Sir Charles of CrossFit

Welcome to the family Sir Charles - it's great to have to have you.

Barkley is the greatest player to ever happen to basketball/broadcasting. I've been a fan of his for years so its a treat reading stories like this.

Mark my words, Charles Barkley will be the best thing to happen to Crossfit. Forget about Reebok, the Games, and anything else- The Round Mound of Rebound will do more to bring Crossfit to the masses than anything else. Its a coup and a half that Crossfit North Atlanta has him coming out.

This should be a free- and highly publicized- video, and HQ should be ALL over this.

SIR CHARLES!

You're my hero Charles. Back when I was in highschool I was playing ball there around the same time you were playing for the Suns and I wanted to be just like you. Now both of us are using Crossfit to get back in shape, one day at a time.

-Dave from Australia

War Eagle, Charles.

Welcome Sir Charles!! It's great to have you as a part of the CrossFit community. I have no doubt that you will achieve and surpass the goals you've set for yourself. You've already done the hardest part, you made it through your first WOD at CrossFit North Atlanta and you keep coming back for more.

All the best,
Jeannee from Philly

Sir Charles!

Favorite player growing up. I remember crying when you, Johnson, and marjele lost to the bulls. It was crazy...

Get it Charles! Great mindset and I can't wait to see you reach and surpass your goals.

This is too awesome. Great job capturing what will be the beginning of his story.

Second that! War Damn Eagle Sir Charles!

I think it's great he's doing it. Even though he was an elite athlete he's not afraid to be a beginner again. He knows that he will come out better for it. Very cool. It'll be cool to watch his transformation if he sticks with it.

First thing:
Years ago when Sir Charles was still in Philly and the Nike, "I am not a role model..." commercials were running, Sir Charles' public persona was one were you'd think he wasn't a real nice guy. I was living in Philly at that time. Then one day a couple of buddies and I were having lunch and Sir Charles walked into the restaurant. It only took a few minutes of him being in the restaurant for him to dispel... no crush... his public persona. Every kid in the place came up to him and he signed every single autograph. Some of the kids sat on his lap like he was Santa. I thought, see, that's how a professional athlete should treat his fans. He was a role model.

Second thing:
I can't wait to show this to my mother. She can't fathom why I do this and I'm at a loss for words in explaining this to her. But when she sees Sir Charles do it, I will BET she will want to come to the box finally. Thanks Charles for sharing.

I can't even imagine how many hits CrossFit.com got after Barkley mentioned it on that TNT broadcast nor how many inquiries CrossFit affiliates have gotten since that time.

I have to wonder if they paying him as a spokesperson, I doubt it.
I don't think he has any connection to Reebok either.

It sounds like just as simple as he described, he heard about it and decided it would help him reach his goals.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall when he walked into CF North Atlanta's office for the first time...or when HQ first heard the news.

I have a new level of respect for him for allowing us to see him as he is now, I'm sure very few pro athletes, much less one that reached his level of success would even be willing to talk about it.

Much much less allow themselves to be recorded and taken the ration he took from the other guys on the TNT halftime show.

Please keep us updated on his progress from time to time. I'd love to see him get get in shape.

I dont think Barkley is the example we want to use for Crossfit, at least in my opinion. His personal life is a disaster full of bad decisions and I dont think I would too proud of having his named linked to Crossfit. But then again, Crossfit is so starving for world attention it will use any means necessary to get in the spotlight, but still sad.

If Crossfit could help his golf swing...now that would be something!

Oh, please Matt. You, sir, are the sad one. Crossfit is an excellent strength and conditioning program for real people who really want to get into shape. Period. All hyperbole of elite fitness and everything else aside, he is an excellent addition to the community and we should be proud to have him. It's not like he is going to replace Greg Glassman as the spokesman of the program...get over it man, nobody's perfect, and he seems very humble and is giving it an honest effort.

Welcome aboard Charles! Great to see your spirit and energy, and proud to call you a fellow Crossfitter. Make your sluggish co-anchors on TNT eat their words!

War Eagle Charles--Make us proud!

WDE! Charles!

We need another video out of that box and this time more "Kay".

Jeebus that gal is tough.

Matt,

Take a chill pill bro. You are way off base and I think your comments come from some shit you got stiring inside. Work out your shit and lighten up. Life is to short to be trapped in your head.

How awesome wouldn't it be if you could get Barkley fit? would make my YEAR!

Charles was a guest speaker at the NTOA conference in Pittsburgh last year and was a truly humble, likable individual. He is very pro law enforcement and pro CrossFit. What more could one ask for. An excellent addition to our community.

Matt I respect your opinion because we all are entitled to an opinion but would ask if all of your life choices and decisions could stand up to the scrutiny that you are hold Charles up to. I have made many mistakes and bad decisions but those things are in the past and have help me learn and become a better person today.

Nice work Mr. Barkley! Keep working those "goats" and your CrossFit game will be flawless.

Nice work Mr. Barkley! Keep working those "goats" and your CrossFit game will be flawless.

wELCOME ON BOARD cHARLES! Get some brother!

Yeaaaah, keep up the good work Charles! Focus on doing what your coaches tell you. You'll be suprised to see yourself get in better shape than you were when you dominated the NBA!

Keep it up Charles! If you stick with this stuff you might just really surprise yourself!

Well said, Matthias, I was thinking the same thing. Not easy to stick your neck out when you've been among the best. Top notch! Paul

Charles, welcome to the community. Get ready for one hell of a ride.

Welcome aboard, Charles. Fasten your seatbelt.

--bingo

What an awesome job by Charles. Congratulations! How humbling to step up and be willing to be video taped and take all of the ribbing from your colleagues on national television! Welcome to the family.

To Matt Hill...you are entitled to your opinion, but I am wondering if you've ever made a "bad decision" in your life? I'm guessing you have and, hopefully, you have become a better person because of that decision...learning from our mistakes. Please welcome a fellow CrossFitter, after all, that's how we roll.

Charles Welcome, and we Thank you for the newcomers you will bring to this amazing endeavor.
PS That Karen Callen deserves at least a little bit of harrassment :)
Mikki

Pretty cool to see Charles take the Crossfit plunge as I was one of his biggest fans throughout his college and NBA career. I truly hope Charles can stick with this and become a lifelong Crossfitter. He has a big challenge coming in with all that extra weight. How many times have we seen a person start in a box very overweight only to see them not commit because the weight loss was too big an obstacle? But I suspect the encouragement he'll get from Chuck C, the trainers at CFNA and the other members of that affiliate, he'll have no choice but to succeed. In the meantime, enjoy that huge personality of Charles Barkley!

Hat goes off for Sir Charles. It sounds like he's in a good state to begin getting healthy again. Keep it up sir. -Max

I think it's sad you feel that way too. People make mistakes in their life that they aren't proud of. It's not about the mistakes they've made it, it's how they recover from it. He's trying to improve his fitness & body composition, not to mention extend his life. Nobody is perfect & neither are you. In my opinion, I think your comment & opinion is not what the CrossFit community is about. But you are entitled to your sad opinion. I hope you learn something from this.

CrossFit would be better served weeding out pinheads like Matt Hill. It must be a pretty blessed life he leads never having made a mess of a situation. Thank God the owner of the box I go to doesnt care that I have a divorce, previous credit issues, and recreational drug use as part of my past. What I did in my twenties isnt who I am at 39. I suppose SOME people have always had it easy tho, and judging others is just something they do to remind themselves how awesome they are.GO SIR CHARLES. Hats off to people who are improving their lives. All other haters, piss off!!!!

Welcome to the CrossFit Nation, Sir Charles!! Don't forget to meet Fran!