CrossFit isn't just a way to boost fitness levels for two Mudgee girls, it's also a way to compete in international competitions.
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Bronte Cox and Mia Forgione, two of 36 Mudgee competitors, recently participated in the 2019 CrossFit Open which saw a total of 358,646 entrants world wide complete five workouts over five weeks.
Bronte placed 14th in Australia and 157th in the world in the 16-17 years age group which had over 2,000 competitors, while Mia placed 12th in Australia and 155th in the world in the 14-15 years age group which had approximately 1,500 competitors.
When asked how the girls first began their CrossFit career, both admitted it was their parents who initially sparked the interest in them.
My mum did it then I guess her doing it all the time got me interested and then my dad won a voucher, he didn't want it so I used it and I just couldn't stop coming.
- Bronte Cox
"My mum and dad had been doing it for a long time and then I got into a rep netball team and needed to get my fitness up so I just started coming to Crossfit," Mia, who has been doing CrossFit for three years, said.
Workouts consist of a combination of Olympic lifting, gymnastics, kettlebell swings, box jumps, pull ups and much more, and what makes the workouts intense is the fact they have to be completed in a certain amount of time with the points awarded from a factor of things including execution and precision.
They're all simple movements but you've got to be able to do them under pressure all at once.
- Mia Forgione
"The workouts are always different, I don't think I've ever done the same workout twice in two years," Bronte added.
Both of the girls favour lifting over the other workout movements due to the satisfying nature of it.
"I like gymnastics and heavy lifting because it's satisfying," Cox said.
"I prefer lifting, I'm not very good at gymnastics but it's something to work on," Forgione said.
Due to their level of fitness, the girls are required to have an approximate 22,000 calorie intake but Bronte, who can snatch 65 kilograms and jerk 80kg, says she's reluctant to let healthy eating get in the way of her enjoying the odd piece of chocolate.
"I try to maintain a healthy life but it doesn't take over my life, if I'm at a party I will eat the chocolate," she said.
Bronte and Mia encourage anyone interested in CrossFit to give it a go regardless of ability.
Don't be intimidated, it's really fun.
- Bronte Cox
"Just get out and have a go," Mia said.
Bronte and Mia will now move on to the next stage of competition, the online qualifier which requires competitors to complete five workouts in five days instead of five weeks.
Jay-Anna Sleeman
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
