Matt Barnett Hones His Skills

Any CrossFitter will probably be able to tell you that if you’ve had a chance to go to the CrossFit Games, whether it be at the old-school ranch in Aromas or at the Home Deport Center, you’re going to be coming back for more, to win.

 

Mathew Barnett from CrossFit Cayman in the Cayman Islands was the Fittest Man in Latin America in 2011 after an impressive performance at the Regional in Panama City. With a combination of some explosive performances, as well as some more paced workouts at Regionals, Barnett came out with a reputation as the region’s most professional CrossFitter.

 

However, all athletes are human and Barnett says he, “could have done a little better with recovery in the six WODs across three days” at Regionals. After arriving back at home from the Games, and with a few days off, he began preparing for the 2012 Open, “with a strength biased program. I work on gymnastics about three times a week and Olympic lifting about two times a week,” Barnett says. “I am just starting to get into more met-cons. My coach is CJ Martin from CrossFit Invictus. I follow the programming he creates for me.” His programming from Martin consists sometimes of multiple mini-workouts, and/or skills per day. In terms of nutrition, Barnett still follows the same semi-strict Paleo he followed last year, but is, “paying more attention to his post-workout meals and recovery.”

 

Barnett’s athletic career began with baseball at age 12, a sport he played up until the last year of college. He found CrossFit in 2008 and was hooked immediately. Through the years, he has come a long way in his training and performance, and he has the 2011 CrossFit Games uniform to prove it. He says he feels mentally prepared and trusts the experiences and challenges he has overcome throughout the past few months have made him, “a stronger, a better person, and a better CrossFitter.”

 

The Latin American Region anxiously awaits Barnett’s performance this year while he defends his title of the fittest in the region. It won’t be an easy task, but he has experienced the roaring CrossFit crowds at the Home Deport Center and is ready to return.