intensity it provides.  My new favorite work out is the 10k row.  Right now I wish I didn’t take a two month break this summer because I know Joe hates doing this type of long workout and today would've been a good time to whoop him.
 

Andy McNelis

It's been almost one year since I first stopped by to check out CrossFit Rochester and I have to say it's one of the best decisions I've made.  I was stuck in a rut, going to a big box gym 4-5 times a week doing a little running and light lifting and (surprise, surprise) seeing no results.

When I first started I hated pushups, pullups and damn near anything else that required active movement...today, I eat them for breakfast (literally...swing by at 5 a.m. on a weekday, there's enough to go around).  Everyday is something new and everyday you will walk out of the gym drenched in sweat eager for tomorrow's workout.  Joe runs a great gym and you won't find a better group of people to workout with anywhere else.

Anyone and everyone interested in bettering their health and fitness needs to stop by and check this place out.

Bill Pontius

I could tell Joe really knew his stuff during the first free trial workout I had with him. Signing up for the Fundamentals class was one of the best fitness investments I've ever made--and that goes back 45 years of training for me. I had a top-notch pro helping me with form in a small group and one-on-one. It was worth way more than the price! Thanks, Joe! I've had form refinements, core stability tips, and some day I'll even get kipping!

Josh Gonsenhauser

The second I walked in to CrossFit Rochester I noticed a huge difference from any other gym I had ever been in.  There is no fancy equipment, and everyone there is eager to welcome a new prospective member.

Over the past 8 years I have worked with personal trainers of all kind. Some were adequate some were good, but none compare to Joe - he is excellent.  He makes the complicated seem simple and knows his business forwards and backwards.  No matter what your ability, Joe finds a way to get you and keep you moving.  The results that I have seen over the past two months are astounding.

I strongly encourage anyone that is looking for serious results to give Joe a ring.  This isn’t about body building or becoming a model - it is about bettering your life.  You will feel stronger and healthier than ever before, and you might even impress yourself throughout the process.

 

 

Jeff Rice

...Joining CrossFit has really changed my life.  Through CrossFit I have regularly been pushing myself further than I have thought I could go.  I am feeling healthier and stronger -- a much more balanced strength -- than I have ever felt in my life.  And regularly pushing myself beyond what I have thought I could do has made me much more confident in my abilities to conquer pretty much any physical challenge... "heck, nothing can be harder than FGB!" :-)

Last night I did a 310# DL which was a PR for me.   I was so proud of that.  And it is totally unimportant to me if anyone else knows my score... I beat my expectations!  I pushed myself safely beyond what I thought I could do.  Without your coaching, attention to detail, and encouragement, I could never have done that... certainly not safely!!!   I have been feeling awesome all day because of that lift.  And I have felt that way so many times after workouts at CrossFit….  

 

 

Christine Downs 
Seven months ago I decided to go out of my "comfort zone" and visit the co-ed CrossFit Rochester Gym in Fairport. When I first walked in I was rather surprised that I didn't see a lot of machines, like so many of the other gyms I had joined in the past. I decided to give Joe's gym a "fair shake" at my free trial session. 
 
That "fair shake" would turn out to be one of the best choices I've made for my health in many years. At 51 years old I have more energy, stamina, and strength than I ever thought was possible! I have also lost 25lbs., many inches, and have gone down 2 pant sizes!! 
 
I have found Joe to be very different from other trainers I have worked with. You see; Joe is ALWAYS watching your form. Whether you're someone new or one of the first members of his gym he's ALWAYS watching you. His philosophy is; if you do the moves correctly you won't injure yourself, [and you will notice the difference when done correctly]. With his encouragement, and the support of many new friends, CrossFit has become a very important part of my daily routine, often working out 5-6 times a week. Not once have I lacked the drive to want another work out at CrossFit! 
 
Joe is extremely patient, compassionate, and professional when instructing the proper techniques of CrossFit.  No matter what your exercise ability is, Joe will work with you. OH, one more GREAT thing about this gym is, you can ALWAYS count on someone to cheer you on to the finish! 
 
DON'T GIVE UP, YOU CAN, AND WILL SUCCEED! 
 
Thank you Joe for bringing CrossFit to Rochester!.....I LOVE IT..... 

Mom

I am 58 years old and have not exercised in any program since high school.  I have had breast cancer twice, and I have fibromyalgia, and arthritis in my hips, neck and knees.  My doctor told me to join a gym for a number of reasons, including relieving stress.  My son had been bugging me to come to his gym, so I decided it was time.  What a surprise!  Believe me when I tell you, I hate to exercise. In the beginning, I was able to raise my arms to the bar, but because of the scar tissue, I could not put any weight on it.  Now I can do leg raises from the bar.  It took me four months to do a sit-up (again, surgery and scar tissue).  Now I can do it all (scaled, of course), and it is so exciting.  And it is fun!  Imagine that!  The best part of all, I feel sooooo much better.  And the cool thing is, I can do things I have not been able to do in a long time, like gardening or mowing the lawn.  To tell the truth, I never “feel like” going, but I know I will feel better if I do - so I drag myself there.  And that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.  

Comments

[Lisa Pietrangeli]

Lisa Pietrangeli:
I taught group fitness classes for 10 years; everything from Step Aerobics to Total Body Conditioning to Pilates. I gave up teaching this past summer and started Cross Fit in November. After 3 months, I have never been in better shape than I am in right now. I’m stronger, leaner and more flexible than ever. The best thing about Cross Fit is that you get the one-on-one attention of personal training but in a group of people who are all working toward achieving their personal best. Joe is a phenomenal trainer. He sees everything and is always aware of your personal challenges and milestones. He makes sure that you are doing it right and then that you are doing it better, faster, stronger. He helps you overcome mental blocks and you find yourself doing things that you never thought you were capable of.
For me, though, the best motivation is working out with a group of people who want nothing more than to outdo themselves with every WOD. I remember one of my first workouts. I was dripping sweat from every pore, wondering if I had actually attempted to breathe in the past minute or so when I heard a random shout out, “Good job, Lisa!” I looked up and realized that everyone else was also creating their own personal pool of sweat, contemplating breathing and working as hard as they possibly could yet took the time every so often to scan the room and encourage others. It was at that moment that I felt like I really got it. We all face different challenges when we walk in the door. Some of us are petrified of box jumps (ahem); others are “double under challenged.” Some are trying to get a faster 2K row; others are trying to get that first pull-up. Whatever your goal when you walk through the door; whatever you spend nights visualizing so you can try it again the next day at 5:00 AM – we’ll all be there to celebrate when you do it. And you WILL do it - better, faster, stronger.

[mary connolly]

I am a few months away from turning the big 50 and I have never felt stronger and more in shape and it's all due to what I have done at Crossfitrochester. When I started at Crossfit about a year ago I was in pretty good shape to start with....or at least I thought so. I have always worked out alot but this place is something else!!!! Everyday we are pushed to our limit thinking we CAN'T but oh yes we CAN because of the instruction and support we get from our trainers. I am doing things that I would never have tried at any other gym. What I love about the WODS is the motivatiion from everyone else that is doing the WOD. Not only is there support with the work outs trying to improve strength and endurance but support and motivation with diet and nutrition. I love the Crossfitrochester. Thanks Joe for bringing it to Rochester.

[Sydney Seaver]

If you are thinking about trying Crossfit but are hesitant, I tell you to “go for it, don’t be afraid”! I am your average woman; average height, average weight, average athlete, etc…When I started at Crossfit Rochester, I ran for exercise, I wouldn’t call myself a runner as I was very on again, off again about my running schedule. I would pick a race, train for it, run it, and then usually not run for a month or two after it. This was due to injuries and burn-out from running so much in training. I figure I was probably “fit” for about ½ of every year.

I’ve now been “Crossfitting” for 7 months (yeah!-fit for more than ½ a year) and have never been in better shape! I still run, but only twice a week. The limited running mixed with the crossfit has proven to be a great mix for me. It is kinder on my body than running alone and I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I proved this to myself by running a PR in my last half marathon. I was nervous leading up to the race because I was only running twice a week; one long run and one short run. I was going to Crossfit 3 times a week though and Joe assured me that I was fit enough. As I crossed the finish line and looked at my time, I thought “Joe was right-I am plenty fit!”

Being fit is not the only benefit of Crossfit. I am someone who never did a high school or college sport. I never experienced the camaraderie of being on a sports team and the feeling of accomplishment that you get from completing a daunting physical task. At Crossfit Rochester, I feel like I have a great group of supportive people who are there to encourage me when I’m struggling through a “3 minute Fran” workout as well as being there to celebrate with me when I “kipped” for the first time! I am discovering that I am stronger than I ever imagined and am ready to try new things. I’d love to try adventure racing! Maybe I’ll be able to find some Crossfit members to join me!

I would tell anyone; male, female, young, old, athlete, couch potato, etc…to try it. Joe is incredibly encouraging, motivating, and supportive and within a short period of time, he’ll introduce you to potential you never knew you had.

[Barbara Pudiak, Personal Trainer]

This is for all you triathletes out there that are wondering how to get your weight training in along with your bike/run/swim training. And if your weight training will help. First, let me say it is definitely worth it IF you do it right. What I mean by that is quality work outs are not just time in the gym. CrossFit Rochester is great because you get the most bang for your buck. It also cares over to triathlete training and racing because you get use to pushing yourself and enduring pain. You end up pushing harder on the run, the bike and in the pool which means faster time.
I did it this past summer. It was my 3rd time doing the 1/2 IronMan distance Musselman in Geneva and I had been doing cross fit training for about 1 1/2 years. I cut time off of all 3 disciplines and my final time was 35 + minutes under my previous best time. That was good enough to give me a 3rd place age group finish.
My cross fit training, made me stronger, period!!!! So if you want to be a stronger Triathlete, Do CrossFit!!!!

[Shelly Tucker]

I was feeling pretty good when I first started Crossfit in October. I had competed in 3 tris and ran a half-marathon over the summer. But I needed a change-I was getting bored and stressed over the amount of time I needed to prepare. I am no longer bored! Everyday is something new and something that I need to get better at that challenges me. The first thing I learned was when to know when my back was flat or arched. Talk about total body unawareness! Along with Joe, Gina, and everyone else who works out with me I have come a long way. I dropped 12 pounds and 2 pant sizes in 2 short months while exercising and "zoning." The long endurance sports were just not getting my body into the shape that I wanted. I have never been the most coordinated person, but while working under the watchful eye of Joe, that has improved-along with my focus of what I am working on. My overall quality of life has certainly changed-better posture,coordination, stamina, confidence, strength, leaner. The list goes on. This has definitely been the best choice in my fitness career. I will go back and compete in tris this summer, but I know with the overall strenth and fitness that I have achieved, I will train way less. Crossfit has definitely taken a priority in my life. Thank you Joe.

[meg n]

quit making excuses and make it happen. well, only if you would like to better your life.

[Judy Landry]

My husband and son started Crossfit in July 2010. I was impressed by how their bodies have changed; so I started Crossfit after Thanksgiving, 2010. One Saturday afternoon we had two young male volunteers at our home to pick-up a couch for a charitable organization. One of the men had a sore wrist, and knee and was struggling to lift the couch up. I went down into a deep squat, made the angry ape form with my chest and arms, picked-up the couch and carried it for him. The look on his face was PRICELESS! His eyes were popped open and he said "You got air!" I'm 52 years-old and Crossfit is making me STRONGER! Thanks Joe!