Larry Ranson, who’s incarcerated at the Bradshaw State Jail in Henderson, Texas, was given a microphone in front of a camera, and asked to introduce the facility’s popular CrossFit program.

“Hi, I’m your guy here at Bradshaw,” he begins, talking straight into the camera. “My name is Larry. And tonight we’ll get an exclusive look at one of the great programs being offered to inmates. The physical fitness course aims to instill principles of hard work, discipline, and delayed gratification.  Okay, enough talking. Let’s see what’s really going on here at Bradshaw.”

Larry steps away from the camera to show off the guys in the midst of their vigorous workout. Then Larry returns, interviewing a participant. He asks Damion Spearman, “Tell me, would you recommend this physical fitness course to other inmates?” When Damion replies he would, Larry asks him why.

“For the cross fitness program it gives them a good self-esteem about themselves, and it allows them to lose weight and get in good shape before they go home, something they might carry on into the world.”

Larry next asks Gare Havard if he’s seen any positive changes in the inmates who participate in the course.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of benefits to this,” begins Gare. “The inmates all have a lower stress level, they have a more positive image of their body and their mind; they also develop a stronger core, upper and lower body. It gives them more confidence to get into anything they want to do, any of the other classes or benefits that are offered here at MTC. It’s just been uplifting for everyone in the class, everyone’s enjoyed it.  We’re all learning things, we’re all learning together. Everything about it is positive.”

Larry agrees, and says to the camera, “overall positivity; that’s what we’re all about here at Bradshaw.”

Next Larry asks Christopher Johnson what he thinks the course is teaching to those involved. “I think it’s teaching them a lot of commitment,” says Christopher, “repetition, persistence; it’s building endurance for them. And it’s teaching them to come together.”

Eric Fillmore ‘Moosa’ adds, “I believe it’s a lot dealing with mind power. And at the same time, though, it brings us all together to work out together, and keep the peace between each other. We get a good workout altogether like a family.”

Larry asks Officer Barragan what benefits he sees for those who participate in the course.

“I see a whole lot more positivity around the unit,” replies Officer Barragan. We have all these different guys come in from different dorms into one rec yard, and it just shows a lot of motivation.”

Larry wraps up his presentation by saying, “So as you can see, there are many positive things about the physical fitness course being offered here at Bradshaw.  We thank Warden Driskell, Major Rodriguez, and Warden Wilson for allowing us to have this program here.”