“Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.”- George Halas
GOOD
Why Michele Bick Devoted her Deployment in Kuwait to Saving CrossFit Spartan Shield
Last summer, CrossFit Spartan Shield—a military affiliate located at Camp Buehring in Kuwait—lost both of its coaches and was on the brink of having to close their doors.
The non-profit affiliate first opened their doors in 2014 and has acted as a temporary home away from home for thousands of military and civilian CrossFit enthusiasts during their nine to 12-month deployment at Camp Buehring.
Because of the transient nature of Camp Buehring, the gym has relied largely on volunteer coaches who have come and gone through the years, but last summer they found themselves in the uncharacteristic position of having zero coaches to service the 8,500 people living at the military camp.
What Happened Next
Michele Bick, a 34-year-old CrossFit athlete and mechanical engineer from Iowa who was on a nine-month civilian deployment in Kuwait, caught wind of the situation and acted quickly.
Bick had just gotten her CrossFit Level 1 certificate three months prior to arriving in the Middle East in May 2021 and quickly saw how important CrossFit Spartan Shield was, both to herself, and to the soldiers living at the camp.
She knew she was capable of coaching group classes, but couldn’t do it on her own, so she quickly recruited a handful of other members, all soldiers, who expressed interest in volunteering as coaches.
The first step, however, was deciding whether or not it was even realistic for these inexperienced coaches to keep the gym alive.
Bick called a meeting and the first thing she said was, “This meeting might be very short, or very long, depending on the answer to the question, ‘Do we want to keep Spartan Shield alive?’”
“How were we going to stay alive as an all volunteer coaching group? What was our coaches’ schedule going to be so we didn’t get burned out? How were we going to continue to recruit new coaches to keep moving forward?,” she explained of the challenges that would lay ahead should they choose to remain open.
In case you missed it, Patrick Clark of The Bottom Line was joined by Morning Chalk Up writer Ava Kitzi to talk about the Age Group Quarterfinals and moving onto Semifinals. The two were joined by a number of guests on the show including Lucy McGonigle, Trista Smith, Chyna Cho, Caleb McClure, Olivia Kerstetter, Jenn Ryan and of course, Tommy Marquez.
Ava Kitzi is at it again, as she has also just signed on to be the Elite Teen ThrowdownSocial Media manager.
On May 2, volunteer registration for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games will officially open.
Turns out, the kids are alright, at CrossFit. Check out this video from the CrossFit Games Instagram account featuring the next generation of competitors at The Pit Fitness Ranch.
Khan Porter on Fashion as a Form of Self-Expression: “I’m not styling myself for anyone except myself”
Khan Porter knows fashion is seen as an outward expression of one’s self, however it’s pretty clear the Australian CrossFit athlete doesn’t really care what anyone thinks about how he looks.
“I’m not styling myself for anyone except myself,” said the 32-year-old. “It’s to create a mood and a vibe for myself rather than for the crowd. Sorry, crowd, but how I dress is for me.”
Porter is well known on the competition floor, having qualified for the CrossFit Games six times. His all-or-nothing commitment to workouts, either winning or going down in flames, has made him a fan favorite along with his unique style and openness as both an athlete and person.
It all started with American swimmer Michael Phelps back at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when he was spotted with distinct purple markings on his body while competing.
While the ancient art of cupping dates back centuries, its foray into modern culture was more recent, and now, athletes of all walks of life use the alternative therapy as a form of recovery. The practice uses cups placed on the skin to create suction, sometimes aided by flame, and can be performed either as a wet or dry procedure.
Scientific literature on cupping is not fulsome, however most large-scale studies do show some medically proven benefits from the alternative form of therapy including the “elimination of toxins trapped in the tissues”.
Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence is plentiful and Jen Lee, a Las Vegas based registered massage therapist and has previously worked on CrossFitters among other professional athletes. She outlined five potential benefits from the practice that CrossFit athletes may find from the therapy, which has little risk and side effects, outside of the distinct circular marks left on a person after a session.
Is a high protein diet going to make your kidneys explode? High protein diets are useful for weight loss, reducing appetite, and of course for helping us to recover from exercise and build stronger and bigger muscles. But is there a tipping point where too much becomes dangerous?
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There is nothing fun about trying to tackle your day when you can barely stand up or sit down, lift your arm, or bend over. So, whether it is Acute Muscle Soreness or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), learn how to rid yourself of it faster and be back in the box.
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These stir fry noodles take just 30 minutes making for the perfect weeknight dinner. Including a delicious homemade stir fry sauce and a boost of plant-based protein from chickpeas. Top with fresh herbs and roasted cashews for a dinner you’ll make again and again.
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