“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”- Brené Brown
PROFILE
Swimming with the Athletes: Meet Underwater Photographer Meg Ellery
The perfect shot: It’s what every photographer prepares and patiently waits for, and strives to execute.
But photographer Meg Ellery doesn’t have this luxury. In fact, a lot of the time, Ellery can’t even see what she’s shooting.
That’s because Ellery is an underwater photographer, who shoots CrossFit Games athletes during swim events, often battling the cold in a wetsuit, while athletes splash about, leaving her to rely on instincts and artistic abilities to produce that perfect shot.
“You’re really not able to compose your shots underwater,” she said. “For the most part you’re blind shooting.”
But when it does come together, the reward is worth it.
“Photography itself is challenging. Then you get in the water and you have all these added elements to face,” she said. “It’s always a surprise when you get out of the water and import your photos…It’s almost like shooting on film. You don’t know what you have until you develop it. You look at the images, and it’s like, “Wow, I love that shot.’”
Want to sleep like CrossFit’s best during the Open?
Now you can with Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Cover. With dynamic heating, cooling, and biometric tracking, the Pod Pro Cover simply fits over your mattress, and results in restful sleep tailored to optimize your recovery.
Sleep as hard as you train like top CrossFit athletes, Justin Medeiros and Baylee Rayl.
Ascent Protein, who sponsor athletes like Brent Fikowski and Katrin Davidsdottir, has teamed up with Orange Theory Fitness, the one-hour HIIT gym franchise. Ascent will be available in stores nationwide.
The U.S. Army Warrior Fitness Qualifier has released its fourth workout, and it’s a doozy six-minute AMRAP. Any active member of the U.S. Army can try out for the team. Tryouts end on February 12. 🇺🇸
3 box jump overs (24/20 inches)
6 deadlifts (255/175 pounds)
9 bar facing burpees
Want to join the event team at one of CrossFit’s brand-spankin’ new Semifinals as a volunteer? The 2022 Syndicate Crown is looking for people to help out in a variety of positions for the Knoxville, TN event, which will take place May 20-22.
CROSSFIT GAMES
Opinion: Why I’m Cheering for CrossFit’s Veterans this Season
As Justin Medeiros ushered in a snazzy new era for CrossFit last year, one full of youthful Gen Z smiley-faced exuberance, a clear trend has emerged within the realm of the sport’s elites on the men’s side: the future is now.
Medeiros will face stiff competition at the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games from the likes of 20-year-old Dallin Pepper and Cole Greashaber, and the writing is on the wall, the kids are alright and the forthcoming purview is white-hot.
Add in Saxon Panchik, Lazar Dukic, and Guilherme Malheiros and it seems the trend is inching away from the statistical analysis that most elite CrossFit’s are about 27 years old. This has been the story among many professional sporting leagues the past few years, from the English Premier League and the NHL to the NBA. Kids are finding a way to forgo a real need for game experience while shaking off sophomore slumps and recreating solid rookie performances right out of the gate.
In 2008 Michael Pollan published In Defense of Food with well-meaning advice to help Americans eat a less crappy diet and move out of the health crisis that began to balloon in the 1990s. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Honestly, this is good advice.
But the message from Pollan’s book was warped and has become omnipresent, growing into a fanatical clean-eating movement that promotes eating as close to nature as possible. The clean-eating movement popularized the notion that whole foods are inherently pure and health promoting, while processed foods are inherently dirty and filled with toxins and poisons that disrupt our overall well being.
The implication is that if you are not “eating clean” you are somehow dirty, lazy, or unhygienic. It has created a kind of nutritional caste system that consciously and unconsciously promotes food shaming. Rather than educating themselves about food and food science, people idealize foods for being in their most natural form. Clean-eating disregards accessibility issues and the socioeconomic impacts that influence food availability.
Every Friday, we’re bringing you an exclusive workout challenge programmed by a CrossFit Games athlete or coach that you can take on at home or the gym. You can post your times or scores in the comment section.
Today’s workout is programmed by Christian Harris, who this week announced the members of his 2022 MFLH team for the upcoming CrossFit Games season. The team will consist of Will Carter, Winter Nicolette Rodriguez and Nicole Soto.
Harris has competed at five Regionals and in 2016 he made his Games debut on Team Dynamix which just missed out on podium spot, finishing fourth.
One of the hardest workers in the sport inside and out of the gym, in 2012 he designed a t-shirt as a fundraiser to help finance his Regional appearance. Ten years later that design and idea has evolved into his company, Move Fast Lift Heavy, one of the most notable brands in CrossFit. He has since branched out to programming under the MFLH brand, adding his exact training program, Train with CH, which is also available on the MFLH platform. You can find MFLH apparel and his training program (which is free) at www.movefastliftheavy.com
RX:
30 Rounds For Time
500/400m Bike ERG
3 Muscle-ups
1 Sandbag Over Shoulder (200/150)
SCALING OPTIONS:
Sub 1:00 of any form of cardio if no Bike ERG is available
Modify the Ring Muscle-Ups to Burpee Pull-Ups 1 for 1
Scale back the Sandbag weight as needed or Sub 1 Power Clean 225/155 if no Sandbag is available
Time Cap: 60 minutes
Some advice from Christian: “This one is all about consistent pacing throughout the entire workout. Stay aerobic but pay attention to minimizing transition time. If you’re someone that gets extra sweaty during workouts, you may want to have a towel nearby as well as an extra pair of dry grips handy. For more free tips and workouts exactly from my program “Train with CH”, you can go to www.mflhtrain.com.”
To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.
THINGS TO...
...MAKE
15 Healthier Superbowl Snacks That Don't Suck
Whether you're Team Rams, Bengals, or Halftime Show, everyone knows that the Superbowl needs some super snacks. If you're trying to keep your diet in check while still indulging, these 15 recipes are both delicious and nutritious.
Just in time for The Open. Stock up on your favorite Ascent protein now through February 16 to save 10% on your order and get a free blender bottle when you use the code 'THEOPEN' at checkout. Don't miss your chance to recover strong after each workout this year.
When they say to regularly learn and play new sports...we're not sure this is what they mean. Rich Froning was part of a team in the "24 Hours of Lemons" race in Alabama, where all teams drive cars worth less than $500. See how he and the crew did.
A Free WHOOP Strap 4.0 and First Month's Membership
Gain unparalleled insight into your body and training with a free WHOOP Strap 4.0 and first month's membership. WHOOP measures your body's data over 100 times a second to provide personalized feedback on your recovery, strain, and sleep.
Near, far, wherever you are, you'll want to grab your gym partner and give this a try. If you manage it, post it on Instagram for a chance to win some prizes.
Congratulations to Jordan Phillips from CrossFit OSC in Greer, SC on the 500 pound/227kg front squat PR.
Congratulations to Kehly Stolz from CrossFit LoLo in Langford, British Columbia on hitting a post-surgery clean PR of 145 pounds/65.5kg.
Dusty Hyland from DogTown CrossFit in Los Angeles, CA does a 4 Front Squat + 2 Split Jerk complex at 280 pounds/127kg.
Hunter Holifield from Yune CrossFit in Picayune, MS hits 3 touch-and-go snatches at 275 pounds/124.5kg. Hunter placed 8th at the MACC last year, narrowly missing a rookie appearance at the CrossFit Games.
16-year-old Olivia Kerstetter cleans 250 pounds/113kg for a new PR. Shocker.
Congratulations to Norwich Fitness Center owner, Gina Ficchini from Norwich, CT on receiving an Equity Match Grant from the Connecticut Women’s Business Development Council, which is allowing her to expand the gym from its current 5,000 square foot home into a 40,000 square foot sports complex.
The Equity Match Program offers grants to women-owned businesses headquartered in Connecticut to support projects that will have a measurable impact on the business, its growth, and profitability. According to WTNH, 98 businesses have received grants from this program since 2020; ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 each, they total nearly $1mil.
Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz says: “We want to encourage any women-owned business that would like to grow and expand [,or] pivot to please apply.”
Ficchini is planning a Grand Opening in the spring.
This email may contain affiliate links. We make a small commision off of purchases made via our affiliate links to help support this newsletter. If you no longer wish to receive the Morning Chalk Up newsletter, unsubscribe here.
