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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while kicking back and enjoying a rest day.
P.S. Tell us your thoughts on the new email format.
3 days, 10 hours until the first CrossFit Open WOD is announced.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” — Thomas Jefferson
CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX
Rich Froning’s partner WOD: Teams of 2, 1000 wall balls 20 pounds and the ball can’t touch the ground. This is what it looks like to properly clean and jerk 440 pounds. Because it hardly ever rains in California, this is what we consider an extreme weather workout. Greg Glassman is calling on Congress to investigate how donations from big soda impact government funded research. Thuri Helgadottir now holds all the Icelandic weightlifting records for the 63kg class after hitting a 185 pound snatch this weekend. Alyssa Ritchey became just the fourth 53kg U.S. woman to clean and jerk double bodyweight.
HOW DO BEN BERGERON’S ATHLETES STRUCTURE THE OPEN?
If you approach the CrossFit Open with a 7 out of 10 intensity and focus level, this might be relevant to you. Coach Ben Bergeron walks through how his competitive athletes structure their training to maximize performance during the five week competition.
THINGS TO…
WATCH: Power Rankings Team Edition
The third and final (we think) set of power rankings scores the teams from the 17 regions to determine which region is the most competitive and how hard it is to qualify for the CrossFit Games.
POWER RANKINGS.
HEAR: Why Good Athletes Fall Apart During Competition
It turns out there is a big difference between saying “I don’t want to do bad today” and “I want to perform my best today”. That may sound like some feel good nonsense but the truth is, our inner game plays a huge role in how we show up- in competition, in our relationships, and in pretty much all aspects of life.
TELL ME WHY.
TELL ME WHY.
DO: Capital City Open 2017
Washington, D.C.’s own USAW sanctioned weightlifting meet is open to all current USAW registered athletes. Lifting off on April 9, 2017. Spectator tickets only cost $5.
GRAB YOUR SINGLET.
GRAB YOUR SINGLET.
EAT: A Lotta Enchilada
Ambitious Kitchen’s “Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas with Avocado Lime Crema” might be exactly what you need right before the CrossFit Open. Our philosophy: a happy, well-rested body will make your Open more enjoyable.
FEED ME.
FEED ME.
INSPIRE: Bullied No More
10-year-old Milla Bizzotto recently joined dozens of CrossFit athletes as they attempted to break 62 World Records. Her journey started on a schoolyard playground where she was bullied. “I didn’t want anyone else to go through what I did. I want to set an example and show other kids that they can do or be anything they want.”
STAND UP.
STAND UP.
CHALK UP AFFILIATES
AFFILIATE STORIES: OUR NAME | CrossFit Delirium — Eatontown, NJ
“The name stems from two distinct experiences I personally had with CrossFit. After experiencing my first CrossFit workout and my very first heavy lift I got a feeling I couldn’t describe. I quickly associated that feeling with a state of being delirious. This lead to naming the box CrossFit Delirium. I felt that if the members learned how to mirror the intensity that the work out of the day calls for, they too would feel delirious.”
CrossFit Proper in Corona, CA shows us what community and working together is all about.
CHALK UP READS
We went back up the stairs and strapped ourselves into the rowing machines. Just before the workout started, Coach looked at me and said, “Kid, be careful walking down the stairs.” Are you kidding me? Why on earth would I need to be careful on a simple staircase? In a booming voice, Coach announced the start of the workout: “3, 2, 1, go!” Mike and I ripped into the rowing machines.
I wanted to beat this guy. I wanted to beat this guy bad. My cop ego made this even more heated. I not only wanted to beat him in this 1,000- meter row, but I wanted to make it look like it didn’t fatigue me in the least, that crushing him in this workout was a breeze.
With regrettable form, I eked out the last of the 12 pull-ups. It was a freezing, foggy day in the coastal town of Santa Cruz, but I was burning up, ready to puke, pass out, or both. I crumbled into a heap at the bottom of the stairs, in the corner of the gym. Coach Glassman came over.
“Ready for that second round?”
“Why the CrossFit Open is the Best Time of the Year” by PurePharma
Assuming you don’t live under a rock, you know the CrossFit Open is just a few short weeks away — the annual competition in which any CrossFit athlete on the planet can compare themselves to the rest of the world. For many this is the peak of their season, the “why” behind all the workouts, the ripping of hands, sore muscles, the hours at the box, working mobility, spending time stretching, food prepping and so much more.
My top 5 reasons why the CrossFit Open is the best time of the year.