“We use the body the way it’s meant to be use,” said Roy Leedy. Leedy’s philosophy on CrossFit training has earned him ninth place in the world in his age bracket. He’s fifty-six, and he’s going to California next week for an international competition in his age bracket. He added, “It’s high intensity movement, body weight exercises, not just push-ups and stuff. It’s a lot of heavy compound movements, done naturally, and in the process building a strong core.”
Last year, Leedy finished 30th internationally, but didn’t make it to the finals. This year he is 9th and will compete on July 21 in California. “I’m the only one from Ohio in my age bracket,” Leedy stated. There are competitors from Australia, Canada, as well as elsewhere in the US.
Leedy owns two gyms in Lexington within the Appleseed Center: Mansfield Super Fitness, a women’s facility, and Fit 1, a CrossFit gym. “We’ve heard a lot about the area’s hardships during poor economic times,” stated Leedy, “During that economic time, I’ve opened two new businesses, the women’s since 2006, and a year and a half later, Fit 1.”
The weight training gym he previously operated combined in the same space as the cross-training gym. Fit 1 was born out of a progression in Leedy’s professional bodybuilding career. He realized there was a new elite level of fitness.
His first professional competition was in 1979 in West Virginia. Leedy then went on to the Mansfield Bench Press Championships in 1980. He was also part of the Mr. Ohio competition in 2003-2004, and competed across the state with bodybuilding. At the time, he was conditioning fighters at his weight training gym, and when he learned about CrossFit, he began implementing those exercises into their training. “The more I learned, the more I was intrigued by it,” said Leedy. He got his two-day certification, which requires 6 workouts in 2 days. “They handed my head to me. I was crushed. CrossFit taught me there was another level,” he said.
The next year Leedy went back and received his certification, even winning some competitions on his way to getting certified. Leedy now has his Level I, Olympic, Coaching, and Mobility certification. CrossFit is international. There are over 6,000 gym affiliates worldwide. “You hit the clock, step into a phone booth and go.” CrossFit focuses on how much one individual can do in a set amount of time.
Leedy workouts a day, runs the Mohican Trails, runs up the hills of Mount Mansfield to feel the “burn in the legs and the lungs.” Leedy considers CrossFit a mental exercise as well as a physical one. “It changes people. And it’s fun to watch.” Leedy’s son, Josh is also certified in CrossFit.
To help fund the trip to California, he’s offering be a $20 open gym workout at Fit 1 today. Any skill level can participate, and there will be a lottery style raffle of Reebok, and Fit 1 apparel.
As for the completion, Leedy stated, “I’m going to stay humble. I’m going to go there with a clean slate. And I’m going to go there with the right mindset.”
For more information, visit www.fit1crossfit.com
