From the Beach to the Box

Mitchell Day is a professional beach-soccer player. The 32-year-old member of Grasshopper Club Zurich found CrossFit when a friend challenged him to compete in the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games Open.

“At the time, it seemed like a great idea,” Day says. “Now it seems like the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Day completed Open Workout 14.1 on his own in a globo gym where he worked. Soon after, he walked into CrossFit Thames, where he completed the rest of the online competition and found a community he didn’t expect. He very clearly recalls the first day he walked into the affiliate.

“I was instantly welcomed,” Day says.

He adds: “These are people that have become like best friends pretty instantly.”

Coaches and members at CrossFit Thames say Day fit in right from the start, and his natural talent was evident right away.

“He’s a freak,” member Alex Haines says. “I remember he came in on a Thursday and learned how to do a handstand push-up—just learnt the technique. And then the next day he did 70 in a workout. That sort of sums (Day) up.”

From the beach to the box, Day is convinced of the benefits of CrossFit.

“I haven’t found a negative in (CrossFit),” he says. “As long as you scale everything to comfort—not to comfort; you have to be uncomfortable—but as long as you’re doing things properly, … I haven’t found anything that’s been as effective as CrossFit.”

Video by Nikolaj Rønnow.

5min 46sec

Additional video: The Couch Stretch by Jami Tikkanen, published Feb. 26, 2011.