Our January Male Athlete of the Month is Steve Schultz!
Steve brings a great mix of laughter and readiness to work hard to every class he comes to. He’s been in this fitness game for a long time and has been a member of FitTown Jupiter dating all the way back to 2013. He’s serious enough about fitness to make sure he gets better every day and avoids the injuries that have plagued him in the past, but he also uses his fitness to play in an adult soccer league and host annual beer mile competitions at his house. It’s this dedication to hard work that allows ability for play that we love about Steve.
He also has to work hard to keep up with the three Schultz girls in his house. His wife Alicia and two daughters, Sami and Nikki, have all been members of FitTown and workout buddies with Steve over the years. Currently, you can catch Sami joining dad in our noon class. Steve says in his A.O.M. feature there is nothing he loves more than that workout with his daughter.
27 years ago when Sami was born, Steve couldn’t even hold his newborn daughter due to severe wrist pain. For years after he lived with this pain and went through unsuccessful procedures. It wasn’t until Steve decided to use fitness to get better and strengthen his wrists that he started seeing positive results. Now this method of movement healing his body and making him stronger is something he knows he can’t live without. “I cherish every day I am able to work up a sweat!” says Steve.
We are grateful to have the Schultz family in our FitTown Family!
Thank you Steve for always showing up with a smile, always leaving with a smile, and all of your faces and jokes in between. 🙂
So tell us a little about yourself. Give us a brief fitness history and how’d you end up in Jupiter with your family?
I grew up in North Jersey (Paramus), graduated from University of Maryland (Go Terps!) and got my MBA from Seton Hall. I am the Executive Director for Oppenheimer and Company- helping Individuals and companies manage their investments and plan for their future. I’ve always been into athletics since being very young, playing traditional team sports more so than individual sports, other than tennis. I really enjoy competing, and am ok, if I don’t “win” more about how I feel I performed.
I moved to Florida with the family in 1996 for a lifestyle change after having enough of Boca, we moved to Jupiter in 2005, which, as a family we felt was much better suited to our lifestyle- best choice of our lives! My wife and both daughters have been members at FitTown throughout the years, my daughter Sami is still a member and there is nothing I love more than working out with her.
What’s something that others may not know about you?
When I was 27 I had severe wrist pain in both wrists, I could not even lift a cup of coffee with one hand. I had bones fused together in my right wrist, which didn’t really help. I couldn’t even hold Sami when she was born- story for another day! After about 5 years and doctors telling me there’s nothing they could do, I gradually started working out again. I cherish every day I am able to work up a sweat!
What’s your athletic past and what were you doing more recently before coming into FitTown?
Prior to FitTown I would go to the gym and do traditional weightlifting- chest Monday- Tri’s and Bi’s Wednesday etc. I also competed in marathons and Triathlons for over 10 years.
With all you know now, what advice would you give the Steve who first walked through our doors 8 years ago?
I started “CrossFit” about 5 years prior so we will start there. 1. Look at your own weights and not others. 2. Form over Weight. 3. What we do is very difficult and without proper coaching and advice with form and programming, you WILL get injured. It’s not a matter of if, but when.
Do you have any memorable or funny moments at FitTown you’d like to share?
One thing I really enjoy is judging our competitions. I like to motivate and try to push each athlete to their max potential. Once I remember Andrew was staring at a bar and I yelled ”It’s not going to lift itself!” He laughed for a second then picked it up and kept going.
Tell us about your Annual SchultzFit Beer Mile Contest.
If you build it, they will come! Started out with ten of us the first year after reading an article about it. Now it’s six years running and we had around 40 “runners” this year. We raised and donated over $500 to a local orphanage.
What positive physical progress would you like to brag on about yourself?
55 and fitter than ever I have to say!!! At 18, I knew people over 50-they were old! I never thought at 55 I’d be playing soccer and basketball with people in their early 20’s and competing. Not to mention in our classes!
What is a belief, motto, or maybe even a habit that you live by to live a positive, healthy life?
So my motto has always been- Too much of everything is just right! I do believe we need to have a balance.
What keeps you going on those tough days it’s hard to get to the gym?
If it’s a scheduling thing, I’m fortunate to have my own set up in my garage, so I will do the workout at home. If I’m drained or just too tired, I have another motto- go and do the warm-up and if your still not feeling it, stop. That has happened, but only a handful of times. If I’m too banged up, that’s different, rest day.
What advice do you have for the person who has seen the FitTown ads but is reluctant to begin?
To steal your saying- Just show up. Actually working on someone now! Just like anything- running etc.- You start slow. Tomorrow starts today.
What do you love most about FitTown Jupiter?
I’ve been doing CrossFit for over 12 years, I’ve either been a member or dropped-in to over 40 “boxes”. I have never felt as warm or welcomed in any place more so than I do at FitTown. I have made friends for life and have bettered myself in how I exercise and think, not only in the gym but in life in general. You and the staff are the most caring and enthusiastic group, I have ever met. You realize it is the most important hour of our day and you treat it as such. I have never seen anyone “phone it in”, as I have in other boxes. Thank you all, for what you do, I truly appreciate FitTown!
