Reflections Of A Five Year Old: Ryan Fischer
In 2010, I met a homeless male stripper that accidentally ran a marathon and back squatted 500 pounds in a five hour window.
In late 2010, we received an email from Ryan Fischer asking if we were hiring any coaches. At the time Bryan, Jenny Micalizzi, Matt Lodin, and I ran all of the classes and basically did it for free. We opened the email to find a resume that listed achievements such as USA Bobsled Team, Olympic Training Center Resident, USA Skeleton Team, National Level Olympic Weightlifting, #1 Ranked North American BMX Champion – 30th in the world, and of course, a helicopter pilot. Well, there was no chance we had the budget to hire someone this qualified and he was clearly mislead by someone to think we were a real business that could pay someone with his qualifications. After a couple email exchanges, it turns out, that scary, overqualified person really just wanted some hungry dudes to train with.
As we anxiously awaited his arrival that night, we expected some 6’2” Goliath to walk in the door. Instead, a 5’5”, 190 pound block of steel walked in and proceeded to destroy all of us in some fitness. It was that day that I realized there was a difference between Olympians and me.
To start 2011, Bryan and I had finally gotten to a point where we could quit our day jobs and coach CrossFit full time. We were so broke I cannot even begin to describe the grind, lack of sleep, and stress that constantly hangs over your head when you do not have insurance, barely make rent, and operate on 4-5 hours of sleep every night. However, there was a silver lining; we were not as broke as Fischer. In our tiny community, everyone knew everyone, and when Ryan made an announcement that he was out of money, did not have a job, and needed someone to let him sleep on their floor, the lovely Erin Dwyer stepped it up and let him crash in her living room for the next three months.
With very little to do, no home, no cash, and a dream of making it to the CrossFit Games, Fischer sat in our office for 8-12 hours a day. As I attempted to conduct daily business, he would pop in with a conversation starter like, “Hey, I just squatted 450 pounds for 6, is that good? What should I do next?” To which I would give him the death stare, he would leave my office, go row a 10k, come back in with another world class time, and asking what he could do next. I really wanted to kill him at least five times a day.
(This video defines nostalgia. Hilary Achauer, Jenny Micalizzi, Michael Hoosier, and Ryan Fischer all kicking ass in the midday)
One random day, Fischer did not come in until noon, and we actually thought he may have died. I mean, he was homeless, he was not at the gym, and let’s be honest, without those two places he really had nowhere else to go. So, around noon, he rolls in and gets ready to start squatting. “Hey Fish, where ya been buddy,” I asked. “Well, he replied, I went for a run this morning, and then I kept going, and it felt good so I ran a marathon.” I almost completely lost it because not only did he run a sub four hour marathon, but within an hour after finishing it, I watched him squat 500 pounds. This is still the freakiest human feat I have ever seen.
Things started to get really tight and Fischer needed a job. Sleeping in someone’s living room is only ok for so long. And out of nowhere a job opportunity appeared. In walked a male talent scout that offered Fish a job. But first, he needed to audition. Fischer hopped in his car, met the scout downtown, learned his choreography and next thing you know Ryan Fischer became a male stripper. Lucky for Fischer, before his first weekend of work we were at a competition in Orange County where he was offered a coaching job at Los Angeles Health and Fitness with Ronnie Teasedale. I am still not positive if he made the right choice.
I have been good friends with Fischer for nearly five years now and the kid warms my heart every time I see him. The pseudo male stripper, freak Olympic athlete, and downright awesome kid embodies everything I love about humans and their ability to wake up and grind with nothing but a belief in themselves. Ryan left San Diego with ZERO dollars, saved every single penny he made for four years and opened his own gym, CrossFit Chalk, in 2014. I love that man, I respect his grind, and it is an honor to be friends with someone that has never doubted themselves a day in their life. His life may have looked like it was in shambles but inside he was calm, stuck to his plan, and knew exactly where he wanted to be. There are a lot of things Fischer and I have in common but I believe that the number one characteristic we share is the love of the grind. That drive to keep pushing, to prove everyone wrong, and to show the world that it is possible to be the best if you want it bad enough. I love you bud.
