David Delio from Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Get to know David Delio
Campus: Indian University of Pennsylvania

Why David Delio Thinks he should win

Justifying one’s own deservingness, for anything, is always a difficult undertaking. In this case, I’m sure many of your applicants are just as apt for the title as I am, if not more so. Still, I suppose I applied for the contest as I thought my physique could be competitive and, moreover, my story might be interesting for readers.

I come from modest means and background; With the exception of a pair of surrogate grandparents and a cousin with a similar life philosophy, no one ever really expected much from me, until a few years ago when my life, directionally speaking, really started to gain momentum. Today, I hold an English teaching certificate from Penn State, have spent some time teaching abroad, am currently in graduate school earning my M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and own and operate the areas only CrossFit affiliate.

I moved to Indiana for this program just as my philosophies on life and fitness began to meld. It is my idea to combine functional fitness with dietetics and counseling to craft a more holistic model for all around wellness, filling in the gaps where personal training lacks consideration of the psychological components of a client and counseling neglects the physical power of the body over the mind. In essence, I want to progress the idea of fitness, beyond simply what one looks like, to one’s capabilities both inside and outside the gym.

I wake up every weekday at 5:00 a.m. I train both morning CF sessions, have PT and counseling clients throughout the day, train myself twice a day, attend class, and moonlight bartending on the weekends. All of this is in the interest of eventually building a progressive ideal, steeped in fitness, which can benefit the average person and help them to accomplish more in a lifetime. So, what would this mean for me? I believe that the exposure would lend some validity to my journey and, moreover, would constitute a huge step forward in my interestof making “fitness,” in all its domains, an integral part of the lives of all who have overlooked it as a means for a longer and happier life.