The crossfitter often comes from other sports, we have discovered this in recent months interviews. A story like that of Giandomenico Mesto however, we hadn't heard it yet. The defender, who retired in 2017, played mainly in Reggina and Genoa, with excellent forays also in Napoli and Udinese.
Un top level player who also made a piece of the history of the Italian national team. Today Giandomenico is a fan of CrossFit in effect and we are delighted to welcome him to CrossMag to tell you his story.
Much has been said about his physical transformation, but what interested us most is the mental transformation of the professional athlete who from the stadium, today at 37 years old, looks for new emotions within the walls of a box. Here is our chat.
From football to CrossFit the step is not so short. In short, we are used to athletes who come from gymnastics, from weightlifting, is not common from football.
Basically there is certainly the desire to keep fit, let's say this has always been the diktat of my life regardless of professional commitments. I approached CrossFit because like many I was a little bored in the weight room, I looked for a box and I started my adventure.
What did you find great about CrossFit?
A right mix of relief, effort and training. Already when I played in Genoa, with my athletic trainer Alessandro Pilati, one of the best around, we had fun doing some functional training circuit to push more than the various team workouts. Two seasons ago I stopped and here I am.
You have over 450 appearances on the pitch, a life of football at the highest level. Is there anything you miss from that career moment?
For sure I miss the great emotions of the matches, the victories, the defeats, the adrenaline, the many challenges in the band with my opponents but also the routine of training and the locker room. Really united groups are created, as if we were many brothers. There is also this aspect in CrossFit, but obviously I experienced it in a different and very important period of my career. It has a value that will remain special.
What is your weekly preparation? Tell us your typical week!
I train four times a week from Monday to Friday with rest on Thursday. Saturday depending on the time available I go running or I train in the garage doing some wod a team! I mostly practice in the box 9091 Crossfit of Sanremo, where I spend most of the year, then when I'm in Monopoli, in my hometown I train in the garage Crossfit Monopoli Friend Angelo Maiellaro. I am followed by excellent coaches.
From the point of view of physical well-being, what gave you football and what does CrossFit give you?
They are two very different types of training but the goal is no different: it is to be at the top of the form for specific objectives. In any case, you train to be able to express yourself to the maximum according to what you have to do and in this I don't find that it is very different. My body has changed following these goals.
In some interviews you said that you don't have the dream of coaching in football. You're not the only one, but it's hard to see why. Can you tell us why?
CI redo that training is a bit like a vocation, something that starts from within and that I almost can't do without. I love football and I miss it, but what I miss is about everything I did on the pitch. "Directing" would be another thing, which at the moment I don't feel like doing for me.
What are the best skills you have? What's your strong point in training? We would also like to know where you may have more difficulty, if there is any skill you are trying to improve in this period.
The thing I still have to learn is to be able to execute the butterfly pull up! In the others I really have no problems. Maybe together with the pull ups I have thehandstand walk to improve
For the rest I can get by quite a lot in everything, but I'm certainly not a high-level athlete yet, it's certainly one of the great challenges of doing Crossfit.
Are there any competitive projects here too? Anyone who has played in the field all his life cannot stop playing!
For now, no, but never say never! The race always gives you that nice feeling of competitiveness that is vital for a sportsman. Who knows.