6 Top CrossFit Athletes to Watch in 2022

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CrossFit is a fairly young sport, and most of the athletes in the professional federation came from other strength disciplines. However, over the past 5 years, many stars have appeared on the Olympus of this original and spectacular all-around event, striking with their physical capabilities and excellent athletic form.

We have chosen for you, among all the bright and promising CrossFitters, those who have not left the pedestals for several years in a row, amazing with their endurance, determination and incredible sporting achievements.

Mikko Salo

Mikko Salo is the face of modern CrossFit. One of the first athletes who was able to show outstanding results. And although at the time of 2017, his performance is very average, this does not prevent him from participating in games and taking prizes

Katrin Tanja Devidsdottir

For almost 10 years, Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir (@katrintanja) did gymnastics and another year in track and field. The girl's debut in CrossFit took place in 2011, when she was only 18 years old. And just a few years later, thanks to her phenomenal abilities, Katherine became a two-time CrossFit Games champion - in 2015 and 2016.

Katherine's motto is laconic, but with a deep meaning: “Total dedication is victory.”

Katherine now lives and trains in the USA.

Throwback to the greatest thing that ever happened to me. – 1️⃣ Hands-Free start recording ?? 2️⃣ Ehhhh bad shot .. ?? 3️⃣ Possibly a worse shot than the prev. ?? 4️⃣ Ok screwwww this it's going in backwards .. 5️⃣ NO WAIT WHAT?! IT LEGIT WENT IN AND HANDSFREE WAS STILL RECORDING ??????? – Bahahahahahahahahaha best. video. I. own. Ok byyyyeeeeee

A post shared by Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir (@katrintanja) on Nov 16, 2022 at 1:05pm PST

Kathryn-Tanja Davidsdottir

The appearance of Katherine-Tanya Davidsdottir in CrossFit was the decisive factor that attracted most modern women to this difficult sport. First of all, she did this not due to her phenomenal athletic performance and constant attention at competitions, but due to the fact that she was able to show that a strong woman does not necessarily look scary, and may well have attractive feminine forms.

Results of the 1st Russian CrossFit Championship | News | FIGHT NIGHTS

The final of the First Russian CrossFit Championship took place in Moscow (Gorky Park). The strongest crossfitters from all over the country competed for the title of “The most physically prepared person in Russia”, who were able to prove their high level of physical fitness by going through several qualifying stages and completing a special “test” set of exercises, difficult even for many professional athletes. The finals of the championship were attended by 60 of the most prepared women and men from all over the country. The athletes had to determine the strongest by performing 4 sets of exercises. Personal judges awarded points to the participants, on the basis of which the rating of athletes was compiled. The best result among women was shown by Olga Portnova (St. Petersburg), Elizaveta Acesserova (Moscow) was in second place, and Tatyana Guseva (Moscow) was in third place. In the competition among men, the winner was Danila Shokhin (Solnechnogorsk), Alexey Nemtsov (Moscow) took second place, and Fedor Serkov (Ekaterinburg) took third place.

“CrossFit for me is, first of all, the most effective way to develop many qualities of my body - endurance, speed, coordination - things that will always be useful in life. I am very glad that Russia now has its own CrossFit Championship. I’m sure this will popularize sports, fitness and a healthy lifestyle,” said the most physically fit woman in Russia, Olga Portnova. Participants who took the first three places were awarded cash prizes of 125,000 rubles, 80,000 rubles and 40,000 rubles, respectively. In addition, the winners of Russian CrossFit competitions will have a unique chance to defend the honor of our country at the CrossFit World Championships in 2013.

In addition to the main competitions, the event included a demonstration training session for the absolute world champion in kickboxing Batu Khasikov, the winner of the European Cup in combat sambo Ivan Kosov and the Russian champion in Thai boxing, jiu-jitsu and mixfight Yulia Berezikova. At the training site under the guidance of experienced trainers, sports and show business stars also tried their hand at CrossFit: Yulia Volkova, Laysan Utyasheva, Kamil Gadzhiev, Dilya, Anastasia Grebennikova, Mikhail Safronov, Nikita Tarasov. The Reebok company supported the aspirations of young Russian athletes for a healthy lifestyle by providing a platform, clothing and spectator stands for the finals of the First Russian CrossFit Championship.

The event was also held with the support of the All-Russian public movement “For a Sports Country”, organized by famous martial artists led by the absolute world champion in kickboxing Batu Khasikov. The CrossFit Championship fully meets the goals of the movement - by personal example to convince young people across the country to regularly engage in their physical development.

About crossfit

CrossFit is a system of high-intensity training in which a variety of functional exercises from gymnastics, weightlifting and cardio training are usually performed in a constantly varying combination over a short period of time. This is a new, one of the most progressive areas of fitness, which is practiced by more than 2 million people around the world.

A typical CrossFit workout consists of several rounds, each of which includes 3-5 exercises. The main objective is to complete the maximum number of rounds in the given time or complete a certain number of rounds in the minimum time. The exercises are performed in supersets, that is, without a break. CrossFit uses three types of exercises: cardio (running, rowing, cycling); with your own weight (pull-ups, push-ups, squats); with free weights (barbell, weights). Almost every workout uses new combinations of exercises. As a result, it is possible to avoid getting used to the loads, so that over time the intensity of exercise does not decrease, but the effectiveness increases.

The main goal of CrossFit is to improve human health by developing 10 basic abilities of the body: endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and endurance of the cardio-respiratory system. Thus, CrossFit is considered the healthiest type of training, which allows you to discover the inexhaustible physical resources of a person, regardless of age. CrossFit can be practiced by both preschool children and pensioners.

In the USA, over the past 6 years, world CrossFit competitions have been held, the winners of which demonstrate a significantly higher level of physical fitness than even Olympic champions in conventional sports. The pioneers of CrossFit appeared in Russia about two years ago. Today, the number of actively involved crossfitters in Russia is more than 50,000 people.

About the Russian CrossFit Championship

The CrossFit Championship (officially the Reebok CrossFit Fitness Championship) is a nationwide championship that determines the “fittest people.”

The Reebok CrossFit Championship 2012 in Moscow is one of nine national CrossFit Championships organized in 2012 throughout Europe. In addition to Russia, the championship is held in the following countries: Great Britain, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Poland. To reach the finals of the championship, participants had to go through two qualifying stages: qualifying and preparatory.

Qualification stage

To apply for participation in the championship, athletes had to complete a test set of WOD exercises (from Workout of the Day - “workout of the day”), published on the official website of the championship, film the execution and post it on youtube.com. For Russian athletes, registration for the championship was open from February 22 to May 26. In total, more than 300 applications were submitted from all over Russia. The geography of the participants covered more than 20 cities – from the Urals (Novosibirsk) to Kaliningrad and even Ukraine. Each video submission was carefully reviewed and evaluated by a distinguished jury of certified CrossFit trainers. Based on the selection results, the best 60 men and women moved on to the next, preparatory, stage.

Preparatory stage

This stage consisted of two stages - a preparatory training program and two additional qualifying WODs. At the first stage, the participants went through the training phase (On Ramp), during which the best CrossFit specialists explained to them the correct technique of performing exercises, the principles of CrossFit, the rules of judging and gave recommendations for more effective preparation for the championship. The training was conducted both remotely (via the championship website, where new videos and other additional information were posted every day), and at the CrossFit site in Neskuchny Garden, which was visited by over a thousand people since the beginning of May. The site hosted master classes from CrossFit sports stars and professional trainers, including those invited from the American headquarters of CrossFit.

At the end of the preparatory program, athletes were asked to perform two qualifying WODs, which were also evaluated by the jury. Based on the final results, the top 30 men and women were selected to participate in the finals.

Photo: Roman Konovalov

Jason Calipa

Jason Calipa - Former firefighter and weightlifter who was able to show that you can still perform impressively when switching between sports. Throughout his career, he participated in the CrossFit games more than 8 times, and almost every time he got into prize places.

His performance is very modest in terms of speed, but he is rightfully considered one of the strongest athletes.

CROSSFIT GAMES: WHAT AND HOW.

So what are the CrossFit Games, what do they consist of, and how are they conducted? I think it is already clear that these games reveal, without exaggeration, some of the strongest, most resilient and dexterous athletes in the world. As a rule, games have several WODs. Each WOD features a combination of unique movements related in some way to weightlifting, track and field, or even gymnastics and swimming, and the ability to deftly manipulate external objects.

The competition is held in 3 stages: 1. The Open – 5 complexes are held online over 5 weeks. Athletes film video of performing complexes, clearly recording the time and following the rules of the games, or undergo certification in affiliated clubs. The entire sports world is divided into 17 sectors, from which 48 athletes are selected based on the test results; in each sector, they continue further test selections based on the sum of their points. 2. Regions is already a severe test with real opponents. There are an average of 6-7 WODs in the test, and only 3 CrossFit athletes from each region will make it to the further round of the CrossFit Games. 3. Reebok CrossFit Games (RCF Games) – this is the apogee of the long path to the championship! This is where the strongest and most talented crossfitters will collide in the arena. Since 2015, monetary incentives have increased manifold, prizes began to be earned already at the 2nd stage of the games, and in the final the cash prize increased to 2 million US dollars.

Camille Leblanc Bazinet

Camille Leblanc Bazinet made her CrossFit debut back in 2009. Since then, she has lost only one competition - in 2014, in all other competitions Camilla emerged victorious.

She is rightfully considered the thinnest and most beautiful female athlete in the world of CrossFitter all-around. But, most importantly, over the years she has not lost her physical shape and is ready to show herself in all her glory at the upcoming Dubai competitions with new incredible records.

Sasha Nievas - CrossFitter Olympian

Sasha Nievas came from the Olympic world, and a bronze medal was hung around her neck at the age of 16. She received it for participating in the 58 kg weightlifting category at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

She placed 15th in Dubai and 19th in Wodapalooza. These are the most serious records for any CrossFitter.

She really wants to crush him this year. And she could.

Mat Fraser

Mat Fraser, a former weightlifter and powerlifter, was forced to say goodbye to his bodybuilding career due to knee injuries. But he did not give up and after the operation he entered the world of CrossFit, where he rightfully earned the fame of “the strongest of the strongest.” At the same time, its other characteristics are at their best. This Canadian-American simply “killed” his competitors in 2016 with his athletic achievements in CrossFit.

Brooke Ence

Brooke Ans has been a pretty girl with charming white curls since childhood. They predicted any career for her, but certainly not one of the strongest women on the planet.

#tbt My mom knew what was up when it came to style! Mine and @marzmedia kids will be total studs for sure! #muscletee #killingitsince1989

A post shared by brookeence (@brookeence) on Dec 26, 2013 at 5:43pm PST

Before becoming interested in CrossFit, Brooke Ence (@brookeence) had purely feminine hobbies - she was a very promising dancer and occasionally played in the theater. The girl also has a rather interesting and successful career in the world of fitness behind her.

Could be mistaken as Halloween! Hahaha #tbt to when I was starting my journey to find true fitness; so happy I was only taking a pit stop in that world! So grateful for where I am today! #crossfit #functionalfitness #suntanoverspraytan

A post shared by brookeence (@brookeence) on Oct 30, 2014 at 10:53am PDT

Brooke Ence won regional competitions and competed in the 2015 Games. After winning two complexes, the athlete became 14th in the overall standings. This young woman is 28 years old. She produces her own brand of sports shoes and stars in films, one of which premiered this summer, entitled “Wonder Woman.” Brooke currently works as a trainer at CrossFit West Santa Cruz in California.

Her motto, which guides her in life, sounds very bold: “Lions Never Lose Sleep Over The Opinions Of Sheep!” (lions never lose sleep over the opinions of sheep).

Rich Froning

And of course we can’t forget about Rich Fronning. This is, of course, an outstanding athlete who attracts attention with his appearance no less than with his sporting achievements. Four-time winner of the CrossFit Games, owner of the largest shoulders. At the same time, he has the highest mass/strength/speed indicators, thanks to which in recent years he has been considered the main athlete in the CrossFit industry.

He lost just one competition in 2016 to Matt Fraser, but at the same time, in all preparatory stages and in other programs, he consistently turned out to be the best athlete of the decade.

Chyna Cho

The story of Chyna Cho (@chynacho) coming to CrossFit can be described in one word - contrary. The girl started doing CrossFit while recovering from a knee injury she received while swimming at San Jose State. Chyna underwent three surgeries, after which doctors gave her a disappointing verdict: she would never be able to fully bend her knee again.

Having recovered from what she heard, Chyna pulled herself together and proved that nothing is impossible and everyone makes mistakes. Her first trip to the CrossFit Games was in 2010. Then the athlete took 14th place in the overall standings. From that moment on, Chyna was no longer able to qualify for the final stage of the Games until 2014. So far, her biggest achievement is sixth place at the Games 2015.

This is what Chyna looked like in the photo below before CrossFit in 2009. It should be noted that she had quite curvy figures, but the girl herself likes her current figure much better.

DOUBLE #tbt TO 2009 AND 2014. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT'S NICE TO REFLECT ON HOW FAR YOU'VE COME. ? @crossfit @crossfitgames #workhard #reebok #chynacho #transformation #crossfitchangedmylife

A post shared by Chyna Cho (@chynacho) on Sep 3, 2015 at 8:56pm PDT

Even though China Cho has not yet managed to become the strongest woman on the planet, she has achieved what she wanted - watching the girl at competitions, no one even realizes that just a few years ago she was struggling to simply be able to lead a full life.

THANK YOU @crossfitgames FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SET AN EVENT RECORD. IT WAS DEFINITELY A BIG HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEKEND. ? AND I KNOW THERE IS STILL ONE MORE WEEK TO GO, SO I AM GOING TO ENJOY THIS JUST IN CASE. ✌?️? ? CREDIT: @heber_canon @cfmediajordan @marzmedia #TommyV #californiaregional #prwraps #NFSports #rxsmartgear #caffeineandkilos #prwraps #killcliff #reebok #crossfitoffremont #outofthecave #hyperfitusa

A post shared by Chyna Cho (@chynacho) on May 25, 2015 at 6:10pm PDT

Tatiana Guseva

Tatiana Guseva (@tatiana_bayard) has been involved in historical fencing for many years. She discovered CrossFit in 2010. The girl saw how other athletes trained and realized that the CrossFit system was ideal for developing the speed and strength qualities of a fighter.

Tatyana has the title of candidate master of sports in Russian bench press. She is a promising athlete, coach, co-owner of the Crossfit Varyag gym and organizer of many sporting events. Tatyana Guseva stood at the very origins of CrossFit in Russia.

Having not liked gymnastic exercises in CrossFit from the very beginning, she nevertheless achieved excellent results in this direction.

A little heavy gymnastics for your feed. While the whole country is resting, Tanya is hanging out on a perch. I haven’t done any gymnastics separately for the last six months, I’m suffering and I miss my torn palms. I used to hate it fiercely, but a year and a half ago I realized that I needed to change something in my life, I tried it and fell in love with it, the habit of holding gymnastic positions transferred to other exercises such as jumping ropes and rowing, and life became easier there too. Now there are very few gymnastics exercises in the program and I suffer, only in classes at @varyagcrossfit I can relieve my soul. By the way, you can sign up for training with me, a gymnastics class for everyone on Saturdays at 10 and 11 am, you can also train individually and in mini-groups, we will teach you how to walk on your hands, do push-ups, butterfly pull-ups and do all sorts of exercises anything).#gimnastic #cfgymnastics #crossfitgimnastics #gymnastics #soyuzteam #in the Union #tanyapri #gusevacf #TatianaGuseva #TatianaGuseva #crossfit #crossfitgirls #crossfitbabes #crossfitrussia #reebok #reebokrussia #functional training #crossfit #become a human #motivation #bemorehuman #sportsgirls #athlete #training #coach #motivation #fitness #cfvaryag #crossfitvaryag

A post shared by Tatiana Guseva (@tatiana_bayard) on Nov 6, 2017 at 4:08am PST

Set of exercises

The basic set of exercises of classic CrossFit includes the following:

• jumping rope and barbell;
• running at different distances;
• rowing on a simulator;
• exit on the horizontal bar and rings;
• classic squats;
• jumping onto a pedestal with both legs straightened;
• lifting the torso on a machine (hyperextension);
• pull-ups;
• lifting the legs and body onto the press in a lying position;
• handstand push-ups;
• raising your toes to the bar;
• walking on hands;
• squats on one leg;
• corner pull-ups;
• ring push-ups;
• rope climbs;
• intense ball throws against the wall;
• bench press;
• barbell squats;
• taking the barbell to the chest and then throwing it over your head;
• swing weights in front of you;
• deadlift;
• standing power press;
• classic barbell snatch;
• lifting a sandbag onto your shoulder;
• push press from the chest up;
• barbell pull to the chin;
• turning over a big wheel tire;
• Kettlebell throws from a full overhead squat;
• deep leg lunges with the knee touching the floor, holding the barbell above your head.

This is just a part of the basic exercises that are designed to develop a person’s initial and intermediate level of physical fitness. Professionals increase the intensity of classes and expand the program with related strength elements.

Anastasia Ganina

Anastasia (@anheliot) actively began rowing in early childhood. She is a master of sports in canoeing. In addition, Nastya is the winner of a silver medal at the World Championships, as well as a silver and bronze medalist at the European Championships. This fragile blonde took 5th place at the Open 2022. She is part of the team of the famous athlete, coach and her husband Andrei Ganin called “Crossfit MadMen”. Anastasia Ganina is also a participant in the Meridian Regional in the team competition (Idol Team).

Nastya recently set a personal record for squatting a barbell weighing 85 kg.

I changed the belt and things started to go :) 85 in saddle personal best :) #reebokrussia #reebook #reebok_russia

A post shared by Nastya Ganina (@anheliot) on Nov 2, 2022 at 3:27am PDT

Looking at this young and assertive athlete, you wouldn’t even say that she is a mother of three children.

Basic principles

Modern CrossFit is a program of endurance and strength exercises, the basis of which consists of gymnastic, aerobic and weightlifting elements. CrossFit Inc. positions its system as dynamically varied functional movements that must be performed at high intensity in different modal domains and time intervals for the purpose of self-development.

The level of training is determined by a person’s work potential. A one-hour class in a regular gym includes a warm-up, skill development, high-intensity training (workout) and stretching. Each workout should be graded to encourage competition and track progress. Instructors at some gyms additionally include exercises from Olympic weightlifting into the program.

Gyms licensed by CrossFit Inc. use specialized equipment for a variety of disciplines. These include barbells with dumbbells, gymnastic rings, jump ropes, horizontal bars, plyo boxes, medicine balls, rowing machines, expanders, air bikes, mats, etc. All conditions must be created in the gym for the physical progress of the student in the context of all basic disciplines. It is not for nothing that the program for professionals includes sports such as swimming and speed running.

Today it is difficult to talk about a single standardized CrossFit program. There is a general recommended methodology, which is being modernized and changed by private gyms and instructors. Many professional sports clubs use G. Glassman’s program for the physical training of athletes. For example, its universal system is suitable for baseball, American football, boxing and many other disciplines. In Denmark, CrossFit is used as the basis for training military personnel.

Classic CrossFit is designed to strengthen the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, increase muscle endurance, develop flexibility, strength, power, coordination, speed, agility, accuracy and internal balance. However, improper training can seriously harm the body, spine and heart. In CrossFit, balance and moderation are important until the body and spirit are ready for serious loads. The universal Glassman system is equally suitable for men and women.