Your Coffee is ready.
Happy (actual) Friday and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while drinking an extra cup of the CrossFit blend because apparently we thought yesterday was Friday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Achievements on this earth are rarely 100% in our control…Make your goal to be a larger ‘why’ that can be applied as a foundation for every circumstance. When you lose sight of it, go back to your why for starting…If your goal is your ‘why’, then you can achieve that each and every day, no matter where you are.” — Madi Mansberger, 12 Labours CrossFit and U.S. Naval Academy student
THE MAX LIFTS ARE BACK
WHAT HAPPENED?
Last night, Dave Castro released two Invitational events: a 1RM clean and jerk and a 1RM snatch, and a handstand walk relay.
THAT SHOULD BE FUN TO WATCH
Darn right it should. For years, the CrossFit Games included a max clean and jerk and in 2014 they added both lifts to the Invitational. Remember when Rich Froning snatched 305 pounds?
But don’t give all the credit to Rich, there are some seriously heavy lifters. Brooke Wells recently hit a 240 pound clean and jerk and snatched 215 pounds before the Games. Michele Letendre snatched 200 in the Liftoff.Ben Smith regularly pushes beyond a 360 pound clean and jerk. Oh and Tia-Clair Toomey went to the Olympics this summer to…wait for it…represent Australia in Olympic Weightlifting.
ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?
This is Michele Letendre’s last CrossFit competition. She’s retiring. And this is how you can watch the CrossFit Invitational on Sunday.
CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX
Congrats to Carleen Mathews for joining the Rx Smart Gear team. Something tells us that it’s gonna be pretty tough to beat the Texas A&M gymnastics team’s Mannequin Challenge submission. Sara Sigmundsdottir predicts a victory for Europe. Sam Dancer cleans 405 pounds post injury. Jackie Perez gives an elephant a bath.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Jamie Greene – AKA the winner of the 2016 CrossFit Open – step outside of the box a little and explore London with vlogger Jamie and the Jam.
Lots of CrossFit Invitational training videos from Toronto, like Katrin Davidsdottir snatching 187 pounds, synchronized muscle-ups with Kara Webb and Tia-Clair Toomey, a bearded Rich Froning and Team USA cycling some heavish snatches, and Sara Sigmundsdottir and Tia Toomey playing a mean game of rock, paper, scissors.
WHAT WE’RE REWATCHING
Mattie Rogers’ gold medal 291 pound clean and jerk in slow motion.
CHALK UP READS
“Graham and Savanna Holmberg: From Fittest Man, to Faith and Family” by Julie Foucher
“Graham Holmberg, 2010 Fittest Man on Earth and six-time CrossFit Games athlete, along with his wife Savanna have built a positive, healthy and faithful community at their affiliate CrossFit Hilliard – Eleventh Element in Ohio…The mission of their affiliate is ‘To positively impact the lives of as many people as possible and use CrossFit as a platform.’
“It has been a journey for sure. I feel like it’s such a great way to build a marriage in a sense of supporting, but then it’s also frustrating because in a sense [you know] he’s doing it for the family, but it seems all about you at some times. So you really have to learn how to sacrifice and really support him 100% because he is doing it for the family. It’s definitely tough; it’s definitely tough…at the last Games that he went to I was actually due on the last day of the Games [2015].”
“The Invictus Mind with CJ Martin” by the Airborne Mind Show
CJ Martin is the coach behind 40+ Games athletes including the likes ofLauren Fisher, Josh Bridges, and Rasmus Andersen. C.J. is fascinated with the role of the cerebral side in sport and fitness, which he actively uses to help his members overcome self doubt and perceived limitations to reach their full potential. The Invictus Mindset originated from everyday conversations that proved to be a vital role for the success of any program.
“Realize that you do have unlimited potential. It’s a process to create the strength and fortitude to find that. But nobody’s limited. You’re not limited by your job or your current lifestyle. If you want to find your end limits it’s available to do so with a little bit of coaching and a whole lot of hard work.”
CHALK UP AFFILIATES
Four Rivers CrossFit in Fruitland, Idaho is building their own facility from top to bottom, chalk full with a 1300 sq foot hot/cold yoga studio and more space for class participants. The expansion will make it one of the largest affiliates in Idaho.
Bowling Green, Kentucky based CrossFit R837 – which stands for Romans 8:37 – specializes in helping athletes whose mental health treatments include physical exercise.
True Story — A couple weeks back, we were actually doing a WOD next to this week’s athlete spotlight from CrossFit Nashville. We were using the same weights and she finished first. This ob/gyn mother of two is tough as nails.