Athlete of the Month - Jeff Miele
NAME: Jeff Miele
AGE: 29
MEMBER SINCE: 2016
WODS PER WEEK: 4-5
Favorite WOD/Exercise: Fight Gone Bad
Least Favorite WOD/Exercise: Overhead Squats
Tell us a little bit about yourself (where are you from, job, family, etc.).
I grew up in Edison, NJ and currently live in Piscataway with my wife Amy and our dog Nico. I went to college at Rowan University where I earned a BA in Public Relations and an MA in Higher Education Administration. I currently work as a Senior Account Executive at Serino Coyne, an advertising agency that works primarily on Broadway shows. I work on the Broadway productions of The Lion King, Aladdin, and Frozen.
When you’re not at CrossFit Stealth, what do you like to do for fun?
In my spare time I go to a lot of movies, take my dog to the dog park or on hikes, read, and enjoy trying new restaurants.
How did you hear about CrossFit? Why did you want to try it?
Two of my best friends had been doing CrossFit so I had been hearing about it for years but was intimidated to try it out. I was bored working out at a traditional gym and also wanted a more regular hobby or activity so I finally signed up for a free trial class.
What were your thoughts after your first workout at CrossFit Stealth?
“How am I going to walk from my car to my apartment?” I was so sore but in that one, quick, 8 minute AMRAP I knew I was already into it and signed up for Fundamentals immediately.
What are your fitness goals? Have you achieved any of them while at CrossFit Stealth?
When I started at CrossFit Stealth my goal was to lose fat and put on muscle, and I dropped a lot of weight fairly quickly. However, over the last year and a half, my goals quickly shifted from wanting to improve how I look to improve how I perform. I find myself excited for retests during benchmark weeks and to push myself further week to week. Wanting to perform better has also inadvertently changed the way I live outside of the box. I eat better, rarely drink, and go to sleep earlier because it makes the biggest difference during my morning WOD.
What is your favorite cheat meal?
Sushi, Chinese, or Popeyes.
What is your favorite thing about CrossFit Stealth?
The community. Words cannot describe how incredibly supportive and respectful everyone is while still pushing each other to do and be their best. The members are so welcoming and the energy is so palpable, you can’t help being sucked into it and having the best time.
What is your most memorable or funniest moment at CrossFit Stealth?
My most memorable moment has to be the 2018 Open. I finished with an Rx score for each WOD and really pushed myself to not leave anything in the tank. I was proud of how far I’ve come from my first Open last year and excited to work on my weaknesses to perform better next year.
How would you describe your experience at CrossFit Stealth?
Unexpectedly life-changing. I never thought that finding a new gym would turn into a new way of life and me becoming a happier and more confident individual. CrossFit Stealth has undoubtedly become one of my favorite places in the world. A large part of that is also due to the coaches. Each of them are so knowledgeable and attentive and make each class their own. They’re always willing to answer any questions and don’t hesitate a second to push you harder or stop you immediately to correct your form or give you some tips.
Would you recommend CrossFit Stealth to your friends and family? What advice would you give them starting out?
100%. I try to get a lot of my friends and family to at least sign up for the free trial because I know they’ll be hooked from there. I understand how CrossFit can be intimidating but what’s amazing about it is its unbelievably scalable so you can still get a great work out while developing your skills overtime, and the coaches are great at finding the perfect scale for you. Most likely you won’t be Rx’ing from the get go but everything that’s amazing about Stealth, from the community to the programming to the coaches, will get you there. Just go and have fun with it!
Something you might not know about me is?
I once got paid to play Peter Pan at a kid’s birthday party. I couldn’t make any balloon animals… they never hired me back.