First-time CrossFit Games athlete Aimee Cringle gets competition-ready
Aimee Cringle is one to watch. The 2024 CrossFit Games – i.e. the final, climactic round in the fitness competition to find the Fittest Man and Woman on Earth – is kicking off on Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, and Cringle will be taking part. She'll be competing as a first-time finalist (aka a CrossFit Rookie) in amongst the top 40 female athletes.
It's been an impressive year for Cringle, thanks to her 10th and 19th worldwide finishes in the Open and Quarterfinals, respectively, and her fifth place in the European Semifinals. She's also only the third-ever British female in the individual category to qualify for the CrossFit Games.
Here, Aimee opens up to WH about her high-intensity training routine and the habits (read: snacks) that get her through.
This is the first year that you'll be competing in the Games. How are you feeling?
'I'm learning to [believe] I've earned my place and that I deserve to be there. It keeps hitting me that I'm going to be up against the people I've been watching in the documentaries, which is quite scary! Everyone in the top 40 is so good – it keeps making my heart [pound]. And I want to enjoy it, of course, and do my best.'
What's your current weekly training schedule?
'Fraser Mackenzie coaches me and [fellow CrossFit Games athlete] Harry Lightfoot. My schedule looks like this:
Monday: 1 x 2-hour morning session and 1 x 3-hour afternoon session of mixed-modality training including: handstand hold attempts, strict muscle-ups (a pull-up followed by a dip), box step-ups, overhead kettlebell walking lunges, echo bike, three-rep max dumbbell shoulder to overheads.
Tuesday: 1 x 2-hour morning session and 1 x 3-3.5-hour afternoon session of Strongman-based training including: 100-metre kettlebell carry with fat grips, 200kg tyre flips, 400m runs, heavy yoke carries, block cleans, Bulgarian split squats.
Wednesday: 1x 2-hour morning session and 1 x 3-3.5-hour afternoon session of mixed-modality training including: 1K row, GHDs, 50-foot handstand walks, muscle-ups, sandbag cleans (70kg for women), 100-foot unbroken sandbag carry, pegboards (seven for women), toes to bar.
Thursday: active recovery (either today or on Sunday): 1-hour cardio on bike or swim and some stretching.
Friday: 1 x 2-hour morning session and 1 x 3-3.5-hour afternoon session of mixed-modality training including: front squat, bench press, power clean, push jerk, rope climbs, wall walks.
Saturday: 1 x 2-hour morning session and 1 x 3-3.5-hour afternoon session of mixed-modality training including: deadlifts, cleans, overhead squats, wall walks, toes to bar.
Sunday: active recovery (either today or on Thursday): 1-hour cardio of swimming e.g 3 x150m swim, then 800m swim.'
You used to be a track and field athlete and you won the 2022 Semifinals workout of 1k run, 2k row, 300 double-unders, 1k run. How has your background in endurance given you an advantage?
'I've always been into sport, and I haven't had to 'work on' my fitness [per se] – it's just stayed [constant]. But I suppose it's helpful to be from the Isle of Man as I'd go out on my bike for hours. It's transferred over quite nicely, so I wouldn't say I've dedicated loads of hours into running and ergs.'
A couple of workouts have already been released (four miles of running and swimming, and Chad: 1000 step-ups on a 20-inch box wearing a 35lb (15kg) vest). What do you think of those?
'I'm not saying I'm going to do well, but the ones that have been released are more my style – simple movements.'
What's one move that you particularly helpful in your training?
'We've been doing a lot of legless rope climbs, which have been helping with pull-ups and muscle-ups. I used to really struggle with muscle-ups and my coach, Fraser, says I'm now so much better than I was. I used to struggle to do two in an EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) of 10 minutes and at Semifinals, I did 15 unbroken, which I think was a PB.'
What do you find difficult or struggle with?
'My mobility in my thoracic [middle section of your spine] is quite stiff, so I struggle to lock out anything overhead. A max overhead squat would probably be my worst [nightmare], because it really hurts my forearms. It's [amazing] when someone just has dreamy [form], and doesn't have to wear wrist straps.'
Do you have any injuries?
'My hip is [being] weird. A few days after Semifinals, it was sore, but I thought I'd be alright. But it's been an issue. I can still lunge heavy but I'll have to get Ibuprofen-ed up for the Games weekend.'
What are your tips for anyone starting strength training, functional fitness or CrossFit?
'My three tips are:
You've got to give it some time, because people expect results straightaway, but be patient and consistent. Keep showing up.
Get get a friend to go with you. I find that will keep you accountable, and it's much more enjoyable than going on your own. And I made friends as well – the community aspect and friendly competition keeps everyone going.
Just try CrossFit. I know the gym can be scary sometimes, and if I went to the gym, I wouldn't push myself as hard. But CrossFit does the work for you – you book into a class and you can't turn around. You're done in an hour, and you've completed a hard workout.'
You started young, around 14 or 15. Would you recommend that?
'I started then, but I definitely didn't become competitive; I did it for fun. So I wouldn't recommend doing it full time [at that age]. Just do it, maybe twice a week, along with the sports that you enjoy, and then see what happens further down the line.'
Let's talk about your daily routine - what's the first thing you do in the morning?
'Eat! My favourite foods are yogurt, oats, cereal and protein bars. I will eat cereal dry or with water if I had to. My favourite have to be the clusters with the chocolate, Weetabix, Crunchy Nut or Blueberry or Chocolate Wheats.'
And what's the last thing you do at night?
'I cover my hands in cream – my hands are just falling apart [from working out]! I have all the nice products, including one from Lush, a bum bum cream from Sol de Janeiro, and proper CrossFit ones like Working Hands.'
What's one item, not necessarily fitness-related, that you've relied on throughout the years?
'Snacks, for sure! Food – I can't do without it.'
That segues nicely into talking about nutrition. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks?
'A typical day of eating looks like:
Breakfast: I'll make some oats, yogurt and fruit combination with peanut butter or jam.
Mid-morning snack: I'll make a bagel with jam, peanut butter and banana to take with me to munch on after or in between the morning session. Thankfully, I have Fresh Fitness Food, so I'll take one of their juices with me.
Lunch: I'll have a Fresh Fitness Food meal, which will be turkey meatballs and pasta or similar. And I love cereal bars and protein bars, so I'll probably have one of them, along with a protein shake.
Dinner: Another Fresh Fitness Food meal. Even if it's just chicken and rice, it'll come with a fancy sauce.
Post-dinner snack: I can't go to bed without something sweet, such as another concoction of yogurt, oats, banana, peanut butter, honey, cereal. The list goes on!
There are people out there that definitely eat cleaner, but sugar is life! Cereal bars are life. And it's performance related, isn't it?'
Catch Aimee at the CrossFit Games on Thursday, 8 August.
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