Luminox: Koni, can you introduce yourself to our Luminox community?
Koni: My name is Conrad Kaufmann. I'm 65 years old. I'm living here in Switzerland, and I will be heading to the CrossFit games this year, for the second time.
Luminox: So Koni, can you tell us about your life before CrossFit? What did you do for work etc?
Koni: Well, for about 20 years I was running our family company, until, it's almost like 20 years ago now. And then I stopped doing it, and was more working for my own, still in the business, but only on the board. We then sold our business beginning of last year. So, I'm totally free now. Of course, all my life was a lot of sport. I started, in my younger age, playing ice hockey up to the National Leagues. I played a lot of tennis, and of course, as a Swiss, I ski a lot, which I like to do very much.
Then, of course, what everybody does is go to the gym, do some weights, which is normal. And I used to go a lot when I got a bit older. I used to go a lot to Mallorca, and I had a gym there. But one day I arrived, and it was closed. So, I had to look for a new one and somehow, I found CrossFit Majorca and went in. At the time I was working a lot with kettlebells, and they had a lot of them! So, I was very attracted to that one. I was then interested to find out about CrossFit, so I looked up the CrossFit Games and I said, oh boy, this is interesting. Next time I go to my workout, I'll do a foundation course. So that's what I did. And since 2017, I haven't stopped loving CrossFit. It's just amazing, you know, how you can improve and do a sport that you didn't do before. Because all the other sports I do, I will not be doing them or executing them as I used to because of age, mobility issues, and my hip replacements. So a new sport and, new goals
Luminox: You had to hip replacement?
Koni: Yeah. As a child, you’re supposed to have a special kind of protection for your hip bone to be able to move around in the socket. But that wasn’t the case for me. So I had a lot of wearing on my hips doing lots of sport. The doctor said usually people come at 22 or 25 to make the surgery. I did it at 52, so I was pretty happy only having to do it at that age. But honestly, I feel good. I don’t feel restrictions. I can do a lot of movements in CrossFit. Maybe it’s a bit harder, but generally I don’t feel the difference, and that’s good right!
Luminox: What motivates you to keep training as hard as you do?
Koni: In my 30s I was doing a lot of sports and just loved exercising and moving. I used to say to my wife “if I could, I would love to workout twice a day”. But I just didn’t have the time because of work. Now, I really have the freedom, I have the time to work. My body needs to move and then my brain is fine. If I cannot move, I can be, very grumpy.
Since I found CrossFit, it's such a versatile sport which goes in so many directions. And even at my age, I can still hit PRs. I'm 65 and there is still improvements. This year I did the first time my bar muscle up. I improved my strength figures in back squat by five kilos. So every year is some new improvements. That is what really drives me in this sport. I found out early that I could do pretty well, which drives you more. And when you see the CrossFit Games on YouTube, how the big guys are doing it, you say, I want to do that too.
Luminox: You did the CrossFit Open in 2018 first?
Koni: Yeah, so in 2018, I finished like, somewhere around place 300 in the world. The next year I was in 60th and qualified for the online Qualifiers but I had no chance to go to the CrossFit Games. Then the next year I turned 60 and I finished the Open 11th in the world and thought I had a good chance to make the Games but finished 25th in the online Qualifiers so missed the 10 places to go to the games.
This year I knew I had a good chance to make it. Even though I was older, I really worked hard. Normally, in the CrossFit Open, I would always do the work out twice to better my score. But every time, I did better in the first attempt. So this time, I thought I don’t need that. And I finished 6th in the Open. I was very surprised. But even more surprised when I got 3rd in the world at the Semi’s. Because there’s a few really strong guys in the U.S., I didn’t think I could be that good and beat them and have good placements. I really surprised myself with my scores and qualifying well for the CrossFit Games.
Luminox: Going into the Games, what is your mindset? Your goals?
Koni: Well, you know, one would think now I should have high goals, but in the end, for me, it's important being part of it. So enjoy it. The atmosphere. Enjoy to workout against other competitors. And of course, I take care not to get injured there! And when I’m there, I do my best. And if my best is good enough for a good placement, well, even nicer!
Luminox: How important is time and balancing time?
Koni: Time now has a different meaning than it did 10 or 15 years ago. Since I'm retired, I have to really enjoy things that I like to do, so I can spend time with things that make me happy. And, of course, first of all, is my family, which is most important. So, even though I work out a lot, I spend every Friday with my granddaughters, taking care of them. They’re one and four. So, lots of energy and fun. That’s my first priority, my wife, my family. Then the rest of the week is fully occupied with CrossFit, 5 or 6 times a week. It runs up to about 12 to 15 hours of training, not counting mobility that I do separately. It’s a lot, but I just like it. It’s my lifestyle.
Luminox: What advice would you give to anyone who’s looking to push themselves?
Koni: Everything starts with the first step. So get started. Believe in what you're doing, like what you're doing. For me, it’s always been in my life to do sport and push myself. But for other people, I think it’s a question of how they want to live their life, how they want to grow old. It’s clear, over 40 you lose muscle mass every year. If you cannot retain it, you will have a poor age. And if you have a poor age, that you cannot play with your granddaughters, you know, on the floor and get up quickly when they run off. So it’s important to keep that in mind, what you’re training for. It doesn’t have to be CrossFit, it any be any exercise or training. So just start.
Koni’s Pick: Master Carbon SEAL Automatic, 45 mm, Military Dive Watch - 3875
