Texas-native Travis Williams entered the Games last year as a rookie. After taking second place at South Central Regionals last year, he went on to earn a 32nd place finish at the Games.

All of this is pretty impressive for someone who started CrossFit almost 100 pounds overweight in 2011. Williams started doing CrossFit alongside fellow Games competitor Jordan Cook and made it as far as Regionals in 2014.

After a 23rd place finish (Cook finished first), Williams made the decision to dedicate his life to the sport. He came back and claimed a second place finish at the South Regionals in 2015.

Even with an impressive finish in his rookie season, Williams is not satisfied. He’s training harder than ever and won’t be satisfied till he’s on the podium at the Games. His words to his competitors? Look out.

We caught up with Williams to talk training, his favorite moments from the 2015 Games and what he hopes to accomplish this year. Learn more about Williams in No Excuses No Missed Days: The Travis Williams Project, produced by MisFit Athletics. 

 

FHQ: How long have you been doing CrossFit and what was your background like before you started?

Travis Williams: I have been CrossFitting for four and a half years now. I’m from League City, Texas and graduated from Clear Creek High school.

Single, no kids. In high school,  I was a baseball player until Oct. 2009 of my senior year I got in a car accident. I spent the next two years getting fat and then discovered CrossFit and dropped all my weight and became competitive.

 

FHQ: As a CrossFit Games veteran, what are you doing now to prepare for the Games? What are your goals for this year?

Travis Williams: This year, preparing for the Open and Regionals is pretty similar to last year. I’m keeping my diet clean, dropping a little bit of weight and doing a heavy dose of Misfit Athletics programming. The only goal ever is to win the Games. If that wasn’t the goal, I wouldn’t be doing what I do.

 

FHQ: What’s your best memory from the 2015 Games? What about the worst?

Travis Williams: My best memory at the games would probably be racing Scott Panchik through DT (Event 5). The worst is missing my jerk and destroying the sign with my foot (Event 9).

 

FHQ: What does your typical workout/fitness routine look like?

Travis Williams: On a typical day, I get up early coach 5  and 6 a.m. class. Then, I go home and make breakfast and go back to sleep for a little bit.

I wake up at about 10 a.m. and I’m at the gym around 11 to hit session one hard with Jordan Cook. Then we go eat lunch and come back later around 2 or 3 p.m. and hit session 2 just as hard as session one. After that, we both go coach classes at our respective gyms.

 

FHQ: What do you do to stay active outside of CrossFit?

Travis Williams: My favorite activity outside of CrossFit…lately, we have gotten into prone paddle boarding. We use the same boards that we used at the Games (in 2015).

 

FHQ: What kind of music gets your pumped up during your WOD?

Travis Williams: When I workout, I enjoy lots of death metal — really heavy stuff. Nile, Dying Fetus, Cephalon Carnage, Children of Bodom, Lamb of God and so forth.

 

FHQ: What does your typical nutrition look like? What is your favorite cheat meal?

Travis Williams: Nutrition for me is usually really simple. In the morning, I eat eggs and bacon and fruit. Lunch is meat and veggies and potatoes or rice and dinner is the same as lunch. My favorite cheat meal is any kind of dessert.

 

FHQ: Do you have any gear that you can’t live without?

Travis Williams: I’m not super picky about gear. If I’m doing a clean and jerk for load, I have to have knee sleeves, oly shoes and a belt.

 

FHQ: Are you taking any supplements regularly? What products would you recommend to other athletes?

Travis Williams: As far as supplements go, pretty much anything you can get from Progenex and Blonyx I take. I also take Xendurance pills.

 

FHQ: What’s one item on your bucket list that isn’t CrossFit related?

Travis Williams: Outside of CrossFit is tough, but I’d like to meet Cam Newton and JJ Watt.

 

FHQ: What’s something that people may be surprised to learn about you?

Travis Williams: I have a problem with sweets. I’m a huge Dallas Cowboys fan. Also, I am a former competitive Yu-Gi-Oh player.

 

FHQ: What tips do you have for someone who may be letting something hold them back from trying CrossFit?

Travis Williams: My tips for people trying to get into CrossFit — the first step is to get into the gym. Get a buddy to go with you and y’all both suffer the first month. You will survive — it’s not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

 

FHQ: What PR are you most proud of and why?

Travis Williams: I am probably most proud of my clean and jerk PR. It’s my bread and butter. If that event comes up, I’m going out to win it. Anything less than first is unacceptable, hints the destruction of the sign at the Games.