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Who’s lifting live at the Liftoff?

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is powered by FlapJacked, a high-protein, natural food company. Tired of protein bars and shakes? Check out FlapJacked’s revolutionary Mighty Muffins with probiotics. Packed with 20g of protein and only 7-10g of sugar, these gluten-free muffins not only taste good but are good for you too! Get 20% off an order at www.flapjacked.com using the discount code
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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I counted my confidence as a swimmer to be the main reason that I was able to win the races that I won.  I’m not super tall, I’m not super strong. I had very interesting technique, but I’m sure there are people who had better and stronger technique…So, it played a big role in my career, and my success, so why couldn’t I help teach this to the next generation?” — Rebecca Soni, 6x Olympic medalist

HISTORY OF THE SWEET POTATO.

 

Hello there.

Most of you have probably eaten a sweet potato at least once in your life. And chances are pretty good that once you started doing CrossFit, you started eating a few more of them. Nowadays they’re served all sorts of ways — sweet potato fries, hash, mash, soup, stew, stuffed, crushed, and even in your salad — but do you know where this root from the morning glory family originates from?

Tell me more.

For starters, the sweet potato is only distantly related to your standard potato.

Often confused as a yam, which hailes from Africa, the sweet potato originates from the Americas, most likely Central America. Indians began farming it about 5,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest vegetables. 

Who done it first?

That would be Christopher Columbus in 1492. He even brought some back to Europe when he returned from exploring, where they spread across the continent to the rest of the world. 

Who eats the most?

The majority of sweet potatos are grown in China, at a rate of 105 million tonnes, but about half of that is used to feed livestock. However, Papua New Guinea takes the cake on per capita consumption of roughly 1,100 pounds per person a year.

Anything else?

What did the sweet potto say to the Irish potato? “You’re no potato! I yam.”

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

 

Roundup — Tasia Percevecz moves to Cookeville, TN today. Brent Fikowski’s wife Claire officially became a Canadian citizen. Sam Dancer cleans 275 pounds with one arm. 

IWF Worlds — 

— Thuri Helgadottir hit a 238 pound clean and jerk to take second in the women’s 58kg B session at 2017 IWF World Championships. Thuri also PRed her snatch at 190 pounds.

Alyssa Ritchey snatched 78kg/171 pounds and clean and jerked 99kg/218 pounds to take seventh place overall.

— Up Next: Caitlin Hogan at 5:30 PM.

Happening Today — The 2017 CrossFit Liftoff kicks off live at Paradiso CrossFit at 5PM Pacific on Facebook.

While you’re waiting for 5PM to roll around, Tommy Marquez walks through the history of the Liftoff and the long-standing relationship between Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit.

— Liftoff lineup for tonight: Tommy Vinas, Elijah Muhammad, Garret Fisher, Alessandra Pichelli, Jamie Hagiya, Becca Voigt, and Chelsey Grigsby.

COFFEE BREAK CONVERSATIONS

 

What to tell your friend who needs some help with their ugly sweater party…

Merry Gainsmas.

THINGS TO…

 

WATCH: Annie Thorisdottir on Icelandic TV

To all our readers fluent in Icelandic, you’re in for a treat. For those who aren’t, you can get the gist of it. Annie Thorisdottir was welcomed onto an Icelandic TV show for a little Moto-CrossFit which involved her racing around a dirt track on a dirt bike. 

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS AT ITS FINEST.

 

HEAR: Mental Prep with Two Olympians

Olympic swimming medalists Caroline Burckle and Rebecca Soni, sit down with Julie Foucher to chat about their swimming careers, their struggles in the post-Olympic period, positive psychology, and what it’s like to watch swimming in the CrossFit Games.

TUNE IN.

 

DO: 1 Minute Assault Bike for Max Calories

Transformation success story Matthew Bickel joins a few CrossFit HQ fellas for a friendly competition of who can suffer the most in one minute on the Assault Bike. See if you can beat 76 calories.

3, 2, 1 GO.

 

EAT: Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup

This soup from Nom Nom Paleo is a perfect example of what to do when you have a whole bunch of veggies in the fridge that are just about to go bad and you need to use them stat. Throw in some shredded chicken to give it a little more protein.

NOM NOM.

 

Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is powered by

CHALK UP AFFILIATES

 

Quick Hits — 

  • Another gym in India is illegally using CrossFit’s trademark and doesn’t plan to take it down. 
  • Mary Catherine Alexander, owner of Timeless CrossFit in Franklin, MA spent 18 years in business before changing direction to pursue her passion for health and fitness.
  • Visionary CrossFit in Gainesville, FL is hosting an Art Walk Exhibition Friday. The exhibition will feature local artists and musicians. 
Reads

CHALK UP READS

“Raising The Bar” by Bonnie D. Ford, ESPN

The kid in the video is noticeably sturdy but still green, like a sapling that carries hints of its future girth in its trunk and branches. He is standing on a metal plate embedded in a wooden platform in one corner of a university research lab, ready to have his technique studied. He’s 14 and one of the strongest people in the world for his age.

Yet CJ’s rare and precocious talent has led to responsibilities that set him apart. As a top athlete in his sport, he must report his daily whereabouts to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which first collected a urine sample from him when he was 12. He got to choose the black-and-gold color scheme of his hard-soled weightlifting shoes designed by his sponsor, Reebok. Another sponsor ships him healthy frozen meals — broccoli, brown rice, chicken and beef — that he is supposed to stick to in the weeks leading up to competitions.

And he carries one additional, intangible burden: His sport is in dire need of credible winners. He would like to be one.

“What I expect of myself at this upcoming world championships is to, you know, go out there, do my best and have fun,” CJ says earnestly after a recent workout. “Several countries are banned for doping, so I will probably have a legitimate shot to place. But just for my personal goal, go out there, have fun and do the best that I can do.”

Tips

CHALK UP TIPS

Brought to You By CrossFit Terminus — Accessory work! Hello old friend. Have you been neglecting it a little these last few months? Here’s n simple one for you that immediately transfers to helping you with larger and larger sets of pull-ups, or getting your first one. 

Reads

CHALK UP CALENDAR

11/30: CrossFit Liftoff (Online)

12/1 – 3: Atlas Games (Montreal, Canada)

12/2 – 3: Rogue Winter Classic (Cleveland, OH)

12/2 – 3: Winter Classic V4 (Macon, GA)

12/2: Anthem CrossFit’s Reindeer Games (Pensacola, FL)

12/2: Vekter Games IV (CrossFit ReVamped, Columbia, MD)

12/9: Ho Ho Ho CrossFit Kids Competition (Riverside, CA)

12/9: The 2017 Reindeer Games (Del Mar, CA)

12/9 – 10: WOD GODZ 2017 (Shreveport, LA)

1/11 – 14: Wodapalooza Fitness Festival (Miami, FL)

1/13 – 14: War of the Wods (Greensboro, NC)

1/27: Winter Chiller (Fairmont, WV)

1/27: NorCal Masters 2018 (Richmond, CA)

1/27 – 28: The Fittest Experience (Austin, TX)

2/3: No Weak Links “V” (Whitesboro, NY)

see full calendar  |  + Send us an event
Is there something we missed? Email us at [email protected].
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