Congratulations Mike! What do your coaches and workout buds have to say?
When you see Mike make sure to congratulate him with his signature salute: Squat-while-shaking hands.
Yayyyy! I’m so happy he is nominated - he definitely deserves it!
Mike is such a great athlete and always blows me away with how hard he works! He is a dedicated endurance class attendee and will even jump in the 5:30 CrossFit class! I’ve seen on the Facebook page that he has made huge improvements since he started at PUSH, and his success story has made me feel hopeful as well!
Mike is extremely positive-always smiling and always has encouraging words for other people during and after workouts. He is a very genuine and sincere guy, and his compliments are very uplifting, especially after a nasty workout! I appreciate his willingness to get to know other people in the gym and attend the social events that PUSH puts together. He deserves this recognition this month. WAY TO GO MIKE!
A great choice for M-O-M! Mike is an outstanding person to workout with. He is upbeat and encouraging and always puts 100% into whatever the WOD is! He typically sticks around after class to work on additional skills and to perfect movements, which is a telling sign of a dedicated member and athlete. His dedication has shown because he has been able to accomplish so many goals and new strength movements in a short amount of time. Any Endurance class would be sad/boring without him and he is so deserving of Member of the Month! Great Job Mike!!!
Mike is great! He is so positive and up beat, even in the 40th minute of a brutal workout.
The fact I’ve seen him in Endurance go from pre-nutrition challenge to now–pretty impressive & only in a few months! I’ve also noticed how much of an improvement he’s made performance wise through all this.
He is such a hard worker and more importantly to me as a classmate he brings such a positive energy to each class. He’s also very supportive and no matter how tough the WOD is he always has a smile on his face. It’s contagious. The progress he’s made even since I met him a few months ago reflects all the extra time and effort he puts in. I love working out with him, and he is very well deserving of member of the month. Great choice !!
Lawson has been a member at PUSH for less than a year but he dove in head first and has never looked back. He works harder than anyone I’ve ever seen, constantly pushing himself to lift more, run faster and learn new skills – all with a grin on his face and while cheering others on. He has fully embraced the CrossFit lifestyle and made himself a true part of the community, and has encouraged his best friends to join as well. He is truly an inspiration to me as a new CrossFitter and is a constant reminder of the changes we are able to make in a short period of time if we stick with it.
I could not be more proud of Mike! Watching his transformation over the past year has been a joy. His resolve to Do More, Suck less and Live better, as the PUSH511 CrossFit motto says, is unrelenting – and I believe it helps motivate those around him to work harder and be their best. This past year has been a whirlwind of firsts for Mike: he was determined to achieve a pull-up, he did it; he was determined to do a handstand, he did it; he was determined to lose 30 lbs (and counting), he did it; and there isn’t anything he can’t do if he puts his mind to it. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings: muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, who knows? With his fortitude the possibilities are endless!
I always enjoy working out with Mike! No matter how tough the workout, Mike always has a smile and words of encouragement for everyone. He is always really pushing himself and inspires me to do the same. Also everyone should witness him absolutely kill it on the assault bike!
Mike Lawson is a prime example of why many of us love to coach. He’s open minded and listens to coaching and as a result he has made so much progress over the last year. Mike is one of he most polite and kind people I’ve ever met and makes me happier when he’s in the gym. Insanely hard worker and a genuinely great human being. I will continue to love watching him grow as an athlete.
I love having Mike in my classes! He has this fearful smile that always makes me laugh… as if he’s looking at the barbell with a little bit of fear, but he’s excited to do the workout. That’s how you SHOULD approach the barbell! He adds weight slowly so he still maintains form and is safe, but yet he puts enough on so he pushes himself. I’ve loved watching him chip away at learning kipping pull-ups and was just as excited as he was when he did Murph RX this past Memorial Day. Mike is a prime example that when you put in the work, you get results.
Every day I continue to admire Mike’s positive attitude and work ethic. He always sticks around after classes for extra skill work, and is never too shy to ask for help when he is stumped by a movement. And above all else, his smile is contagious!
Mike is always a pleasure to work with. He’s always positive and encourages everyone in class. He works so hard each and every day and continues to push himself.
Love Mike, especially his work ethic in the gym. He is always pushing himself to the max in WODs and the first to cheer other on as well!
Even if it’s a nervous smile, Mike always comes to the gym smiling and ends the workouts smiling. He has a contagious positive energy and strong drive to tackle every workout. His progress over the past few months has been amazing; he deserves to be recognized and should be super proud of his accomplishments. Keep at it Mike!
Now let’s learn a little bit more about “Captain CrossFit” as his friends affectionately call him!
Started CrossFit: July 2017
What is your fitness background: I’ve played and loved pretty much every sport out there. I also got really into triathlons a few years ago. I started off with sprints and eventually worked my way up to a half Ironman last year. It was definitely the hardest physical challenge I’ve ever come across (sorry Fran).
Favorite Movement: Pull ups! Now that I can do them that is. Also, the Assault Bike and wall balls.
Least Favorite Movement: Overhead squats… I’m still not convinced the human body is supposed to be able to do these.
Occupation: Forensic Scientist (DNA Analyst)
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family: I’m a Marylander, born and raised. On the playground is where I spent most of my days. Wait… no… that last part is the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, not me. I grew up in Montgomery County, went to the University of Maryland for undergrad and have lived in the state my entire life. I went to Towson for grad school, which is where I met my beautiful wife, Lauren. We’ve lived in Baltimore for about 3 years now and have an adorable golden retriever named Scout. We’re hoping that someday Scout can become a PUSH dog, but so far he doesn’t seem to be able to quite grasp the concept of exercise and freaks out every time I pick up a barbell.
Tell us something we don’t know about you: I’ve always wanted to be left handed. When I was little I tried teaching myself how to throw, shoot, kick, dribble, and pretty much every other sports skill with my left hand/foot. It didn’t end well for the windows in my parent’s house.
Words to live by or Favorite Quote:
“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” - Jim Valvano
“Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones that don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it’d be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.” - Dr. Seuss
How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym: In so many ways honestly. I feel so much stronger, quicker, and healthier than I ever have. Even compared to when I was 20 lbs lighter and in my best triathlon shape, I think I’m a better overall athlete now thanks to CrossFit. I do have to say though, the coolest way that my life has been affected outside the gym is that I’ve become known as “the guy who likes to move heavy stuff” at work.
What do you enjoy most about PUSH: The people. I genuinely can’t put into words how awesome each and every person I’ve met is. From the amazing coaches, to the super friendly and supportive athletes, to a fantastic owner in Ardyth, I feel super lucky to have found such a great place to get sweaty.
Fill in the Blank:
I like… good friends, tasty beer, and crisp fall nights.
I eat… chicken. Soooo much chicken.
I do… still consider Kermit the Frog to be a role model in my life.
I am… unabashedly a Maryland Terrapins fan, no matter how terrible our football team is and always will be.
Favorite Cheat Meal… anything from Hudson Street Stackhouse, and, of course, multiple Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for dessert.
Favorite Real-Life Hero/Athlete… Barack Obama. Some of you might say he’s not an athlete, but I can’t think of any other President that could even come close to beating him in a game of 1 on 1 basketball.
Thanks so much to everyone for nominating me for this super cool honor! You guys are awesome!
