You all know Games competitor Jordan Cook. This guy:
And here:
And again:
The buff 2014 and 2015 competitor recently posted an epic throwback to his competitive Olympic weightlifting days back in 2011, singlet and all. And, well, he’s changed a bit.
The hair. The expression. We almost can’t handle how awesome it all is. He may have changed a little, but we still recognize the awe-inspiring athlete with admirers around the globe.
Main image: Jordan Cook/Instagram
Could two of CrossFit’s greatest champions soon be living in the same town? It just may be. You may have noticed that recently on Instagram, Mat Fraser posted a photo skeet shooting in Tennessee. Apparently, the scenery and hospitality are rubbing off on him. On a recent CrossFit podcast, Sevan Matossian asked Mat if he was planning to move to Cookeville, Tennessee, where Rich Froning resides. Fraser laughed at his bluntness and said it was a distinct possibility, explaining that the tax situation there is one thing he finds so appealing. (Tennessee is one of six states that doesn’t have state income taxes.) So, although Fraser mentioned he still plans to keep a residence in Vermont, it looks like he and Froning might be neighbors in the near future.
Don’t expect any sort of heated rivalry or jealousy between the two, though. Fraser had already mentioned the possibility of heading to Froning’s town to him, to which Froning responded, “Come on down.” They may both have spent time at the top of the podium, but these two men are still grounded as ever.
You can watch the podcast below.
Watch out, Tennessee! Fraser’s about to up the competition in a neighborhood near you.
Joel Munro is no stranger to competition. The CrossFit athlete has repeatedly ranked as one of the fittest in Australia, and has in fact recently completed three competitions in three weekends, having podium finishes on each. Most recently, he competed at Battle on the Beaches with partner Sean Brickwood,
While Munro makes even the toughest of tasks look easy, he’s dedicated a great deal of time and energy to perfecting his craft. The WOD Life caught up with him during the 2017 competitive CrossFit season to see what his average day is like — training, nutrition and all.
Main image: Joel Munro/Instagram (taken by Kim Pedersen)
This month, women came together in the name of girl power for the Butterfly Effect — a females-only competition held at Raw Iron on the Gold Coast, Australia, where partners completed four WODs together. A portion of the proceeds went to the Butterfly Foundation, which represents anyone affected by eating disorders or a negative body image. Athletes of all levels were welcome to join in, and the spirit of the sport was undeniable. The WOD Life was proud to be a part of it.
Australia knows CrossFit, and we once again celebrated fitness with Battle on the Beaches on Sunday, September 17th, at the Sydney Academy of Sport. The event was hosted by Peak by Athletic and CrossFit Athletic and sponsored by AlphaFit, True Protein and RooGrips.
Same-sex pairs in intermediate and advanced categories competed in five WODs incorporating events like a 1.5km trail run relay (which Ben Garard and Ricky Garard took the win for) and movements like hang power clean and jerks, rowing and dumbbell snatches.
The competition brought out athletes of all levels and abilities, including Jessica Coughlan, 2017 CrossFit Games competitor and Team TWL member. At the end of the day, Ben Garard and Ricky Garard stood at the top of the podium, Sean Brickwood and Joel Munro came in second, and Kat Baker and Chelsea Docherty took third.
The WOD Life was there to catch some of the action — check it out!
Interested in competing in next year’s Battle on the Beaches? Stay tuned for the 2018 announcement date.
We all shed a tear when Camille Leblanc-Bazinet had to pull out of the CrossFit Games on the second day of the competition due to a shoulder injury. In a post on her Instagram, LB explained that she had dislocated her shoulder a couple weeks prior and torn her labrum. She rehabbed and held on, until she took a spill during the bike event, landing on her bad shoulder. Leblanc-Bazinet had to decide whether to tough it out and hope for the best, or withdraw and take care of her body. The former fittest woman on earth and crowd favorite went with the latter, underwent surgery on August 21 and got back in the gym as quickly as possible.
You might never know she was recovering from surgery.
Finding ways to work around her shoulder, LB has been unstoppable despite the circumstances. Husband Dave Lipson recently shared a video showing her doing a set of 50 reps on the leg press with six plates — since she couldn’t yet squat with a bar. The video quickly went viral, inspiring her many fans while simultaneously making us cringe just a little (in the best way possible).
LB finally got the OK from her doctor to squat with a safety bar, and it’s safe to assume she wasted no time getting under some (very light) weight.
While so many of us would (understandably) feel defeated and discouraged in a time like this, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet instead reminds us why she was once the person standing at the top of the podium. It’s this perseverance in the face of struggle and setback that makes certain athletes stand out amongst others. Leblanc-Bazinet has kindly opened up her journey through recovery to her millions of followers, and we’ll continue to cheer on the CrossFit champ as she fights her way back to the front of the pack.
Main image: Camille Leblanc-Bazinet/Facebook
They describe it as CrossFit’s “all-star game”; and for the last several years, it’s brought the fittest men and women from around the globe together in teams for a little friendly competition. This year, the Reebok CrossFit Invitational will take place at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and we couldn’t be more anxious for November 5th to get here. Having the event in Australia this year is quite fitting, considering how well they did at the Games.
The teams for the USA, Canada, Europe, and Pacific have yet to be announced, in addition to this year’s events (although you can probably guess who you might see); but if previous years are any indication, we’re undoubtedly in for a treat. Last year’s Invitational included accomplishing a max snatch and clean and jerk, a handstand walk relay and the infamous 500-pound Pig. With CrossFit’s knack for creativity, we don’t expect this year to disappoint. And as these athletes repeatedly raise the bar year after year, plan on competition being tight!
Australia Will Host 2017 Reebok CrossFit Invitational https://t.co/HWWDzHm6wD pic.twitter.com/6zuTVJdeCf
— Cary CrossFit (@carycrossfit) September 13, 2017
Similar to previous years, there will be an Affiliate Competition prior to the big show, where fans will have the opportunity to compete. Staying true to the CrossFit culture and community, the Invitational is about bringing people together with a shared love of fitness and fun competition, and being something everyone can participate in.
Tickets will be available online, by phone or at the box office; and registration is open for anyone who is interested in volunteering. For anyone who can’t be there in person, you’ll be able to watch it live at Games.CrossFit.com, as well as on their Instagram and Facebook pages. November will be here before you know it; so stay tuned for updates and announcements.
Main image: fikowski/Instagram
“In implementation, CrossFit is, quite simply, a sport—the ‘sport of fitness.’ We’ve learned that harnessing the natural camaraderie, competition, and fun of sport or game yields an intensity that cannot be matched by other means.” —CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman
In the 2007 CrossFit Journal article, “Understanding CrossFit,” Glassman spoke words that remain true—even 10 years later.
The competitive aspect of training CrossFit is a core element of the program. Step into most affiliates, and you’ll likely witness various level of competitiveness among members. Whether it’s elite athletes fighting to be the fittest, or mothers, fathers, grandparents and friends trying to best their buddy or loved one, competition is a welcomed part of any sport—and it should be an enjoyable one, too.
But what happens when your competitiveness gets the best of you? What happens when your ego takes over and it’s no longer fun but stressful and discouraging instead? If this sounds familiar, it might be time to check the ego. We’ve compiled some tips below to help you remember what fitness is all about.
Be Better Than Yesterday
Part of committing to a fitness program is recognizing that it is a process. Unfortunately, there is no overnight path to fitness and health; each can only be achieved as a result of consistently showing up and doing the work.
The good news is, the best kind of competition can stem from this dedication: competition with yourself. Compete with yourself to be better than you were yesterday.
Whether it’s learning to pace your workout appropriately, lift more weight, improve your max set of pull-ups, dial in your nutrition or improve your attitude in the gym, pick something you want to improve and focus on it.
Constantly beating yourself can only result in increased levels of fitness and wellness.
Enjoy the Ride
The journey to fitness should be fun! Not easy, but fun.
If you find yourself leaving the gym feeling stressed out, disappointed or discouraged, it might be time to make some adjustments.
Evaluate why you are disappointed. If the root of your disappointment stems from the fact that someone else did better on the day’s workout, try to shift your mindset and focus on your own performance. What part of the workout did you excel at? What can you work on next time?
Bottom line, you should leave the gym feeling happy, energized and accomplished. Be competitive, but don’t be egotistical.
Don’t Compromise Your Fitness for the Top Score
The workout of the day is the CrossFit benchmark workout Cindy, a 20-minute AMRAP of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats. You know you can get the top score in the gym. You’ve easily got a 20-round Cindy. Mid-workout your hands tear. It’s not that bad so you keep going. But they tear more and more and you’re 20-round Cindy is slowly escaping you as your pull-ups slow down.
By chasing the pride of achieving the top score, you’ve compromised your training for the rest of the week.
If it’s 1-rep-max deadlift day and you know you’ve got the best deadlift in the gym but your back seizes up at about 80 percent, stop there. Don’t compromise the rest of your training week—or month or year—for the top lift that day. Remember, it’s just one day compared to a lifetime of fitness.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the whiteboard, and let’s face it, it’s pretty cool to see your name on the top. But when you feel your ego creeping in, remember why you train: health, wellness, fitness, happiness and longevity.
The purpose of CrossFit has never been to get the fastest time or lift the heaviest weight. These things are simply measurements for an athlete to use to test their fitness — against themselves. CrossFit is intentionally difficult and there is a specific reason for this.
In his piece, The Purpose of CrossFit published in The CrossFit Journal, Greg Glassman said, “Successful people pursue hard things. Unsuccessful people avoid them.”
Think about the most successful person you know. Was their path to success easy? Probably not. They likely had to overcome many challenges to get to where they are.
Greg Glassman is onto something. Yet, the amount of athletes that consistently cheat reps is astounding. CrossFit is a platform where giving your best is how winners are chosen. So when an athlete cheats their way through a WOD, what does this say about their character?
CrossFit isn’t easy. We all know that. Even the Brooke Ence’s and Dan Bailey’s of the world have their weaknesses; take the 2016 California Regional as an example. They were faced with workouts that may not have been best suited for them, yet they still worked through them one rep at a time. Weaknesses were exposed and that’s okay! I am willing to bet that both Ence and Bailey are using these short comings as fuel to better themselves both physically and mentally.
And, I’m sure they will be counting ever single rep along the way.
Cheating reps is disrespectful. It’s disrespectful to the coach who spent their time and expertise to program the WOD and it’s disrespectful to all of the athletes around you. And, not to mention, it’s outright disrespectful to yourself. If for no one else, you owe it to yourself to train with integrity because that’s what elite athletes do.
It’s been my experience that most “rep shaving” athletes seem to think that they’re getting away with it. They yell out time with a huge smile across their face, patting themselves on the back for finishing first. Little do they know we are all onto their game. However, we probably never call them out because were too busy pushing through the WOD, challenging ourselves to be a better athlete. Besides, chances are a coach has called them out. Probably more than once.
We are all in these workouts together, that’s what makes CrossFit the most unique! Have you ever tried to complete a WOD by yourself? (If you have the option, I don’t recommend it.) The point is, as a CrossFit athlete, the people around you are there to support you no matter how fast or slow you finish, or how much weight you do or don’t lift. When it’s all said and done, the only person you are competing with is yourself.
So, what are you gaining by cheating reps?
Photo Credit: CrossFit Cascobay
The WOD Life is proud to support the upcoming Dust Bowl at CrossFit Top End in Darwin, Australia. Check out the first events of the competition, to be held on October 8th!
To find out more about the event check out CrossFit Top End on Facebook, or the Dustbowl on WOD Buzz!
After three gruelling weeks of competition, the 2016 CrossFit Regionals come to a close. As the second step en route to the CrossFit Games, Regionals serves as the midway point in the competition season. Taking the forty fittest men, women and teams from each Region through a series of tests over the course of three days, to find the elite.
With an intense battle in each region, we have forty qualifiers in each division. Amongst this list, there has been a 66% attrition rate, meaning that 66% of past competitors did not make it back to the CrossFit Games. This makes way for sixteen men and twelve women making their first appearance at the CrossFit Games.
Atlantic
1. Ben Smith
2. Noah Ohlsen
3. Travis Mayer
4. Jacob Anderson (R)
5. Gary Helmick
California
1. Josh Bridges
2. Rasmus Anderson (R)
3. Marcus Filly
4. Christian Lucero (R)
5. Garret Fisher
Central
1. Scott Panchik
2. Jacob Heppner
3. Alex Anderson
4. Zak Carchedi (R)
5. Sam Dancer (R)
East
1. Mat Fraser
2. Albert-Dominic Larouche
3. Patrick Vellner (R)
4. Spencer Hendel
5. Alex Vigneault
Meridian
1. Bjorgvin Gudmondsson
2. Lukas Esslinger (R)
3. Jonne Koski
4. Adrian Mundwiler (R)
5. Lukas Hogberg
Pacific
1. Rob Forte
2. James Newbury (R)
3. Khan Porter
4. Zeke Grove (R)
5. Mitchell Sinnamon (R)
South
1. Roy Gamboa
2. Travis Williams
3. Logan Collins (R)
4. Sean Sweeney (R)
5. Joseph Guesnier (R)
West
1. Brent Fikowski (R)
2. Ben Stoneberg
3. Lucas Parker
4. Samuel Kwant (R)
5. Cole Sager
Atlantic
1. Emily Bridgers
2. Anna Tunnicliffe
3. Meg Reardon (R)
4. Christy Adkins
5. Alea Helmick (R)
California
1. Lauren Fisher
2. Rebecca Voigt
3. Alessandra Pichelli
4. Chyna Cho
5. Jamie Hagiya (R)
Central
1. Sheila Barden
2. Stacie Tovar
3. Brooke Wells
4. Jennifer Smith
5. Kristi Eramo (R)
East
1. Katrin Davidsdottir
2. Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault
3. Michele Letendre
4. Kari Pearce
5. Tasia Percevecz (R)
Meridian
1. Sara Sigmundsdottir
2. Annie Thorisdottir
3. Kristin Holte
4. Sam Briggs
5. Thuridur Helgadottir
Pacific
1. Kara Webb
2. Tia-Clair Toomey
3. Alethea Boon
4. Justine Beath (R)
5. Madeline Sturt (R)
South
1. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet
2. Whitney Cappellucci (R)
3. Alexis Johnson (R)
4. Tennil Reed (R)
5. Candice Wagner (R)
West
1. Carleen Mathews
2. Emily Abbott
3. Margaux Alvarez
4. Carly Fuhrer (R)
5. Christina Verhagen
Atlantic
1. Team Soul
2. HustleHard CrossFit
3. 12 Labours Lions
4. CrossFit Bound
5. The CrossFit Squad
California
1. Diablo CrossFit Anejo
2. CrossFit 808
3. Invictus
4. Team CDR
5. CrossFit Davis
Central
1. CrossFit Mayhem Freedom
2. CrossFit 417
3. OC3 Black
4. Timberwolf CrossFit
5. Three Kings Black
East
1. Team Dynamix
2. CrossFit Parallax
3. CrossFit Milford Black
4. Team Back Bay
5. JaktRX RED
Meridian
1. Nordic OPEX
2. CrossFit Yas
3. Team CrossFit Copenhagen 1
4. CFXY
5. CrossFit Solid
Pacific
1. Zaks Pack East Tamaki
2. Schwartzs CrossFit Melbourne
3. CrossFit Athletic
4. CrossFit Torian
5. CrossFit Loaded
South
1. #TeamDensity
2. Rockwell CrossFit
3. CrossFit Omnia
4. Pillar CrossFit
5. Backcountry Black
West
1. Boise CrossFit Rainbow
2. CrossFit Marysville
3. CrossFit Fort Vancouver
4. Lane 5 Athletics
5. CF Duratus
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