The 2019 CrossFit Open will be the Same, But Different

Good morning and welcome to the weekend edition of the Morning Chalk Up. This is Jessica Danger, your Managing Editor, to bring you a quick wrap-up of the major news items throughout the week.

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“Sports build good habits, confidence, and discipline. They make players into community leaders and teach them how to strive for a goal, handle mistakes, and cherish growth opportunities.” — Julie Foudy

Shortly after 11:30 AM Pacific on Friday, Reykjavik CrossFit Championship’s kicked off their online qualifier with a live video featuring Annie Thorisdottir, Sol Sigurdardottir and Birta Lif Thorarisnsdottir doing Event 1. 

Joined by nearly 20,000 other viewers who tuned in to watch the event live, it hit me: This is what the Open is going to look like. A global, passionate community setting aside 20 minutes of their Friday to watch a few athletes throwdown halfway across the globe.

Earlier this week, CrossFit HQ announced that live open announcements are returning for another season, but they’re taking a different shape and approach. 

“This tradition continues in 2019: beginning with 19.1 on February 21, an international cohort of CrossFit affiliates and Sanctionals organizers will announce the Open workouts live. Each week will bring its own look and feel, from workout releases on raw live-streams to head-to-head throw-downs with star athletes. The party and protocol will be determined by the host…Open Workout 19.1 will kick off with simultaneous announcements live from the U.K., France, and Brazil. Other weeks will follow suit, releasing each workout from different locations around the world.”

So now, we get moments like these. We get to watch the Open announcements with people that we love, in communities that we love, doing the things that we love. So while yes, the changes are new and we are still figuring it out, they are not solely terrifying.

We have two options: Embrace the change and roll with it, sitting in the confidence of our ability to adapt that CrossFit has helped us form or fight it. The choice is yours.

I know mine.

To the Unknown and Unknowable,

Jessica Danger

The Fittest in Cape Town wrapped up last weekend, sending two more athletes and one more team to Madison for the 2019 CrossFit Games. Fan favorites Katrin Davidsdottir and Sean Sweeney both took the podium after ten events across four days. 

Justin LoFranco, the founder of the Morning Chalk Up, agreed to work with Adee Cazayoux, the founder of Working Against Gravity, for three months of one-one-one nutrition coaching. Here are five things he learned along the way. 

Thirteen years ago Dominguez Rodriguez was driving home from a fraternity party when the driver of his vehicle dozed off. After years of physical therapy and rehabilitation for the traumatic brain injury he sustained in that crash, Dominguez found himself competing on the stage at Wodapalooza in Miami. 

Two-time podium finisher Sara Sigmundsdottir sat down with the Morning Chalk Up in Barcelona at the Fittest Freakest Challenge. She outlines how she is training for the 2019 CrossFit season, her coach, and getting back to the basics. 

“…Dance, nothing left for me to do but dance

Off these bad times I’m going through just dance…”

Which brings us to share these six dance inspired links…

1. It wasn’t all competition in Cape Town. Katrin Davidsdottir and Cole Sager got some dancing in while they were there.
2. You know who else likes to dance? Shannon Sharpe gets a chance at a victory dance when he beats people half his age at CrossFit on the regular.
3. Mat Fraser doesn’t victory dance, he victory struts after winning a crossbar challenge. It must have been his shoes. 
4. Saxon Panchik strapped those lifters on and hit a WOD with 315 pound squat cleans.
5. You too can move heavy barbells and do victory dances in the Open, which kicks off in twelve days. Get ready with these five tips from Ben Smith. 
6. And if the Open isn’t your thing, that’s fine too. You can always use your fitness outside like this police officer.