Mat Fraser’s New Training Program

November 29   |   POWERED BY

Happy Cyber Monday and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

• The Toe Spacer goes all in, sponsoring 27 athletes across multiple sports.
• How heavy can you lift during pregnancy?
• Today is the last day to save big in our Black Friday Cyber Monday buyers guide.
• How fitness is improving the mental health of children and helping with pandemic depression.
• Mat Fraser’s new training program for Semifinal and Games athletes.

“I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes.” - Barbara Elaine Smith

Opinion: How Heavy Can I Lift During Pregnancy?

Pregnant athletes, especially pregnant CrossFit athletes want to keep lifting during pregnancy. If their medical provider tells them to not lift over 20lbs, the response is typically met with an eye roll and an obvious disregard for that advice. On the other end of the spectrum, their coach likely encourages her to “listen to her body,” or “keep doing what she has always done.” It’s not bad advice, it simply lacks context.

There’s also a natural comparison that happens during pregnancy; where it’s easy to compare one’s pregnancy to someone else’s in the gym, or social media with what they’re doing or what they did. Examples are not sound advice, yet that’s the main source of relatable information for many pregnant athletes.

There is an internal desire to maintain loads, and keep lifting through pregnancy. But how much is too much? We know lifting is safe, healthy and recommended, but there is some nuance to consider during pregnancy that is often unknown or disregarded in both the medical and fitness communities.

Many athletes are told to lift at 75% of their one rep max, but we know that number is relative. 75% of a 1RM could be 300lbs for one person or 150lbs for another. 75% of the 1RM is unfounded advice, yet it’s given frequently, at least in the fitness community. Similarly, the don’t lift over 20lbs is unfounded advice, unless medically indicated.

A sentiment I hear often, “it’s not heavy for me,” is TRUE from a muscular perspective. You ARE strong. It’s not about questioning athletic ability. The question is, how is that load impacting the pressure on the midline and pelvic floor as pregnancy continues. Here’s an example: 200lbs may not be heavy for you, but it is for your abs and vagina, especially when there’s added abdominal pressure and changing structures from the growing baby.

Pregnant athletes are not fragile, and they are also not invincible. There’s nothing to prove for performance during pregnancy, but this can feel like a fine line to walk (or lift?!) for many pregnant athletes.

Buy More, Save More

This never happens. Ascent Protein is having their biggest sale of the year. Support the hard work you’ve put in this year and head to Ascent Protein today only, where the more you spend, the more you’ll save.

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Spend $100 get 25% off.

The sale ends today, so make sure to stock up while you can!

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If you haven’t had a chance to try their new Plant-Based Protein or seasonal Cookies & Cream Whey Protein, take advantage of this discount to grab a bag or two before they sell out.

Samantha Briggs got her own custom Rogue Fitness t-shirt.

• Inside the design: “The clock symbolizes the passing of time – time is the one thing in life that we can never get back so don’t waste it. It’s never too late to change your path and follow your dreams … you never know where they’ll take you?
• Shop.

Calling all Masters athletes, registration for the PRVN Masters is now open. The competition includes four WODs from December 10 – 13th.

The Toe Spacer announces a massive roster of 27 professional athletes across CrossFit, UFC, NBA, MLB, Women’s soccer and Olympic Weightlifting.

• A few notables: Sam Briggs, Dani Speegle, Bethany Shadburne, Emma Lawson, Thiago Santos (UFC), Cameron Payne (NBA), and Martin Perez (MLB).
• Get the full list.

The 2021 Ultimate CrossFitters Guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday

It’s Cyber Monday and the last day to save big on special deals from 2POOD, AIRWAAV, Ascent Protein, beam, Bear Komplex, Blonyx, Born Primitive, Cerus Performance, Element 26, Fit Boxx, King Kong Apparel, ONNIT, PowerAbs, Reebok, Reyllen, RPM Training, Sidekick, Spartan, UCAN and Wodapalooza.

Bookmark this page and set your calendar reminders so you don’t miss out.

How Fitness is Improving the Mental Health of Children at One Cleveland Gym

It’s well-known that there’s a link between fitness and improved mental health. Jacqui Lingler, a CrossFit and yoga certified instructor at GrooveRyde in Cleveland, is putting this knowledge to work, using a kids fitness class to get children dealing with symptoms of anxiety and depression moving.

The big picture: The pandemic has been called the “tip of the iceberg” for the state of mental health in children today. Social restrictions connected to COVID-19 measures have kept children away from routines of friends, families, and classrooms – things that are integral in development.

• “When kids are in a more virtual environment, it’s a disservice… not being able to have these formative, developmental years to work through these things,” says Lingler, who has a history working in the research side of child and adolescent psychiatry.
• “Plus, just being challenged and learning how to not only be successful but how to fail and work through that. Failures are just as important as successes,” she continues. “You can get that academically, virtually, but it’s harder… interpersonally and learning how to communicate with peers.”

How fitness is changing the game: Dr. Nora McNamara, a child psychiatrist at University Hospitals in Cleveland, will sometimes prescribe Lingler’s class to patients struggling with depression, anxiety, or symptoms.

• “What we’ve come to find out is that often, it’s not just medication or therapy as the comprehensive line of treatment for kids, especially for depression and anxiety,” Lingler says.
• “There are other behavioral things, like getting in movement and fitness in an environment that is supportive and safe so that kids can begin to understand that they can be successful when challenged, that it’s good to move. It’s not just a physical benefit. It’s a mental health benefit of introducing fitness into the holistic treatment of a child,” she explains.

Children prescribed and interested in the fitness class are welcomed into Lingler’s class, where she makes fitness fun, teaching kids to move functionally, meet their challenges head-on, and helping pull them out of a pandemic funk.

• “Because of the fundamentals of CrossFit, that it’s constantly varied, and that it can be modified for any physical body – any person, any age – it’s a low-hanging fruit,” Lingler says. “As a CrossFit-certified coach, you are trained to have tools in your back pocket to meet the kid, athlete, or class where they are.”
• “In other things, like soccer or baseball, you have an ultimate goal, or you’re learning a skill that is specific to the sport – CrossFit spans so many different things.”

The bottom line: Fitness is working. Lingler says while there’s been an increase of kids coming to her classes in the past 18 months – attributed partly to the fact that gyms reopened before organized sports and classrooms – she’s seeing improvements.

• “We hear that a kid’s sleep is better, or their mood is better improved,” Lingler says. “I like it when I see the kids come at first, and they’re kind of reluctant and a little unsure and then, as they come, they’re excited about coming.
• She adds: “The biggest litmus test to me is when the kids start inviting their friends or siblings to come. That’s the real message. They’re telling others they like it and getting excited about it.”

“This is what I did. This is what worked for me. How I have this knowledge is through experience.”

Five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser, in partnership with HYBRID Performance Method, is launching programming on December 6 aimed at Semifinals and CrossFit Games level athletes.

HWPO PRO is for anyone looking to train three to four hours a day, six days a week. It will essentially follow the competitive CrossFit season, preparing athletes for the Open, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the Games. And is effectively based on how Fraser trained during his time at the top of the sport.

“This is what I did. This is what worked for me. How I have this knowledge is through experience,” Fraser said, adding that three or four of the days will involve two training sessions a day, with one low impact day and one complete rest day. “That’s the schedule I carried through, basically the last five years of my career,” he said.

The window to sign up for the inaugural HWPO PRO is between November 29 and December 6’s official start date.

The Road to HWPO PRO

Fraser’s relationship with HYBRID Performance Method, which offers training, nutrition, and education to its athletes, started close to three years ago. Fraser wanted to start offering coaching and programming but said handling logistics memberships and creating an app “was really intimidating to me.”

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Training With HYBRID Strength For Free

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A Free WHOOP Strap 4.0 And First Month's Membership

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The Ring Dip

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Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise. Send us a tip.

• 🎂 Happy birthday Justin Cotler, head coach of Underdogs Athletics (Saturday).
• 🎂 Happy birthday Stacie Tovar (Saturday).
• 🎂 Happy birthday Laura Rice (Saturday).
• 🎂 Happy birthday Severin Romanov (Saturday).
• Mattie Rogers hits a 319 pound/145kg jerk a few weeks out from the World Weightlifting Championships.
• Willy Georges hits a 352 pound/160kg squat clean + three front squats.

Community Support: The son of a coach at Bark River CrossFit in Delafield, WI was hit by the SUV that drove through a crowd at the Waukesha parade. He suffered fractured ribs but is expected to make a full recovery.

• The Bark River CrossFit community is crowdsourcing funds to help pay for medical bills.

See all upcoming events