Jim Whitesides has earned the nickname “Ironman” because that’s exactly what he is, and anyone that has worked out with him is well aware as to why. Jim began doing CrossFit 2 ½ years ago with us in the garage. At 61 Years old Jim was looking for something more than 24hr fitness when it came to his workout regimen. CrossFit entered his life in April of 2010 after hearing about it from a friend; he has been an avid CrossFitter ever since. After doing CrossFit for a short amount of time he came to the conclusion that “it just made sense.” Since starting he has better conditioning, is in better overall physical shape, and has a much stronger core. Jim is also able to do specific things that he believed he never would again (squats, lunges, and weightlifting). Jim is certain that his life has changed drastically since CrossFit has become a part of it. He is now more disciplined when it comes to his diet, sleep, and a regular exercise routine. CrossFit has given him more energy and the consistency has helped him tremendously with everyday anxiety that he previously suffered from. CrossFit means a lot to Jim; it has made a huge difference in his life, his discipline, and the way he takes care of his body and overall health.
When asked what is your favorite WOD, Jim laughed and said, “I don’t have a favorite, but I will never forget the ‘Filthy Fifty’.” Jim definitely fears some specific WOD’s more than others. When looking at the everyday WOD’s Jim is always happy to see Sit-Ups or Plank Holds (currently holds the gym record of 10 minutes, the closest to him is just over 5 minutes!), but cringes at the idea of burpees being in the workout. Jim didn’t have any specific goals when he started CrossFit other than general conditioning. This has definitely changed as time has gone on. Recently he has focused a lot on improving his pull-ups and all around strength with all movements. One unique piece of information most Mission CrossFit members don’t know about Jim “the Ironman” Whitesides is that he lived in Japan for 6 years (on and off) and speaks Japanese. 2 ½ years later Jim is still coming to the gym consistently and can usually be found in the 6:30am class at least 3 times a week. I asked Jim to sum up CrossFit in 1 line and he said, “I like it…I like the people…I like the environment.”
