The 2019 CrossFit Games Rulebook is Here

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is powered by SteadyMD.

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“Nobody needs permission to be a good person. Nobody needs permission to do the right thing.” — Brian Chontosh

“Do not shy from discomfort,” Brian Chontosh runs the first Kelea Leadership Camp

What is the Kelea Foundation?

The Kelea Foundation’s Mission is to build communities that support the youth of Hawaii. Since 2015 they’ve had over 250 kids participate every week and they just opened their second location.

How do they do it?

And they do this through fitness. The Kelea foundation provides free programs at CrossFit Kekaha and CrossFit Poipu. Their website reads, “All programs are entirely free for kids. Every child deserves to grow up in a healthy environment, to belong, and to know they are loved.”

They are also the organizers behind the Ultimate Hawaiian Trail Run, the event that CrossFitters like the Dancers, Kelsey Kiel and Noah Ohlsen ran last September.

A new program.

But in 2018 they launched a new program: Keala Leadership Camp. Led by former Marine and CrossFitter Brian Chontosh, the group of high schoolers spent a weekend learning how to strengthen their emotional intelligence, practice self-awareness and accountability, and set up routines for success. “It’s not about how hard it is or what it is that’s hard. It’s about the choices you’re making when you’re presented with hard things,” Chontosh told the high schoolers.

And lots of team WODs.

There were partner WODs and team building exercises. The kids also got to learn more about nutrition and help prepare their own meals with Nick Massie of Paleo Meals.

At the end of the weekend, the kids got to share their take away.  “I learned I have to be more responsible for myself and stay accountable. I can’t just depend on everyone to do everything for me all the time,” said one participant.

That’s a win in our book.

GAMES NEWS

The 2019 CrossFit Games Rulebook Has Arrived.

Yesterday, CrossFit HQ released the much anticipated 2019 CrossFit Games Rulebook, which has drawn added scrutiny due to the breadth of changes introduced last summer and the fact that the 2019 Games season officially kicked off before the rulebook was released.

While you were busy at work making it rain, our Sr. Games Analyst Tommy Marquez scoured the new rulebook to bring you the CliffsNotes. Here are all the changes and how they will affect individual athletes, teams, and age group divisions during the 2019 season.

Coffee Break Conversations

Sorry babe, but today I met the actual love of my life…

You know how much we love the pups here at Morning Chalk Up. Meet Cece, a nine-week-old puppy who was attacked by another dog. She spent all day yesterday at the orthopedic vet getting her broken jaw reset. But now she’ll need to be syringe fed at every meal and that’s where you come in. The Love Pit, the organization managing her foster care, is hoping to raise $1,500 to cover her ongoing care.

It’s about to get ten thousand times hotter in your CrossFit box…

Richard Kline, the Fire Chief of Plymouth, MN just wrote an article in Firehouse Magazine titled “Firefighter Athletes Need Functional Fitness”. Kline pretty much makes an argument for CrossFit and lays out all the reasons why firefighters will benefit from it. All jokes aside, CrossFit has had a long standing relationship with law enforcement and first responders…because it’s been proven to work.

Things To…

WATCH: Tia-Clair Toomey and Shane Orr

In episode two of Just Getting Started, Tia-Clair Toomey reveals why she calls husband and coach Shane Orr her secret weapon. Shane speaks to how he trains Tia and still tries to manage their personal life.

A POWER COUPLE.

HEAR: Becca Voigt on AMRAP Mentality

Ten-time CrossFit Games veteran Becca Voigt joins Jason Khalipa on the AMRAP Mentality podcast to explain how the sport of CrossFit has evolved over the last decade. They discuss what kind of mindset it takes to overcome adversity, harness passion, and execute goals.

BUILD BETTER HUMANS. 

TRY: Free Four-Pack Sampler from O2

Looking to add a clean recovery beverage to your affiliate’s lineup? O2 is now shipping free four-pack samples to all U.S.-based affiliate owners so you can taste the O2 difference.

RESERVE YOURS.

EAT: Keto Breakfast Sandwiches

This recipe is a keto-friendly alternative to the golden arches McGriddle. Skip the drive-thru and all the added fast-food junk, and make your own. Gluten-free pancakes sandwich bacon, egg, and cheese for with hints of maple.

COPY CATS ARE COOL.

GET: Free Salmon from ButcherBox

Through the month of January only, new members get two pounds of free wild Alaskan sockeye salmon when they sign up for ButcherBox. ButcherBox delivers high quality meat right to your door and only carry humanely raised 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage breed pork, and now Wild-Caught Alaskan Sockeye Salmon.

SIGN US UP.

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• NATE WOD — From February 4 – 17, CrossFit boxes across the country will once again compete and raise crucial funds in honor of Nate Hardy, a Navy SEAL, Purple Heart recipient and hero killed in action, and his brother Josh, who lost his battle to childhood cancer.  All funds will benefit One Summit, a nonprofit organization that builds resilience in
  kids battling cancer through mentorship with a Navy SEAL.  
• NEW CROSSFIT — CrossFit Angola opened their doors to the Angola, IN community on Saturday and CrossFit Underdog is up and running in Randolph, NJ.
• TYLER STRONG — This Saturday, CrossFit West Lafayette is hosting a community workout to honor Tyler Trent, a 20-year-old Purdue student who recently died of a rare bone cancer. The workout will be free to the community, but CrossFit West Lafayette will be collecting donations to be given to Purdue University Dance Marathon in Tyler’s honor.
• VOYEDGE RX AFRICA TRIP — There’s just a few spots left on the upcoming trip to Africa with VoyEdge RX. It’s a full-blown trip to Africa for $3,199 that includes drop-ins, a safari, shark cage diving, and hiking.
• USAW Level One Certification — USA Weightlifting is hosting a Level One certification course January 12 -13 in Laguna Niguel, CA. 
• ROCK TAPE JOINS IMPLUS — RockTape was purchased by Implus, a company that produces athletic, fitness and outdoor accessories. They’re moving warehouses from from TX to NC so from January 15 – 27, they won’t be shipping out any orders. They’re offering 10% off with the code “NEWSTART10” if you order before January 13. 

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

Adrian Conway spent the weekend testing Brooke Ence, Mattie Rogers, Dana Linn Bailey, and Maddy Forberg for a soon to be released Brute Showdown • Congratulations to Kimberley Murray who got a deadlift PR two years after her brain aneurysm • CompTrain began their “Racehorse” training cycle yesterday • Lauren Sefcik gets a 200 pound 5RM front squat PR • Colleen Fotsch power snatched 185 pounds • Louise Vennekilde gets a 268 pound clean off the blocks. 

…and everyone needs a gym buddy as dedicated as this pup. 

CrossFit French Throwdown — Registration is live for the CrossFit French Throwdown online qualifier. The first WOD will be announced in April. An official 2019 CrossFit Games sanctioned event, the main event will take place in Paris in June.

Wodapalooza Wants to Thank Affiliate Owners — Wodapalooza wants to give back to those who have provided support not only to Wodapalooza but the entire CrossFit community and eco-system. Register for their Thursday Thanks event. On Thursday, January 17th, ttendees can expect a sneak peek into what’s next for Wodapalooza, the presentation of WZA’s community partners, a happy hour and exclusive panel Jason Khalipa, Ben Bergeron, and JP Perrelmutter.

LONG READ: Why Joining a Gym is a Terrible Investment — The Hustle dissects why joining a Globo-gym is actually a terrible idea, and the numbers are pitiful. “’Getting more exercise’ is routinely the most common New Year’s resolution — and every January, gyms bulk up their staff and prepare for an infusion of fresh blood. There’s just one problem with this: Joining a gym, while admirable, is generally one of the worst investments you can make.

— “In the United States, 60.8 million people (about 1 in 5 adults) have some kind of membership to one of the country’s 38,000 gyms and health clubs and pay an annual, monthly, or daily fee to work out. Collectively, gyms rake in $30B+ in revenue on an annual basis.

— “Membership fees vary widely based on your location and gym of preference, but the industry-wide average falls in at $58 per month, or $696 per year. A Statistic Brain survey of 5,313 American gym members found that 63% of memberships go completely unused…82% of gym members go to the gym less than 1 time per week, 22% completely stop going six months into their membership, and 31% say they never would’ve paid had they known how little they’d use it.

“Weight Likely Cause for One-Fourth of Asthma Cases in Kids with Obesity,” Science Daily.

A study including health data for more than 500,000 children in the U.S. suggests obesity might be to blame for about a quarter (23 to 27 percent) of asthma in children who are obese.

This could mean about 10 percent of all kids ages 2 to 17 with asthma — almost 1 million children in the U.S. — might have avoided the illness by maintaining a healthy weight, according to researchers at Duke University and collaborators with the National Pediatric Learning Health System. The findings will be published November 26 by the journal Pediatrics.

“Asthma is the No. 1 chronic disease in children and some of the causes such as genetics and viral infections during childhood are things we can’t prevent,” said Jason E. Lang, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Duke and the study’s lead author. “Obesity may be the only risk factor for childhood asthma that could be preventable. This is another piece of evidence that keeping kids active and at a healthy weight is important.”

Children classified as obese — those with a body-mass index (BMI) in the 95th percentile or above for their age and sex — had a 30-percent increased risk of developing asthma than peers of a healthy weight. Asthma did not affect just those with obesity. Children who were overweight but not obese (BMI in the 85-94th percentile) also had a 17-percent increased asthma risk compared to healthy-weight peers.

1/10 – 2/4: Row’d Royalty (Online)

1/11: Redneck Hootenanny (Fruitland, OH)

1/12: Community Workout Tyler Strong (West Lafayette, IN)

1/10 – 1/13: Feats of Strength Online Meet (Online)

1/11 – 1/13: CrossFit Fort Vancouver Championships (Vancouver, WA)

1/12: Granite Games Throwdown at New Ulm CrossFit (New Ulm, MN)

1/12: The BrickYard Brawl (South Windsor, CT)

1/12: Hometown Throwdown 4 at CrossFit 534 (Poplarville, MS)

1/12: Granite Games Winter Throwdown (Waite Park, MN)

1/12: Granite Games Throwdown (Snyder, TX) 

1/12 – 1/13: Scaled Flames (Amsterdam)

1/12 – 1/13: Row for Reveille at CrossFit Kitsap (Poulsbo, WA)

1/17 – 1/20: Wodapalooza (Miami, FL)

1/19: New Year New Throwdown Event (El Mirage, AZ)

1/19: Battle For The Axe (Baxter, MN)

1/19: Warrior Affiliate League Fantastic Four (La Puente, CA)

1/19: Battle for the Axe (Baxter, MN)

1/19: Great Lakes Games 2018 (Detroit, MI)

1/19 – 1/20: Chiang Mai Throwdown (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

1/21: Helen for Hounds at CrossFit Pretoria (Pretoria, South Africa)

1/25 – 1/27: Australian CrossFit Championships (Queensland, AUS)

1/25 – 1/27: Judgment Day Hawkes Bay (Napier, NZ)

1/26: The Force Wars 2 (Pembroke Pines, FL)

1/26: Lost River Rumble (Bowling Green, KY)

1/26: The Blizzard Bowl (Little Canada, MN)

1/26: 2019 IceBreather Classic (Springfield, IL)

1/26: ATCF Cancer Crackdown: Revival of The Fittest (Pasco, WA)

1/26: Hung Like Coff at PFC CrossFit (Las Vegas, NV)

1/26: Steel Rail Shootout 2019 (McComb, MS)

1/26: Woid Beast Fitness Challenge (Cham, Germany)

1/26: Brick NY Midtown Throwdown (New York, NY)

1/26: Fifth Annual Cold Steel Classic (Oswego, IL) 

1/26: New Year’s Revolution (Seminole, FL)

1/26: Three Rivers Throwdown (Rome, GA)

1/26 – 1/27: Cougars and Cradle Robbers (Salem, MA)

1/26 – 1/27: Game Day Eau Claire (Eau Claire, WI)

1/26 – 1/27: NorCal Masters (San Rafael, CA)

1/27: Big Dawgs Athlete Development Camp (Letchworth, England)

1/29 – 2/2: Fittest in Cape Town (Cape Town, South Africa)

2/1 – 2/2: Battle of the Brave III (North Kansas City, MO)

2/2: Golden State Games (Stockton, CA)

2/2: Left Coast Classic Competition (Laguna Niguel, CA)

2/2: Golden State Games (Stockton, CA)

2/2: A League of Their Own (San Antonio, TX)

2/9: Valentine’s Day Crush (North Hollywood, CA)

2/9: The Garage Games Master of the Masters (Suwanee, GA)

2/9: Cupid’s Roar Partner Competition (Melbourne, Australia)

2/9: 3rd Annual Black Ops Partner Competition (Wheaton, IL)

2/9: Bedrock Heart Breaker (Calgary, AB)

2/9 – 2/10: The CrossFit Circus (Des Moines, IA)

2/16: Valentine’s Day Massacre (Kilgore, TX)

2/16: The Garage Games Xs & Ys (Valdosta, GA)