At just 20 years old, Haley Adams is scratching the surface of her CrossFit potential, making it hard to believe that her introduction to the sport was accidental.
In just two years advancing to the adult division of the CrossFit Games, Adams finished 6th and 4th. This after winning the junior class in 2018.
Born in rth Carolina, she had participated in almost all sports in her youth and had begun to experience burnout from the rigors of gymnastics and cross country. There was a CrossFit gym next to the gym. Taking notice of the women lifting weights, jumping rope and showing off their athleticism and strength, Adams thought, "Wow, this is really cool and I would like to try this out."
"I looked up CrossFit Games because I didn't know about it, but I saw these girls competing and they just had teenage class the year before because I remember seeing that," says Adams. “Since I'm very competitive, I wanted to give it a try and I was able to play the games next year and after that it was a graduation. I just fell in love with the process, the training and the rest. "
Adams is now under the tutelage of four-time Fittest Man on Earth Rich Froning and CrossFit Mayhem in Cookeville, TN while taking online classes as a student at Tennessee Tech - all while being a full-time mom cat for Ollie.
While elite athletes listen pretty well to their bodies when it comes to exercise intensity, trusting Whoop, the personalized fitness and recovery tracking app, Adams now has access to all the vital data to keep track of their performance every workout.
"To know more about my sleep, my recovery, the things that help me feel better, and have the data to prove it was huge," she said recently on the Whoop podcast. "Even the little things, like when I eat what I eat and knowing how it affects me, have a big impact on my performance."
See red & # 39;
By training twice a day, the system was vital to understanding where she is in relation to recovery. When we spoke to her, Adams' recovery rate was 98 percent; the highest in a long time. She mentioned that her recovery count is usually in the red, usually in her 30s and 40s, sometimes even in her 20s, depending on high volume training days. For most people, it's best to be in the red, cut back on your exercise, or even get some rest.
For Adams, asking Froning for a day off is hardly an option. Instead, she learned to eat more those days, to increase her carb intake for the day and during exercise. During her workout, she also learned not to move too much between workouts in order to calm her body and breathing. Afterward, she gets her body going by walking, taking an ice bath, or enjoying her preferred method of relaxation.
"I love the sauna," says Adams, who recently partnered with Whoop. “I'm usually in there for 25 to 30 minutes, two or three times a week. A lot of sleep too, of course. I try to get at least eight hours a night. "
Is Haley Adams Crossfit the next superstar?
With Haley Adam's impressive performances, she is touted by some as the heir to the CrossFit throne. Pressure like this may seem like too much, but it doesn't run away from those expectations and its goal is to win the games for years to come. Despite all the attention she gets, she says that nothing much changes from training to other competitions.
"I think that's why I do a lot better on personal comps because I'm not stressed out with fear," says Adams. “I just try to imagine that I'm fine, like on another day in training. You always do that and I'm around the people I'm comfortable with. I'm totally adrenaline-pumping and I love having competitions because I feel like I'm thriving there. "
It's only been a few years since she saw these women at this CrossFit gym. She saw something new, different and challenging and decided to take a risk. w she is in a position where little girls' eyes are watching her, searching for tips and insights on social media. Her advice to her reflects the feelings she would have given to her younger self.
“Make sure you learn all the basics first, be smart, and have fun,” she says. “Find someone who has the best in their minds and just trust the process. Make sure you do other sports too, because you want to have fun with everything you do, not burn out with a particular activity. "
