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How to Follow the 2020 CrossFit Games

 
Morning Chalk Up

September 15
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Healthy Steps Nutrition

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. We are inching ever closer to the first event of the 2020 CrossFit Games and today Tommy Marquez sets his sights on which top female athletes to watch if certain movements come out of the hopper. And, Patrick Clark profiles Finnish rookie Sanna Venäläinen as she heads into her first Games.

  • Also, don’t miss Niki Brazier and Justin LoFranco discuss what happens if international athletes qualify for the 2020 CrossFit Games finals, given COVID-19 travel restrictions on The Bottom Line. 

We thrive on the quote suggestions, story tips and PRs, so keep them rolling in at [email protected].

Predict which athletes will finish in the top 5 in the order they will finish and you could win a $1000 Reebok gift card, signed Nanos, and a whole lot more. Pick your five.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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“Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.” – Lao Tzu

 

2020 CrossFit Games Updates

     

There are only three days left until stage one of the 2020 CrossFit Games kicks off, and we’ve got a ton of great stuff for you today!

Unboxing the Reebok CrossFit Games Athlete Kit:

  • Today, join Haley Adams and Niki Brazier on Instagram Live as Adams opens her Games kit and reveals the Reebok gear that the top 60 athletes received this week.
    • When — 11:00 AM PST.
    • How to watch — Follow the Morning Chalk Up on Instagram and from the profile tap “Following” –> “Notifications” –> “Live Videos” and select “Get All Notifications.” When the video starts, you’ll receive a live update.

Premiering today at 12:00 PM PT on YouTube, Tommy’s #2 men’s pick to earn a top 5 Games spot.

On The Bottom Line, Niki Brazier and Justin LoFranco discuss what happens if international athletes qualify for the 2020 CrossFit Games finals, given travel difficulties due to COVID-19.

Get to know the 2020 CrossFit Games athletes. We’ve been highlighting each of the 60 athletes competing this weekend on our Instagram account and website. 

Fun Fact: After the 17 rookies/first-time individual athletes, the next largest group on the 2020 CrossFit Games roster are two-time competitors of which there are 14, followed interestingly by six-time competitors with seven. 

Quick Reminders:

  • Here’s the full roster and a handy chart to help clarify the new Games format.
  • There will be live updates, leaderboard analysis and event results streamed on the CrossFit Games website at the following times:
    • Thursday, Sept. 17 — 3:30 PM PST (pre-event coverage)
    • Friday, Sept. 18 — 12:00 PM PST
    • Friday, Sept. 18 — 6:00 PM PST
    • Saturday, Sept. 19 — 12:00 PM PST
    • Saturday, Sept. 19 — 3:00 PM PST
  • Athletes will compete inside specified time slots throughout the two days starting Friday morning in Sydney (Thursday afternoon Pacific Time). They will only be able to complete each workout once in their time slot.

Play “Guessing Games,” our CrossFit Games fantasy game. Select the top 5 athletes in the order you believe will finish the 2020 CrossFit Games stage 1 and you could win a HEAVY prize purse from Reebok, O2, Assault Fitness, JUNK and Macrostax.

 

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How to Follow the 2020 CrossFit Games Live

  How to Follow the 2020 CrossFit Games Live  

Stage One of the 2020 CrossFit Games kicks off this Friday as 60 athletes from 15 different countries square off from inside their home gyms. The top five men and women will earn invitations to the in-person final in Aromas, CA from October 18-25, 2020. If you’re confused about the new format, we explain it more in this post.

The Morning Chalk Up team will be providing in-depth coverage, access to scores, interviews and content throughout the competition as well as five live shows.

Morning Chalk Up Live Shows

  • Tuesday at 11:00 AM PT: Haley Adams unboxes her Reebok CrossFit Games athlete gear kit live with Niki Brazier | Live on Instagram
  • Wednesday at 1:00 PM PT: CrossFit Games AMA + Workout Discussion with Justin LoFranco and Armen Hammer | Live on YouTube
  • Thursday at 1:30 PM PT: Justin LoFranco vs Armen Hammer as they tackle one of the 2020 CrossFit Games events head to head | Live on YouTube and Instagram
 

Member Exclusive MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Hopper Hopes: What The Top Women Want To See

  Hopper Hopes: What The Top Women Want To See  

The CrossFit Games women’s field this year is absolutely LOADED, and as has been the case in previous seasons, there is a higher number of athletes in the talent pool that could potentially make the cut in comparison to the men’s field.

Eight women currently in the field have finished on the podium at the Games, and 15 women have finished inside the top ten at the Games within the last three seasons. Considering that they will only get two days of competition, and anywhere from five to eight scored events to sink their teeth into, there are some key programming elements to stay focused on for some of the top contenders tasked with chasing down Tia-Clair Toomey.

 

Sanna Venäläinen: Hope and Hard Work Pays Off for Finnish Rookie

  Sanna Venäläinen: Hope and Hard Work Pays Off for Finnish Rookie  

Fourteen countries will be represented in the women’s field of the 2020 CrossFit Games on September 18-19. The athletes representing their countries outside the United States are filled with the usual suspects: Toomey, Sigmundsdottir, Briggs and Saunders. Look closely and you will see a name that doesn’t quite jump out at you in terms of Games notoriety but rather in its uniqueness. Sanna Venäläinen, a 29-year old from Finland will be competing in her first ever Games this week. How she got her name included amongst the greats of the sport is through hard work, determination and hope.

Remind me: Over the last two years, Scandinavian countries have been well represented at the Games. Norway’s Kristin Holte has been a perennial top-ten finisher the last three years culminating with her runner-up finish at last year’s Games and Camilla Salomonsson Hellman is appearing in her third-straight Games as an individual representing Sweden.

For Finland, a country that produced CrossFit great Mikko Salo and has seen Jonne Koski make his mark in the sport over the years, the women have not progressed like their neighboring countries. Emilia Leppanen made the Games last year as a national champion and finished a respectable 55th. She repeated again as national champion this season but saw her chances of representing her country taken away by the pandemic.

 

What Happens If International Athletes Qualify for the 2020 CrossFit Games Finals?

  What Happens If International Athletes Qualify for the 2020 CrossFit Games Finals?  
 

THINGS TO…

…DEVELOP

Your Hamstrings with These Two Exercises

Crossfit and Olympic weightlifting are both quad-dominant sports. This means that, over time, your hamstrings become underdeveloped in relation to your quadriceps. Here are two great exercises that can help you make your hamstrings stronger and activate your glutes.

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A Free Webinar For Gym Owners And Coaches

Most gym owners know the best way for clients to see great results is through nutrition and fitness. Yet, most fitness programs completely skip over nutrition and clients don’t see the results they are looking for. In this free webinar, Nicole Aucoin, Founder of Healthy Steps Nutrition and HSN Mentoring, discusses three proven strategies to increase hybrid memberships in your gym.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…PRACTICE

The Sandbag Squat Clean

Training with odd objects is a great way to develop general physical preparedness. The sandbag squat clean can help you build explosive power in your legs and creates incredible grip strength.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…GET

NIKE Metcons

Select NIKE Metcons are on sale. No code needed just select your favorite pair, purchase, and get ready to show off your new kicks.

  Morning Chalk Up  

…EAT

Caramelized Onion Spinach Pasta Bake with Chicken

The weather is cooling down and it’s time to look for some warming, comfort food. This pasta uses two full bags of spinach for extra veggies and a creamy and light parmesan sauce. The caramelized onions provide a sweet earthiness to finish. This dish is packed with protein and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

 

HIGHLIGHTS…

 

COMMUNITY

Commnunity Round-Up

Today’s round-up features fundraising events for the Special Olympics, the Keala Foundation, and a great opportunity for affiliate owners in Germany, Austria and Switzerland:

  • CrossFit Games Rookie Pete Shaw and the Special Olympics: Due to COVID-19, donations for the Special Olympics have been down and holding in-person events has been difficult. To help out, Pete Shaw who in addition to being a competitive athlete is the co-owner of CrossFit NCR in Ottawa, ON, will be participating in the virtual edition of Marathon of Sport. His motionball team is accepting donations to support all the Special Olympics programs in Canada. Learn more and donate
  • Team @WhatsYourRoutine: To support the Keala Foundation in this year’s virtual Ultimate Hawaiian Trail Run, the folks at Routine, a health and wellness company have created a fundraising team called @WhatsYourRoutine to raise money and participate in the event on September 26 by running the Indiana Dunes overlooking Lake Michigan. Runners can join in and run anywhere. Read about the team run opportunity and donate.
  • Virtual Mastermind for CrossFit Box Owners: On Saturday, September 19, APT Coaching will host a Virtual Mastermind class for affiliate owners. This is a great opportunity for owners in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to receive business coaching and prepare to end 2020 successfully. Learn more and register now
 
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LOCAL COMPETITIONS

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9/18 – 9/20: The Central Regional (Bettendorf, IA)
9/19: Country Tuff Competition (Richfield, UT)
9/19 – 9/20: Anti-Racism 100 Miler (Chicago, IL)
9/23 – 10/7: The Greatness OnLine (Guatemala City, Guatemala)
9/26 – 9/27: Pensacola Beach Brawl (Pensacola, FL)
9/26: Big Impact Games (Kimberly, WI)
9/26: Jurassic Throwdown 2020 (Bonaire, GA)
9/26: Warrior Affiliate League Three Amigos (Chino, CA)
10/3: RedZone Summer Classic (Newtown, CT)
10/3: Legends of the Falls (Gadsden, AL)
10/3: Capitol Throwdown (Washington, DC)
10/3: Iron Anchor Throwdown (Batavia, OH)
10/6 – 10/11: Virtual Shoofly Lift Off (Fuquay-Varina, NC)
10/9 – 10/10: Crash Crucible (Spartanburg, SC)
10/17: The Sacred Pine Throwdown (Ladson, SC)
10/28 – 11/10: The Fittest Experience Online Qualifier (Austin, TX)
11/7 – 11/8: The Bay Games [Unstoppable (online) Edition] (Jervis Bay, Australia)
11/7: Turkey Throwdown (6th Annual) (Limestone, TN)

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