Jim Hein

CrossFit Trainer Certified: Level I
CrossFit Gymnastics Certified
CrossFit Nutrition Certified
CrossFit Flexibility/Mobility
Navy SEAL veteran

Interests: welding, keeping my dogs happy, foraging, hunting, farming, and eating really well

Over the past few years I’ve traveled everywhere from Afghanistan to Antarctica and had a wonderful time doing it. Fifty-six countries later I can honestly say I’ve led a wonderful and adventurous life.

Joining the Navy straight out of high school I was intent on becoming a SEAL. I had always been athletic, participating in football, wrestling, mountain bike racing, climbing and surfing, but in SEAL training, fitness became an essential part of life. The lessons of teamwork, perseverance and the willingness to succeed continue to play a major part in my day-to-day life. As a team, you’re only as good as the person next to you.

After several deployments to the Middle East and a ridiculous accident on a motorcycle (ask me later and I’ll explain!) I felt it was time to move on. I moved onto the crazy and lavish world of Executive Protection for a well-to-do local family and their children. I traveled all over the world looking after them, and after my previous job, this was heaven for quite awhile. I got to travel on yachts and private jets while still experiencing the rush of third world countries and the random adventures that they contain.

My training led me into such things as wilderness emergency medicine, forensic psychology and of all things Level 4 CrossFit Seattle. While working for a well-to-do family was interesting, it didn’t sate an inner desire to help people and experience that team atmosphere again. In all of the travels and experiences that I had, the vague concepts of quality of life and community began to take shape. Dave and his crew are wonderful coaches, friends and community. They’re funny, demanding, knowledgeable, professional and meticulous–all the things I was looking for. Basically, they’re a bunch of semi-well-mannered but good-natured wackos, but don’t tell them I said that!

At CrossFit Seattle, the last thing I expect is for everyone to be a SEAL. I like helping people who aren’t “athletes” but want to be. I don’t accept the word “can’t.” I don’t want to hear that you’re “too old,” “too young,” “never been able to” or whatever… You can do things you NEVER thought you could. My goal is to teach you it’s not only OK to fail, but that it’s a good thing to figure out where you are and where you want to go. In the end, just get up, dust yourself off and work hard to reach whatever goal you’ve chosen for yourself. Everyone has to start somewhere.

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Jim Hein

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