First: What It Takes to Win

I became aware of Rich Froning, while watching the 2011 Crossfit Games streaming from the internet. Froning, who won the competition, held over four days in L.A. had a tattoo that required further inspection. I stopped the video and looked closer. “Galatians 6:14” on his side. That’s an odd verse for someone who has valid claim to the title “Fittest Man on Earth.” It’s also not John 3:16, or another of the few verses we often see at sporting events. Galatians 6:14 is deep within an epistle and it is convicting to almost anyone who reads it.Crossfit is a relatively new method of fitness and exercise. Every day Crossfit.com posts a workout designed to maximize the overall fitness of participants. Every year the founders of Crossfit organize a competition to crown someone the fittest on earth. Crossfit is said to have been designed for military and law enforcement personnel, but firefighters and Mixed Martial Arts fighters also contributed to it’s evolution. Nothing can really duplicate the physical and mental stress of a fight (gun, fire or fist), but Crossfit gets as close as anything. Froning does a much better job of describing Crossfit. You will have to read his words, not mine.I followed Froning through youtube and crossfit.com throughout the next year, and watched him again in the 2012 Crossfit games. He won. And then he won the 2013 Crossfit Games.I was excited when I read about First, Froning’s book. He does not shy away from sharing the Gospel when he speaks and I was hoping the book would provide a deeper view into his faith.I was not disappointed. Froning writes in a casual, conversational tone which makes the reader feel as if Rich is sitting across the table. First is among other things, Froning’s testimony. He proclaims his faith in Christ, and does his best to share how the reader can come to this faith as well. I was surprised at how transparent Froning appears in the book. Vulnerable is not a word one would think of when looking at a picture of Froning. But in First, Froning, happily appears as vulnerable as the rest of us. It was different from other “I’m-a-famous-christian” auto-biographies I’ve read, in that it does not feel preachy, or at all falsely humble. In fact the word famous rarely comes to mind.Froning masterfully maintains a tone that acknowledges his accomplishments without sounding proud. A feat that I think he would uphold comes only by the grace of God. What I like most about First is Rich’s transparency. Rich really puts the reader on the same level as himself. He isn’t a pastor. by his admission he is a young Christian, but the reader is quickly made aware of Rich’s love for Christ, and his desire to glorify him. In First, Rich has shared with us his journey of becoming a better disciple.First explains how Froning’s failure to climb a rope at the 2010 Crossfit games lead him down a path towards discipleship. Throughout the book he returns to his failures and shows us how God is glorified in our weakness. Froning goes on to explain how God mad him strong, even literally strong, by first showing him his weakness. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Performance Enhancing Drugs, or PEDs. It is apparent that he is often accused of using PEDs. Again, Rich uses the accusations to proclaim Christ. He also touches on the popularity of Crossfit. I would love to sit down with Rich and discuss how the Crossfit model of fitness, and it’s rapid growth and rabid popularity could be applied to today’s church. Perhaps we can address that in a future post. In the meantime, get a copy of First and give it a read. It would also make a great gift for any young man in your life, saved or no.This review is also hosted at buildingmenofGod.com

CrossFit is still a new and growing sport which is misunderstood by many to be a place only for the elite. Rich Froning brakes down the barriers between the most elite tier of the sport and the most casual reader as he lays out his life and worldview in an amazingly fast and engaging read. His book has three main themes constantly woven together in an interesting narrative: (1) explaining CrossFit, (2) telling us about his life and (3) sharing with us insights about his faith and philosophy.It is rare to find such an honest and optimistic account from someone with so much fame and talent. While his readership will most strongly come from CrossFit fans, he packs some great lessons for all of us that have broad application well beyond CrossFit. Like his fitness training regimen, he doesn't hold back or shy away from the key principles that guide his actions and frame his world. All this results in an intimate portrait of his strengths, weaknesses and casual thoughts. Part of what makes this narrative so engaging is the casual style he engages you with as he takes you through the CrossFit victories and defeats that define his nascent career. You have to keep reminding yourself that he is winning first place (consistently now) among roughly 100,000 athletes. While he takes you into the action, you are motivated by the thought that you too could compete at his level if you just were willing to work hard and get your mental house in order. Unfortunately, reality reminds you that Rich has something very rare that remains incredible from a fitness perspective. You are aware of the power of context in his life -- he gives due credit to his friends and family for providing rare and outstanding counsel, love and wisdom.Out of the roughly 30 books I've read this year, I have to say I've really enjoyed reading this one the most -- both my wife and I read it in about a day as we fought for the book. Most modern biography seems to make the subject more inaccessible as details of their life unfold. Here, Rich has done the opposite, by the end of the book you know that you would be instantly comfortable around him and are inspired to make your life look a little more like his.

Inspirational read. I'll admit: I admired Rich Froning before reading the book, but after reading this I am more impressed by his character more than his fitness. I appreciate the honesty and innocence with which the book is written was refreshing. Many biographies are written by slick journalists who don't really consider the source of the story. It tended to ramble a bit and some of the sections seemed out of place to me, but nevertheless a good read.

I regularly search Amazon for fitness related reading and Amazon happened to suggest this book to me as a related item. I bought it because it was a mix of autobiography, fitness, and CrossFit all of which interest me.I was in for a good surprise! The book is a fast read and rather captivating. Rich shares some personal thoughts with the readers which was an interesting perspective to hear. Finding out what Rich was going through, contemplating, etc leading up to and during the Games really added a cool dimension to them. For those not really interested in CrossFit this still makes a good read. It's easy to identify - and if you want skip over - the paragraphs in which Rich details the exercises and workouts that he goes through. Those scenes however are quite exciting and the way they are described definitely make you feel part of the anxiety that goes along with the action. Workouts are so not the main point of the book however. Rich identifies the main point of the book as talking about his perspective on life, relationships and priorities.

Per chi ama il crossfit è un must have

Excelente libro y buen tiempo de entrega!

It's truly inspiring to get to know a little better the story of this CrossFit legend. How focused, humble and driven he is!

Malgré le texte en anglais, c'est très facile à saisir avec un anglais comme le miens, c'est à dire, des plus basiques de chez basiques !On ressent fort l'implication de Dieu dans la vie de Rich, mais il est honnête avec lui même, ne le cache pas !Un récit très interessant qui permet d'en apprendre tellement plus sur la vie du quadruple fittest on earth, son parcours, ses motivations, sa vision, sa famille ...J'ai dévoré ce livre sans m'en rendre compte ! Et je l'admire encore plus après la lecture de ce livre.

Rich Froning simplemente es el mejor, un crack...Si quieres enterarte de las claves de su éxito, de ponerte en su pellejo e intentar saber lo que se siente con un entrenamiento tan exigente, la presión de la competición, el rendimiento, nutrición, etc... Este es tu libro.Viene en ingles, pero es fácil de entender.