David Levey is Having Plain Old Fun

July 14, 2013

Kirsty Roebuck

"Just being surrounded by the best that CrossFit has to offer for a few weeks is just an amazing and unforgettable experience!”

David Levey has had a challenging time since the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games.

In October, he was levelled to bed rest for two weeks with a back injury, and then a plantar fascia tear in December left him on crutches. As a result, his focus shifted to maintaining his strength and conditioning while rehabilitating these injuries. But since January, his performance began to improve steadily.

And judging by his winning performance at the 2013 Africa Regional, Levey is ready for the Games.

Levey was confident going into this year’s Regional.

“I was stronger and my Olympic lifts were much improved,” he says. “Most of my benchmark workouts had improved since last year. And I had also improved my cardiovascular fitness through rowing intervals after purchasing my first Concept2 rower in February this year.”

The Regional Events also revealed areas for Levey to focus on.

“I have never enjoyed moving a barbell from the front to back rack positions, so when the Overhead Squat Event was announced, I started practicing that immediately,” he explains. “In practice, I managed to miss the back rack and 112 kg slipped off my back throwing me backwards to the ground, luckily without any real injury. That was not a fun experience, but it exposed a weakness.”

Levey’s previous Games experience has helped in his preparation for this year’s competition.

“It has helped me to better identify and focus on weaknesses and adapt my programming,” he says. “There is nowhere to hide when you are at the Games – your weaknesses will be exposed.”

 The downhill running at last year’s Camp Pendleton thrashed Levey’s legs.

“Never again do I want my legs to be that sore!” he says.

Aside from the brutal events, Levey is excited about the event as a whole.

“The whole experience was just so awesome. Right from registrations, to meeting all the great athletes and CrossFit staff, the functions, briefings, spectators and the Games Events themselves.  Just being surrounded by the best that CrossFit has to offer for a few weeks is just an amazing and unforgettable experience!”

Mental preparation is also a vital component of his program. Levey says he performs better when he is relaxed and therefore uses mental relaxation techniques, mental imagery and prayer if he gets too anxious.

“Reminding myself of why I am doing this, staying positive and imagining myself performing really well and just having plain old fun works for me.”