Amanda Gannon

Favorite WOD:  12 Days of Barbell

Least Favorite WOD: anything involving the bike

Tell us about your sports and fitness background: I grew up playing tennis and softball, and neighborhood games of baseball and football, and riding bikes down to the ditch. I played on my school’s tennis teams from 6th through 12th grade (we moved to PA spring break of 8th grade) and was on the track team for two years in high school. Due to an injury during my 10th grade tennis season, I was introduced to the weight room, and have been hooked on lifting ever since. Since college, I’ve regularly done every kind of group fitness class you can think of….except cycling ;)

How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? I tried a class at another CrossFit about eight years ago with 2 of my neighbors. It was a 1RM clean and jerk day, so we just did some unweighted bar work, and it turned me off to the whole thing. Then, a friend of mine became a Coach here and convinced me to try it, and here we are!

Take us back to your first WOD... what was it, and how did it feel?  I don’t

remember first one, but my second one was a partner WOD, and I was mortified because my partner was a badass and I was returning to working out after covid and felt horrible that she got stuck with me as a partner. Worst feeling ever, but she was so nice and encouraging it ended up being ok, even though I felt like I was dying.

What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF (before/after)? Before CF I was always focused on the scale and being “skinny”. In the last 2.5 years, I’ve made a lot of gains and am stronger than I ever thought I could be.

What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on

something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected? I never thought I could break my attachment to the scale, but CF has shifted my focus to being healthy and strong and not caring what the scale says.

Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CFKSQ moments: At my summer gym in 2022 we did a 1RM deadlift, and my friend said, “Go for 200”, to which I responded with a full-blown belly laugh. I said there was no way. But he got it in my head, so I tried, and I got it. I was shocked, but PR’d by 15#. 

My favorite CFKSQ moment was meeting Corey and realizing that we’d been accidental Facebook friends for many years! Haha!

Any advice for people just getting started? Try not to be intimidated. Everything is scalable. It’s you versus you, and everyone at CFKSQ will be there cheering you on to do your best.

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit? I love walking my 2 dogs and watch way too much reality tv. If you’re a fellow Bravo fan, chat me up any time. Besides that, I spend my time driving my 3 kids all over town!