The Wright family is a shining example of the saying, "the family that trains together, stays together.", they're a fit family whose involvement in CrossFit training and competitions has created a common interest that's brought them closer together.

Dad, David (or Dave), and Mom, Stephanie (or Steph), started CrossFit in 2007 and 2008. Their oldest son Evan began in 2008, and their younger son Zach started in 2011/12. Now, on their way to the 2021 CrossFit Open, JUNK got the opportunity to ask them some in-depth questions on their personal CrossFit journeys and get some insight on what it means to compete as a family.

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David & Stephanie | Started Training in 2007 & 2008

How did you get into CrossFit?

Dave first saw the CrossFit website in 2005 while stationed in Hawaii, and he spent time reading the entries from people around the world, but mainly the country, as they bragged about their scores, showed their scaling, and just supported each other. After our second son was born, Stephanie was looking for an effective way to get rid of the "baby weight" without going to a gym and spending countless hours away from the family. David convinced her to give CrossFit a try. We set up a makeshift home gym with minimal equipment (kettlebell made out of metal pipe and plates, medicine balls made out of basketballs filled with sand, etc.) and started scaling workouts at home. We have maintained and built upon that original setup so that we now can do most workouts as prescribed at home, and all 4 of us can workout at the same time with the equipment we have. Stephanie named our gym Superman Fitness, and when we moved to South Carolina, we even put up a rope for climbing and rings. We have been members of two different gyms but are currently back to home workouts until the pandemic is under control.

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What do you love about CrossFit?

The pace and intensity of the workouts, and the use of time as a motivator, make the workouts more challenging and rewarding. The variety keeps things from getting mundane. Other people doing the same workout simultaneously makes a competitive environment. There is always something that people can do better than you, which motivates you to work on being well-rounded. It is also nice to find areas that you perform better in, both to feel pride in your growth and to be able to help others get better. The community is the other part we love. Back before events were streamed online, we would watch the comradery between the athletes competing against one another, cheering each other on. And that community lives inside the CrossFit boxes as well.

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What challenges have you faced in CrossFit?

Dave: Recovery and aging as a competitive person. I have pushed myself too far and had to work through a couple of injuries from trying to do too much, too quickly. CrossFit is about finding the best version of yourself, and getting to that version doesn't happen overnight.

Stephanie: Learning certain skills for sure. I remember in the CrossFit Open 18.4 - I had never been able to do a handstand, let alone a handstand push up. After more attempts than I can count, I got my first ever handstand, but it was a challenge. Also, I would say learning not to compare my abilities with others. Realistically in the gyms we have been in, the average age is 10-15 years younger than me, so while I am extremely proud when I do well, I try to temper my frustration if the 25-year-old next to me completely destroys my time :)

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What motivates you to keep training and competing?

We are motivated to stay as fit and capable as possible as we get further into our forties. We see the masters athletes, who are still fit at an extreme level, well beyond our age. Neither of us have any aspirations to be an exceptional competitive athlete, but we want to continue to become a better version of ourselves so that we can continue to enjoy a fit and healthy life as long as possible. We also want to be positive role models for our boys and teach them to live a healthy lifestyle.

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What has CrossFit taught you?

Dave: Patience and self-awareness. At first, you see people lifting weights you can't, performing movements you are not able to do, and you may want to push too far, too fast. Steady gains over time, while remaining injury-free, are goals that take patience to accomplish. I have also become more self-aware over time in CrossFit and am better able to work at my pace and within my abilities. This has helped me through Spartan races and triathlons, as I was better able to stay within my own pace and push for my best races.

Stephanie: Confidence. When I started, it was to lose weight, with no real intention on making it part of my lifestyle. But the confidence and strength both physically and emotionally that CrossFit has provided me really motivates me to keep going. When there are times that I haven't been able to workout because I was recovering from a surgery or injury, it really opened my eyes as to how much I need these workouts in my life to maintain a healthy life and balance.

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What is your message to other athletes?

Keep having fun. Fitness should be a means to living a happy, healthy, active life. Have fun in the gym, and do so in order to be more capable of having fun in life.

Dave and Steph unofficially completed the CrossFit Open from 2012 to 2016 and officially from 2017 to 2020.

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Zachary | 13 Years Old | Started Training in 2011

How did you get into CrossFit?

I was kind of born into it, all my family was doing it, and I decided to join in.

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What do you love about CrossFit?

The community, everyone is always hoping the best for you and wishing you do well!

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What challenges have you faced in CrossFit?

I was always "too skinny" to lift weights and compete.

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What motivates you to keep training and competing?

My family, the desire to be as good and even better than everyone else.

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What has CrossFit taught you?

To never give up, and to never listen to criticism and to build off of it.

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What is your message to other athletes?

Don't give up! Keep trying, because if you do, you will succeed in whatever you want to do!

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Evan | 18 Years Old | Started Training in 2008

How did you get into CrossFit?

I got in trouble in 3rd grade at school, and when I got home, Dad said, you are either going to be smart or strong. So he put me through my first CrossFit workout. I didn't love it at first, but around 12-13, I really started enjoying it. I even sought out a CrossFit gym when I was in Spain on vacation with my Grandmother.

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What do you love about CrossFit?

I love improving upon myself and learning new skills.

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What challenges have you faced in CrossFit?

I try my best to learn the basics as well as possible and grow from there; however, I am very ambitious, and I jumped around learning skills too advanced for me and had a few minor injuries because of it. It was really about trying to learn things too quickly, but eventually, I realized that by slowing down and using better form, I could achieve more.

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What motivates you to keep training and competing?

I love self-improvement. When I started, I wasn't confident with myself, and over time I learned to feel comfortable in my skin.

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What has CrossFit taught you?

To work hard and to respect the amount of work put into a goal.

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What is your message to other athletes?

LEARN THE BASICS. The basics provide a solid foundation, so don't try and go above your comfort zone right away. Be smart and have fun!

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