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Next Gen Documentary Review by Brian Friend

 
Morning Chalk Up

July 4   |   POWERED BY

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • Exclusive review of Next Gen, the documentary about the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games
  • The Mayhem Athlete nation continues to grow and grow
  • Chris Pratt did a famous CrossFit workout to prepare for The Terminal List
  • Lauren Kalil talks to Brian Friend on The Bottom Line about new documentary
 
QUOTE OF THE DAY + Send us a Quote

“There are glimpses of heaven to us in every act, or thought, or word, that raises us above ourselves.” - Robert Quillen

 
CROSSFIT GAMES
  Next Gen Film Review: New Look or More of the Same?  

Next Gen Film Review: New Look or More of the Same?

The 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games are about a month away, but tomorrow, fans of the sport can whet their appetites and relive the 2021 Games through the lens of Mariah Moore in her second solo endeavor at the helm of a  CrossFit Games documentary.

Moore was on tap in a variety of roles in previous iterations, and then took the reins on her own for the 2018 film that was released last year.

The details: The film is titled Next Gen, but that phrase is not so much representative of the theme of this documentary, but rather an allusion to a question about the emerging next generation of CrossFit athletes and whether they’re ready to take over the pinnacle of the competition landscape at the Games.

The film both opens and closes with well-written and well delivered voice overs by Patrick Cummings, who you may recognize from several endeavors, including a variety of podcasts over the years including a brief stint with the Morning Chalk Up and a more entrenched role for podcasts with Ben Bergeron for CompTrain.

His voice overs are the driving force for the question accompanying the title, and there is an effort to check back in with that theme at times during the nearly two hour film, however, nothing from Cummings.

Perhaps one or two more of his voice overs at strategic moments throughout the middle of the film would have been appropriate to help keep the focus on the question that drives the film from the title forward.

Ultimately, the answer to that question is abundantly obvious throughout the film, which focuses primarily on the top three men and the top four women from last year’s CrossFit Games. Five of the seven of which are “old guard,” and all seven of whom had been on the podium prior to the 2021 Games.

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Founding Fathers, Fireworks, Freedom, and FITAID

Founding Fathers, Fireworks, Freedom, and FITAID

It’s Happy Birthday America day and here at Morning Chalk Up we’re going to be celebrating with good food, great friends, and some ice cold FITAID…and tequila.

But if you’re looking at tonight’s activities and terrified about how you’re going to survive the rest of the week, don’t worry, we have you covered.

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SPEED READS

In case you missed it: Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Morning Chalk Up founder Justin LoFranco about whether or not they think CrossFit has a vision.

Drug testing update: CrossFit has released a statement notifying that Stephen Wallace of Blues City CrossFit Gold provided a sample that contained ostarine at the Syndicate Crown on May 22, and that Toby Johnson of Koda CrossFit United provided a sample that contained a metabolite of GW1516 at the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge on May 29.

Try out the LCQ: Want to do the Last Chance Qualifier workouts, but you’re not competing in them? We’ve got you covered as we’ve scaled the workouts, enjoy! 😅

Why we workout: A great video here posted on CrossFit’s Instagram page reminding us why we do what we do and live the lives we choose to live.

Get ready for WZA: Wodapalooza 2023 in Miami is starting to heat up as registration for the the two-week Individual Online Challenge and Qualifier opens on Monday, July 18, 2022, with multiple workouts released.

Cutting the C’s: Interesting read about what a caloric deficit is, and what it means for your body.

 
CROSSFIT GAMES
  Mayhem Nation: Semifinals Strength in Numbers  

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Mayhem Nation: Semifinals Strength in Numbers

Fans tuning into the live coverage of Semifinals this season may have noticed an abundance of athletes on the competition floor sporting near identical shirts and tank tops throughout the various weekends. Anyone familiar with the sport immediately recognized that those athletes hadn’t actually planned to match their outfits, but in fact were representing the Mayhem Athlete brand that took the Semifinals stage by storm with an overwhelming number of athletes competing under their banner.

More than 175 athletes across all divisions represented the Mayhem Athlete program to varying degrees during Semifinals both in-person and virtually, making it by far the most forward facing program in terms of sheer athlete numbers at this stage of competition.

  • A total of 90 individual athletes, and 50 age group athletes competed during the Semifinal stages that follow Mayhem Athlete. The number may continue to grow as more athletes under the program follow-up to provide feedback through Mayhem Athlete surveys.
  • 34 teams in the Affiliate Cup either follow Mayhem Athlete programming, or have individuals competing on their roster that follow the program as well.

We think the presence of Semifinals and the Games proves even more that what Mayhem Athlete does works, our athletes work incredibly hard year round, and they showcased how fit they are getting at every stage of this CF Games Season so far,” commented Jake Lockert, Director of Mayhem Athlete. “We couldn’t be more proud of how well our athletes work, prepare and compete on game day.”

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PROFILE
  The Terminal List Star Chris Pratt Repeatedly Did CrossFit’s Murph to Prepare for Gritty Series  

The Terminal List Star Chris Pratt Repeatedly Did CrossFit’s Murph to Prepare for Gritty Series

Chris Pratt’s new series, “The Terminal List,” hit Amazon on July 30 and put him in the shoes of a Navy SEAL. In order to truly prepare for this role, Pratt did some intense training which included repeated attempts at The Murph Challenge.

The details: Former Navy SEAL Jared Shaw, who plays Ernest “Boozer” Vickers, told Men’s Health for the cover story that Pratt had to be in “combat shape” to play the show’s main character. He needed to be able to drag a body, sprint while in full kit, seamlessly switch weapons platforms, and do close quarters combat while wearing nothing but a pair of underwear.

  • Shaw noted that Pratt did Murph several times over the course of training to prepare for this role. The actor also made Men’s Health writer Mickey Rapkin do it as well as part of the cover story interview process.

An annual tradition: Tackling The Murph Challenge numerous times is not something that Pratt did solely for his role as a Navy SEAL. He has done the Hero workout over the years with a variety of companions, including John Krasinski from Amazon’s “Jack Ryan” series.

  • Sometimes Pratt works out in a group, other times he does Murph in a hotel gym while on the road. One attempt took place in a farmhouse in Georgia as Pratt filmed “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”
  • The 2019 iteration of the Murph Challenge took place at Unbreakable Performance. Pratt joined forces with Shaw, NFL insider Jay Glazer, former Green Beret Nate Boyer, multiple retired NFL players, and many others as they all tested themselves.
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INDUSTRY
  The Terminal List Star Chris Pratt Repeatedly Did CrossFit’s Murph to Prepare for Gritty Series  

Watch Now...
 
LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER

The final qualifying event for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games is in the books as the Last Chance Qualifier wrapped up Friday afternoon. The top two athletes in each division will receive the final spots in the Individual Games fields. Here are the unofficial results for the virtual competition as of Friday at 4pm PT:

Individual Men

  1. Timothy Paulson
  2. Jonne Koski

Individual Women

  1. Arielle Loewen
  2. Elena Carratala Sanahuja
 
THINGS TO...
 

...KNOW

Is This The Start of a New Dynasty?

Will there be a Mullet on top of the podium again? Is there a new Panchik in the race? Will a certain Brazilian have something to say about it? Lauren Kalil sat down with Jacob Heppner and Adrian Conway to discuss how competitive the elite men's division is and how this is a good indicator of what it means for the future of the sport.

WHO'S YOUR PICK?
     

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...DO

Three Ab Exercises That Aren't Boring

Ab exercises are essential in any program, but there's a problem...they're super boring. Here are some exercises you can try that will keep your mind occupied as well as your abs.

STOP PLANKING AROUND.
     
 

...GRAB

Free Steaks For a Year

The search for high-quality meat ends here. Amazing taste. Humanely raised. Delivered to your door. Sign up today and get two delicious, 100% grass-fed ribeyes for free in every box for a year.

LETS GET GRILLIN'.
     
 

...MAKE

Over 50 Healthy Recipes for Your Fourth of July Celebration

Don't be the person who brings their own Tupperware to the Fourth of July party. No-one likes that person. Instead, here are some healthier versions of the recipes you know and love so you can let loose without losing progress.

HAPPY FOURTH.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🎂 Happy birthday, Andrea Nisler.
  • Congratulations to USA weightlifter Maddison Pannell from California Strength on taking first at Nationals with this 192 pound/87kg snatch PR.
  • Congratulations Michael Michaelides, Owner of CrossFit Downtown Atlanta in Atlanta, GA, on the post-surgery clean PR.
  • 😱 Bronislaw Olenkowicz from Poland completed a 287 pound/130kg snatch + overhead squat in last weekend’s French Throwdown.
  • Here’s a genius idea for parents this Independence Day.
 
LOCAL COMPETITIONS + Submit an Event
3/23: Masters Distinguished Games (Fort Wright, KY)
3/23: CFL Teen Take Over (Lorton, VA)
3/23: The Phoenix hosts Hero WOD “Dork” (Boston, MA)
3/23 - 3/24: Beach Brawl (Spring) (Pensacola Beach, FL)
4/6: Two Peas in a Pod: Mixed Gender Partner Comp (Burlington, MA)
4/6 - 4/7: SeaDog Summer Showdown (Jupiter, Florida)
4/6: Girls Gone Rx Minnesota (Austin, Minnesota)
4/6: Girls Gone Rx Kentucky (Richmond, Kentucky)
4/6: Girls Gone Rx Ohio (Lancaster, Ohio)
4/6: Best Babes Decatur (Decatur, Alabama)
4/6: Best Babes 608 (Janesville, Wisconsin)
4/6: Best Babes South Carolina (Beufort, South Carolina)
4/6: Best Babes Houston (Houston, Texas)
4/6: Best Babes Wyoming (Cheyene, Wyoming)
4/6: War Off I-4 (Deland, FL)
4/6 - 4/7: No Pain No Game (Legnano, Italy)
4/6 - 4/7: Shack Team Edition (Rome, Italy)
4/6: Best Babes South Carolina (Beaufort, SC)
4/6: Best Babes Decatur (Decatur, AL)
4/6 - 4/7: Landifornian Battle (Seignosse, France)
4/6: Best Babes Tampa (Tampa, Florida)
4/13: Queens of Oly East Tennessee (Bulls Gap, TN)
4/13: Queens of Oly Rockledge (Rockledge, FL)
4/13: Fittest on Main (Boaz, AL)
4/19 - 4/21: Crash Crescendo (Spartanburg, SC)
4/20: Barbells For Bullies: Community Workout Savannah (Savnnah, Georgia, US)
4/20: Festivus Games @ CrossFit Plattsburgh (Plattsburgh, NY)
4/20: Festivus Games @ CrossFit Masiphumelele (Kommetjie, Cape Town, South Africa)
4/20: Festivus Games (Goderich, Canada)
4/20: Festivus Games (Clermont, FL)
4/20: Festivus Games @ The Gym – CrossFit Kilo (Cedar Falls, IA)
4/20: Festivus Games @ CBM Sirens (Caledonia, MS)
4/20: Festivus Games @ Coyote Valley (San Jose, CA)
4/20: The Fittest 4 (Sunshine Coast, Australia)
4/20: Embrace the Challenge (Mentor, Ohio)
4/20: Festivus Games @ CrossFit Pagosa (Pagosa Springs, CO)
4/20: First EVER Adaptive Festivus Games Competition (Waterford, United States)
4/20: Festivus Games (WAUKESHA, WI)
4/20 - 4/21: BGR Contest Spring Edition (Bergerac, France)
4/20 - 4/21: Okanagan Valley Throwdown (Penticton, British Columbia, Canada)
4/20 - 4/21: Okanagan Valley Throwdown (Penticton, British Columbia)
4/25 - 5/12: Raised by Grace (Virtual, )
4/26 - 4/28: Crash Crescendo (Spartanburg, SC)
4/27: Cap Crown Throwdown (Gladstone, Australia)
4/28: 249 Spring Throwdown (Sittingbourne, Kent, England)
5/4: CHLKDUP Classic (Nashville, TN)
5/4: Masters Equalizer Co-Ed Team of 4 Comp (Oceanport, United States)
5/4: The Battle on Bedford (Lynchburg, VA)
5/4 - 5/5: Pavia Spring Challenge ’24 (Pavia, Italy)
5/4 - 5/5: Italian Bulls Games (Lido di Ostia, Italy)
5/4: Team Challenge Texas (San Antonio, Texas)
5/4: The Strong and Courageous (Cullman, Alabama)
5/11 - 5/12: Finest City Weightlifting Open – Presented by The Strength Tank (San Diego, CA)
5/11: True Fitness Trials (Cherry Hill, NJ)
5/11: Queens of Oly Hawaii (Wailuku, Hawaii)
5/11: Queens of Oly Hudson (Hudson, NY)
5/11: Queens of Oly Philadelphia (West Chester, Philadelphia)
5/18: Thrive Throwdown (Lynchburg, VA)
5/18: Imperial CrossFit’s Spring Fit Fest (Kent, WA)
5/18 - 5/19: The Rainhill Spring Trials (Manchester, UK)
5/18: Luminate the Day (Nonprofit comp for Windy Willow Foundation) (Grand Rapids, MI)
5/18: Girls Gone Rx Chicago (Alsip, Illinois)
5/18: Girls Gone Rx Wilmington (Wilmington, North Carolina)
5/18: Girls Gone Rx San Antonio (San Antonio, Texas)
5/18: Girls Gone RX Wilmington (Wilmington, NC)
5/18: Code 3 Clash (Eagle, ID)

See all upcoming events

 
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