In Functional Fitness, athletes are challenged in a variety of motor patterns, tests and exercises in order to identifyathlete with the greatest efficiency during the 6 tests required by the regulations.
The best were chosen for compete in the world championship of IF3. On November 18th and 19th we will see 12 Italian master athletes leave who will represent Italy in Aruba.
Among these is him: Andrew DiSalvatore (44 years old), born in Catania but has lived in Rome for over 20 years. We have it interviewed exclusively for you, a few weeks before his upcoming journey to the world champion title.
Hi Andrea! It is a pleasure to have this chat! For those who don't know you: tell us about yourself and how your passion for CrossFit® began!
Hi everyone! As mentioned, I'm Andrea Di Salvatore, I'm 44 and I was born in Catania, but I live in Rome. In fact, I train mainly in two boxes: CrossFit® Parioli in Rome and CrossFit® Catania.
I started CrossFit® very late, at 37, thanks to a trip born for surfing in Florida, between Miami and Orlando, with my friend of a thousand adventures Massimo Campi.
Back in Rome I looked for a box to start training, but the coach (which I will not name) he told me that I was not capable and had to change activities.
Guys, advice, never stop fighting and believing in your dreams and don't let anyone tell you that you can't reach your goals!
We know you are an osteopath! Precisely for this reason we are curious to know your opinion on the effects of competitive CF on the body of an athlete ...
This is a very interesting topic and, as I have been in the industry for 25 years, I would like to express a thought.
Competitive sport, whatever it may be, as a continuous repetition of high intensity and / or load movements, is in itself stressful on a neurological, musculoskeletal and metabolic level.
What I recommend to anyone who approaches CrossFit®, whether competitive or within a class, is to work a lot on technique before lifting loads or volumes of work. And don't forget to always work on mobility and stretching.
I am almost 45 years old and I don't go to sleep every night until after a few minutes of mobility routines. It helps a lot!
In fact, you are collecting participations in major competitions, both national and international ... is there any that has particularly marked you?
I have been an agonist since I was little, I started from swimming, which taught me what fatigue is. Then I moved on to water polo, running, I played football and I never conceived the sport if there is no sacrifice and passion.
So, in CrossFit® I started competing right away. In my first year of CrossFit®, at the age of 37 I played almost 38, the final scaled of the Fall Series, needless to say I was the oldest!
Then the decision to get to compete and get to know all the strongest category athletes in Italy and Europe. Thus the first races in Italy and abroad: Athens, Cyprus, Spain, France, Holland.
In these races I met all the champions, whom I used to watch and admire from the stands or from the videos and I started competing with them up to give them a hard time in the race. It was a great satisfaction!
Today I can say that in Italy and Europe they know me "all" with the nickname of UNCLE (Michele La Mura started calling me this for fun, then Augusto Gesso and Enrico Zenoni from there it was a moment, this makes me understand that I am of a certain age), I have cultivated true friendships, I often talk to many of them and we compare! The beauty of this business is that you find people who have the same lifestyle as you, live like you, making sacrifices, in terms of health and discipline.
In competition we kill each other, but before and after we are really a family!
The race that marked me the most at the moment was the Wodapalooza last year, I competed in the 40 masters category.
Competing in the USA, home of CrossFit®, we were the top 20 in the world by qualifying. I also managed to make a podium in the Endurance test (2k Rower, 300 swim and 2k air runner)… An incredible emotion, I remember that I cried upon arrival.
You are registered with AFFI and you made the finals in Modena in April… how was it?
AFFI it is a project that I supported immediately because I am convinced of the goodness and seriousness of the people involved, even if I do not fully agree with the type of exercises and tests.
However it trains you, trains you, improves you as an athlete and you cannot afford to have weak points, while in pure CrossFit® you can "mask" some deficiencies given the mixed workout mode.
The Modena finals were very well organized, the army academy that hosted us is the best an athlete can dream of!
You get up in the morning and you can train full time, having everything available. Congratulations indeed to the AFFI president, Neil and who worked on the project, how Luca Morassutto and all the staff.
Another great goal is to represent Italy in the IF3 World Championships in November… What are the sensations of competing among the best in the world?
Meanwhile, I am not sure of going to the World Cup in Aruba for family reasons; I'm getting ready but it won't just depend on me.
I have already worn the Italian uniform as a therapist for the women's water polo team, the Setterosa. The Italian anthem gives you chills, living it as an athlete is a dream come true, I will probably cry with emotion!
I know the opponents, I have already met many of them in various competitions, plus I have been competing for almost 45 years in the m40 category; I will be at a disadvantage, but I will be ready.
The goal is to become world champion in the Endurance test and do the best in the other tests. I will sell my skin dearly!
Not happy you also qualified for another great race on the scene: the Wodapalooza. How did the qualifications go?
By now I'm almost fond of Miami, I prepared with my coach Federico Ticenchi specifically for qualifying, losing 4kg knowing that I should have been lighter for the bar workouts.
I finished second overall after 6 hard workouts, where only the top 10 in the world passed. But this is another matter that we will address later with my team, yes because training with a team is very important!
They push you when you no longer have energy, a very strong union is formed, a real family, and I would like to thank Federica Mandrici for this, my training partner in the last 3 years in Rome and the boys in Catania Marco Siracusa (owner of CrossFit® Catania ) and Daniele Barbagallo, who are always present in my days!
How do you prepare for these events? Do you have any "pre-race rituals"?
Let's face it: almost all sportsmen have rituals in the pre-race, but I like to joke a lot in the warm-up with my opponent friends, always have a smile and give the right importance to things, after all it is "only" sport.
Then, when I hear the judge go on 3/2/1 GO I turn off the brain and turn on the heart.
What a beautiful message! We are moved ... Now tell us: are you planning other races?
I do not hide it, this year I'm aiming for a bang: I tested myself in the qualifications of the Wodapalooza and went straight to August for the Games!
But the road is still long, in between there will be Athens, French and something else that I will decide with coach Federico, private life permitting.
And we wish you so with all our heart Andrea! In order not to miss anything about the sports career of "Uncle", follow him on IG: @andreadisa_the_zio