The Sport of Fitness Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 081: 23.1 Recap With Stacie Tovar Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

“This is the first stage of finding the absolute fittest person in the world and to see where we’ve come from, just think about this workout being written in 2014 … it’s just kind of crazy to think about. … I look at that leaderboard and I can’t even believe these numbers that I’m seeing. … It’s just mind blowing.”
Eight-time CrossFit Games athlete Stacie Tovar joins host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to break down Open Test 23.1, a repeat of Open Workout 14.4, and share her predictions for Open Test 23.2.
After sharing her story of becoming an affiliate owner, Tovar — owner of Big Omaha Fitness, home of CrossFit Omaha — breaks down the men’s and women’s 23.1 leaderboards with Ingraham. The pair highlight top scores, and also discuss the impact and evolution of CrossFit athletes’ fitness over the years.Tovar reminisces on her own performance from 14.4 and explains how her strategy from 2014 still worked for her years, heading into 23.1.
Tovar also pulls from her past experiences as a competitive athlete and offers advice to the younger generation of up-and-coming competitive athletes saying, “Soak it up, surround yourself with people willing to help you, go all in.”
Hear more from Tovar on why being an affiliate owner brings her so much joy, how Haley Adams is inspiring others to be vocal about the challenges of being a competitor, and what movements she thinks could appear in Week 2 of the Open.
Also in this episode, hear from CrossFit Games athletes Lazar Dukic and Laura Horvath — who, along with Gabi Migala and Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson, helped kick off the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open from Madrid, Spain — as they share their movement strategy and overall opinions about their performances in the live announcement of Open Test 23.1.
Watch the live announcement of Open Test 23.1 on the CrossFit Games YouTube channel.
Presented by Chipotle. Join Chipotle Rewards for Freepotle → https://cf.games/23open_chipotle

Ep. 080: Competition Region Exemption — 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Season Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

“There are some pretty extreme situations out there that we don’t want to have as a barrier for people who legitimately want to qualify and compete. Those were the problems we’re trying to solve with this exemption region, is how do we take care of particularly the athletes that are going to have to travel for Semifinals and the Games? How do we take care of those athletes that find themselves on the margins of this citizenship qualification process?.” — Adrian Bozman
Athlete Communications Manager and CrossFit Coach (CF-L4) Becky Harsh and Competition Director Adrian Bozman join host Chase Ingraham to talk about competition region exemptions.
New for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games season, individual athletes who reside in a region outside of their country of citizenship and believe they may advance to an in-person Semifinal competition were able to request an exemption to be placed in a different competition region.
Harsh and Bozman give insight into how and why this exemption process came about, and review and clarify the process from start to finish, digging into the criteria and information athletes needed to provide in their application.
The pair also share examples of cases they viewed this year and encourage anyone with questions to reach out for further information and clarification.
Learn more about competition region exemptions and other uncommon situations in Section 1.09 of the 2023 Rulebook at games.crossfit.com/rules.
Presented by NOBULL.

Ep. 079: Strength of Field & Qualifying for the CrossFit Games Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

“The worldwide ranking will have an effect on how many final positions there are out of your Semifinals and into the Games, but the process of getting (to the Games) has not changed.” — Adrian Bozman
Competition Director Adrian Bozman and Senior Manager of the Competition Team Dave Eubanks join the podcast to explain the strength-of-field calculation for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games season.
Last episode, Bozman and Eubanks described a new worldwide ranking system — a sliding two-year span of data where athletes earn points based on their performances during the Games season — and explained that one of the system’s functions would be to finalize the number of Games-qualifying spots for each Semifinal event.
Each competition region has the opportunity to add to its minimum number of guaranteed Games-qualifying position(s).
(Watch “Worldwide Ranking System Explained” here → https://youtu.be/bsXOGSnZGeM)
CrossFit will use the top 100 athletes in the worldwide rankings* after the 2023 Quarterfinals to determine the relative strength of field at each Semifinal.In this episode, Eubanks and Bozman fully break down the formula — based on the D’Hondt method — used to calculate the strength of field, and give an example of how it will work. The pair also give insight into how the D’Hondt method was chosen and why the top 100 athletes in the worldwide ranking is the pool size used in the calculation.Learn more about the strength-of-field calculation and see it in action with a hypothetical distribution of the top 100 women here → https://games.crossfit.com/article/strength-field-explained
Sign up for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open at games.crossfit.com.
*Note: the top 100 in the worldwide rankings are based on the previous two years of competition results. This list is not simply the top 100 athletes from the 2023 Quarterfinals competition.
Presented by NOBULL.

Ep. 078: Worldwide Ranking System Explained Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

“The basic system is very simple — as athletes compete through the season, they can gain points for each stage of the season that they compete in. Obviously, you’re gonna get more points for placing higher and less points for placing lower, and your worldwide ranking will be determined based on the total number of points that you’ve accumulated over the season, or in this case, two years.” — Adrian Bozman
A new worldwide ranking system was recently introduced for the 2023 CrossFit Games season.Using a sliding two-year span of data, athletes will earn points — based on their performances during the four stages of competition — that will be used to calculate their ranking. Available points will increase as athletes advance through the season. One of the worldwide ranking system’s functions will be to determine the final number of Games-qualifying spots at each Semifinal event.
In this episode, Competition Director Adrian Bozman and Senior Manager of the Competition Team Dave Eubanks join host Chase Ingraham to explain this new system in depth and give insight into the thinking and decision-making behind this new process.
Hear from Boz and Eubanks as they break down the point system, explaining how athletes will earn points during each stage of the season and how many are up for grabs, and briefly explain how this ranking system will be used to determine the strength of field at Semifinal competitions.
Learn more about why athletes will be ranked on a worldwide level during the Open and Quarterfinals, and how points will be allocated during the Semifinal and Games stages.In order to earn points toward your ranking, you’ve got to play. It all starts with the CrossFit Open.
Sign up today for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open at open.crossfit.com.

Ep. 077: How to Prepare for the CrossFit Open & Equipment List Breakdown Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

“(Adrian Bozman) is probably about to dose us up with what we’re missing or what he thinks we’re missing.” — Adrian ConwayFormer CrossFit Games athlete and coach
Adrian Conway joins host Chase Ingraham on the podcast this week to review the newly released equipment list for the online stages of the 2023 season and talk about how to prepare for the upcoming CrossFit Open.
“The equipment list for not just the Open — that’s the thing. The equipment list just got unveiled from CrossFit, and it said ‘All Online Competition’ equipment list.” — Chase Ingraham
The launch of early registration for the Open and the recent unveiling of the equipment list for the online stages of competition provide affiliate owners, athletes, and coaches an opportunity to get ready for the upcoming season.
In this episode, Conway offers ways athletes can begin prepping for the Open, noting that consistency is a great place to start. Conway and Ingraham also break down the equipment list in full detail and let their imaginations run wild, sharing their ideas for new “outside-of-the-box” movements that the community might see this season.
Are you ready to party? Sign up for the CrossFit Open today at games.crossfit.com.
Presented by Wilde Brands. Get 20% off your first order at wildebrands.com using code WILDEFIT20.

Ep. 076: Co-Founder Guido Trinidad Talks Wodapalooza Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

“What we really aspire people to leave with regardless if they’re showing up as a spectator or as a competitor is (to) really embrace the community. … Take the focus off of yourself a little bit, regardless of what stake you play, and invest in other people and watch other people compete. … Everybody can inspire you.
”Wodapalooza (WZA), co-founded by Peak 360 CrossFit owner Guido Trinidad, began as a one-day fitness competition in Miami in 2012. Since then, the competition has evolved into a four-day fitness festival, uniting the local Florida community and athletes from around the world in a celebration of fitness, community, and life.
Trinidad joins host Chase Ingraham to dive into the competition’s 11th season, running Jan. 12 through Jan. 15.In this episode, Trinidad reflects on the evolution of the event, its impact on the CrossFit community, and how it remains true to the ethos of the competition.
He also shares the importance of providing an excellent experience for everyone participating in the event — not just athletes — and hopes the competition will continue providing “an experience unlike anything else” to the community.
New this year due to the design of the schedule, individual athletes will also be able to compete in the team division. Trinidad gives his insight on the team competition and how he approaches programming to provide athletes with a mental and physical challenge that is safe, fun, and exciting.
Find out more about why Wodapalooza is such a well-known and special competition, and what Trinidad is most looking forward to this year.
Can’t experience Wodapalooza in person? Watch the live stream on YouTube and/or the CrossFit Games website to be part of the action.
Presented by O2 Recovery.

Ep. 075: Planning for CrossFit Semifinals With John “JMac” McLaughlin Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

“How can we Tetris together seven different events over every continent in the world that does then fit in to meet the criteria for a great location, great test, and a great community and athlete experience?”
Senior Manager of Events John McLaughlin — better known as JMac in the community — drops in on the podcast to discuss the recent announcement of CrossFit Semifinal locations. CrossFit has worked toward releasing information about the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games season early to give the community ample time to plan and prepare ahead of the new year. Most recently, locations for Semifinals — the third stage of competition — were released through the Hopper.
Read more here → https://games.crossfit.com/article/2023-nobull-crossfit-games-semifinals
In this episode, McLaughlin sheds light on what key factors played a role in selecting venues for Semifinals around the globe, citing venue availability, competition footprint, and spectator and athlete experience as part of the considerations.
CrossFit also announced this year that the number of Semifinal events would be reduced from 10 to seven, all with standardized programming and with CrossFit running the North American and European Semifinals. After reviewing the locations and schedule, McLaughlin provides insight on these changes and CrossFit’s connection and role in supporting the additional four Semifinal competitions.
To close out the show, McLaughlin shares what he’s most looking forward to in the new year, especially during the Semifinals stage of competition.
Subscribe to the Hopper and sign up for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open at games.crossfit.com.
Presented by Wilde Brands. Get 20% off your first order at wildebrands.com using code WILDEFIT20.

Ep. 074: How to Make the CrossFit Open Fun Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

“It’s just what we do. We do things that make us uncomfortable, we do things that challenge us because we know they make us better. And that is the Open. That is CrossFit.” — Adam Neiffer
Nicole Christensen, owner of CrossFit Roots and CF-L4 trainer, and Adam Neiffer, owner of CrossFit Fort Vancouver and coach to two-time Fittest Man on Earth Justin Medeiros, pop in on the podcast to share their insights on the CrossFit Open, why they encourage others to participate, and how they create an exciting atmosphere for their members.
The 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open is quickly approaching and as longtime affiliate owners, Christensen and Neiffer have a bank of ways to make the competition fun and memorable.
After sharing what gets them excited about the Open, the pair gives a plethora of examples of activities and competitions they’ve run alongside the Open — such as an intramural competition, talent shows, and trivia games — that make the experience more enjoyable and fosters a supportive, encouraging, and unified culture inside their gyms.
With a diverse level of athletes training at their affiliates, Christensen and Neiffer also provide insight on how they balance the competition for everyday athletes and competitive athletes, agreeing that it’s “easy.”
“I think the Open does such a good job — and especially the last few years — of making it accessible for not just adaptive athletes, but foundations athletes, scaled, Rx’d,” Neiffer says. “Everybody gets to play and finding the right version is easy because it’s already done for us. It’s just a matter of supporting each person at the gym as an individual, and that’s no different from what we do every day in the gym.”
Throughout the podcast, the group also touches on how the Open can be a motivator and catalyst for strengthening relationships among their members, explains how the Open offers athletes an opportunity to set up goals for the new year, and gives advice on how to coach and guide athletes who are hesitant to participate in the competition.
Sign up for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games today at games.crossfit.com. Presented by O2 Hydration.

Ep. 073: Why the CrossFit Open Is Special — With CEO Don Faul and Adrian Bozman Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

“What makes (the Open) worth it is all the things we’ve been talking about so far — the camaraderie, the fact that anybody can do it. What a confidence boost to take anybody who’s not athletic, isn’t particularly health-conscious, and over the course of time they can enter into something like this and see success, whatever that looks like to them. Maybe it’s just the fact that they did it … and that’s worth far more than any combination of movements that’s gonna come out of the Hopper.” — Adrian Bozman
CrossFit CEO Don Faul and Competition Director Adrian Bozman join host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to share their favorite and worst memories from the Open, their personal reasons for competing, and why they encourage the global community to participate in 2023.
The 13th annual 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open is quickly approaching, and registration for the three-week worldwide competition, beginning Feb. 16, is now open.
After reminiscing on their first Open experiences, the trio explains the importance of the affiliate’s role in the competition, highlighting the benefits of a built-in support system with members of the gym and expert coaching from trainers who can support and encourage members to get out of their comfort zones.
Bozman also reflects on past live Open announcements, including 21.3 at CrossFit Hendersonville, and discusses plans for next year’s workout announcements. He also shares what people can expect from the programming and explains challenges that come with planning for such a large, inclusive competition.
Faul and Bozman also explain how the competition’s registration fee helps support the CrossFit ecosystem and why it is important to CrossFit’s future success.
For anyone feeling apprehensive about signing up for the Open, Bozman offers his insight, saying, “It’s really what you do every day. … There’s nothing new there.”
Throughout the podcast, the group reminds listeners why the Open is such a special and unique competition, and closes out the show sharing their most challenging Open workout experiences.
Whether it’s to support the CrossFit ecosystem, get out of your comfort zone, or to see if your hard work all year has been paying off, sign up for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Open today at games.crossfit.com.
Presented by Wilde Chips. Get 20% off your first order on wildebrands.com with code: WILDEFIT20.

Ep. 072: A Deeper Look Into What’s New in the 2023 Rulebook Nov 17, 2022

Show notes

“From an athlete perspective, it can get very, very frustrating trying to plan your season, trying to plan your training, not knowing what’s going on, so the real goal here was to support the athletes as best as possible in a world where it’s unknown and unknowable most of the time.” — Becky Harsh
Athlete Communications Manager Becky Harsh joins host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to review new changes to the 2023 CrossFit Competition Rulebook and discuss her role as a liaison between CrossFit and athletes.
Transparency and early communication between CrossFit and the community has become a priority, and as Athlete Communications Manager, Harsh has been working closely with athlete committees to ensure their voices are heard.
One step forward has been the earlier-than-ever release of the 2023 Competition Rulebook to allow athletes a chance to plan appropriately for the upcoming season.
Harsh and Ingraham discuss region selection (Section 1.08), including the division of North America into East and West, and how athletes can petition for citizenship exemption (Section 1.09), noting a firm due date to file.
The pair also dive into team eligibility and team rosters (Sections 1.14 and 2.04) for Quarterfinals, Open score submission and validation (Sections 1.20 and 1.21), and the truncated Quarterfinals schedule (Section 2.06).
The Rulebook also includes a new “Appeals” section for individual and team athletes competing at Semifinals (Section 4.10) with an explanation of a two-appeal rule provision, and explains the backfill process for the CrossFit Games (Section 6.02).
Finally, CrossFit is awarding a complimentary Level 1 or Level 2 course to the top five finishers in all adaptive divisions and to all individual, team (excluding alternates), and age-group athletes who qualify, register, and complete the on-site Athlete Registration at the CrossFit Games (Appendix C).
For full season details, refer to the official 2023 Competition Rulebook at games.crossfit.com/rules.
Questions or concerns? Email support@crossfitgames.com.

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