Learn more about the up-and-coming Grid League.
Last updated on September 20th, 2024
You’ve probably seen the videos on Instagram and TikTok of a CrossFit competition where all of a sudden, the athletes break out into burpee backflips, back uprises, or a combination of movements like a toes-to-bar into a chest-to-bar into a bar muscle-up.
- And you think to yourself, “Wait, this isn’t CrossFit.”
That’s because you’re actually watching Grid League.
There is a substantial amount of crossover between the two sports, with many of the Grid League competitors having roots in CrossFit and/or still belonging to a box and training fitness regularly.
One of those crossover athletes is Alec Smith, a four-time Games veteran and 2019 second-place finisher in the Affiliate Cup with CrossFit Krypton.
The Details
Smith came on to the Grid League’s Daytona Beach Venom as a “mid-season signing,” a team member who jumps into competition mid-way through to hopefully take the Venom to the season’s final stage.
- Smith’s first competition with the team will be this October 11-12 at the Olympia Expo in Las Vegas, NV. Two matches will take place, and all eight teams will be in attendance. From there, the four teams with the best records will head to the playoffs in November in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and then onto the championship.
While this is his first time playing with the Venom, this is not Smith’s first time competing in Grid League.
Years ago, when the sport was under the brand “National Pro Grid,” Smith competed for three seasons. Later, the “National Pro Grid League” became the “Florida Grid League,” and a recent expansion has led to the rebranding and new name, “United Grid League.”
Smith told Morning Chalk Up that he loved his time competing with Grid but shifted to CrossFit because he was able to make a better living, thanks to sponsorships.
However, when a friend reached out to him, sharing that the Daytona Beach Venom needed another teammate, Smith contacted Venom’s owner, Paul Behar, and asked if he could join the team.
- “I love Grid. I actually like it even more than CrossFit. It’s so fast-paced and really high-skill. It’s everything I love to do,” Smith tells Morning Chalk Up.
Smith signed on as a “gymnastics specialist.” And anyone who has seen him compete or watched any of his videos can see why the Venom is lucky to have him in that role.
Specific Training
Smith explained that it’s difficult for entire teams to train in one location, so many teammates work out on their own and share videos to keep communication open.
Everyone’s training is slightly different as well.
While Smith is the gymnastics specialist, he explained that there are also strength specialists, whose workouts focus much more on barbell cycling and heavy lifting.
- “We don’t train together, but luckily, I have a teammate at my gym that I get to work with,” Smith said. “We should be training together more; there are so many transitions and waterfall movements, and it’s so fast-paced.”
It’s a testament to their abilities that the teams can gel so well despite training separately.
Smith told us that he’s working primarily on high-level gymnastics skills, many of which involve fast-twitch muscles and quick reactions.
- He shared that he’s training butterfly ring muscle-ups, back uprises, and burpee back flips to prepare for October’s competitions.
The Bottom Line
The upcoming competitions in Las Vegas are significant to the sport’s growth. This will be the first Grid League event held outside of Florida in six years — a sign of Grid League’s growing popularity and nationwide interest.
- From its beginnings in 2014 to the version it is today, the Grid League continues to grow and reach new fans and athletes. Its eye-catching, fast-paced competitions continue to inspire budding athletes and encourage crossover throughout sports.
As Smith makes his debut for the Daytona Beach Venom in October, we’ll be looking forward to watching him set foot on a competition floor once again.
