CrossFit Games

Brent Fikowski and PFAA Optimistic About 2022 Season

February 7, 2022 by
Photo Credit: Athlete’s Eye Photography
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Earlier this week, Professional Fitness Athlete’s Association Executive Committee member Brent Fikowski, the “Third Fittest Man on Earth”, appeared on the Clydesdale Fitness and Friends podcast. Fikowski recounted how the PFAA’s work had influenced competition organizers and the CrossFit Games.  

One big thing: Fikowski offered evidence of the PFAA’s influence based on a study he and the organization did which saw Wodapalooza change their equipment as a result. 

  • Fikowski: “I collected a bunch of data on the heights of athletes and their preferred heights for rings and pull-up bars, compiled that data and provided that data to Wodapaloooza and they changed their rings and pull-up bar heights from [2020]. And after the competition, I reached out to some of the taller athletes and some of the shorter athletes that were there. I’m going to compile that information and then reach out to all the Semifinals I can get a hold of because I don’t think that is a part of the sport that should be unknown.” 

A few more key takeaways:

  • The PFAA’s influence: “We’ve been kind of quiet about it, but we have been doing work, it’s not a secret society, but I also don’t want it to become like a political organization either,” Fikowski said. “I don’t really feel comfortable speaking for a group of athletes because I don’t know how they feel. It’s not my place, nor is it ever going to be my place to do that.”
  • Communication Improvement: “In general, the communication has improved a lot, we started it in May, June of 2020, it’s tough. But it takes time, there’s these habits and there’s these methods about how things have been… if we look back at two years ago there was zero communication between competitions and athletes…. I’d been doing it for eight years at that point and had never been asked for any feedback, nor did I know any athlete who had been asked feedback.”
  • Fear Factor: Fikowski explained why athletes may not have spoken up in the past. “There was a fear that if you spoke out against something that you didn’t there would be negative repercussions for your career…” But, he suggested that based on the changing relationship between athletes and competition organizers he feels “a lot safer to even mention that on a podcast.”


The bottom line: Despite operating somewhat in the background of the CrossFit competition, it appears the PFAA is making some important inroads with competition organizers, and it seems as though, given Fikowski’s comment on the Clydesdale, Fitness and Friends podcast, that this is just the beginning.  

Go deeper:

“The PFAA Breaks Silence, Announces Equipment, Apparel Recommendations for CrossFit Games”

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