When I first walked into a CrossFit gym over 16 years ago, I had no idea it would change the trajectory of my life. At the time, I was 90 pounds overweight and firmly in the “sickness” category of the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum that CrossFit talks about.
A friend and I had just signed up at a regular globo gym. Our plan? Run on the treadmill for 45 minutes to an hour every day. That was what we thought fitness looked like: long, isolated, and uninspired.
Then my friend mentioned a different kind of gym, one that did “fast, non-conventional exercises.” That was enough to get me curious.
What I found was nothing like I expected. It was intense, humbling, and completely addicting. But more than that, it was alive! The people, the coaches, the atmosphere, it all made me realize that fitness wasn’t something I had to suffer through alone. It was something I could grow into, with others.
Sixteen years later, I’m still here, still coaching, still learning, still serving people. This article is a reflection on that journey and the lessons I’ve picked up along the way. I hope it encourages others to consider the path of coaching, not as a job, but as a way to help people live fuller, better lives.
How It All Started
Back then, I was just trying to lose weight and feel a little better in my own skin. Like so many people. I thought the answer was a gym membership and hours of steady-state cardio. My friend and I would show up, hop on a treadmill, and grind through 45 minutes of jogging, hoping to sweat the weight off.
But I wasn’t just carrying extra pounds; I was living a lifestyle that kept me stuck on the sickness end of the spectrum. My energy was low. My movement was limited. I didn’t feel capable, and I was so freaking bored.
Then came CrossFit.
My very first workout was Cindy, a 20-minute AMRAP of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats. I scaled it with jumping pull-ups and incline push-ups, but even then, I only made it through 3 rounds before I had to stop.
It wasn’t just humbling, it was a wake-up call. That short (for me), “simple” workout exposed both how limited my work capacity was and the reality of my current state of health. But instead of feeling defeated, I felt something had shifted in my head. I remember thinking: What would happen if I just showed up every day?
That was the question that changed everything.
I kept coming back. Slowly, I got stronger. I moved better. I began to see myself differently. Eventually, I realized I wanted to help others feel that same way, to see what they were capable of, even when they couldn’t see it themselves. That’s when the path toward coaching started to take shape.
From Athlete to Affiliate Owner, and Back Again!
That question — What would happen if I just showed up every day? — carried me for years.
It carried me through my first pull-up, my first unbroken set of push-ups, and eventually, my first time coaching others through the same challenges I had once faced. Coaching quickly became more than a role; it was a responsibility. Helping others move better, feel stronger, and believe in themselves was something I couldn’t get enough of.
In 2011, I bought CrossFit Quito, one of the first affiliates in Ecuador, and at the time, the highest-elevation affiliate in the world. Yes, we were doing burpees, double-unders, running, and all the cardio-barbell work at 9,350 feet above sea level! It was raw, passionate, and deeply rewarding. I had the opportunity to help build a community from the ground up, where people like me were looking for more than just a place to work out. They were looking for transformation.
After six years in Quito, I moved to Guayaquil and opened a second gym, CrossFit Powerclub, in 2018. Different city, new faces, same mission: build people up.
Rediscovering What Great Coaching Feels Like
In 2019, I traveled to the U.S. to renew my CrossFit credential. As part of the trip, I visited CrossFit South Brooklyn — just a short stop, or so I thought. I had planned to stay in Brooklyn for 15 days. I ended up staying for three months.
I took group classes at South Brooklyn almost every day during that time, and from the moment I walked in, something changed in me. The professionalism, attention to detail, and way the coaches and staff connected with every athlete were on a whole different level. I had owned two affiliates by that point and had been coaching for years. I thought I was a good professional.
But being at CrossFit South Brooklyn made me realize this is how you’re supposed to run a gym. This is what a true CrossFit experience should feel like.
That time as a visiting athlete was transformational. I wasn’t leading classes. I was taking them. And in doing so, I reconnected with what it means to be coached well, to feel seen, respected, and pushed with intention. It reignited my desire not just to coach, but to coach better.
For almost 13 years, I coached entirely in Spanish, developing technical language, emotional connection, and coaching presence within a shared cultural context. When I moved to the U.S. in 2022 and joined CrossFit South Brooklyn, I began coaching in English for the first time.
That shift was challenging. I had to rewire how I communicated corrections, encouragement, and cues. But it reminded me that great coaching transcends language. Coaching is about presence, attitude, care, and connection. Whether I’m cueing in Spanish or English, the mission is always the same: help people feel seen, capable, and strong.
After years of wearing many hats — owner, coach, programmer, community leader — something is grounding and energizing about being back on the floor, face-to-face with athletes every day, doing what I love most: coaching.
I am so grateful and proud to be part of the same affiliate that reminded me of why this work matters so much.
Lessons From the Trenches
Sixteen years of coaching have taught me more than I can put into words, but a few lessons stand out. These are the truths I keep coming back to. They’ve guided me through thousands of classes, hundreds of athletes, and every kind of day, from the ones where everything clicks to the ones where you’re just trying to stay present.
“Just Show Up” Is a Coaching Philosophy
At first, “just show up” was something I told myself as an athlete. But over time, I realized it applies just as much to coaching.
You won’t always feel 100%. Some days, life will test your energy, your focus, even your confidence. But when you walk into the gym, it’s not about you anymore. It’s about the people in front of you, and they deserve your full presence.
Showing up, over and over again, builds trust. It makes you reliable. It sets a tone that says, “We do hard things, and we do them together.” And when your athletes see that, they rise to it, too.
Humility Is the Foundation of Growth
When I first walked into CrossFit South Brooklyn in 2019, I had already been coaching for years. I had owned two affiliates. I had helped build communities from the ground up. I thought I was a seasoned professional.
And then I took class after class at CFSBK, and realized how much I still had to learn.
That kind of realization can hurt your ego if you let it. But if you stay humble, it becomes fuel. The best coaches I know never stop being students. They take feedback. They observe others. They ask questions, and they never assume they’ve “arrived.”
The moment you think you’ve got it all figured out, you’ve stopped growing.
A Gym Is a Feeling, Not Just a Place
The equipment, the layout, the programming, all of it matters. But none of it matters more than the feeling people get when they walk through your doors.
That feeling comes from the way your staff greets them. The way the coach remembers their name, their injury, or their PR. The way other members make space, cheer each other on, and leave their ego at the door.
Great gyms don’t just build fitness. They build belonging.
And the coach sets that tone every single day.
Coaching Is a Craft
This work is not just about counting reps or writing good workouts. It’s a craft. And like any craft, it requires care, repetition, and respect for the process.
It means you watch other great coaches. You film yourself. You reread your Level 1 Training Guide, even after a decade. You stay curious. You go to seminars not to prove yourself, but to improve yourself.
Because the more you refine your craft, the more you can serve others with skill, clarity, and confidence.
People First, Always
Good programming is important. Safe movement matters. But nothing changes people more than being seen.
The best moments I’ve had as a coach weren’t tied to benchmark scores or technical progress. They came from moments when someone said, “No one’s ever encouraged me like that before,” or “I never thought I could do that until now.”
If you want to be a great coach, care deeply. Listen closely. Speak to who your athletes are, not just what they’re doing.
Because at the end of the day, we’re not in the business of workouts. We’re in the business of people.
A Call to Serve
I never set out to become a coach. I just wanted to feel better. I wanted to breathe easier, move without pain, and be proud of who I saw in the mirror.
But somewhere along the way, after fainting during Cindy, after watching strangers become family, after seeing someone get their first pull-up and break into tears, I realized something bigger was happening.
Coaching gave me a purpose beyond myself. It let me take everything I had learned through my own struggle and offer it to someone else who was just starting out. It taught me that real strength isn’t just physical, it’s the courage to show up, to believe in someone before they believe in themselves, and to hold space for growth even on the hard days.
If you’ve ever felt a pull to coach, to guide, support, or simply be there for someone on their journey. I want to tell you this: you don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to care.
Because coaching isn’t about being the loudest or the fittest. It’s about being present. It’s about noticing. It’s about choosing service over ego.
CrossFit changed my life. Coaching allowed me to give that gift back, over and over again. And if your heart is in it, I promise: there’s someone out there who needs you, your words, your belief, your presence.
So show up. That’s where it all begins.
About the Author
Erick Pinto (CFL3) is a longtime CrossFit coach based in Brooklyn, New York. He previously owned CrossFit Quito and Powerclub CrossFit in Ecuador and now coaches group classes, postpartum classes, and personal training at CrossFit South Brooklyn. With over 16 years of experience in the CrossFit community, he’s passionate about helping people live stronger, more capable lives, one class at a time.
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