Lansing-based Spartan CrossFit coach Michael Horton began his fitness journey in 2008 when crossFit was gaining momentum in the fitness scene.

“I had a job like a nine to five type job for about two years, and It got to the point where I wasn’t feeling fulfilled," said Horton. "I asked myself is this what I really want to do? I began working at the local YMCA with a coach who was a CrossFitter."

Horton said he began looking into CrossFit more and noticed it had a fight club type feel, in that nobody was talking about it. 

After training his clients at the YMCA using CrossFit routines, Horton decided it was time to open his own gym in the Lansing area. Spartan CrossFit initially opened in November 2010 and quadrupled in size by 2013.

“I really took a leap of faith. I quit my job, took a step back, and cashed in my 401k to pay for the facility,” Horton said. “It was a ‘if you build it they will come’ type of thing, and they did -- we doubled in size every year.”

Classes run all day to accommodate members' various schedules. Horton said he believes  his program is much more than just a workout class.

“It’s not just a workout program, it’s more of a class experience, like a fraternity or a family,” Horton said. “We’ve had Sunday dinners together, go out together on field trips. We’ve had a profound effect on people’s lives who came in while in a dark place and helped them find a family. So, it’s not just an hour of your day (spent) working out.”

Despite passionate and dedicated coaches like Horton, a stigma still generalizes the program. Some people find CrossFit too intense or fast-paced while others fear injury. 

“It’s actually a bizarre stigma to me,” Horton said. “A lot of these stigmas come from the notion that you have to go until you puke, or until your hands are bleeding. I always try to tell everybody that CrossFit is so beautiful. You get out of it whatever you put into it. I’ve had very few injuries, and that’s a matter of knowing my limits.”

Horton says he can’t picture himself doing anything else with his life. Helping others improve themselves through fitness is a job he has always enjoyed.

“It’s been a great five years," Horton said. “You look back, and it’s like, where did the time go, but it also feels like there’s no way that was only five years. It feels like it’s been 20 years, I’ve always said ‘No one has what we have.' It’s just a saying about our environment that grabs a hold of you."

Criminal Justice senior Audrey Wilson has been training at Spartan CrossFit since she transferred to MSU last year. She said she has seen improved success inside and outside of the classroom thanks to the sport and her coaches.

“Since I've been at Spartan I have gained another family dedicated to helping each other accomplish their own personal goals, whether they're related to health or other purposes,” Wilson said. “I've had the opportunity to compete in team competitions and found my own home-away-from-home. Coach Michael Horton has been instrumental in helping me grow both as a student and as an athlete, and has undoubtedly given me a new love for this sport.”