Jillian Michaels Has a Few Things to Say About CrossFit

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Jillian Michaels Has a Few (Bad) Things to Say About CrossFit

Some background.

Last December, Jillian Michaels wrote an article for Shape Magazine titled “Why Jillian Michaels Wants You to Stop Kipping in CrossFit.”

Then the anty was upped a little when Shape released a video last Thursday where Michaels had a few other not so nice things to say about CrossFit like how movements “don’t really vary”, “it stops being effective because you’re not challenging the body from various angles of push and pull”, and you should choose an exercise where you’ll “get more mobility.” 

Are you sure she’s talking about the same “CrossFit” we are?

Sadly, yes. Here’s what she said, in full:

“I have a few issues with CrossFit, which is not a secret. First of all, you’ve got what, maybe 20 to 25 movements that don’t really vary? And you’re doing them over and over and over again,” she said. “So on one hand it stops being effective because you’re not challenging the body from various angles of push and pull, with different varieties of exercises and different types of movements that work different modalities.”

OK, so she doesn’t like CrossFit. Lots of people don’t like CrossFit. What’s the big deal?

First, she’s completely wrong.

Todd Wise, a Brute Strength coach, came in with a laundry list of corrections for Michaels, “We do train the start and finish position (isometric holds) the dynamic range (eccentric and concentric) the whole time focusing on holding and building midline stabilization (protecting the spine). We build strength and stability in these once and athlete shows proper mechanics and consistency of those mechanics we will add intensity meaning (reps, load, or speed) if needed to create more adaptation. Any Level 1 trainer has learned these.”

Second, she has 1.3 million followers on Instagram and one of the most widely recognized names in fitness. For better or worse, what she says and thinks about fitness influences countless people across the U.S. and to a lesser degree globally. And instead of using that platform to recognize how important it is that 15,000+ CrossFit affiliates worldwide equates to a few million people getting off the couch and moving, she instead uses her platform to tear it down and create divisiveness. 

The USA Today, which has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the US, put it best when they quoted one Instagrammer: “I’d love to see her be thankful people are just out moving and working their bodies. How about a good job instead of u shouldn’t do this or that! My husband lost 70 lbs with CrossFit 6 years ago and has kept it off. I’d say it works pretty good.”

We could go on and on…

It’s no secret that Morning Chalk Up is a bit biased towards CrossFit, but that’s because it works. Do you know what doesn’t work? Programs that don’t teach people how to change their lifestyle and habits. Fat burning pills. Fad diets. Starving people into a caloric deficit. These things don’t work. CrossFit paired with a healthy sustainable dietary plan works.

But before we hang up our sneakers on this one, we’ll leave you with this zinger, courtesy of Brooke Ence. Hand clap emojis for you Brooke. “Needing to stay relevant so she needs to create controversy. Honestly I feel bad for her, whoever fed her the Information about what is CrossFit did not do their homework and in turn made her look like a complete moron.” 

Coffee Break Conversations

One of these things is not like the other…

It’s tough out there in the dating world, period. But when you are the type of CrossFitter that adheres to a particular type of diet it gets even tougher. There’s nothing worse than trying to find a place to eat with a person you just met when they don’t eat like you. May we introduce you to Refrigerdating, a service that helps you to find your Swolemate based on the content of your fridge. You upload an image of your food and the service puts you in contact with others who have realized that you are what you eat. 

Things To…

WATCH: Brent Fikowski on the Brute Strength Podcast

On this episode of the Brute Strength podcast, Brent Fikowski discusses how he built the mindset of a competitor, his early competitive career, and what he calls his transformation year.

IT’S THE PROFESSOR.

HEAR: What Competitors Know About Luck

You know that saying, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”? There is a reason why competitors like this saying. Learn what luck really is and how winners constantly put themselves into a position to grab it.

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• PAT’S RUN REGISTRATION OPEN — Registration is open for the 15th annual Pat’s Run, a 4.2 mile race around Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium in honor of Pat Tillman, who played football at ASU before going on to play for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. Tillman put his athletic career on hold to join the U.S. Army, where he was later killed in 2004. All proceeds of Pat’s Run will benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation, which provides support to active-duty service members, veterans and their spouses.
• CAN’T STOP BROCK — Kato CrossFit in Mankato, MN held a fundraiser WOD and silent auction Saturday to benefit five-year-old Brock, who was diagnosed with ALD, a genetic disease that severely affects boys and men by affecting the nerve cells that allow us to think and control our muscles. 

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

Richard Riedling celebrated his 47th birthday with a 145 pound power snatch PR • Fifteen-year-old Mahailya Reeves gets a 355 pound bench press • John Gleich gets a 395 pound back squat PR • Adrian Conway does 280 pound hang power clean triples • Happy birthday Cassidy
Lance-McWherter • Jeff Rother gets a 276 pound snatch • Kelly Fisher gets her first strict bar muscle-up • Mia Akerlund does a 242 pound clean and jerk complex.  

Reykjavik Online Qualifiers Released — The Reykjavik CrossFit Competition online qualifiers were released Friday. There are three WODs to complete before February 17 at 2:59 PM PST. Annie Thorisdottir, Sol Sigurdardottir and 

If You Plan on Competing at the Down Under CrossFit Championship — Organizers will be compiling the athlete roster on April 1. If you have an interest in competing at the Down Under CrossFit Championship, via your performance in the CrossFit Games Open, then you need to register your expression of interest. Athletes will be chosen from those who are highest ranked in the Open. From their website, “We will be compiling an International Leader Board at Down Under CrossFit Champion HQ, from the athletes that have
expressed interest (EOI) in competing at the Down Under CrossFit Championship. The highest ranked athlete on a global scale will be sent invitations if they have completed the EOI.”

— Not Competing But Want to Watch: You’re in luck. The 2019 Down Under CrossFit Championship will be livestreamed for free. Event organizers issued a press release stating “The broadcast will cover all three days of competition events from start to finish and include live commentary, scoring updates, interviews along with rare insights and glimpses behind the scenes. Our focus will be on the competition floor and will include a full recap of external events.”

The First Sanctional of 2020 Season — Darina Dunne and Jamie Lawlor are the organizers behind the Filthy150, the first sanctioned event to kick off the 2020 CrossFit Games season. They joined Morning Chalk Up in the RPM Studio at Wodapalooza to discuss their programming, using the natural surroundings in Ireland, and even a pub crawl. In a press release last month, Darina said, “We can’t wait for everyone to experience the famous Irish welcome and perform in front of the best sports fans on the planet.”

When Your Spouse is Your Business Partner — So many affiliates, competitions, and CrossFit related businesses are owned and operated by spouses. Jenna and Shaun Tieman, the owners of Hoosier Athletic Club in Bloomington, IN revealed to Box Pro Magazine how to manage when your business partner is also your spouse. 

— “While strengths vary, Jenna said they have to work together to ensure their vision is on the same track. Consistency in training classes and embracing core values is essential to the business. Sometimes, they don’t see eye to eye and will have to work through the disagreement. Sometimes, the day sucks even though they gave 100 percent.”

— “Jenna said they never stop thinking about the business, and it’s because they love what they do. ‘Almost everyone I know who started a CrossFit gym with their significant other has sold the gym; I know first-hand how the stress can tear a family apart. You have to love it. You have to offer a professional experience. You have to be willing to reflect, change and grow. You have to trust your partner and you both have to work equally hard.”

A Refreshing New Look — O2 Natural Recovery Drink, which has seven times the oxygen of tap water with caffeine and electrolytes to help your body process toxins and recover faster, just debuted a new wesbite. Start with a sampler pack, order a case, or sign-up for a delivery subscription. 

Cole Sager Speaks About Fittest in Cape Town — Cole Sager caught up with Christine Bald to share his experience at the Fittest in Cape Town sanctioned event, in which he placed second. “CrossFit Fittest In Cape Town actually felt more like a mini-Game — hey bused us around places, kept things secret, and utilized the terrain of the city we were competing in. It was programmed in a way that would typically benefit me as an athlete, I just didn’t capitalize and missed the mark on a couple of crucial workouts.”

“Saving Bully Breeds One Rep at a Time,” by Jessica Danger, Morning Chalk Up 

Barbells For Bullies is an organization working to save dogs that are often referred to as bully breeds by educating the public and getting these pups into loving and caring homes.

Bully breeds are not just pit bulls. There are actually more than 30 breeds like Great Danes, Bulldogs, and even Pugs. Sadly, over half of the 1.2 million euthanizations that take place annually are labeled pit bulls.

Founder Alex Castiglione has been doing CrossFit for seven years. So naturally, in 2016, he reached out to the CrossFit community and held the first Barbells for Bullies fundraiser. Now, Barbells for Bullies holds fundraisers all over the country.

As of January, Barbells for Bullies has raised and donated over $65,000 for local rescues and animal advocacy groups. These funds are used to spay and neuter dogs, provide preventative heartworm medication, supply nutrient dense dog food to local shelters, and chip over 1,400 dogs to prevent lost animals from being dropped off at a shelter.

2/15 – 2/16: 2nd annual Tough Love Competition (Louisville, KY)

2/16: Valentine’s Day Massacre (Kilgore, TX)

2/16: Masters of Fitness ( Cape Coral, FL)

2/16: The Garage Games Xs & Ys (Valdosta, GA)

2/16: Couples Clash 2019 (Pensacola, FL)

2/16: Tuff Love (Boulder, CO)

2/16: Valentine’s Day Massacre (Selma, TX)

2/16: Winter War Games (Spanish Fort, AL)

2/16: Vicious Valentine’s Partner Throwdown (Carlisle, PA)

2/16: Ice Breaker 3 at Unbreakable Athletics Academy (Plainfield, IN)

2/23: Amicus Ambush: Mixed Teams (Dickinson, ND)

2/23 – 2/24: Strength in Depth (London, England)