Pete Tyers-Smith
Name: Pete Tyers-Smith
Age: 47
Hometown: Bangor (North Wales, U.K.)
How long have you been CrossFitting? 10 years
What is your favorite WOD/Exercise? Nasty Girls (cleans, squats and RMU’s - perfect for a 5’7” OG (when not injured)).
What is your least favorite WOD/Exercise? Fran (the set of 15s is still the worst pain cave ever) and generally wall balls.
What is your previous workout/athletic background?Growing up in Wales, the choice was Rugby or Rugby. So I played fly-half throughout my school years. I was an 80’s kid, so Daniel LaRusso got me hooked on martial arts from about the age of 7. I was a general three times-a-week gym-goer as an adult until I saw Froning go head to head with Fraser in 15.1 and after that decided to try CrossFit.
What was your first experience at CrossFit Cayman like? After some time off due to a particularly intense work period and a torn left labrum a few years ago, I ambled into the gym at the Market Street location and spoke to Matt feeling sorry for myself. Both Matt and Tarasa (who have been close family friends for many years) were terrific - calm, reassuring and positive about making plan. So I signed up. On my first day in class, Matt dropped by specifically to check-in and to make sure I was being sensible with modifications and easing back in (he also told me his Rhabdo anecdote others may have heard!). Jason and Victoria were always attentive in this way as well - finding ways to still make the work outs fun and tough. I knew I had joined the right place.
What results have you seen since CrossFitting? Physical and mental fortitude unlike anything available in other sports I’ve tried. Happily for me, within about 6 months of joining CrossFit Cayman - I felt my shoulder getting stronger and less painful with every class. I decided to try kipping again - that worked well for about three weeks so I transitioned to butterflies and then to muscle-ups. Over the last 18 months I’d say I’ve been hitting PRs in so many of the movements I thought I’d plateaued with years ago and am probably the best CrossFitter I’ve ever been.
What do you do to get yourself through a tough workout (mental thoughts, tips and tricks, etc.)? Look around and see the rest of the class crushing it. It’s a special component of CrossFit I think I’ll always love - being amongst other like-minded people. Beyond that, thoughts of my 10 yr-old daughter, Bea, yelling at me not to quit works well too.
What's your favorite aspect about working out at CrossFit Cayman? Easy - the people. Banter and fist-bumps with the 4:45 pm class-peeps and coaches are a genuine highlight of my day.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about joining CrossFit Cayman? Come talk to the coaches - debunk the myths and learn that CrossFit is an accessible trajectory for anyone who wants long term functional fitness and well-being. And then join and let the magic happen.