Behind The Grind with Mintra Tilly Mat Fraser @Behind the Grind
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Nov 12, 2025 
Mat Fraser, a five-time CrossFit Games champion and founder of HWPO, shares insights into his journey from elite competition to entrepreneurship. He discusses the power of 'training scared,' revealing how fear sharpened his focus. Mat reflects on family life, raising his daughter Pearl, and how parenting reshaped his routines. He dives into the struggles of his early career, his broken back, and the relentless drive that led to his dominance in CrossFit. Now, he’s embracing new challenges while fostering his children’s passions.
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All-In Commitment Changes Everything
- Mat Fraser isolated his life around competing and made every decision to improve performance, which he later recognized as obsession.
- He only realized the depth of that commitment after retirement when comparing lifestyles with other competitors.
Use Structure To Overcome Hopelessness
- When you're hopeless, force structure: remove distractions, study fundamentals, and iterate until progress appears.
- Fraser used regimented study methods in college and applied the same disciplined process to training.
Broken Back Led To A New Path
- At 18 Mat broke his L5 in two places during weightlifting and was written off after surgery with plates and screws.
- He used that hopeless moment to pivot into CrossFit and rebuild purpose and success.