MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SENIOR AMONG WORLD'S MOST FIT

If past performance is any indicator, the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games World's Fittest Man will be from Chesapeake.

Old Dominion University mechanical engineering senior Ben Smith has competed in the Reebok Crossfit Games the past three years, and his placement has improved each year: 64th in 2009, eighth in 2010, and in July of this year, third at the 2011 games.

CrossFit is a conditioning program that is broad in its approach to training, focusing on strength, endurance, efficiency, agility and speed. This sort of training is preferred by those, such as law enforcement and military special operations, but it can be scaled down to fit less elite athletes.

"CrossFit, as a community, has grown quite a bit, something like 300 percent a year," said Smith. "It's grown so much because people realize they can do it anywhere. You can watch the CrossFit Games and immediately go out the next day and do what they were doing."

The ability to modify the workouts for anyone is another plus for the program, Smith said. "My grandfather, who is 77 years old, works out with me in the garage. So you can have guys competing in the CrossFit games or soccer moms who just want to look better doing the same workouts."

Smith began Cross-Fit training while playing baseball at Great Bridge High. Though no longer a ball player, he turned his competitive drive to the Reebok CrossFit Games. Competitors qualified by completing six workouts over six weeks and posting times online.

Smith chose to validate his workouts at Cross-Fit 757 in Norfolk. Competitors were ranked by region, and the top 60 men and top 60 women were invited to compete at 17 regionals. Only the top three men and women from the regionals were invited to the finals. Smith finished first at the Fairfax regional on the campus of George Mason University.