Mat Fraser is a renowned retired Canadian-American professional CrossFit athlete who competed from 2014 to 2020. He has won five CrossFit Games titles and is immensely known as the most dominant and successful individual male athlete in CrossFit.
CrossFit is a lifestyle that follows safe and effective exercise with sound nutrition, which promotes a physical exercise philosophy.
On 17 January 2023, Mat and Sammy sat with Lauren Kalil from Morning Chalk Up’s, chatting about TYR Wodapalooza. Three of them talked about the growth of HWPO, and training.
They also discussed how Mat and Sammy’s romantic getaway turned into a “family vacation.”
The Fittest Man on Earth was the second person to win four consecutive CrossFit Games from 2016 to 2019, while Rich Froning Jr. was the first.
He topped at Triple-G, Muscle-up Clean, Heavy 17.5, and 2223 Intervals winning more than one event in a single Game.
Before diving into his life and career journey, here are some interesting quick facts.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Mathew Fraser |
Nickname | Mat Fraser |
Birthdate | 25 January 1990 |
Birthplace | Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
Nationality | Canadian-American |
Ethnicity | Not Mentioned |
Religion | Catholic |
Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
Age | 34 Years Old |
Father’s Name | Don Fraser |
Mother’s Name | Candace Fraser |
Sibling | Not Mentioned |
Sibling Name | Not Mentioned |
College | The University Of Vermont, Northern Michigan University’s Olympic Education Center |
Marital Status | Engaged |
Girlfriend’s Name | Sammy Moniz |
Ex-Girlfriends | Not Mentioned |
Children | None |
Weight | 88 kg/195 lb |
Height | 5 ft 6 in/168 cm/1.68 m |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Hair Color | Dark Brown |
Occupation | Former Professional CrossFit Athlete, CrossFit Coach (Present) |
Sport | CrossFit |
Net Worth | $2.5 Million |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Merch | HWPO: Hard Work Pays OFF(Book), Wall Print |
Last Update | November 2024 |
Early Life & Family
Mathew Edward Fraser was born in Kingston, Ontario, on January 25, 1990, to the former Canadian Olympic figure skaters Don Fraser and Candace Jones.
Fraser spent most of his childhood in Sharbot Lake, where his mother worked as a doctor, whereas his father stayed home.
Later, the family moved to the United States, Colchester, Vermont, where Fraser did most of his schooling.
He learned different sports like swimming, water skiing, downhill, and even going up the stairs in a handstand at just five.
At the age of twelve, Mat Fraser started gaining interest in weightlifting when he saw his coach trying to lift weights to compete with a friend.
The Fittest Man on Earth was introduced to a weightlifting coach who helped him understand how to lift weights properly.
On scholarship, he began training full-time in Olympic weightlifting at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs after graduating from school.
While doing a clean pull, he injured his back, and later, when performing a squat, he further damaged his back.
After his injury, he enrolled in the Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University. There, he focused on maths and physics while recovering from his injury.
Mat Fraser did a double major course in mechanical engineering and engineering management in Vermont.
Similarly, he did a double minor in maths and business at the University of Vermont in Burlington.
Fraser started his CrossFit training at twenty-two and competed in weightlifting in 2013.
Despite intending to pursue an engineering career, he changed his decision after working as an intern in an aerospace company to focus on CrossFit.
While graduating with degrees in business and engineering, Fraser also established himself as a CrossFit athlete.
Body Measurement
Mat Fraser is 34 years old as of 2024.
The CrossFit athlete weighs 195 lb and is 1.68 m.
As a CrossFit athlete’s coach, he must stay healthy and fit to train as he needs to involve himself first to impart fitness knowledge.
Career & CrossFit Program
At the age of 13, Mat Fraser earned his first national title in weightlifting.
Likewise, he also was the school champion in 2003, 2005, and 2007, leading him to become the junior national champion.
Coming from a background in Olympic weightlifting and being a junior national champion, Mat Fraser made his debut at the 2014 CrossFit Games.
While looking for a better environment to practice Olympic lifts, Fraser got involved in CrossFit.
Although he showed no interest in CrossFit, he utilized the CrossFit gym due to the various equipment types used by the Olympic lifters in town.
Fraser first came across CrossFit while studying in Vermont and training at the CrossFit gym (Champlain Valley CrossFit).
Despite having a few months of CrossFit experience, Fraser could finish fifth in the CrossFit North East Regionals. However, such a record was still insufficient to qualify for the CrossFit Games.
Thus, for the time being, he competed as a member of the team, the New York Rhinos, in the NPGL in 2014, whereas in 2015, he became a member of the Built By Bergeron team.
Runner-Up
With his hard work and effort, Mat Fraser won the North East Regionals in 2014; this victory earned him public attention.
At his debut in the CrossFit Games, he became a runner-up to Rich Froning. At the 2014’s event, in total, he had seven top-10 finishes.
Similarly, along with Froning, he was tied for first place in the Overhead squat, while he finished the second position in Midline March and Thick ‘N’ Quick.
With such an outstanding record, he won the Rookie of the Year award in a few months.
After his opponent’s retirement, Rich Froning, Mat Fraser was expected to have victory over the 2015 CrossFit Games.
Although he started his CrossFit career with an outstanding performance, it was followed by several bad performances on the third day of the competition.
He lost to Ben Smith and came second place as his biggest failure and devastating loss. He stated that the position was a lesson he would reflect on for the rest of his life.
As A Champion
Reflecting and learning from his mistakes and failures, Mat Fraser performed consistently well at the 2016 CrossFit Games events.
Fraser started his campaign with a 7k Ranch Trail Run victory despite not having much interest in the running field.
Although that was the only event he won, he did come in second place in seven other events and top 10 in almost all events.
His all-rounded performance in the events allowed him to dominate the field and rise as the winner.
With a 197-point lead, he could pass Ben Smith, making it the biggest margin of victory in the history of the CrossFit Games.
Like the previous year, he dominated the 2017 CrossFit Games, winning four ending eight events.
His victory was the first time to win more than one event in a single Games, and in 2018, Mat Fraser also defended his title in the 2018 CrossFit Games.
He won two events in the third and top 4 ends in 10 out of 14, with a record number of 1,162 points and lead points of 220.
After winning the first-ever sanctioned event, Fraser became qualified for the 2019 CrossFit Games. But unfortunately, he faced a strong opponent, Noah Ohlsen.
He stumbled on day 2 of the competition despite starting with two wins; at the final event, he brought victory, making him the champion for the fourth time.
Post COVID-19 Career
The COVID-19 pandemic led to major changes in the 2020 CrossFit Games.
The competition was divided into two stages, 30 men competed online in the first stage, and Fraser won four of the seven events.
Then five men would face each other in person in the final stage. He dominated the competition by winning 10 of the 12 events; however, he stood in second place in Swim ‘N’ Stuff and CrossFit Total.
He set records for most wins in a single game, most cumulative events won, most consecutive events won, the first continuous unbroken lead in the games, and his fifth title surpassed Froning’s record of four.
Fraser announced his retirement through Instagram from CrossFit on February 2, 2021.
Mat also commenced a training program in April 2021 named HWPO, which he later extended to training for elite athletes, which he delivered through his platform.
He has also individually coached athletes like Mal O’Brien and Justin Medeiros. He was in partnership with the filmmakers like Buttery Bros to announce the launch of a supplement company named Podium Nutrition.
Training & Diet
During his rookie years in CrossFit, Fraser dedicated only a few hours of training a week without a diet plan.
However, after coming second in the 2015 CrossFit Games, he realized his faults and shifted to a better diet by excluding junk foods and soda and dropping ten pounds.
When training, Mat Fraser tends to eat big meals four to five times a day, focusing mainly on meat and vegetables with sticky white rice.
The Fittest Man on Earth takes various supplements such as whey protein, amino acids, and cannabidiol during training.
Not to mention, Fraser is also a coffee fanatic, espresso, to be specific.
He focuses on training and emphasizes his sleep for recovery after training. Fraser makes sure to get 9-10 hours of sleep regularly.
During a CrossFit season, he would train at least two sessions daily, four times weekly.
His training included three track sessions, three or four weightlifting sessions, along with a couple of sessions on swimming and one on-road bike.
The next day’s training was similar to the previous one; for example, a day focusing on conditioning may accompany strength work the next day.
For his growth, he also focuses on his weak points. Mat Fraser mainly prepared for the competition over a set time period of 12 to 16 weeks.
When the competition was near, he cut down on training slightly while avoiding heavy workouts, which could cause an adverse effect.
As per nutrition experts, Fraser takes 6-7,000 calories daily during intense periods of training and 3-4,000 calories when he is less active.
He alternates his intake of calories intuitively by eating more or fewer meals, managing portion sizes, and regulating the amount of junk food he eats.
Net Worth & Income
The American professional CrossFit champion, Mat Fraser, has a net worth of $2.5 million as of November 2024.
Most of his earnings are through his primary career as an athlete, whereas his other is through open event wins.
Each of the CrossFit Games titles is worth $300,000, and among all, Fraser has gained victory over the five titles.
With major achievements and honors, he has a decent amount of wage.
As of 2023, as a CrossFit coach, he must earn a decent sum. Also, he runs a YouTube channel based on fitness.
Net Worth Of Mat Fraser In Different Currencies
Here is the net worth of Mat Fraser in different currencies, including cryptocurrency and BitCoin.
Currency | Net Worth |
Euro | €2,298,127 |
Pound Sterling | £2,018,272 |
Australian Dollar | A$3,552,155 |
Canadian Dollar | C$3,340,127 |
Indian Rupee | ₹203,976,242 |
BitCoin | ฿108 |
Relationships
Fraser has been dating Sammy Moniz for many years and lives with her. The couple is engaged but has not tied the knot yet.
Sammy Moniz created a website, “Feeding The Frasers,” dedicated to the food she cooks for the CrossFit athlete Mat Fraser.
Moniz posts pictures of meals and even recipes she prepares for her fiance. She was the Director of Athlete Relations at Loud and Live and an Athlete Manager for professional CrossFit athletes.
He also bought the property in Vermont after joining CrossFit. Mat with his fiance Moniz also owns a house in Cookeville, Tenessee, and their social media shows that they are very much in love.
Social Media Presence
Mat Fraser is seen active on social media like Instagram and Twitter. He has a roaring number of followers; one can follow him below to learn about his lifestyle and events.
View this post on Instagram
Instagram: 2.4m followers
Twitter: 73.3k followers
Popularity Graph
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
How much does Mat Fraser eat?
Mat Fraser can consume up to 7,000 calories daily during CrossFit games training seasons.
Is Mat Fraser married to Sammy Moniz?
The CrossFit athlete is engaged to his long-term girlfriend, Sammy Moniz, who live together in Cookeville, Tenessee.
Does Mat have a tattoo on his body?
Mat has a tattoo of the skull of a goat covering his whole chest, a tattoo of CrossFit, which he got because he has met his near and dear ones via it, a tattoo of a women's portrait on his right shoulder, a serenity prayer on his left bicep and finally a tattoo of a crying woman.
What is the bench press record of Mat? What grips does Mat Fraser use?
Mat has a bench press record of 540 pounds (244.9 kilograms). Well, he uses durable Rogue gymnastics grips that do not restrict any of his movements.