February 2016

By: Jenessa Connor

Meet Jack Bernstein, 718’s athlete of the month! Like many of us, Jack couldn’t make a globo gym habit stick. But once he experienced CrossFit’s constantly varied programming and community vibe, he was hooked. Despite being an entrepreneur and a dedicated family man, he still finds time to get to the box multiple times a week. Read our Q&A with Jack.

When did you join CrossFit 718? 
December of 2014. I started the basics in early November, but it took me about a month to finish because I was only able to handle one session a week with Patty. I was shot after each one (nowadays I can beat him up though, lol).

How did you discover CrossFit?
I was a member at a gym that was close to my house, which I liked and I saw results from when I went there. The problem was that I went there for a month and then stopped for two. I was very much out of shape, and I needed to find something that would motivate me to keep on getting to the gym.
I went to the box and met Iz and Tammy. They started explaining CrossFit. Then a bunch of athletes in the gym started walking on their hands. I asked Coach Tammy, If I join, will I be able to do THAT? She said, Yes, eventually. (lies…lol).
I fell in love with the box and the coaches, and signed up right then and there. I never even took the free class.

Why do you do CrossFit? 
Because CrossFit has changed my life. The constantly varied movements and competitive but friendly classes make the workouts so much fun and enjoyable. I stopped only going to the gym when it is convenient. On the contrary, I can’t wait to go because it is usually one of the highlights of my day. Since I started CrossFitting, my stress levels have gone down, I eat healthier, I sleep more/better. I cannot imagine my life without CrossFit at this point; it has become part of who I am.

How do you make time for working out? 
Honestly, I have no idea. I guess I work less than I used to. When I originally signed up, I had no idea how I was going to have the time to come. I was working 12 hours a day at that point, but I signed up anyway because I knew I needed it in my life and I would figure it out somehow. I was forced to learn how to delegate some of my tasks, which is something I had struggled with for a while. Thanks to CrossFit, I am a lot better at it now.

What’s your favorite lift?
My favorite lift right now is overhead squatting. My mobility was so bad when I started that I was not able to overhead squat with an empty bar. I recently PRed at 210 pounds.

What recent achievement are you most proud of?
Being athlete of the month at the best box in Brooklyn!

What goals are you currently working on?
Toes-to-bar and kipping in general. I feel like I got a lot of the “cooler” movements, but I need to concentrate on the basics a bit more. I also want to be able to do bar muscle-ups without having to go to Coach Shanté the next morning to fix my shoulder..

What’s your Fran time?
I did 7:42 RX about seven months ago.

What do you do when you’re not at the box? 
I sell decorative plumbing supplies (toilets) online for a living, and have been since I opened the business in 2011. My wife and kids (five and two years old) are my life. The second I walk into my house at the end of the day my two year old barrels at me and gives me a huge hug on my legs. It’s the best part of my day; it releases all the stress CrossFit did not get rid of.
I enjoy skiing, high(ish) stakes poker once in a while, ping pong in my garage, buying things online I don’t need, interior design, driving way too fast with the music way too loud, and busting peoples chops ☺. But most of all I love hanging out with family and friends, which is why I love being at our box with my CrossFit718 family!