Health & Fitness
CrossFit Games: The Ins & Outs
“For athletes, the CrossFit Games is the culmination of years of hard work, leading up to one nerve-wracking moment in time. In the back, before walking out to compete, the tension is palpable, and athletes are nervous about how the workout will go, whether it will be gruelling, or whether they will perform well. However, they are also excited to be amongst the fittest people in the world, doing what they love and hope that everything comes together the way they envisioned.”
CROSSFIT? WHAT’S THAT?
Founded in 2001, CrossFit is a form of high-intensity interval training that is made up of functional movements that build stamina, strength, and speed. It emphasises cross-training functional movements from sports including gymnastics, powerlifting, and rowing. Each workout differs, with the aim of strengthening a different part of the body, and ultimately building a body that’s capable of almost anything – hence, why they call them the fittest people on earth!
“CrossFit is so effective it may feel like magic, but in truth, it’s a formula — a formula that works. It’s the formula for everything we do, from forging elite fitness to preventing and reversing chronic disease. It’s the inputs that give us the outcomes, the results that have revolutionized an industry and changed millions of lives for the better” - CrossFit
SO, WHAT IS THE CROSSFIT GAMES?
The CrossFit Games is an annual event where individuals from all over the world come together to compete for the title of the “Fittest on Earth”. Created in 2007, the first Games was approximately 70 athletes who came together for a grassroots throw down and a barbecue at Director of the CrossFit Games Dave Castro’s family ranch in Aromas, California. Since then, the Games has continually evolved with new tests to take athletes outside their comfort zones, becoming world-renowned as the definitive test of fitness.
This year’s competition will be a six day format instead of five, from August 1st to August 6th, 2023, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Rather than all categories performing across all 5 days, the age groups and adaptive athletes will kick off the competition on Tuesday. The individuals enter the game on the Thursday and will compete through to the end on the Sunday, whilst the teams will perform across three days starting on the Friday.
“The experience of competing in the CrossFit Games is unique. It brings together not only the fittest athletes on earth, but also the fittest spectators. When we claim that someone is the "fittest on earth," we need to define what we mean by fitness, so that the claim has meaning. In this context, fitness means increased work capacity across a broad range of time and modal domains, essentially being good at many different kinds of fitness.”
HOW DO YOU QUALIFY FOR THE CROSSFIT GAMES?
To qualify for the CrossFit Games, you must start at the worldwide Open that is held over a three week period. Individuals over the age of 14 are given a three week period where they must complete, record, and submit scores for one event per week. If you are competing as an individual and place within the top 10% of your continent in your division (age group/ gender), you then advance to the Quarterfinals. If you place within the top 60, you then progress to the Semifinals, and if you place within the top 40, you then advance to the CrossFit Games.
“From the Open to the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and CrossFit Games, this season is shaping up to be the most action-packed yet. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the sport, the CrossFit Open is a thrilling experience that will push you to your limits.”
HOW DOES SCORING WORK AT THE CROSSFIT GAMES?
During the CrossFit Games, a scoring table is used to calculate each athletes performance in each event. The highest score you can achieve per event is 100 points. The athlete with the most points at the end of the competition is then crowned the Fittest on Earth. The official leaderboards will be available on the CrossFit Games website where you can stay up to date throughout the competition.
HOW DO I WATCH IT?
The 2023 CrossFit Games can be watch live at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, or online live streamed on YouTube.
LSKD Athlete James Newbury shares that local cafes, restaurants, hotels, and CrossFit gyms are all packed with fans, and the vendor village is thriving with people buying merchandise, accessories, and trying to snap a quick selfie with their favourite athletes.
“The CrossFit Games creates an electrifying atmosphere that is hard to describe. It's a vibe that you have to experience firsthand.”