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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while playing in the snow up in Big Bear, CA.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Don’t avoid the tired, the fear, the hurt – just learn where to put it.” — Ben Bergeron
CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX
An MMA Gym in Las Vegas just released a report condemning CrossFit for being too dangerous, concluding that “Many of the workouts can be too intense or difficult, which leads to injury, and often the workouts aren’t practical,” which is interesting considering it’s a martial arts gym where you can train to actually hurt people. Age is just a number, Masters athlete Justin Baumgartner hits a 484 pound front squat PR. We need these Star Wars themedNike Metcons. You can spend a full day working out with Camille Leblanc-Bazinet in Boulder, CO. Demi Bagby has a new push-up routine.
Six months after achilles surgery, Alethea Boon was selected to the New Zealand Weightlifting Team to compete at the Australian International Weightlifting Meet on March 18th. Why this is important — Being selected allows Boon to be eligible to compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Fun Fact: 15 years ago, Boon competed at the London 2002 Commonwealth Games in Gymnastics. If she qualifies, she’d be returning as a weightlifter 16 years later.
WODAPALOOZA
Noah Ohlsen wins Wodapalooza for the third year in a row and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet denies Brooke Wells a repeat victory. Emily Bridgers, Chyna Cho and Stacie Tovar won the female elite team division and Jordan Cook, Travis Williams and Chandler Smith took the men’s elite team besting Ben Smith and his brothers. It looked like Assault on Fran just hurt BAD and Alex Anderson called it “super nasty.” This was by far the best t-shirt worn last weekend. Here are some highlights from Day 2 and Day 3. Matt Sprinklerproposed to his girlfriend Emily Loveday after she finished a WOD; she hadn’t even stopped sweating yet. FloElite’s Armen Hammer beats Emily Abbott in a first-to-fail double-under contest. Mattie Rogers hung out at the ROMWOD booth and got swole and flexy with fans and Andrea Ager laid around in a hammock.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
The trailer for “Fed Up,” a new movie detailing the 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public about health and nutrition.
ON THE RADIO
CrossFit Gymnastics seminar staff and co-owner of CrossFit Jääkarhu Jessica Estrada sits down with the Business of Lifting Weights Podcast to talk about the challenges of owning an affiliate, what separates CrossFit Jääkarhu from other boxes, and how to write multiple programs for your athletes.
CHALK UP READS
“Dear CrossFitting Mom,
“You impress me. You are amazing. You are strong as hell even if you are not labeled “strong” by weightlifting standards…even if you don’t like working out necessarily… I am still talking to you! There are so many easier things you could have chosen for fitness, but you come into the gym and challenge yourself to do more pull-ups, run harder, lift heavier…seriously, how many other moms do you know that weight lift at all?
“I know how hard it is for you to make it to the gym some days. Sometimes its been a long night and sometimes it’s already been a long day at 9am. I know how frustrating it is when your child is being a little shit after you got them and you ready, drove all the way to the gym and you need just 30 f-ing minutes of time to warm-up, do a workout, and put your stuff away. I get it, I’ve been there. It’s not always easy, but that’s what makes you more impressive.”
“CrossFit Queen Has No Time for Haters” by Khaleej Times
As you begin to contemplate breaking your New Year’s fitness resolutions and require a touch of inspiration, you need look no further than this country’s very own Shaikha Al Qassemi. Known to many as the handle @KikiForCrossFit, the young Emirati woman has made this training disciple her life and the results speak for themselves.
Not settling to make her journey privately, Shaikha Al Qassemi publicizes her efforts in order to get the youth moving and people more active. This has led to a number of professional promotional engagements, which is where we caught up with her, at the launch of the new Cavalli gym wear store in Dubai.
CHALK UP AFFILIATES
TAKE THE SURVEY: Box owners, we’re super curious to hear the story behind your affiliate name. Tell us how you came up with your name and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition.
The 2017 CrossFit Judges Course is now available. Anyone who intends to manage an affiliate, judge an aspiring regional athlete, or review Open video submissions must take and pass the 2017 CrossFit Judges Course. It’s also required for the Online Qualifier, Regional and Games judges.
District CrossFit has some Super Mario Brothers fun with their PR week.
FUN FACT: There’s a brewery located above CrossFit Unite in North Carolina.