Athlete Testimonials & Pictures(1).jpg) (1).jpg) .jpg) "I was a gym rat back in the day (before Camdyn) and loved it. I got away from the routine and never got back...until Crossfit. I love the class atmosphere and the fact that I have an appointment to work out. It holds me accountable and is exactly what I need. I have only been Crossfitting for a month, and I can already tell a difference in the way I look and the way my clothes fit. That's exciting! Looking forward to great gains to come!" -Courtney Beck
"The first day I walked into Crossfit, I was scared to death, and I have to admit some of the WODs still scare me. But, there is something about it that I can't get enough of. I have accomplished things in the last three months, that I never dreamed I would be able to do. When I started my on ramp, I had a hard time running 200 meters, well 2 weeks ago I ran a 5k without stopping, I still can't believe it. I have only missed a few classes since I started because I don't feel like my day is complete without it. I love the coaches, the classes, and my fellow crossfitters. I also love the compliments, I have lost over 20 pounds, and tons of inches. Crossfit and Coach Karen are the best things that have happened to me in a long
long time." -Judith Allen Huffman "So here's how I feel about CrossFit.... I have played sports my whole life. I have been in and out of gyms and have participated in so many different types of athletic training, from middle school to college and beyond. Until CrossFit, I rarely saw results that were so obvious to myself and other people. These WODs are hard, but I find myself craving the pain and intensity that comes with them. Having a group or "family" to provide in your face motivation can't be found anywhere, but CrossFit!" -Stephanie Beach
"When I first started Crossfit, I thought these people were crazy. And I loved it. It was such a supportive group effort on pushing the limits of what one can accomplish. I've never left a gym and felt the sense of doing my best as I have from Crossfit. Since going to Crossfit, I have been able to tell a difference in my recovery time, endurance, sleep better, feel better, clothes fitting better, and general well being. It's truly addictive and even have withdrawls when something happens and you miss a couple of days." -Jason Walker
"Becky Whitesides approached me about doing Crossfit and I checked out the website and said no way I can do pushups and pullups. I thought I was in good shape working out at Gold's being a class junkie - Body Pump, Pilates, Cardio Combo and ran regualr. Nine months later Karen Jones asked me to check it out she joined and she was sure I would love it. She was right - I am addicted to Crossfit. My day doesn't feel complete unless I get in a WOD. It's a better high than running. I cringe at some of the WOD's thinking there is no way I can do it, and then finish with a great sense of accomplishment. I have amazed myself with the accomplishments I have achieved. I can now do pushups on the floor, and pullups unassisted (only 3-5 at a time). I have gotten stronger all over and have decreased my run times without running regularly - just because my legs are so much stronger from the WODS. I love doing the WODs with my Crossfit buddies - young and old, at all different fitness levels - we encourage one another. I love that Karen also incorporates nutrition and got us started on Paleo - it truly works. Crossfit and Paleo ROCKS!" -Kim Fillman
"I've spent alot of yearsand alot more money trying to to get those exact muscles you see above. It never happen until Crossfit.When I first began Crossfit I did it because I needed to workout to get in shape; it was like a chore or a job. Now I do it not only because it's the best workout with the best PROVEN RESULTS but also because I truly love it. I love it all, even the wods that make my stomach hurt in antipation as read them on the web the night before. Even when my butt hurts so bad I can't hardly sit down or stand up after a wod. I love that never before have I been to a gym where you could witness an ordinary person ( school teacher,builder,nurse,mom,etc) discover that they can do things above and beyond what they ever imagined possible. Clean 100lb, Dealift 185 when they only weight 120lbs, 250 walking lunges in one wod, back squat 175,the list is endless. Point being all of these accomplishments have been made possible by Crossfit." -Amy McMullan
"OK here is the plan and simple version of crossfit to me! You all have heard the saying "THE OTHER WOMAN", right? Well I have always told everyone who knows my husband that his boat is his other woman. Crossfit is "MY OTHER MAN"! I am hooked on it....cannot stand to be without it.....am very passionate about it.......and my husband seems to like it too! Right Karen?" -Karen Jones
(1).jpg) (1).jpg) CFOIB Grabs some local press....CFOIB athletes describe CrossFit in one word...RESULTS!
REWARDING!
ADDICTIVE!
INTENSE!
ENERGIZING!
COMPETITIVE!
HUMBLING!
EFFECTIVE!
EXTREME!
SWEAT!
HEALTH!
SORE!
THERAPY!
ANTICIPATION!
PERSEVERANCE!
.jpg)  (2).jpg) Athlete TestimonialsThe Beck Family
.jpg) .jpg) Pam Before CrossFit (April 2010) Pam After losing 39 lbs (August 2010)
.jpg) .jpg) Rickey before CrossFit (April 2010) Rickey After (August 2010)
My family's journey to CrossfitOIB. I'll start with me. I am a retired police captain. Early on in my career I wanted to gain some size...and that I did, the wrong way. So began my life of lifting and running. Then the repetitive injuries set in, knee surgery, 2 foot surgeries, then accidents, such as cutting a pine tree down on myself, later breaking my arm and finishing off my knee by falling off a boat. Add to that brain surgery and my exercise came to a halt. I became very overweight, that coupled with age brought on type II diabetes, high blood pressure, the whole nine yards.
Then there's my lovely wife Pam. As time passed she began her own battle with weight gain, to the extreme that she qualified for gastric by-pass. She had the surgery and immediately lost weight, but never looked healthy. Then the world almost ended..complications almost took her life. Corrective procedures resulted in her loosing most of her bowel. Time passed and she again started gaining weight.
Our son, Jeff grew up playing sports and in a gym with me. He went on to be an All Star College football player. Upon his graduation he too began his career in law enforcement. Jeff stayed in shape running, lifting and fighting MMA at our local gym in Durham. He and his wife Courtney had a little girl, Camdyn, and they decided to move to the coast to be near family. Jeff's new job coupled with no one really to push him in the gym resulted in his fitness level slipping.
Our daughter in-law Courtney has been athletic since I've known her, and a self described gym rat. The move and raising a baby girl caused her fitness level to slide, though I couldn't tell by looking at her.
Ahh, the baby girl, Camdyn. Like any child, healthy and active.
I work at the Ocean Isle Fishing Center and our family grew very close to Brant and Amy McMullan. They are true believers in CrossFit and we could see the results they had from going to Crossfit. Amy stayed after us to try it. First Jeff and Courtney joined. They loved it. I insisted that with all my injuries there was NO way I could do CrossFit. Amy continued..Pam wanted to give it a try, so we checked it out. We joined in April.
We were welcomed with open arms into a supportive group of folks. Not a gym full of egos. Pam signed up for Coach Karen's nutrition plan. I eat what Pam eats. We both could not only see almost immediate results, but we could feel them. Other's commented on how much weight we'd lost. Karen worked closely with Pam on her nutrition, and healthy eating. The WODs were grueling, but addictive. I refused to weigh until I went to my regularly scheduled physical exam. That was in mid June. My doctor was shocked. I had lost @15 lbs since the last visit, my diabetes symptoms were gone, everything wrong was completely reversed. His comment to me was I had taken the two toughest pills..diet and exercise. As of today, I've lost 30 lbs., gone from a 42"pant to a 34", my shirts have gone from a 2XL to a large. Pam has lost 38.4 lbs and 19 inches, she has firmed up and this time around looks healthy. We both are "addicted" to Crossfit.
Jeff's strength continues to grow, as does his speed, while his weight is dropping. There are some very surprised bad guys in Brunswick County. Courtney continues to amaze people with her level of conditioning. And Camdyn..you should see her do push ups, air squats and burpees. She has also become a health food expert...learning good nutrition habits at an early age, while still enjoying her treats.
Coach Karen is a special person. Somehow she is able to blend being a coach, a leader, a teacher and a friend all into one. She has created an atmosphere where members are great friends who encourage each other to reach limits we never believed we could. The workouts are HARD, but attainable by everyone no matter that person's fitness level.
CrossFit OIB has changed my entire family's lives for the better. We are grateful beyond words for what Karen has created and for what she has done for us. These words alone cannot begin to describe how Pam and I feel about CrossFit....Thank you Karen and CrossFit OIB.
Becky Whiteside
.jpg) My Journey to CrossFit
December 8, 2009 marks my One Year Crossfit Anniversary! It wasn’t until Karen (Coach) introduced me to this wonderful program that I truly enjoyed or better yet craved working out. It was something that I always dreaded. In high school, I stayed active playing Varsity Tennis and Softball and don’t forget all the years of dance that came before. I considered myself active and in-shape; ready for whatever anyone wanted to throw my way.
After entering East Carolina University in 2003 my zest for working out fell to the wayside but I attempted for 3 years to attend as many “step classes” and run as much as possible. After returning home from college, I decided that since I had approximately 6 months to get in shape before my “Wedding Day” that I would join Gold’s gym and participate in Body Pump, Step Classes, or just workout on the circuit. My visits to the gym became further and further apart as my husband would beg me to go with him. My husband saw Karen training a few people and thought “that is different” so he told me all about it. After my husband did some much needed convincing, it was then that I met Karen and she introduced me to CrossFit…
When I thought of myself, I saw a moderately “in-shape” person that was active, somewhat strong, and eager. As my first workout with Karen approached, I met my weaknesses. Running, Deadlifts, Pushups, Pull-ups, and the dreaded Burpee to name a few. The person that I saw myself as was being exposed and my desire to improve began. It wasn’t long before I convinced my husband to start participating in the WODs with me and before you knew it, we were behind the "Globo Gym" smelling the dumpsters while working out.
It seemed as though with every workout, it hurt but at the same time I wanted more. Continuously checking the website the night before until the “punishment” was revealed for the next day and then becoming so eager through the next day until it was time to prove myself. It may have been during “Cindy”, “Fran”, or many more in which I found myself laying on the ground exhausted or looking down at my ripped and bleeding hands yet at the same time feeling a sense of accomplishment and strength. Those were two things that I hadn’t quite experienced like that before.
I am stronger, faster, leaner, and more confident and that is because of CrossFit. I have toned, shaped, and lost inches off of my body from participating in the CrossFit program at CrossFit OIB and eating healthy. I am CrossFit.
Some of my accomplishments over the last year:
Exercise 1 Year Ago Max Max Today
Before 4 Weeks Later
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Michele Graham
 I'm a 34 year old mom of two. I was the "stay at home mom" type, never left the house unless I had to take the kids to the doctor or run errands. When my youngest started pre-school, I decided to join a gym, since I would have plenty of free time during the day. I was finally fed up with the way I looked and wanted to change. I thought that a trainer would help me get motivated, but the “globo gym” I joined gave me a trainer I didn't feel had compassion towards his clients. Then Karen became my trainer, which was wonderful. At first, when she put me on a meal plan it was hard being on chicken and rice for two weeks straight, but then I was able to add other things (and later we incorporated the Zone Diet and then the Paleo diet). I began doing Crossfit with Karen immediately, which was a lot different than what I had been doing. When I first started I could barely do an air squat below parallel. In 9 months, I have lost over 40 pounds and went from a size 26 to a 22, (and my goal is a size 16 or 14 by my birthday in July), I have lost over 8 inches in my waist and 7 ½ inches in my hips!
I never did the Crossfit class with Karen at the “globo gym”, but when she opened her own gym at CrossFit OIB, I joined immediately and felt more comfortable than at the other gym. I've gained more confidence and self-respect due to the 9AM class. Everyone is always so positive and helpful. I've even been changing my family's eating habits, too: instead of boxed meals all the time for the kids, I've been adding veggies and fruits for snack instead of sugary snacks after school and I only allow them have one pizza a month (instead one a week).
It's been on more than one occasion that I've felt like I was going to pass out after a workout before finally being able to get up and go home. But every night I'm on the website (or myhusband is) to see what WOD (or "torture") I will endure the next day. I love it! I've had sore feet and pinched hands from some workouts. I've had to take off my rings because they are now too big. ! I haven't been able to do a pull up on my own yet, but I'm getting there and I hate having to do burpees in a WOD. Crossfit has even helped me get my son to school on time lately! I figured out that if I can leave by 8:30 AM, I can get to the gym on time and won't have to DO the motivational burpees for being late to class. I also stay after class and do the endurance workouts if Karen makes me! I'm always ready to push myself more even though I'm not always saying it on the outside. The more I do, the more I'm pushing myself more and more thanks to Karen and the girls from the classes. I'm even trying to make myself to do a push up off the floor instead of an elevated one. When I did them in a WOD, I was so proud of myself!
Exercise 10 Months (March ’09) Ago Max Max Today
July 2009 November 2009
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