Over the last few months since my second place finish at the 2008 CrossFit Games, I’ve been repeatedly asked how I trained for the Games—I get asked in person quite often whenever I’m at CrossFit-related events, and I receive regular emails about the subject as well. I guess people are really interested because I’m the only person, male or female, who has finished in the top three both years. I’m very proud of that accomplishment and very flattered that people are interested in what I’m doing. However, the short answer to the question is that I didn’t train for the CrossFit Games… And the long answer isn’t as nearly complicated or as interesting as most people are hoping for when they ask.



I’m actually having trouble getting started on this article because I’m about to take something simple—this article was originally a two-sentence email—and make it much more complicated than it actually is. Genius is found when people take the complicated and turn it into something simple and understandable… those who know me well no I’m no genius, so I guess I should be OK with what I’m about to embark on.

My training schedule:

Monday
Agility work for about 15 minutes followed by 1 sprint at each distance: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 300 m

Tuesday
Olympic lifting workout & squats for about 45 minutes followed by a 2-5 minute weightroom based met-con

Wednesday
Sprints: generally 10 x 40 yds or a hill about 30-40 yds—sprint up and walk down for 20 minutes

Thursday
Olympic lifting & squats for 45 minutes, followed by a 7-15 minute running-based met-con (think Helen-ish)

Friday
Off

Saturday
Olympic lifting workout followed by usually 1 x 40 chins

Sunday
Off

Why do I train like this? Because I enjoy it. I love the feeling of sprinting and what it does for my body. I enjoy being able to throw up heavy O-lifts. I could have skipped Mondays and Wednesdays all together and done just as well at the CrossFit Games. This is my workout regiment because it’s the most volume I can handle at this age. If I could, I’d train 6 days a week, 2 hours a day like I did all through my late teens and twenties. I would train like this not because it would better prepare me for the games or give me better fitness, but because I love the O-lifts, kettlebells, the patch, strongman training, track workouts, etc., but I can’t do it all anymore. I follow this regimen for three weeks then take a complete week off—three weeks on and one week off per month.



I make no claims that this is a superior training program to any other in developing fitness. This program allows me to practice my first and second modality loves (Olympic weightlifting & sprinting) at a high level (for me) while maintaining a reasonable amount of fitness (as defined by CrossFit). If your goal is fitness or your goal is to place as high as you can in the CrossFit Games, it’s my opinion that you should be following the WOD on Crossfit.com. Those aren’t my goals, so I don’t.

The reason why this program works for me (work as in I can also be a top CrossFitter) is the past 20 years of my training. I started running competitive track at age 10… I began squatting in the gym at age 14… Ethan Reeve taught me how to O-lift at age 22, I’ve been training under Mike Burgener since age 24… proficiency of those elements combined with a certain mentality equate to a high level of fitness.

Before Mike Burgener introduced me to CrossFit my training looked like this. What allows me to not follow Crossfit.com and still compete with Khalipa, OPT, Speal, etc., is the fact that I’ve been practicing real fitness for almost 20 years with a level of dedication that, for the most part, only CrossFitters understand. I’ve been able to squat 400+ pounds and run a mile in under 5:30 for the last 15 years of my life with the only exceptions being a few months following surgeries from playing football. That type of rock solid fitness foundation and consistency allows me just to touch on certain aspects of my fitness and still maintain a fairly high level with them.



People also ask me about my diet as well since they have heard I don’t follow the Zone. I’m not even going to go there because my diet is not designed to optimize health or performance. I eat healthier than 99% of the American public, but that’s like saying I’m the smartest kid on the short bus. I choose a diet that I enjoy and that does not hinder my health/fitness… I’m a few small steps away from a diet that would optimize performance. If I were serious about my nutrition, I’d do paleo-zone.

Seems like boring stuff to me, but I hope you find it interesting & helpful.