Frank Reynolds

About

I remember watching the 2013 CrossFit Games with some of my buddies back in college. As former football athletes and gym enthusiasts, we were in awe of what these individuals were capable of. Rich Froning, in particular, served as our immediate inspiration, and he inspired us to try some of these workouts at the university gymnasium. After just one workout, I fell in love with both the sport and overall methodology. CrossFit was absolutely electric — the intensity, the stimulus, the process, everything about it was better than my current (at the time) style of training.

After graduating college, I joined Titan CrossFit and got to experience what the CrossFit community was like adding an entirely different — but equally important — layer to this newfound affinity.

As the years went by, I grew more comfortable in the sport. I started to consider whether I wanted to do something in the fitness field for a living. I went out and got my NASM personal training certification because I wanted to help aspiring athletes reach new heights in their fitness journeys. Very quickly, I realized that personal training in a Globo gym setting is more like therapy than coaching, so I got my CF-L1 and transitioned to group fitness instruction. As I began my CrossFit coaching career, I came to appreciate other aspects of training. More important aspects. I’ve suffered several injuries throughout my personal fitness journey — some minor, some major — and I’ve learned a lot about proper mechanics, form, warm-ups, mobility, stimulus, and pacing as a result.

While I still love seeing competitive athletes reach for the stars, my goals as a coach have shifted since the 2010s. When I step onto the coaching floor, I hope to help people feel confident, inspired, and prepared for the day’s workout by focusing on a well-rounded warm-up, tactical cues, and the proper motivation. I want people to leave feeling great about what they accomplished in class, not injured or dejected. As renowned CrossFit coach Ben Bergeron has repeatedly said, a coach's objective should be to give members the best 60 minutes of their days. That, in essence, is my intention every time I take the floor.

Turning Point

I think the turning point in my life came after I injured my back in 2016. I had the dream many of us did when first starting CrossFit: to make the Games. I was training hard, often twice a day, and I ended up suffering a fluke injury in my back made worse by a cyst located in my L5 vertebrae. Doctors told me there was nothing they could do due to its placement, and that I should "never squat again." Absolute insanity. I spent two years not only focusing on what I could control but also seeking other opinions from different back specialists until, eventually, I found a doctor capable of performing minimally invasive surgery to remove the cyst and fill the bone with cement.

After a successful procedure, it took me almost another year to work out the muscular imbalances and get back to feeling like myself. In total, I spent almost three years wondering whether I would ever get to do what I had come to love again. I learned two important things during that time: 1. Every day you get to be active is a privilege we all take for granted. Whether you're tired, sick, or dealing with some personal stuff, the fact you're actually able to work out (or even move) is a blessing, and it can be taken away at any moment. 2. When I'm passionate about something, I'm willing and capable of going to great lengths to defy the odds and overcome what feels impossible.

Passion & Motivation

When I first started, I wanted to coach the next great athlete. Now, coaching means more to me. Seeing someone who is struggling to squat, step up on a box, or walk 30 feet without losing their breath dedicate themselves to the process of bettering their lives means everything to me. Helping them through this process in any way I can mean everything to me. Hearing stories about how people in the gym are taking the lessons learned at Titan and applying them to their work or personal lives means everything to me.

As a coach, you should know that I’m always going to do my best to put you in a position to succeed. I’m going to make sure your body is warmed up. I’m going to review scaling options so that everyone — beginner to Games athlete, teen to retiree — can enjoy a good, hard sweat. I’m going to talk about the intended stimulus so that you’re not only getting a great workout, but you’re doing it as intended and in a way that (hopefully) keeps you injury-free. I’m going to push you but also enjoy a lot of laughs along the way. I’m going to get to know you on a personal level.

In short, I’m going to do all I can to be there for you and with you for the 60 minutes we’re together and beyond!