Each month we spotlight a different CrossFit 1710 athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow athletes and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit 1710 Community should be about.
Our July 2024 Athlete of The Month is Justin Henson! While Justin had previous CrossFit experience, he began his CrossFit journey with us on November 8, 2022. He was regularly working out but wanted to fine tune his training with our coach led classes. Since joining the CrossFit 1710 team, Justin has made strength gains, excellent nutrition adjustments, and improved upon his already impressive gymnastic skills. He is consistently an Open Gym athlete/DJ and Saturday morning regular. Outside of the gym, Dr. Justin Henson is clearly the CrossFit 1710 preferred chiropractor. All 4 coaches and many of our members frequently visit Domino Chiropractic to keep our bodies moving optimally and pain free in and out of the gym. We are very proud of your commitment to consistency, Justin! Your hard work and discipline is paying off and we are excited to see you continue to train to be the best version of yourself!
Get to know Justin better in his interview below.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.
My name is Justin Henson. I am 32 years old. I was born and raised in Boling, TX with my parents and 3 brothers. I have one dog, Oliver who is 13 yrs old now. As a Texas Board Certified Chiropractor, certified athletic trainer, and licensed massage therapist, I opened a small chiropractic clinic in Boling TX, called Domino Chiropractic in 2021. Along with that, I am also the sports chiropractor physician for Houston Christian University. I never envisioned myself to be back in Wharton County, but I’m so thankful I am. I am absolutely honored to get to treat this community. Doing this line of work is more than just “cracking backs” for me, it’s creating relationships with the families that make up this community and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. And I am thankful for every patient that walks through my doors and trusts me with their care. I am a member of Grace Community Fellowship church in Wharton and have attended there since I was 9 years old. I have the privilege of serving the Lord both in my church and at my high school alma mater as a Boling ISD board of trustees member. God has given me a heart to help others and I’m grateful to be able to do that every day.
2. WHAT MADE YOU START CROSSFIT?
I started at CrossFit 1710 in November 2022. I was going to Anytime Fitness for a long time, but my workouts had become repetitive and boring. I needed something more to push myself. I had multiple patients tell me to try out the CrossFit gym in Wharton, and the moment I did I was hooked. Before long, Coach Jason and I started working out together during open gym on our lunch breaks. He and I have been pushing each other in the gym ever since.
3. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SINCE JOINING CROSSFIT 1710?
I don’t think I ever really took my fitness as seriously as I do. The CrossFit 1710 Coaches, Jason, Jodie, Patrick, and Shannon, have all taught me so much individually that I don’t think there would be enough words to describe each one. In a nutshell, CrossFit 1710 has taught me how to persevere through some of the toughest physical and mental battles in and out of the gym. I’ve learned not everything has to be a competition, that you can still compete against yourself while also cheering on your fellow competitor… and be able to be happy however the cards may fall. Ultimately, in the end it’s not you against everyone, but rather you vs. yourself.
4. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT CROSSFIT 1710 OR CROSSFIT IN GENERAL?
The people are what I love so much about this gym. It seriously feels like I have a new family that I can call on at any moment. People that just make your day brighter the moment you walk into the gym. Especially when we have finished a workout together, it feels like we’ve all overcome this huge obstacle together… there are tons of comradery in moments like that.
5. WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST CROSSFIT MOMENT?
My proudest CrossFit moment so far has been making to the 2024 CrossFit quarterfinals. I did not really think I was going to make it, because I battled some injuries a few months leading up to the CrossFit Open and was a bit discouraged. However, once it was time to compete, I felt like all my previous training from the past year and the muscle memory that gained along the way, just kicked in. Then once I made quarterfinals, the opportunity to get to compete alongside Jason, Patrick, and Jodie… was nothing short of amazing!! My experience with overcoming injury and resting during peak training season definitely helped me develop a deeper empathy for the athletes and patients I care for, who are in similar situations.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVEMENT/LIFT?
My favorite movement is handstand walks!
7. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE MOVEMENT/LIFT?
My least favorite movement by far is heavy thrusters.
8. WHAT IMPACT HAS CROSSFIT HAD ON YOUR LIFE IN AND OUT OF THE GYM?
CrossFit is a great way for me to decompress. When I’m struggling mentally or having a bad day, it always allows me to get my mind off things and destress.
9. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AND HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO REACHING THEM?
My next goal is for Jason and me to do a great job competing as team J Squared in the Men’s RX Division at the BCS Classic in August.
10. WHEN YOU’RE NOT CROSSFITTING WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO?
If I’m not competing at CrossFit, I enjoy hanging out with my dog Oliver or going golfing.
11. WHAT IS THE ONE TIP YOU’D GIVE SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT STARTING CROSSFIT OR JUST STARTED?
My tip for someone just starting out is to endure and persevere. Your mind and body are going to tell you that you aren’t strong enough, fast enough, not athletic, not as good as the other people doing it. But we all started that way, we all felt like we were horrible at it initially, but we just lacked experience. Because we stayed at it and didn’t quit, we learned and improved.
12. WHAT IS YOUR DIET LIKE? HOW HAS IT CHANGED SINCE STARTING CROSSFIT?
I used to do a terrible job at keeping my nutrition in check. Now that I’m putting in so much work in the gym, I know I’m doing a disservice to myself by not all so keeping my nutrition in check. So, I’ve learned to eat a high protein diet and stay away from processed foods. I try to limit how many fatty foods I eat in a day and have raised my fruit intake instead of loading up on sugary drinks and candy.
13. RESULTS? TELL US ABOUT YOUR RESULTS!
Since making all these changes in the gym and kitchen, I’ve become much stronger and faster at almost all my gymnastic movements and Olympic lifts. On top of that, when I first joined CrossFit 1710, I weighed 180, but now I’m weighing in at 157 lbs.
Comments