Crossfitter Kevin Ogar severs spine in freak Snatch accident

**Bryan Hildebrand** · 01-17-2014, 04:10 PM

A Colorado CrossFit athlete was performing a routine powerlift during a competition in Southern California over the weekend when he suffered a critical injury to his spine, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Tragedy struck Sunday while Kevin Ogar, a coach at a CrossFit gym in Denver, was performing a 'snatch' - a staple move in the sport that combines weightlifting, gymnastics and sprinting.

According to published reports, the 6 foot 1, 210-pound Ogar lifted a heavy dumbbell to his waist and then over his head, but couldn't hold it, letting the heavy bar plummet to the floor behind him.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2qgyvrDIr

**Curt James** · 01-17-2014, 06:49 PM

Ogar is incredibly upbeat and doesn't blame CrossFit.

With his teddy: This photo of Kevin was posted on Facebook with a message that said he had slept for 5 hours and brushed his own teeth

"The CrossFit enthusiast and his training partners described the devastating injury as a 'freak accident' and insisted that the flourishing sport was not to blame for it."

"Kevin has been doing CrossFit for a very long time at a very high level. Are injuries going to occur? Sure, but Kevin's not going to blame the sport," Ogar's friend and employer Matt Hathcock told ABC News. "This was not the fault of CrossFit."

**swingslammer** · 01-17-2014, 06:56 PM

OK, I will say it even if he won't............Crossfit IS at fault!

That being said I wish this man well......who knows they said Kris Dimm would never walk again and I think he will get there.

**Curt James** · 01-17-2014, 07:09 PM

Ogar isn't one of those annoying CrossFit people who look like they're molesting an Olympic bar, though, their form is so bad.

This sad event meets every qualification or characteristic of what I'd define as a truly freak accident. I mean, wtf, the bar bounced up at him and snapped his spinal cord?

What are the odds?

**Colin K** · 01-17-2014, 07:25 PM

Crossfit is not to blame, that could have happened to anyone doing that exercise, be it for sport, recreation, crossfit, mma.

Thats like saying bodybuilding is the reason guys tear pecs etc, no its not.

Wish him a full recovery!!!!

Originally Posted by swingslammer

OK, I will say it even if he won't............Crossfit IS at fault!

That being said I wish this man well......who knows they said Kris Dimm would never walk again and I think he will get there.

**Mac** · 01-17-2014, 08:37 PM

Wish that he has a full recovery.

I quit doing Olympic lifting back in 1973 when doing the same ' snatch ' lift and the bar hit me on the head on it's way to the floor after a failed attempt.

It's hard to see what really happened in the video and looks like it landed on the floor behind him.

**Curt James** · 01-17-2014, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Mac

Wish that he has a full recovery.

I quit doing Olympic lifting back in 1973 when doing the same ' snatch ' lift and the bar hit me on the head on it's way to the floor after a failed attempt.

It's hard to see what really happened in the video and looks like it landed on the floor behind him.

The article stated, "According to published reports, the 6 foot 1, 210-pound Ogar lifted a heavy barbell to his waist and then over his head, but couldn't hold it, letting the heavy bar plummet to the floor behind him. the bar bounced against another set of weights, striking Ogar in the back and severing his spine."

**Virtual Trauma** · 01-17-2014, 11:00 PM

Freak accident or not, it's a tragedy. I wish him the best and a speedy recovery!

**MethodAir** · 01-18-2014, 01:35 AM

Horrible accident...one has to think the risk is increased with teachers, and practitioners who are not (even close to being) experts in the craft.

**warthog** · 01-18-2014, 03:06 AM

The way they put it,one would think the bar came all the way back up.Ive watched it a couple of times,it looks like he fell back and then maybe made contact with the bar

**TheRage93** · 01-18-2014, 03:38 AM

Damn, that's crazy. I've never heard of this happening even when they drop the barbell on there damn necks.

**Sandpig** · 01-18-2014, 07:03 AM

This sucks

Crossfit to blame? I doubt it. Olympic lifters have been doing snatches for years and years

**guruhonza** · 01-18-2014, 08:15 AM

Yop it's not crossfit. It's just weightlifting. Hope he recovers from this.

**swingslammer** · 01-18-2014, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Sandpig

This sucks

Crossfit to blame? I doubt it. Olympic lifters have been doing snatches for years and years

I was actually just kidding when I said Crossfit was to blame BUT too many crossfitters just let go of the bar at about neck height and let it fall or bounce where it may.

Seems to me Olympic lifters "Control" the bar better, they guide it back down to the floor.

**TopFormFitness** · 01-18-2014, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sandpig

This sucks

Crossfit to blame? I doubt it. Olympic lifters have been doing snatches for years and years

Yes but they do it under the correct (and much safer) training protocol.

Explosive power movements (especially technical moves like Oly lifts) are not intended to be performed for such high reps until fatigue. Just not safe.

However, you are right... Crossfit may not be totally to blame. It's a sport ... and many sports carry a risk of injury. But to be honest I still dislike crossfit and believe it carries an unnecessary risk vs. reward.