The 2010 CrossFit Games

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The ultimate proving grounds of the world’s fittest athletes.

July 16-18, 2010 • Carson, CA

The Home Depot Center Sports Complex

Select a 2010 CrossFit Games event

CrossFit/USAW Open

The 2010 Games free webcast: watch the archives and relive the event at live.crossfit.com.

Coach B. strategizes at the scoring table

CrossFit/USAW Open

Coach Burgener on CrossFit and USAW

Bringing Weightlifting out of the "Dark Ages"

Competitor James Hobart (4th place at 85 kilos) sat down at the CrossFit/USAW Open with Coach Mike Burgener. As a longtime member of both the weightlifting and CrossFit communities, Coach Burgener had a lot to say about the relationship between CrossFit and the Olympic lifts.

While American weightlifting was floundering just a few years ago, Coach Burgener credits CrossFit with taking the sport "out of the dark ages." Before CrossFit, USAW's membership totalled only around 2,500. Burgener estimates that this number has increased by at least 3,000 since the rise of CrossFit. In other words, USAW's membership has more than doubled since the CrossFit phenomenon began.

While CrossFit and weightlifting go hand in hand, there are some adjustments that CrossFitters should make when approaching weightlifting competitions. Most CrossFitters have an intense mindset going into competition, but by learning to settle down a bit they can enhance their recovery in between attempts.

While CrossFit competition is about the unknown and unknowable, the CrossFit/USAW Open's events were known well ahead of time. Athletes competing in the Open thus had plenty of time to specifically train for the events. Spencer Hendel, for example, trained the exact workout of the Open every Saturday during the month leading up to the competition.