Athlete of the Month : March 2025
Here is the much anticipated Q&A and write up for the much deserved March Athlete of the Month. Congrats Arthur! This recognition has been brewing for a while. If there was a live video interview to have with an Athlete of the Month, this would be the one. Be sure to take the time to ready Arthur’s responses. On behalf of the IP coaching staff, I am very grateful for the numerous compliments toward our gym/community. There is plenty of response in here that can be on a billboard to advertise how awesome the people in this community are. If you haven’t gotten a chance to get to know Arthur, you will after reading his well thought out responses. I remember when he joined the gym, the second time. It was when we were hosting our classes in the parking lot coming back from Covid shutdown. I was thrown off he was working for Weight Watchers. The guy has about 5% body fat. Nonetheless I got to talking with him and we quickly found some common ground. Fast forward a few years and he finally decided to practice double unders… and of course he started stringing them together once he spent more than :30 practicing. Arthur is a well traveled, well spoken, whitty guy who has become a staple in our gym. Most if not everyone knows who he is. He knows how to take the jabs from the girls about using the same weights as them at times. He can also dish it out with the best of them. As you will read below, the hard work, discipline, lifting and challenging workouts are phenomenal to do and even more so with friends. Another thing to make sure you stop and enjoy are the times you spend outside the four walls of the gym with the people who share the same drive. I was just out for a couple beers with some of the members. I always find myself chatting it up with Arthur when I see him out.
Enjoy his responses below.
Written by: Coach Rob Moloney
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Q&A
Why did you start functional fitness cross-training?
For a few years, I was deep into 5x5 strength training: squats, deadlifts, bench press. It worked, but eventually, I hit a wall. The same solo routines started feeling stale, and it got harder to stay motivated. I knew I needed something different to keep growing. Group classes and real coaching just clicked for me. Committing to that shift was one of the best fitness decisions I’ve made.
What’s your background? (Athletic)
Athletic background? None. Zero. I spent high school skateboarding and smoking behind the bleachers. Didn't touch a weight until my senior year of college. It's been a journey from there to here!
How long have you been a member and how long have you been doing functional fitness?
I first got into CrossFit back in 2014. I was on a trip abroad and ended up meeting the sister of one of the owners at CrossFit King of Island Park. She hooked me up with a free month, so when I got home, I jumped into Fundamentals. At the time, I was living in East Rockaway and commuting into the city, and King of Island Park’s schedule just didn’t line up with my life. I ended up joining CrossFit The Rock instead since it was closer and worked better for me. When they shut down during COVID, I had already moved to Long Beach and thankfully found my way back to what’s now Island Park Fitness. I have been here ever since, almost five years now, and it feels like home.
What is your favorite thing about the gym?
The amount of space we have is great, especially for double unders, which I still haven't figured out after 10 years. But seriously, the real magic is in the programming. It is a masterclass in training, with more variety, thought, and progression than anything else I've experienced. That is what draws you in. But what makes this place so special is the community. Over the last five years, some of the most important friendships in my life have started here. It feels like a second family. Some days, you might see the same people three or four times, whether it's at a morning workout, brunch, hanging at the beach, or out on the West End. It's the kind of place you don't just go to train, you go because it feels like home.
What is the biggest challenge you have overcome since joining the gym?
The biggest challenge I’ve overcome since joining the gym hasn’t been physical. It’s been mental. In 2023, I went through a rough stretch. A seven-year relationship ended, and a few months later I was laid off from the job I’d had for over a decade. It was a lot all at once, but what helped keep me grounded was Island Park Fitness. The people, the routine, the workouts. It gave me structure, purpose, and a reason to keep showing up.
Over the years, this place has become way more than just a gym. It’s a community. I’ve been to weddings with friends I met here. I’ve been to funerals. We’ve laughed together, cried together, and supported each other through way more than just workouts. It’s a second family in every sense.
And yeah, if you miss a couple of days in a row, expect a text asking where the hell you’ve been and if you're still alive. That kind of accountability hits different when it comes from people who actually care.
What's your favorite "cheat" food?
None. I donated all my cheat days to Pav so he can have a few extra Oreos. Just kidding, it’s obviously a Cabana frozen piña colada on a summer Sunday.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about starting?
Just showing up is the hardest part. Once you're here and moving, everything starts to feel better. The difference between how I feel walking into the gym and how I feel after the first set is like night and day. You don't need to crush some epic workout. Five minutes of moving your body can totally flip your day around.
If you're thinking about starting, stop overthinking it and come in. Nobody cares if you're out of shape or don't know what you're doing. Everyone starts somewhere, and the people here actually make it fun. You'll probably leave a little sweaty, maybe a little sore, and wondering why you didn’t start sooner.
What is your biggest fitness goal right now?
If I had to pick one goal in particular, it’s crushing HYROX doubles next month without making Kev push the entire 445-pound sled by himself. That’s priority number one.
Beyond that, I’m focused on staying healthy and playing the long game. It’s not about chasing big one rep maxes, though those are always fun. It’s about being able to keep doing the things I love.
Thanks to the community at Island Park Fitness, that’s meant a lot more time outside the gym too. I’ve gotten into Run Clubs, I snowboarded all winter, and I spend summer playing beach volleyball a few times a week. That’s the real goal. Keep saying yes to everything fun and active, and make sure fitness supports a great life.
Who are 3 influential people (alive) who you would want to have dinner with?
I’d go with David Goggins, Anthony Bourdain (yes, I know he’s not with us anymore but I’m breaking the rules), and Sydney Sweeney.
Goggins is someone I deeply respect for his mental toughness and relentless self-belief. The way he pushes through pain, doubt, and limits is next-level. I’d love to hear what still drives him and how he keeps showing up when 99% of people would have quit.
Bourdain, though… he’s someone I’ve admired for years. Travel has always been a huge part of my life, and no one captured the magic of sharing a meal or stepping into someone else’s world quite like he did. He once said:
“Eat at a local restaurant tonight. Get the cream sauce. Have a cold pint at 4 o’clock in a mostly empty bar. Go somewhere you’ve never been. Listen to someone you think may have nothing in common with you. Order the steak rare. Eat an oyster. Have a Negroni. Have two. Be open to a world where you may not understand or agree with the person next to you, but have a drink with them anyways. Eat slowly. Tip your server. Check in on your friends. Check in on yourself. Enjoy the ride.”
That quote says it all. I’d give anything to sit across from him, listen to his stories, and raise a glass to curiosity, connection, and being fully alive.
And Sydney Sweeney, because she’s an incredibly accomplished and talented actress with beautiful... eyes.
What is a book, documentary or movie you think everyone needs to check out?
Four totally different picks, but each one has had a big impact on me.
Atomic Habits by James Clear is one of the most practical and helpful books I’ve ever read. It changed the way I think about routines, discipline, and how small actions add up over time. Especially when I needed a reset.
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed is basically therapy in book form. It’s raw, honest, and full of reminders that everyone is figuring life out as they go. I recommend it to anyone who wants to feel grounded, seen, or just a little more human.
Outlive by Peter Attia is a deep dive into longevity and how to live a longer, stronger life. It’s science-based, but super readable, and it got me thinking about health in a long-term way. Not just performance, but quality of life for years to come.
The Social Dilemma is a documentary I think everyone should watch. It’s eye-opening in the best kind of unsettling way. It made me rethink how much tech and social media shape our habits, time, and attention, and how important it is to be more intentional about all three.
Between the four, you’ve got your habits dialed in, your heart opened up, your future self covered, and your screen time reconsidered. Bonus points if you watch or read them while foam rolling.
Rob asked for me to share ANYTHING else I wanted. I was gonna submit an album of cute dogs in CrossFit gyms but instead, I'll leave everybody with this:
Harvard ran an 85-year study on happiness and longevity and found that strong friendships and relationships are the biggest factor in living a long, healthy life. Not your diet. Not the number of WODs you RX'd. Not your resting heart rate or LDL/HDL ratio and definitely not the number of abs you can see without flexing.
People with close friends live longer, recover faster, and enjoy life more. Fitness and a healthy diet matter, but they're only part of the story. Community is the other half.
At Island Park Fitness the workouts are fantastic but the real magic is the people. The friendships, the support, and the shared goals keep you motivated and help you thrive.
That blend of exercise, nutrition, and genuine community is what helps you live your best, longest life. So, stop reading this, sign up for a workout, and commit to introducing yourself to somebody new at the gym today.