Loree Smith, who was on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field team for hammer throwing, was exposed to CrossFit via Fran.
She had to do banded pull-ups, the weight was scaled down and she ended up with blisters on both hands.
“I was hooked,” says the 29-year-old. “I’m a competitor. I hate losing more than I love winning, so that atmosphere of people giving 100 percent and driving, I really like that.”
As Smith continued her hammer-throwing training, she found some unpleasant developments.
“You train a very specific way,” she explains. “And I started developing injuries as a result of that.”
Thus, she began using CrossFit as her offseason and preseason training to get her body ready for her sport.
Today, Smith says she is 30 lb. lighter and her 30th throw in competition is just as good as her first.
4min 40sec
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Additional reading: Hammer Time: Throwing Drills by Robin Lyons, published Feb. 1, 2008.