Member of the Month - March 2021

Congratulations, Eric Thompson!

Eric joined PUSH in August 2019 and always brings a positive attitude to his CrossFit classes that's infectious! Hear what Eric's coaches had to say about our March Member of the Month:

Eric has been an absolute joy to have as a member and fellow athlete. He'll never give up, but he'll approach the workout appropriately when he needs to. He's come a very long way in a short period of time because of his enthusiasm and appreciation for what PUSH511 stands for inside and outside of the gym. He has an infectious smile and adorable belly laugh, and I'm thankful that my ridiculous jokes resonate with a true Baltimorean. Thanks for swapping beer stories with me Eric, and let's rip that shot together!

Eric lights up the gym every time he comes in with his positive attitude, great energy, and happy demeanor, and even in a mask you know he is smiling ear to ear! The progress he's made is amazing and it's awesome to see how excited he is to tackle and "crush" his workouts. He makes every class fun, whether I'm coaching or working out with him, even if he tries to get me to play a slow Madonna song during a grueling workout, LOL. Regardless of the workout, you're always going to have a good time with Eric in class. He is a model athlete, and the PUSH community is so lucky to have him.

Eric is a cool dude and always fires me up and fires up his friends in class. Super positive and fun.

Always come in with a positive attitude and leaves with a smile on his face. He's also gained form and strength over the year from all his hard work each class. Just an overall good person to have in the gym.

While I don't get a chance to coach him often, when I have, he has been such a positive light in class! He is such a hard worker and the kind of athlete that is fun to coach but just fun to be in class with!

I haven't had the honor to coach him but the days when I'm in the same class as him he definitely brings that positive - let's get this fire started - attitude. Never gives up and has the right mindset before any workout.

Eric has such a positive, fun attitude! He works so hard to simply be better than he was the day before. I can give him one little cue to be more efficient on a movement, and he'll practice that cue over and over again. He might not make it perfect, but he won't give up learning. It's really awesome having him in class, especially on partner workouts - he puts his all into it and never wants to let his partner down. I will never forget when Eric's mom walked into the gym in early December on Saturday afternoon. She told me her son was a member and she wanted to buy one month of classes for him as a Christmas gift. She said "he just loves it here so much. He always talks about coming to class, and the members and the coaches have had such a positive impact on him. I just want to give him something he really enjoys." So happy to have you, Eric!

Now, let's get to know Eric better!

When did you start CrossFit? I started CrossFit about a year and a half ago. Growing up, I played lacrosse and I used to run quite a bit.

What's your favorite movement? My favorite CrossFit movements are toes to bar and box jumps.

What's your least favorite movement? My least favorite movement in CrossFit is thrusters at 95 pounds. I feel like I cannot breathe on those lol!

What do you do for a living? I am a fifth-grade teacher at Sussex Elementary. I have been teaching for about five years now. At my school, I have a boys' mentoring program called the suit and tie club where I teach fifth-grade boys how to tie ties and how to treat others with respect. My mentoring program is one of my favorite things about my job.

Tell us a little about yourself and your family. I enjoy having big family parties, when COVID wasn't a thing. I have a pretty big family and I love getting together with them. My friends always say when we go out that I usually run into someone I know or who I am related to in Baltimore, Smalltimore lol!

Tell us something we don't know about you! Something about me that people do not know is that I play guitar and bass, despite my playlist request at times lol, I have played at many gigs in my life including a musical play.

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym? CrossFit has affected me in a huge way outside the gym. I feel like it has boosted my self-confidence and has given me a different perspective on my life.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH511? I enjoy all the coaches and members at PUSH so much. The coaches really make me feel so good about myself. I know at times I talk a little too much, but I am so thankful that the coaches always listen. I struggle a lot with self-confidence, and the coaches have really made me feel so much better about myself. I am so grateful for them and thank all of them. The members that I have met as well, always push me to my absolute potential. Even though at times, I feel like I am going to die, they always get more out of me. I am truly grateful for all of the relationships I have built at this gym.

What tips would you offer to someone who is just getting started with working out? My tips to someone just starting to work out is just do it because you will be surprised with what you can do.

What's your favorite restaurant? Jimmy's Famous no doubt. I go there a lot.

Who's your hero, real or fictional? My hero is Bruce Springsteen. I am pretty sure he and I, from his music, have lived the same life.

What does your frequently used emoji tab look like? I do the lol emoji too much.

Words to live by or favorite quote? Gratitude Reciprocates.

What's your favorite travel spot? Wyoming. I love the mountains and quiet.

If you could win an Olympic gold medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be? I would love to win gold in curling. That seems to be my kind of sport, drinking beer and throwing stones.

What's your hidden talent? I love to sing.

What are your five favorite movies?

  1. On the Waterfront
  2. The Godfather
  3. East of Eden
  4. Halloween
  5. The Wrestler
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