Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today's edition is fueled by RP Strength.

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"If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come." -- C.S. Lewis

DEEP DIVE.

Why Sanctionals Should Re-Examine Point Systems

Two weeks back at the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Championship, event organizers used the CrossFit Games scoring system to allot points based on 40 competitor placement, but the competition only fielded 20 individual competitors. They’re not the first Sanctional to do this nor are they the last, but when Armen Hammer brought it up it got us thinking about the efficacy of the Games scoring system.

• Armen Hammer: “You have first place getting 100 points and the last place getting 40 points...It makes a difference in terms of where the athletes are going to fit, how many points they can earn over the course of a weekend of events and where the competitive pushes have to happen in order for athletes to gain points because when you’re gaining that many points for being in last place you’re not really getting separated as much as you possibly could be.”

A little more about the CrossFit Games scoring system.

• The Games’ scoring system was designed for 40 competitors; it was also designed specifically for the Games and Regionals. First place is awarded 100 points, 20th place is awarded 40 points and 40th place is awarded 0.
• The current Games scoring rewards consistency especially at the top. Here’s an example: Two athletes average fifth place across 10 events. Athlete A finishes half of the workouts in first, and half of the workouts in 9th. Athlete B finishes every single workout in 5th place. They've technically split workouts between them 50/50, but Athlete A would finish with 820 points and Athlete B with 800.
• This point system also punishes an athlete who completely bombs a workout: 0 points for last place: 35th gets 10 points, 40th gets 0.
• The non-linear points system also awards being in the Top 10 by allocating a greater points gap between places for the top spots.

How Sanctionals are scoring their events: Among the six Sanctionals this season, three of six events have used the Games’ 40-person point system exactly as written. Wodapalooza and Strength in Depth are fairly close in numbers to the Games; only Mid-Atlantic sticks out as being significantly different.

Continue reading...

TEAM USA

Pan Ams and the Road to the 2020 Olympic Games

On the road to the 2020 Olympic Games, athletes in the sport of weightlifting must compete in at least one Gold qualifying event within an 18 month qualifying period. The 2019 Pan American Championships, which begin today, will be the first Gold qualifying event of 2019 for Team USA.

On the team: Team USA will be sending ten men and ten women to compete based on their Robi score, a calculation that tops at 1,000 based on the athlete’s body weight category, total, and the World Record in the athlete’s body weight category.

• Men: CJ Cummings (907.6866), Harrison Maurus (904.1038), Wes Kitts (757.5475), Jordan Cantrell (716.1786), Christian Ocasio (703.2754), D’Angelo Osorio (699.6502), Jordan Wissinger (666.9134), Caine Wilkes (661.4377), Jason Bonnick (660.9137), and Alex Lee (659.3821).
• Women: Jourdan Delacruz (754.1077), Mattie Rogers (736.0575), Alyssa Ritchey (734.5909), Mattie Sasser (731.5802), Kate Nye (725.8339), Sarah Robles (721.0759), Jenny Arthur (706.6024), Jessica Lucero (673. 7822), Morghan King (658.3849, and Caitlin Hogan (648.6498).

Not their first rodeo: Sarah Robles, Morghan King, and Jenny Arthur competed in the 2016 Olympics.

How to watch: Competition begins Tuesday, April 23 and runs to Saturday, April 27 with a livestream from USAW. The lifting schedule is posted here and will also be posted on the USAW page throughout the week.

• Lifting today: Alyssa Ritchey in the 49kg A session at 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET.

Continue reading...

Things To...

WATCH: Road to the Games for the Fittest in Denmark
Julie Hougard Nielsen is a full-time student just a few weeks from becoming a doctor. She is also currently Denmark's national champion and preparing for the 2019 Reebok CrossFit Games. See how she found CrossFit, prepared for the Open and kept her eyes on the 2019 Games.
A NATIONAL CHAMPION.

HEAR: James Fitzgerald of OPEX Fitness
The Mind Muscle Project podcast welcomes guest James Fitzgerald, Founder of OPEX Fitness. The three discuss the future of programming in the fitness industry and where James thinks programming should go, the damaging effects of dynamic training and what is the right volume for most people.
THE FUTURE OF FITNESS.

EAT: Vegetarian Thai Pineapple Forbidden Fried Rice
Healthy vegetarian fried rice made with forbidden rice, red bell pepper, carrots, red cabbage and a hint of sweetness from pineapple. This fried rice recipe packs plenty of protein from eggs and edamame for a delicious, healthy plant-based dinner recipe.
MEATLESS MEALS.

Today's edition of the Morning Chalk Up is fueled by

Chalk Up Community

• ROWATHON FOR MEDICAL CLINIC -- The Cura Sapulpa Free Clinic Rowathon will be held Saturday, May 4 at CrossFit West of the River in Sapulpa, OK. Teams of four will row a marathon to raise money for the opening of a free local medical clinic.
• A DAY OF HERO WODS -- On May 24, Main Line CrossFit in Ardmore, PA will host the 7th Annual 24 in 24 event, 24 hero WODs in 24 hours. All funds raised during this 24-hour event will go to HAVEN, a transitional housing program for female veterans to start over and become productive members of the community.
• PUSH 4 PARKINSON'S FOXWOD 2019 -- Push 4 Parkinson’s mission is "to expose those with Parkinson's to the more than 15,000 CrossFit affiliates that can provide scaled workouts and a supportive, encouraging environment to help individuals manage the disease." You can host FoxWOD 2019 in your affiliate on April 27 for a 45-minute WOD that mimics some of the obstacles those with Parkinson’s face.
• NEW BOX OWNERS -- Andy and Cathy Adrian have purchased Lift CrossFit in Schofield, WI and renamed the box Adventure Awaits CrossFit.
• CROSSFIT CLEANS UP COMMUNITY -- Crossfit 304 in Charleston, WV volunteered to help clean up trash in their community last weekend as part of the Team Up to Clean Up program.
• LIFT FOR LEE -- Williamston CrossFit in Williamston, MI is holding a fundraiser for member Lee Stewart, who was recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Lift For Lee will take place on May 3 and will consist of the CrossFit Total.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Happy fifth birthday Maverick Cannon • Kelly Wild deadlifted 419 pounds for a 3x bodyweight PR • AJ Davis front squats 525 pounds for a PR • NOOMA has partnered with Walmart, Som Sleep and Rise for a giveaway • Sarah gets a 100 pound snatch PR • Happy one year CrossFit anniversary to Tyler Grimes • Rich Froning is up to something big. 

...and it is a fact that dogs make WODs better. 

CrossFit French Throwdown Scores Due -- Week One scores for the CrossFit French Throwdown online qualifier are due today by 11:00 AM PT.

Down Under CrossFit Championship -- The final individual event of the Down Under CrossFit Championship has been announced: Individual Event 7. 

Asia CrossFit Championship -- The Asia CrossFit Championship has released Individual Event 5.

CrossFit Italian Showdown -- Yesterday, Noah Ohlsen posted that he will be competing this weekend at the CrossFit Italian Showdown.

Rogue Online Invitational Winners -- Travis Mayer and Feeroozeh Saghafi are the official winners of the 2019 Rogue Invitational qualifier. The top 10 men and women qualifiers will receive an invitation to compete in the Individual competition at the 2019 Rogue Invitational May 18 - 19.

-- Also on the roster: Streat Hoerner, Colten Mertens, Adrian Mundwiler, Brooke Haas, Dani Speegle, Katie Trombetta and Rachel Garibay all placed in the top ten through the qualifier.

Hayley Murillo Withdraws from CrossFit Games Qualifying Spot -- Hayley Murillo, who was in a qualifying spot when she placed 26th overall in the CrossFit Open, announced she is withdrawing from the CrossFit Games after receiving an email from CrossFit HQ that her 19.3 score will receive a 15% penalty. Her 19.3 score is currently in appeal but she's withdrawing anyways. 

-- "HQ said that some of my handstand push-ups were questionable and that I would be receiving a major penalty that would pull me out of a qualifying spot for the CrossFit Games…after five no reps in their eyes, they just give you a 15% deduction.

-- "My 19.3 is currently being appealed, but I would like to officially withdraw from the CrossFit Games even if my appeal goes through because when I make it to the Games I would like there to be no question on whether I should be there or not.

-- "I am proud of the athlete I am and the athlete I have become. I've been doing this thing for eight years and it's hard. I'm a clean athlete, I put the work in, I’ve gotten better and better every year. I was just trying to go fast.

-- "I'm going to train hard, work on the things that need to be worked on and I will see you guys at a sanctioned event next year."

"The Finance Games: The True Cost of a Ticket to the Games," by Audrey Carson

One-way ticket to Madison, Wisconsin: $500

Eleven nights in a hotel near Alliant Energy Center: $3,000

For everything else: Well, yeah, you’re going to eat those costs, too. And have you seen how much CrossFit athletes eat?

This is the truth top-level CrossFit athletes face, and -- much like the cash they’re shelling out to compete -- it’s cold and hard.

Like any professional sport, to compete at the top level of CrossFit, athletes must dedicate their days to training and recovering, properly fueling themselves and researching the best ways to get a leg up on their competition.

Unlike many professional sports, these athletes receive no regular compensation to do so -- save for the occasional event win. And for most events, you have to at least podium to receive any kind of payout. Really, you have to win to even come out ahead, with the cost of travel and lost wages eating into your winnings.

Take the Wodapalooza CrossFit Festival for example: Individual winners received $25,000, with second place at $15,000 and third at $10,000. An athlete would have to podium several times within a year to make a livable income -- and that’s without the cost of travel and training.

“The crazy thing about CrossFit is that we’re expected to perform and train and everything like professional paid athletes,” said Sean Sweeney, two-time Games athlete. “But we’re really just enthusiasts. We make zero dollars doing CrossFit.”

So, if CrossFitters aren’t making money CrossFitting, how are they paying for everything? Most, like Sweeney and 2018 Games athlete Meredith Root, work at and/or own a fitness facility, at minimum.

Like these two, some work multiple jobs. But if they want to compete with the fittest athletes on earth, something has to give, and that’s usually a typical 9-5 job.

4/15 - 4/27: Top Of The Box Online Qualifier (Clarksville, TN)
4/19 - 5/1: CrossFit French Throwdown Individual Online Qualifier (Online)
4/20: The Wodfather VII 2019 (Keller, TX)
4/20: Rookie Rumble at Bucktown CrossFit (Chicago, IL)
4/20: Barnyard Throwdown (Ohatchee, AL)
4/26: Rookie Rivalry at CrossFit Nashua (Nashua, NH)
4/26 - 4/27: Gameday Competition (Mankato, MN) 
4/26 - 4/28: CrossFit Italian Showdown (Milan, Italy)
4/26 - 4/28: The Sun Coast Fitness Festival (Kwa-Zulu Natal, SA)
4/27: 4th Annual Spring Fever Partner Masters Comp (Souderton PA)
4/27: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit KOA (Cranford, NJ)
4/27: The Gnardog Challenge (Reedley, CA)
4/27: Festivus Games (Worldwide)
4/27: Raising the Bar for Charlotte (Medina, OH)
4/27 - 4/29: Asia CrossFit Championship (Shanghai, China)
4/27: Autism Rocks and Rows (San Clemente, CA)
4/27: Garage Games Xs and Ys (Hiram, GA)
4/27: The Explode Individual Classic (West Chester, PA)
4/27: Fast Times at West Tech High (Las Vegas, NV)
4/27: Tyler's Voice CrossFit Competition (Jefferson City, TN)
4/27: SWFL Sharks Semi-Pro Grid Combine (Cape Coral, FL)
4/27: Explode’s Independent Classic (West Chester, FL)
4/27: Festivus Games at Crossfit Sav-up (Petaluma, CA)
4/27: 4th annual Apple Town Throwdown (Cornelia,GA)
4/27: Kettlebells for Cojones (Montgomery, TX)
4/27: Spring Fever Partner Master Competition (Souderton, PA)
4/27: Best of the Midwest Team Series Part 1 (Westfield, IN)
4/27: Officer Christopher Goddell Memorial WOD (Walkdwick, NJ)
4/27: Pose Method Run RX Course (Lake Havasu City, AZ)
4/27: Battle of the Boxes (Newport,KY)
4/27: 2019 Pensacola Beach Brawl (Pensacola, FL) 
4/27: Festivus Games at Camel City Crossfit (Winston-Salem, NC)
4/27: Festivus Games at CrossFit LaCrosse (LaCrosse, WI)
4/27: 2019 Growler Games (Lexington, NC)
4/27: The Spring Fling (Knoxville, TN)
4/27: Stepping Into Summer (Fairfield, OH)
4/27: REDLINE.Venice A PAINKLLR Competition (Venice, CA)
4/27:  One Mind 1 Force (West Deptford, NJ)
4/27: FOXWod 2019 (Worldwide)
4/28: David Vs. Golitah (Mansfield, MA)
5/2 - 5/6: Age Group Online Qualifier (Online)
5/3 - 5/4: Tough As Nails (Lubbock, TX)
5/3 - 5/5 The Fittest Experience (Austin, TX)
5/3 - 5/5: Appalachian Games (Asheville, NC)
5/3 - 5/5: Reykjavik CrossFit Championship (Reykjavik, Iceland)
5/4: 2nd Annual Heavy Day Morgan (Oak Ridge, TN)
5/4: Battle at the Lab 2019 Cinco De Mayo (Clarksville, TN)
5/4: Border Open Part V (El Paso, TX)
5/4: Desert Warrior (Scottsdale, AZ)
5/4: The Jurassic Classic (Kennewick, WA)
5/4: Lifto De Mayo 2019 (Eagan, MN)
5/4: Rookie Rumble Pittsburgh at Arsenal Strength (Pittsburgh, PA)
5/4: Girls Gone RX Delaware (Middletown, DE)
5/4: Girls Gone RX DC (Alexandria, VA)
5/4: Black and Brewed 2019 (Huntsville, AL)
5/4: Row for Wishes (Telluride, CO)
5/4: The Locomotive Games IV (Youngstown, OH)
5/4: Breaking Boundaries Competition (Greer, SC)
5/4: Cura Sapulpa Fundraiser (Sapulpa, OK)
5/5: Cupid’s Spring Fling (Medina, OH)
5/10: Beast Mode Games 2019 (Greenville, SC)
5/11: 2019 Moco Throwdown (Bethesda, MD)
5/11: Butchertown Cleaver Classic (Louisville, KY)
5/11: Girls on Girls X (Bridgeport, PA)
5/11: Battle of the Gulf Coast (Port Neches, TX)
5/11: Femme Royale So Cal (Orange, CA)
5/11: Squat for Guate (Hickory, NC)
5/11: Southside Showdown (Jenks OK)
5/17 - 5/19: ACA Throwdown 2019 (Johannesburg, SA)
5/17 - 5/19: Down Under CrossFit Championship (Wollongong NSW)
5/17 - 5/19: Brazil CrossFit Challennge (São Paulo, Brazil)
5/18 - 5/19: Big Impact Games (Kaukauna, WI)
5/18: 2019 Barbells in the Burbs Team Comp (Carol Stream, IL)
5/18: 2019 Tough Temple CrossFit Super Total (Bethseda, MD)
5/18: Mad Hatter Games (Danbury, CT)
5/18: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit Chester Springs (Chester Springs, PA)
5/18: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit PTV (Redmond, WA)
5/18 - 5/19: Shred Fest (Orlando, FL)
5/18: Cindy-a-Thon (San Leandro, CA)
5/18: Fallout in the Falls (Wichita Falls, TX)
5/18: East Coast Battle ( Hanover, MD) 
5/18: Meshugge CrossFit Summer Melee 2019 (Overland Park, KS)
5/18: Backstreet Brawl 3 (West Bend, WI)
5/18: Flower City Throwdown Women's Division (Rochester, NY)
5/18: Warriors Hope (Greenwood, IN)
5/18 - 5/19: Rogue Invitational (Columbus, OH)
5/19: Heroes and Heroines Team Throwdown (Pawtucket, RI)
5/21: Brady’s Border2Border Ruck March (Beach, ND)
5/24: 24 Heroes in 24 Hours (Ardmore, PA)
5/30 - 6/2: Granite Games (St. Cloud, MN)