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The Ultimate WOD

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while hanging out at CrossFit Back on the Bar owner Justin Baumgartner in Scottsdale, AZ.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“You don’t have to be the absolute best at anything to win as long as you’re among the best at everything.” Rich Froning, from his book First

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX

Looks like Adidas is joining Nike in the battle over your feet. Here are the winners of the second Beyond the Whiteboard challenge with Jason Khalipa. Kelsey Kiel took home gold at her first powerlifting meet in Las Vegas. Brent Fikowski met Mark Hammill (AKA Luke Skywalker) while watching Star Wars: Rogue One. Carly Fuhrer hits a 215 pound snatch balance PR. DISCOVERED: Some rare footage of Chris Spealler during his college wrestling days.

THE ULTIMATE WOD

Carleen Mathews and Tyson Takasaki competed in the Ultimate WOD down in Acapulco, Mexico. Here’s what we were able to track down; Carleen Mathews fought back to take first dominating the final WOD: “Monster Fran” — 21-15-9 Axle bar thrusters (170/110#), Bar muscle-ups. At the end of two days, Tyson and Carleen both took first place.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Behind the scenes at the 2016 CrossFit Games with Rich Froning and Mayhem Freedom, and Rich Froning scaring the crap out of Elly Kabboord.

CHALK UP READS

In it’s search for the fittest athletes, the Reebok CrossFit Games pushes its athletes further than almost any other sporting event. The blistering heat, packed schedule, and unknown events are all part of the challenge and allure for CrossFit® athletes. Despite including more and more varied events each year, such as swimming and the peg board, I can’t help but feel that they are hiding from one of the most fundamental human movements.

The Reebok CrossFit Games as mentioned have one objective: to find The Fittest on Earth™. But what exactly is meant by fitness?

Reading Greg Glassman’s fitness, though, I can’t help but feel that there is a movement group that would fit perfectly into the mold. A very different movement group: full contact, minimal rules fighting, or simply Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

“The Legend of That One Leg Monster” by Athlete Daily

There’s no explanation for how the 240-lb. Mitchell can deadlift 606-lb., beating able-bodied competitors on one leg and with a right hand that won’t fully close. Or how, after eight months of trial and error, he was able to back squat past parallel and now has a 485-lb. lift.

Mitchell, a former Army staff sergeant, is not just an amputee missing his left leg. There are five screws, ruptured meniscus on both sides of his knee and ankle pins in his right leg. He has battled depression and addiction and had nearly 40 surgeries.

CHALK UP AFFILIATES

FOR YOUR NEXT CHARITY IDEA — A reader emailed in a new project called Boost It, where you can challenge friends, your coach, Dave Castro, or anyone you’d like to do something and raise money for a cause. Here’s an example.

For your Affiliate holiday party — Extreme donut eating contest.

Cristoforo Romano, owner of CrossFit Vesuvio, tried out for the Atlanta United Football Club this weekend.

 

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