HIGHLANDS CrossFit athlete Ben Garard is ready to compete with the San Francisco Fire in the new National Pro Grid League sporting competition in the United States.

The team's first match will be held on Thursday, August 28.

Garard, 26, owns an affiliated CrossFit gym in Mittagong called BENt on CrossFit.

Earlier this year, he was selected to compete for San Francisco Fire as a professional athlete in the US debut of the 'Grid' league, with Garard's team competing against the Philadelphia Founders in San Francisco on August 28, the Boston Irons in San Francisco on September 7 and the LA Reign in Los Angeles on September 14.

The finals will be held before the Grid grand final in Las Vegas on October 3.

Garard, who won the title of Australia's 'fittest bloke' in Men's Fitness magazine's 'Fit Bloke Challenge' in Sydney last year, also played a starring role in three pre-season exhibition matches for the San Francisco Fire in Miami in July, with his team winning all three matches, making it pre-season champions.

Telecast across the US on the NBC Sports Network and streamed live on www.npgl.com, the National Pro Fitness League is a major new spectator sport named after the grid-like arena the athletes compete on.

It includes eight teams of super fit men and women who race against each other in gruelling, fast-paced, two-hour long workouts that test their strength, speed, agility, endurance and strategic skills.

Workouts include exercise such as weightlifting, handstand push ups, rope climbs, gymnastics and body weight movements.

Speaking from his training camp in San Francisco, Garard said he was looking forward to the San Francisco Fire's first match.

"I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity to compete in the US at this level," he said.

"I have been training hard with my teammates and I can't wait for the first match.

"My career in this sport has led to this Grid competition so I'm ready to give it all I've got."

In April Garard came second out of 8200 competitors in the Australian CrossFit Open but, due to an illness just before the Australian Regionals event in Wollongong in May for the top 48 competitors in Australia, he finished 11th.

In January this year, Garard came a close second at the Orange County Throwdown in Los Angeles - the world's second biggest CrossFit event.

Members of Ben's BENt on CrossFit gym in Mittagong and his family and friends from the Southern Highlands have been following Ben's NPGL journey online and will also watch the matches from August 28.

BENt on CrossFit is situated at Unit 3, 241-243 Old Hume Highway in Mittagong, with access off Owen Street.

For more information, call 0421 833 783, email bentoncrossfit@ outlook.com or click here.