Chalk It Up To Greatness: Noah Ohlsen

Noah Ohlsen, the lion roars

Ten time CrossFit Games qualifier, Noah Ohlsen can be seen in the wild with a golden mane and mischievous grin that greets friends and dares opponents. Known for his strength and speed, he is fiercely protective of his pack and will fight to the death for the ones he loves. 

Lions are the deadliest of predators when their tribe is threatened.  With unbreakable strength, they demonstrate courage in the face battle. The savage beasts travel in packs called prides, the leader is the pride male. His thick mane offers protection when attacked, rising like a king when called upon.

Noah stunningly demonstrates how living truthfully makes you a lion everyone admires. Legit inner fulfillment is the high bar of success that Noah Ohlsen strives for. Ohlsen’s skillful prowess has a unifying influence. His carnivorous intent keeps him hungry for more and constantly hunting. No goal is out of reach when Noah Ohlsen and his pack lock onto their prey.

Regardless of where Noah Ohlsen sits on the leaderboard after his 10th CrossFit Games appearance, his legacy is a massive PR achieved through ambition. In his rookie year at the 2014 CrossFit Games, poised amongst his heroes, Rich Froning and Jason Khalipa, Ohlsen doubted his merit. Ten years later, Noah stands optimistic knowing his prominence. A decade of competing at the highest level of the sport of CrossFit has brought Ohlsen a new perspective. He maintains a genuine, sympathetic demeanor balanced with purpose confirming that kindness is not a weakness but a strength. Prioritizing steadfastness does not have to come at the cost of life enjoyment. Pride lion, Noah Ohlsen, leads the pack to greatness. 

MCU: Noah, what does home mean to you? 

Ohlsen: To me the word home carries with it a sense of safety, comfort and pride. It makes me think about the people I love and others that support me and I have the opportunity to represent and make proud. Although CrossFit has taken me around the world to compete and perform, I always feel strong roots back home in Miami and can feel the love from my community no matter where in the world I am.

MCU: Where do you predict yourself to be in 10 years?

Ohlsen: That is an interesting question coming off of a decade of competing individually at the CrossFit Games! At the beginning of that streak, I wouldn’t have been able to predict my life being lived the way it is now. I hope that when I am 42 I will have grown a beautiful family that my wife and I are happily watching our kids pursue whatever they are passionate about. I hope that my body is still fit and healthy. Perhaps I’m training a bit less volume than I do now which sounds nice and relieving, and who knows, maybe I’ll be competing as a masters athlete then OR training in a completely different way!

Some could argue that balance may have kept me from winning the games over the years and right now, I’m okay with that. I know that I worked incredibly hard but I also balanced that with a ton of fun, so I have no regrets! 

Noah Ohlsen

MCU: Has competing with heart helped you in facing disappointment?

Ohlsen: I think competing with a lot of heart brings with it higher highs and lower lows. That said, it definitely makes it easier to shift my perspective during the low times and realize that I am still loved and living a beautiful life. It makes the journey more fulfilling when you can put more meaning to it all than wherever your name sits on the leaderboard.

MCU: What freedoms do you give yourself with regards to nutrition? Are there any foods that you love and cannot live without?

Ohlsen: It truly does feel better for me to eat clean most of the time, so it’s not incredibly difficult to stick to that. When I do feel the need to indulge a bit, it’s not as impactful because most everything else that I consume is relatively healthy. I do try to give myself the release and almost push to overindulge after longer periods of being dialed in so that those cravings don’t creep up at the wrong times! We are fortunate enough to have a few mango trees on our property so in season those are some of my favorite snacks!

MCU: What has been your trajectory of growth over the last ten years? 

Ohlsen: I believe I’ve matured a great deal since I got into the sport of CrossFit in 2010. Learning to be myself, have fun more often, not take life or training too seriously, has allowed me to live a more balanced life where I’m not consumed by my performance. Some could argue that balance may have kept me from winning the games over the years and right now, I’m okay with that. I know that I worked incredibly hard but I also balanced that with a ton of fun, so I have no regrets! 

MCU: What advice would you give to Noah Ohlsen who competed in the 2014 CrossFit Games? 

Ohlsen: Truly, I think everything has happened exactly in the way that it is supposed to! Perhaps there are a few key competition moments (like the rope climb ski overhead squat workout in 2017) where I wish I could go back and make small suggestions that could’ve gotten me on the podium more often, but all in all, I think the way that it is unfolded and where the path has taken me I would not want to change! 

MCU: How will the power of competing on a team in the years ahead fuel you in the continuation of your career? 

Ohlsen: Oh man! I’m so excited to go team. I think it’s going to bring a new fire out of me that I haven’t felt in a while. Preparing for WZA on a team with Chandler Smith and Travis Mayer, I found myself using words like “dominate” and “crush” which are rarely in my individual competition vocabulary. I think being able to do things for others feels a lot more purposeful for me and allows me to dig deeper for them. 

MCU: What is your ‘why?’ for competition?

Ohlsen: I’ve always competed for others, to be able to provide for my family, and make friends and fans proud. My desire is to be able to inspire others that they too can achieve success and enjoy the process of doing so.

Get ferocious and watch Noah Ohlsen devour his 10th Crossfit Games August 1 - 6, 2023.

***Photos courtesy of @nohlsen