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Monthly Archives

April 2018

2018 USAFF Rulebook Released; Major Qualification Updates Explained

By Press Release

The 2018 USA Functional Fitness Rulebook is now publicly available on the USAFF website at https://usafunctionalfitness.org/sport/usaff-rulebook/. Any updates to the movement standards for the 2018 season will be released in the upcoming weeks.

While the majority of the rulebook remains the same as the 2017 season, some sections have been revised for clarity. The only major change to the rulebook for 2018 is the qualifying process for Nationals and the selection of the athletes which will compromise the National Team and get to travel to London to represent the US at the International Functional Fitness World Championships in October. This is located in section 3.2 of the rulebook. While all athletes should review the rulebook in its entirety to make sure they understand the competitive requirements for sanctioned USA Functional Fitness competitions, below is a summary of both the Nationals qualifying process and the selection process for Worlds.

Nationals Qualifying Process

There are 4 tracks through which an athlete can qualify to USAFF Nationals in 2018:

  1. Automatic Invitation to Compete
    • All 2017 National Team Members receive an automatic invite to compete
  2. Special Invitation to Compete
    • Athletes who showed exceptional performance at an Athlete Performance Camp or in other competitions, whether sanctioned or unsanctioned, throughout the year can be invited to compete by the National Team Coaching Staff
  3. Online Qualification
    • The Official USAFF Online Qualifier will be held June 7th to June 18th 2018. The top 30 individual male and the top 30 individual female finishers in the qualifier will be invited to compete at Nationals.
  4. Injury/Illness Appeal
    • In order to submit an injury or illness appeal for entry to Nationals you must have been unable to participate in both tracks 2 and 3 due to the injury or illness. Please contact USAFF directly if you believe you qualify for an injury or illness appeal.

Worlds Qualification

Since the US is not the host country for Worlds this year we are not allowed to send as many athletes to compete at Worlds as we did in 2017. This year, the USA is allowed to send 3 individual male athletes, 3 individual female athletes, and 1 team of 4 (made up of 2 males, and 2 females) to compete at Worlds.

  • You must compete at USAFF Nationals on August 25th and 26th in Glen Jean, West Virginia in order to be considered to compete at Worlds.
  • The top 3 male and top 3 female finishers at Nationals will automatically earn a spot on the National Team and the opportunity to travel to London to represent the United States at Worlds.
  • Two additional men and two additional women who competed at Nationals will be selected by the National Team Coaching staff to be added to the National Team and represent the United States at Worlds.
  • The National Team Coaching staff will decide which qualifiers to Worlds will compete as Individuals and which will compromise the team in the team competition.

Throughout the remainder of the season, the National Team Coaching staff may in their discretion add up to 5 additional men and 5 additional women to the National Team for inclusion in National Team Camps, Activities, or representation at other internationally sanctioned events.

 

Werksan Barbells Announced as Official Equipment Partner for USAFF National Championships

By Press Release

April 6, 2018 – USA Functional Fitness is excited to announce Werksan Barbells as the official equipment provider for the 2018 USA Functional Fitness National Championships.

Werksan Barbells is known for its high quality barbells and plates and is one of only 5 equipment companies in the world to hold the prestigious IWF Certification, a testament to the precision and quality of Werksan’s equipment. Though famously known for their weightlifting equipment, Werksan will also be unveiling a new custom built pullup rig for USAFF Nationals.

Josh Plosker, President of USA Functional Fitness, stated “USA Functional Fitness couldn’t be more excited to work with Werksan as our equipment provider for Nationals. They offer an unparalleled quality of product, and now with their expansion of offerings to include pullup rigs, they offer the total package for equipment within the functional fitness space.”

Kenny Triboletti, President and General Manager of Werksan Barbells, commented “Werksan is thrilled to team up with USA Functional Fitness. USA Functional Fitness has been clearing a path to promote and grow functional fitness as a competitive sport in the US. Like Werksan, USAFF is proud to create opportunities for competitive athletes of all ages and abilities.”

USA Functional Fitness Nationals will be held August 25th and 26th at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean, West Virginia. The event will be a part of Spartan’s North American Championship weekend. USAFF Nationals will feature two days of competition with the top functional fitness athletes in the country vying for a spot on the USA Functional Fitness National Team as well as the crown of National Champion. The top finishers at the event will also qualifier to represent the US at the International Functional Fitness Federation National Championships October 5-7th in London, England. Please visit https://usafunctionalfitness.org/2018-nationals/to learn how to qualify to compete at USAFF Nationals.

 

Learn More

Werksan

Werksan Barbells USA is based in Moorestown, NJ and produces high quality weightlifting and strength and conditioning equipment. They are known for producing the World’s Toughest Barbells and Bumper Plates. For more information on Werksan please visit werksanusa.com and follow them on facebook and instagram @werksanbarbells.

USAFF

USA Functional Fitness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as the national governing body for competitive functional fitness in the United States. Their mission is to promote and grow the sport throughout the country by striving to improve fairness, safety, and integrity in the sport as well as increasing sporting opportunities for athletes, coaches, judges, and spectators. You can learn more about USAFF at usafunctionalfitness.org or follow them @usafunctionalfitness on facebook and instagram.

USAFF Hosts National Championship during  Spartan’s North American Championship Weekend in West Virginia

By Press Release

For Immediate Release 

USA Functional Fitness Hosts National Championship during Spartan’s North American Championship Weekend in West Virginia

Spartan’s Global Championship Series Event Takes Place August 25 -26 in Glen Jean, WV

BOSTON, MA (April 4, 2018) – USA Functional Fitness (USAFF) and Spartan have Joined forces to host the USA Functional Fitness National Championship competition in conjunction with the 2018 Spartan North American Championship in Glen Jean, West Virginia taking place August 25th and 26th. USAFF is the national governing body for competitive functional fitness in the United States of America and Spartan is the largest obstacle race (OCR) and endurance brand in the world.

The USAFF National Championship is a 2 day competition featuring the country’s top functional fitness athletes as they compete for the title of National Champion and a spot on the USA Functional Fitness National Team. Athletes will compete in six tests, which showcase the range and breadth of their abilities in areas such as aerobic capacity, strength, power, and skill proficiency. Athletes selected for the USA Functional Fitness National Team will be invited to represent the United States at the International Functional Fitness Federation World Championships held October 5-7th in London, England.

“We are excited to be a part of the activities at Spartan’s North American Championship event,” said USA Functional Fitness President Josh Plosker. “This is an incredible opportunity to create additional excitement for both events, adding to activities at Spartan’s race festival – and it allows athletes from both the functional fitness world and the Spartan world to cross and broaden their athletic horizons.”

The competition will be held in the race festival of Spartan’s North American Championship at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, a training, Scouting, and adventure center for the millions of youth and adults involved in the Boy Scouts of America.

The North American Championship is the culmination of Spartans U.S., Canadian and Mexican National Series, which will see the best endurance athletes from the three countries competing for cash and prizes on the road to the World Championship. The event is presented by Wild, Wonderful West Virginia and is part of Spartan’s 2018 Global Championship Series, with competition unfolding across more than 30 countries.

“In addition to the on-course action, Spartan events are designed to provide a unique experience for spectators and racers alike, and the addition of USAFF’s championship is an exciting addition to the festival at our North American Championship,” said Spartan General Manager of U.S. Events, Brian Duncanson. “The two events will bring some of the continents best athletes together to form two-days of no-holds-barred competition and we look forward to watching it all unfold in West Virginia.”

Functional fitness workouts are performed at a high intensity and are based on functional movements, which aligns with Spartan’s training philosophy, emphasizing strength, endurance and mental grit. Spartan events focus on sport and athleticism, pushing the bodies and minds of competitors to the limit across miles of unforgiving terrain while they conquer signature obstacles such as the Spear Throw, Monkey Bars and Barbed Wire Crawl.

Athletes wishing to participate in USA Functional Fitness Nationals must qualify through one of three methods including receiving an invitation based on performance at the USAFF Performance Camp in mid-April, being a current member of the National Team, or through an online qualifying event to be announced shortly.

For qualifying information for the 2018 Spartan North American Championship, registering for an open heat and purchasing spectator passes, visit Spartan.com.

 

ABOUT USA FUNCTIONAL FITNESS

USAFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization acting as the national governing body for competitive functional fitness in the United States. More information about USA Functional Fitness and the National Championships is available at usafunctionalfitness.org.

ABOUT SPARTAN 

Spartan is the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand, and the first in-sport to feature timing and global rankings. With more than 200 events across more than 30 countries in 2018, Spartan Race will attract more than one million global participants offering open heats for all fitness levels, along with competitive and elite heats. The Spartan Race lifestyle boasts a community of more than five million passionate social media followers, health and wellness products, training and nutrition programs, and a popular NBC television series, which has made obstacle racing one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Spartan Race events feature races at three distances, 3+Mile/20+ Obstacle “Sprint,” 8+ Mile/25+ Obstacle “Super” and 12+ Mile/30+ Obstacle “Beast,” culminating in the Reebok Spartan Race World Championship in Lake Tahoe, Calif. Visit http://www.spartan.com for more information and registration.

 

Media Contact: Jonathan Fine at 781.248.3963 or jonathanf@spartan.com.