Chuck Domanick celebrated his 90th birthday in style at CrossFit Epically Awesome in Fort Walton Beach on Friday morning.

• Despite his age, Chuck stays active and attends the “Legends and Learners” class three times a week, which focuses on mobility, balance, and getting back into a fitness routine.

Led by Coach Janet James, the class provides a supportive environment for individuals over 55 who are looking to improve their physical well-being. Chuck, who has been attending the gym for almost 2 years now, has seen remarkable results in terms of his endurance and stamina.

The Friday morning class kicked off with a special birthday surprise for Chuck, who was wearing a “90 years of strength” t-shirt. As they sang “Happy Birthday,” the athletes began their warm-up with burpees, followed by a bit of dancing. Once everyone was ready, they jumped into the day’s workout.

The workout of the day consisted of two four-minute rounds of exercises, including box pushes and kettlebell Farmer’s carries, with a one-minute break in between. This was followed by two additional four-minute rounds of Slam Ball “bowling,” dumbbell deadlifts, dumbbell hang power cleans, and shoulder to overheads.

After the workout, Chuck’s family arrived at the gym to join in the celebration, which culminated in snacks and cookie cake to mark the milestone.

Chuck spoke about the significance of staying active at 90 years old. He shared, “This gym has become a very important part of my life because I retired…again! It has helped me quite a lot in my physical stamina and endurance. It feels like an extended family, with everyone having the same goals and needs.”

Chuck also mentioned the sense of camaraderie within the gym, saying, “It is indeed a family; a CrossFit family. We have the same goals and needs in the Legends and Learners class.” 

• He further highlighted the Parkinson’s awareness group that meets monthly at the gym. “We have three people who have Parkinson’s who work out with us and we learn and get together once a month for awareness training,” he said.

As for what’s next, Chuck said “I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing, and I’ll keep getting what I’m getting!” His dedication to fitness and maintaining an active lifestyle is an inspiration to all.

If you’re interested in joining the Legends and Learners class at CrossFit Epically Awesome, it meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 am to 9 am. It’s never too late to start your fitness journey and reap the benefits of an active lifestyle.

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