The fittest of the fit met at the ShoWare Center last weekend to compete in this year’s CrossFit Regional Competition.

CrossFit is a new style of high intensity cross training that’s gaining popularity all over the world. Last weekend, competitors from six states from around the Northwest region gathered in Kent to showcase their skills.

Jake Fields, owner of CrossFit Devotion in Covington, entered as an individual participant for the second year in a row. Although he did not place this time, he’s already preparing for next year.

“We had a good 50 members supporting me competing,” Fields said. “We didn’t have a team this year, but we hope to qualify a team next year.”

From box jumps to pullups, dead lifts to one-legged squats, men and women pushed their bodies to the ultimate limit to prove their fitness.

While those at the competition were at the top of their game, Fields said CrossFit is for everyone.

“My mom does it. My dad does it. It’s hard, but it’s nothing crazy,” Fields said. “If all you’ve seen is the competition it would be very scary, (but) it’s not like the competition at all.”

Fields said the reason why CrossFit is becoming so popular is the community aspect of the training. He believes the culture around the workouts creates a large fan base.

“Working out is working out,” Fields said. “You can work out anywhere. (With CrossFit) you come in. You build friendship.”

A former personal trainer, Fields liked that he could train a group of people instead of just individuals, and that’s why he opened up his own 6,000-square-foot CrossFit gym three years ago.

“It’s everything you can think of with fitness in one workout,” Fields said. “It’s always different, full body, every time.”

But to prepare for the competition, Fields had to put in some extra work to be at the top of his game.

“Two three-a-days, seven days a week,” Fields said. “We got the workouts four weeks head of time (so) preparing was just going through those workouts as best as I could making sure my body was top notch.”

The CrossFit Regionals across the country last until Sunday, and the finals will be at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in July.

=====

PHOTO BELOW: Austin Stack, left, lifts a 70-pound dumbbell over his head, alternating arms at one of four stations, on the second day of the competition. Michelle Conerly, Kent Reporter