STACK was on hand to witness the search for the “Fittest on Earth” at last weekend’s 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games in Carson, Calif. This was the sixth annual CrossFit Games and the second year in which Reebok was the title sponsor. In front of a sold out crowd of 80,000+, athletes showed off their physical fitness over three days in a series of workouts that tested the ten principles of physical fitness: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. (Accuracy is the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.)
Since true fitness means being ready for anything, the workouts at the CrossFit Games change every year and are not announced until just before the games begin. The event includes men’s and women’s individual competitions, a team competition, and master’s competitions for athletes aged 45 and older.
For the first time since the Games began in 2007, both Rich Froning Jr. (age 24) of Tennessee and Annie Thorisdottir (age 22) from Iceland repeated as CrossFit champions. The two were crowned the “Fittest on Earth” for the second year in a row and walked away with the $250,000 grand prize.
In the video below, STACK caught up with Reebok President Uli Becker, Reebok Head of Fitness and Training Chris Froio and Reebok Chief Marketing Officer Matt O’Toole to discuss the future of CrossFit and Reebok’s mission to grow the sport.
Learn more about how you can incorporate CrossFit into your training.