Name: Grant Conner
Affiliate:
IMF CrossFit, CA
Years as a CrossFit Coach: 1
Favorite CrossFit movement: Muscle Up
Favorite song to WOD to:
Loose Yourself - Eminem
Fran Time: 3:50
Most recent PR: Split Jerk 270 w/ body weight of 165
Last Cheat meal: Popcorn
Bacon preference: Any way it comes
What inspired you to become a CrossFit coach?
Growing up with a gym as my second home and the sports life led me to become a CrossFit coach. I just cannot keep out of the gym and sit in an office all day long. Being a coach gives me a platform to give my experience to others and help push them past their boundaries. Watching my father and brother involved in sports helped plant a seed in me from a young age. My mother never tolerated sitting around in front of a television and that kept me very active.
Also, once I started CrossFit my coach, Santos Reyes. He helped open my eyes on what it means to be a CROSSFITTER and how it applies to everything you do in life and how you carry yourself. I wanted to share this with others and at least be half the coach he is.
What has been your best coaching experience so far?
My best coaching experience so far has been watching the culture of my CrossFit mold from a boot camp type system to the classic CrossFit, which embodies all the aspects of fitness. I moved from Level 10 CrossFit to become the head affiliate owner of IMF, an already existing CrossFit. Members are now getting the importance to technique and flexibility in CrossFit. You can only go so far until you reach a plateau and then technique and flexibility improve you.
Tell us about the community at IMF CrossFit
The community at IMF CrossFit is full of hard working individuals. Their hard work translates from their day-to-day life to the WOD. They have pride in the uniqueness of IMF becoming the first globo gym with a CrossFit affiliation. They go out of their way to tell people about IMF CrossFit and everything it has to offer that a regular box does not.
Will you and/or your athletes be competing in the Open this year?
This is the first year we our affiliated. Although I am injured for the CrossFit season, I am ready to help each individual have fun in the CrossFit open as I once did. There are individuals who have just started CrossFit a few months ago, who I think will do well. On the other hand, there are other athletes who have been doing a form of CrossfFt for years and this will be their first Open, and I am encouraging them to be confident in their abilities and strengths and not focus on weaknesses that lead to doubt. I would love it if each and every member signed up and did the Open Levels 1-3. I think it increases your overall focus and drive in every aspect such as diet and sleep. So it could only help a member, never hurt them. Unless its 7 minutes of burpees again, that might hurt them.
What are the common signs of over training and how do you handle this with your athletes?
Form is the first thing you start to see break down when over training. Athletes will start getting a bit lazy on the little things like driving their elbows up high in a front squat. You will also see a lot of rounded backs. Intensity also suffers, as an athlete may only give 80% of their capacity also known as sandbagging. This is why the classic CrossFit 3 days on 1 day off works so well. There is only so many days of CrossFit a body can take in a row before injuries start to occur and performance drops.
What’s the most common mistake you see among new athletes at your affiliate?
The most common mistake I see among new athletes is assumption. Sometimes they will assume there is more work in a WOD than the reality. When they read the board they can be confused. Also, they may see a bad technique by a friend or past coach and assume this is the correct way of doing things. Sometime they need to just slow down and listen to the cue’s and not think so much.
If you could give someone new to CrossFit just one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t take it too serious. A result is not life or death but rather giving 100% of your individual effort. If in your mind you fail at something do not manifest upon it. Rather see what you have done wrong and learn from the situation. After every WOD there are things you could have done better, but as long as you learn and strategize then improvement is certain.
Would you share with us your favorite tip or cue that we might find useful to use in our training?
Favorite cue is EYES. I remind the athlete to focus on fixed object with their eyes and this not only helps them achieve balance in a snatch or double under but also keeps their spine in alignment during a heavy deadlift or back squat.
Do you have any success stories among your athletes you’d like to share?
Travis Hunerberg or Big Trav as we know him. Just about every gym has a Big Trav and if they don’t then they definitely need one. He is always listening to instruction properly, he thrives on others doing great things around him, and he always does the little things that help IMF run such as staying late to help put away the equipment. He is just a great representative for CrossFit and IMF.
Travis is 40 years of age his height is 6’8. Back in high school his journey began when he weighed 235. Travis was an offensive lineman and began his journey to gain as much weight as possible. He later went on to play college ball at Eastern Illinois. At this stage the pressure really built to eat. He never worried about carbs, fat, sugar or salt. He would go out to the local sizzler and eat just about everything. Travis recalls eating extra large pizza’s to himself before bed. Big Trav then played professional Arena football for the Chicago Rush in 1999 weighting 320. Every pound counted as a lineman.
After returning to School at Chico State Big Trav found Crossfit at In Motion fitness. His view of food then went from processed carbs to vegtables and meat. He once could have been on man vs. food but now was a leading example of a cave man diet. Big Trav soon got addicted to the CrossFit life and lowered his weight to a chizzled 265. Travis competes now in events year around. Recently I even watched him do a Pound for Pound Throwdown at Nor Cal Strength and Conditioning which is based on your body weight. This was a tough comp for Travis but he just went out there and had fun like always with a smile on his face and a cheer for the next man. He ended up ripping off a 367 meter row in 1 minute.
Most football players who get to the professional level end up developing terrible eating habits and Travis with great will power and the help of CrossFit fought back and now his health will thank him.
If ‘Grant’ was a WOD, what would it be?
10 min AMRAP
5 Muscle Ups
10 70# KB swings
5 parallete hand stand push ups
Have you ever cheated on a WOD?
There has been times I have probably lost count of rounds or reps or not ran an extra foot to the stamp on a run. Yes, mostly due to lack of oxygen but never intentional. There are also times I have done too much work, lol.
What's your biggest goat and what are you doing about it?
My biggest goat has always been flexibility. My first year of CrossFit my coach never let me attempt a OHS; always had me front squat. I spend countless time working Kelly Starlet’s mobility WOD and as of recent, doing more cycling, swimming and yoga. When I have a comp coming up I typically take a whole week off and just work on mobility because by that point I’m not going to gain anything by working out, my strength is there I just need to get loose.
If you could bring together any 10 people in the world for a WOD who would they be?
I would have to bring Rich Froning because he’s just the flat out best. Trent Richardson running back for the Cleveland Browns. I heard that he pulled a 500lb deadlift first time trying and is an absolute beast in the weight room. James Harrison middle linebacker for the Pittsburg Stealers who has a 500lb close grip bench press. Lebron James so I can beat the King in a WOD. Jerry Rice, he is a legend when it comes to training and work ethic which would be great to see in person. Darren Sproles the running back for the New Orleans Saints who is 5’6 185 and I honestly think he could be one of the best Crossfit Athletes in the world if he wasn’t playing football. Then probably Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, and Julie Foucher because my buddy James and I always debated on who is hotter and then we could finally find out. Also my Regional guy teammates Kasey Corbaley and Brett Walberg since we have gone through a lot of battles together.
Who is your CrossFit alter ego?
I’m not sure but I don’t really like “that guy” because he always makes me terribly sore to the point I need an ice bath.
Thanks for sharing Grant! Best of luck with the growing community at IMF CrossFit.
