From 500 pounds to CrossFit coach

August 24   |   POWERED BY

Happy Tuesday and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

📖 1942 years ago, Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Yours truly will be moving to near-ish Rome for the next two months to explore and write and eat tons of pasta #gaintrain. If you’d like to follow along the journey, click follow.

In today’s edition:  

• Two masters athletes tested positive for PEDs.
• Can you still be an effective coach when you don’t look that fit?
• Tia-Clair Toomey goes vegan for a day.

“You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy.” - Arthur Ashe

Two Age Group Athletes Test Positive for PEDs

Two age-group athletes who competed at the 2021 CrossFit Games, revealed on Instagram they tested positive for banned substances. The two athletes who tested positive didn’t reveal the banned substance they tested positive for but both will face anywhere from a two-to-four year suspension from competition and their 2021 scores disqualified.

• Nick Bloch placed 5th in the Men’s 35-39 division.
• Stephanie Roy placed 4th in the Women’s 40-44 division.

What they’re saying: In short, both athletes denied knowingly taking a banned substance but took responsibility for what was put in their body. Both said they plan to appeal and test their supplements.

• Bloch: “…I would never knowingly take a supplement that could jeopardize my competition eligibility. I live to compete. I’ve started the appeal process and will have my B sample tested along with submitting all known supplements/medications. I take responsibility for anything I put in my body and regardless if a supplement, pre-workout, medication, etc contained a banned substance, it’s my job to be aware of that.” (Full statement) 
• Roy: “I have failed a drug test and I have no idea how it can be. Me .. the girl who has been tested multiples times in her career, the girl who worked for the Canadian ethic agency in the sport, conducting drug test myself to other athletes…See, I never took this substance or anything else…I am not asking anybody to believe me. I own the truth. I will always walk with my head up in any gym, I will continue to train no matters the end of this case. I will compete again.” (Full statement)

The big picture: This brings the season tally to six total athletes who tested positive during in-competition testing.

• Larissa Cunha, individual athlete, tested positive for Ostarine.
• Deshawn Smith, a team athlete, tested positive for Endurobol.
• Katie Christian, a team athlete, tested positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
• Ray Fleser, a team athlete, tested positive for Ibutamoren.

Workout Gear For Athletes. By Athletes.

CrossFit Games competitors Adam Klink and Streat Horner are now part of the Legends team. Joining their roster of elite athletes such as Baker Mayfield and Steve Nash.

By working directly with these athletes, Legends are able to create the most comfortable, durable workout apparel that is 100% athlete-approved.

• What’s makes Legends…Legendary? They only do limited drops, so you’re never buying gear that’s been sat in a warehouse for years. You’re always getting the latest technology and innovation to enhance your performance.

Check out the latest drops and grab an exclusive 20% discount code just for Morning Chalk Up readers.

Tia-Clair Toomey went vegan for a day under the watchful culinary expertise of fellow Aussie, James Newbury, who has been vegan for almost two year. Can you say nom nom to tofu almond butter bagels?

For $74,500, you can buy a robot dog built by Boston Dynamics to do double-unders for you. The dog was created to “explore remote and hazardous environments, places where sentient, sober humans fear to tread”…so sounds fairly fit for most all Assault Bike WODs.

Truth Talk: Too Heavy for the 2021 Games? Eight-time CrossFit Games athlete Noah Ohlsen recently blogged about being too heavy for this year’s Games, writing: “I weigh 205lbs/93kg right now. In hindsight, I believe this was too heavy to be my CrossFit Games weight.

• “To kickstart this season, I’m going to find a balance of both and slowly try to work my body down to around 185lbs/84kg…For our sport, I believe there is such thing as TOO much muscle.”

Want to win a signed Sara Sigmundsdottir tout t-shirt? Details inside.

Fit to Coach: Once Over 500 pounds, Jeremy Olson Challenges Coaching Stereotypes

Jeremy Olson isn’t the stereotypical CrossFit coach. In 2016, he weighed over 500 pounds and struggled to walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch his breath.

Even today, despite a more-than 250-pound weight loss, personal trainer, CrossFit L1, and Precision Nutrition Level 1 certifications, Olson doesn’t fit the cliché coaching physique. He’s not the “shredded six-pack, 24-inch arms” athlete.

One big thing: In late 2020, Morning Chalk Up tackled the question, “Does a CrossFit coach need to look fit?” Olson is living proof that physical appearance and athletic ability have nothing to do with the quality of coaching.

...KNOW

The Difference Between Leg Drive and Leg Extension

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Crispy Baked Fish Sticks

Super crispy, easy to make, and packed with protein. These healthy baked fish sticks make a wonderful dinner for kids, adults, and hungry CrossFitters alike. Serve with some sliced veggies and dipping sauces for a throwback treat.

• 🤵👰 Congratulations to Hannah Davidsdottir, older sister to Katrin Davidsdottir, and Gerald Brimir on the wedding last weekend.
• Congratulations Miranda Alcaraz on the baby boy announcement.
• Congratulations to 19-year-old Jack Farlow from Polsky’s Strength and Conditioning in Kitchener, Canada on the 375 pound clean and jerk.

• SaraMae Hollandsworth from Portland, Oregon deadlifts 215 pounds/97kg for a PR.
• Remy Agen from France front squats 264 pounds/120kg for a PR.
• Brianna Maxwell from CrossFit Lift District in Margate, FL deadlifts 375 pounds/170kg for a PR.
• Alyssa Barker from CrossFit Infernal in Chandler, AZ split jerks 155 pounds/70kg for a PR.
• Aron Parker front squats 345 pounds/156kg for a PR.
• Solfrid Koanda from CrossFit Blindleia in Norway snatches 209 pounds/95kg.
• Allie Walliee from Old Towne Fitness in Olive Branch, MS completes six unbroken bar muscle-ups for a PR.

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