“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”- Joseph Addison
CROSSFIT GAMES
Athletes' Requests for Semifinal Change Denied By CrossFit
With two weeks to go until the start of the first Semifinal event of the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games one would imagine that athletes who have qualified are hard at work training and preparing to achieve their goals of competing at the Games in Madison, WI.
However, Snorri Baron, agent and manager for many of the top European competitors, has identified several whose Semifinal and more importantly Games future are indeed in jeopardy.
The details: In a post on his Instagram page, Barron listed Roman Khrennikov, Denis Samsonov, Or Cohen and Hamzeh Tarefi as athletes who cannot attend their Semifinal, the Far East Throwdown in Busan, South Korea on June 3-5.
Baron represents Khrennikov and Samsonov who both currently reside in the United States and like Tarefi, if they do travel to their Semifinal there is the possibility they could not re-enter the US due to Visa issues.
The athletes presented a scenario to CrossFit Games officials where they would swap places (one-for-one) with an athlete to compete at a Semifinal where they would not have to face any sanctions or in the case of Samsonov not be able to return back to the United States where he has lived for the last 16 years.
According to Baron, CrossFit rejected the idea and countered with offering the athletes the ability to compete at the Last Chance Qualifier in lieu of their scheduled Semifinal.
When contacted and asked how long the athletes had to make the decision on whether to compete in their Semifinal or the LCQ, CrossFit stated that the athletes had already made their choice.
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In case you missed it, Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Jamie Hagiya and Chase Ingraham about who they think is the most athletic CrossFitter. Ingraham made two picks, one current and one former:
“I think Danielle Brandon has some of the most raw athletic talent in the field. We’ve seen Justin Cotler sing her praises.”
The iF3 World Championships 2022 will be moving from Moscow to Hermosillo, Mexico, this December, specific dates yet to be announced. 🇲🇽
Want to volunteer for The Granite Games? Here is your chance to be a part of the June 3-5 event in Eagan, Minnesota.
Four Things You Need to Know From CrossFit’s Post-Quarterfinals Press Conference
CrossFit hosted a press conference for verified media earlier today featuring a panel that included general manager of Sport, Justin Bergh, director of Competition, Adrian Bozman, as well as top Quarterfinals finishers, Mal O’Brien, Gabi Migala, and Gui Maheiros.
Topics ranged from Quarterfinal video reviews, Semifinal programming, and sponsorship changes to athletes’ training priorities and goals for the next stages of the season.
Mal O’Brien, Gabriela Migala Stay Humble about 2022 Games Expectations Against Tia-Clair Toomey
After winning the 2022 CrossFit Open, beating five-time CrossFit Games champion Tia-Clair Toomey in the process, and more recently topping the North American quarterfinals leaderboard, 18-year-old Mal O’Brien insisted at CrossFit’s post quarterfinals press conference Thursday she isn’t focused on dethroning Toomey this summer.
“The Open and Quarterfinals are very different than the Games, I’d say, but I’m going to do my best to beat myself last year, so that’s my goal,” said O’Brien, who has been training under five-time Games champion Mat Fraser this season. European quarterfinals winner Gabriela Migala—sixth at last summer’s Games and more recently placed third at both the 2021 Dubai CrossFit Championships and the 2021 Rogue Invitational—is equally as humble about her expectations of this season.
“I’m just going to focus on beating myself from last year and doing the best that I can, and I think that is going to be a win for me,” Migala said, adding that she’s just happy this season’s online qualification process is over.
“I’m very happy that we don’t have to record another six or seven workouts online and we get to go against each other on the competition floor,” she said.
One big thing: While neither Migala nor O’Brien were prepared to say they’re thinking about the podium this summer, South American quarterfinals winner Guilherme Malheiros, seventh at last summer’s Games, was bold in his desire to take it all in Madison, WI.
Though a lofty goal, to say the least, Malheiros made the move to Cookeville, TN this season and has been training under the Mayhem Athlete banner alongside some of the top athletes in the world, arguably providing the perfect environment for rapid improvement for the 22-year-old Brazilian.
“My training (has been) focusing on getting fast and getting fit in CrossFit in general. When I first got here, I was like, ‘I’m good at CrossFit,’ but I wasn’t,” Malheiros said. And training with “my amazing crew and getting pushed everyday” has led him to make great strides in recent months, he explained.
“My goal for this season is to win the CrossFit Games. And that’s it. Always the goal.”
GOOD
CrossFit Supports First Responders in War Zones With Fundraiser Workout
CrossFit is joining forces with Rogue Fitness and Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to support humanitarian efforts in war zones and other health crisis situations around the world. Community members can get involved by taking part in a two-day fundraiser featuring a “Hope for Refugees” workout.
The details: On May 7-8, CrossFit community members will take part in the special workout to raise awareness and drive donations for MSF. All proceeds will go directly to the humanitarian organization. CrossFit will match all community donations up to $50,000.
MSF is currently “leading a medical humanitarian response in Kyiv, Lviv, and several other Ukrainian cities” while simultaneously supporting refugees in neighboring countries.
MSF has worked to support those in need around the world. The organization has provided medical care in Brazil, helped with earthquake recovery in Chile, and provided medical care for refugees in the Mediterranean.
The workout: The fundraiser workout will consist of three rounds of Shuttle runs (8 meters), single dumbbell snatches (50 lb., 35 lb.), bike for calories, single dumbbell box step-ups (24 in., 20 in.), and strict burpees.
The Hope for Refugees workout will follow the same format as Fight Gone Bad. The participants will spend one minute at each station before rotating. Once they finish all five stations, they rest for one minute before starting the next round.
Why this matters: Not everyone has the means or skills to go around the world and provide aid to those in need, especially those in war zones. The two-day fundraiser provides an opportunity for community members to show their support by doing something that they love. They can take part in the Hope for Refugees workout, donate on the Doctors Without Borders site, and try to hit the initial $50,000 goal.
CrossFit and its community members have a history of raising funds to support important foundations or those in need. The Support Your Local Box Fundraiser is a fitting example as people were able to register for a three-workout event and raise money to support boxes affected by COVID-19. The Hope for Refugees continues this trend while supporting an even bigger cause.
CROSSFIT GAMES
CrossFit Games to Remain in Madison Through 2023
CrossFit’s general manager of Sport Justin Bergh announced the CrossFit Games will extend their partnership with Madison another year through 2023, making the Badger State host for six total Games. This will be the final extension according to CrossFit and the Games will move to a new host city in 2024.
One big thing: Bergh teased CrossFit will consider an international host city for the 2024 Games.
Bergh: “That also allows us to widen our aperture a little bit, seriously consider what non-U.S. offerings could look like before we make the decision for 2024.”
The RFP process is not restarting according to Bergh, but he didn’t indicate if new cities would be invited to submit bids.
“We have decided to focus on a relocation in 2024 and extended our timeline to conclude the process. We have some excellent candidates under consideration and do not plan to re-start the RFP process. Changing the venues for the finals has a lot of moving parts, and we wanted to give our team and the eventual host city the time needed to prepare to host the competition, welcome our community and maximize the media coverage. That’s why we decided to provide some clarity to the community on the Games continuing in Madison through 2023, as we plan the next evolution of the Games in 2024.”
The big picture: The announcement didn’t come as much of a surprise given the unique challenges of moving the Games to another host city coupled with a recent change in leadership on the Games team.
Staying in Madison allows the new leadership team two Games at a familiar location before making any changes.
The process of moving the Games to a new location is extensive and starts more than a year and a half in advance.
As we already pointed out, two years ago, the city cleared the Games to use the boat launch through 2023, making any hurdles even easier to overcome.
Staying in Madison is “also really going to enable our teams to focus in on this year and next year as we lay out the season format that we feel comfortable with for 2023 and beyond,” said Bergh at the press conference.
“The planning process for our team has been focused on executing this season exactly as published then collecting feedback from athletes, event organizers, and partners so that we can make the right changes for next year’s season and announce those details hopefully by the beginning of the fourth quarter of this year, so that athletes, event organizers, partners all have time to plan accordingly.”
One more thing: The CrossFit Games team will be considering changes for the 2023 season format and hope to communicate those changes by this October.
Previous Games Host Cities:
Aromas, CA: 2007-2009, and 2020
Carson, CA: 2010 – 2016
Madison, WI: 2017 – 2023*
In 2020, the Games was moved to Aromas, CA due to the global pandemic.
CROSSFIT GAMES
VIDEO: Another Year in Madison For 2023 CrossFit Games
Today’s workout is programmed by seven-time Games athlete, fan-favorite and CrossFit’s own sommelier Margaux Alvarez. Alvarez has been an CrossFit ambassador on many fronts, using her fitness to compete in various events like Spartan Races, Tough Mudders, Longest Drive contests and as a finalist on season two of the Dwayne Johnson’s Titan Games. These days she stays fit by tending to her vineyards that serve as the source of her popular GOAT wine, the inspiration for this workout.
“Wine Maker”
For Time:
10 Heavy D-Ball Overs (150/100 LBs – 68/45 KGs)
200 meter Dumbbell Farmer’s Carry (50/35 LBs – 22/15 KGs)
20 Alternating Dumbbell Snatch (50/35 LBs – 22/15 KGs)
10 Heavy D-Ball Overs (150/100 LBs – 68/45 KGs)
200 meter Dumbbell Farmer’s Carry (50/35 LBs – 22/15 KGs)
20 Alternating Dumbbell Snatch (50/35 LBs – 22/15 KGs)
10 Heavy D-Ball Overs (150/100 LBs – 68/45 KGs)
Time Cap: None. For Completion.
Scaling Options:
Scale D-Ball and dumbbell weight as needed.
Some advice from Margaux: “The Wine Maker’s workout is all grip. Similar to moving cases of wine and heavy wheelbarrow carries in the sandy vineyard. Break up the farmer’s carry into 100 meters. It is deceiving. Everything else is just grunt work. Have fun!”
To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.
NEWS
VIDEO: Weekly Whiteboard with Lauren Kalil and Patrick Clark, May 2 – 6, 2022
False grip is almost integral to performing muscle-ups, but it is so uncomfortable that many of us cheat a little and have to readjust our hands in the transition anyway. That kinda defeats the point of a false grip. Practice this hand placement to fix the issue and improve your grip.
Did you watch the Quarterfinals and wonder what Danielle Brandon and Dallin Pepper (as well as a ton of others) had in their mouth? The AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece improves breathing, endurance, and strength by creating the optimal airway opening. Try it for yourself and see why it's showing up on the competition floor.
Once you've mastered your lifts and your technique is looking flawless (or close enough), it's time to start working on speeding everything up a little. Use these tips to improve your barbell cycling times and start hitting new PRs again.
Mother's Day is here, and if anyone deserves a treat, it's your long-suffering mom. Luckily, Reebok agrees and are offering 40% off sitewide using code "MOM40". So go ahead and get your mom something nice, and maybe something for yourself as well.
These parmesan zucchini fries are baked in the air fryer, giving them the perfect crispy exterior. Low carb and keto friendly, they're light, crisp, and packed full of flavor. Plus they only take 15 minutes to make. Ideal Friday night treat.
Congratulations Gabriel Ortega from CrossFit DTA in Alhambra, CA on the 500 pound/227kg deadlift PR.
Strongman Martins Licis from Wreck It Gym in El Segundo, CA lifts a 715 pound/325kg hook grip deadlift.
👏 Congratulations Susana Ramirez from Bolt Training in Homestead, FL on her first ever CrossFit competition after only four months of membership.
Congratulations Trey House from CrossFit Northlake West Charlotte, NC on the 260 pound/118kg snatch PR.
Butcher’s Lab athlete Martine Solheim from Copenhagen, Denmark hit a PR snatch of 198 pounds/90kg.
CrossFit Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA held a Ukraine Strength workout on Saturday, April 30 to raise funds for Ukraine. Proceeds from the event will be split between Direct Relief’s Ukraine Relief program and a crypto-currency donation directly to the Ukrainian government.
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