"I've always said Matt has a fifth gear, but this year he found his sixth." ~Kevin Ogar on Matt Hathcock
It’s hard to miss Kevin Ogar in a crowd. Standing at 6-foot-2, and a self-described ‘meathead,’ he caught the attention of Matt Hathcock at the 2010 Sectionals.
“I recall the huge beard,” Hathcock jokes, who placed fourth at the South West Regional in 2011 and 2012.
Chatting between events at Sectionals, the two realized they had a lot in common. They both love Olympic lifting and intense competition. When they left the competition — Hathcock placed eighth and Ogar placed 13th— they had a plan to train together in the ramp up to Regionals.
Through training, the two became friends. Ogar was offered a permanent place at Hathcock’s gym, CrossFit Unbroken, in Englewood, Colo.
Hathcock was a wrestler in high school. He discovered CrossFit on YouTube in 2008. Then, he began following the main site and it sparked a competitive interest. At the time, he was a personal trainer at a globo gym, but quickly made it a goal to own a CrossFit affiliate. After obtaining his Level 1 Certificate, Hathcock opened CrossFit Unbroken in July 2009.
In the same month Unbroken opened its doors, Ogar’s boss was introducing him to CrossFit. He was given a workout to complete: 21-15-9 handstand push-ups and L-sit pull-ups. Partway through, he switched to assisted pull-ups and dumbbell push press to finish. He’s been doing CrossFit ever since. At the time, CrossFit wasn’t well known in Missouri, so he decided to move to Colorado to pursue a career.
The training partners coach full time and train at CrossFit Unbroken.
“We’ve developed great community there,” Ogar says. “Matt really focused on bringing the right people into the gym instead of just people in general.”
The duo is also working at developing the CrossFit Unbroken competition team, which placed 20th at the South West Regional last year.
As the Open approaches, they are carving out more time each day to focus on training. Most recently, Hathcock and Ogar have decided to follow the Outlaw Way. With Rudy Nielsen in control of their programming, Hathcock says he anticipates adding in more volume, more aerobics and more skill work.
“Working with Rudy has really helped,” Hathcock says. “I don’t have to lose sleep stressing about programming.”
Hathcock is also experimenting with different nutrition, including a mix of Zone and paleo. He says he finds the most success when he combines the two.
“A lot of people have a tendency to go overboard on the meat when they start paleo,” he says. “Combining paleo with Zone ensures that people will have enough carbohydrate(s).”
Ogar takes a different approach. He is focusing on nutrient timing. He plans his biggest meals around his workouts to optimize post-workout recovery.
“I work seven days a week, but still feel like I have enough energy to train regularly.”
Consistently training together has resulted in steady progress for both athletes. Ogar says he hopes to improve on his sixth place finish by placing in the top five at Regionals.
“I would really like to podium this year and make it to the Games,” he adds. “That’s what I’ve been training to do all year.”
Ogar says Hathcock has what it takes to qualify.
“I’ve always said Matt has a fifth gear, but this year, he found his sixth,” he says.
Hathcock says he’s more prepared this year than ever been before. He’s been CrossFitting for four years and is confident nothing in the programming would throw him off.
“I can do handstand push-ups like Tyminski and pull-ups like Spealler,” he says.
His goal this year is not only to make it to the Games, but place in the top 10.
“With all the athletes coming back to compete in our region this year, making it to the Games would make placing top 10 pretty likely,” he says.
Regardless of how the scoreboard ends up, Hathcock and Ogar’s love of CrossFit goes deeper than the thrill of competition.
“I like being able to see how much further I can push myself, and in other athletes as well, being able to discover new thresholds for the human body,” Ogar explains.
Hathcock adds: “I like being able to make an impact and inspire other people.”
He credits it all to CrossFit.
“When people really get into CrossFit and change up their workouts and their nutrition, it changes their lives, and that’s really cool to see.”
