What does it take to survive the CrossFit Games? Two competitors share their tips, advice

Your hands are blistered. The sun is sizzling, and your weighted vest feels heavier with every step you take. 

But the clock is ticking, and your competitors are two reps ahead. Slowing down isn't an option. 

These are the challenges hundreds of CrossFit athletes will face starting Thursday when they convene at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin to compete for the title of Fittest on Earth in their respective divisions.

The four-day event is one of the most grueling tests of physical fitness around and throws every exercise in the book at participants. Power snatches, sprints, rope climbs, handstand push-ups, squat cleans and burpees are just a few of the elements athletes are expected to complete as quickly as possible while judges assess their form and fans shout their names. 

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Scenes from the clean and jerk at a previous CrossFit Games. (Photo: Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports)

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Three-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser and six-time Games athlete Josh Bridges know what it takes to survive the gauntlet. Here are their tips on how to succeed at the Games: 

Go with the flow

There's no way to predict the workouts before they're announced, so the athletes are at the mercy of CrossFit Games director Dave Castro. Fraser's strategy for approaching the unknown is to take it all in stride. 

“There’s going to be a lot of stuff that happens that you would love to see it happen a different way, and there’s nothing you can really do about it. Just go out there and do whatever they tell you to do.” 

Don't let it get to your head

Bridges has multiple event wins under his weightlifting belt and usually celebrates them with a thundering scream, but he doesn't dwell on results for too long. 

“Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Don’t focus on one event if you had a bad event. Take it one event at a time though, as well, where you’re not thinking about how long the whole weekend is," he said when giving advice on navigating the lengthy competition. 

Get out of your wheelhouse 

When Fraser captured his first Fittest Man on Earth title in 2016, his only win came in the first of 15 events. He didn't have a specialty back then and still doesn't consider any specific workout in his wheelhouse now. Instead, he goes into training thinking, "All right, what am I awful at?" and works on whatever comes to mind. His 2018 results prove his methods made him a well-rounded athlete — he won three events and finished outside of the top five only four times. 

Mat Fraser will compete for his fourth consecutive CrossFit Games title in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo: COURTESY)

Pack your own protein 

Reebok, the premiere sponsor of the CrossFit Games, provides the athletes with all the apparel they'll wear during competition, but there are still things participants have to pack for themselves. Bridges brings his own supplements like Creatine to ensure he can consistently perform at the highest level. 

And don't forget your recovery tools

“Something I wouldn’t go to the Games without is a bodyworker, like a massage therapist," Bridges said. His bodyworker has accompanied him to all six Games and also performs cupping and acupuncture. Tools like the Power Dot Bridges used for muscles stimulation or the Theragun Fraser prefers to break up lactic acid provide beneficial recovery between events. 

If you follow this advice, train six hours a day for six days a week and stick to a diet that mostly consists of meat, rice and vegetables, you might just have a shot at making the CrossFit Games. 

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