2019 Crossfit Games

[OCG]

Back when Froning was winning his individual titles he was talking about doing like 6 WOD'S a day and stuff compared to everyone elses 2 or 3. I suspect that other competitors have started to copy him in that regard. I'm also not sure what the drug testing is like for the games either. I know that last year they had a few people test positive and receive bans, but it honestly felt like they were just sacrificial lambs to appease their critics.

Yeah, uhh, sometimes athletes lie about their training in order to get their opponents to do stupid shit.

[LexAnderson]

Back when Froning was winning his individual titles he was talking about doing like 6 WOD'S a day and stuff compared to everyone elses 2 or 3. I suspect that other competitors have started to copy him in that regard. I'm also not sure what the drug testing is like for the games either. I know that last year they had a few people test positive and receive bans, but it honestly felt like they were just sacrificial lambs to appease their critics.

Yeah, uhh, sometimes athletes lie about their training in order to get their opponents to do stupid shit.

No doubt about it, but I think that the main thing we are seeing now is the top games athletes are now professional athletes. Up until a couple of years ago most of the athletes had regular 9-5 type jobs and did Crossfit before or after work. Now with all of the money being pumped in to the sport, the top athletes can afford to train full time. I take everything with a grain of salt these days as to what people say their training is like. But Froning is a pretty well documented athlete who has been shown more than enough times doing a stupid amount of WOD's in a day.

Also, I've heard a lot of people who are in to Crossfit talk about doing WOD's as if they are addicted to them. Really a cult mentality going on there.

[alek]

Back when Froning was winning his individual titles he was talking about doing like 6 WOD'S a day and stuff compared to everyone elses 2 or 3. I suspect that other competitors have started to copy him in that regard. I'm also not sure what the drug testing is like for the games either. I know that last year they had a few people test positive and receive bans, but it honestly felt like they were just sacrificial lambs to appease their critics.

I tried watching the Netflix propaganda documentary about crossfit a few months ago, and some head honcho said something like, “At the games, they’re tested. What they do the rest of the year, ...” I turned it off right after that.

[ChrisMcCarthy1979]

I tried watching the Netflix propaganda documentary about crossfit a few months ago, and some head honcho said something like, “At the games, they’re tested. What they do the rest of the year, ...” I turned it off right after that.

Really? Why?

[LexAnderson]

I can understand why they are only tested at the games or regionals. The field is so vast, and large, and literally anyone can qualify or fail to qualify for the games every year. Ben Smith almost missed the games this year, but was granted a "wild card" entry in to the games, and he is a former champion and several times in the top 10.

I think that it would be difficult/waste of resources to attempt to test the athletes throughout the year before the games. Who do you test? Do you only test the biggest names in the sport? What if they don't qualify for the games? What about the up and comer who breaks through and makes it in to the top 10 in their first year competing, they weren't tested at all until the games because they were an unknown. It's just a difficult thing to do really.

[alek]

I can understand why they are only tested at the games or regionals. The field is so vast, and large, and literally anyone can qualify or fail to qualify for the games every year. Ben Smith almost missed the games this year, but was granted a "wild card" entry in to the games, and he is a former champion and several times in the top 10.

I think that it would be difficult/waste of resources to attempt to test the athletes throughout the year before the games. Who do you test? Do you only test the biggest names in the sport? What if they don't qualify for the games? What about the up and comer who breaks through and makes it in to the top 10 in their first year competing, they weren't tested at all until the games because they were an unknown. It's just a difficult thing to do really.

Oh sure. I agree with all of this. The bee in my bonnet is how it’s proclaimed how crossfit athletes are the “fittest on earth” and no one does any ped’s; at least that was what I remember from the video. Just claim they’re the fittest on earth. Don’t claim they’re clean when you don’t/can’t know.

[bobmen10000]

I can understand why they are only tested at the games or regionals. The field is so vast, and large, and literally anyone can qualify or fail to qualify for the games every year. Ben Smith almost missed the games this year, but was granted a "wild card" entry in to the games, and he is a former champion and several times in the top 10.

I think that it would be difficult/waste of resources to attempt to test the athletes throughout the year before the games. Who do you test? Do you only test the biggest names in the sport? What if they don't qualify for the games? What about the up and comer who breaks through and makes it in to the top 10 in their first year competing, they weren't tested at all until the games because they were an unknown. It's just a difficult thing to do really.

Oh sure. I agree with all of this. The bee in my bonnet is how it’s proclaimed how crossfit athletes are the “fittest on earth” and no one does any ped’s; at least that was what I remember from the video. Just claim they’re the fittest on earth. Don’t claim they’re clean when you don’t/can’t know.

They have to claim they are clean for pr reasons and - sadly enough - to keep the government out of their business. I don't believe anyone is clean in strength sports, conversely I don't believe everyone is dirty (on peds) in strength sports.

[asdf]

The bee in my bonnet is how it’s proclaimed how crossfit athletes are the “fittest on earth” and no one does any ped’s; at least that was what I remember from the video.

What video are you referencing? I've never heard CrossFit HQ claim that none of their athletes use PEDs. Source?

Here's what Glassman himself said when someone tried to call out John Welbourn, NFL veteran and founder of CrossFit Football, for being busted for steroids. Glassman mentions Rippetoe at the end, by the way.

I don't want to be the one to break this to you, but, nearly everyone in the NFL, certainly every one who plays in John's position, is engaged in exogenous hormonal therapy.

The testing for banned substances is not a zero tolerance deal, but for each banned substance there is an upper limit that is tolerated beyond which there's trouble.

Elite cyclists, football players, body builders, throwers, sprinters, ...ALL on steroids. This cannot be rationally denied.

It is mistaken perception that the ones "caught" are cheaters and the others "clean". The ones caught have erred in dosage, masking, or metabolized abnormally slow the outlawed substances. They are more unlucky than anything else. These athletes are no more cheaters than stepping out of bounds accidentally on the one yard line before crossing the goal line is cheating.

The best reading I've seen on steroid use was written by Malcolm Gladwell (Yeah, the author of "Blink"). You owe it to yourself and the Chatanooga affiliate to school yourself on the subject!

BTW, If you're thinking that Mark Rippetoe has a different take on this or shares your misapprehension and condemnation of athletes taking steroids, then you don't know the man as well as I do.

Source: http://games2008.crossfit.com/athletes/ ... fraid.html

[ChrisMcCarthy1979]

I can understand why they are only tested at the games or regionals. The field is so vast, and large, and literally anyone can qualify or fail to qualify for the games every year. Ben Smith almost missed the games this year, but was granted a "wild card" entry in to the games, and he is a former champion and several times in the top 10.

I think that it would be difficult/waste of resources to attempt to test the athletes throughout the year before the games. Who do you test? Do you only test the biggest names in the sport? What if they don't qualify for the games? What about the up and comer who breaks through and makes it in to the top 10 in their first year competing, they weren't tested at all until the games because they were an unknown. It's just a difficult thing to do really.

Bit like most sports, then.

[alek]

They have to claim they are clean for pr reasons and - sadly enough - to keep the government out of their business. I don't believe anyone is clean in strength sports, conversely I don't believe everyone is dirty (on peds) in strength sports.

Agreed; hunnerd percent.

What video are you referencing? I've never heard CrossFit HQ claim that none of their athletes use PEDs. Source?

The documentary is "The Redeemed and the Dominant" on Netflix. My memory of it is likely not completely accurate since it's been a few months, but it started out as a decent enough showcase of some boxes, coaches, and their clients. All good IMO. At one point, I think someone (not sure who) said something about nobody dopes because they self-police or something like that. Then it segues to the games and ped's, and someone, (I think Glassman--he's the one that wears undershirts and unbottoned dress shirts, right?) said the bit about the athletes are tested before the games but not during the year, so they don't know what they're doing then.

Did Glassman, or anyone else representing CrossfitHQ, specifically say that no crossfit athlete dopes? I just simply don't remember. Probably not. The specific statement was likely something closer to, "At the games, they are clean."

But my recollection from the part of the video that I watched (From the start up to and including the interview with who I think is Glassman.) gave me the impression that, "No, crossfit athletes do not use ped's. They are the fittest on earth."

[CamLeslie]

I hate to break this to you guys but wherever there is a large monetary prize involved, PEDs are ubiquitous. It's not even up for debate any more.

[Allentown]

But my recollection from the part of the video that I watched (From the start up to and including the interview with who I think is Glassman.) gave me the impression that, "No, crossfit athletes do not use ped's. They are the fittest on earth."

The impression I got back in the day was that everyone was 100% sure all you needed was the right paleo diet and the mainsite WOD and you'd transform into a little Arnold but with a <6 min mile.

[LexAnderson]

But my recollection from the part of the video that I watched (From the start up to and including the interview with who I think is Glassman.) gave me the impression that, "No, crossfit athletes do not use ped's. They are the fittest on earth."

The impression I got back in the day was that everyone was 100% sure all you needed was the right paleo diet and the mainsite WOD and you'd transform into a little Arnold but with a <6 min mile.

As Hulk Hogan says you just need to eat your veggies, say your prayers and take your vitamins!

[alek]

I hate to break this to you guys but wherever there is a large monetary prize involved, PEDs are ubiquitous. It's not even up for debate any more.

Yeah, I’m not that naive. It was more the reverence that bothered me.

But my recollection from the part of the video that I watched (From the start up to and including the interview with who I think is Glassman.) gave me the impression that, "No, crossfit athletes do not use ped's. They are the fittest on earth."

The impression I got back in the day was that everyone was 100% sure all you needed was the right paleo diet and the mainsite WOD and you'd transform into a little Arnold but with a <6 min mile.

But wasn’t that you before you found SS?

[Allentown]

But wasn’t that you before you found SS?

Yeah, then SS said "just drink a gallon of milk and do your 5 deadlifts a week, and you'll look like Derek Poundstone!"

Turns out, it doesn't matter what I do, I just look like varying levels of fat me.

[CamLeslie]

Yeah, I’m not that naive. It was more the reverence that bothered me.

Wasn't referencing you, more this statement...

... conversely I don't believe everyone is dirty (on peds) in strength sports.

[asdf]

The documentary is "The Redeemed and the Dominant" on Netflix.

Thanks. Hadn't even heard of it.

I scanned the cast list on IMDB. I didn't see Glassman's name, but I saw this fellow was in the film.

RICKY GARARD DISQUALIFIED

[TimF]

Getting back to the actual fail of the event, here's a good take from Elgintensity:

[OCG]

So, business as usual?

[DirtyRed]

Glassman made the Games more like the Olympics in terms of international diversity, which I think is great.

This is as stupid as putting the best golfer from Cambodia in the US Open just because he's the best golfer in Cambodia, ignoring that ranks him about 9000th in the world.