What brought you into enduraLAB in the first place? A fellow dad and friend, Patrick Shropshire, recommended I try out the LAB. I’d heard about the gym before from a few different people, but to be honest, I lazily categorized enduraLAB as a place for “those other types of workout folks”.
Patrick described the early morning strength and conditioning classes as challenging and effective with a lot of camaraderie. He was pretty convincing and consistent, so after three separate conversations ending in “I think you would really like it” and a text from him one night that read “So, I’ll see you at 6:00 AM tomorrow at enduraLAB?”, I decided to check it out. It’s nice to have friends who know what’s best for you sometimes!
How did you exercise before enduraLAB? Like many people, I have a journey that includes everything from sport specific and resistance training to endurance training. The five years prior to becoming part of the LAB family, my fitness consisted primarily of running, bike and yoga 5-6 days a week.
What healthy changes have you made since starting enduraLAB? Since joining the LAB, I’ve become much more balanced with my fitness. I’ve become aware that in order to have high quality workouts, I need proper fuel and rest. Therefore, I have become much more intentional with both.
Tell us what you do outside of the LAB? For the past 13.5 years I’ve worked at Teleflex, a global medical technology provider, where I’m the head of sales for North America in one of our strategic business units. I thoroughly enjoy working with people and it’s very fulfilling to know that the devices we make have a very real impact on clinicians and patients.
How have you grown as an athlete since joining the LAB? enduraLAB immediately reminded me of the many things that attracted me to exercise years ago. Benchmarks, reps, distances, weights, and durations and then working to improve upon them, are components of fitness that have always been appealing to me. I mean, who doesn’t like setting, progressing toward and then exceeding goals, right? However, the BIGGEST growth area for me since joining the LAB has been embracing and enjoying the process. There’s a lot of “change” happening that you can’t always measure or record.
What is a goal you have set for yourself in the next 6 months? I’m very familiar with the saying “Father Time is undefeated”, but who says you can’t give him a run for his money? That’s my overall mindset with regard to working out at the LAB. My primary focus is to continue improving my form. One of the most rewarding moments is for me to hear a coach say, “good form today Chris!” Specific goals include being able to do multiple sets of toes-to-bar without modifying, linking together 8-10 kipping pull ups, and as simple as it may seem to many, consistent double unders. (I can’t even type it without getting a rope mark on my calf).
If there was a workout named after you, what would it consist of? My workout would be called the Neubauer Half Hour. It would be a 30-minute AMRAP consisting of 15 slam balls, 15 perfect push ups, 20 sit ups, 50-meter sled push and a 400-meter run.
What is your favorite enduraLAB event? I really like the Memorial Day Murph. The training leading up to it, the event itself, seeing families and friends complete it together, and knowing an American Hero inspired it, make it a favorite for me.
What is your favorite enduraLAB program/cycle? The strength and conditioning program is my favorite. The different cycles “encourage” you to constantly adapt physically and mentally, rather than plateau and burnout.
What advice would you have for a new person starting at enduraLAB? Just remember, it’s called a the “LAB” for a reason. Exercise is not a finished product! I was pretty intimidated the first few times I came into the LAB. Then one morning I happen to catch a quote on social media on my way to the 5:00 AM class that spoke to me: “Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20.”. My advice to someone would take it a step further…”It’s your book, don’t compare it to someone else’s.”
Favorite cheat meal/restaurant in D/FW? Give me chips. Give me queso. Then please look away.
Where did you go to college? If you have been around me for five minutes and don’t know this, one of us is NOT holding up our end of the relationship. The University of Tennessee - Rocky Top Baby!
