I got the idea to start a collection of lesser known, somewhat random facts about CrossFit. In my Google search, I came across a page where someone had already done all the work for me, and saved me the trouble! Lucky strike. 😉 (to view the original author’s post, click here.) **Disclaimer: these points were researched carefully by the author, who tried to use multiple sources for each point; and in many cases he provided a link to his source, which I haven’t included here. Therefore, the author’s information is only as good as what it is predicated on. **
Random Facts About CrossFit
-CrossFit is used in training by the Canadian Forces, and the Royal Danish Life Guards.
-The first CrossFit affiliated gym opened in Santa Cruz in 1995.
-The “Murph” WOD is named after Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005.
-At many CrossFit gyms athletes receive an “I met Pukey” T-shirt, featuring a clown losing his lunch, after the first time a CrossFit workout makes them vomit.
-1 min 53 seconds is the finish time of Jason Kaplan’s Record Setting Fran
-Nerve impulses travel to and from the brain at 170 miles per hour when one does CrossFit.
-Graham Holmberg was the overall first place male winner of the 2010 CrossFit Games. He had a 4:33 Muscle up / Squat Snatch, a 16:59 Pyramid Double Helen, a 285 Max Overhead, a 237 Deadlift / Pistol / 2X Under, a 9:09 Sandbag Move, a 4:26 Clean / Ring HPSU, a 96 Toe to Bar / Ground to Overhead; and he did 137 push-ups / OHS and 48 Wall Burpees / Rope Climbs.
-“Kalsu”, a CrossFit Football WOD, is subjectively rated in the CrossFit Forums as the worst and toughest WOD ever. (“Kalsu” = 100 thrusters @ 135lbs for time, and every minute on the minute you must complete 5 burpees.)
-Actively doing CrossFit for as little as two weeks can alter the body’s hormonal makeup.
-Scott Olson, 58, was the oldest male athlete at the 2010 CrossFit Games – he has a max Deadlift of 425 lbs, and his max pull-ups record is 25.
-Rhonda Pierce, 57, was the oldest female athlete at the 2010 CrossFit Games – she has a max Deadlift of 205 lbs, and her max pull-ups record is 40.
-Alicia Conners and Annie Thorisdottir, both 21, were the two youngest women competing at the 2010 CrossFit Games – Alicia has a max Deadlift of 285 lbs; Annie has a max Deadlift of 340 lbs.
-Chris Spealler, 31, has achieved a record 106 max pull-ups.
-17 min 34 seconds is the fastest 5k stat shown on the 2010 CrossFit Games page, ran by Mikko Salo, age 31.
-To qualify for the 2010 CrossFit Games 4,507 athletes participated in 32 sectional qualifiers across the globe from Los Angeles to Sydney. This broke down into 3,151 men and 1,356 women. Of these, 3,365 were in the United States (765 in California alone). Canada had 466 athletes; while there were 370 in Australia/NZ, and 187 in Europe.
-On T-Nation there are 26 pages of pictures under the forum heading Hot Women of CrossFit.
-Matt Damon used CrossFit training to sculpt his physique for the movie Invictus.
-Approximately 26,000 reported cases of rhabdomyolysis are reported yearly in the United States – only a tiny fraction is a result of CrossFit exertion.
-The stapedius muscle of the ear is the smallest – and generally considered the weakest – muscle in the human body. Based on weight, the hamstring runs a close second in most people as their weakest muscle.
Some interesting facts in that collection, to be sure! I wonder what else I can dig up, if I look around? Stay tuned in the future, and I’ll let you know if I come across any other random info worth mentioning!
Today’s Workout
Buy-in: 4 rounds – 60 skips, 15 situps, 20 jumping jacks, 5 ring dips (jumping, assisted, or otherwise)
WOD: The Fugitive
Four rounds for individual time of:
- 400m run
- 20 kbs (35/55)
- 20 box jumps (20/24)
- Each successive round starts on a 5 minute timer
- Your slowest round is your score
Zone 3 – scale kbs to 20-25/35-40
Zone 2 – 200m run, scale box and kettlebell as needed
Zone 1 – scale as needed
Cash-Out: 20 inchworms
