“Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.”- Theodore Roosevelt
GOOD
Lauren Fisher and Noah Ohlsen Went to Mexico to Build a House and Came Back with So Much More
When 2008 Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Shawn Johnson reached out to Lauren Fisher on Instagram to ask if she wanted to head down Rosarito, Mexico to build a house for a family in need, Fisher didn’t hesitate.
“She and her husband looked like really cool people… and I had always wanted to build a home in Mexico, so I said yes,” the three-time individual and four-time team CrossFit Games athlete said. She lives just above the Mexican border in San Diego, CA.
“I had no idea what to expect or what I was getting myself into,” she added.
Turns out, Fisher was getting herself into what she called a “life-changing” experience, one that she’s hoping to turn into an annual event involving more CrossFit athletes.
The details: Earlier this month, Fisher, her husband Rasmuss Anderson, and nine-time Games athlete Noah Ohlsen traveled to Mexico with a group of about 20 people for a whirlwind two days of building a home for a couple with two young kids who desperately needed a place to live.
When they showed up, the foundation had already been poured, and over the course of the next two days, Fisher and Ohlsen helped build the entire home before handing the keys to the family before they left.
“We literally did everything to build this home for this family. We hammered nails into the roof, cut all the wood, put the trim up, painted….Noah handled a chop saw for the first time.,” Fisher said, adding that she was admittedly “so drained and so tired” by the end of the day.
“Literally from scratch we built this family a home in less than 30 hours, which was pretty surprising,” said Ohlsen, adding that he learned a ton about construction in the process. “I don’t know that I could replicate it on my own right now. I would probably need to do one or two other builds before that, but I definitely learned more than I went in there with,” he laughed.
And before they left Mexico, Fisher and some others donated some of their own money to take the family shopping for various household items, a fridge, and a lot of food. “The wife was just crying. She was so emotional….And the kids. Their eyes just lit up,” Fisher said.
For Ohlsen, the fact that they actually got to meet the family they were building the home made the experience that much more special. “We saw how sweet they were, how grateful they were…they actually helped the entire time, which I thought was really cool. They were cutting, painting, as involved in the process as we were,” he said.
Ohlsen added: “And the kids were adorable. They latched onto me. Whatever time I wasn’t building, I was hanging out with those guys, and it definitely is heartwarming to know that these sweet little kids have their own space and their own beds.”
The big picture: For both Ohlsen and Fisher, the trip was about “so much more than building a house,” Fisher said, and they credit Hope Sports—one of the non-profit organizations that funded the build—for the work they’re doing, as well as for providing them with such a profound experience.
For Ohlsen, who is “getting close to transitioning out of being a full-time athlete,” soon and will have more time on his hands, the experience helped him see what else is out there, and that it’s possible to use his fitness in ways “that feel more purposeful or impactful,” he said.
And for Fisher, one of the biggest takeaways is that giving just a little bit of your time can have a huge impact on someone else. “It only took us two days to build this home, so giving back a little bit of time, imagine how that is going to change someone’s life forever…We get so caught up in our day-to-day lives, but it just takes a little bit to give back,” Fisher said.
She added: “The fact that now those kids have a home to live…That’s one of the things Hope Sports talked about. When you’re growing up, you’re 10 percent more likely to be successful in life by having a house over your head. So those kids, their lives are going to be changed forever.”
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In case you missed it: Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Dex Hopkins and Chase Ingraham about the idea that super teams might be back, and if this is good for CrossFit.
Cup of joe: Tune in today for Coffee Break Conversations, where we’ll be chatting with Mayhem Athlete’s Jake Lockert about how to scale an online program. Exclusive to RX members, watch it live at 12:30PM CT (or watch the replay afterward) here.
Tia update: Six-time women’s champion Tia-Clair Toomey has another video about her future in the sport, confirming that she is not retiring, but not competing in Rogue this year. We’ve been following the Australian very closely this off-season and you can check out our latest rundown here as well.
Must watch TV: Khan Porter and James Newbury in tiny swimsuits with inflatable pool toys, what more could you want? 🤣
And another: On top of adding front squat legend Tony Koens, Underdog Athletics is also bringing on Nick Burns to its coaching roster.
Shoe drop: The Reebok Nano X2 colorways are here and they are most definitely slick.
LIFESTYLE
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Is Working Out Once a Week Really Enough?
A decade-long study that included more than 350,000 American adults published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that cramming all of your working out into just one or two sessions a week is as healthy as working out multiple times throughout the week.
Or at least, that’s how the mainstream media interpreted and reported on the study.
What Vice reported: “Good news for those of you who absolutely cba with exercise: people who cram their workout into one or two sessions per week are protecting their health just as much as those who exercise throughout the week…So there you go. As long as you’re moving, don’t worry too much about working out every day.”
What Outside Magazine reported: “New research suggests that exercising only once or twice a week can deliver similar health benefits as more frequent workouts.”
What CNN reported: “Weekend warriors are lowering their risk of early death, study says.”
What the Montreal Gazette reported: “As to whether weekend warriors can count on the same impressive scale of health benefits as those who accumulate exercise minutes over several days, most of the research suggests that the mortality rates of both groups of exercisers are similar.”
Five Places to Grab a Bite in Austin During the 2022 Rogue Invitational
Listen: Don’t come after the messenger. This is a shortlist of eateries to try during your trip to the 2022 Rogue Invitational, but it by no means does justice to the incredible food scene that is Austin, TX. You truly can’t go wrong in the capital, culture-rich city, but if you need a place to start, go ahead and save this article. Pull up a seat and get the apps ordered, it’s our five food joint recommendations in the greater Austin area.
1. Urban Eat.Drink
110 S Harris St, Round Rock, TX 78664
Founded in 2016 by a Round Rock local couple and re-invented in a historic house, Urban Eat.Drink is the epitome of a family restaurant feel and located less than 10 minutes from the competition. There’s a wide variety of salads, burgers and entrees on the menu, plus they source many ingredients from local purveyors. And, brunch is offered until 3PM! For our fellow planners out there, they offer curbside pick-up for to-go orders and reservations online.
2. Round Rock Donuts
1614 E Whitestone Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78664
This was hands down the most recommended in our comment section! Y’all must be on to something, because this is the first time we’ve seen 9,000+ 5-star reviews on Google. Open 4:30AM – 6:30PM and just seven minutes from the venue, we’ll just say this: if you see us eating donuts in our seats at Dell Diamond… no you didn’t.
3. Kinda Tropical
3501 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
The eastside is a local favorite for Austinites, as it’s away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, but still packed with lively restaurants. The island vibe and delicious menu items (try the yucca fries!) make Kinda Tropical a must for lunch or dinner.
“Kinda Tropical is special because not only is the food bomb and the drinks delicious, but the playlist is always on point, the seating is ample, and there’s occasionally a great vintage market or show happening on the patio,” said Courtney Goforth, Director of Marketing. “You can come and sit inside with a cold brew and your laptop to knock out emails one day and then the next day drink some frozen margaritas on the patio and see a punk band.”
Her recommendation for what to order?
“My favorite item on the Kinda Tropical menu is the Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich. Even if you are not vegetarian, this can do the trick for almost anyone. It’s savory with a little kick from the jerk slaw and it’s kind of like eating a more healthful sloppy joe,” Goforth said. “It’s 100 percent Kinda Tropical and delicious.”
Today’s workout is programmed by teen sensation Tudor Magda. This past season the 19-year old from Washington state made the impressive jump from dominating the teen division to holding his own against the top men in the world. He qualified for his first Games as an individual athlete after three trips to Madison as a teen. At the Games this year he placed 34th as the youngest man in the field, earning his invite after placing fourth at the Syndicate Crown Semifinal where he put on a show with his 345lbs lift in the “Barbell Complex”.
Tudor Magda
As many rounds as needed until 50 Burpee Box Jump-overs are completed
60 Double-unders
12 Chest-to-bar pull-ups
6 Kettlebell Thrusters (70/53 LBs – 32/24 KGs)
Straight into the 1 BBJO (24”/20”) every 3 seconds until failure (BBJO takes longer than 3 seconds is failure)
Then rest 3 minutes before start of next round
Time Cap: 20 minutes
Scaling Options:
Kettlebell thrusters = 53/35 LBs – 24/16 KGs.
BBJO = one rep every 4 to 5 seconds depending on skill level
Some advice from Tudor: “Intent of the workout is to keep transitions short and to begin BBJO right after finishing the work before.”
To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.
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When you need the ultimate pre-workout pick me up, C4 is here to help! Explosive energy, endurance and focus are a few of the things you’ll feel after you drink their amazing flavors, like frozen bombsicle, cherry limeade, icy blue razz and more. Use code “C4AFF20” for 20% off.
You've just injured yourself… you’re reaching for the ice… but should you be reaching for the heat? Making sure you take care of injuries in the critical moments after they happen is very important. Read what situation calls for each option.
Congratulations to Jenn Galemmo from Strength Works in St. Louis, MO on lifting 244.2 pounds/111kg overhead for the first time with her new jerk PR.
😱 2022 CrossFit Games Rookie of the Year Nick Mathew deadlifts five reps at 545 pounds/247kg.
Congratulations to 13-year-old Davin Montgomery from Core City CrossFit in Detroit, MI on getting his first bar muscle-up.
This past weekend Loúka Crossfit in Wellington, New Zealand held a 24-hour Murph fundraiser for Heart Kids NZ, raising over $7,000. The charity is very close to the members’ hearts as it helped one of their own families for years.
“Unfortunately, the recipient of that help, Luca, is no longer with us but he is the inspiration behind the renaming of Loúka Crossfit in 2019,” said Louka CrossFit coach Heather Watson.
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