Name: Eric Bridges
Age: 22
Occupation: Student and Fire Protection Designer
What brought you to Baltimore Built? I wanted to find a way to stay active and not be sedentary. I also wanted to work on personal improvement such as losing weight, gaining strength and cardiovascular endurance. So, when I started looking at gyms in the area I found that Baltimore Built had a great mix of strength and conditioning activities that looked really fun.
How long have you been a member at Baltimore Built? 1 month
Were you athletic or involved in sports when growing up? If so, what sports and or activities did you participate in? I played football from when I was 7 years old until I graduated from high school. Also, since I grew up in Buffalo I went skiing often, primarily going on various terrain parks and single black diamond trails.
Were you working out regularly prior to joining Baltimore Built? If so, what were you doing? I was strength training throughout 2023 doing 2 classes a week at a local CrossFit gym. However, when I moved to Baltimore in early December I had stopped consistently working out. Since I wasn’t very active, I wanted to find a similar strength activity to join in Baltimore.
Why do you workout? I workout because it is relaxing and it helps remove stress from the day. It also helps me get a good night of sleep. I also workout because I like to see personal improvement and continue to challenge myself.
What is your favorite lift or movement and why? My favorite lift would be bench pressing and strict chin ups. I enjoy this lift because it is where I had the most improvement and I like the soreness in the arms.
What is your favorite workout or type of workout and why? I enjoy jumping rope the most followed by biking. My favorite workouts have been the combination circuits of biking, planking, and banded crunches for time. Seconded, by the combination of 10 rounds of 5 push jerks with 25 double unders for time.
What have you accomplished as an athlete (big or small) during your time at Baltimore Built? Although it is a small accomplishment I have made minor improvements in my cardio. Starting from a point where I would never run to a point where I can run short distances was surprising. I also learned how to do single unders again since I hadn’t jumped rope in many years.
What fitness goals do you have for the next year? My fitness goal for this year is to lose weight with the goal of being 200 lbs. I would also like to further improve my cardio fitness.
How has your fitness influenced and/or impacted your life outside of the gym? My fitness has primarily influenced my life outside of the gym through having more confidence and lowering stress levels.What hobbies and activities do you enjoy outside of the gym? Some hobbies I enjoy are golfing, watching documentaries and reading different science based books. I also like to travel as I enjoy airports and road trips. I have visited many east coast states and parts of Canada.