Why I Sweat Archives - TWL Journal

April 3, 2022May 16, 2022

NY Police Officer Jason Lacayo: Saving Lives and Staying Fit

Our Why I Sweat campaign features athletes from all walks of life sharing the motivation behind their fitness journey. We last got to know more about Commando Steve Willis, and today, you’re meeting New York police officer Jason Lacayo.

Jason grew up an outdoorsy and very athletic child, spending years practicing football, basketball, and baseball. Maybe he didn’t know it at the time, but he was already paving the way for a very active future. In his own words, he comes from a long line of police officers and first responders. It was literally in his blood. Jason didn’t know where exactly his future would take him, but he knew he was going to be in uniform.

Sure enough, he followed in some of his relatives’ footsteps and became a police officer. While his work brings him a sense of fulfillment, his career is anything but typical. Jason work from 6:00pm to 4:00am, goes home to sleep a little, and then hits the gym — his home away from home.

It was his cousin who first introduced him to functional fitness, and for Jason, it just made perfect sense. Every day on the job is different, and so when he trains, he makes sure his programming is just as varied and unexpected. He pushes his body beyond its comfort zone — a sensation he experiences quite frequently on the job. Why does he sweat? Because he knows that his training is literally going to help him save lives — whether it’s civilians, a colleague, or his own life.

It goes beyond his career, too. Jason is already thinking ahead to one day having a family, and what he wants more than anything is to be able to stay active with his children for as long as possible. “When I have kids, I want to be able to run around with my kids and enjoy my family. I know if I’m taking care of myself, I’ll be able to do that for many, many, many years.”

Functional fitness has helped Jason immeasurably both in his professional and personal life. “Your mind can do much more than your body thinks it can,” he says, noting the importance of getting over being uncomfortable. It’s something we can all relate to: a particularly grueling WOD forcing you to work harder than you ever knew you could.

Jason Lacayo is the perfect example of exactly why functional fitness is so powerful. It’s helped keep him healthy in his everyday life. It’s the reason he was able to place a woman over his shoulder and carry her down a ladder as her building was on fire. And functional fitness is going to be one of the reasons he’s able to keep up with his loved ones in the future and continue living his life to the fullest.

We express our heartfelt gratitude to people like Jason who help keep us safe. Check out the full video below!

March 28, 2022March 28, 2022

Get to Know Commando Steve Willis: Why I Sweat

Our Why I Sweat campaign features athletes from all walks of life sharing the motivation behind their fitness journey. We last got to know more about former ballerina Hannah Merkin, and today, you get to meet the one and only Steve Willis — also known as Commando Steve.

Steve describes the beginning of his journey as an attempt to use fitness as a tool — a tool to change the person inside him, who he didn’t quite like. But, if there is one thing Commando Steve — who was in the Australian Special Forces until 2004 — knows how to do, it’s work.

And work, he did. He had the grand idea to compete at the CrossFit Games, and in 2009, he did, ultimately placing 4th. It lit a fire in him further. And along with the unconditional love and support of his children, his adventure was far from over.

His friends will say that it’s his heart and his passion that draw people in. This grit and thirst for life are what have helped him come this far. “You need to be a bit unrelenting to making things happen, you know?” Steve says. “Putting things into action and place because if you’re waiting for other people to make things happen, you’ll always be waiting. You’ll be sitting at a bus stop for a bus that never comes.”

This sense of proactivity and determination has guided Steve throughout all of his accomplishments, and it’s safe to say that they’ve served him well.

Steve wanted to channel his life’s work into something even bigger. His journey led him to TV appearances on Australia’s Biggest Loser and Australian Survivor. Additionally, Get Commando Fit was born, and he brought with him his years of experience plus everything he learned while serving in the Army. Steve’s mission is to bring like-minded people together in a training facility that encourages physical wellness, improved mental health, and a strong sense of community. Mindfulness is at the center of everything they do, and it’s about so much more than hitting your fitness goals. It’s also about evolving into a better you.

Training with Steve isn’t easy, but it sure is worth it.

Having built his business and life around his passion for fitness, something tells us that this guy is just getting started. That’s not all, either! Check out the full video below and get to know Commando Steve better.

Which part of Steve’s story inspires you the most?

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022

From Ballet to CrossFit: Hannah Merkin’s Fitness Journey

The WOD Life connects with athletes to learn more about why they sweat. Keep up with all of these individuals on our Why I Sweat page.

“I truly believe that small changes over a long time lead to massive changes.”

That’s one of the rules that Hannah Merkin lives by.

Originally from California and now living on the Gold Coast, Hannah’s first exposure to athletics was gymnastics — which she was enrolled in because of her impressive energy. But not long into that journey, she discovered ballet, and she would end up devoting herself to that art for the next 10 years. It’s a dedication to physical activity that has persisted: “This is what it’s about for me — showing up day by day and just giving it your best.”

This chapter of her life, while fulfilling, also left her with a lot of pain. She struggled through hip, knee, and back injuries, along with ankle surgery.

Still, Hannah knew she’d need to find a new outlet, one that would allow her to care for her body in the way she wanted and needed while finding fulfillment and healing from a grueling career as a ballerina.

And then came CrossFit.

It happened while visiting a gym on holiday. Hannah was immediately drawn to the sense of community — one of the absolute best parts of functional fitness. She also realized it was going to be perfect for someone so goal-oriented like her because there’s always something to work on. Having become so used to being coordinated and in control of her body through ballet, CF caught Hannah’s attention because the sensation was the complete opposite.

While CrossFit is seemingly nothing like ballet, Hannah could certainly tell that her history as a dancer was going to help her in the box. She stuck with it and ended up falling in love.

With such vast experience in health, Hannah has also turned to coaching others in their training, stretching, and nutrition. “My passion really is helping people,” she says, noting that her approach is holistic, taking into account the body and mind. But why does she sweat? “I sweat firstly because it’s something I preach to my own clients. I really think that we only have one body, we have one physical body, one mind, why would you not want to fuel it with good food? Why would you not want to physically exert yourself through some sort of movement? Why would you not want to cherish your body through recovery and stretching? I love it because it’s therapy to me.”

Fitness and nutrition are two things that have changed Hannah’s life for the better. And now, her goal is to share that love with others.

If you want to learn more about Hannah’s story, watch our full video below!