Ask anyone in the CrossFit community, Games athletes, weekend warriors, spectators, and they’ll all tell you the same thing about Ben Smith. “He seems like a really nice guy”, “he’s so humble”, “I’m so glad he won”, are some of the more common remarks. In fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a negative opinion of the 2015 Games Champ. In recent weeks we’ve had the opportunity to get to know Ben a little better, putting each of the positive claims made about him to the test. They couldn’t all be true, could they? I regret to inform you that we failed in our pursuits. It turns out that he really is that cool guy you want to be friends with, that person you want to root for, and that example you want to actually be more like.
In addition to validating the claims about Ben Smith’s character, we were also able to get some pretty cool insights into his personal training habits. Let’s not forget, Ben is one of only 3 athletes in the history of the CrossFit Games with three podium finishes. He’s finished 3rd twice, and, of course, last year he claimed the title “Fittest Man On Earth”. He knows a thing or two about working out. Enjoy!
5 Questions w/ Ben Smith
- Q: What is your go-to breakfast?
- A: I don’t always have breakfast, but my favorite is 3 slices of bacon, 3 eggs, and 1/2 an avocado with some feta cheese on top! On days I need some carbs or I need something quick, I go with 1 cup of oatmeal with some fruit (blueberries or strawberries) and a scoop (or two) of peanut butter. Depends on if I wake up hungry or tired…
- Q: If you could go back and change one thing about your training when you first found CrossFit, what would it be?
- A: I would max out lifts less often and work more on higher volume at a high percentage of my 1RM. I wouldn’t change too much, though. Every experience I had and mistake that I made has taught me something valuable that I would not have learned otherwise. Without failing over and over, I would never be in the position I am now. Take value out of every situation, whether it’s positive or negative.
- Q: How often do you take complete rest days? If the number is low, how long did it take you to get to that point(assuming you built up to it)?
- A: I don’t rest often. I’ll rest only when I am hurt or when I absolutely have to, like when I travel. Even when I am hurt, I’ll do everything I can to workout around the injury… What can I say, i’m addicted. It took me a loooong time to work up to be able to do that (2-3 years). When I started, I could only do CF workouts once every other day, at the most. I went so hard that they really beat me up!
- Q: What weightlifting movement do you recommend above all else for complete strength? Why?
- A: I recommend squatting for sure (front, back, overhead, etc…). It translates over very well to a lot of other lifts/movements in crossfit. You just need a good base of all the general lifts, not only the OLY lifts. I feel like I have been able to incorporate a great variety of the most important ones for me in my training.
- Q: How much sleep do you get a night?
- A: I generally sleep 8 hours a night. Any less than that and I do feel worse in the morning. I know that’s a lot, but it is something that really helps me stay focused throughout the day, both mentally and physically.
Train Like The Champ
“Sign up to get workouts designed and altered based on my actual personal daily programming. I test the workouts myself a week before assigning them as part of the Krypton program. By the time you receive them, they’ve been dissected, analyzed, and perfected to help you achieve the target stimulus. On top of that you can also join others on @beyondthewhiteboard to compete virtually on leaderboards everyday as well as track your progress. I don’t program in phases, cycles, or anything similar. This program should (and will) increase general physical fitness across the board in all different domains. If you join, be committed and be part of the community. I’m putting in the time to analyze the workouts and I expect you to put in the work. #CrossFit #CrossFitGames Sign up http://btwb.com/krypton” – Ben Smith
Learn more: http://btwb.com/krypton