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Meet Ashley & Ben Gray, this dynamic couple have been members of the Bomber Crew for almost 2 years.  Both Ben & Ashley have tremendous positive attitudes and are continually upbeat and excited in class.  They can be found in the gym almost six days per week at times across the schedule.  If you’ve not yet met the Grays, take a few minutes say hello – you’ll be glad you did.

 

How did you hear about CrossFit and what was your first experience?

We have always been “gym rats” coming up with our own fitness routines, but we were getting restless and wanted to try something new. Ben did some thorough internet research and came up with CrossFit. Ashley was initially hesitant but talked into giving it a shot.

Our first experience was a long Saturday workout that made you question your will to live. Ashley thought this is crazy, and Ben was instantly hooked.

When did you first come to Bombers CrossFit?

Our first CrossFit experience was at Bombers back in August of 2016.

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How many days do you CrossFit?

We always have to go full steam ahead and try to get in up to 6 WODS combined with 5 days of Barbell Club every week. When our bodies are feeling a little wrecked though, we will take a couple of WODS off to recover.

What classes do you normally take?

We use to be part of the dedicated 5:00 am. However, we have been hanging out with the afternoon crew lately. Hopefully the 5:00 am class will forgive us.

What motivates you/keeps you coming back to Bombers CrossFit?

One of the main reasons we keep coming back to Bombers is the community. We did not know anyone when came to Ohio, and Bombers has introduced us to so many wonderful people. Another reason we keep coming back is the dedicated coaches who constantly work hard to help us reach our goals. 

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What’s your favorite thing about the Dayton area?

Honestly, Bombers. Work and our four kids keep us busy, and we are a little introverted as a couple. This makes it tough to explore the area.

What accomplishments are you proudest of (inside and outside of the gym)?

Ashley: The biggest accomplishment inside the gym would be overcoming such a bad injury. Sometimes when I think that I will never be able to do something because of my injury, I surprise my self and continue to see improvements.

Ben: CrossFit pushes you to be a better athlete across the entire spectrum of fitness from Weightlifting to gymnastics to endurance. My continued improvement across all those domains makes me happy. If forced to choose just one, I would have to go with my ever impressive squat pose.

Ash/Ben: Our biggest accomplishment outside the gym is our family. We have been through a lot together over the last 16 years, and somehow everything continues to workout. We attribute our success to growing up together and keeping shared goals and dreams.

After a hard workout, what is your favorite meal?

Our go to meal after a long workout is steak fajita bowls! This is our take on healthy Mexican food.

What are some of your interest outside of CrossFit?

Sundays are our day off from the gym to relax. We usually spend part of the day reading books together or at the shooting range.

What is one goal within the gym that you’re working on?

Ashley: I have quite a few goals right now but the one on top of my list is probably handstand pushups. This is probably one of my most frustrating goals. I know the strength is there but the timing is not. My hope is to have them down by the end of 2018!

Ben: Right now, I am focused on the Olympic lifts. They are so technically demanding and like magic when done correctly. I really want to bring my Snatch PR up to 205 lbs.

What impact has CrossFit had on your life/lifestyle/level of fitness?

We both think that CrossFit has taught us to focus on more than typical gym lifting routines. We continue to seek improvements in our lifts but also want to improve as athletes across multiple domains of fitness. The new skill sets that we have developed at Bombers makes us more complete athletes.

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What advice would you give to a newbie?

Stick with it and don’t get discouraged. Everyone struggles at first, but nothing beats overcoming obstacles and developing new skills.

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