Tia-Clair Toomey Will Dial in on “High-Skill Movements” and Cutting Weight for the 2022 CrossFit Open
Five-time reigning Fittest Woman on Earth® Tia-Clair Toomey has fully focused on CrossFit again. After a six-month journey helping the Australian Bobsled Team earn qualification to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Toomey is leaving bobsled behind (for now) to get into shape for the 2022 CrossFit Open, which kicks off on Feb. 24, 2022.
Toomey could reach a historic sixth CrossFit Games title in 2022, but it will not be an easy task. With less than a month to prepare before the release of the first 2022 Open workout, Toomey and her husband and trainer, Shane Orr, have to re-establish her mechanics on “high-skill movements,” build her aerobic capacity back up, and Toomey wants to cut the additional weight she put on for bobsled. Check out the video below from Toomey and Orr’s YouTube channel, wherein they discuss their game plan for the first half of the 2022 CrossFit Games season:
[Related: Annie Thorisdottir Will Compete in the Teams Division for the 2022 CrossFit Season]
Bobsleds on Ice
Toomey’s tour with the Australian Bobsled Team began in Lake Placid, NY, where she ran three bobsled races in the North American Cup as a brakewoman. It was there that she also trained for the 2021 Rogue Invitational, which she won.
Following the 2021 Rogue Invitational, Toomey traveled to Europe to compete in two races as part of the International Skeleton & Bobsleigh Federation (ISBF) World Cup Series — the BMW ISBF World Cup and the Europe Cup. Her results alongside pilot Ashleigh Werner helped Australia secure spots in the two-woman bobsled and monopod disciplines at the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympic Games. However, Bree Walker and Kiara Reddingius were selected to represent Australia at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games as Walker is the highest ISBF-ranked Australian pilot.
While Toomey did not disclose the specific amount, she did say that she put on “an excessive amount of bodyweight” to compete in bobsled. Part of her preparation for the 2022 CrossFit Open will be to “find her natural bodyweight” again.
View this post on Instagram
[Related: Interview: Noah Ohlsen on Winning Wodapalooza 2022, Battling COVID-19, and a Decade at the CrossFit Games]
Toomey’s 2022 CrossFit Games Season
Orr shared how much of the training for bobsled crosses over nicely to CrossFit® training. The required fitness tests for Toomey included three-rep-max and one-rep-max back squats, one-rep-max power clean, 30-meter dash, and vertical jump, among others.
Six out of 10 tests really had a big direct carry over.
Orr is banking on Toomey’s foundation of fitness to carry her to a top 10 worldwide finish in the Open and is already eyeing the Quarterfinals. Toomey does not seem to rest on her laurels and recognizes the challenge the Open presents. Referring to the aerobic challenges of CrossFit workouts, Toomey says:
For me, it’s learning how to hurt again. You have to retrain yourself and embrace that suck. As your fitness level naturally progresses, you also have to mentally go there.
If Toomey and Orr execute their game plan and score the called shot of a top 10 worldwide finish in the 2022 Open, it would be the first step toward Toomey potentially becoming the all-time winningest Individual CrossFit athlete in the history of the sport.
Featured image: @tiaclair1 on Instagram