Rogue Invitational Makes First Event Announcement

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is brought to you by Brute Strength.



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“You have to remember something: Everyone pities the weak. Jealousy you have to earn.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

GAMES PREDICTIONS.

Do Fraser’s and Sigmundsdottir’s Dominant Open Performances Forecast Games Championships?

While score verification is still underway and will be for a few more weeks, Mathew Fraser and Sara Sigmundsdottir are the unofficial winners of the 2019 CrossFit Open.

Here’s a quick look at their week by week performances:

Fraser: 59th, 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 1st — 66 total points overall

Sigmundsdottir: 6th, 5th, 2nd, 23rd, 5th — 41 total points overall

Keep this in mind: Neither Fraser nor Sigmundsdottir were required to do the Open in order to go to the CrossFit Games.  Both won a Sanctional earlier this year: Fraser won Dubai and Sigmundsdottir won Strength in Depth. However, both could improve their seed at the Games by performing well in the Open.

A look back on past Open Winners: Does winning the Open mean you’re going to win the CrossFit Games?

• Of the 16 Open Winners, seven went on to win the CrossFit Games. However, Fraser and Rich Froning account for five of the seven wins. The other two were Sam Briggs (2013) and Annie Thorisdottir (2011).
• The other Open Winners ranged in Games finishes between 4th and 13th, with a DNQ from Sam Briggs (2014) and Jamie Greene going Team (2016).
• In fact, of all the past 48 Top 3 overall Open athletes, just 35% of them made the Games individual podium in the same year (note, there were a few instances where some of these athletes went Team).
• The Open and the Games are also vastly different competitions. The Open is spread out over five weeks where athletes get to choose their environment and conditions in which they will perform each workout (as many times as they like). The Games on the other hand is contested in a 4 – 5 day span against the best in the world with multiple events each day, which are all one-and-done.
• So will it be different in 2019? Turns out Open success is not the best indicator of whether an athlete will win the CrossFit Games, let alone get on the podium.

…But let’s not forget, the 2019 is unlike every other Open in that it’s a direct qualifier for the CrossFit Games. One implication is that scores are more directly comparable because top athletes are taking every workout more seriously.

Continue reading…

Things To…

WATCH: A Day of Eating with Cole Sager

Cole Sager spent the day documenting everything he eats during a normal training day. He breaks down his macros for each meal, discusses nutrient timing, and explains how he eats to perform on a daily basis. 

A DAY OF FOOD. 

HEAR: Skills vs. Strength with Dr. Nick Sorrel

Head of Brute Gymnastics Dr. Nick Sorrel joins the Brute Strength podcast to dissect some of the more advanced movements, the differences between strength and skill and how each plays a role in improving your performance.

GYMNASTICS IS KEY.

GET: Help With Your Gymnastics 

Everyone can improve their gymnastics. If it’s getting your first muscle-up or stringing 20 toes-to-bar together, we all love to hate to work on gymnastics, right? With the Invictus online Gymnastics program, you get three days a week of supplemental work to improve your gymnastics.

CHECK IT OUT.

EAT: Healthy Blueberry Muffins

This recipe for healthy blueberry muffins is one you can feel good about eating. Made with a mix of almond flour and oat flour, these blueberry oatmeal muffins are gluten free, dairy free and packed with nutritious ingredients.

A CLASSIC BAKED GOOD.

Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is brought to you by

Chalk Up Community

• FAITH RX’D FUNDRAISER FOR BECKY — Steamboat CrossFit is hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, April 13 in honor of Becky Conzelman, founder of FAITH RX’D, who passed away on April 6. 
• WIN A MONTH OF MEAT — In honor of the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge coming up, CrossFit Invictus and Laura’s Lean are holding a giveaway. To be entered to win a full month of meat, follow both companies on Instagram, post your meal prep and tag them in the post. 
• FUNDRAISER FOR DRAMATHERAPY — The British Association of Dramatherapists is holding an event at CrossFit 606 in Bradford, UK. The event kicks off Friday, April 19 will be a 10 to 25 minute workout every hour, with a family event on Saturday with face painting, balloon animals, raffle prizes and cakes to close out the 24-hour WOD-athon.
• 200 MINUTES OF CARDIO FOR A CAUSE — CrossFit Core KTown in Kenora, ON is holding a 200-minute cardio session at Crossfit Core K-town on Saturday, June 8 as part of a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Manitoba.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Lauren Fisher clean and jerks 243 pounds for a PR • Regan Huckaby gets a 257 pound clean and jerk PR • Jamie Hagiya snatches 205 pounds for a PR • Paige Sousa hits a 185 pound snatch balance PR.

Maddy Curley’s New Book — Maddy Curley wrote a book called “One Hotplate Two Dumbbells” and it’s out now for $9.95. “For anyone who’s ever asked me for a hotel workout, this has the perfect options. It has 10 warm ups too.” 

— Curley is “looking for men and women to do before and after pictures with it, like a 30 day challenge and give me feedback.”

First Announced Event from Rogue Invitational — Josh Bridges made the first event announcement for the Rogue Invitational in Columbus, OH May 17 – 19. The first event on Sunday morning is a Concept2 Biathlon. 

CrossFit Games Ticket Sale Live — Ticket sales for the 2019 CrossFit Games are now live. 

— Get Pumped: Turn the volume up and watch this CrossFit Games video before you head in for your WOD. 

“The Team Loophole and the Rise of Super, Super Teams,” by Justin LoFranco, Morning Chalk Up 

Anytime a sport changes the rules, there are going to be some unintended consequences for better or worse; it’s just a part of making large scale changes to the qualification process. It’s unavoidable.

One of these unintended consequences is the team roster loophole. Here it is from Section 4.05 of the Rulebook:

“A team’s six (6) members must comprise the four (4) athletes who competed at the Sanctionals competition on the same team, plus two (2) alternates (one man and one woman).”

There’s more “…the team may select only from among those six members to field a team at the Games” and “If an athlete is listed on a Games team roster, that athlete is not eligible to compete on another team.”

Now for the important part.

“If a member of a team also earns a qualifying spot as an individual athlete and elects to compete as an individual, the team must use its alternate to fill the remaining team spot.”

4/1 – 4/11: The Liege Throwdown Online Qualifiers (Herstal, Belgium)

4/10 – 4/24: Granite Games Online Qualifier (Online)

4/11 – 4/14: CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown Online Qualifier (Online)

4/12: Throwdown in Joe Town (Saint Joseph, MO)

4/12 – 4/13: Capstone Caveman Clash and Cook Off (Lubbock, TX)

4/12 – 4/14: Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge (Washington, D.C.)

4/12 – 4/14: Athens Throwdown (Athens, Greece)

4/13: The Craic Throwdown (Norwood, MA)

4/13: Capacidad De Dos Amigos (San Antonio, TX)

4/13: Warrior Affiliate League Deuces Wild (Chino, CA)

4/13: Battle of the Ages (Pineville, NC)

4/13: 5th Annual Battle for the Mountain (Dawsonville, GA)

4/13: The Requisite Masters Classic (Philadelphia, PA)

4/13: HandSTANDUP for Haiti (Smyrna, TN)

4/13: WOD Wars Fit Fest (Dunedin, FL)

4/13: CFL Loganville Lockdown (Loganville, GA)

4/13: CrossFit Katy Team Classic (Katy, TX)

4/13: Rescue Road: Obstacle Course Event (Alpharetta, GA)

4/13: Quad Wars at CrossFit Adversary (Williamstown, NJ)

4/13: First Annual McClaren Cup (Rio Rancho, NM)

4/13: Garage Girls 2019 Tour at CrossFit Grit (St. Simons Island, GA)

4/13 – 4/14: Freakin Throwdown 6 (Miramar, FL)

4/13: Burden Games at CrossFit Morgantown (Morgantown, WV)

4/13: Bryan Hall Memorial WOD (Frisco, TX)

4/14: To Hill and Back 2019 (Albemarle, NC)

4/15 – 4/27: Top Of The Box Online Qualifier (Clarksville, TN)

4/19 – 5/1: CrossFit French Throwdown Individual Online Qualifier (Online)

4/20: The Wodfather VII 2019 (Keller, TX)

4/20: Rookie Rumble at Bucktown CrossFit (Chicago, IL)

4/20: Barnyard Throwdown (Ohatchee, AL)

4/26: Rookie Rivalry at CrossFit Nashua (Nashua, NH)

4/26 – 4/27: Gameday Competition (Mankato, MN) 

4/26 – 4/28: CrossFit Italian Showdown (Milan, Italy)

4/26 – 4/28: The Sun Coast Fitness Festival (Kwa-Zulu Natal, SA)

4/27: 4th Annual Spring Fever Partner Masters Comp (Souderton PA)

4/27: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit KOA (Cranford, NJ)

4/27: The Gnardog Challenge (Reedley, CA)

4/27: Festivus Games (Worldwide)

4/27: Raising the Bar for Charlotte (Medina, OH)

4/27 – 4/29: Asia CrossFit Championship (Shanghai, China)

4/27: Autism Rocks and Rows (San Clemente, CA)

4/27: Garage Games Xs and Ys (Hiram, GA)

4/27: The Explode Individual Classic (West Chester, PA)

4/27: Fast Times at West Tech High (Las Vegas, NV)

4/27: Tyler’s Voice CrossFit Competition (Jefferson City, TN)

4/27: SWFL Sharks Semi-Pro Grid Combine (Cape Coral, FL)

4/27: Explode’s Independent Classic (West Chester, FL)

4/27: Festivus Games at Crossfit Sav-up (Petaluma, CA)

4/27: 4th annual Apple Town Throwdown (Cornelia,GA)

4/27: Kettlebells for Cojones (Montgomery, TX)

4/27: Spring Fever Partner Master Competition (Souderton, PA)

4/27: Best of the Midwest Team Series Part 1 (Westfield, IN)

4/27: Officer Christopher Goddell Memorial WOD (Walkdwick, NJ)

4/27: Pose Method Run RX Course (Lake Havasu City, AZ)

4/27: Battle of the Boxes (Newport,KY)

4/27: 2019 Pensacola Beach Brawl (Pensacola, FL) 

4/27: Festivus Games at Camel City Crossfit (Winston-Salem, NC)

4/27: Festivus Games at CrossFit LaCrosse (LaCrosse, WI)

4/27: 2019 Growler Games (Lexington, NC)

5/3 – 5/4: Tough As Nails (Lubbock, TX)

5/3 – 5/5 The Fittest Experience (Austin, TX)

5/3 – 5/5: Appalachian Games (Asheville, NC)

5/4: 2nd Annual Heavy Day Morgan (Oak Ridge, TN)

5/4: Battle at the Lab 2019 Cinco De Mayo (Clarksville, TN)

5/4: Border Open Part V (El Paso, TX)

5/4: Desert Warrior (Scottsdale, AZ)

5/4: The Jurassic Classic (Kennewick, WA)

5/4: Lifto De Mayo 2019 (Eagan, MN)

5/4: Rookie Rumble Pittsburgh at Arsenal Strength (Pittsburgh, PA)

5/4: Girls Gone RX Delaware (Middletown, DE)

5/4: Black and Brewed 2019 (Huntsville, AL)

5/4: Row for Wishes (Telluride, CO)

5/4: The Locomotive Games IV (Youngstown, OH)

5/4: Breaking Boundaries Competition (Greer, SC)

5/10: Beast Mode Games 2019 (Greenville, SC)

5/11: 2019 Moco Throwdown (Bethesda, MD)

5/11: Butchertown Cleaver Classic (Louisville, KY)

5/11: Girls on Girls X (Bridgeport, PA)

5/11: Battle of the Gulf Coast (Port Neches, TX)

5/11: Femme Royale So Cal (Orange, CA)

5/11: Squat for Guate (Hickory, NC)

5/18 – 5/19: Big Impact Games (Kaukauna, WI)

5/18: 2019 Barbells in the Burbs Team Comp (Carol Stream, IL)

5/18: 2019 Tough Temple CrossFit Super Total (Bethseda, MD)

5/18: Mad Hatter Games (Danbury, CT)

5/18: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit Chester Springs (Chester Springs, PA)

5/19: Heroes and Heroines Team Throwdown (Pawtucket, RI)