“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.”- Aristotle
LIFESTYLE
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Stem Cell Therapy: Snake Oil or Savior?
As science and technology continue to merge at a breakneck pace within the 21st century, new medical treatments are multiplying exponentially. Professional and amateur athletes find themselves at the forefront of this wave as they become guinea pigs for new, as yet uncertified procedures and surgeries in their quest to come back quicker and stronger from injuries.
Stem cell therapy has pushed its way to the forefront of this debate, as a number of high profile athletes are rumored to have had the treatment done, which is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. For most, knowledge is surface-level at best, and when it comes to the science, third-year University of British Columbia PhD student Laura Stankiewicz said the jury is most definitely still out.
“The idea behind these therapies is you can take a stem cell from someone’s body and that could become other types of cells,” said Stankiewicz, who is also on UBC’s rowing team. Stankiewicz said the most popularized form is Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are defined as cells that have the ability to self-renew and also exhibit multilineage differentiation.
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SPEED READS
…4 days until the 2022 CrossFit Open kicks off. Register today.
We will have a very special episode of The Bottom Line, hosted by Lauren Kalil, in which there will be a special athlete retirement announcement. Keep an eye on Tuesday’s newsletter.
Have a question about the Open? We’ve got you covered in our handy guide to everything you need to know, but are too scared to ask. 🤔💪
Street Parking, a popular at-home workout program founded by CrossFit veterans Miranda and Julian Alcaraz, will host a Fitness Freedom Meet Up with Dave Castro, July 2-3 at Castro Ranch in Aromas, CA.
CrossFit Central, which has two locations in Austin, TX, is hiring a CrossFit coach, a Nutrition Community manager and a Nutrition coach.
CROSSFIT
The Top 12 Most Common CrossFit Open Movements
In four days, the 2022 CrossFit Open kicks off its 12th year live from Boulder, CO. Over the past eleven seasons, we’ve seen about 36 different movements programmed (depending on how you count).
It’s worth noting: Only three movements have been programmed in every Open: toes-to-bar, double-unders and thrusters.
The one caveat to this list is thrusters were programmed in 2020 as double dumbbell thrusters.
We have removed three movements (wall balls, ring muscle-up and rowing) from the top 12 list because they are ineligible due to the equipment list.
One big thing: As this is the second year in the new three-week-long format, a new trend is emerging of previously popular movements NOT showing up in the Open for the second straight season:
Handstand walking (most recent three Opens prior to 2021)
GOWOD Now Official Mobility Partner of NOBULL CrossFit Games
CrossFit has made a major move ahead of the 2022 season. The organization has named GOWOD as the “official mobility partner” of the NOBULL CrossFit Games.
The details: The announced deal is for two years. It will involve direct support of the GOWOD app from CrossFit with the goal of helping athletes, coaches, and affiliates develop personalized plans to improve their mobility. These plans will feature daily routines, as well as those for both pre and post-WOD.
GOWOD will kick off this partnership by serving as the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Open Announcements, as well as Quarterfinals coverage.
GOWOD is offering each CrossFit Affiliate owner access to a free Premium Membership as part of this new partnership.
CrossFit and GOWOD will continue to work on developing a discounted offering for the CrossFit Affiliate Partner Network (APN) as part of the two-year agreement.
Thibaud Saline, CEO of GOWOD: “GOWOD was born as an idea among three friends, in a CrossFit affiliate less than four years ago, and it has quickly grown into the world’s leading personalized mobility app. Given our deep connection with the CrossFit community, we are thrilled at the opportunity to take our efforts to the next level through this partnership.”
Why this matters: There are several top athletes that use GOWOD on a daily basis. The list includes five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser, defending champion Justin Medeiros, Brooke Wells, Jayson Hopper, Jamie Simmonds, Amanda Barnhart, and Jacob Heppner among many others. Even the Buttery Bros–Marston Sawyers and Heber Cannon–have a dedicated section in the GOWOD app for their Litter Box move. Now GOWOD will have an even bigger presence throughout the CrossFit Games season.
CROSSFIT GAMES
Emma Lawson Leaning Towards Competing in the Individual Division
At the 2021 CrossFit Games, Emma Lawson stood on top of the podium in the 16-17 age group division as the crowning achievement of years of hard work. However Lawson, who came ninth at the 2021 Dubai CrossFit Championships this December, has much bigger goals now: she wants to stand on the ultimate podium.
“After the [Dubai CrossFit Championship], it was really a confidence booster for myself. I’ve always struggled with confidence in my abilities with everything. I’ll be like, ‘I know this person is really good at this, and I’m not really good at it,’ and things get in my head. But after [Dubai], I was able to prove to myself that I am capable of competing with these athletes and that just motivates me more for this season.”
Top Tips For Sleeping Your Way to Improved Performance and Health
Although sleep wasn’t mentioned in CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman’s elegant 100 Words of FItness, the CrossFit community has since embraced the importance of sleep, not just for optimizing performance, but for overall health.
Sleep technology company Eight Sleep recognized this and is now deeply entrenched in the CrossFit community, with all the cool kids—like CrossFit Games athletes Justin Medeiros, Kristi Eramo, and Baylee Rayl— choosing Eight Sleep as their sleep solution.
Eight Sleep co-founder Matteo Franceschetti, a former “stressed out” lawyer turned entrepreneur who started the company because he wanted to “fuel human potential through sleep” explained that what makes their technology unique is its “ability to personalize the temperature of your bed on both sides from 55 F to 110 F.”
Further, their Pod Pro tracks all key health and sleep metrics, from heart rate and heart rate variability, to the various stages of sleep you go through during the night, thus providing a sleep score every morning “so you can improve your sleeping habits over time,” he said.
Sit-ups, planks, and crunches all have one thing in common...they're kinda dull. If you get bored when working out your core, try incorporating some of these movements into your routine to keep things exciting and keep the boredom at bay.
Scientifically proven with peer-reviewed, published research to increase your airway by up to 25%, reduce your respiratory rate by 20%, and reduce cortisol build up levels by up to 50% – resulting in improved muscular endurance and faster recovery times.
Testosterone plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and muscle building, so it's essential to ensure your natural levels are at their optimum. Watch PhD researcher, Richie Kirwan, explain how your diet, body composition, and exercise affect your body's testosterone production and what you can do to increase it.
February just got wayyy better. Use code "OHYEAH40" for 40% off sitewide at Reebok, including certain already discounted Nanos. Perfect for when you wear out your current pair repeating 22.1.
Chicken, broccoli, zucchini, and bell pepper coated with pesto and baked in under 20 minutes. This quick and healthy dish is low-carb, flavorsome, and perfect to prep for delicious lunches or dinners on the go.
Eefke Drega, 2021’s 6th Fittest Woman in the Netherlands, hit a new back squat PR of 308.5 pounds/140kg.
Congratulations Tyler Edwards from Live Active 563 in Bettendorf, IA on taking 2nd place overall in the Cougars and Sugar Daddies team competition, and hitting this complex at 260 pounds/118 kg.
Congratulations Belle Headlee from Redline CrossFit in Waukee, IA on the clean and jerk PR of 165 pounds/75kg.
Congratulations Morgan Porter from CrossFit Wildwood in Wildwood, MO on a new PR of 10 unbroken ring muscle-ups.
Congratulations Emily Tanner from CrossFit Greater Heights in Houston, TX on the postpartum snatch PR of 200 pounds/90.5kg.
Congratulations Jeremy S. from Queens, NY on the squat clean PR of 242.5 pounds/110kg.
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