August Athlete of the Month: Sid Payne

Congratulations Sid, you’re our NoCoast Athlete of the Month!

Sid has been a part of our noon crew for over a year and his hard work and consistency has been inspiring. Sid’s kindness and energy is always uplifting and is a lot of fun to be around. Sid has also started coaching boxing classes at NoCoast, which has picked up a lot of momentum! We are so thankful for Sid’s generosity and for being a part of our NoCoast community. 

Quotes from Sid:

“I am also a believer in “the best workout is the one you do”. Going to NoCoast is a big part of my weekly routine. Also, having a good friend ask on the regular about when I’m going to get there is a huge motivator. NoCoast has improved my wellness significantly, both physically and mentally. Oh, and at 56, I’m still improving; all due to the fantastic coaching at NoCoast.”

“I am a believer in “you can’t outwork a shitty diet”. I focus on the basics; oatmeal, eggs from my neighbor, all forms of animal protein, and as much fruit and vegetables as I can manage. There are a lot of times that life gets in the way of all that, but without good food and enough of it, there is no way I can keep up with the workouts.”

Age: 56

Athletic/Sports history/highlights: 

I was not an athlete until my early 20s, and even then, it was all about Bro lifting. At some point about 25 years ago, I was totally out of shape and overweight. The pictures of me at the hospital when my first son was born are embarrassing. I needed to do something. I found a boxing class that focused on fitness and learned that I could push myself way harder in a class. This set me on a path of taking health and fitness a lot more seriously. Being around more like-minded people more often really rubbed off on me.

How long have you been CrossFitting? 

I don’t really consider myself a CrossFitter. I’m more of a fitness nerd who happens to find that I like places like NoCoast the most. The fact that NoCoast happened to be a CrossFit gym when I joined made no difference to me. Oh yeah, there was a question in there... probably about 5 or 6 years with a couple year break there in the middle.

How did you get into CrossFit? 

I was looking for a place to workout within walking distance of my office in Louisville. Less friction makes it easier to build habits. At that time, Moov in Louisville fit the bill. Moov didn’t make it. However, when I relocated my office to Lafayette, the first thing I did was search for nearby gyms. I was extremely fortunate to find NoCoast right around the corner.

What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement? 

I’m pretty much into old school basics; deadlifts probably make me the happiest.

What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement? 

Oh, there are so many… how to choose? I would probably say something like wall walks, if I did them. I really don’t like any of the intricate Olympic lifts. They are just really hard for me to perform in a way that doesn’t feel totally ridiculous. But I would have to say that thrusters take the cake.

What is your most memorable NoCoast moment? 

I wouldn’t say there is one moment. There is a constant Rocky-esque III montage (Rocky Balboa Trains with Apollo Creed | ROCKY III) going through my head of work, sweat, encouragement, music, and fist-bumps. Beyond that, it is the times that we stand around afterwards and get to know each other.

How does nutrition play a role in your fitness and recovery? 

I am a believer in “you can’t outwork a shitty diet”. I focus on the basics; oatmeal, eggs from my neighbor, all forms of animal protein, and as much fruit and vegetables as I can manage. There are a lot of times that life gets in the way of all that, but without good food and enough of it, there is no way I can keep up with the workouts.

How has NoCoast improved your overall wellness? 

I am also a believer in “the best workout is the one you do”. Going to NoCoast is a big part of my weekly routine. Also, having a good friend ask on the regular about when I’m going to get there is a huge motivator. NoCoast has improved my wellness significantly, both physically and mentally. Oh, and at 56, I’m still improving; all due to the fantastic coaching at NoCoast.

How has Functional/Class-based training changed your family? 

My wife tells me that she is happy she is married to someone who can lift heavy things. It is also helping me to live a lot longer functionally than I would otherwise.

Advice to new people: 

I think there are three things: Start easy and work up to it. I’ve been a part of gym life for over thirty years, even owning a couple, so I’ve interacted with a lot of newbies. Thinking you are going to come 5 or 6 days a week right off the bat is not realistic. The scores on the whiteboard don’t matter as long as you're up there.

Make it easy. Building a habit takes time, and if you go in all gung-ho, it is easy to drop just as fast. Make the schedule and travel distance work for you; it will make the habit stick much easier and faster.

Do your best to get to know people in your class. Comradery is a huge motivator. Who knows, you might make a great new friend, which is always a huge net-positive in life.