CrossFit in Spain on the Rise as Translation Remains a Challenge

May 2   |   POWERED BY

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

• CrossFit is on the rise in Spain but translation remains key hurdle
• PGA golfer Scott Stallings talks on CrossFit made him a better athlete
• Nine masters athletes double qualifying changes backfill landscape
• CrossFit Banda owner in Ukraine talks about struggles of operating during war

“You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” - Jack London

CrossFit in Spain Growing Strong as Translation Remains Key Hurdle

In 2011, Spaniard Natalia Diez was in Miami, FL where she had moved, and it was here that she first set foot in a CrossFit gym.

“I saw some guys doing butterfly pull-ups,” said Diez, who is now Spain’s CrossFit country manager. “And I remember doing it for the first time and being like, ‘What the hell am I doing?’”

But the 40-year-old Diez was hooked, and within five months she had completed her CrossFit Level 1 certificate. Diez said this was the beginning of what has become a life-long love affair with the sport.

“From there I was basically obsessed with CrossFit and I stayed in the US for about a year and took some coaching courses, some gymnastics courses because I wanted to know everything I could about CrossFit. I was looking for something and I found it.”

Diez then moved back to Spain, but at that point there were only four boxes in the entire country. So she did what any highly motivated person would do, and started building CrossFit in her country from the ground up. She was based out of Madrid and within a few years she was working full-time as a coach, leaving her job managing a Gold’s Gym.

By 2016 she was officially working with CrossFit, getting her coveted “red shirt”, coaching and teaching Level 1 and 2 courses. Her resume with CrossFit includes everything from judging and coaching to teaching and of course, competing.

In August of 2019, Diez helped CrossFit Front Garden come to fruition, and it became the first affiliate located within an oncology unit in a hospital (which she still runs to this day). Through this journey, she has seen CrossFit in Spain go from nowhere, to an established methodology which just broke 600 affiliates this month and has already added 41 in 2022 alone.

“The rate of growth (of CrossFit) in Spain has been crazy in the last nine months,” said Diez, who now lives in Palma, a city on the Spanish island of Mallorca.”We are having from nine to 11 affiliates open every month.”

"It's Just a Fluke"

That’s exactly what Dena Garner, Ph.D. first thought when her research started to show the impact a mouthpiece could have on breathing during workouts.

Like all good scientists though, she then spent years trying to disprove her findings.

But…she couldn’t.

• Don’t sleep on it: Over years of sleep studies, CT scans, and hands-on research Dr. Garner found that using a mouthpiece to alter your tongue and jaw position, you gain increased endurance, recovery, and even strength.

See how an AIRWAAV™ Mouthpiece can make a difference to your performance.

In case you missed it, Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Brian Friend and Patrick Clark about their thoughts on seeding for the Atlas Games. Clark said the women’s division will be especially interesting to watch.

• “We’re going to see some new names and we’re going to see some rookies coming out of here.”

CrossFit is teaming up with Rogue Fitness and Doctors Without Borders to deliver a workout and fundraiser in support of first responders assisting in war zones and other health crisis situations around the world, which will take place May 7-8. CrossFit’s Gary Gaines outlined the importance of this initiative:

• “We’re very fortunate to be able to partner with Doctors Without Borders, an organization that embodies similar values to CrossFit. Our community of gym owners and members is one of the strongest in the world, and it’s times like these when we can show what we’re capable of. The current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine requires action, and we are honored to be able to assist the Ukrainian people, along with other communities in need, through this partnership.”

Interesting piece in The Atlantic talking about the high value, and undervalued skill of teaching people basic fitness. 

VIDEO: PGA Golfer Scott Stallings Says CrossFit Made Him a Better Athlete

Ten Masters Athletes Double Qualify for Semis: Potential Backfill Spots Available

A couple weeks ago we outlined the timeline of events for Age Group athletes who had the potential to qualify for Semifinals in both the individual and age group divisions.

Remind me: 2022 CrossFit Quarterfinals occurred over a span of six weeks. If an athlete qualified through the Open, he or she was allowed to compete in all three Quarterfinal divisions (Individual, Team, and Age Groups), but can only compete in one division for Semifinals.

• Registration for the Individual Semifinal closed prior to the Age Group Quarterfinals taking place, so athletes were given the green light to register as an Individual with the option to rescind it later on if they also qualified for the Age Group Semifinal.
• Age Group Semifinal registration is open from May 10 to May 23, which runs alongside Week 1 of Individual Semifinals, and it remains unclear if there is a deadline for Age Group athletes to rescind their Individual invitations.

With the finalization of leaderboards still pending, it appears that a select group of ten Masters age athletes (eight women and two men) have indeed qualified via both paths for Semifinals. This is significant because now these ten athletes will have to decide which paths to pursue for the rest of the season.

Ukrainian CrossFit Banda Owner Tatiana Grashchenko Disappointed by Lack of Support from CrossFit HQ

When Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February, Tatiana Grashchenko was forced to close all four of her CrossFit Banda locations in Kyiv, Ukraine, a decision none of her 70 employees took lightly.

“Each of those 70 people has their own story, but I know that all of them are pretty sad,” Grashchenko said. “Some lost their home and will never get it back as it was. Some lost their friends, relatives, loved ones. Some picked up a machine gun and went to defend their country and family, and some devoted themselves to volunteering,” she said.

Although there was no money coming in through membership fees, Grashchenko continued to pay her coach’s salaries to allow them to cover their bills. And then she turned one of her gyms into a humanitarian aid hub, while a second affiliate was turned into a bomb shelter.

...WATCH

How a Champ Prepares for the Semifinals

Follow along with the magical mullet man, Justin Medeiros, as he goes through a day of training with 2021 Games athlete Ellie Turner. There's plenty of fitness, friends, and one of the worst American accents you'll hear today.

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An Endurance Supplement Made by a Games Athlete for CrossFit

CrossFit…you push the pace, your heart rate cranks up, breathing can become out of control. If you redline too long, you usually crash and burn. Flow by Cerus Performance contains natural ingredients that help the heart and lungs become more efficient. Less Breaks + More Output = Results Use code "MCU20" for 20% off in May.

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A Kipping Ring Dip

Why learn how to kip a ring dip? While you may never need to, you can increase intensity and volume to provide better results once you've mastered the skill. Kipping allows you to do this by performing more reps in less time. But please, learn strict dips first.

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Take Part in Sleep May-Nia

We've partnered with our friends at CrossFit Mayhem, Talking Elite Fitness, and the Buttery Bros to bring you a sleep challenge like no other. Throughout the month, we're all going to be providing you with tips to help you get your best months' sleep and the top members from our WHOOP teams will win swag and free memberships from WHOOP. So grab your WHOOP 4.0 at the link below and join in the fun.

...SEE

Nine Healthy Wrap Recipes We Love

Something magical happens when you wrap food up. It can turn even the most mundane chicken salad into a delicious treat. All these healthy wrap recipes are packed with protein and amazing flavors to make the perfect easy lunches or dinners.

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise. Send us a highlight.

• Congratulations to Team athlete Zoe Warren from Backcountry CrossFit in Littleton, CO on the 225 pound/102kg clean and jerk.
• Luiza Marques from CrossFit Al Ain in UAE makes her way through this obstacle course upside down.
• MMA Fighter Tim Kennedy gave mad props to Games veteran and NCFIT founder Jason Khalipa after the two sparred on a wrestling mat in Jacksonville’s Metropolitan Park.
• 🦵 Dani Speegle and Alec Smith pose together after a leg burner of a WOD at CrossFit Krypton in Chesapeake, VA.
• Travis Mayer takes on a snatch ladder of 210, 240, and 265 pounds (95, 109, 120kg) at United Performance Fitness and Training Center in Alpharetta, GA.
• 🐕 This dog owner built a bicycle powered rollercoaster in his backyard— a workout for him, and a joy ride for the pup. Next level pet parenting.
• 😳 The local 24-hour fitness center was not ready for this complex.

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