AJ Richards was born in southern Utah and spent his childhood with his cousins playing at the family cattle ranch. He dropped out of high school his senior year because it was boring and decided to join the military. From the age of 16 until he deployed, AJ went through a new job every three months. He deployed with his field artillery unit to Ramadi, Iraq where they were tasked with three objectives. Field artillery, entry control point security, and patrolling route mobile and route Michigan preventing IED placements.

After returning from Iraq AJ found himself miserable selling pest control door to door and depressed. Misdiagnosed by doctors with PTSD chose to not take the prescribed antidepressants and discovered CrossFit as a way to enhance his mental and physical well being.

AJ opened a CrossFit gym in 2011 and then in 2013 had an idea to do with CrossFit athletes and competition what Dana White did with the UFC which was to make it entertaining and add weight divisions. Now only 3 years in AJ has the pleasure of figuring out how to grow Rush Club and take it across country as well as international productions.