“The challenge of the test on its face is not what makes it interesting. It is the intensity and the effort and the application that the athletes bring to it that makes it compelling.”

One yoke carry, two front squats, three deadlifts, two front squats, one yoke carry, and a 4-minute time cap. 

On its face, Event 12 of the 2022 CrossFit Games — Back Nine — seemed simple enough, but the athletes’ intensity, the heavy loads under fatigue, and a race against the clock had athletes testing more than just their strength and speed. Back Nine highlighted who could adapt, who could manage their exhaustion and still move well.

In addition to sharing the inspiration behind the event and deciding on loads, Competition Director Adrian Bozman also explains the importance of challenging athletes, in and outside of the affiliate, with tests that might seem a “bit of a stretch.” 

“It’s totally normal to have somebody come into the affiliate, see what’s on the board and say, ‘Eh, I don’t know if I can pull that off,’ and then they apply themselves to it and they can. Or maybe they couldn’t today, but they come back and through training and through encouragement and coaching, six months from now it’s no problem," Bozman says.

Back Nine
For time:
54-ft yoke carry (665/485 lb)
2 front squats (315/215 lb)
3 deadlifts (475/315 lb)
2 front squats (315/215 lb)
54-ft yoke carry (665/485 lb)
*Time cap: 4 minutes

Watch the full event here.

Run the Test is a 10-part docuseries that brings the curious and interested inside the mind of lead programmer of the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games — Competition Director and Certified CrossFit Coach Adrian Bozman.

Go behind the scenes with Boz as he takes you through the process of designing the tests for the CrossFit Games and illuminates the CrossFit methodology that powers the Ultimate Test of Fitness.