How a moment of doubt turned into a whole new relationship with himself.
Brad has always had a relationship with fitness. Swimming as a kid, track and field, then the gym through university. But life has a way of getting in the way — school got busier, work picked up, COVID hit — and somewhere along the line, Brad found himself back at zero.
When he finally returned to the gym, something felt off. He was showing up, but not really showing up. “I felt unmotivated to push myself or have the drive,” he says. “Before coming to Outlaw, I felt like I didn’t recognize myself.”
“I’m never going to be able to do this.”
Brad’s first visit to Outlaw was a gut-check moment. He walked in to meet with Jay and found a class mid-workout — barbell cycling, bar muscle-ups. He was in awe, and more than a little intimidated.
“I remember thinking, ‘this won’t be me.’ But when I left, I knew I wanted to try my best and enact change. I just didn’t know yet what that change would look like.”
The nerves faded fast. The coaches were welcoming from day one. Brad threw himself at every workout. He stopped waiting to feel ready.
Learning what he was capable of.
Through his onboarding one-on-one with his coach, and the consistent encouragement of the whole staff, Brad started discovering things about himself he hadn’t known. He was strong. He could lift a lot. He was surprisingly flexible. These weren’t things anyone had told him before.
The change he was looking for.
The transformation Brad was chasing wasn’t just physical — though that part happened too. After COVID he had struggled with how he felt in his own body. Now, he says, that’s changed completely. He’s comfortable at the beach, poolside, working out shirtless when it’s hot. He wants to celebrate his body, not hide it.
Outside the gym, the ripple effects have been real. He got his boyfriend Dane to join, turning some days into shared gym time. His stress levels at work are lower. The positive energy he finds at Outlaw follows him through the rest of his day — and his life.
“I feel more happy than I ever have before. CrossFit significantly reduces my stress. The energy of the gym is positive, and I find it impacts me to carry that mindset into all areas of life.”
He’s also built real friendships here — people he did Festivus with, people he grabs food with after class, people who show up for each other beyond the four walls of the gym.
His advice to anyone on the fence
Brad’s message to anyone feeling the way he felt before joining is direct: just do it. This isn’t a gym for a certain type of person. CrossFit is scalable for every age and fitness level, and Outlaw is the kind of place that meets you where you are, and makes you unstoppable.
“This is a self-investment into your health and well-being. You’ll make great connections and be part of an amazing little community.”
