BOXROX Pro

Pat Vellner’s Top Moments From The 2018 CrossFit Games

Favorite Moment 2: Total Surprise

I have to admit that when the crossfit total got announced i was less than excited. Raw strength events have never been my strong suit and I’m usually lucky to scrape out a top 15 performance. That combined with the fact that i rarely test my 1 rep max strength made it a challenge to strategize. My squat and press are fairly unremarkable, but I’m built to deadlift, and I knew I’d have to make my money there. I squatted and pressed well enough, I actually hit a 30lb back squat PR that matches my projected best squat that I used to do my percentage training. I made some aggressive jumps in the deadlift, energized by the crowd each time. I actually meant to lift 585lbs in the end, but just threw on the extra 5s since they were sitting right by the clips. Easy lift, another 40lb PR.

In hindsight I wish I had lifted 600. It would have looked way cooler and won me the event, but hindsight is always 20/20. That event really swung the competition momentum my way and got me back into the conversation. Building my strength has been one of the biggest priorities in my training since I started crossfit so this event was a massive personal victory. I’ll never forget looking out into the crowd before that last lift. Goosebumps.

Besides that Mat after the event admitted that he would always try to deadlift at the same time as me so that he’d feel like people were cheering for him, so that’s a win. Always nice to big league the champ haha. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmWTgImBSA_/?hl=en&taken-by=pvellner

Related news