An inflatable plyo box? Your shins will thank you.

August 20   |   POWERED BY

Happy Friday and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Got any fun plans this weekend? Your editor will be heading to a Miranda Lambert concert tonight in New Braunfels, TX. He’s gone country, folks 🤠.

In today’s edition:

• So what is it about CrossFit that makes it work?
• Scared you’ll scuff up your shins on a plyo box? Now there’s an inflatable box to help.
• LIFEAID gets a $20 million check.
• Jeffrey Adler’s workout of the week.

“When you have to do something that feels a million miles away from your dream, remind yourself that this is the ticket into the game you want to win.” - Brian Kight

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

The Science of Success - What Makes CrossFit Work

We live in the age of fitness and nutrition solutions. Everywhere you look online there are new diets and fitness trends promising fast and lasting results to anyone who endeavors to try their approach.

And yet 40% of the US population is obese and 70% are overweight. People can tell you everything you’d ever want to know about gluten, fasting, and ketogenic diets but next to nothing about energy expenditure, calories, or eating behavior. Diets and fitness fads are not the same as nutrition and training.

CrossFit stands out as a program that can actually deliver on promises. It does not take long to find transformation stories on Google. And not just weight loss, I’m talking overhaul your life, friends, and outlook-on-the-future kind of transformation. CrossFit affiliates are delivering to the masses the types of results that have historically been reserved only for those who can shell out top dollar for a premium personal trainer in a high-end strength and conditioning gym.

Top Reasons To Try Ascent's New Plant-Based Protein Powder

The athletic community is buzzing – Ascent’s plant-based protein powder is here.

Top reasons you should try Ascent’s new vegan protein powder:

1. It tastes better than any plant-based protein powder on the market. When tested against top plant-based proteins, Ascent ranked higher for taste than any other plant protein powder on the market.
2. It contains a full amino acid profile with 4g of naturally occurring BCAAs.
3. It is trusted across the CrossFit community with top athletes including 2021’s 3rd Fittest Man on Earth – Brent Fikowski.

Order today and see what everyone is talking about.

Sorry, speed reads are long today. Deal with it.

LIFEAID Beverage Co. just closed a $20 million Series C funding round with Cambridge Companies SPG.

• According to Forbes, less than 3% of beverage startups make it to $10 million in annual revenue, 1% make it to $20 million. “we prefer to back beverage brands that have exceeded the $20 million annual revenue threshold” said Filipp Chebotarev, COO of Cambridge.
• The CrossFit industry’s beverage staple and official beverage sponsor of the CrossFit Games recently purchased its European and Australian operations last year, and “will focus on both of those markets to build the same health and fitness-minded communities” they’ve grown in the U.S.
• P.S. They’re hiring, like a lot.

FUN FACT: What were the time domains of all 15 events programmed for individuals at the 2021 CrossFit Games? (Via Heatonminded)

• Under 5:00 — 2 (13%)
• Under 10:00 — 5 (33%)
• Under 20:00 — 5 (33%)
• Over 20:00 — 1 (7%)
• Over 1 hour — 1 (7%)
• Max Lift — 1 (7%)

P.S. If you want to see all the reps and work performed during those 15 events, check out this chart.

Friend or F.O.E.? (Fittest on Earth) — That’s the dilemma the Third Fittest Man on Earth, Patrick Vellner, presents in his most recent micro-blog recapping his Games experience.

• “I think my competitors and I share a kind of connection that can only be forged from hours of shared experience…It’s a bittersweet and cruel type of kinship. For me to achieve my desired outcome inherently means my peers falling short of theirs. This is the Shakespearian tragedy that is the life of a CrossFit Games athlete. Your best friends are your fiercest rivals. We sweat together. We cry together. We laugh and we grow together.”

Wodapalooza now has a TikTok.

• P.S. WZA 2022 takes place January 13-16 in Miami, FL.

Rx Smart Gear Unveils First-Ever Inflatable Plyo Box

Rx Smart Gear is on a mission to save the shins of CrossFitters around the world, one box at the time. The company unveiled on Thursday, August 19, the first-ever inflatable plyo box that can be packed up and easily stored or taken on a trip.

The big picture: Convenient at-home workout solutions are certainly the topic du jure. RPM Fitness-led ATOM just launched a full at-home fitness suite that includes training plus equipment. For those looking to add more options to their at-home training, this could be another good fit.

• At $445 USD, it’s considerably pricier than a wooden Rogue plyobox at $125 USD, but it’s considerably more portable and storable at your condo, apartment, garage, home, and outdoor workspace.

The details: The Rx Smart Gear inflatable plyo box features a 30”x30” landing surface, giving every CrossFitter ample space to complete box jumps without feeling unstable. There are also two anchor straps on the inflatable plyo box for added stability.

• There are six different height levels available. The sizes are 4”, 8”, 12”, 16”, 20”, and 24”. The package includes a foot pump that makes inflating the box a simple task.
• The plyo box weighs in at only 23 pounds. For comparison, the Rep Fitness foam plyo boxes start at 27 pounds and go up to 58 pounds.

Jeffrey Adler’s Workout of the Week

Every Friday, we’re bringing you an exclusive workout challenge programmed by a CrossFit Games athlete or coach that you can take on at home or the gym. You can post your times or scores in the comment section.

Today’s workout of the week is programmed by Jeffrey Adler.

7 rounds
20 Toes to Bar
50 ft Overhead Walking Lunges (155/105 lbs or 70/48 kg)
Time Cap: 20 Minutes

Some advice from Jeffrey: “I would focus on unbroken toes to bar. Walk to the barbell and make sure to do 50 ft unbroken as well. Smooth transitions with unbroken movements.”

To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.

...KNOW

Is Your Morning Cup Of Joe Helping or Hurting Your Performance?

Sitting down with your morning coffee and favorite newsletter, nothing better. And the good news? That morning hit of caffeine could be helping your performance in the gym. So grab a coffee, check out this research, and be ready to crush your next WOD.

...TRY

Odd Object Pull-Ups

Globe, Dog Bone, Cannonball. No, those aren't our laptop passwords. They're all variations on pull-ups you should be adding to your programming. Try out these different pull-up objects that improve your grip, engage new muscle groups, and keep things interesting.

...TRACK

Your Body's Data With WHOOP

The WHOOP strap 3.0 tells you exactly how ready you are to perform every day. It measures your heart rate over 100 times a second to provide personalized feedback on your recovery, strain, and sleep. Sign up now and get a strap and first month on us (no code needed).

...EAT

Fish Taco Bowls

Looking for a Friday night treat meal that still keeps your macros in check? Look no further. These fish taco bowls are everything you want with crispy fish, tangy slaw, and some spicy rice. Pro tip: Throw a few tortilla chips into the bowl with them for that extra crunch.

• 🎂 🎂 🎂 Happy Birthday Elliot Simmonds, hubby to the 2019 third fittest woman on Earth, Jamie Simmonds. Happy first birthday to Freyja Mist Aegidius Frederiksdottir.
• One-hundred-year-old Edith Murway-Traina from Jaguar CrossFit is being entered into the Guinness World Records for being the world’s oldest competitive powerlifter. Murway-Traina can deadlift 150 pounds.
  • “Tell me I can’t do something, and I will prove that I can. That’s more or less or my attitude.” (Add to intro or QOTD)
• Congratulations to…you? Rx Smart Gear is giving away one EVO FRE jump rope every day for the rest of August with winners announced every night at 5PM PT. Details.
• ✈️✈️✈️ We’ve seen box jumps, but this is kinda ridiculous.
• Congratulations to Kayla Horning from Mat-Su CrossFit in Palmer, AK on a 148 pound snatch.
• “Coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy”… Nic Brinson hits all four.

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