First Event of the CrossFit Games Season Announced

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is powered by Brute Strength, the Official Online Training Sponsor of the Morning Chalk Up.

From what to eat on the road to at-home (or at-hotel) workout videos, Brute Strength’s Holiday Fitness Hacks is your guide to enjoying the season without sacrificing your progress and goals. And it’s free. Cheers to that!

Only 8 days until the Dubai CrossFit Championship kicks off.

“We change bit by bit, day by day, habit by habit. We are continually undergoing microevolutions of the self. Each habit is like a suggestion: ‘Hey, maybe this is who I am.’ If you finish a book, then perhaps you are the type of person who likes reading. If you go to the gym, then perhaps you are the type of person who likes to exercise. If you practice playing the guitar, perhaps you are the type of person who likes music. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish you become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.” — James Clear

Two Decades Later, One Student Gets Back at His P.E. Teacher

The story.

Kathy Muir was the P.E. teacher at Arcado Elementary School in Lilburn, GA for almost 30 years. Imagine her surprise when she was paired with a familiar face for a partner WOD recently at Go Fitness.

Who was it?

Ryan Donahue, a former student of Ms. Muir’s. He was home on military leave to visit his family and dropped in for a WOD.

“The Saturday that Ryan dropped into Go Fitness, I recognized him first. Of course he wasn’t 6’4” when I last saw him,” Kathy said.

The two ended up being partners for the WOD, which Ryan called “payback for teacher.”

All the feels.

Kathy had a blast working out alongside her student 20 years later.  “Of course at 70, I busted my ass to look good for Ryan.”

Kathy said that it makes her happy to see how physical fitness has changed since the 80’s and 90’s. “I love to see former students involved in a healthy lifestyle that values some of the things we did in P.E. I have always tried to be a good role model for my students. Now I am practicing what I taught for 30 years. If you don’t use it you will lose it!”

Coffee Break Conversations

What to tell your friend when she’s eying that new member at the gym…

So you have that “I’ll never date anyone from the gym” mindset. Ditch it and go introduce yourself, because a recent study shows that those who regularly participate in physical activity together actually report greater feelings of relationship satisfaction. You’ll also have a better shot at happily ever after because couples who share similar world views, like ye old CrossFit, are more likely to last in the long run.

P.S. The benefit still stands if you linked up awhile ago but only recently started sweating as a pair. Get after it.

And make sure you look your best when you say hello…

Which you can do while wearing our latest Morning Chalk Up tees and tanks. Available for pre-order now, make sure you get one before Wednesday, December 12. They’re super soft and they help you look even more badass. It’s a win-win. 

Things To…

WATCH: Putting the Pressure on Fraser

Armen catches up with Patrick Vellner to talk about how he’s planning on winning the CrossFit Games in 2019, working with Michele Letendre, and what it’s like dealing with all the unknowns of the new Games season format.

VELLNER HAS A PLAN TO WIN.

HEAR: Mike Crespo and CrossFit Novato

Mike Crespo first found CrossFit in 2014 while attending the CrossFit Games NorCal Regional competition in San Jose, CA. Now a coach at CrossFit Novato, and a competitor himself, he holds CrossFit and it’s methodology close to heart and knows that the future of healthcare is in our hands.

A FAMILY HISTORY OF ILLNESS.

EAT: Crispy Roasted Broccoli with Tahini Sauce 

This roasted vegetable recipe is different from all the others. They’re crispy but tender, and topped with delicious tahini sauce to add a little extra flavor. Even the simplest, throw-together tahini sauce makes a platter of roasted broccoli feel a lot more special. And there you have it folks: roasted veggies you can actually get excited about.

WE’RE EXCITED. 

BUY: Xwerks’ New CBD Line is Finally Here

The wait is over. Xwerks’ new line of organic, Colorado-grown CBD delivers the physical and mental recover benefits you need to maximize your training. No pesticides. No chemicals.

JUST RECOVERY.

Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is powered by

Chalk Up Community

• THE ROYAL PLANK — Turns out, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, is a fan of pilates and occasionally incorporates CrossFit and skiing into her workout regimen. “The secret to her slim physique might come from her commitment to planking. Kate Middleton allegedly does several planks a day, holding for 45 seconds at a time.”
• FNX GIVEAWAY — Don’t forget to enter the FNX Giveaway. They’re giving away a FNX truck, $500 in FNX products, one year of Brute Strength programming, and much more. Every day until 12/17 FNX is adding new gear from their partners into the mix. 

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Happy belated birthday Maddy Curley • Pat Vellner single arm dumbbell squats 120 pounds for 10 • Congratulations to Jenny on her 25 pound weight loss with CrossFit • Lindsey Valenzuela had the loudest hype squad at Autumo CrossFit’s Naughty or Nice event last weekend • Dmitry Klokov announced his worldwide weightlifting seminar tour • Kill Cliff has officially launched in New Zealand • Happy first anniversary CrossFit Parts Unknown • USA Weightlifting had ten athletes compete in the Phillips and Springer Classic in Barbados.

Rogue Invitational — Cole Sager is confirmed for the Rogue Invitational. This brings both the male and the female roster to 14 confirmed so far. There will be 20 male and 20 female athletes, and 10 teams competing in Columbus at Rogue Headquarters over two days. The winners will qualify for the CrossFit Games and $50,000 for individuals and $20,000 for teams.

Dubai CrossFit Championship Announes First WOD — Yesterday, the Dubai CrossFit Championship (which kicks off in just 8 days) announced the first event. 

WOD 1: Arabian Gulf Swim

For time:

21-15- 9

Dual Kettlebell Snatch (53/35 pounds)

Dual Kettlebell Front Squat (53/35 pounds)

Then:

350 swim

“NSCA Drops Defamation Suit Amid “Extraordinary” Legal Costs,” by Justin LoFranco, Morning Chalk Up 

On Thursday, November 29, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) voluntarily withdrew their defamation suit again CrossFit,

“The NSCA continues to believe that it was defamed and its reputation harmed by false published statements made by [CrossFit]”, said NSCA Executive Director Michael Massik.

In a statement provided to Morning Chalk Up, CrossFit founder and chairman Greg Glassman described the move to withdraw as “cowardly” and an attempt to “conceal evidence that the NSCA has tried to hide from CrossFit, the court, and the public.”

“There’s no way we will let the NSCA run and hide from the fact that its case never had any merit, especially after the NSCA personally attacked CrossFit, two of its employees, and me,” Glassman said. “We will show that this was always a malicious prosecution intended to prevent CrossFit from revealing the full scope of the NSCA’s misconduct and financial ties to broader organizations also trying to harm CrossFit. Because for us, this has always been about shining a light on the truth and the NSCA’s unlawful behavior, not about money.”

Continue reading…

11/30 – 12/16: Naughty or Nice Toy Drive (Online)

12/1: Rock It CrossFitMas Classic (Fort Worth, TX) 

12/1: Barbells For Bootstraps (Beverly, MA)

12/1: Bro Down Throw Down for Cancer Awareness (Bridgeport, PA)

12/1: Push/Pull for Pancreatic Cancer at CrossFit Pawling (Pawling, NY)

12/1: Winter Throwdown 2018 (New York, NY)

12/1: Reindeer Games 2018 (Medford, OR)

12/1: Heroes Challenge (Dallas, TX)

12/1: Vekter Games (Columbia, MD)

12/1: New England Co-Ed Classic (Bedford, NH)

12/1: VoyEdge RX Costa Rica (Costa Rica)

12/1 – 12/12: Swan Strong 12 Days of Fitness (Online)

12/8: Fittest Alive in the 845 (Poughkeepsie, NY)

12/8: The 2018 Reindeer Games Finale (Del Mar, CA)

12/8 – 12/9: WOD Godz (Shreveport, LA) 

12/8: Rampage Christmas Throwdown (Murfreesboro, TN)

12/8: A Very Krampus Kilofest (Hickory, NC)

12/8: CrossFIt Raeford 3rd annual WOD for Dogs (Raeford, NC)

12/8: Reindeer Games at CrossFit 321 (Topsham, ME)

12/8: Candor Power Hour Reindeer Games (Tuscaloosa, AL)

12/8: Hypoxia (Butte, MT)

12/8 – 12/9: The Fall Series Throwdown 2018 (Monza, Italy)

12/12 – 12/15: Dubai CrossFit Championship (Dubai, UAE)

12/15: Masters Mania (OKlahoma City, OK)

12/15: Team Luke Fundraiser (Marlboro Township, NJ)

12/15: Santa Slam Toy Drive and Community WOD (St. Petersburg, FL)

12/15 – 12/16: Nightmare Before Christmas CrossFit Competition (Albuquerque, NM)

12/22: The Flanders Throwdown (Zedelgem, Belgium)