In Dunbar’s Problem, we talked about the colloquial usage of “game” and how manipulation and inspiration are the two ways to influence an opponent’s behavior. War and Sport, just like game, are about influence, we just call it strategy. In a sport like CrossFit — where the goal is to crown the fittest people alive — it seems like there is hardly room for strategy. But strategy is exactly what Jason Khalipa needed to take down Rich Froning, the reigning fittest man, at the 2013 CrossFit Games.
Khalipa stands 5’9” and 210lbs. His quads are so large that he waddles. He’s built like a bear, hence the nickname “California Bear”. Khalipa won the 2008 CrossFit Games and was one of the most consistent athletes in the field. But he had a huge weakness: aerobic capacity. It was so bad that he placed 72nd out of 74 competitors in the 2009 Crossfit Games 7k run — and when he crossed the finish line, he passed out. So he sought help from an aerobic coach to prepare for the 2013 CrossFit Games. In the weeks leading up to the 2013 Games, Khalipa completed a 16-mile run and “Yasso’s 800s” at a 2’58” pace. That’s a 210lb bear running 5 miles in under 30mins. Needless to say: he fixed his weakness.
