What is Rich Froning Jr.'s Net Worth?
Rich Froning Jr. is a professional CrossFit athlete who has a net worth of $5 million. Rich Froning is among the most successful athletes in the sport. He won four consecutive CrossFit Games as an individual athlete from 2011 to 2014, earning him the inaugural title of "Fittest Man on Earth." Froning also founded the CrossFit affiliate gym CrossFit Mayhem, and led teams from the gym to six victories in the team category of the CrossFit Games between 2015 and 2022.
Early Life and Education
Rich Froning Jr. was born on July 21, 1987 in Mount Clemens, Michigan and spent much of his youth in Cookeville, Tennessee. At Cookeville High School, he played football and baseball and was an all-region second baseman. After graduating in 2005, Froning went to Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee on a baseball scholarship. However, he ultimately chose to end his baseball career, and transferred to Tennessee Tech while working at the Cookeville Fire Department. It was at Tennessee Tech Froning was introduced to CrossFit by one of his professors, sparking his passion for the fitness regimen.
CrossFit Games
Froning competed in his first CrossFit Games in 2010 after winning the Southeast Regional. At the Games, he racked up two event wins and three additional top-five finishes en route to a runner-up placement on the podium, behind Graham Holmberg. Although he got off to a rocky start in the 2011 Games, Froning came back strong to top the leaderboard and win his first CrossFit Games title, coming in nearly 100 points ahead of second-place finisher Josh Bridges. This was the beginning of an incredible streak for Froning, as he went on to win every stage of the Games in 2012, 2013, and 2014, giving him four consecutive CrossFit Games titles, a record for any individual athlete. Froning decided to go out on a high note by retiring from individual competition after his fourth title win in 2014.
After retiring from individual competition, Froning began competing as part of his CrossFit Mayhem team in 2015. He had initially started Mayhem in 2009 as a place to train in his father's barn. In 2012, Froning expanded it by opening a facility in downtown Cookeville, and led further expansion efforts over the ensuing years. CrossFit Mayhem grew into an athletic powerhouse during this time, with its teams winning in the team category of the CrossFit Games in 2015 and 2016. After finishing in second place in 2017, Mayhem entered two different teams in the 2018 Games, and won the title with Mayhem Freedom. Froning led Mayhem teams to further victories in 2019, 2021, and 2022. After the sixth Mayhem title was won in 2022, Froning announced his retirement from team competition.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Derrick K. Irions/US Marines/Creative Commons
Diet and Training Regimen
Froning is somewhat unorthodox in his diet in that he does not adhere to either the Paleolithic diet or the Zone diet, both staples in the CrossFit community. He refrains from counting his caloric intake, and consumes large amounts of peanut butter and whole milk. Froning also drinks multiple Advocare protein shakes along with berries and almond milk.
In terms of his fitness regimen, Froning works out multiple times every day and often partners with fellow CrossFit athletes, such as James Hobart and Dan Bailey, in his training. He does not use a fitness coach or programmer to create his workouts. Some of Froning's methods are covered in his 2013 memoir "First: What it Takes to Win."
Personal Life
Froning is married to Hillary, whom he first met at Tennessee Tech. The couple has three adopted children: biological sisters Lakelyn and Violet and son Trice. In addition to the CrossFit Mayhem gym, the Fronings own a bison farm in their hometown of Cookeville.
[The photo of Rich Froning seen on this page was taken by Lance Cpl. Derrick K. Irions/US Marines and licensed via Creative Commons]
