The Gods vs. The Mortals...of CrossFit

The Gods VS The Mortals...........of CrossFit

The Gods VS The Mortals...........of CrossFit

Have you ever wondered how the games athletes that we all see on social media and on television got that way? I can say that personally when I first saw these men and woman I thought they were insane and in crazy good shape. They all had that perfect body that we all chase and it just seemed like they were able to do anything that was thrown at them (of course that is the point of the CrossFit Games). But how did they get there? How do Rich Froning and Katrin Davidsdottir workout and can I do to look like that?! The answer is simple of course, they do CrossFit. Perfect! So, I will go to my local CrossFit gym and take 3-4 classes a week and in no time, I will look like Rich or Katrin. Well not exactly......

The Mortals........of CrossFit
By “mortals” I mean the everyday CrossFitter. The person who works the 9-5 job, commutes for an hour or so one way, has a social life, watches what they eat but has their beer or wine days and enjoys the BBQ-filled summers and hot coco-with-a-cookie winters. The people who will come to a CrossFit class for the hour work up a sweat and breathe pretty heavy, hit that WOD on the whiteboard with the class and have some laughs and fun for an hour after or before work. I am sure that in some way I just described you to some extent. Maybe occasionally you stick around after class or come to open gym to get some extra work in, which can range from mobility to hitting that WOD that you missed during the week. On average, we can say that the CrossFit gym member spends anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half at the gym 3-4 times a week. If you are that person who just loves CrossFit and has the time, maybe you are here 5 days a week, either way when you walk into the gym you are here to get away from the world for an hour, hangout and sweat with some good friends and most of all improve the quality of your life.

The Gods......of Crossfit
By “Gods” I mean the Matt Frasers, Rich Fronings and, apparently, any woman from Iceland who has Dottir in their last name. If you are on social media and follow a games athlete or even a regional competitor you will understand the description I give here. These are the people who have dedicated their lives to CrossFit. Some athletes, such as Jason Khalipa and Rich Froning, own CrossFit gyms and some athletes will coach at the gyms they train at, such as Noah Ohlsen who coaches part-time for Peak 360 CrossFit in Florida. Of course, there are athletes who do not work for a gym but they will still spend anywhere from 4-8 hours at the gym in some capacity or 4-8 hours training (most athletes will have equipment to some extent at their homes). But the training is just a small part of what they are doing on a daily basis. Games and regional athletes are constantly monitoring their diets. For example, in a recent interview, Katrin Davidsdottir told a story about how at the Reebok Athlete Summit in the Bahamas (a summit that Reebok hosts for its athletes to get together and talk about the new products.... basically, a vacation for the athletes). While at dinner people were enjoying their vacation and maybe having a burger with the bun and just enjoying themselves diet wise. Katrin brought her own pre-cooked meal that was weighed and based on her macros and nutrition plan, and ate it right at the table in the Tupperware she packed it in. For the most part, with of course the exception of a few, these people are relentless in their diet. So just when you thought it couldn't get any crazier, it does. Coaches are having their athletes see specialists at least 1-2 times per week for body work. That could be going to the chiropractor, acupuncture, and some have even hired sports psychologists to get that little more of a mental edge. Aside from all of that one of the most important things for these athletes is sleep. Generally, they will get anywhere from 8-10 hours of sleep to ensure that their bodies are properly recovered for the high volume of training day in and day out. Rory Mckernan, host of the CrossFit Games, was quoted in saying “Being a CrossFit Games athlete is basically a mental illness”.

The Comparison 
So we have a brief description of what each of these categories are, so let’s take some time for some direct comparisons. As average CrossFitters we will come in warm up, skill work, WOD and maybe a little extra at the end. In total 1 hour, maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes, of our day. High level athletes will get to the gym, stretch, mobilize, warm up, then will do about 3-4 WODS, maybe some strength work (squat, oly lifting) then some accessory work (back extensions, or gymnastic practice) then maybe an interval (row 500 meters with a 30 second break in between for 10 rounds) then do some more stretching and then possibly do a little extra rowing or assault biking at home. 
As average CrossFitters we do our best to stick to a clean diet. For some of us that means getting a meal plan and weighing food, while others simply stay away from things that we know aren't good (excess bread, pasta, cookies, soda, etc…) but at the same time are taking a moment to enjoy the little things. Maybe that means a cookie or two after dinner once a week, or a glass of wine or beer after a long day of work or with friends, and of course those summer BBQs that we all love, as well as the winter holiday deserts, (the hotdogs, hamburgers, potato salad, the pies and cheesecakes, the list goes on and on). But to that top tier athlete that is a big “no-no”. For the most part (of course there are always exceptions to everything) these athletes and coaches are working together to put the best food and amount of food in front of themselves. That means clean eating, strict weighing of food that fits their exact measured needs based on what they did throughout a specific day during training and just during life. Everything is written out and calculated to the ounce. Yes, maybe they enjoy a doughnut or a beer from time to time but during competition season (Games season) these athletes are strict to the last crumb of food.
Lastly, the extra work. So usually the average person will go see a specialist when an injury occurs or when they feel that something is just not right. Games athletes will go to a specialist simply for routine checkup and get general body maintenance done to help them recover and prevent injuries that can occur with all of the training they do day-in and day-out. At any given time, an athlete can have 3-5 doctors, or specialist, that they will visit at least 1-2 times every week or so. For example, Rich Froning, since opening his newest CrossFit Mayhem location, has built a separate office that connects to his gym so that his doctor/chiropractor is just 10-15 feet away at all times.

Now this article should not discourage anyone in any way in our sport. Like any other sport, there are professionals and recreational athletes. It also does not mean we should not strive to find a similar kind of structure that these athletes live by. Of course, that does not mean quitting your job and working out for 5-7 hours a day or not enjoying a slice of pizza every so often. At the same time, we should do our best to be like these people but on a much smaller scale. Maybe next time you are wondering if you should get that extra workout in after class, or that you aren't “in the mood” to come to the gym for a class, think about what the other games athletes are doing… no days off, 5-7 hours a day. Just think if they can do it day in and day out, 3-4 times a week for an hour is nothing. So, when you are watching the CrossFit Games or Regionals, or even thinking back to the open and looking at the score these athletes have posted, remember it is because of their dedication to their sport that they are where they are, and while we would all like to look like the Gods that they have become, we should always strive to be our best self.

-Coach Zack