• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
News

Tia-Clair Toomey Reveals She Battled a Back Injury While Winning Her Sixth CrossFit Games Title

Toomey's back injury still couldn't stop her from becoming a six-time Fittest Woman on Earth®.

Written by Robert Zeglinski Published on Sep 9, 2022

In early August, Tia-Clair Toomey made history by becoming the first Individual athlete to win six CrossFit Games titles. It’s undoubtedly a lofty achievement for a living strength sports legend. Given recent developments, Toomey’s milestone might be even grander than it was at first glance. 

On Sept. 7, 2022, in a video posted to her YouTube channel, Toomey revealed she suffered a back injury before the onset of the 2022 CrossFit Games. The CrossFitter did not clarify the precise nature of her injury but maintained that it was enough for her to consider whether she should or could compete in Madison, WI. 

WHATS BEEN GOING ON? GOING TEAM AND FUTURE COMPS

[Related: How to Do the Kettlebell Swing for Explosive Power, Strength, and Conditioning]

Since winning the recent CrossFit Games, Toomey has been taking time away to rest before she starts preparing for the next contest on her calendar. On Nov. 18-20, 2022, in Wollongong, Australia, Toomey plans to compete at the 2022 Down Under Championship on a team with Brooke Wells and Ellie Turner. 

As the athlete looked ahead to that Australian competition, she quickly discussed what her unclear back injury meant for her latest CrossFit performance. While it didn’t end up hurting her overall finish, Toomey notes she had to take a recovery step back before putting the pedal to the (kettlebell) metal again. 

“It’s really been about managing that [her back injury],” Toomey says about her plans since August’s CrossFit Games. “It was giving me quite a lot of feedback, and it was affecting my training in the lead-up to the Games.”

As a result of her injury, Toomey clarifies she’s been taking small steps to ramp up her performance back to an elite level. It seems to be a gradual process, where she won’t push it to the limit until she’s absolutely ready. 

“I’m taking this off-season seriously and slowly easing into it, making sure I get my back into full form,” Toomey says. “I’m not going to be picking up a barbell or doing anything crazy. It’s really more about how I’m moving my body, making sure there isn’t any back pain…I’m doing more low-impact movements, just getting the body moving.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr (@tiaclair1)

[Related: The Best Landmine Workouts for More Muscle and Better Conditioning]

Per Toomey’s video testimonial, the 2022 Down Under Championship will be her first Team appearance in roughly five years. With that contest still an approximate couple of months away at the time of this writing, the Australian competitor appears prepared to return completely healthy and maximize this latest opportunity. 

“I’m pretty confident that I’ll be ready to go for that competition,” Toomey says. “I think it’ll be a great competition to get the body back on the competition floor. I love to compete. That’s what we do this for.”

Featured image: @tiaclair1 on Instagram

About Robert Zeglinski

Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He's been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).

View All Articles

Related Posts

Mitchell Hooper performing preacher curls.
Mitchell Hooper Tackles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Back and Biceps Workout
Team USA and Team UK take a photo together after competing in the 2023 Giants Live World's Strongest Nation competition.
Team USA Topples Team UK for 2023 World’s Strongest Nation Title
Samson Dauda celebrates winning the Men's Open division title at the 2023 EVLS Prague Pro show.
2023 EVLS Prague Pro Results: Samson Dauda Dominates Second Straight European Show 
World's Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper performs an 800-pound deadlift.
Mitchell Hooper Attempts 3 of Ronnie Coleman’s Heaviest Lifts Ever

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About