Capt. David Winne, carrying the American flag, an Army explosive ordnance disposal officer at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is a competitor in bodybuilding and CrossFit competitions. CrossFit has announced the new Everyday Hero Service Cup and Games, taking place later this year, to celebrate service members and others. (U.S. Army)
A CrossFit competition designed to honor and include service members will kick off this fall, the fitness company announced this week.
The CrossFit Everyday Hero Service Cup and Games will unfold in two phases beginning with a virtual competition, the Service Cup, scheduled for Sept. 15–22.
Top performers will advance to the in-person Service Games in Cookeville, Tenn., from Nov. 15–17, according to a statement Monday.
The concept originated at CrossFit Mayhem in Tennessee, where a community-based version of the event has welcomed service members and first responders for the past three years.
Registration also will be open to medical personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers and educators. Participation fees have not yet been announced.
The virtual competition will feature a series of workouts that athletes must complete, time, record on video and submit for review. Competitors participating in person will not learn the workouts until they are revealed during the event.
Athletes participate in an Everyday Heroes competition at CrossFit Mayhem in Cookeville, Tenn., last year. CrossFit's headquarters has partnered with the Tennessee-based affiliate to present a new competition that will feature and celebrate service members later this year. (Frank Cruze /CrossFit)
Service branches across the Defense Department have increasingly emphasized total fitness, with CrossFit and similar training styles playing a central role in tactical and combat readiness.
“Today’s military is becoming smarter about training for the modern battlefield,” Master Gunnery Sgt. Sarah Nadeau, a Marine Corps Force Fitness instructor, told Stars and Stripes on Monday.
Nadeau added that programs like CrossFit’s blend of metabolic conditioning and diverse training styles “can build balanced, combat-ready fitness … when proper movement mechanics, strict form and progressive overload are the foundation.”
Historically, the Marine Corps has embraced combat-focused disciplines similar to CrossFit, such as the High Intensity Tactical Training program, which has recently evolved into the Warrior Athlete Readiness and Resiliency program.
Meanwhile, the Army has allowed soldiers to use Army Credentialing Assistance funds to become certified CrossFit trainers.
CrossFit says it has more than 11,000 affiliated gyms around the world and that many of the earliest gyms were established on military bases.
Online registration for the Everyday Hero Service Cup will open in August. While service supporters are encouraged to take part in the virtual phase, they will not be eligible to advance to the Service Games.
