Ryan Sheaffer

Owner/Coach

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CrossFit Movement you secretly dominate: Power cleans and pretty much any sort of press…give me the Benchmark WOD Grace, and I’m a happy man.
CrossFit Movement that secretly dominates you: While I’m not a huge fan of burpees, the movement that crushes me most is, without a doubt, toes-to-bar. I’ve always thought our competitive advantage as a gym is that we should be a toes-to-bar free zone, but Chris doesn’t seem to agree!
Favorite Healthy Food/Meal: Flank steak and asparagus
Favorite Cheat Food/Meal: Brownies…I could eat a whole tray of ‘em at one time…trust me!

Qualifications

About Ryan

My earliest childhood memories mostly pertain to being involved in some sort of athletic pursuit. As a child in Medford, OR I spent time participating in just about every sport imaginable from baseball to BMX racing to soccer to football, etc. In high school, I narrowed my focus to basketball (my favorite of ‘em all) and tennis. I continued playing tennis at the NCAA Division I level for the University of Portland, where I graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Marketing. As an adult, I continue to seek new physical challenges much as I did as a child. I have completed 3 marathons, the Ironman Canada Triathlon, and summited a variety of mountain peaks including Mt. Rainier on 3 occasions and Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Turning Point

My desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle, and help others do the same, led me to make a major career change. I left the field of finance to become a career firefighter with the City of Kirkland and co-owner of South Seattle CrossFit. Whether at the fire department, or in the gym, I have an opportunity to positively impact lives on a daily basis and am grateful for that fact. We have the most amazing group of members and coaches at SSCF….I’m proud to call it home. As I started pursuing a career as a firefighter in 2011, I began researching workout routines that translated to the job of a firefighter. CrossFit kept popping up, so I decided to give it a try. When I walked into a CrossFit gym the first time I hadn’t been too far removed from finishing my Ironman Triathlon and upon seeing the workout written on the board, I thought, “This doesn’t seem too bad…I’ve got this.” 10 minutes later, I was flat on my back, my world was rocked and I was hooked! The feat that most fills my heart with joy, however, is being a husband and father to my two beautiful children!

Motivation & Passion

I love interacting with people, hearing their stories and helping everyone achieve their goals. Whether someone is an accomplished athlete or working out for the first time in over a decade, it’s gratifying to see people reach their potential. We are all capable of accomplishing so much more than we originally think possible and CrossFit has a way of getting the best out of us all…I’m happy to be a small part of that process. “A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.” – Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching