CrossFit is deeply saddened to share that a legendary member of our CrossFit community, Rob Orlando, died on April 6, 2026, at the age of 50.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Orlando was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, affecting his lower jaw and lymph nodes in his neck. Just a day prior, he achieved a personal best powerlifting total, lifting 1,525 lb.
Orlando was the longtime affiliate owner of CrossFit Hybrid Athletics, running the gym for 15 years. He achieved legendary lore as a strongman and athlete when pitted against some of CrossFit’s toughest workouts, where he would intentionally up the load. Orlando shared his passion with the rest of the community, creating the CrossFit Strongman specialty course, which introduced legions of CrossFit athletes around the world to Atlas stones and a myriad of techniques in service of variance in programming and “regularly learning and playing new sports.”
In 2009, Orlando made his CrossFit Games debut in the Individual division, qualifying three years in a row. He returned to the Games in 2016 in the Masters division. Notably, Orlando designed the infamous “Pig,” a large, heavily weighted box, weighing between 300 and 500 lb, used at the CrossFit Games since 2013.
Orlando was a true pillar of our community, and his kindness and dedication to CrossFit will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Comments on Remembering Rob Orlando
2 Comments
Rob is part of the era when CF was rough around the edges...when it dared to be, and reveled in pushing the fitness and sometimes the social envelope. He helped make it that way. Peace to his family, and the many he's helped make into better, more fit and resilient people.
Oh man that is tough news... love this community and all the people that helped build it. Not sure what else to say other than this is really a bummer to hear.