Before three-time CrossFit Games champion Rich Froning Jr. started CrossFit, his two greatest fears were public speaking and large crowds.

“Welcome. Welcome to hell,” CrossFit HQ’s Pat Sherwood tells him with a laugh.

Sherwood spent several days with Froning in his hometown of Cookeville, Tenn., where Sherwood got a taste of what it takes to be the reigning champ. That meant a lot of workouts and perhaps some processed sugar.

On this particular day, Froning begins with a drug test he found out about only 15 hours earlier.

“Hey, random drug test. Randomly fell on the champ,” says the sarcastic Sherwood.

Along for the ride is James Hobart, who lived and trained with Froning in January and February as a way to prepare for the Games season.

After the drug test, the day consists of multiple workouts and ends with a phone interview with The New York Times, a game of hockey and at least one doughnut.

“There’s no real method to the madness,” Froning explains of his programming. “Lift something heavy usually once a day, maybe twice. It depends. Get out of breath. A lot.”

He also works on his weaknesses, but not to the point where he creates new ones.

“There’s no secret formula. It’s just hard work,” Froning says.

And he’s gunning for his fourth consecutive Games title, though he acknowledges that the mental part of being a competitive athlete takes its toll.

“There’s no real day off,” Froning says.

He adds: “And it’s not necessarily even the working out but it’s the thinkin’ about workin’ out.”

Video by Michael Dalton.