Living under the shadow of a brother who became the Fittest Man on Earth isn’t easy for anyone trying to make a mark in the CrossFit world. But Alec Smith was up to the challenge and paved his own path to become a competitive CrossFit athlete in his own right.
CrossFit Games competitor Alec Smith
Alec Smith: Life Before CrossFit
Alec Smith comes from a family of competitors and athletes. His brothers, Ben Smith and Dane Snith, are both excellent CrossFit athletes. Ben won the 2015 edition of the CrossFit Games while Dane finished in the top 20 of the 2018 Atlantic regionals.
Their father, Chuck, is also into CrossFit and participated in the Master’s division in the CrossFit Open from 2014 to 2017.
But long before Alec became a CrossFit athlete, he was already a competitive gymnast. The sport was essentially his life when he was younger. However, his gymnastics career came to a grinding halt after an unfortunate car accident left him with two herniated discs.
The accident required reconstructive surgery on his shoulder. It also compelled him to leave the sport he spent eight years of his life competing in.
Even with this unfortunate turn of events, Alec’s competitive spirit wasn’t about to stop him from competing. After resting for a year to recover from the injury, he came back with a bang and became a multi-sport athlete at the Great Bridge High School.
Alec was a member of the track team, volleyball team, and swim team. In fact, he was the high school swim team MVP for three straight years.
Alec and CrossFit
Alec was initially hesitant to enter the world of CrossFit due to his injury. He was relieved that he didn’t have any issues with his back in his first two years of CrossFit. He qualified for his first individual men’s regionals in 2013, but he felt his back started giving him problems.
While he helped a team qualify in the 2014 regionals, he missed getting a spot in the individual regional competition due to his back issues. After having himself checked, the MRI showed a fracture on his L5 disc. This forced him to rest for six months.
After going to different chiropractors and doctors in the following years, Alec learned how to move and perform without hurting his back. In 2017, he qualified for his first CrossFit Games and finished 36th overall in the men’s individual division.
Despite these challenges, Alec was able to soldier on and became a notable CrossFit athlete. He went on to qualify for the games in 2018 as an individual competitor and in 2019 as part of CrossFit Krypton.
Alec’s Revelation
The amazing story of Alec Smith doesn’t stop with his CrossFit feats. One of the biggest challenges that Alec hurdled was his own coming out story. For him, it was among the “hardest things” he has ever done.
In 2019, Alec revealed through his Instagram account that he was gay. He initially thought of writing it but decided to talk about it instead.
Alec talked about the challenge he faced in accepting himself, but he eventually came out. He said anyone in the same situation shouldn’t be pressured by anyone else. Instead, they should make the decision on their own without having anyone pressuring them to do so.
It is considered as one of the most courageous moves Alec has done in his life. And his revelation earned him the respect and support of the entire CrossFit community.
Gay CrossFit Athlete Alec Smith
Alec Smith’s Stats
Height: 5’ 11”
Weight: 185 pounds
Country: United States
Born: 1992
Affiliation: CrossFit Solace
Benchmark Stats
Now, check out the results of Alec Smith in some popular CrossFit exercises
Back Squat: 440 lbs.
Clean and Jerk: 365 lbs.
Snatch: 290 lbs.
CrossFit Games Results
2017: 36th
2018: 25th
2019: 2nd Team
Alec Smith may have participated in only three editions of the CrossFit Games, but he has been competing since 2013 in the Open and Regional divisions. His best finish in the regionals was in 2017 when he placed second in the Men’s Atlantic division.
Alec also participated in the Team Series in 2015 and 2016, finishing 9th and 14th, respectively. Moreover, he also joined the CrossFit Liftoff competitions in 2015 and 2016.
CrossFit athlete Alec Smith
CrossFit Tips from Alec Smith
Being the passionate competitor that he is, Alec Smith has achieved a lot of things many people are still dreaming about. With this, it’s worthwhile to know that he isn’t keeping what he learned in CrossFit and life itself a secret.
So, check out a couple of tips Alec Smith has for anyone interested in the sport.
#1: The Process Takes Time
For people who are starting CrossFit, they should not go into it thinking they will reach the CrossFit Games in a year or even three to four years. They should keep in mind that good things take a lot of time.
Alec was 18 years old when he started CrossFit. He only qualified for his first CrossFit Games when he was 24 years old. Prior to this, he was competing at the regional level.
So, people who get into the sport should not expect too much and they should be patient with the process. Eventually, they will reach their dream of qualifying for the CrossFit Games.
#2: The Best Part of the Process is Learning
Alec may already come a long way since he first started with CrossFit. But for him, the best part of the process is learning. At this point, he misses reaching his personal record in different exercises.
Alec also misses learning a new skill. He misses the learning process in general. Alec considers the learning process as the most fun part of CrossFit. He also loves the support the community gives and being able to do things you initially thought you couldn’t do.
So, new CrossFit athletes should go through the entire learning process of knowing how to do things and have fun along the way.
Training in the Life of Alec Smith
Alec Smith normally trains two to three hours in the morning before taking a break for lunch. In the afternoon, he also trains for two to three hours.
So, he basically trains around five to six hours each day for five days each week. He also has one lazy day and one rest day each week.
Are you wondering how Alec Smith trains? Well, wonder no more and check out the videos below:
Alec Smith’s Instagram
Alec Smith’s passion and competitiveness allowed him to gain over 373,000 followers on his Instagram account. You can check out his account here:
Have your Say about Alec Smith, CrossFit Athlete
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