Basil Papantonis
Athlete of the Month
October 2018
Basil is deserving of our Athlete of the Month recognition for his consistency over the years he has been training with us. In fact, Basil also has the designation of the member who has been training with us the longest; he has been with us since we opened our doors!
He comes in, puts in the work, scales the workout in a smart way as needed, and continues to enjoy progress. He is an active member at our community events and always comes in with a smile on his face. Basil is a great example of how small progress over time can make a big difference in an individual and how we can all do things that we never thought possible just by getting started.
Great work Basil – we are glad you are here!
My name is Basil Papantonis and yes if you have ever seen the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” I could relate to many scenes in that movie growing up. Today I am in the Telecommunications business and I manage a Sales organization selling fiber optic equipment to telephone and internet companies.
I have been at CFJC going on almost ten years now having started at their original location and watching the box expand ever since. To give you an idea of how long I have been around, when I first started Dan was still working his corporate job and Dan and Lara weren’t married yet!
For me CrossFit is about quality of life. Every time I complete a WOD I feel better about myself, I sleep better that night, and I forget about all the stress from life.
Not sure I remember my very first WOD but I do have some vivid memories of doing Fran for the very first time and when I finished a long time later Lara mentioned that if I could do pull-ups without a band assist next time I would significantly improve my time!
Editor’s Note: Basil hasn’t needed to do band-assisted pull-ups for quite some time now!
I really like the variety. I like the variety of the members; from the mix of backgrounds, skill sets, ages, but all with the shared goal of improving and staying fit. I also like the variety of the workouts where no two days are ever the same.
Pretty much any WOD I complete I feel proud about. There are some WOD’s that when you read them you tell yourself there is absolutely no way I can ever get that done, and then you start doing it, and little by little it all works out. For me, CrossFit is as much about your mindset vs your individual skills and strength. Completing Murph is a good example that sums this up.
One of the biggest reasons that I do CrossFit is that I dislike weights. Before starting CrossFit I was in decent shape but it was all about cardio for me, I never touched weights of any kind. If I didn’t do CrossFit I would not be lifting weights at all. Since starting CrossFit and lifting weights I can say that I am now in the best shape I have ever been in, and certainly much better balanced between cardio and strength now.
Any WOD that is about running and body weight works for me. The Cindy WOD and any variety of Cindy I like. My least favorite WOD’s are any that requires lifting weights over your head. Whenever I see movements like; jerk, snatch, or overhead squat in a WOD those are my least favorite for sure.
My goal is to be in the best physical shape that I can be in. I am pretty consistent with doing at least three WOD’s a week and whenever I miss a week or two I can definitely tell the difference in my performance. I tend to travel frequently and I need to continue working out on the road or for sure when I return I am going to pay for the days I missed.
As an over 50 years of age member most of my friends think I am crazy to be doing CrossFit and that I am going to injure myself for sure. What they don’t get is that I go to CrossFit to purposely keep from injuring myself! Going to the box and seeing everyone working hard to complete a WOD just motivates me even more to do the same.
I like doing almost any type of outdoor activities. You will find me frequently on the Alpharetta Greenway walking, running or riding my bike. I also like to listen to live music and go with my wife to dinner and movies on the weekends and hanging out with our kids.
When you’re able to complete a WOD that you never thought was possible it makes it easier to see any task as doable and just focus on moving ahead one increment at a time and before you realize it you’ve completed whatever you seek to complete.
My advice would be to give it a try. You will be very surprised by the supportive environment and you will be surprised of what your able to do that you didn’t think was at all possible. Each day you will make small progress and like me almost ten years later you’ll still be improving and getting better every day!
