Can Athletes Make a Living from CrossFit?

Good morning and welcome to the weekend edition of the Morning Chalk Up. This is Justin LoFranco, your Editor-in-Chief to bring you a quick wrap-up of the major news items throughout the week. Today’s edition is fueled by Team Xendurance.

Have you ever looked for that “perfect” CrossFit supplement? Something that helps you push harder, recover quicker and give you an overall competitive edge in your training and workouts? Xendurance has your answer!

Our proprietary blend Extreme Endurance pills are the only supplement in the world to have multiple gold-standard, third party, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover studies shown to significantly improve your aerobic threshold, reduce muscle damage (CK levels), oxidative stress and lactic acid/muscle burn by DOUBLE DIGITS! Experience immediate results within 72 hours of starting our clinically proven products!

Join Team XND today and receive 25% OFF all Xendurance products and FREE shipping for an entire year! It is the Amazon Prime of your supplement needs with lots of added Team Member perks and bonuses.

“If a person can carry all his support within him then it matters little what the external environment comprises.” — John Leach

By Stacie Tovar

I started my CrossFit Games journey back in 2009. In 2011, after qualifying for my third CrossFit Games, I received my first product-only sponsorship opportunity.

It wasn’t until 2014 that I was able to take my portfolio from free products and minimal fees to a six-figure income. Not only did I earn a decent living from that point on but I also opened a lot of doors for myself and my family.

So maybe you’re a legit athlete and you have a real opportunity to make a splash in the functional fitness space. What can you do to pull it all together? How can you get a fair shake in the sponsorship space, so you can get paid to train your ass off and pay some bills in the process?

Let me tell you what I know and what I’ve learned along the way.

1. If you’re an athlete trying to chase down sponsorships via being a “brand ambassador,” you’re doing it wrong.

Know the difference between growing a lucrative brand and a time-consuming hobby like being a brand ambassador. If you’re expected to perform well you better have your butt in the gym training and not hanging out at local competitions every weekend. In-person promotions and traveling are fun, but let’s be honest, it is a total disruption to your life as an athlete.

Time is valuable and so is your recovery. Take your athlete responsibilities seriously (i.e. social media posts, videos, appearances, competitions, etc.), just make sure you know the difference between being a legitimate athlete and what I like to call… a “Vendor Village All-Star.”

2. Think of yourself as a business.

If you’re making small amounts of money but still spending your own funds on things like travel and training gear at least be smart enough to think of yourself in terms of a business. 

Continue reading…

On March 27, PepsiCo sent CrossFit HQ a cease-and-desist letter demanding CrossFit immediately remove artwork developed for CrossFit’s six-part series on Hyponatremia. CrossFit refused, adding that they’re prepared to defend their rights.

In an exclusive interview with Armen Hammer, Greg Glassman revealed that the years-long rule barring athletes from wearing footwear other than Reebok has been lifted. NIKE, NOBULL, Under Armour, inov-8, Adidas and any other shoe an athlete prefers to wear will now be allowed.

The official 2018-2019 CrossFit Games season rulebook reveals that the age group divisions will remain but with two key changes. First, an athlete’s overall Open placement will no longer contribute to an athlete’s overall score in the Age Group Online Qualifier. Second, all age group divisions have been reduced from 20 spots to 10.

On Monday, CrossFit Games athlete Austin Malleolo joined the 30,000 runners lined up for the Boston Marathon. But what made this marathon special was that he preceded his 26.2 mile run with a 600 pound deadlift PR. “I figured not many people can do that and it proves the CrossFit methodology is potent and effective and we can create athletes that can have capacity at different ends of the spectrum,” he told us.

The sixth Sanctional of the season wrapped up last weekend at the historic D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. After three days of competition Meg Reardon, John-Paul Hethcock and Invictus X earned invites to the 2019 CrossFit Games.

This was a busy week for CrossFit Games athletes. They’re putting up weight, scaling weight and talking about weight. Here are seven things to help get you through the weekend and gear up for Monday.

(P.S. Monday is a big day! Monday is the day to get this limited edition Morning Chalk Up shirt or tank. And this round, we’re shipping to our friends in the EU.) 

1. Jason Carroll wants to coach at your box.
2. Margaux Alvarez had a busy week shooting, golfing, lifting heavy and selling wine. 
3. Rich Froning squatted 342 pounds overhead for the CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown. He also released the first episode of his new YouTube series, The Froning 5. 
4. Cole Sager got a 350 pound clean PR.
5. Kara Saunders was a guest on Julie Foucher’s Pursuing Health podcast. She also shared with Shape how her training has changed since becoming pregnant. 
6. Dave Castro popped into the Alliant Energy Center to say hello.
7. We are saddened to report that Thomas Mattison, friend to Emily Bridgers and the CrossFit Terminus family, has passed away. 

And if you’re planning to complete the CrossFit French Throwdown online qualifier, WODs one and two have been released. Registered athletes have until Tuesday, April 23 at 11:00 AM PT to submit their scores.