Bradley Vanlandingham

A little bit about me: I have a beautiful wife and two wonderful daughters who all keep me on my toes. I have an athletic background where I played select soccer and baseball for the city league while in high school, and I have always enjoyed doing cardio. After high school, I started a career in the fire service, where I stayed in shape doing cardio and lifting weights so I could adequately perform my job duties. After several years in the fire service, I completed nursing school and began to work at UMMC.  Because of that,  I stopped lifting weights as much as I did in the past. After some time, I tried to get back into lifting weights at the local “Global Gyms” but got very bored trying to work out by myself. At this point, I decided to give CrossFit a try, thinking, how hard can it be? I can run and move some weight around. Boy, was I mistaken and humbled by the first workout after I joined. Moving weights and doing cardio at the same time was much more difficult than I thought. I will never forget one of my first coaches, as she kept my ego in check and would not allow me to put a lot of weight on the bar until my form met her expectations. She would always come by and make me take weight off the bar because my back was round, or I wouldn’t get adequate depth in squats, or for any reason that kept me safe. Once I improved my form, she would allow me to progress to heavier weights. I am so thankful for that today as I have seen multiple people get injured due to their form, and I strive to be the coach she was to keep athletes safe and push them to make themself a better person in the gym. I thoroughly enjoy pushing each athlete in the gym, which will help them meet their goals in life.

My turning point that led me to start CrossFit was when I became stagnant in everyday life and had to come up with my own workouts. When you don’t have a workout partner and go to the gym by yourself, it can be boring and not motivational. When I tried CrossFit for the first time in 2019,  I was not only humbled but I was also uplifted because I realized it was for everyone. No matter where you are in life, there is a scale or version of the movement for you. Once I realized it took time, sometimes years,  to be able to string together multiple pull-ups, double unders, or any movement, I was hooked. The environment that a CrossFit box offers is unparalleled. From the newest member to the most seasoned member, they are all welcoming, uplifting, and supportive of everyone who walks in the door. After I experienced that, I was hooked and started to go every day.

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Keeping people safe while helping them get physically better is a huge purpose why I help coach athletes. Seeing that lightbulb come on when they figure out how to perform a movement due to practice or a different cue from the coach makes me extremely happy.  As a healthcare professional, I see people with all types of health conditions. Seeing firsthand from some of my friends that a supportive environment, along with an excellent coaching staff, can not only motivate you to become a better person/athlete but also keep you coming back to the gym. I have found some of my best friends at the gym.

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