Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Shewmaker.
Chris, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Almost 10 years ago I happened across some photos on Facebook of a friend of mine doing some sort of workout. It sparked my interest. I reached out to her to ask what it was she was doing in the photo. She said ‘It’s called CrossFit. You should go try it.’ I fired back with a litany of other questions. Her only response was to go and try it, so I did. It took 3 workouts for me to make my decision about opening my own facility one day. From the very first workout, I learned that I was not training efficiently at all. CrossFit allows you to train your entire body in one session. It’s different every day, and you get to meet some really amazing people in the process. I opened CrossFit Kennesaw after a year of planning and coaching. Over the past seven years, we have grown, learned, relearned, and adapted to the vast array of people that have come in to try CrossFit Kennesaw. We have a kids’ program with kids as young as 6 learning proper movement patterns and having fun playing. On the other end of the spectrum is our Legends class, it is designed for folks with more life experience. We cover everything in between as well. All of the classes can be adjusted to fit any person’s current fitness level. Our coaches have a keen eye to ensure our participants safety while creating a fun environment.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Entrepreneurship is never a smooth road. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are not giving you the full story. Our trend has been overall positive over our 7 years in operation, but like anything, there is an ebb and flow to it all. As we have grown I have been able to hire some kick ass staff to help with all of the things that need attention. I learned early on that as much as I wanted it to be true, I just could not do everything. I have been very fortunate to find passionate driven coaches that truly want to help other people. Without them, the whole thing would fall apart.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about CrossFit Kennesaw – what should we know?
CrossFit Kennesaw is a strength and conditioning facility. We have several different programs to fit just about any interest. We have CrossFit as our flagship. CrossFit is a whole body training style. The workouts are different every day, and we can progress you along no matter your starting point on your fitness journey. We have a SwingFit class that focuses on Kettle Bell workouts. Our Fast and Strong program is great for the endurance athlete, runner or triathlete. We have a Barbell Club for the folks who are interested in progressing with the Olympic lifts. We have lifestyle coaching that will help you make good decisions with the temptations of life outside the gym. From our first meeting, we are focused on you. We will sit own for a ‘No Sweat Intro’. In the intro we will discuss what your goals are, what your history is, and learn a bit more about what motivates you. There you will decide what course of action will best help you reach your goals.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Empathy. We all have our “stuff”. No matter where you come from or who you are, we all have the experiences, good and bad, that have made us who we are today. The staff, myself included, are all very good at listening to what people are saying to us. We will ask question to further understand you, and we will figure out the best way to help you in your journey. Every single person is very unique. We understand that fact. We want to help anyone that wants to be helped.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1349 Old 41 Highway Suite 150
Marietta GA 30060 - Website: crossfitkennesaw.com
- Phone: 404-931-8773
- Email: chris@crossfitkennesaw.com
- Instagram: cf_kennesaw
- Facebook: CrossFit Kennesaw
