Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Over the past few weeks, we have published OpEds and guest posts on mindset training, we continue that discussion below. And, Katrin Davidsdottir is the face of WHOOP’s digital ad campaign, Justin LoFranco has more.
Keep those quote suggestions, story tips and PRs coming. Let us hear your voices at [email protected].
“Some people are motivated one or two days, others are motivated one or two weeks, winners are motivated all the time.”- Unknown
Worth Noting
Product News
WHOOP member Devon Levesque bear-crawled a marathon (26.2 miles) to raise money for FitOps. WHOOP tracked his recovery, heart rate and strain data and provided a visualization.
On Veterans Day, O2 donated 100% of online sales profits to the Big Fish Foundation, a nonprofit that helps vets suffering from PTSD.
Athlete News
Mat Fraser and Sammy Moniz have a new house in Vermont.
Ten-year affiliates in South Africa were honored by CrossFit LLC.
Loud and Live Sports president, Matt O’Keefe, and Justin Lofranco discuss “The Trials,” a new online global competition.
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OP-EDS
OpEd -- Our Gyms Should Train Mindset Too
In a recent Op-Ed entitled “An ‘11th Component of Fitness?’” the authors suggested that mindset should be treated as an inseparable part of our definition of fitness. I’m going a step further. Our gyms should actively train mindset, just as they train strength, flexibility and stamina. Not only is mindset a foundational aspect of health and fitness, but it’s also one which facilitates the development of all others.
The Connection between Mental and Physical Health
It should be obvious to every reader, but the conversation around mental health is changing. Charities like Movember, Mind, and World Mental Health Day have drawn awareness to what is lacking in today’s society. Apps like Headspace, Waking Up, and Calm have shown that more and more of the population is in search of freedom from non-serving mindsets. And of course, the rise of functional fitness-specific mindset coaching services speaks to the fact that athletes are seeking mindset training for both health and fitness purposes.
Becoming a Professional Coach: Not on the Business Owner, “It’s up to the Coach”
In recent days, we reported on best practices for bringing in and retaining coaches long term. The overarching verdict, among both gym owners and coaches, was simple: If you pay, they will stay.
Though she agrees it’s necessary for coaches to be able to earn a good living, Natana Flynn, a mentor with the Active Life Rx, said that far too often the onus falls unfairly on the gym owner to remedy the problem of coaches being underpaid. In reality, “it’s up to the coach” to make themselves more valuable first.
Davidsdottir Face of WHOOP Digital Ad Campaign “Know Yourself”
Two-time CrossFit Games champion and four-time podium finisher, Katrin Davidsdottir, is the face of WHOOP’s CrossFit specific digital ad campaign, Know Yourself, aimed at everyday CrossFitters looking to gain deeper insights into their health and fitness. The ad campaign features video footage of Davidsdottir competing during stage 1 of the CrossFit Games, where she used WHOOP data to optimize her recovery to come back strong on day 2.
Davidsdottir on the WHOOP Podcast: “All the little things that you think are so little add up to great things. My No. 1 recovery [tool] is always sleep. I’ll skip everything, even at the Games, I’ll skip body work if I need to sleep.”
Opportunity For All, Eric Roza's New Approach For The Sport
During Eric Roza’s interview on the Talking Elite Fitness podcast Wednesday, there was a common theme amongst the host of developments and potential concepts laid out by CrossFit LLC’s new owner and CEO.
The future of the sport of fitness will include more opportunity for everyone.
Included in the mix were some interesting ideas and much needed new avenues for athletes, sponsors, and fans to increase engagement in the sport beyond the scope of the current CrossFit Games seasson system and its predecessor.
More divisions, more ways to compete: One of the long-awaited additions to the CrossFit Games season was the inclusion of an adaptive athlete division, which Roza officially confirmed was on its way starting with the 2021 Open along with some potential new filters.
When an athlete is first learning Olympic weightlifting, developing a solid split jerk can be tough. This short video from Misfit Athletics illustrates how to find the perfect, stable catch position in the split and offers some key tips on how to develop a snappy dip and drive to put momentum on the barbell.
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"The Trials," a New Global Online Competition from Loud and Live
Loud and Live Sports has announced a new online competition called "The Trials" and registration is open now. Learn more about the event from president Matt O'Keefe, and get signed up, it kicks off on December 4!
Ever wonder why some days you feel like you have an extra gear? The secret is in the data. The WHOOP strap and platform is built to help you unlock your potential by monitoring your heart rate 24/7 so you know what you're putting your body through on a daily basis. Sign up now and get $30 off your first month (no code needed) the WHOOP strap and start optimizing your recovery, training, and sleep.
We've all used resistance bands for rehab and for activation exercises, but here are three ways to incorporate banded resistance into your glute training. You can do these exercises in between lifting sets to better utilize your backside and add in more volume.
Our community round-up today focuses a new gym service, a brand new gym, and an appeal for PPE donations for a state prison in Pennsylvania:
1:1 Nutrition Counseling: At Chimney Rock CrossFit in Bridgewater, NJ, the coaching team is offering a 1:1 nutrition counseling and consultation program. Through the program, a coach will learn about you, your lifestyle, your workouts and your goals, then prescribe a nutrition plan to meet your needs The counseling will provide the structure and accountability needed to change eating habits and ensure lifelong success. Check it out.(Editor’s Note: Earlier this week, we mistakenly noted that Chimney Rock CrossFit is located in Connecticut, it is actually located in New Jersey.)
Sonoma Training Open for Outdoor Classes: When CrossFit Valley of the Moon closed its doors in early 2020, member Neil Colwell opened Sonoma Training in Sonoma, CA. Currently, the gym is only able to run outdoor classes per COVID restrictions, but once Sonoma County moves into California’s “Red Tier,” classes will move inside.
ULiftU PPE Donations:ULiftU, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower currently incarcerated and returning citizens to be professional fitness coaches, has learned that the state prison they work with is experiencing a serious COVID outbreak and needs additional PPE. Learn more about the situation and donate PPE directly or give money through the ULiftU website.
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