United States
Brandon Kantner
I didn’t grow up athletic. I hated the gym, didn’t play sports in school, and fitness just wasn’t part of my identity. I did enjoy sports like tennis and long-distance cycling. I worked hard at tennis, lost myself on long rides, and for the first time learned how far I could actually push myself and where my limits were. Still, by 33 I was out of shape and overweight. Something had to change. My wife got me into CrossFit, and that changed everything. My life hasn’t been the same since. CrossFit showed me that working out could actually be fun and that I could learn skills I never imagined I’d be capable of. It gave me structure, challenge, and a reason to keep showing up. Over the nearly 12 years since then, the journey hasn’t been clean or linear. The early excitement and fast progress eventually turned into a solid routine that was still being sabotaged by bad habits. I was training hard but not fixing my nutrition, which led me to another low point. I made changes, got into the best shape of my life, and then life happened. Surgery. Travel. The pandemic. Moving countries. Moving again. Ups and downs. It’s been a roller coaster. Now, with 12 years of experience and a lot of consistency through changing circumstances, I’m more determined than ever. I could be content with where I am. I’m functional. I’m reasonably fit. I’m average. But I’m not interested in settling for average. If there’s anything worth being a little obsessed about, it’s fitness. Not to be better than anyone else, and not to compete with other people, but to stay mobile, capable, and resilient as I move into the second half of my life. I’m approaching this with a professional mindset. I may never compete on the floor at the CrossFit Games, and I don’t want to. But I can train with that level of intention. I can compete with myself. I can build the skills, strength, and discipline required to perform at a high level if I chose to. My goals are clear. Lower body fat. Back under 167 pounds while continuing to build muscle. Grow my weightlifting skills, not just lift heavier weight. Handstand walking. Rope climbs. Muscle-ups. Better control of my body through calisthenics. I’m working toward all of it. Not because I have to, but because I can. This isn’t about crossing a finish line. There is no “done.” There’s no quick fix. The joy is in the process. I’m living proof that you can start late, mess up, restart, and still build something meaningful. Stack the days. Do so much work that success becomes unavoidable. I wasn’t built to be average. Neither were you.
Open
| Year | Rank Worldwide | Rank by Region | Rank By Country | Rank By Affiliate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 107780th Men | 11736th Men (45-49) | 25716th Men North America East | 3250th Men (45-49) North America East | 38565th Men United States | 5057th Men (45-49) United States | 17th Men CrossFit Fairfield | 2nd Men (45-49) CrossFit Fairfield |
| 2020 | 92655th Men | 19170th Men (35-39) | – – | 40151st Men United States | 8832nd Men (35-39) United States | – – | ||
| 2019 | 145974th Men | 29795th Men (35-39) | – – | 67705th Men United States | 14643rd Men (35-39) United States | – – | ||
| 2018 | 200319th Men | 39652nd Men (35-39) | 10795th Men Central East | 2154th Men (35-39) Central East | 102170th Men United States | 21210th Men (35-39) United States | – – | |
| 2017 | 198798th Men | 37571st Men (35-39) | 10932nd Men Central East | 2120th Men (35-39) Central East | 106417th Men United States | 21315th Men (35-39) United States | – – | |
Benchmark Stats
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Back Squat 1RM 225 lb Back Squat 5RM 195 lb Clean & Jerk 1RM 175 lb Deadlift 1RM 345 lb Front Squat 1RM 185 lb Overhead Squat 1RM 155 lb Power Snatch 1RM 136 lb Row 5K 24:01 Run 1 Mile 09:50 Run 10K 71:46 Run 5k 40:13 Squat Snatch 1RM 126 lb 2007 Hopper -- 30 Muscle-ups For Time -- Abbate -- Adambrown -- Adrian -- Alec -- Alexander -- Amanda -- Andi -- Andy -- Angie -- Annie -- Arnie -- Artie -- Back Squat 3RM -- Badger -- Bar Muscle-ups -- Barbara -- Barbara Ann -- Barraza -- Bell -- Bench Press 1RM -- Bench Press 3RM -- Bench Press 5RM -- Bert -- Big Sexy -- Bike 50 Cal -- Blake -- Bowen -- Bradley -- Bradshaw -- Brehm -- Brenton -- Brian -- Bruck -- Bulger -- Bull -- Buriak -- Cameron -- Candy -- Capoot -- Carse -- CHAD1000x -- Chelsea -- Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups -- Cindy -- City 100 -- Clean & Jerk 3RM -- Clean & Jerk 5RM -- Clovis -- Coe -- Coffey -- Coffland -- Collin -- Crain -- CrossFit Total -- Dae Han -- Dallas 5 -- Daniel -- Daniel Ray -- Danny -- Deadlift 3RM -- Deadlift 5RM -- Del -- Desforges -- DG -- Diane -- Dobogai -- Dominic J. Hall -- Donny -- Dork -- Double-Unders -- Dragon -- Drew -- DT -- Dunn -- DVB -- Elizabeth -- Ellen -- Emily -- Erin -- Estrada -- Eva -- Eva Strong -- Falkel -- Feeks -- FERN -- Fight Gone Bad -- Filthy 50 -- Finseth -- Foo -- Forrest -- Fournier -- Fran -- Free Handstand Hold -- Freestyle Diane -- Front Squat 3RM -- Front Squat 5RM -- Gage -- Gale Force -- Gallant -- Garbo -- Garrett -- Gator -- Gaza -- GHD Annie -- Glen -- Goose -- Grace -- Grettel -- Griff -- Gunny -- Gwen -- Hall -- Hamilton -- Hammer -- Hammy -- Handstand Push-ups -- Hang Power Clean 1RM -- Hang Power Clean 3RM -- -
Hang Power Clean 5RM -- Hang Power Snatch 1RM -- Hang Power Snatch 3RM -- Hang Power Snatch 5RM -- Hang Squat Clean 1RM -- Hang Squat Clean 3RM -- Hang Squat Clean 5RM -- Hang Squat Snatch 1RM -- Hang Squat Snatch 3RM -- Hang Squat Snatch 5RM -- Hansen -- Harper -- Havana -- Heavy Grace -- Helen -- Helton -- Hidalgo -- Hildy -- Holbrook -- Holleyman -- Hollywood -- Hoover -- Hope -- Hortman -- Horton -- Hotshots 19 -- Ingrid -- Isabel -- J.J. -- Jack -- Jack's Triangle -- Jackie -- Jag 28 -- Jared -- Jason -- JBo -- Jennifer -- Jenny -- Jerry -- Johnson -- Jonathon Farmer -- Jorge -- Josh -- Josh-O -- Joshie -- Josie -- JT -- Justin -- K27 -- Karen -- Kelly -- Kelly Brown -- Kerrie -- Kev -- Kevin -- Klepto -- Kutschbach -- L-Sit Hold -- L1 Benchmark -- Ladder Nancy -- Lane -- Larry -- Laura -- Ledesma -- Lee -- Leehan -- Liam -- Linda -- Locke -- Loredo -- Lorenzo -- Luce -- Luke -- Lumberjack 20 -- Lyla -- Lynne -- Maggie -- Maloney -- Manion -- Manuel -- Marco -- Marguerita -- Marston -- Martin -- Mary -- Matt 16 -- Maupin -- Maxim 56 -- Maxton -- McCartney -- McCluskey -- McGhee -- Meadows -- Michael -- Miron -- Monti -- Moon -- Moore -- Morrison -- Mr. Joshua -- Muller -- Murph -- Muscle-ups -- Nancy -- Nasty Girls -- Nasty Girls V2 -- Nate -- Ned -- Nick -- Nickman -- Nicole -- Northrup -- Nukes -- Nunez -- Nutts -- ODA 7313 -- Omar -- Otis -- Overhead Squat 3RM -- Overhead Squat 5RM -- Ozzy -- Partner Kelly -- Partner Weston -- Pat -- Paul -- Paul Pena -- Peyton -- Pheezy -- Pike -- Pikey -- PK -- Power Amanda -- -
Power Clean 1RM -- Power Clean 3RM -- Power Clean 5RM -- Power Snatch 3RM -- Power Snatch 5RM -- Pull-ups -- Push Jerk 1RM -- Push Jerk 3RM -- Push Jerk 5RM -- Push Press 1RM -- Push Press 3RM -- Push Press 5RM -- Rahoi -- Ralph -- Randy -- Rankel -- René -- Restrepo -- Rich -- Ricky -- Riley -- RJ -- Robbie -- Rocket -- Roney -- Row 1000m -- Row 100m -- Row 2000m -- Row 250m -- Row 3000m -- Row 500m -- Roy -- Run 100m -- Run 2 Miles -- Run 200m -- Run 400m -- Run 500m -- Run 800m -- Run Row Run Rx -- Run Row Run Scaled -- Run Row Run Sprint -- Ryan -- Ryan Comas -- Ryan SO -- Santiago -- Santora -- Schmalls -- Scooter -- Scotty -- Sean -- Servais -- Severin -- Sham -- Shawn -- Ship -- Shoulder Press 1RM -- Shoulder Press 3RM -- Shoulder Press 5RM -- Sisson -- Small -- Smykowski -- Spehar -- Split Jerk 1RM -- Split Jerk 3RM -- Split Jerk 5RM -- Squat Clean 1RM -- Squat Clean 3RM -- Squat Clean 5RM -- Squat Snatch 3RM -- Squat Snatch 5RM -- Stephen -- Strange -- Strict Elizabeth -- Strict Handstand Push-ups -- Strict Muscle-ups -- Strict Pull-ups -- T -- T.J. -- T.U.P. -- Tabata Something Else -- Tabata This! -- Tama -- Taylor -- Terry -- The Chief -- The Don -- The Ghost -- The Lyon -- The Other Total -- The Seven -- Thompson -- Thruster 1RM -- Thruster 3RM -- Thruster 5RM -- Tiff -- Time Priority Angie -- Timothy Helton -- TK -- Toes-to-Bar -- Tom -- Tommy V -- Topsy -- TPT9000 -- Triple Deuce -- Tully -- Tumilson -- Twelve Days of Christmas -- Tyler -- Viola -- Wade -- Wall Handstand Hold -- Walsh -- War Frank -- Weaver -- Weighted Pull-up 1RM -- Wes -- Wesley -- Weston -- White -- Whitt -- Whitten -- Willy -- Wilmot -- Wittman -- Woehlke -- Wood -- Wyk -- Yeti -- Zembiec -- Zeus -- Zimmerman --