Thousands of athletic bodies will strut around Wollongong from Friday for the CrossFit Regional Games, but their sport is not to be made fun of.
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Water bottles and sports drinks will be seen strewn across cafe tables while menus will suddenly be depleted of carbohydrates to appease what is thought to be the athlete’s diet.
CrossFit Shellharbour owner Ben Smalkowski, 35, is not on a strict paleo diet, nor is he obsessed with olympic barbells and believes CrossFit is anything but a cult (as often joked about on social media).
“People do get self involved because CrossFit has so many different levels, [but] we do try and create a community,” the former builder said.
“When coming to the gym here you are coming to meet your friends, when you go to some other gyms you are just on your own going through the old dreary, drab same routine.
“There’s so many [myths]; the injury thing, some people beleive crossfit creates injuries … you’re generally around a coach on the time, and they have eyes on you.”
Mr Smalkowski admits to being ridculed for his job but says it’s because people don’t understand it.
“Everyone has one way of training, none are right or wrong, it’s whatever you enjoy and whatever works for you,” he said.
“Personally, I find reward in challenging myself constantly, always finding different levels to self improve, there’s always new skills to learn and new strengths to build.”
Mr Smalkowski will be one of around 12,000 spectators expected to flood the WIN Entertainment Centre from Friday to Sunday, to watch the ultimate test of fitness.
The best 40 men, 40 women and 30 teams from Australia, New Zealand, Asia and even Russia will battle through two WOD’s (workout of the day) on each day of competition.
Athletes have had two weeks to prepare for the workouts which include exercises like gymnastics, pull-ups, robe climbs and for the first time not a barbell in sight.
“It’s pretty much the biggest CrossFit event in Australia and it’s pretty amazing how far people come and what corners of the globe they come from,” said spokesman John Michael Bric.
The top five in each division will qualify for the CrossFit World Games in the US, in what’s been dubbed the premier test to find the fittest on earth.
No Illawarra athlete made it into the event, though Mittagong brother Ricky and Ben Garard are the closest to it.
Last year Victoria’s Rob Forte was crowned the fittest man in the Pacific Region, while Queenslander Kara Webb claimed the female’s title and went on to finish 7th at the world games a few months later.
Mr Bric said CrossFit is a worldwide strength and conditioning fitness program whose goal is to prepare you for the unknown and unknowable.
For more information on the CrossFit Regional Games in Wollongong CLICK HERE.