Hubbry Logo
Ben Smith (CrossFit)Ben Smith (CrossFit)Main
Open search
Ben Smith (CrossFit)
Community hub
Ben Smith (CrossFit)
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Ben Smith (CrossFit)
Ben Smith (CrossFit)
Ben Smith (CrossFit)
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Ben Smith (born May 16, 1990) is a professional CrossFit athlete from Virginia, United States. He has competed at the CrossFit Games every year from 2009 to 2019, finishing on the podium four times: first place in 2015,[1] second in 2016, and third in 2011 and 2013. He is the first competitor to make ten consecutive appearances in the Individual Division at the CrossFit Games.[2] He was able to extend the streak to 11 years following the adjusted qualification rules for the 2019 CrossFit Games that gave him wildcard invitation.[3]

Key Information

Smith was a baseball player throughout childhood and was introduced to CrossFit during his senior year of high school in 2008 and qualified for the CrossFit Games the next year.[4] He has placed first in CrossFit Games regional qualifying events six times (five times in the Mid Atlantic region and once in the Atlantic "super-region"). He is the founder of his own gym, CrossFit Krypton, in Chesapeake, Virginia.[5]

Early life

[edit]

Ben Smith was born to Chuck and Kim Smith on May 16, 1990. He has two younger brothers, Alec and Dane. His father was in the navy and the family moved around frequently when he was younger, but they eventually settled in Chesapeake where he started his 9th grade in high school.[6][7] Smith learned gymnastics when he was three, lifted weights in his early teens, and played American football and baseball throughout his childhood. He had intended to pursue a career in baseball, and was a baseball player for the Great Bridge High School Wildcats from 2004 to 2008.[8] When he was sixteen, his father introduced him to CrossFit, an exercise program popular in the military and law enforcement communities, to help improve his performance in baseball.[4][7] He played collegiate level baseball at Lafayette College,[4] but transferred after a semester to Old Dominion University to be closer to home. However, he was unable to try out for the baseball team at Old Dominion after his transfer, and so decided to take part in the Regional, a qualification event for the CrossFit Games, which was held near his home in 2009, and managed to qualify for the Games that year.[9] He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2012.[10]

CrossFit career

[edit]

In 2009, Smith entered his first CrossFit Games Regionals event at age 18, finishing in first place at the Mid Atlantic Qualifier held at Virginia Beach, Virginia. He earned a spot in the 2009 CrossFit Games where he finished in 64th place out of 74 competitors.[11] Smith went on to qualify for the Games in 10 subsequent years.

Smith made the podium for the first time at the 2011 Games by finishing third behind Rich Froning and Josh Bridges.[12] In 2013, he was again placed third behind Froning and Jason Khalipa.[13]

At the 2015 Games, following the move to team competition by the four-time Games champion Rich Froning, Mathew Fraser was widely expected to be the winner and he led by a large margin after two days of competition. However, Smith won in two events: Heavy DT at the end of Day 2 and Soccer Chipper in Day 3, with the Soccer Chipper win particularly significant as Fraser faltered in the event and failed to finish, allowing Smith to take over the lead after the event. The contest was tightly fought between Smith and Fraser in subsequent events, and Smith's consistent performance allowed him to fight off Fraser's challenge and prevail at the end to win the title of "Fittest on Earth".[14]

The following year at the 2016 Games, Smith won his final podium spot with a second-place finish after a strong display by the eventual winner Mat Fraser, who went on to dominate the Games for the next four years.[15]

In 2018, Smith became the first CrossFit Games competitor to qualify as an individual for the Games in ten consecutive years, and tied for total individual qualifications.[2] In 2019, Smith failed to qualify through the Open and Sanctionals as he was recovering from a knee surgery he had in January 2019.[16] However, the record for the most consecutive attendances at the Games was extended to 11 when he received a wildcard invite to the Games.[17]

Games results

[edit]
Year Games
[18][11][19][20]		 Regionals
[18][21][22]		 Open (Worldwide)
[18][23]
2009 64th 1st (Mid Atlantic Qualifiers) —
2010 8th 2nd (Central East) —
2011 3rd 1st (Mid Atlantic) 16th
2012 11th 1st (Mid Atlantic) 24th
2013 3rd 1st (Mid Atlantic) 11th
2014 7th 1st (Mid Atlantic) 3rd
2015 1st 4th (Atlantic) 3rd
2016 2nd 1st (Atlantic) 65th
2017 8th 3rd (Atlantic) 41st
2018 12th 3rd (Atlantic) 40th
Year Games Qualifier Open (Worldwide) Open (National)
2019 29th 14th (Rogue)
10th (Granite Games)
Received Wildcard Invitation to CrossFit Games 		4771st 2248th[a]
2020 — 8th (Mayhem)[24] 22nd 15th
  1. ^ Had knee surgery in the offseason and was still recovering during the Open.

Training and diet

[edit]

Smith followed the CrossFit regimen and its internet community for the program, and posted his garage workout videos posted to online forums.[25] He mostly trained in his garage or outside in his backyard.[9]

As a competitor, Smith maintains a high carbohydrate and protein diet by eating mostly whole foods, although he has not utilized the paleo diet that had been popular in the CrossFit community.[26] The majority of his calories comes from milk, eggs, sweet potatoes, and bacon. He supplements his diet with protein powders. He occasionally breaks the diet on weekends with pizza, ice cream, and burritos.[27][28]

Personal life

[edit]

Ben met his wife, Noelle, in their junior year of high school[4] and were married in October 2014.[8] By 2017, Smith had made $487,086 in prize money making him the fifth highest paid CrossFit athlete at the time.[29]

Smith's brothers Alec and Dane also competed in CrossFit, with Alec qualifying for the CrossFit Games in 2017 and 2018.[30] Smith founded his own gym, CrossFit Krypton, in 2013 in Chesapeake. where he is also the lead programmer, co-owner, and coach.[5][31]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ben Smith (CrossFit)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ben Smith is an American athlete, coach, and affiliate owner from , renowned for his 2015 victory at the , where he claimed the title of Fittest Man on Earth after seven years of consistent competition. Born on May 16, 1990, Smith discovered during his senior year of high school in 2008, transitioning from to the sport's high-intensity . Smith's CrossFit career is marked by remarkable longevity and excellence, including 11 consecutive appearances at the from to 2019, a feat that established him as one of the most durable competitors in the sport's history. Debuting at age 19 as the youngest athlete in —finishing 64th—he rapidly ascended, securing third-place finishes in and , followed by his crowning achievement in 2015 and a runner-up position in 2016. These results placed him among only four men with multiple finishes at the Games, highlighting his all-around proficiency in strength, endurance, and . Beyond competition, Smith co-founded and owns CrossFit Krypton in Chesapeake, where he serves as lead programmer and coach, emphasizing technique, mobility, and community-driven training. His benchmark lifts, such as a 480-pound back squat and 540-pound deadlift, underscore his foundational strength, while his self-taught approach and family involvement—including training alongside brothers Alec and Dane—have solidified his legacy in CrossFit. In recent years, Smith has shifted focus to coaching but returned to elite competition in 2025, placing 80th worldwide in the CrossFit Open, 63rd in the semifinals, and 9th at the Syndicate Crown.

Early life

Upbringing and family

Ben Smith was born on May 16, 1990, in , , to parents Chuck and Kim Smith. He grew up in , as the eldest of three sons, alongside his two younger brothers, Alec and Dane. The family resided in a modest home in the area, where the brothers developed a strong bond through shared activities and daily routines. From a young age, the Smith household emphasized physical activity and competition, with the siblings frequently challenging each other in races and strength tests to establish who was the fastest or strongest. This competitive dynamic, rooted in their family environment, laid the foundation for their later athletic pursuits. Ben's father, Chuck, was instrumental in introducing structured fitness to the family, encouraging the boys to engage with fitness resources and routines that promoted and physical development. The family's settled life in Chesapeake provided a stable backdrop for Ben's early years, with home-based activities often taking place in everyday spaces like a storage room converted for workouts. His brothers, Alec and Dane, later pursued their own paths in fitness, training alongside Ben at local facilities.

Education and initial fitness interests

Ben Smith attended Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, graduating as part of the class of 2008. Throughout his high school years, Smith was an avid player, competing on the Great Bridge Wildcats team and developing his athletic foundation through the demands of the sport. His early fitness interests centered on team-based activities like , supported by his family's encouragement of sports participation. Following high school, Smith enrolled at in , where he earned a in . He began shifting from organized team sports toward individual fitness endeavors during his senior year of high school and continued this development in informal settings like his parents' garage to build personal strength and conditioning. This period marked his growing emphasis on self-directed physical development, laying the groundwork for more specialized pursuits.

CrossFit career

Entry into CrossFit and early achievements

Ben Smith was introduced to in 2006 at the age of 16 by his father, , a former member who had encountered the fitness methodology through a friend. Their initial session took place in a room above the family kitchen in , where they completed the benchmark workout "Cindy"—a 20-minute AMRAP of five pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats—sparking Smith's interest as a way to enhance his performance in high school . Motivated by a desire to build strength and endurance beyond traditional sports training, Smith committed to the program despite limited access to formal coaching. Early in his CrossFit journey, Smith trained primarily through self-guided workouts in his family's garage gym, relying on online videos and Journal resources for guidance rather than joining a local affiliate. This solitary approach, often alongside his brothers and cousins, allowed him to experiment with programming while balancing high school athletics and academics, fostering a disciplined routine that emphasized consistency over intensity. By , as a senior, he began competing locally, which propelled him toward his first major qualification. In 2009, at age 19, Smith made his debut after winning the Mid-Atlantic Regional, securing his spot as one of the top qualifiers from the event held near his hometown. He finished 64th overall at the Games out of 74 competitors, marking a modest but determined entry into against athletes he admired, such as Pat Sherwood. The following year, 2010, Smith advanced via a second-place finish at the Central East Regional before placing eighth at the Games, demonstrating rapid improvement in functional fitness domains like strength and metabolic conditioning. In 2011, he dominated the Mid-Atlantic Regional with a first-place victory and achieved a career highlight by earning third place at the Games, finishing third in the Open workouts earlier that year. Throughout these formative years, Smith pursued a mechanical engineering degree at , graduating in 2012 while maintaining his intensifying focus. This period required him to juggle rigorous coursework with daily training sessions, often prioritizing recovery and skill development to sustain his competitive edge without burnout.

CrossFit Games performances

Ben Smith debuted at the CrossFit Games in 2009, finishing 64th overall in the Individual Men's division. He quickly improved, securing his first top-10 placement with an 8th-place finish in 2010. By 2011, Smith earned his first podium position, placing 3rd and establishing himself as a consistent contender. Smith maintained strong performances throughout the early 2010s, finishing 11th in 2012, 3rd in 2013, and 7th in 2014. His breakthrough came in 2015, when he won the CrossFit Games, earning the title of Fittest Man on Earth after qualifying via a 3rd-place finish in the worldwide CrossFit Open and 4th in the Atlantic Regional. In 2016, despite a 65th-place worldwide Open ranking, he dominated the Atlantic Regional with a 1st-place finish and took 2nd at the Games. Smith closed out his peak years with a 7th-place finish in 2017 after another strong regional performance. Smith's consistency led to a historic streak of consecutive Games appearances. In 2018, he qualified for his 10th straight Games via a 3rd-place regional finish, setting the record for the most consecutive Individual Division appearances at the time. He placed 12th that year. In 2019, Smith extended the streak to 11 via a wildcard invitation after not advancing through regionals, finishing 28th—marking the end of his individual competitive phase. Factors contributing to his peak from 2015 to 2017 included refined event-specific preparation and balanced skill development across gymnastics, weightlifting, and endurance, though increasing competition depth and minor injuries influenced later results. Post-2019, Smith shifted focus but remained involved. In 2023, he competed as part of Team , placing 19th at the Games while also contributing guest programming to CrossFit.com from October 9-22. Returning to individual competition in 2025, Smith finished 80th worldwide in the CrossFit Open and 63rd in the Men 35-39 division at the Semifinals.
YearGames PlacementQualification Notes
200964th (Individual Men)Direct qualification
20108th (Individual Men)Regional qualifier
20113rd (Individual Men)Regional qualifier
201211th (Individual Men)1st Mid-Atlantic Regional
20133rd (Individual Men)Regional qualifier
20147th (Individual Men)Regional qualifier
20151st (Individual Men)3rd Worldwide Open, 4th Atlantic Regional
20162nd (Individual Men)65th Worldwide Open, 1st Atlantic Regional
20177th (Individual Men)3rd Atlantic Regional
201812th (Individual Men)3rd Atlantic Regional (10th consecutive)
201928th (Individual Men)Wildcard (11th consecutive)
202319th (Team)Team

Training regimen and nutrition

Ben Smith primarily trained in a modest garage gym setup at his family's home in , equipped with essential items such as a , metal plates (later upgraded to bumper plates), a pull-up bar, gymnastics rings, and a makeshift squat rack fashioned from an old . He supplemented this indoor space with outdoor sessions in his backyard, allowing for versatile workouts that included plyometric boxes he built himself and open-area movements. This self-contained environment enabled consistent, solitary training early in his career, where he self-taught techniques via online resources like the Journal and videos of Olympic lifters. Smith's training volume was intense, often involving three to five sessions per day during peak preparation periods, encompassing strength work, metabolic conditioning (MetCons), mobility, and high-intensity cardio. A typical day might start with morning endurance efforts, followed by midday strength and MetCon sessions with training partners, and end with evening sprints or bodyweight drills like burpees. For strength focus, he emphasized compound lifts such as back squats, performing sets like 375 pounds for three reps every minute on the minute as part of broader programming. Periodization for CrossFit Games preparation balanced these elements, prioritizing heavy strength building in off-seasons, endurance and skill development (including Olympic lifts like cleans and snatches, plus gymnastics like muscle-ups) closer to competition, and tapered high-intensity simulations to peak performance. Smith's nutrition philosophy centered on a high-carbohydrate, composed of whole foods to fuel his demanding workouts and support recovery, emphasizing nutrient-dense options over processed items for sustained and gains. Typical meals included breakfasts of mixed with and or eggs with ; lunches and dinners featuring , , or paired with rice and vegetables; and snacks like bananas, , and sweet potatoes for quick carbs and proteins. He consumed large volumes of daily as a staple for calories and hydration, alongside eggs and for breakfast variety, while allowing occasional indulgences such as pizza or on weekends to maintain mental . Supplements played a supporting role, including shakes post-workout and before bed, , and magnesium to aid recovery. Over time, Smith's regimen evolved from the high-volume, multi-session structure of his competitive years to a more balanced approach post-2017, reducing to two or three daily workouts while incorporating advanced recovery tools like (EMS) devices to manage stiffness and enhance tissue repair after intense sessions. His dietary habits remained consistent in their emphasis on clean, simple whole foods, though he refined portioning for longevity as coaching demands increased, prioritizing quality calories to sustain both personal fitness and professional output. This shift allowed him to maintain elite conditioning—such as his ability to back squat over 400 pounds for reps—without the extreme peaks required for Games competition.

Transition to coaching and gym ownership

Following his fifth-place finish at the 2019 , Ben Smith began transitioning from full-time competition to a greater emphasis on coaching and gym ownership. Smith founded Krypton in , in 2012, establishing it as a family-oriented affiliate that has grown into a prominent training hub for competitive s and community members alike. As co-owner and lead programmer, he has fostered an environment emphasizing consistent programming and skill development, attracting elite talent while supporting local fitness enthusiasts through group classes and events. In the years after , Smith expanded his coaching influence by contributing guest programming to , including a two-week cycle of workouts from October 9 to 22, 2023, which focused on balanced strength, conditioning, and skill work to benefit athletes at all levels. This role underscored his ongoing commitment to shaping the broader community beyond personal competition. Marking a formal step in his career, Smith completed the CrossFit Level 2 Coaching Certificate Course in July 2025, enhancing his expertise in movement analysis, cueing, and group instruction to better serve his gym's members. Through Krypton, he has mentored numerous athletes, notably his younger brothers and Dane Smith—both accomplished competitors whom he initially trained in foundational movements like Olympic lifts—contributing to their successes in regional and Games-level events. The gym's community impact is evident in its role as a supportive space that has produced multiple qualifiers for semifinals and beyond, while promoting long-term health and performance for everyday participants. Smith maintains a balance between coaching and selective competition, participating in the 2025 CrossFit Open where he ranked 80th worldwide and advancing to the semifinals with a 63rd-place finish, allowing him to stay connected to the competitive scene while prioritizing his roles at . He also competed at the 2025 Syndicate Crown, finishing 9th overall.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Ben Smith met his future wife, , during their junior year of high school, where she recalled him as "the clever kid in Chemistry class." The couple married in 2014, marking a significant personal milestone amid Smith's rising career. Following their marriage, Smith and have maintained a supportive partnership, with playing a key role in providing emotional stability during his demanding training and competition schedule. Smith has publicly expressed gratitude for his wife's unwavering presence, noting her and his family's essential support through challenges and successes. The couple resides in , where they balance family life with Smith's ongoing fitness pursuits, emphasizing a grounded home environment that fosters recovery and personal well-being. Smith and have at least one child. Smith's family extends to his brothers, Alec and Dane, who share his passion for CrossFit and train alongside him, creating a tight-knit support system rooted in sibling camaraderie. Alec, a former gymnast, has competed regionally and qualified for the CrossFit Games in 2017 and 2018, while Dane, a former baseball player, participates as an affiliate athlete, contributing to the brothers' mutual motivation during workouts. This familial involvement underscores the role of shared athletic interests in strengthening their bonds and aiding Smith's personal resilience.

Awards and endorsements

Smith earned the title of Fittest Man on in 2015 after winning the , marking his first individual championship after seven years of competition. He achieved multiple podium finishes, including third place in 2011 and 2013, and second place in 2016. By August 2017, following his seventh-place finish at the , Smith had accumulated approximately $509,000 in career prize money from competitions, ranking him fifth among all-time earners at that point. This total included significant payouts such as $275,000 for his 2015 victory and $91,000 for his 2016 runner-up performance. He added $23,000 for seventh place in 2017 and $17,000 in 2018 event prizes despite finishing 12th overall, with minimal additional from his 28th-place finish in 2019. Smith has held long-term sponsorships with major brands in the fitness industry, including since the early stages of his career and as a prominent apparel partner. He has also partnered with supplement company Puori and recovery specialist Airrosti, leveraging his competitive success for endorsement deals. A record 11-time competitor, Smith holds the mark for the second-most consecutive appearances from 2009 to 2019. In his post-competitive career, Smith received recognition for guest programming .com workouts in October 2023, contributing to the platform's daily programming for two weeks. By 2025, he continued influencing the sport as a coach, including testing events for the and leading training camps at his affiliate, Krypton.

References

  1. https://games.crossfit.com/athlete/43761
  2. https://www.crossfitkrypton.com/ben-smith
  3. https://www.roguefitness.com/theindex/athletes/ben-smith
  4. https://games.crossfit.com/article/seven-years-war
  5. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19517970/ben-smith-crossfit-game-champion-profile/
  6. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ5FXFkShGR/
  7. https://thebarbellspin.com/crossfit-games/2025-syndicate-crown-results/
  8. http://greatbridgehigh.com/class/class08.php
  9. https://www.pilotonline.com/2015/07/28/chesapeakes-ben-smith-wins-crossfit-top-honor/
  10. https://www.athletespeakers.com/blog/ben-smith-wins-2015-reebok-crossfit-games-in-seventh-try
  11. https://games.crossfit.com/video/athlete-feature-ben-smith
  12. https://www.wtkr.com/2015/07/19/ben-smith-makes-seventh-crossfit-games-appearance
  13. https://games.crossfit.com/video/ben-smith-pursuing-health-julie-foucher/games
  14. https://www.endofthreefitness.com/garage-gym-yoda-an-interview-with-ben-smith/
  15. https://www.greatestphysiques.com/male-physiques/ben-smith/
  16. https://www.thehealthjournals.com/ben-smith/
  17. https://www.boxrox.com/ben-smith-fittest-man-on-earth/
  18. https://games.crossfit.com/article/brood-brothers
  19. https://games.crossfit.com/article/dark-horse-top-dog-ben-smith
  20. https://games.crossfit.com/leaderboard/regionals/2015
  21. https://games.crossfit.com/article/ben-makes-ten
  22. https://marcpro.com/blog/how-to-workout-recover-like-ben-smith/
  23. https://marcpro.com/blog/athlete-diet-ben-smith/
  24. https://www.si.com/edge/2014/07/23/fridge-raider-crossfit-athlete-ben-smith
  25. https://breakingmuscle.com/2023-crossfit-games-training-camp-ben-smith-laura-horvath-gabriela-migala/
  26. https://www.crossfit.com/essentials/crossfit-com-programming-with-ben-smith
  27. https://www.crossfit.com/guest-programming-on-crossfit-com
  28. https://boxlifemagazine.com/ben-smith-level-2-course/
  29. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKcJ-RwtEqr/
  30. https://www.instagram.com/p/5pVLZINmhd/
  31. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a42189977/ben-smith-crossfit-workout-tips/
  32. https://www.wtkr.com/2017/05/13/chesapeakes-crossfit-krypton-is-a-hub-for-some-of-the-nations-top-athletes
  33. https://games.crossfit.com/article/sibling-rivalry
  34. https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitGames/posts/ben-smith-and-katrin-davidsdottir-receive-us275000-each-for-earning-the-title-fi/947072672001258/
  35. https://www.floelite.com/articles/5053648-2016-crossfit-games-payouts-the-men
  36. https://www.floelite.com/articles/5967374-2017-reebok-crossfit-games-payouts-the-men
  37. https://thebarbellspin.com/crossfit-games/2018-crossfit-games-payouts/
  38. https://www.facebook.com/bensmithcrossfit/
  39. https://anabelavila.com/en/crossfit/atletas/ben-smith/
  40. https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitGames/videos/2025-crossfit-games-ben-smith-testing-events/1456666948697080/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.