Fit for Life
Craig competed in swimming. Before leaving college, he got advice that’s stuck with him for 25 years.
“One of our coaches said, ‘Now that you’re leaving school and you want to be fit for life, always leave a little bit at the gym so that you’ll come back tomorrow. Don’t leave saying, ‘That was horrible.’ Always leave saying, ‘That was great; I could have done five minutes more.’ Then you will come back tomorrow, because no one’s forcing us to be here. You have to want to come back.”
Craig chatted with us for a few minutes before he exercised. We asked what kind of workout makes him want to come back tomorrow.
“A bunch of abs, and then usually just one muscle group—usually with friends,” he said. “I look forward to seeing friends while I’m here.”
Does that help improve your workouts?
“Oh, absolutely. The days that I’m tired and don’t feel like coming, part of the draw is, ‘Okay I’ll come see my friends, and then I’ll work out.’”
Have you made any friends at the Y?
“I have, actually…I go to Downtown, Green Hills, Franklin and Maryland Farms, depending on my week, and one of the things I like about the Y is that you find people older, younger, just starting out with fitness, and then you find people who are extremely dedicated, like huge bodybuilders.”
Wow, you travel around town!
“That was the major thing that drew me to come back to the Y three years ago—the fact that with one membership I could go all over Middle Tennessee.”
Yep, 15 centers! Anything else that stands out?
“I do know that we subsidize families in need so that they can join, so I appreciate the Y’s mission. I appreciate that it’s more than just my gym.”
We appreciate members like you, Craig!