Today we conclude the series “So You Want to Compete in the CrossFit Games“. We are going to go over a few things in part 3 to make it very clear what you are after in this quest. You are attempting to claim that you are the fittest on the planet. The fittest man/woman on the planet did not get there by one short WOD a day. To be the fittest on the planet you have to train like the fittest on the planet.
Do You Train Like a CrossFit Games Competitor?
Common occupation of top games competitors:
- Firefighter
- CrossFit Gym Owner
- Full time strength and conditioning coach
- Active Duty Military
Now I am not saying you need one of these jobs to be a CrossFit Games athlete. You just have to realize that the crossfit gym owner is quite common. So they train others, train themselves, train others, train themselves…etc. They have the ability to have some pretty crazy training schedules. Not to mention these careers encourage physical fitness. Training is their job. Is it yours? What kind of training schedule can you keep?
I don’t want to win the CrossFit Games, I just want to finish them.
- Now getting to regionals is quite an accomplishment. Getting to the games is an even greater one. However, finishing the games is not like finishing a triathlon or marathon. Unless the marathons you have been to start telling people to stop running once the 3 hour mark is reached.
- “Finishing” the games should not be your goal and here is why. Only 12 freaking people actually finish every event in the CrossFit Games. That means to get to the end you are among the 12 fittest people on the planet. If you are top 12 there is nothing keeping you from taking that number one spot. Except 11 other really fit people.
Training the Fittest on Earth:
- The CrossFit Journal has a great FREE video called “Number 1 and Number 2: A Day of Training”. The video follows Graham Holmberg and Rich Froning around for a day to see how they train. Whether or not they train everyday how they do in the video, I am not sure. Either way it is pretty crazy.
- They both end up training somewhere between 4-6 times in a day. It involves a strength training session, short metcon, long metcons, heavy metcons and all sorts of stuff. It really is pretty awesome. These guys are fully committed to being the fittest on the earth and they show it.
So You Want to Compete in the CrossFit Games:
The main reason I did this short series is becasue I wanted people to realize what it actually takes. These guys and gals are professional athletes. Fitness is their sport. It may take awhile for the Games to get it’s full recognition, but either way there is not doubt these competitors are the fittest on the planet. If you are trying to get to the games you have to realize the amount of discipline it takes to compete. You will have to make sacrifices along the way and it will be a lot of hard work. But if you want it do it. Just know that your average weekend warrior will not be at the games, only the professional will be. A quote I saw on crossfit.com a few days ago.
“Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don’t feel like doing them.”
– Julius Erving
– Julius Erving