Diablo members at the 2008 CrossFit Games in Aromas, CA. Diablo CrossFit’s 20 year history is intertwined with the CrossFit Games which began in 2007. We’ve had almost 60 athlete appearances at the Games including Individuals, Masters and Teams. And, our member/fan domination in the stands is legendary.
Be sure to watch the 2025 CrossFit Games this weekend on YouTube!
(Here’s what it was like in 2008 – Diablo CF Games athlete Darren Rosten in the Final Workout)
“We cannot teach people anything. We can only help them discover it within themselves.”
Galileo Galilei
The CrossFit Games began in 2007 as a backyard-style competition on a dusty ranch in Aromas – yes, Aromas.. that little “town” about 15 miles South of Gilroy on the 101 (Dave Castro’s family ranch). With just a few dozen athletes and a handful of spectators, the early Games were raw, unpolished, and rooted in the belief that elite fitness could—and should—be tested in unexpected ways (versus a swim-bike-run race). CrossFit affiliates were invited to send their best individual athletes and 6-person teams to participate. These first few Games were incredibly special for our Diablo community – bringing us together to cheer for our awesome athletes who coached us and trained with us in so many classes. Our history is deeply rooted in the CrossFit Games competition.
What happened next was not surprising: the grassroots invitational event quickly grew in scale and professionalism and investment. Qualification stages were necessary in order to manage participation. In 2010, the Games moved to the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, drawing thousands of fans and gaining a live broadcast on ESPN. The format evolved with structured qualification through the CrossFit Open, Regionals, and eventually the introduction of Sanctionals, and then Semifinals, to accommodate the sport’s very rapid global growth.
Over the years, the progression in fitness performance has been staggering. Early champions like James Fitzgerald, Jolie Gentry, Jason Khalipa and Caity Matter set impressive benchmarks for their time, but the Games athletes of the last five years – like Tia-Clair Toomey, James Sprague and Jeff Adler —represent an entirely new level of strength, speed, and skill. Workouts that once defined the peak of elite CrossFit performance are now routine in affiliate gyms around the world. Athlete performances today are mind-blowing for most of us. The demand for mastery across a wide range of modalities—Olympic lifting, gymnastics, endurance, and strongman—has created athletes who are truly the most well-rounded in the world. The CrossFit Games have also become a global spectacle, with multi-day coverage, packed stadiums, and millions watching online.
This year the CrossFit Games are in Albany, New York – a new venue and City – after a very emotional and challenging 2024 Games in Ft. Worth, Tx, which was marked by the tragic death of an athlete in the swim event. The 2025 competition field is stacked with some amazing athletes, including many new up & comers. Diablo member Amanda Hari has a great vlog on the big storylines at the 2025 Games. She’ll also be at the Games and doing a daily summary review of the events. And, of course, the CrossFit Games has produced a series, “Road To The Games”, interviewing and hanging out with the most of the CrossFit Games athletes around the world. These videos are outstanding and will get you fired up to cheer for ALL of the athletes.
The 2025 CrossFit Games begin on Friday, August 1st and finish on the 3rd. I encourage you to tune in (YouTube) and watch some or all of the events – especially the individuals. The athletes have trained incredibly hard for a year to be able to represent their fitness on the biggest stage of all. And, when you see it live – you’ll be blown away and very likely inspired.
>> SKILLS CLINICS << Achieve the productive application of force.
- 8/10 – FLOOR GYMNASTICS (Hand Stand, HS Walks) – Coach Sarah Howard: Sunday, Aug 10 at 11AM
- SEP: RING MUSCLE UP – Coach Jackson: TBA
Sign Up on the app. Limit 6-8 members per session.
The Programming Week Ahead:
- Mon: Pull-Jump-Push-Pull – Amrap 18m: 6 SSnatch, 8 Box Jumps, 10HR Push Ups, 12 Pull Ups (#95/135)
- Tue: Back Squat & DB Bench Press
- Wed: Barbell Complex – 3DL, 2 HPC, 1 PP
- Thu: Handstand Skills. Metcon: 10 DB Strict Press, 15 T2B, 20 Burpees, 15 T2B, 10 DB Strict Press
- Fri: Amrap 25m – 10 BMUs, 20 Wall Balls, 25/35c Air Bike
- Sat: Amrap 16m – 2 Rope Climbs, 4 WW, 8 HPC
- Sun: 5RFT- 8 DL, 12 Box Jumps, 400m Run (155/225#)
CRAIG’S LIST – A compilation of things I listen to, read, buy or do. Make it an awesome week!
- Instant Coffee – Verve Craft Coffee – I carried these single serve instant coffee packs on my backpack trip in Yosemite and was blown away by how good this coffee. Empty a packet in a cup, add hot water – you’ll see. And, their story, farmlevel initative and commitment to sustainable practices makes you feel good about your purchase. Try their variety instant pack to start.
- Cold Plunge Anywhere – Nuvio Recovery Chiller – This is a great price for a really easy to use chiller. All you need is a big tub or horse trough.. There’s no plumbing hook ups. Just drop both hoses into your tub and turn it on: one hose is the intake and one is the return. Set the temp and go – for $600!
- Too Much Intensity? Research – Best Results at 80% Effort – Yvonne and I have talked about this for years, but the Wod Science guys just reviewed a recent (and small) study of elite athletes which showed that the best fitness results are achieved with a moderate effort 75-80% of the time and a limited (15-20%) of the time.
Make it an awesome week!
Craig
