Tell us about yourself!
Hi, I’m Dip (pronounced Deep…I know, what were my parents thinking.) I was born in Leeds, England and immigrated to Hamilton early on in life. Sadly (mostly for my partner, Leah) the timing of this immigration resulted in the loss of my sexy British accent. Anyway, I’ve lived in a few different cities in Ontario and recently moved back to Hamilton last year as Leah started her surgery residency here (I landed a doctor!). I myself do not save lives. Instead, I work for Deloitte as a management consultant, working with large companies on their strategy. Outside of work I’m a big sports guy…but more on that later.
What got you into CrossFit?
Well, one night during the pandemic Christmas of 2021, Leah and I fired up Amazon Prime Video and stumbled upon this “Fittest on Earth” movie. We were instantly hooked – I wanted to be like Mat Fraser (turns out I am not). We both played a lot of sports growing up and were looking to have add a bit more competition into our fitness world. Especially, me – I get fired up when I beat Google Maps suggested ETA anytime I drive. Anyway, we decided that we would try CrossFit when we moved to Hamilton in June 2021. Slightly embarrassing – we picked our new home in Hamilton based on proximity to Alchemy to maximize efficiency – I guess that’s the management consultant in me.
What do you like about Alchemy?
It’s cliché but the “community” hype is real. It’s been really cool to meet new friends (shoutout evening crew) from other walks of life that share a strong common interest. Our coaches also really do take the time and care to adapt their approach with each athlete. I’ve been experiencing this more than ever for the past 7 months as the coaches (especially master modifier Craig) have been helping me adapt workouts due to my unlucky sports-related injuries.
What has been your proudest moment at Alchemy
Since I’ve only been doing CrossFit for a little over a year, a lot of the “newbie gains” have contributed to proud moments. I feel most accomplished when I unlock a new skill like handstand push-ups or double-unders. I also love consistently beating Leah and rarely beating our resident superstar Maddie.
What are your CrossFit goals for the future?
To win the CrossFit Games obviously! Just kidding. My immediate goal is to improve on my Olympic Lifting technique as that is a current weakness. Improving my barbell strength would also be a plus – right now I’m chasing that 500lb deadlift (55lbs to go) with Coach Craig!
If you could design the perfect workout, what would it include?
Any workout that suits short kings and queens. I like chippers and 1RM lifts so if we had to make “The Dip” it would be two components:
1. For time: 50 Pistol Squats, 100 Pull Ups, 150 Push Ups, 200 Air Squats, 1-Mile Run, followed by
2. A max 1RM deadlift within 15 minutes.
When you’re not at the gym, what’s your favourite thing to do?
I love playing and watching most sports (NHL, F1, UFC, NFL especially). I also really enjoy travel photography and have been fortunate to see some very cool parts of our planet. Our next trip is to Guatemala to go volcano hunting!
What’s your favourite Hamilton restaurant?
I could eat sushi any day of the week. My favorite spot in Hamilton so far has been Sushi Azuki on Locke Street!