Raising the bar on what it means to be a humble athlete, Elliot Lance talks about finding a much-needed outlet for his competitive streak while becoming a better physical therapist, athlete and person through Rhapsody.
What is your story?
Elliot Lance at Rhapsody CrossFit in Charleston, SC.
I grew up around sports, and my life revolved around competition. I was fortunate enough to have a solid support system at home filled with family and friends who pushed me to become a better athlete and a fierce competitor.
It was because of them that I was able to have the opportunity to play baseball for Wofford College. It was a dream come true, and I wouldn’t trade those memories or experiences for anything.
After college, I moved to Charleston to start the Physical Therapy program at MUSC. It was the first time I wasn’t involved in sports or competition of any kind. I continued to work out, but it was different. Something was missing. Enter Rhapsody CrossFit.
What brought you to Rhapsody CrossFit?
Until I moved to Charleston, I had never tried CrossFit. I was a college athlete, a future physical therapist and a personal trainer, so the thought of someone else coaching me through workouts and having a prescribed workout of the day did not interest me in the slightest.
During my first two years of PT school, I had to sit in class and listen to Hannah Breal, and shortly there after Rachel DiGiacomo, talk constantly about Rhapsody…and CrossFit …and “kipping”…and double unders…on and on.
When the CrossFit Open started in March 2019, their talks grew louder and this idea of competition, something that had been missing in my life for some time now, finally spurred me to try a CrossFit workout.
Abby Umberger and I went to Rhapsody and immediately fell in love with the gym, the people, the coaching and the experience. Rhapsody is such a big part of my life now and I think it speaks volumes about the Rhapsody community that Abby and I continue to love the gym so much that we both call it home.
What have you gotten out of your experience with Rhapsody CrossFit?
Oh man, what haven’t I gotten out of my experience with Rhapsody? I finally found an outlet for competition, have become a better athlete, and it has made me a significantly better physical therapist.
Rhapsody has changed my viewpoints on movement and athletic performance. It’s hard to be a physical therapist who doesn’t push his patients to try a squat below parallel after watching Coach Owen snatch 300lbs. or Lee Davis complete unpartitioned Murph with a weighted vest in all of 12 minutes (slight exaggeration, but not by much…).
More importantly, Rhapsody has given me some of my best friends who constantly build me up and challenge me every day.
To the Rhapsody community, you are a prime example of what it means to be humble – tell me about that drive to be better and what motivates you?
Rhapsody has meant the world to me. What started as an outlet for competition has become one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Watching others learn new movements, become better athletes and go beyond their limits physically so that they can do everything they want to do is exactly why I wanted to become a physical therapist. Rhapsody motivates me to do the same because I want to be the most functional athlete I can be, so that I can unlock that potential in others.
Ultimately, it’s about the people. It’s the community that Rhapsody has established. They push me and I push them. Any other way just doesn’t make sense any more.
