There’s a moment in your 30s and 40s when the truth hits:

You don’t recover like you did at 22.That’s not a limitation — it’s the doorway to smarter training.

When I started CrossFit at 38, I ignored that reality. I went all-in: long sessions, relentless metcons, no warm-up structure, no recovery strategy. I assumed pure effort would get me where I wanted to go.

It didn’t.It buried me.

The shift that took me from “exhausted but committed” to 6-time CrossFit Games Masters Champion — six consecutive years — wasn’t more work.

It was better work.

My training looked like this for years:

It wasn’t that I lacked fitness.I lacked capacity to adapt.

At 41, after missing qualification again, I finally admitted what I was avoiding:

I couldn’t keep training like a 20-year-old.

Switching to a Masters-specific approach wasn’t giving up — it was the start of everything.

Once my training got smaller, everything got better.

It was the first time I wasn’t just “surviving” my training — I was progressing.

The golf-ball analogy says it best:

Big bucket → mindless smashing.Small bucket → every rep matters.

Masters athletes don’t need huge volume.They need higher-quality volume.

Dialing in fueling and hydration was game-changing. But recovery tools became non-negotiable as I kept pushing to win.

This is where Kineon MOVE+ and Thirdzy have been huge parts of my routine — long before any sponsorship.

It keeps my joints moving, reduces inflammation, and lets me train at a championship level without feeling 80 the next day.

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Sleep is the kingmaker for Masters athletes. Thirdzy helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and show up actually recovered.

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Neither of these replace smart training —they help me absorb it.

Inside Bolder Athlete, for example, every workout uses a color-coded system so Masters athletes hit the right intensity — not random redlining:

This system is why Masters athletes progress faster in Bolder Athlete than in “younger athlete programming.”

It prevents burnout and accelerates adaptation.

After switching to intentional training, I finally qualified for the Games at 42.

And every year since then?

Six consecutive CrossFit Games titles.2019 → 2025Still rolling.

Not because I’m doing more than everyone else.Because I’m doing the right things at the right time.

Not random.Not rushed.Intentional.

If you’re 35+, training like you did in your 20s won’t carry you forward. It will hold you back.

Train smarter.Recover intentionally.Respect the body you have now — so you can unlock the potential you’ve never reached before.

Stay bold,

Jason

🎥 Recent Videos:

Masters in Motion Podcast

Bolder Athlete Podcast