A little weed killer for breakfast, kids?

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“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” — Jim Rohn

Saved by the Barbell: Why kids need CrossFit

A nationwide epidemic.

Since 1970, the percentage of children and adolescents affected by obesity has more than tripled. In 2016, one out of every five children was obese.

Unfortunately across the nation, recess is becoming a thing of the past and cafeteria food and sugar-stocked vending machines only contribute to the problem. With limited access to affordable healthy food and exercise options, children living in underserved communities are at even greater risk.

A functional movement.

The CrossFit community has long possessed the answer. Kids need to move. To get outside and play. To stand up from their desks and couches and go outside, go to the gym, and learn how to nourish their bodies in a safe and healthy community.

CrossFit is well ahead of the curve on working to solve this nationwide problem. Today, there are more than 1,800 CrossFit Kids registered programs at affiliates and more than 1,000 CrossFit programs in schools.

The most notable of CrossFit-based curriculum in schools is Clark County School District in Nevada, which is the fifth largest school district in the country. Shannon LeNeve, the district’s coordinator for health and physical education, implemented CrossFit programs in 48 schools in the district, with two teachers in each school having completed their L1 and CrossFit Kids courses.

“I think the things you learn from CrossFit, and the things you learn from being a part of a supportive community that wants to see you succeed and wants to see you healthy, is so important for kids,” Olivia Leonard, Executive Director of the CrossFit Foundation said. “Health benefits aside, there is a huge benefit for kids to participate.”

But despite the benefits, some schools struggle. Securing ongoing funding and convincing parents and administrators that CrossFit works can often be difficult, which happened to Cleveland High School in South East Portland earlier this year when they cut their program due to funding.

CrossFit’s new initiative.

Launching this year, Saved by the Barbell is an annual, world-wide CrossFit community Labor Day workout and fundraising effort to bring CrossFit to more kids everywhere. Similar to large-scale fundraising effort in the past like Hotshots19 and Fight Gone Bad, Saved by the Barbell proceeds will support the development and growth of CrossFit programs for kids in schools, recreation centers, and communities everywhere. The funds support things like training for teachers, getting new equipment in schools, and supporting the health and fitness of thousands of children.

“The cool thing about Saved by the Barbell is that the CrossFit community is extraordinarily generous,” Leonard said. “The way that CrossFitters operate is we explain the goal, we provide the workout and then watch them all come together and make it happen. It’s super cool.”

How to get more involved.

Join CrossFit HQ, CrossFit Foundation, and boxes everywhere on September 1 to help build the life-saving culture of CrossFit that kids need.

You can register online and do the workout on September 1, or host an event at your affiliate by emailing savedbythebarbell@crossfit.com. It’s $35 and includes a t-shirt and access to the worldwide Saved by the Barbell leaderboard.

And since we’re on the subject of kids…

Weed killer for breakfast, kids?

When Greg Glassman wrote “Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat,” in his 100 words on Fitness, he meant it for kids too. But, we’re pretty sure he didn’t have weed killer in mind.

What do you mean?

Recently the Environmental Working Group conducted a study to test for the cancer-linked glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, Monsanto’s most popular weed killer. Every year, according to EWG, more than 250 million pounds of glyphosate is sprayed on american crops. 

But, even though the WHO has determined that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans,” the study found that the chemical was present in popular children’s food like Cheerios, Quaker Oatmeal, Lucky Charms, and several KIND products.

That’s just gross.

The worst offenders were Quaker oat products, with levels indicating that the food would be dangerous for children if even 27.5 grams were consumed daily. The average size of a bag of instant oatmeal is 40 grams. Think about that. A single packet of Quaker dinosaur eggs instant oatmeal contains more than three times the daily safe limit of glyphosate for children.

Even more startling is the fact that several of the products that tested positive for the chemical are foods that are considered “healthier options.” Foods like Whole Foods Bulk Bin Rolled Oats, KIND Vanilla and Blueberry Clusters, and Barbara’s Multigrain Cereal.

So what is safe to eat?

Well, of all the food products tested, the five that showed zero traces of the carcinogen all read “Organic” in their title. Perhaps that’s a good place to start.

Coffee Break Conversations

What to tell your sister the next time she complains that her kid is still, STILL, doing this thing the kids call “Flossing”…

Sign them up. If your child is “Fortnite” obsessed, there is now a health club offering a workout based on the popular victory dance, the Floss. So if your kid is gonna’ play the game and do the dance, you might as well level up and take the class too. 

Things To…

WATCH: Inside an Invictus Athlete’s Gym Bag

Want to know what an Invictus athlete keeps in their bag while prepping for the CrossFit Games?  Athletes Kaitlyn Kassis, Lauren Fisher, Jenn Dancer, Devyn Kim, and Rasmus Anderson are giving you a glimpse into the gear they use to train.

LET’S SEE IT.

HEAR: Jessica Lucero Looks to the Future

In this episode of Barbell Shrugged, 4x USA Weightlifting National Champion Jessica Lucero discusses chasing Gold from day one of training, mental toughness and overcoming mental barriers, what it’s like living the life of a professional athlete, and how she gives back to the future generations of Olympic weightlifting.

TUNE IN.

KNOW: The Russells’ Blog Is Now Keep Fitness Legal

The popular blog, “The Russells’ Blog” has changed its name. Russ Greene, Director of Government Relations and Research at CrossFit, will continue to defend the CrossFit brand from junk science, yellow journalism, and invincible ignorance just under a new name.

KEEP FITNESS LEGAL.

EAT: Paleo Chicken Nuggets

These crispy paleo chicken nuggets are the perfect healthy answer to replace those store bought or drive-thru chicken nugget imposters. With a savory seasoned almond flour coating, these chicken nuggets are cooked in ghee, making them Whole30 friendly, paleo, dairy free, gluten free, and totally yummy.

KIDS WILL LOVE THEM.

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• PRO-TIP: INTENSITY —  CrossFit Aerobic Capacity instructor Chris Hinshaw shows a group of athletes how to match a workouts time to it’s required intensity and settle into the right gear for each WOD. 
• CROSSFIT CAPE ANN EXPANDS — CrossFit Cape Ann has expanded and wants it’s community to know. “We want to make our gym as inclusive as possible,” he said.
• CROSSFIT MAGNIFY — Aimee Everett and Cody Anderson are opening a gym in Redmond, OR. CrossFit Magnify will open November 2018.

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

Nick Hancock got a 295 pound deadlift PR • Ironwoman Ashley Horner has started her 50 days of Ironman races • Alyssa Ritchey got a message from a ten-year-old fan • Jacob Heppner does the peg wheel in a Winston sized weight vest • Kels Kiel shows her four-year transformation with CrossFit • Margaux Alvarez wants you to move to Las Vegas • Julian Alcarez and Miranda Oldroyd got married at Second Beach • Arielle Armstrong got engaged. 

…and this is the question we’re all asking Monday morning. 

CrossFit Keeps You Young — Lynette Brodie, who will be 70 in October, has been doing CrossFit for three years. “I’m probably old enough to be a grandmother to most of the people at CrossFit Aviator.” She says that CrossFit keeps her young and encourages her daily. 

Margaux Alvarez Has a Challenge for You — “Introducing the WOD On The Waves Weekly Challenge #2. This week we will have two winners: a male and a female. The prize is $250 of on-board spending credit to the fastest male and the fastest female. This week’s challenge will end Wednesday, August 22nd at midnight EST. Challenge: a 500m row for time. What you need to do: post your video to Facebook or Instagram. Tag @wodonthewaves Put your score in the caption of your video post. Hashtag #WOWmargaux #WOWmargaux
#wodonthewaves #concept2″

CrossFit Got This Volleyball Team Ready — Volleyball coach Shyrah Schisler had been doing CrossFit for several years. When she saw that the workouts were similar to the ones she did as a college volleyball player, she decided to have her team join in. The CrossFit workouts at CrossFit 540 were voluntary, but all the 30-plus players in the program participated. “It just became a team workout because they all wanted to be there,”
Schisler said. “I think at first they were scared because CrossFit kind of gets a bad rap sometimes. People think they will just kill you. So I really wanted to break that stereotype and show them this could be done right and successfully.”

Steph Chung Competed With a Broken Ankle — CrossFit Games rookie Steph Chung completed the entire 2018 CrossFit Games with a broken ankle, she revealed in a Tweet, “Unfortunately, I broke my ankle in training two weeks before the Games, so some of the workouts required more of a survival strategy than a competitive one.”

Laura Marie Rachko on Her Hope for the Future — “I have this hope, you guys. My hope, my prayer, my wish, is that my two little girls, and all the other little girls (and boys too), grow up in a world where they will never have to feel ashamed of who they are, and how they look. I hope that the focus is on being healthy, being happy, and being a good person. I know I’m not alone in having been made to feel bad and ashamed about how I look. It’s an awful feeling. By no means am I the most muscular girl out there, but yet, the things that have been said to me to my face whether intentionally
hurtful or not have hurt. A lot.

“Sometimes I feel like I need to hide myself. Why is this still a thing? I hope these two little girls, and all the other young girls, never have to feel this way. I hope that people learn to think before they speak and speak with kindness. All I’m trying to do is live the healthiest life I can. I mean that physically and mentally. This is what that looks like for me. It will look different for everyone, that’s the beauty of life. But I sincerely hope that the world can just be filled with more kindness, and more acceptance. We get one life. It should be filled with things that fuel your fire. That challenge us. That inspire us. That keep us whole. I don’t care what that is for you, as long as you find it and do it. And I hope, so strongly hope, that the littles in this world learn to embrace who they are, how they look, and never be ashamed. And to be able to speak kindly and love
others. That’s my hope.”

“NSCA: High Time for Change … Later,” by Lon Kilgore, CrossFit Journal

Beginning in 2030, yes, that’s more than a decade away, individuals who want to earn the CSCS credential will be required to hold a bachelor’s degree in a field related to strength and conditioning or be a senior enrolled in a similar program.

The use of “related” means the degree does not have to be in strength and conditioning; likely any degree in exercise science, wellness or physical education will suffice. For the first time, the NSCA is saying enough academic content exists to support a specialty degree.

But there’s a catch—for individuals and for universities: The bachelor’s degree must come from “a program accredited by an NSCA-approved accrediting agency.”

This means CSCS candidates can only come from college programs that have gone through an application and payment process to become approved to produce strength coaches.

This new “NSCA-approved accrediting agency” is different than the current Education Recognition Program currently used by the NSCA, but the press release and FAQs are vague on the details. Most likely, the NSCA will set up its own system similar to that in place for athletic trainers, where the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) set up an accrediting body—the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.

The new commission in turn sought out recognition from the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to allow the NATA to not only set requirements for practice but also set standards for academic programs. Will the NSCA follow the precedent set by the NATA? And what are the institutional requirements for accreditation? Unknown. According to the NSCA website, university programs cannot apply for accreditation until 2022.

8/25: Iron Belle and Femme Royale Women’s Competition (Austin, TX) 

8/25: CrossFit Sua Sponte Summer Slam (Raleigh, NC) 

8/25: AMRAP For Autism (Waxhaw, NC)

​8/25: CrossFit Decathlon (Indianapolis, IN) 

8/25: Best of the West Summer Event (Bend, OR)

8/25: 2018 Firewall Frenzy (Holliston, MA)

8/25: The Hero Games 2018 (Farmington, AR)

8/25: 2018 Rivertown Throwdown (Cape Girardeau, MO)

8/25: South Central Summer Games 2018 (Richland, MS)8/25 – 26: Battlegrounds Nevada (Reno, NV)

8/25 – 8/26: Battle at the Barn (Ft. Worth, TX) 

8/25 – 8/26: Battle of the Boxes Highland Games (Mt. Airy, MD) 

​8/31: Greece with VoyEdge RX

9/1: Tampa Bay Games (Tampa, FL)

9/1: Battle At The Base 3 (Oklahoma City, OK)

9/6 – 9/9: Kill Cliff Granite Games (St. Cloud, MN) 

9/7: Koski Training Camp (Lloret de Mar, Spain) 

​9/8: Midwest Fall Classic (Tulsa, OK)

​9/8: The Sugar Skull Showdown (Agawam, MA)

9/8: I Can CrossFit Competition (Georgetown, TX)

9/8: Global Aftermath 2018 (Online)

9/8: The Catalyst Games (Bastrop, TX) 

9/8: BoxLife Games (Bunnell, FL)

9/8: Booties in Action (Wilsonville, OR)

9/8: Hookd2Hops 2018 (Newtown, CT)

9/8: Rumble in the Jungle 2018 (LaVista, NE)

9/8: 2018 Battle of the Bluegrass (Louisville, KY) 

9/8: Decima Throwdown (Littleton, CO)

9/8: First Timers Fitness Festival 2 (Burlington, MA) 

9/8: Girls Gone RX (Bridgeville, PA) 

9/8: BoxLife Games at CrossFit James Island (Charleston, SC) 

9/8: Femme Royale (Denver, CO) 

9/8: Double Trouble Throw Down (Twinsburg, OH)

9/8 – 9/9: The Vermonster Team Challenge (Berlin, VT)

9/15: Warrior Affiliate League Three Amigos (Pomona,CA)

9/15: No Mans Land 4 (Painesville, OH)

9/15: Average Joes (Troy, MI) 

9/15: Stateline Throwdown 2018 (McHenry, IL)

​9/16: 5th Annual North East Masters Classic (Plainville, MA)

9/22: Shatter the Stigma III (Boyertown, PA)

9/22: New Kids on the 321 Block 2018 (Topsham, ME)9/22: 2nd Annual CrossFit TUFF Charity Row-A-Thon (Nashua, NH)

9/24: Cadre Crucible Team Competition (Hudson, OH)