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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition was chalked up while chowing down on some Franklin’s BBQ in honor of Texas Independence Day.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You are either learning, growing and getting stronger, OR, you are going the other way, you are not staying the same.” — Colin Eagen, reader
17.2 LIVE
WHO?
We’re back to a single matchup this week and it’s between Kari Pearce and Kristi Eramo, the fifth and eighth fittest women in the world. They’re going to be dueling 17.2 out at Rogue HQ in Columbus, OH starting at 5PM Pacific.
THINGS TO KNOW.
Kari Pearce is a 2x CrossFit Games athlete and a former collegiate gymnast and national champion. She qualified for the CrossFit Games in her first year. She currently sits second in the North East region.
Kristi Eramo is a CrossFit Games rookie and a former collegiate swimmer. She’s an accountant by day – just like Brent Fikowski – and her mom Donna also competed at the CrossFit Games last year and placed 10th in the 55-59 Master’s division. She currently sits in 3rd in the Central East region.
HOW DO I WATCH LIVE?
CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX
Both Alexis Johnson and Chyna Cho agreed that this was a terrible WOD. Jenn Jones will be doing 17.2 live on Facebook tonight. Marcus Fillywithdraws from the CrossFit Open to prioritize time with his family and newborn baby girl Noa. Will Moorad also announces his withdrawal from the 2017 Games season. Lucas Parker changes regions to Canada East and will compete with athletes like Mathew Fraser and Patrick Vellner. This is what it looks like to do chest-to-bar pullups from above.
WHAT TO SHOW YOUR COWORKER WHO’S BEEN OBSESSING OVER HER WEIGHT…
This photo that illustrates the difference between fat and muscle and how the number on the scale doesn’t tell the whole story.
THINGS TO…
WATCH: Colin Burns’ Road to the Arnold
The 94kg American record holder in the snatch and 2014 USA Weightlifting National Championship gold medalist, Colin Burns is on his way to compete at the Arnold Sports Festival, chasing after the much coveted Arnold Champion. Oh and he gets bonus style points for his magnificent beard.
BURN BABY BURN.
BURN BABY BURN.
HEAR: Dusty Hyland
WODcast Podcast sits down with Dusty Hyland, the longtime coach, athlete and affiliate owners to talk about everything from social media’s affect on CrossFit, Instagram athletes, the affect the Open has on running a gym, doing CrossFit 10+ years, training as you age, and keeping CrossFit interesting.
GRAB YOUR HEADPHONES.
GRAB YOUR HEADPHONES.
EAT: Pumpkin Seed & Avocado Pesto Chicken Salad
Smash between two pieces of bread or just by itself, this midday meal looks ahhhmazing and of course it’s healthy too. If you’re looking for something new to add to your food prep, this recipe is easy to follow and stores well for the week.
I’M HANGRY.
I’M HANGRY.
CHALK UP AFFILIATES
*** There’s still time to register your affiliate for the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate Challenge and compete against some of the top affiliates around the country. ***
Members of Vette City CrossFit in Bowling Green, KY joined local firefighters to raise money for a member who suffered a spinal cord injury while skiing in West Virginia.
Molly Metz owns CrossFit Mad Hops in Louisville, CO. The Boulder native is a five-time world jump rope champion, coaches her own competitive jump rope team and has taught jump rope seminars at more than 500 affiliates.
CHALK UP READS
Whether or not you’re a CrossFitter, you may be aware the the CrossFit Open is currently going on. The CrossFit Open leads happens at affiliates and in home-gyms around the country. Anyone can sign up for the Open. Open-level competition leads individuals to regional-level competition (“Regionals”) and then onto the CrossFit Games, which you may have seen or heard about. Games athletes are very highly regarded and it some ways are fitness stars in their own right. If you’d like to know more about the CrossFit Games, I encourage you to watch The Fittest on Earth on Netflix. The Open is inclusive and gives you the opportunity to compete against where you were last year. It’s about setting your own benchmarks and having fun.
As long-time readers will know, I used to be fat. Not just kinda-fat, but morbidly obese. At 19 years old, my weight teetered near 250 lbs. As a sophomore to junior in college, I lost a significant amount of weight and began to change my life. Despite this significant change, it was not combined with enough of a lifestyle change for it to stick. While my weight never ballooned back to the size, I did not maintain my lowest weight of 127 lbs. Eventually my weight held at about 150 lbs.
“Make Mental Strength Your Strongest Skill” by Gameplan A
Much like a conditioning coach focuses on muscles to perform, a mental skills coach looks at what can be done with the mind to aid performance. This is the expertise of Gilbert Enoka who just kicked off his 17th year as the mental skills specialist for the New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks. Known for their world-beating mental strength, the team has set a record with their three World Cup titles.
With his holistic approach to mental toughness, Enoka helps the current world champions to perform in big moments – but his insights on tapping to the mind’s potential go beyond the pitch.
Let’s talk brain power: What does it take to be an All Black?