Don Kinsey

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The founder of CrossFit, Coach Greg Glassman once said, “Other gyms use machines… CrossFit builds them”. I heard that quote for the first time and I was intrigued. What 20 something year old guy wouldn’t want to be referred to as a “machine”. Soon after, I got my start into the sport. I can honestly say that I had no idea how much of an impact CrossFit would have on my life. I grew up in Lansdale and attended North Penn High School where I graduated with Josh Wagner in 2000.

In my youth, I swam competitively and played various other sports for fun. I swam for 10 years with the North Penn YMCA in the winter leagues and summers with the Lansdale swim team. As kids it wasn't uncommon to be playing hockey one day and tennis the next with kids from the neighborhood. I enjoyed the variation and the different skill sets each activity required. I stayed active into my adulthood and found myself working out 4 to 5 times a week. It was enjoyable but after trying my first CrossFit WOD in 2008 in its early days I was hooked and knew I wouldn’t go back to a traditional gym. The structure of the workouts pushed me and kept things from getting mundane. All the different training methods kept me wanting to improve on skills that I hadn’t really had any exposure to prior. That desire to learn such things as Olympic lifting and gymnastics really helped me to learn the proper mechanics of the movements. As I gained more knowledge, I slowly started to give pointers to others and this eventually led to a desire to coach. When the opportunity to become a coach arose, I jumped at the opportunity.

Coaches can have a profound impact on people’s lives. It’s my goal to be a positive influence for those I’m fortunate to teach. I hope that my love for the sport is shown in my coaching and is passed on to others. CrossFit has helped me with mental toughness, shown me I can accomplish things that I knew weren’t going to be easy, and has helped me build relationships that are second to none. The physical improvements are an added bonus! If you spend time within a Crossfit gym you will soon realize that it’s a group of people who greet you with a smile, treat you with respect, and praise every milestone you reach. The community aspect is the best part of CrossFit and it is proven here at CrossFit Apex. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work with such great coaches and athletes here. So come on in, set some goals and we will help you reach them!