1) Who is Blake Kidder? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc) I have been a Texas boy my entire life. I grew up playing competitive sports from a young age and fell in love with football after my first season of playing at the age of 10. I played college football at the University of Northwestern Oklahoma State as a wide receiver and graduate with degree as a Clinical Physiologist. I now live in Boerne, Texas with my wife and daughter. I work for The Outdoor Group as the Western Regional sales manager. I represent companies in the archery industry such as Elite Archery, Scott Archery, Custom Bow Equipment, and Slick Trick Broadheads. I am an competitive Crossfitter and coach at Crossfit Fair Oaks Ranch. Outside of the gym , I enjoy being in the outdoors year round. Most of all I enjoy my time spent outside shooting competitive archery and hunting.
2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)
I have been training in the sport of Crossfit since 2015 and started training for Grid in 2019. After years of playing high school football and college football , I needed to find something to fill the void and fuel my fire for competition again. I started Crossfit and fell in love with training, but most of all the community! I felt like I was apart of a team sport once again by being surrounded by motivating people day in and day out. After competing in the sport for a few years and making it to the Crossfit Regional floor I came across the sport of GRID. I registered for the GRID trials and quickly found out that this was the sport for me. I was able to specialize as a Strength Specialist and benefit a team with my ability to move heavy weight fast!
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
For me it was coming back to training after a back injury during my senior year of college where I compress my L4 L5 and S1 along with jamming my facets. It took about 2 years for me to get back to a normal training regimen. I seeked help from doctors but the only solution that they were willing to give to was pain management. Thankfully Dr. ChadCarptner at Hill Country Physical Medicine saw my injury through a different scope. He prescribed me a spinal correction program that consist of chiropract care and spinal decompression. I focused on creating balance in my lower extremities when it came to strength and flexibility. After about 12 weeks of care I started to feel myself again. Shortly after is when I found the sport of Crossfit. Without his help I would not be where I am today!
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
My training schedule is very consistent but can be challenging with work and family. I follow Valkyrie Training, I train Mon- Wed with a rest day on Thursday and finish the week out strong training Fri-Sat with an active rest on Sunday that usually consist of swimming or an easy aerobic session. Most of my session from start to finish including warm up and cool down last about 2-2.5 hours. Recovery is key for me! I try to make sure that I take time to fit in a GO WOD session before I train and one 10 min session during the day. I like to end the day with a ROM WOD session before bed , I have found that it helps me relax and wind down my day.
Currently I am working with 27 Health and Wellness to dial in my nutrition. James Free does a great job working with me to reach and maintain my goals. The best part of working with him is that it has created balance in my diet with my busy schedule and lifestyle. I can’t say enough about him and his program. I mainly focus on eating whole foods for all of my meals. My days are fairly simple with an early morning meal around 5am before I coach or train. I have a intra shake during my workouts and then 3 meals throughout the rest of the day.
My supplements of choice are Xendurence. I use the entire line from the daily Immune support and basic lifestyle type supplements to the performance side of the brand where I use the Fuel 5 , JB creatine and Xenduranceprotein to help me fuel and recover from my workouts.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future)
Most athletes think the more they train the fitter they will get . I agree to disagree . I look at it a little different, I feel that athletes should have the mind set to TRAIN WITH A PURPOSE rather than just train to train. Put 100% into a session and focus on quality and output rather than just volume.
LESS IS MORE create a good balance of life in and out of the gym. It will keep the fire inside of you burning and keep you from burning yourself out.
NUTRITION is all about balance. Make good choices 90% of the time but don’t be the weird guy at the party. If you want to have a piece of cake have the piece of cake. If you go out to dinner with friends and family enjoy the moment, make smart choices and get back on track the next meal!
6) Whats your favorite cheat/Treat meal?
PIZZA and Oreos !!!!
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
Xendurance !! And I can’t narrow it down to just one product . The line of products XND offers is a pivotal part of my success as an athlete to be able to recover and live a healthy lifestyle .
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I don’t know if I would change much to be honest. I feel that I am where I am now because of the choice I have made along the way and I am ok with that! It has taught me what works for me and what doesn’t . It has really helped me dial in on what I need to focus on to become the best athlete I can be!
9) Who do you look up to in the fitness industry and why?
Matt Fraser ! The guy is an absolute BEAST! I admire his work ethic and his focus to the sport of Crossfit , but if you listen to him talk its his mindset that inspires me more than anything. When you take his philosophy of training for the sport of CrossFit and not only apply it to your own training but to life in general , you will set yourself up for success. I feel that I have a very similar mindset to Matt in the sense of his mentality to hurt and to get uncomfortable, he always made sure that he was putting in the work so that he would not be beaten by someone who out trained him and I feel as an athlete that is the mindset you have to maintain 100% of the time. If your not making it suck in the gym, then how are you training to get better. He trained to not have a wheel house in the sport of Crossfit and if he noticed an area he was weak in , it fueled his fire to make it his strength. If you followed his career you would see it firsthand year after year. One thing Matt said in one of his videos that has always stuck with me is this “Today I will do what others wont , so tomorrow I can do what others can’t!”.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Athlete to athlete… Its not just about effort. Its also about the consistency with which you make that effort day in and day out! GET UNCOMFORTABLE and get to a point where you are COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFOTABLE! It is the recipe to success. Not only in your fitness journey but in the journey of life. Adversity is going to happen, how you respond is up to you! Adversity Breeds Champions #ABC
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
I would really like to qualify for the Crossfitgames in my division 35-39 in 2022. Last year was a though pill to swallow finishing 42 in the world and competing with a torn hamstring through the age group qualifiers, so I am looking forward to 2022. Most of all I’m looking forward to the 2022 FGL Grid season with the Gainesville Wild . Let’s just say we have some unfinished business on the GRID that we need to take care of!
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
@Kidder_fit on IG
