CrossFit Breaux Bridge is located in the small town of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana and is owned by Joshua Trahan, a Marine Veteran who fought in the Battle of Fallujah (his story can be found on the Coaches page at crossfitbreauxbridge.com). A high intensity, constantly varied workout, Crossfit participants’ workout changes daily. Crossfit workouts are called WODS (Work Out of the Day), and might include jumping rope, rowing, running, pull-ups, pushups, box jumps, or kettle ball tosses. They also do Olympic weightlifting and climb 14” ropes, along with a variety of other challenging and functional movements. These combinations of movements are completed in short bursts of time, so as to keep the training intense. Membership at CrossFit Breaux Bridge consists of anywhere from 90 to 120 people, and includes state and local police officers, schoolteachers, engineers, Sam’s Club janitorial staff, stay-at-home moms, college and high school students, nurses, chiropractors, lawyers, grandmothers, and many more from all walks of life.
What they all share, besides a commitment to fitness, is an abiding respect and gratitude for those who serve in our nation’s armed forces. Held on November 9th, 2014, the Beaux Bridge Soldier Socks Row-A-Thon, was announced to all of the studio’s classes about 4 weeks before the event. In an effort to make it memorable and more closely aligned with Soldier Socks’ mission, they chose a “legless” WOD that consisted of a 500m legless row, 15 seated wall balls, followed by 15 pull-ups, then 9 wall balls, followed by 9 pull-ups, then 6 wall balls and 6 pull-ups, and finally concluded with another 500m legless row. Over the next four weeks, members set out getting sponsors for their rowing efforts, with sponsors pledging dollar amounts for 250-5,000 meter rows.
In order to spread the word and rally support, invitations, information sheets and sponsor forms were sent to local businesses throughout Breaux Bridge. The two local high schools, as well as a few nearby middle schools, were also invited to share in the fun. The event was a huge hit! CrossFit Breaux Bridge rented out the local park, and the Breaux Bridge High School ROTC presented the colors to open the Row-A-Thon and start the day. The coaches had transported all of the rowing machines to the park, where participants performed their workouts to the cheers of friends and family.
After the workouts were completed, members cooked burgers and sweet potato fries, and socialized, exhausted from the days efforts but thankful to have contributed to such a great cause.All in, the Breaux Bridge Soldier Socks Row-a-Thon raised $6,051, enough for over 120 hours of rehabilitation on an Ekso Skeleton device! Equally important was the great time that participants had at the event. “It ended up being a lovely day. The weather was great, we rowed, ate and played hoover ball (Crossfit’s version of volleyball),” said Bambi Panagiotis, a coach at the studio and one of the event’s organizers.
Thanks to the crew at CrossFit Beauxbridge for their generosity and efforts!
