Athlete of the Month: Chris Mulvaney

We’re excited to announce this month’s Athlete of the Month is Chris Mulvaney – also our top winner for the summertime Paleo challenge! Give Chris a chalky high five next time you see him at the box! Way to go, Chris!

I started CrossFit shortly after CrossFit Salus opened in Middletown the end of April 2013. I was just finished with a 2-year run on antibiotics for Lyme Disease and wanted to get strong again. I was working out at home, but needed something to keep me motivated and help me get stronger.

I am way stronger now than I was before I started. I also have a better engine (but still needs work)

I never did a snatch a day in my life… or a muscle up. Now I can do both!

I am definitely more defined now than I’ve ever been with a lot less body fat to carry around.

I’m sleeping better because I’m so wiped from the workouts;) It’s definitely helped me de-stress and I feel that my business has greatly improved since I started CrossFit.

I tell them the workouts we do, then I tell them they should do it too (and they think I’m crazy). I also talk about the community and try to describe it as much as possible, but it’s something they really need to experience to understand.

I see the improvements physically. I also feel horrible when I take 1 or 2 days off which really motivates me to workout every day (either at CrossFit Salus or on my own if I can’t make it in).

Snatch! Love it!

You aren’t going to see improvements right away. It will take time. Learn to “eat to perform” also!

Handstand walk! I can do handstands against a wall, but I need to walk…on my hands!

200 calorie row cash in
Snatch ladder 1 min each attempt to 1rm (start at 50% body weight)
timed calorie row cash out

Paleo challenge wasn’t too difficult with the food as I eat Paleo mostly anyway. The one thing that was hard was eliminating whisky and vodka! I’m not a huge drinker, but I would usually have a few drinks once or twice per week. I would then skip the day after and not workout hard or even at all. I think that not drinking at all for 5 weeks enabled me to not only shed a few pounds but also perform at a much better rate. It was also hard eating out and to know what everyone else is putting in your food. I guess my take away would be to try to limit my alcohol intake a bit when I do drink and prepare myself to recover better when I do.

My wife makes great paleo meatballs! I can eat them all day. For a cheat meal, I’ll need another blog post because the list can get big. If I had to break it down to just one thing that is accessible, give me a pizza with peppers and onions and I’m sold!

Through this monthly recognition, we are showcasing those dedicated members for their hard work and accomplishments and show the community that anyone can be a CrossFitter. All you have to do is make the choice to give it a try, set goals, work hard and challenge yourself. You may be surprised at what you will accomplish! It’s not that this person is able to RX every workout or lift the most weight. What makes an Athlete of the Month is that every time they come to the box, they try their hardest, give the workout their all, and then some. They go above and beyond by spending extra time to work on specific skills, are welcoming of others and encourage other athletes to do their best, too. They really embody what CrossFit is all about and work to make CrossFit Salus the community and family that it is. Each month we will choose a different Athlete and post some fun facts about them to help you get to know them better. Have a nomination? Let us know who!

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