FROM INTIMIDATED TO
CRUSHING IT
-Paul Raath's Journey (So Far…)
ATG NUTRITION
info@atgfitness.co.za
Copyright © 2024 • Against The Grain Holdings
+27760527048
LOCATIONS
info@atgfitness.co.za
Copyright © 2024 • Against The Grain Holdings
+27760527048
LOCATIONS
Copyright © 2024 • Against The Grain Holdings
ATG SPORT
ATG KARATE
ATG SOCCER
ATG NETBALL
ATG HOCKEY
ATG CRICKET
+27760527048
info@atgfitness.co.za
LOCATIONS
ATG FITNESS RANDBURG
ATG CROSSFIT NORWOOD
ATG CROSSFIT BRYANSTON
ATG CROSSFIT CRAIGHALL
CONTACT US
PACKAGES
BLOG
DROP-IN
FROM INTIMIDATED TO CRUSHING IT
-Paul Raath's Journey (So Far…)
About Us
Locations
Packages
Taking us back.
In 2024, an intimidated Paul walked into ATG with a healthy dose of trepidation. He was ready to become more active and, like many people who join us, had grown tired of training alone and, in his words, “sifting through endless reams of internet bro science” to figure out the best way to get fit. He chose CrossFit because it offered a unique challenge while taking the guesswork out of training, allowing him to put his trust in experienced coaches.
What intimidated him most wasn't just being out of shape and knowing that getting fit would require effort, consistency, and a fair amount of discomfort—“but in the best way possible,” as he puts it. It was also the people around him.
Paul had always considered himself strong, but walking into the gym and seeing athletes move weights he thought were unfathomable was a humbling experience. Then there was the gymnastics side of things. Not being able to do a single pull-up while others casually knocked out big sets left him feeling completely out of his depth, much like anyone stepping into an unfamiliar environment for the first time.
The two biggest challenges Paul faced were cardio and gymnastics. Years of inactivity meant he had to work incredibly hard to build his engine, while his height made him far more comfortable with both feet on the ground than hanging from a pull-up bar. One of his biggest mental battles was accepting that progress would come if he simply stayed committed and trusted the process.
He often found himself doing ring rows while others were repping out pull-ups, wondering whether what he was doing could even be considered CrossFit.
But that became the turning point.
Rather than letting those doubts discourage him, Paul doubled down on his commitment. Rain or shine, he was in the gym at 6am. Showing up became non-negotiable.
He listened closely to the coaches, absorbed as much knowledge as possible, and slowly but surely, things began to click. Ring rows became pull-ups. Pull-ups became chest-to-bar pull-ups. His lifts progressed from what he calls “newbie numbers” to weights he never imagined he would move.
More importantly, his confidence grew alongside his fitness. The simple act of sharing a sweaty high-five with a training partner after helping them beat a time cap became one of the most rewarding parts of his day.
Paul didn't stop there.
After a year of dedicated training, he took a huge step outside his comfort zone and signed up for the CrossFit Open. As anyone at ATG knows, the Open is always one of the highlights of the year, and simply participating gave him an enormous sense of accomplishment. Competing against his past self helped him realise something important: he was more capable than he had ever given himself credit for.
Since then, he has continued to make strides in the Open and has even tackled a few local competitions along the way. He's chased skills that once felt impossible—double-unders, bar muscle-ups, and handstand walks—and this year achieved one of his biggest milestones yet by completing the Open RX. Now, he's set his sights on competing in his first in-person RX competition.
Paul says CrossFit has changed his life in countless ways. While he's lost a considerable amount of weight and appreciates when people notice the physical transformation, he says those changes pale in comparison to the self-confidence he's gained from consistently doing things that once intimidated him.
Although he's well aware of the running joke that he sometimes comes across as a little standoffish, Paul laughs it off, blaming it mostly on his “resting bitch face.” In reality, he loves every minute of sweating and grinding through workouts alongside the people he now considers close friends.
He credits both the coaches and the community for how far he's come. The coaches, he says, know exactly how to safely push people beyond their perceived limits, while the community provides the kind of encouragement and support that makes even the toughest days worthwhile.
When we asked Paul what advice he would give someone who feels too intimidated to start, or believes they need to get fit before trying CrossFit, he shared this golden nugget:
“Everyone feels intimidated at the start. Even the guy casually repping your one-rep max had to start somewhere and probably felt exactly the same way you do now.
But there's really nothing to fear because you have nothing to lose—other than a few excess kilos, of course. So stop worrying about whether you can do this, because you absolutely can. Everyone can. Especially at ATG. You're in the best hands possible, and you'll be surprised by what you can achieve if you trust the process.”
And maybe that's what makes stories like Paul's so powerful.
CrossFit isn't about being the fittest person in the room when you walk through the door. It's about having the courage to start. The strength, fitness, confidence, and friendships come later.
Paul's journey is proof that consistency, patience, and a willingness to embrace discomfort can completely transform not only your fitness, but the way you see yourself.
So if you've been waiting until you're fitter, stronger, or more confident before giving CrossFit a try, take Paul's advice: start now.
The hardest part is walking through the door.
Everything after that is just one workout at a time.
Ready to start your own journey? Book a free trial class at ATG today.
__
__
__
And maybe that's what makes stories like Paul's so powerful.
CrossFit isn't about being the fittest person in the room when you walk through the door. It's about having the courage to start. The strength, fitness, confidence, and friendships come later.
Paul's journey is proof that consistency, patience, and a willingness to embrace discomfort can completely transform not only your fitness, but the way you see yourself.
So if you've been waiting until you're fitter, stronger, or more confident before giving CrossFit a try, take Paul's advice: start now.
The hardest part is walking through the door.
Everything after that is just one workout at a time.
Ready to start your own journey? Book a free trial class at ATG today.
Taking us back.
In 2024, an intimidated Paul walked into ATG with a healthy dose of trepidation. He was ready to become more active and, like many people who join us, had grown tired of training alone and, in his words, “sifting through endless reams of internet bro science” to figure out the best way to get fit. He chose CrossFit because it offered a unique challenge while taking the guesswork out of training, allowing him to put his trust in experienced coaches.
What intimidated him most wasn't just being out of shape and knowing that getting fit would require effort, consistency, and a fair amount of discomfort—“but in the best way possible,” as he puts it. It was also the people around him.
Paul had always considered himself strong, but walking into the gym and seeing athletes move weights he thought were unfathomable was a humbling experience. Then there was the gymnastics side of things. Not being able to do a single pull-up while others casually knocked out big sets left him feeling completely out of his depth, much like anyone stepping into an unfamiliar environment for the first time.
The two biggest challenges Paul faced were cardio and gymnastics. Years of inactivity meant he had to work incredibly hard to build his engine, while his height made him far more comfortable with both feet on the ground than hanging from a pull-up bar. One of his biggest mental battles was accepting that progress would come if he simply stayed committed and trusted the process.
He often found himself doing ring rows while others were repping out pull-ups, wondering whether what he was doing could even be considered CrossFit.
But that became the turning point.
Rather than letting those doubts discourage him, Paul doubled down on his commitment. Rain or shine, he was in the gym at 6am. Showing up became non-negotiable.
He listened closely to the coaches, absorbed as much knowledge as possible, and slowly but surely, things began to click. Ring rows became pull-ups. Pull-ups became chest-to-bar pull-ups. His lifts progressed from what he calls “newbie numbers” to weights he never imagined he would move.
More importantly, his confidence grew alongside his fitness. The simple act of sharing a sweaty high-five with a training partner after helping them beat a time cap became one of the most rewarding parts of his day.
Paul didn't stop there.
After a year of dedicated training, he took a huge step outside his comfort zone and signed up for the CrossFit Open. As anyone at ATG knows, the Open is always one of the highlights of the year, and simply participating gave him an enormous sense of accomplishment. Competing against his past self helped him realise something important: he was more capable than he had ever given himself credit for.
Since then, he has continued to make strides in the Open and has even tackled a few local competitions along the way. He's chased skills that once felt impossible—double-unders, bar muscle-ups, and handstand walks—and this year achieved one of his biggest milestones yet by completing the Open RX. Now, he's set his sights on competing in his first in-person RX competition.
Paul says CrossFit has changed his life in countless ways. While he's lost a considerable amount of weight and appreciates when people notice the physical transformation, he says those changes pale in comparison to the self-confidence he's gained from consistently doing things that once intimidated him.
Although he's well aware of the running joke that he sometimes comes across as a little standoffish, Paul laughs it off, blaming it mostly on his “resting bitch face.” In reality, he loves every minute of sweating and grinding through workouts alongside the people he now considers close friends.
He credits both the coaches and the community for how far he's come. The coaches, he says, know exactly how to safely push people beyond their perceived limits, while the community provides the kind of encouragement and support that makes even the toughest days worthwhile.
When we asked Paul what advice he would give someone who feels too intimidated to start, or believes they need to get fit before trying CrossFit, he shared this golden nugget:
“Everyone feels intimidated at the start. Even the guy casually repping your one-rep max had to start somewhere and probably felt exactly the same way you do now.
But there's really nothing to fear because you have nothing to lose—other than a few excess kilos, of course. So stop worrying about whether you can do this, because you absolutely can. Everyone can. Especially at ATG. You're in the best hands possible, and you'll be surprised by what you can achieve if you trust the process.”