Mat Fraser (athlete)

Mat Fraser was born to Canadian Olympic figure skaters Don Fraser and Candace Jones in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and spent his early childhood in Sharbot Lake.{{cite web |url=https://games.crossfit.com/article/real-deal-mat-fraser |title=The Real Deal: Mat Fraser |publisher=CrossFit Games |date=July 1, 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/10/26/sharbot-lake-man-proclaimed-fittest-on-earth-for-fifth-consecutive-year.html |title=Sharbot Lake man proclaimed 'Fittest on Earth' for fifth consecutive year|first= Samantha |last=Butler-Hassan|date= October 26, 2020|work=The Star }}{{cite news |url=https://www.frontenacnews.ca/central-frontenac-news/item/10711-mat-fraser-the-world-s-fittest-man-hails-from-sharbot-lake |title=Mat Fraser, the "world's fittest man" hails from Sharbot Lake|first=Jeff |last=Green |date= July 28, 2016 |work=Frontenac News}} His mother worked as a doctor while his father was a stay-at-home dad.{{cite web |url= https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/lifestyle/a28605170/crossfit-games-mat-fraser/ |title=In His Own Words: How Mat Fraser Became The Fittest Man On Earth |first=Jamie |last= Millar|date=August 7, 2019|work=Men's Health }}{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/is-crossfit-star-mat-fraser-the-worlds-fittest-man-sc5w8c75t |title=Is CrossFit star Mat Fraser the world's fittest man? |first=Tom |last=Whipple|date=February 8, 2020|work=The Times }} The family moved to Colchester, Vermont, in the United States in his early childhood. He was athletic from a young age, learning to swim when he was one, water-ski at 18 months, downhill ski at two, and walk on hands for a dozen paces when he was seven.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com.au/matt-fraser-crossfit-king |title=How Matt Fraser Became The CrossFit King |first= Ebenezer |last=Samuel|work=Men's Health |date=October 18, 2019 }}{{sfn|Fraser|Mestel|2022|p=166}} He played football in middle school and took up weightlifting when he was 12 years old.{{cite web |url=https://www.hydragun.com/blog/superhuman-feature-of-the-month-mat-fraser |title= Superhuman Feature of the month: Mat Fraser|date=September 7, 2020 |work=Hydragun }} After graduating from Colchester High School, he started to train full time in Olympic weightlifting at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as a resident athlete on scholarship.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/transformations-mat-fraser-before-crossfit/ |title=Transformations – Mat Fraser Before He Found CrossFit |first=Robbie |last=Wild Hudson |date=2018 |work=Boxrox }}

In 2009, a few weeks before he was due to compete in the Junior World Weightlifting Championship in Bucharest, Romania, he injured his back doing a clean-pull, which was further damaged in a squat after he was encouraged to train a week later. Although in pain, he went to compete in the Championships, but after returning home it was found that he had suffered two breaks in his L5 vertebra. It required him to wear a plastic brace on his torso for four months, but it failed to heal properly.{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ptpzV-E5kR/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/ptpzV-E5kR |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |url-access=registration|title=mathewfras |work=Instagram }}{{cbignore}} He refused spinal fusion surgery because it would have ended his athletic career, and elected instead for experimental surgery to have his back re-broken, inserting a protein sponge to help heal the bone with two plates and six screws attached to his lower spine. The rehabilitation lasted a year, although he resumed training after four months.

After his surgery, Fraser enrolled at the Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University to study math and physics while he was on his rehabilitation.{{cite magazine |url=http://boxlifemagazine.uberflip.com/i/396163-oct-nov-2014-issue-feat-mathew-fraser/34 |magazine=Box Life Magazine |title=Mathew Fraser |first=William |last=Imbo |date=November 2014|pages=30–37 }} He gave up weightlifting as a sport after two years in Michigan, and went to Rocky Mountain House in Alberta to work on the oil fields for four months,{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/training-tips-mat-fraser/ |title=Hard Work Pays Off – 7 Top Training Tips from Mat Fraser |first= Robbie |last=Wild Hudson |work=Boxrox |date=November 22, 2017}} before returning to Vermont to start a double major course in mechanical engineering and business and a double minor in math and engineering management at the University of Vermont in Burlington.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbp8RBxvpRI |title=Fittest Man on Earth - Mat Fraser |work=Black Rifle Coffee Podcast |date=October 17, 2023 |via=YouTube }} Fraser started training in a CrossFit gym when he was 22,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/edge/2016/12/29/mat-fraser-2016-crossfit-games-champion-workout-training |title=Training with Mat Fraser: Inside the gym with the 2016 CrossFit Games champion |first=Stephenie |last= Apstein|date=December 29, 2016|magazine=Sports Illustrated }} and competed in CrossFit events in 2013, but initially, he competed only to earn some pocket money while he was studying. Although he had originally intended to pursue a career in engineering, a stint as a summer intern in an aerospace company in 2014 convinced him to focus on CrossFit. By the time he graduated with degrees in engineering and business in May 2016, he had established himself enough as a CrossFit athlete to commit to the sport full time.{{cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fittest-man-on-earth-mat-fraser-on-money-and-investing-143502535.html |title='Fittest Man on Earth' Mat Fraser on money and investing|first=Pamela |last=Granda|date=November 29, 2019|work=Yahoo! Finance }}{{cite web |url=https://edgardaily.com/interviews/mat-fraser-on-crossfit-dubai-fitness-championship/ |title=Mat Fraser: The Fittest Athlete in the World|date=December 23, 2018|work=Edgar Daily}}

Fraser came from an Olympic weightlifting background{{cite web |url=http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2015/07/30/interview-with-crossfit-superstar-mat-fraser/ |title=Interview with Crossfit Superstar Mat Fraser |website=jsstrength.com |access-date=February 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217104319/http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2015/07/30/interview-with-crossfit-superstar-mat-fraser |archive-date=February 17, 2018 |url-status=dead }} where he earned his first national title in weightlifting when he was 13 years old and was the school age champion in 2003, 2005 and 2007. In 2009, he became the junior national champion (77 kg category).{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923054726/http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/09NatJrs.htm |title=2009 USA Weightlifting National Juniors|archive-date=September 23, 2012 |work=Olympic Weightlifting on the Web |url=http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/09NatJrs.htm }} He injured his back in 2009, but not knowing that he had a broken vertebra, he went on to compete in the Junior World Weightlifting Championship in Bucharest, Romania, and ended up 15th out of 16 in the 77 kg men category.{{cite web |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2017/01/09/lifting |title=Lifting Off: Falling for Crossfit |work=Vault }}{{cite web |url=https://www.iwf.net/results/results-by-events/?event=25 |title= Results by Events |work=International Weightlifting Federation }} After spinal surgery and rehabilitation, he competed in two American Weightlifting Open competitions, placing third in the 77 kg men division in 2010,{{cite web |url=http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/10AmOpen.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619144418/http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/10AmOpen.htm |archivedate=June 19, 2019 |title=2010 USA Weightlifting American Open |work= Olympic Weightlifting on the Web}}{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/Media/News/Weightlifting/WEIGHTLIFTING-Zach-Krych-Finalizes-Comeback-at-85kg-Junior-Jared-Fleming-Wins-94kg-with-New-Records |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501020759/https://www.teamusa.org/Media/News/Weightlifting/WEIGHTLIFTING-Zach-Krych-Finalizes-Comeback-at-85kg-Junior-Jared-Fleming-Wins-94kg-with-New-Records |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 1, 2021 |title=WEIGHTLIFTING Zach Krych Finalizes Comeback at 85kg, Junior Jared Fleming Wins 94kg with New Records|date=December 12, 2010 |work=Team USA }} and fifth in 85 kg men in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/11AmOpen.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619142414/http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/11AmOpen.htm|archivedate=June 19, 2019 |title=2011 USA Weightlifting American Open |work= Olympic Weightlifting on the Web}} He was placed 8th in the 85 kg men category at the National Championships in 2012.{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120051927/http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/12SrNats.htm |url=http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/12SrNats.htm |archive-date= November 20, 2012 |title=2012 USA Weightlifting Senior Nationals |work= Olympic Weightlifting on the Web}} He retired from the sport after his final competition as funding was cut in 2011 after Chicago lost its bid for 2016 Summer Olympics and he lost interest in weightlifting.{{cite web |url= https://burlingtonfreepress.com/story/sports/2014/10/19/fraser-crossfit-games/17535055/ |title= Colchester man finds 2nd calling in CrossFit|first=Austin |last=Danforth |work=Burlington Free Press |date=October 19, 2014 }}{{cite web|url= https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/interviews/mat-fraser-gears-2015-crossfit-games/ |title=Mat Fraser gears up for the 2015 Crossfit Games|first= Mark |last=Barroso |work=Muscle & Fitness |date= May 28, 2015}}

Fraser started training in a CrossFit box (gym) while he was still competing in weightlifting – he was looking for a place to do Olympic lifts to keep himself fit when he was home in Vermont during a school break from Michigan. Although not interested in CrossFit, he chose a CrossFit box (Champlain Valley CrossFit) because CrossFit boxes have the equipment used by Olympic lifters in towns without dedicated Olympic facilities. When he returned to study in Vermont, he also trained at Champlain Valley, where he was introduced to CrossFit as a sport and was encouraged to compete in CrossFit events.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLHvF8d_dr0&t=2756 |title=The Darren Woodson Show Ep. #81 Mat Fraser Part 1 - 5x Fittest Man on Earth |date=December 28, 2020|time= 45:57–57:00 }} Fraser started competing at the end of 2012 and early 2013 in local competitions, and with only a few months of experience in CrossFit, he finished fifth in the CrossFit North East Regionals, which was not high enough to qualify for the CrossFit Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.therxreview.com/2013-crossfit-regionals-north-east-results/ |title=2013 CrossFit Regionals: North East Results |first=John Michael |last= Bric|work=The RX Review |date=May 20, 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://unbreakableathleticsacademy.com/athletes-competing-in-crossfit-open-workout-17-3-announcement-mat-fraser/ |title=Athletes Competing in CrossFit Open Workout 17.3 Announcement – Mat Fraser |work=Unbreakable Athletics Academy }} For a time he also competed as part of a team. He was with the New York Rhinos team in the NPGL in 2014, and in the Built By Bergeron team in 2015,{{cite web |url=https://games.crossfit.com/article/super-teams-crossfit-team-series |title=Super Teams of the Crossfit Team Series|first= Megan |last=Mitchell|work=CrossFit|date=August 21, 2015 }} which finished third in the CrossFit Team Series that year.{{cite web |url=https://games.crossfit.com/article/2015-crossfit-team-series-prize-winners/teamseries |title= CrossFit Team Series Prize Winners |date= October 22, 2015}}

In 2014, Fraser won the North East Regionals, which gained him some attention.{{cite web|url= https://games.crossfit.com/article/real-deal-mat-fraser |title=The Real Deal: Mat Fraser |date= July 1, 2014 |work=Cross Fit |first=Keka |last=Schermerhorn }} In his first appearance at the CrossFit Games, he ended the competition as runner-up to Rich Froning. He had seven top 10 finishes in that year's events, tying for first place with Froning in the Overhead Squat, and finishing second in Midline March and Thick 'N Quick. He also won the Rookie of the Year award.{{cite web |url=https://games.crossfit.com/article/fourging-elite-fitness |title="Fourging" Elite Fitness |first1= Mike |last1=Warkentin |first2= Andréa Maria |last2=Cecil|work=CrossFit |date=July 28, 2014 }}

In 2015, Froning had retired from individual competitions, and Fraser was widely expected to win the 2015 CrossFit Games.{{Cite web|title = Fittest in Fierce Fight at CrossFit Games|url = http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/24/fittest-in-fierce-fight-at-crossFit-games/|website = The San Diego Union-Tribune| date=July 24, 2015 |accessdate = 11 October 2015}} Although he started well, he performed poorly in several events during the third day of the competition, particularly in the Soccer Chipper event that he failed to finish but Ben Smith won. Fraser lost his large lead over Smith, which proved decisive in Smith's eventual victory in the competition.{{cite web|url=https://games.crossfit.com/article/first-place-fraser |title=First-place Fraser|date=June 5, 2016 |first=Brittney |last=Saline|work=CrossFit }}{{cite web |url= https://boxlifemagazine.com/2015-crossfit-games-recap/ |title=2015 CrossFit Games Recap |work=BoxLife Magazine |date=July 19, 2023 }} Fraser later described his second place as a "devastating loss" and his "biggest failure", a "lesson I will reflect on the rest of my life".{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=drYoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA426 |title=Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World |first= Timothy|last= Ferriss |date=November 21, 2017 |page=426 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=9781328994974 }} He said: "I hated my 2015 medal. To me it just represented the cut corners, the slacking off, the thinking I could out-train a bad diet." He added: "If I had won in 2015 while carrying those bad habits, I would've kept those bad habits. I would've thought I could do this while eating terribly. I can do this while training sporadically."{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/25/sport/matt-fraser-crossfit-games-spt-intl/index.html |title=Mat Fraser: The Loss that Launched a Legacy |date= July 25, 2019|work=CNN |first=Will |last=Edmonds}}

At the 2016 CrossFit Games, Fraser performed consistently well in events he had previously struggled in. He started his campaign with a win in the 7k Ranch Trail Run even though he was not known for running or endurance.{{cite web|url= https://www.boxrox.com/2016-crossfit-games-champions/ |title= Katrin Davidsdottir and Mat Fraser are the 2016 CrossFit Games Champions | first=Robbie |last=Wild Hudson |work=BoxRox|date= July 25, 2016 }}{{cite web |url=https://thebarbellspin.com/functional-fitness/mat-fraser-starts-strong-at-the-ranch/ |title=Mat Fraser Starts Strong at The Ranch |first= Brian |last=Pyfferoen |date=July 21, 2016 |work=The BarbellSpin}} That was the only event he won, but he came second in seven events and top 10 in nearly all events, and the consistent all-round performance allowed him to dominate the field and emerge as the winner. He won with a 197-point lead over second-place Ben Smith, which was the biggest margin of victory in the history of the Games.{{cite web|last1=Cecil|first1=Andréa Maria|title=Fraser Wins First Games, Davidsdottir Repeats|url=http://games.crossfit.com/article/fraser-wins-first-games-davidsdottir-repeats|website=CrossFit.com|accessdate=25 July 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://thebarbellspin.com/functional-fitness/mat-fraser-wins-2016-crossfit-games-by-largest-margin-in-history/ |title= Mat Fraser Wins 2016 CrossFit Games by Largest Margin in History |first= Brian|last= Pyfferoen |date=July 25, 2016|work=The BarbellSpin }}{{cite news|last1=Free Press Sports Staff|title=Colchester's Mathew Fraser wins CrossFit Games|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/sports/2016/07/24/colchesters-mathew-fraser-wins-crossfit-games/87512414/|accessdate=25 July 2016|agency=Burlington Free Press|date=24 July 2016}}

The following year Fraser was again dominant at the 2017 CrossFit Games, winning four of the last eight events (Triple-G Chipper, Muscle-up Clean Ladder, Heavy 17.5, 2223 Intervals), the first time he won more than one event in a single Games. He finished in first place, extending his record margin of victory to 216 points over Brent Fikowski.{{cite web |url=https://barbend.com/2017-reebok-crossfit-games-results-mat-fraser-tia-clair-toomey/ |title= Mat Fraser, Tia-Clair Toomey Win 2017 Reebok CrossFit Games |first= David |last=Tao|date= October 17, 2018 |work=BarBend}}{{cite web|url=https://morningchalkup.com/2017/08/07/top-10-moments-2017-crossfit-games/ |title=The Top 10 Moments from the 2017 CrossFit Games|date=August 7, 2017 |first= Justin |last= Lofranco |work=Morning Chalk Up }} He won the competition despite injuring his LCL on his knee while stretching after the first day of competition; he kept quiet on his injury and continued to compete the next three days.{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/26/sport/mat-fraser-crossfit-spt-intl/index.html |title=How Mat Fraser overcame injury to become the 'Fittest Man on Earth' |first=Will |last=Edmonds |work=CNN |date= July 26, 2017}}

File:Mat Fraser 181222-D-PB383-022 (44606662680).jpg

In 2018, Fraser's consistent performance again allowed him to defend his title at the 2018 CrossFit Games. He led from the third event, winning in two events (Fibonacci and Aeneas) with top 4 finishes in 10 of the 14 events and only one outside the top 10 – 11th on the Marathon Row. He won with a record 1,162 points, and a record margin of 220 points over the runner-up Patrick Vellner.{{cite news |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit-strongman/article/2158396/crossfit-games-2018-winners-leader-board-results |title=CrossFit Games 2018 winners: leader board, results, recap as Mat Fraser, Tia Toomey rule after Two-Stroke Pull, Handstand Walk, Aeneas events|first=Nick |last=Atkin|date= August 6, 2018 |work=South China Morning Post}}

Fraser qualified for the 2019 CrossFit Games by winning the first sanctioned event held in Dubai under the new qualification system.{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/mat-fraser-sam-briggs-2019-dubai-crossfit-championship/ |title=Mat Fraser & Sam Briggs Win Dubai CrossFit® Championship, Qualify For 2019 Games |first= David |last=Tao|date=December 21, 2018 |work=BarBend}} He also won the inaugural Rogue Invitational.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/mat-fraser-and-tia-clair-toomey-win-the-rogue-invitational/ |title=Mat Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey Win The Rogue Invitational |date= May 20, 2019 |work=BoxRox |first=Robin Wild |last=Hudson}} At the CrossFit Games itself, Fraser faced a strong challenge from Noah Ohlsen despite winning 6 events in this Games. He started well with two wins, but stumbled on day 2 of the competition and trailed Ohlsen in points by the end of the day – a sandbag falling out of his bag in the 6k Ruck event near the end of the race resulted in a 60-second penalty and a 17th-place finish,{{cite web|url=https://games.crossfit.com/announcement/11709 |title=Scoring Adjustment - Mat Fraser, Ruck |date=August 2, 2019|work=CrossFit Games }} followed by a worse 21st finish in Sprint Couplet. Fraser managed to claw back the deficit in the later events of the competition; a couple of first-place finishes (Split Triplet and Clean) and his second and first finishes on Ringer 1 and Ringer 2 in the last day gave him a small lead over Ohlsen. A win in the final event The Standard made him champion for the fourth time, but with the smallest winning margin in men's competition since 2010. This win equaled Froning's record of four consecutive wins.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a28607626/mat-fraser-wins-2019-crossfit-games/|title=Mat Fraser Is the World's Fittest Man for the Fourth Straight Year|first=Ben |last= Sweeney|date=August 5, 2019 |work=Men's Health}}

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced major changes to the 2020 CrossFit Games. The competition was separated into two stages. In the first stage, 30 men competed online and Fraser won four of the seven events.{{cite news |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3101859/crossfit-games-2020-workouts-friendly-fran-nasty-nancy-and |title=CrossFit Games 2020 workouts: awful Annie, friendly Fran, nasty Nancy and a one-rep max front squat|first=Mark|last= Agnew|date= September 17, 2020 |work=South China Morning Post}} The field was then narrowed to the top 5 men who competed in person in the final stage. Fraser dominated this much-reduced group of athletes, winning ten of the twelve events and only dropping to second place in Swim 'N' Stuff and CrossFit Total.{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/samuel-kwant-2020-crossfit-games/ |title=For CrossFit Games Finalist Samuel Kwant, Fitness Is A Family Affair|first=Jessica |last=Danger|date= October 26, 2020 |work=Bar Bend}}{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/2020-crossfit-games-final-crossfit-total/ |title=Jeffrey Adler Beats Mat Fraser In Event 3 Of The 2020 CrossFit Games|first= Andrew |last=Gutman|date= October 26, 2020|work=Bar Bend }} He won with a greatly-extended record margin. His points total of 1,150 was nearly double that of the runner-up Samuel Kwant (605).{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a34479908/mat-fraser-crossfit-games-2020/ |title=Mat Fraser Wins the 2020 CrossFit Games for Fifth-Straight Victory|first= Spenser |last=Mestel |date=October 26, 2020 |work=Men's Health}} He also set records of most wins in a single Games (10 in stage two, 14 including stage one), most cumulative event wins (29), most consecutive event wins (6), the first continuous unbroken lead in the Games, and his fifth title surpassed Froning's record of four.{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2020/10/25/mat-fraser-and-tia-clair-toomey-dominate-2020-games-in-historic-fashion/ |title=The most event wins of any athlete, with 29 event wins in his career |date=October 25, 2020 |first1= Kay |last1= Wiese |first2= Joe |last2= Genetin-Pilawa |work=Morning Chalk Up }}{{cite web |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3107038/crossfit-games-2020-mat-fraser-shows-just-how-dominating |title=CrossFit Games 2020: Mat Fraser raises the bar to level others can only dream of |first=Brian |last=Friend |date=26 October 2020 |work=South China Morning Post }}

On February 2, 2021, Fraser announced on Instagram that he had retired from competitive CrossFit.{{cite web |url=https://barbend.com/mat-fraser-retires/ |title=BREAKING: Mat Fraser Announces Retirement From Competitive CrossFit |website=BarBend |date=February 2, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a35491387/mat-fraser-world-exclusive-retirement/ |title=How I Knew It Was Time To Say Goodbye |first=David |last=Morton |work=Men's Health |date=February 15, 2021 }}

Fraser released his HWPO ("Hard Work Pays Off") training program in April 2021,{{cite web |url= https://www.boxrox.com/mat-fraser-to-release-signature-training-programming-online/|title=Mat Fraser To Release Signature Training Programming Online|date=February 9, 2021|first=Caro |last=Kyllmann|work=BoxRox }} later extended to training for elite athletes,{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/mat-fraser-hwpo-pro-elite-crossfit-athletes/ |title=Mat Fraser Reveals HWPO Pro for Elite CrossFit Athletes |date=November 30, 2021|first=Robert|last= Born |work=BoxRox}} and delivered via his own platform.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a39425839/mat-fraser-hwpo-training/ |title=Mat Fraser and HWPO Training Announce Launch of New |first=David |last=Morton |date=March 14, 2022 |work=Men's Health}} He also helped train other athletes and started providing individual coaching for athletes, including Mal O'Brien, Justin Medeiros, Katrin Davidsdottir, and Amanda Barnhart.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/watch-mat-frasers-epic-training-camp-with-justin-medeiros/ |title=WATCH: Mat Fraser's Epic Training Camp with Justin Medeiros |date=July 13, 2021|first=Caro |last=Kyllmann|work=BoxRox }}{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2022/01/03/breaking-mal-obrien-joins-mat-fraser-hwpo-training-for-the-2022-season/ |title=BREAKING: Mal O'Brien Joins Mat Fraser, HWPO Training For the 2022 Season |date=January 3, 2022 |first= Tommy |last= Marquez|work=Morning Chalk Up }}{{Cite web |last=LLC |first=CrossFit |title=Coach and Five-time Fittest Man on Earth Mat Fraser Announces Pro Roster |url=https://games.crossfit.com/announcement/13843 |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=games.crossfit.com |language=English}} He partnered with the filmmakers Buttery Bros to announce the launch of a supplement company named Podium Nutrition with its product release scheduled in July 2021.{{cite web |url=https://barbend.com/mat-fraser-buttery-bros-supplement-company-podium/ |title=Mat Fraser And Buttery Bros Announce New Supplement Company "Podium"|first=Phil |last=Blechman|date= April 19, 2021 |work=BarBend}}{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2021/05/25/breaking-podium-nutrition-inks-deal-with-justin-medeiros-as-first-sponsored-athlete/ |title=Breaking: Podium Nutrition Inks Deal with Justin Medeiros as First Sponsored Athlete |date=May 25, 2021 |first= Tommy |last= Marquez}} Fraser started to program for a number of competitions in 2022.{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2022/04/07/mat-fraser-to-program-madrid-crossfit-championship/ |title=Mat Fraser to Program Madrid Championship |date=April 7, 2022 |work=Morning Chalk Up}}{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2022/07/20/mat-fraser-talks-programming-first-full-competition-everything-came-out-perfectly-it-was-so-much-fun/ |title=Mat Fraser Talks Programming First Full Competition: "Everything came out perfectly, it was so much fun"|date=July 20, 2022 |first= Emily |last=Beers |work=Morning Chalk Up }}{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2022/09/08/dubai-crossfit-championship-going-big-for-10th-anniversary/ |title=Dubai CrossFit Championship Going Big for 10th Anniversary|date=September 8, 2022 |first= Patrick|last= Clark |work=Morning Chalk Up }}

After switching to CrossFit, Fraser did not follow a set training routine due to the constantly varied movements found in CrossFit and the CrossFit Games. In his early years in CrossFit, he did not dedicate his training to CrossFit, with only 1–2 hours a day of training a few times a week.{{cite web |url=https://europaff.com/project/mat-freser/ |title=Our Interview with Mat Fraser |work=Europa FF }} He did not maintain a special diet and would often eat an entire pint of ice cream or a half-dozen donuts. After coming in second to Ben Smith at the 2015 CrossFit Games, he committed to a better diet and dropped ten pounds, eating no "junk food" or soda, and little pre-packaged food.{{cite web |url=https://www.gq.com/story/mat-fraser-real-life-diet |title=The Real-Life Diet of Mat Fraser, the Fittest Man on Earth|first= Emily |last= Abbate|date=July 30, 2018 |work=GQ Magazine }} He does not adhere to a specific diet like paleo (he found that it gave him insufficient energy) or counting macros, which is common in CrossFit. In general, he eats what he wants and when he wants it, aside from avoiding junk food and ensuring that he eats well with enough calorific intake. Fraser tended to consume four to five big calorie-dense meals a day when training for competition, which were mainly meat and vegetables, along with sticky white rice.{{cite web |url=https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/want-to-be-a-crossfit-games-champ-heres-your-training-guide-w433559/ |title=Want to Be a CrossFit Games Champion? Here's Your Guide |work=Men's Journal |access-date=February 11, 2018|first=Jenessa|last= Connor }} During training, he took supplements such as branched-chain amino acids, pre-workout (including beta-alanine), and cannabidiol (for sleep),{{cite web |url= https://barbend.com/mat-fraser-crossfit-diet/ |title=We Interviewed Mat Fraser To Learn Everything About His Diet|first=Nick |last=English|date= January 30, 2020|work=BarBend }} and drinks protein shakes and smoothies, snacks on Snickers bars, gummies, and fruits during workout sessions, and Gatorade after the hardest session.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a36628621/mat-fraser-workout-diet-crossfit-games/ |title=What Mat Fraser Eats Every Day for CrossFit Games Dominance |date=June 4, 2021 |first=Edward |last=Cooper |work=Men's Health }} During competitions, food intake was kept broadly similar, but the quantity changed—less before competition events to avoid competing on a full stomach—with an increase in carbohydrates and a decrease in protein.{{Cite web |url=https://fitnessvolt.com/mat-fraser-full-day-eating/ |title=5x CrossFit Games Champ Mat Fraser Reveals What He Ate For Training and Competition|first=Matthew|last= Magnante|date= June 6, 2021|work=Fitness Volt }} His food intake reached 6–7,000 calories daily at the peak of his training. In the off-season when he did not train, he sometimes ate only one or two meals a day.

Fraser did not have a fixed set of training routines in the early years when he competed, but later he would have daily exercises involving Assault Bike and swimming intervals and 40-minute AMRAPs (as many reps as possible). {{sfn|Fraser|Mestel|2022|loc=Introduction}} He maintained some structure in his training. During a CrossFit season, his training varied over time, but he trained a minimum of two sessions a day four days a week. He typically had three track sessions, three or four weightlifting sessions, a couple of sessions swimming and one on road bike.{{cite web |url=https://mensfitness.co.uk/fitness/qa-crossfit-king-mat-fraser/ |title= Q&A With CrossFit King Mat Fraser |work= Men's Fitness|date=July 19, 2020}} The training may depend on what was done previously. A day concentrated on conditioning may be followed by strength work the next, and he tried to fit in conditioning, cardio, and technique work in a day. Every week one or two 40-minute EMOMs, a type of workout that is repeated every minute on the minute, were included in his training.{{cite web|url=https://www.gq.com.au/fitness/workout/crossfit-champ-mat-frasers-emom-workout-is-not-for-the-faint-hearted/news-story/4550b1cc52b82cde7d3f46909aea3f99 |title=CrossFit Champ Mat Fraser's EMOM Workout Is Not For The Faint Hearted |first=Jessica |last= Campbell |date= 13 January 2021|work=GQ }} He focused on his weaknesses, for example, after he struggled in flipping the pig (a rectangular block encased in rubber) in the 2015 Games which contributed to his failure to finish the event, he bought a "pig" so he could practice with it. Other weaknesses he focused on included sprinting after the 2015 Games, deadlift after the 2016 Games, and swimming after 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-mat-fraser-became-the-greatest-crossfit-athlete-of-all-time/ |title=Mat Fraser's the Greatest CrossFit Athlete of All Time: 3 Secrets to His Success |work=Men's Journal |first=Spenser |last=Mestel|date=September 4, 2018 }} He always warmed up before and cooled down after his training. He did not train for many weeks in the off-season after the Games. When preparing for a competition, the training ramped up over a time period of 12 to 16 weeks, but he cut down on the training slightly approaching the competition (tapering), and avoided workouts that could adversely affect the following day.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbssports.com/crossfit/news/two-time-crossfit-games-champion-mat-fraser-details-his-regimen-knows-theres-a-timestamp/ |title=Two-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser details his regimen, knows there's a 'timestamp' |first=Kevin |last=Skiver|date=June 8, 2018|work=CBS Sports}} Fraser sees sleep as very important for recovery after training, and ensured that he had regular sleep of 9–10 hours when training or during competition.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a758636/training-tips-from-the-fittest-guy-on-earth/ |title=Training tips from the fittest guy on earth|first= Michael |last= Jennings|date=February 6, 2018 |work=Men's Health}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/mat-frasers-top-5-training-mistakes-to-avoid.html |title=Mat Fraser's Top 5 Training Mistakes to Avoid |first=Kailan |last=Kalina|date=December 17, 2019 |work=Bodybuilding.com }}

In Vermont, he trained at Champlain Valley CrossFit and a home gym in the basement of his parents' house.{{cite web |url=https://www.garagegymreviews.com/mat-frasers-home-gym |title=A Look at Mat Fraser's Home Gym (World's Fittest Man)|date= January 4, 2019|work=Garage Gym Reviews }} In 2017, he started moving to Froning's hometown of Cookeville, Tennessee, where he trained at CrossFit Mayhem and later at Calfkiller Crossfit,{{cite web|url=https://www.boxrox.com/mat-fraser-cookeville/ |title=Mat Fraser Moves to Live in Rich Froning's Hometown of Cookeville, TN |date=October 26, 2017 | first=Robbie |last=Wild Hudson |work=BoxRox}}{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdWHsLuHSWI&t=3350 |title=The Darren Woodson Show Ep. #83 - Mat Fraser Part 2 - 5x Fittest Man on Earth |date=January 3, 2020|time= 55:50–57:20 }} as well as in his own home gym.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com.au/mat-fraser-training-in-isolation |title=How Mat Fraser Is Keeping Fit In Isolation|first= Lauren |last=Williamson |date=April 17, 2020 |work=Men's Health}}

For many years he mostly trained alone, but when training with a partner in preparation for the Games, he preferred to train with female athletes as they are not direct competitors. Training partners included Katrín Davíðsdóttir and Tia-Clair Toomey.{{cite web |url= https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/5-training-tips-from-two-time-crossfit-champ-mat-fraser-w496969/ |title= 5 Training Tips from Two-Time CrossFit Champ Mat Fraser |first=Spenser|last= Mestel |work=Men's Journal|date= January 18, 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://morningchalkup.com/2020/09/22/more-work-to-do-three-major-takeaways-from-mathew-fraser-and-tia-clair-toomey-interviews/ |title=More Work To Do: Three Major Takeaways From Mathew Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey Interviews |date=September 22, 2020 |first= Patrick|last= Clark }} He trained with Toomey for the 2019 and 2020 CrossFit Games after she moved to Cookeville in 2018.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noI91H1Y9SA&t=1177s |title=The 4x Champ Mat Fraser on the 2019 CrossFit Games |date=6 August 2019 |work=YouTube |author=Rory McKernan |time= 19:39–22:40}}{{cite news |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit-strongman/article/3002784/crossfit-open-195-mat-fraser-and-tia-clair-toomey |title=CrossFit Open 19.5: Mat Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey face-off for the first time in epic showdown |first= Nick |last=Atkin |date= March 22, 2019|work=South China Morning Post }}{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a32461250/mat-fraser-tia-clair-toomey-crossfit-games-lockdown/ |title=How Mat Fraser & Tia-Clair Toomey Work Out In Lockdown (And What They Watch on Netflix)|date=October 26, 2020|work=Men's Health |last=Morton|first=David }} Toomey's coach/husband Shane Orr also served as Fraser's coach these two seasons.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/shane-orr-moves-into-coaching-role-with-mat-fraser/ |title=Shane Orr Moves into Coaching Role with Mat Fraser |first=Caro |last=Kyllmann |date=September 26, 2019|work=BoxRox}}

File:Sammy Moniz and Mat Fraser 181227-D-PB383-042 (31548352287).jpg

Fraser lives with Sammy Moniz, who created the website Feeding The Frasers dedicated to food she cooks for Fraser.{{cite web |url=https://www.wit-fitness.com/blogs/news/feeding-the-frasers |title=An Interview with Sammy Moniz, Founder of Feeding the Fraser and Fiance of the Fitteest Man on Earth|date=March 26, 2020 |work=WIT Fitness}}{{cite web |url=https://pursuing-health.com/ep-153-mat-fraser-sammy-moniz/ |title=Ep 153 – Mat Fraser + Sammy Moniz: Sweethearts on a Mission |work=Pursuing Health |date=July 21, 2020}} Their daughter Eddy was born on August 27, 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CxBaj33uqDh/ |title=sammymoniz and mathewfras |work=Instagram }}

Fraser is deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other due to a childhood ear infection.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbVaKiLEP-Q&t=2946s|title=Josh Mat Sevan Episode 2 |work=YouTube |time= 49:06–50:10}} He does not drink alcohol, and has described his drinking problems as a teenager that led to his being sober from the age of 17.{{cite web |url=https://www.menshealth.com/health/a30160809/crossfit-mat-fraser-addiction-sober/ |title= CrossFit Champion Mat Fraser Reveals He Has Been Sober Since He Was 17 |first=Philip |last=Ellis |date=December 8, 2019|work=Men's Health}} He has the Serenity Prayer tattooed on his left upper arm, inked by his older brother Jesse who works as a tattoo artist.{{cite web |url=https://bodyartguru.com/mat-fraser-tattoos/ |title= TattoosMat Fraser's 5 Tattoos & Their Meanings |work=Body Art Guru |date= July 8, 2021 }}{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQpLfEOzMBI&t=120s|title=CrossFit Podcast Ep. 17.07: Mat Fraser |work=YouTube |time= 2:02–3:10}}

Fraser has sponsorship deals with a number of companies, including Nike, Rogue, Athletic Brewing, Gowod, and Beam.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/mat-fraser-and-tia-clair-toomey-the-recovery-methods-of-champions/ |title=Mat Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey – The Recovery Methods of Champions |first=Robbie |last=Wild Hudson |work=Boxrox |date=October 21, 2019 }}{{cite web |url=https://barbend.com/mat-fraser-sobriety/ |title=Mat Fraser Discusses Being Sober Since 17 And Channeling His "Addictive" Personality|first= Alex |last=Polish|date= May 10, 2022|work=BarBend }} Fraser's Nike sportswear, such as his personal editions of Metcon cross-training shoes,{{cite web |url=https://footwearnews.com/2018/focus/athletic-outdoor/nike-metcon-shoe-crossfit-mat-fraser-1202566806/ |title= CrossFit Champ Mat Fraser Gets His Own Nike Metcon Shoe|first=Peter |last=Varry |work=Footwear News |date= May 25, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://chalkingfitness.co.uk/2019/08/25/nike-metcon-5-mat-fraser-edition-review/ |title=Nike Metcon 5 (Mat Fraser edition) review…|date= August 25, 2019|work=Chalking Fitness }}{{cite web |url=https://sneakernews.com/2020/07/28/nike-metcon-6-mat-fraser-cw6882-006-release-info/ |title=Nike And Mat Fraser Introduce The MetCon 6 |date=July 28, 2020|first= Elliot|last= Santiago|work=Sneaker News}}{{cite web |url=https://www.boxrox.com/brand-new-nike-metcon-7-mat-fraser/ |title=Check out the brand new Nike Metcon 7 Mat Fraser |work=BoxRox |first=Robbie |last=Wild Hudson |date=2 July 2021 }}{{cite web |url=https://barbend.com/nike-metcon-8-mat-fraser/ |title=Check Out The New Nike Metcon 8 Featuring 5-Time CrossFit Games Champ Mat Fraser|first= Phil |last=Blechman|date= October 19, 2022 |work=BarBend}} features his motto "Hard Work Pays Off" or its acronym HWPO.{{cite web |url=https://www.wit-fitness.com/blogs/news/hwpo-mat-fraser-college-mindset-became-mantra |title=HWPO. How Mat Fraser's college mindset became the mantra of the training obsessed|date=January 13, 2021|work=WIT Fitness }}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SptVzgEACAAJ |title= HWPO: Hard Work Pays Off |first1=Mat |last1=Fraser |first2=Spenser |last2=Mestel|year=2022|isbn=978-1529135848 |publisher=Rodale Books }}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://games.crossfit.com/athlete/153604 Mathew Fraser] at CrossFit
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141021215823/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-weightlifting/athletes/Mat-Fraser Mat Fraser] at Team USA
• {{YouTube|c=UCMxa-jlTjiVZfkQoZIa-RWg}}

{{Footer CrossFit Games Champions Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Mathew}}

Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:American sportsmen

Category:Sportspeople from Vermont

Category:CrossFit athletes

Category:University of Vermont alumni

Category:21st-century American sportsmen