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Middle East
An ITP Lifestyle Publication
I SSN2071- 6966
9 772071 696000
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MAY 2012 Issue: 5-4 DHS15 OMR1.8 QAR18
BHD1.8 KWD 1.5 SAR 18
I SSN2071- 6966
9 772071 696000
4 2
THE UAES
FITTEST MAN
ARCTIC
EXTREME
GET FIT
STAY FITIn your thirties
> BULK UP AND
TORCH FAT in
three easy steps
And the CrossFit workout
that got him there
THE MEN PREPARING
TO RUN THE POLAR
CIRCLE MARATHON P22
IN yOUR THIRTIes
best
WORKOUt
WeAPONs
IN tHe UAe
COOK A
HEALTHY
FEAST IN 15
MINUTES
GET
BICEPS
Mens Fitness May2012 39
{Report} MARCUS SMITH {Report}
MARCUS SMITH
M
arcus Smith is the UAEs fittest man and hes
out for Asian domination. Contenders be
warned, hes not taking any prisoners.
For the second time in two years Marcus
will head to the Asia regional CrossFit games
proudly brandishing the crown as the fittest man in the Emirates.
But its not a title hes overly proud of any more. Hes reconfigured
his aim since last years event, and its got the CrossFit world finals
in Los Angeles written all over it.
I dont just want to be the fittest man in the UAE, he says
dismissively.
Ive proven my ability at a local level. Its time to move for-
ward. I want to qualify from this months Asia regionals and book
my place in LA.
To get this far, 60,000 competitors from all over the world took
part in the five week CrossFit open, involving five gruelling work-
outs. Participants were then ranked globally, with the top 60 from
every region qualifying for the next stage. Marcus came top of the
Middle East region, and hes already got his sights firmly on going
a step further at the regional event in Korea this month.
Going to the CrossFit Asia Regionals was great last year. I
learned a lot and the experience has done me a lot of good.
But last year of the six workouts, there were two that I couldnt
even do. Thats the kind of experience it was. I was happy to put it
down to a learning curve.
In the end I came 5th at the Asia regionals, but from the mo-
ment I got home from I started to prepare for this years event
both mentally and physically.
Having beaten hundreds of others to come 9th in Asia this
year and win his right to compete in Korea this month, this time
around Marcus is fine-tuning his body and his mind to peak just
at the right time. And you can tell. There is something measured
about the way he looks ahead to his challenge. Not allowing him-
self to get overly excited about things, even though you can feel
hes aching just to get down to action. As are many hundreds of
other CrossFit athletes all over the world.
CrossFIt and its constant variedness is something you either
love or hate, but judging by the uptake of the sport in the US, the
majority of athletes conform to the former.
There are more CrossFit gyms being built in the US, than there
are Starbucks being built that tells you a little about the way in
which the sport has taken the world by storm.
Constantly varied, high intensity, functional fitness is the tag.
Marcus says its the functionality of the movement that makes
CrossFit such a hit.
Do I need to be able to walk 60 metres on my hands? No. I
dont need to climb 15 feet up a rope or carry an anchor around
with me all day either, but applying fitness to everyday skills and
challenges is something unique and importantly its a lot of fun.
The fact that its constantly varied means you dont get bored
with the same routines day in day out either. You never know
what you might have to do next.
Leading up to the main event, Marcuss typical day begins with
a thirty-minute stretch at 5am, followed by an hours worth of
CrossFit training and conditioning. By 7.30am hes working then
from 5.30pm onwards, he switches tact to work on his brand Inner
Fight or train again in the evening.
I try not to train twice everyday though because the body just
gets too tired, he says.
I have a target number of hours a week I have to sleep. I try
to get between 7-8 hours sleep a night during the week, and 8.5-9
hours on the weekend. Im pretty structured about it.
Whether Marcus makes it through to LA or not this time
around, one thing is for sure through a combination of experi-
ence, preparedness and focus, hes already gotten a step closer to
it. The rest comes down to how he performs on every given day.
I have to win in Korea to get through to the finals in the US, so
I know exactly what I need to do.
You have to be the best to get through. Ive made a lot of sacri-
fices to get to this stage, Ive done everything off my own back.
So am I ready for it? Definitely.
// Marcus Smith competes in the Asia Reebok CrossFit Games Finals
on May 4/5/7. For more information on CrossFit go to games www.
crossfit.com.
// For more information on Marcus go to www.innerfight.com
Marcus Snlth. the Uls nttest nan. ls headln to Korea to take
on the nttest uys ln sla ln the Crossllt sla Relonals. ll hls
deternlnatlon ls anythln to o oy. the others dont stand a chance
CROSS FIT
KING
I donT jUST wAnT
To be THe fITTeST
MAn In THe UAe
AnyMoRe... Ive
pRoved MySelf
Mens Fitness May2012 41 40 May2012 Mens Fitness
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pull ups on the rings
> Marcus This move takes gymnastic strengthand great core
stability toexecute. Anyone trying this for the hrst time should
looktoget their body positionright before getting toocarried
away. Its a great exercise that I doa lot of.
Rope climb
> Marcus It takes power a lot of power,
but it alsorequires a lot of technique.
Imnot just pulling withmy arms but Im
pushing withmy feet, whichare wrapped
around the rope. At CrossFit you may have
a 15ft rope toclimbrepeatedly.
walking handstand
> Marcus This is tough. At the hnals last year, one guy man-
aged towalk70-odd metres. The pressure onyour shoulders
and forearms is immense and all the time youve got your core
locked tostay balanced. I walkfor as far as I canor as far as I
amtoldthenturnaround and walkback.
Anchor walk
> Marcus This is 85 kgs of dead weight, whichis toughenough
tolift, let alone carry. Again, technique is crucial here because
lifting it ohthe ground is the hardest part. Once you're up, walk
for 60metres. Best, and start again. I traindoing hve sets of these.
Battle ropes
> Marcus UFChghters dothis a lot, tobuild dynamic power
intheir shoulders and arms ingeneral. Gohighintensity for
60seconds, before giving yourself 60seconds rest and going
againfor 10sets. Make sure toalternate betweendouble arms
and single arms.
over-head squats
> Marcus Unlike the other
hve moves, this is one of
the disciplines you just
have todointhe gymwith
a barbell. Its a movement
that needs time todevelop
sostart light. It takes most
muscles inthe body topull
these oh.
SIX CROSSFIT MOVES
YOu MuST TRY
{Report} MARCUS SMITH {Report}
MARCUS SMITH