Athlete of the MonthSeptember

Jon Niskanen

Broadening His Definition of Fitness

     Congratulations to Jon Niskanen, the September 2021 BSC Athlete of the Month!

Where were you in your fitness journey before BSC and where are you now?
Before joining BSC my training was very 1-dimensional, I focused exclusively on developing strength and muscle through the traditional bro split. I did no cardio, mobility or any dynamic movements to develop general athleticism. After training like this for over a decade progress was slow and getting boring and I wanted to broaden my definition of fitness. Now I have a much more diverse set of fitness goals and a lot of room to improve again.
What were your goals when you started and have you achieved any of them?
One of my goals starting out was to get comfortable with the Olympic lifts and gymnastic movements. I still have a long way to go on these, but I’ve made substantial progress.
What about BSC makes you keep coming back?
Same as everyone else, wall balls and bike sprints. That and great coaching, a welcoming community, and the desire to get better.
When/what was your "ah ha!" moment?
I have had too many “ah ha” moments to count. Nearly every class I pick up a piece of information that I can’t believe I was previously unaware of. A key one that I have been working on a lot recently: the importance of mobility and specific techniques to improve it.
Does anyone at the gym (member or trainer) inspire you and why?
Too many people to list, but anyone doing a metcon faster, or lifting heavier than me inspires me. On the coaching side, Derick is excellent at providing insightful strategies to maximize the intended stimulus of a workout and get the best performance out of me.

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