A Renewed Focus on Strength Could Bring Scudds to the Promised Land
There are 19 individual athletes who have competed in the 2017 and 2018 CrossFit Regionals, in at least one Sanctional in 2019 and 2020, and at all four years of Semifinals from 2021-2024. Seventeen of those athletes have qualified for the CrossFit Games during these eight years – only two of them haven’t.
One of the two is Yuko Sakuyama, a Japanese athlete who has now aged up to the 35-39 division. The other is fan-favorite Alison Scudds.
After placing 31st at the 2023 North America West Semifinal, Scudds knew she needed to make a change if she was ever going to qualify for the CrossFit Games, a goal she has been pursuing for so many years. She began a bulking phase to help with her strength, as the one-rep-max lifts have always been damage control events for her. She has since gained 15 pounds and has been focusing primarily on the holes that have held her back.
The Beetle Extravaganza
In November, Scudds traveled to Puerto Rico to put her training to the test and take part in the Beetle Extravaganza. At this international competition, she threw down against a strong roster of competitors, including Lena Richter and Mariana Meza.
The highlight of the weekend came in the form of a three-rep max overhead squat from the ground. This max workout was announced prior to the event, shortly after she had completed a 220-pound snatch balance in training. Since she had been working diligently on her strength, particularly overhead pressing and stabilization, this test seemed like a gift. Athletes would have four attempts and were given alternating minutes to load and lift under an eight-minute cap. Trusting her plan beforehand, Scudds completed 195 pounds, then 205 pounds. She took the third round off to gather herself and rest.
In the meantime, she heard the announcer announce Lena Richter’s lift. "I heard Lena got 227; I thought, ‘I can’t catch that,’" Scudds said. Slightly crestfallen, she knew she couldn’t match or beat that weight but was set to squat 215 as a personal win. She hit that target weight for three reps from the ground.
After the event, she sought out Richter to congratulate her on her 227-pound lift. Richter laughed and assured Scudds that the announcer was wrong; she only squatted 207. Scudds had won the event and took third place overall.
Looking Ahead to Alison Scudds’ 2025 Season
Scudds’ goal for this upcoming season remains the same – to qualify for the CrossFit Games. She’s working on sport-specific training with her coaches, fine-tuning her weaknesses and remaining focused. Scudds admits that while she was at her strongest at the 2024 Semifinals, she was missing that "fifth gear." At this point, she’s learned from her experience, and she’s training in ways she never has.
When asked how she has stayed motivated for so long without discouragement taking over, she shared that she’s stubborn. "I love the challenge, and I just love the training," she said. "I continue to keep getting better. Over this decade, I have become so conscious that I’m much more than just a placement."
Conclusion
Alison Scudds is a determined and focused athlete who is working hard to achieve her goal of qualifying for the CrossFit Games. With her renewed focus on strength and her experience in the sport, she is well on her way to achieving her goal.
