Chris Weir, a 1990 graduate of Oxford High School, is preparing to compete in the Reebok CrossFit Games world championship in California July 21-26.
Weir placed 30th in the world at the Reebok CrossFit Open in late February, competing against 17,000 other Master Athletes in his age division of 40-44. The top 200 competed in the Master’s Qualifier, April 23-26 where he finished seventh in the world. In order to compete in the games in California, qualifiers must be in the top 20.
Weir said he thinks seventh is a good place to be in. He said during the Master Qualifiers competition, he was a little frustrated because he kept missing what he called ‘little opportunities? he thought might cost him the trip. Making it to the games has been a goal of his the last three years and he’s just barely missed it in the past two, having placed 27th in 2013 and 29th in the world in 2014.
‘I will take seventh place going in because all that matters is you punch your ticket, because in California you start over with a fresh slate,? he said. ‘It doesn’t matter what you had coming in. We’re all starting from the same place out there.?
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a general strength and conditioning training program.
‘It’s very effective at getting you more fit, whether you’re an athlete, a soldier, senior citizen or a child,? Weir said. ‘It is very functional fitness and can be applied to anyone regardless of age and ability.?
The whole purpose CrossFit, he said, is to ‘prepare for the unknown.?
‘We want to develop the physical strength that we possess, whether it’s endurance, strength, power, speed, stamina, balance, agility, flexibility, coordination (or) accuracy,? Weir added. ‘We try to develop all physical skills in any time domain and any functional movement. If it can be done in sport, combat or life in general, it is fair game.?
As far as the types of events Weir will be competing in at the games, he’s not sure. But he knows they will deal with pushing, pulling, climbing, crawling, running and possibly swimming. Past games have included events such as power-lifting, chest pull-ups, handstand push-ups, rope climbing, box jumps, which demonstrate vertical jumping ability.
‘So if you’re going to be competing in CrossFit games, you literally have to be prepared for anything,? he said. ‘We don’t know what we’re going to be doing out there.?
Getting started
Weir said he initially got introduced to CrossFit training about eight years ago when he was actually just getting into triathlons.
He was looking for an alternative method of training for a triathlon without running or riding a bike for miles and swimming everyday.
‘Your stereotypical endurance athletes spend 10, 20, 30 hours a week training. Well, I never had that kind of time, so I was trying to figure out more effective ways of training and improving for a triathlon,? he said. ‘I stumbled across CrossFit, so I wanted to give that a try.?
After his first CrossFit workout, Weir said he understood what ‘getting better? was all about.
‘I just knew that I found my home,? he said. ‘It felt just like you got done with a wrestling match when you’re done with the workout.?
While using CrossFit as his first six months of training for a triathlon, Weir decided to try his first actual CrossFit competition. Once he competed, he was hooked.
‘That was the most intense athletic event I’d ever been a part of,? he added. ‘Once you peel yourself off the ground and realize you’re not going to die, its like, ‘Wow! I’d like to do that again.??
CrossFit is the type of training Weir said was made for him, which is why he’s been doing it ever since. In fact, Weir said he hit a ‘mid-life crisis? three years ago at the age of 40 and decided to open his own CrossFit gym (CrossFit Raw Intensity, located in Fenton) with his business partner Lisa.
‘We opened up the gym three years ago and have been having a lot of fun with it ever since.?
After getting out of college, Weir said he and his wife Jessie landed in Holly and eventually moved to Fenton.
CrossFit isn’t just his thing though. He said his wife along with their 10-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter do it, too. The couple’s youngest isn’t quite old enough yet.
‘The gym is definitely a family affair. It certainly has brought us closer,? he said. ‘I get to see more of my kids than I have in the past because of the gym.?
When not doing CrossFit, Weir enjoys time away with the family and running his construction businesses by day.
‘As far as any other recreation, it’s CrossFit,? he said. ‘It’s all I (have) time for between family and work.?
Being physically fit and athletic training is nothing new to Weir, who had seven varsity letters between football and wrestling as a Wildcat. In fact, he attributes much of the training he received on the football field in those teenage years growing up in Oxford as reasons for his current success.
‘I think growing up in Oxford and playing sports, definitely back then was a blue-collar mindset. We really worked hard. There (almost isn’t) a day that goes by even now when I’m training that I don’t fall back on that mindset that was (drilled) into us back in the day by Coach Bud Rowley and the rest of the coaching staff,? Weir added. ‘He definitely worked us really hard and I think that’s a skill that we learned and it carries on with us to this day.?
Weir described Oxford football as a ‘brotherhood.?
‘I’m not in touch with a lot of my friends on a daily basis, but whenever we do hook up, once a year or every few years, I don’t think we’ve missed a beat,? he said. ‘We’re kind of bonded forever. In fact, we have our 25-year class reunion this fall and I am looking forward to catching up with a lot of those guys.?