Kipping it Real with David!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our valuesand motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. May’s Athlete of the Month is David Palmatier. David was chosen because he always comes with a positive attitude to the gym and everyone is inspired by how hard he works. We love when someone new comes to OPCF and fits so perfectly into the community!  Learn more below about David!

    1. What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout?

My first CrossFit workout was at a gym in KCMO back in 2009. A buddy I worked out with at 24-Hour Fitness at the time started doing CrossFit and invited me to a workout. I think we did a WOD that involved some shoulder to overhead work, wall walks, and med ball V-ups, for time. It was interesting. I loved the competition of the workout and pushing myself in a way I hadn’t pushed myself in a long time. I had so much fun and I knew it was something I wanted to do all the time. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to start doing CrossFit regularly until early 2015.

  1. What has been your favorite workout?
It’s hard to pick a favorite, but in general, I really like the Saturday team WODs that we do.
  1. What is your favorite cheat meal?

Any sort of simple carbohydrate baked or fried with sugar or frosting on top (or in the middle). I love cake (the piece with the most icing), cinnamon rolls, and donuts. I’ve never described a dessert as being too rich.

  1. Where do you work?     

Cerner

  1. What do you like to do outside of work?

I have a four year old and 18 month old daughter, and we enjoy finding fun activities and fun new things for them to experience on the weekends. We also love getting together with our friends and their families on Saturday afternoons, grilling/cooking, and drinking beer while the kids play together. Of course, I would love to hang out up at OPCF all day too if I had the time.

  1. What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF?

Seems obvious, but don’t be afraid to scale in the beginning while you’re learning and getting stronger. There are so many complex movements in CrossFit and it’s clearly better to scale than to injury yourself trying to lift heavy weight improperly. I hate to see new CrossFitters stop doing CrossFit because they injure themselves trying to do crazy lifts they have barely practiced in the middle of a workout. Perhaps go abroad for a week or two.

  1. What is your favorite lift?

Squat cleans, close second being squat snatch.

  1. What’s your biggest “GOAT”?

Close tie between double unders and HSPUs. Small quantities are manageable but the train goes off the rails with volume while exhausted.

  1. What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF?  

The programming at OPCF is great and there is always something in each workout that challenges my weaknesses. I have never found a workout to be even relatively easy. It’s forced me to improve, while also helping me understand my limitations as I get older. I’ve moved quite a bit in the last few years and do a lot of drops-ins when I travel for work, so I’ve been to a lot of CrossFit boxes. OPCF is easily one of the best around.

  1. What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far?

I first did The Open in 2015 and barely finished all 5 prescribed workouts due to my inability to complete certain movements, like HSPUs, toes to bar, DUs, and overhead squats. Two years later, I wouldn’t say I’m particularly good at anything but I can say that I’ve improved all of my movements adequately enough to where I no longer have to worry about what will be in workouts.

  1. What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet?

One of the many good things about working at Cerner is that you get a 4 week sabbatical at years 7 and 13. I deferred my 7-year sabbatical when I decided to take a 3-year assignment in New Orleans back in 2013. Now I’m at year 13 at Cerner and I still haven’t taken the first sabbatical. So, I’d really love to finally take my sabbatical sometime this year, disconnect from work, and shut down for a while.