DANVERS — Two-and-a-half years ago, Dave Picardy decided it was time for something different.
The former Bishop Fenwick three-sport athlete owned a successful office furniture business, but wasn't happy. So he decided to make a bold move and, with the support of his wife Tara, switch fields into the fitness industry.
Picardy opened North Shore CrossFit, a school of fitness that uses high intensity strength and conditioning movement exercises, in Topsfield.
It turned out to be one of the best moves he's ever made. The Topsfield facility now has 170 members, and Picardy recently opened a second CrossFit location on Park Street in Beverly.
"I went back to learning about fitness one day," said Picardy, a Beverly native who has a background in martial arts, "and walked into a gym, where I started asking questions. I was hired on the spot as a personal trainer. But something seemed wrong to me that I could walk in off the street and be considered a personal trainer without any certification.
"Once I hooked up with the CrossFit organization, I knew I was in the right place. It's a movement-based training philosophy that provides results for everybody."
Greg Glassman started CrossFit in California in the 1970s, and it rapidly spread to Olympic and professional athletes as well as military special operations units.
There are 450 CrossFit affiliates worldwide, ranging from businesses to people operating out of their garage. Its popularity has extended to people living sedentary lives, people with physical problems or those who just want to get in shape to keep up with their kids.
North Shore CrossFit, said Picardy, is nothing like a typical gym. Don't expect to find mirrors, televisions or rows of weight machines; rather, medicine balls, jump ropes and kettlebell exercises are utilized, while the wide open middle area resembling a track is used for lunges, broad jumps and running.
The CrossFit philosophy is to take people at whatever fitness level they're at and help them progress.
An initial elements class focuses on basic exercises. Once those principles are mastered, people move on to plyometrics, kettlebell training (a Russian weight that resembles a cannonball), and Olympic weightlifting in small groups.
The next level is for individual and team games, with progress evaluated after each session. Classes for kids ages 6-to-11 (in Topsfield only) and teens 12-to-15 use the same movements as the adults, who range in age from 16-to-68, but scaled and modified.
"A lot of times, the kids are in better shape than the adults because they're moving all the time," said instructor Greg Damigella of Topsfield, who was a soccer and baseball player at Masconomet Regional before going on to play college baseball at Suffolk University.
"I never liked going to a gym before because it was boring doing the same routines over and over. But this is far superior to anything I found as an athlete. I just wish I had been able to take advantage of it earlier."
Steve Picone, a 34-year old newcomer from Beverly, had just finished his first elements class (three times a week in hour-long sessions). He was referred to Picardy's CrossFit program by his chiropractor for a sciatic problem after his back was realigned.
"I have to build the core muscles to keep my spine straight," he said. "I researched and was intrigued by the CrossFit philosophy. I worked out at a regular gym for 10 years but it was nothing like this program, which focuses on muscular, cardiovascular and neurological systems at the same time.
"I really need functional training because I have a desk job and a sedentary lifestyle and at my age, I can't afford not to do it."
Lexi Siler's family goes to the Topsfield facility twice a day and urged her to get involved. She is getting married this October and goes to the Beverly facility (one membership is good at both locations) with one of her bridesmaids, Jessica Wong of Gloucester.
"Jess wants abs, and I'm here to get fit and toned," said Siler. "I really like the way you work the whole body at one time here. I've gone to a regular gym before, but didn't really know what to do so I used the treadmill for a while and left. Here, they instruct you at every step and make sure you are doing things right."
Picardy meets with his coaches three times a week to assess progress. He doesn't spend money marketing, but relies on word of mouth and people urging friends to try it out. There is a monthly fee of $150, and he doesn't believe in people having to sign long-term contracts.
"We take everybody from whatever point they are at, but because the whole concept is based on teaching movement you have to be in a program," said Picardy, who played soccer, skiied and ran track at Bishop Fenwick before moving on to UMass Lowell, then the Army Reserves. "Some do outdoor sports and others don't do any form of exercise, but everybody does well at CrossFit."
There are three levels of instructors. Picardy has attained the highest Level 3; he is also certified in CrossFit Olympic weightlifting and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. His wife is the lead instructor of the kids program, and recently Picardy hired a national level gymnastics coach, Marco Martinez of Beverly.
"It takes a year to become a coach, and that's six days a week," said Picardy, who now resides in Peabody with his wife, 12-year-old son Cody and daughters Mackenzie (10) and Cassia (5). "CrossFit holds certification classes at different locations, and for Level 3 USA Weightlifting you go out to Colorado Springs to the Olympic facility to be trained by several coaches."
