Meet Coach Peter

Let's talk about fitness. What was your fitness life like before TwinTown?

Aside from typical park league sports when I was a kid, I was never very into sports. I gained an impressive amount of weight in my late/post-high school beer & junk food endeavors (went from 160 to 220 or so) and decided I needed to change up what I was doing when my brother saw me with my shirt off and made some brotherly comments on my not-so-aerodynamic physique. I started going to the gym when I was in college and was basically just copying what I saw other guys doing. That and some full-time bike commuting got me back down to my pre-binge weight, but it was when I started doing CrossFit that I finally felt like I had scratched the "get in shape" itch. Side note: I think my first workout was The Bear Complex - talk about getting your ass kicked!

What is one of your favorite workouts? What workout do you never, ever want to do again?

There is one that I would be just fine with NEVER testing ever again: the 2k row. My last experience with that one was after a series of weekly tests with a rowing coach who had us holding specific split times for each 500m. Each week the splits got a little faster. I was hitting PRs, but talk about going to the dark side to get them. Yuck. I like the longer gymnastics-based workouts where you can settle into a pace. The short sprinty workouts make-a me nervous!

Peter, some coaches have noted that you don't go chest to ground on push-ups. Can you share with us why you don't?

Please tell Matt to stop spending so much time oogling my chest and to start worrying about getting some proper depth on his wall balls :)

How about outside of the gym? We heard you are pretty hot on the local music scene. Tell us about that. 
Someone lied to you! Myself and some friends used to DJ a monthly party called Wants Vs. Needs here in Minneapolis. We did that for 4 years(ish) and that remains the highlight of my time in the the DJ world - we had a lot of fun at those gigs. I got my first turntables when I was 19 and have collected records and occasionally played them out ever since. I don't do it nearly as much as I used to, but I still enjoy the hell out of it and hope to never completely lose touch with it. 

It's tradition here… favorite youtube video… GO!

What else keeps you busy when you aren't working out, coaching or running the gym?

The never-ending to-do list at my house! I have constant projects underway there. I learned to snowboard recently and that has been keeping me busy in the winter months. Long bike rides with friends in the summer is my other jam. Otherwise, I have a dog named Chase who I try to keep busy. I love to sit at home and draw when I can, too.

You were a member and a coach of TwinTown before you became an owner. What was it that made you want to own the gym?
My role at the gym grew pretty organically since joining in June of 2010 - I was hooked from the first class I took. I got my CrossFit L1 certification in November of 2010, then began as a part-time coach (with Teddy, who started TwinTown), was later brought on full-time, then eventually started doing the programming for the gym. By the time Teddy offered to sell the gym, it was a natural next step to take. The personal changes that I've seen in myself since starting here are something that I feel really blessed to have experienced. I just want to help other people have an experience similar to what I was so fortunate to have.

In your opinion, what makes TwinTown unique compared to other gyms?
The gym was started with the motto "Be Humble, Have Hustle." I've always loved that as a slogan and think it sums up what I like most about our people. It's a rarity that we have any ego issues at the gym, and those who come with that attitude usually don't stick around long. I love that the members here are so trusting in what we do. They're really good at absorbing feedback and never dogmatic about their approach to making themselves better. And I'd be a damn fool if I didn't mention the staff we have. The trust and confidence I have in our coaches is something that I think positively on every day. I can't thank them enough for what they do here - both for the members and for their fellow coaches.

We have to know...what is your favorite cheat meal?
I could eat a huge burger every day of my life. I could happily wash said burger down with a gigantic piece of cheesecake (preferably one that my mom makes - sooooo good), but really any will do.

One of the things we do before class is go around in a circle and say our name. If you could say a name other than your own, what would that name be, and what is your occupation?
Charles Marsupial (???) and I own a small, rural chain of fried chicken restaurants (?????)