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Affiliate Closures Remain Steady

 
Morning Chalk Up

April 20
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Red H Nutrition

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. We are another week into the COVID-19 pandemic and according to our data, global CrossFit affiliate closures stand at 88%. Be sure to scroll below to check out an opportunity to support the Morning Chalk Up and the inaugural edition of our trivia section. Today:

  • 88% of global CrossFit gyms remain closed.
  • Kara Saunders is launching her new eyewear line and we have the exclusive insight.
  • What to look for in the 60+ Age Group Division.

Is your affiliate closing permanently? Please let us know.

Do you have story tips, PRs, out-of-the-box workouts? Hit us up at [email protected].

 

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“That is at bottom the only courage that is demanded of us: to have courage for the most strange, the most singular and the most inexplicable that we may encounter.” – Rainer Maria Rilke

 

UPDATE: Worldwide Closures Steady at 88.9%, 96% in U.S.

  UPDATE: Worldwide Closures Steady at 88.9%, 96% in U.S.  

The percent of CrossFit affiliates closed worldwide inched up since last week as another 28 affiliates were added to the list, mostly located in the United States. The overall percentage of U.S.-based gyms closed remained relatively flat overall. We have likely reached the high water mark in terms of gyms temporarily closed, and there have been early indications that gyms are looking for ways to reopen as soon as possible. Reports and news stories abroad also indicate efforts underway to get businesses back open.

  • 6,671 or 96% of all 6,915 affiliates in the U.S. are temporarily closed.
  • 13,163 or 88.99% of all 14,790 affiliates worldwide are temporarily closed.
  • Interact with our full map of closures.
  • Even if your gym is closed due to a state-mandated closure, please report it in this survey.

One big thing: Thirty-days of closures is taking a toll on affiliates and especially the gym industry. According to self-reported data, 22 affiliates have now permanently closed. Last week, the USA Today reported that Gold’s Gym permanently closed about 30 of their 700 gyms, and CNBC reported that 24 Hour Fitness is weighing bankruptcy.

  • You can report your gym permanently closed here.

It’s worth noting: While 88.99% of gyms are closed worldwide, the number is likely a few percentage points higher. In addition to self-reported data, we’re relying on reports of local, state or country-wide closures to determine which gyms are closed. Some reports simply do not exist or are in different languages, which makes verifying closures very difficult.

 

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Kara Saunders To Launch Her ACTIV Eyewear Label

  Kara Saunders To Launch Her ACTIV Eyewear Label  

We got the tip-off about her business venture last August and now Games Athlete Kara Saunders is finally ready to reveal her ACTIV eyewear collection to the CrossFit community.

The Morning Chalk Up has been given an exclusive look at the full range of new designs (featured), after the brand announced on Sunday April 19 a launch campaign, set to include a six-part giveaway before the sunglasses go on sale.

  • “For now our community will have the opportunity to win some freebies by getting involved and having some fun with us,” Kara Saunders told the Morning Chalk Up.

What’s taken so long? Kara says there’s been lots of moving parts to make sure that her creative team was 100 percent happy with the product.

  • “We’ve gone from design drawings and concepts to samples, adjusting the samples and then getting the final product in our hands,” she said.

So, what does the ACTIV eyewear collection look like?

  • The “PS” frames (featured) are among 13 styles in the ACTIV lifestyle range each with multiple color options and varying functions, including blue light blockers. Kara has tried and tested each design to ensure it can withstand whatever WOD you chose to throw at them.
  • You also might notice some of the style names, familiar acronyms like HPC, T2B, C2B named after popular CrossFit movements.

Talk about a tough time to launch a business, but Kara says she’s had “this crazy passionate vision for quite some time now and in our eyes, people need that more than ever.”

  • “There are a lot of things we can’t control right now and there will always be a reason that something may be difficult as a business owner and company in general,” she added.

What’s the timeline? The brand launched its first giveaway on Sunday night (AEST), giving away two AirAssault runners and two pairs of ACTIV eyewear, entries close April 29.

They’ll be five more similar giveaways before the full product line is available for sale from $89

The launch plan is clearly working, the brand went from 7 thousand to 22 thousand followers, literally overnight.

“We want to keep it exciting and keep everyone guessing,” she said. “Each giveaway will be engaging and interactive for our followers and also give them the opportunity to share the experience with their mates, even from a distance.”

 

2020 CrossFit Games Age Group Preview: Men and Women Ages 60+

  2020 CrossFit Games Age Group Preview: Men and Women Ages 60+  

We close out the Masters divisions in our preview of the 2020 CrossFit Games Age Group qualifiers with part six, the 60+ division. These standings are unofficial after the Age Group Online Qualifier (AGOQ) scores were submitted and could change due to score adjustments as the top-25 athletes in each division must submit videos to CrossFit HQ for review. Recently, CrossFit HQ stated that it is extending the video review period and concluding the process on April 29. The leaderboard is scheduled to be finalized after the appeals process concludes on May 11 with the top ten athletes in each division receiving an invitation to the Games.

Chad Schroeder dives into the numbers of the AGOQ even more, breaking down all the divisions with his statistical analysis.

Men’s 60+ division: Two names stand out in the field as both of those athletes have combined to win six Masters Championships. The field features a balanced mixture of five newcomers to the division and five who return to compete for the title. With a combined 27 years of Games appearances, the experienced field has just two athletes who will be making their Games debut.

  1. Will Powell will attempt to make history as he competes in the 60+ division for the first time. Powell is looking to become the first three-division Masters champion in Games history. He won three-straight titles from 2014-2016, with his first championship occurring in the 50-54 division before winning consecutive titles in the 55-59 division. Prior to winning this year’s AGOQ in his new division, Powell competed in seven-straight Games with four podium finishes. He goes into the Games as the favorite with dominating performances in both the Worldwide Open and the AGOQ. He won his third AGOQ, just the second Masters athlete to accomplish that feat. His 15 points were the lowest point total in the Masters AGOQ, he recorded three event wins, giving him five career AGOQ event wins, and had no event finish worse than sixth. One of his event wins was in the max clean and jerk with a lift of 252 lbs.
  2. David Gantz returns to the Games after missing the cut the last two seasons. The four-time Games veteran will make his division debut after competing in the 55-59 division from 2015-2019 and the 50-54 division in 2014. His best finish at the Games was in 2016 when he placed third. He finished second in this year’s Worldwide Open before repeating the feat in the AGOQ. In the AGOQ, Gantz recorded five top-ten finishes including three third place results.
 

Support the Morning Chalk Up.

     

Morning Chalk Up is, and always will be, a community-driven publication with the goal of bringing athletes and affiliates closer together.

Over the past four years, we’ve built a newsroom for times like these: to be an independent voice able to give readers insight into exactly what’s going on in the community around us. And that’s why we’re asking you to become a support member. More than ever before, we need your help to keep all this going. By becoming a Morning Chalk Up supporting member you’ll help ensure that we can continue to be an independent voice for this community and sport we love.

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THINGS TO…

…WATCH

FRAN: Episode Two with Brooke Wells

Jacob Heppner takes on some more “fitness-related awesome news” in this episode, sponsored by the Morning Chalk Up. He highlights “CorgiFit” and how some CrossFitters are doing fitness with their dogs, and he checks in with Brooke Wells to discuss what she’s watching on Netflix and TikTok dances.

  Morning Chalk Up  

SPONSORED

…JOIN

The Digital Workforce

If you want to turn your passion for health and fitness into a virtual side hustle or full-on career, check out the three-part video series Working Against Gravity just put together on “How to Become a Professional Nutrition Coach.” Learn how to deliver massive results, how to attract clients without sleazy sales tactics and more. The best part is it’s completely FREE!

  Morning Chalk Up  

…USE

A Foam Roller to Relieve Pain

On this episode of her vlog, Kristi Eramo O’Connell offers some foam roller and lacrosse ball stretches and mobility work ideas to help facilitate your at-home workouts. Use these movements from your feet up to you T-spine for pain relief and movement prep.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…SUPPORT

The CrossFit Community by Shopping at RP Strength

Not only will 10% of your purchase be donated to United in Movement, but you’ll get 30% off your entire purchase of eBooks and diet templates. All prices are discounted on the RP website. Today is the final day to save.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…EAT

Vitamin C Packed Strawberry Orange Banana Smoothie

This tangy and delicious smoothie made with fresh fruit and creamy almond milk can boost your immunity and start your morning off right. It’s a super easy four-ingredient smoothie that is vegan and a perfect opportunity to add in a protein boost with your favorite supplement. A wonderful, healthy breakfast or snack!

 

TRIVIA…

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Morning Chalk Up Trivia, hosted by the unofficial “CrossFit” historian and keeper of all manner of records, Chad Schroeder. 

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, he’ll be bringing you a fun trivia question to test your CrossFit Games knowledge. The first person to correctly answer will have their name mentioned in the next trivia edition. Here we go:

  • Question: How many individual Games events have been held at the Ranch in Aromas, California?

Submit your answer.

 

HIGHLIGHTS…

 
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