“There is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth.”- Fred Rogers
INDUSTRY
CrossFit Affiliate Programming Now Free with Yearly Affiliate Fee
Last week CrossFit announced that beginning May 1, CrossFit Affiliate Programming (CAP) will be included with a gym’s yearly affiliation fee.
One big thing: The CAP program was launched in June 2021 with a six-month free trial, then in 2022, affiliates were charged $125 USD per month to continue with the service. Since its launch, the feedback from the community has been positive.
Affiliate owners have reported saving four to six hours per week using CAP.
Remind me: When the CAP program was unveiled, 1,790 affiliates signed up in the first 24 hours, representing ~15% of affiliates in good standing at that time.
Affiliates who join CAP receive daily WODS and class plans created by top CrossFit Seminar Staff members.
The program was founded by three former Individual and Team athletes who are current and long-time CrossFit HQ employees: Austin Malleolo, Spencer Hendel and James Hobart.
The trio have a combined 24 appearances at the CrossFit Games and have trained more than 20,000 coaches while working as part of the Seminar Staff.
Recently, Hobart has moved into a new position as Product Manager for Programming, while Malleolo is now Director of US Gym Operations. Hendel remains in charge of the CAP program.
The details: Beginning on May 1, affiliate owners will have access to CAP seven days a week as well as CAP’s full library of coaching development tools, daily in-depth class plans and video resources.
CAP will be available on multiple workout platforms, including: SugarWOD, Wodify, Beyond the Whiteboard, Train Heroic and Boxmate.
What they’re saying: “CrossFit affiliates are leaders in the fitness industry,” Malleolo said.
“We are continually looking for ways to increase the value we bring to gym owners and support the ecosystem’s quality by providing resources such as access to robust coaching development tool and programming for all affiliates,” he continued.
James Hobart: “The CAP program has allowed us to take feedback and really create something that is catered to the affiliate community.”
“I think what we are trying to do right now is really listen to affiliate owners about what needs they have and what expectations they have from us,” he concluded.
The bottom line: The CAP program is part of a larger suite of resources for affiliate owners. That suite includes the Affiliate playbook, the Affiliate Partner Networks, a marketing playbook and more.
All of these resources are part of a new direction for CrossFit HQ that began in 2021 encapsulated by the mantra “Tools not Rules.”
Learn more about CAP at the Morning Chalk Up, we run a CAP workout of the month, every month.
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Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of CrossFit is the ability for everyone at any age to pursue a competitive outlet in the sport of fitness. The masters division is a celebration of our ability to maintain and grow our fitness as we age.
Even those who competed at the elite level in the early years of the sport have continued to express their fitness at the highest level and return year after year to the sacred competition floor of the CrossFit Games, no matter their age.
As we exit the Quarterfinals stage of the CrossFit Games season, perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the masters leaderboard, are the names of CrossFit legends dotting the 35-39 and 40-44 division. While still the youngest divisions in the masters arena, their presence is proof that age is just a number and that growth in fitness continues, even after you exit the bright lights of the competition mainstage.
Here are the Games legends to watch going into Age Group Semifinals this year.
CrossFit Releases Statement Addressing Adaptive Division Growing Pains this Season
Last week, CrossFit HQ released a lengthy statement to the community addressing this year’s adaptive division changes and the inevitable difficulties that go hand-in-hand in trying to create a more inclusive and fair competition this season.
Remind me: This season, CrossFit changed the rules for adaptive athletes so that a diagnosis of a particular illness or disability is no longer enough to qualify for an adaptive division.
This year, athletes had to go through physical testing and assessments, and submit paperwork, proving they have one of the 10 eligible impairments, and that the impairment affects their ability to do CrossFit, essentially creating a “minimum impairment criteria” to ensure the adaptive competition doesn’t become about crowing “the least impaired athlete,” a CrossFit representative explained to the Morning Chalk Up.
Ultimately the rule change made many past adaptive athletes ineligible this season, especially in the neuromuscular (now multi-extremity) division. In fact, most of last year’s CrossFit Games neuromuscular competitors were found ineligible, leaving many of them disgruntled and feeling like CrossFit was telling them they’re simply “not disabled enough.”
Three key takeaways from CrossFit’s Statement
Neuromuscular to Multi-Extremity: First, CrossFit addressed why they changed the neuromuscular division to the multi-extremity division—the division they said was “discussed the most.”
“We acknowledge that this change has caused confusion and want to provide transparency around why the decision was made,” the statement read.
They went on to say that after last season, they received “numerous complaints” that the division at the Games had been unfair, resulting in “accusations from athletes about intentional misrepresentation of impairments.” Further, CrossFit’s Adaptive Competition Eligibility Board (ACEB) also observed these athletes on-site at the Games and “concluded that the division needed to be reevaluated,” CrossFit wrote.
Addressing the Ineligible: CrossFit acknowledged that one of the “consequences” of the new requirements was that a certain number of athletes who previously competed in the neuromuscular division are now ineligible for the multi-extremity division.
“In a perfect world, we would create a division to capture the athletes who no longer meet the minimum impairment criteria, but that was not possible within the 2023 season due to resource constraints,” the statement said.
That being said, they also acknowledged that they recognize these ineligible athletes still have “real, life-impacting impairments,” despite not meeting the minimum standard, and are empathetic. “We understand the emotional impact of being deemed ineligible and have taken all the feedback from affected athletes to heart,” the statement added.
Further, CrossFit noted that although the new rules did lead to athletes being ineligible, the “majority” of the athletes who competed in the adaptive divisions in the Open were found eligible.
Looking Ahead: If you’re an adaptive athlete deemed ineligible and still have hopes of appealing, the statement basically says don’t bother.
“For 2023, we will not be modifying the Adaptive Athlete Policy or reversing any classification decisions that have been made by the eligibility board. It is important that we follow the rules set out this year and continue to treat each athlete consistently.”
The big picture: Tightening adaptive eligibility criteria has to be seen as a step forward for the greater adaptive CrossFit community in terms of creating a more fair and inclusive competition, even if it felt like a step back for many. Further, CrossFit promises to continue to take feedback and evolve into the future.
“Just like we did at the close of the 2022 Games, we will work diligently to evaluate 2023 and chart a path for the future,” they wrote. “We’re listening.”
THINGS TO...
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Five Recovery Tips for Masters Athletes
For all athletes, but especially masters athletes, your recovery should be taken as seriously as your training. Use these five tips from Invictus Athlete to take your recovery to the next level.
Tired of feeling rushed and distracted before your workout? Streamline your routine with Haven Organized Backpacks & Duffels. Structured compartments keep your gear in place and make it easy to grab what you need, even in a time crunch.
Why Your Cup of Coffee Might Actually Be Beneficial
Caffeine is often looked at as the enemy of nutrition, but what if you harnessed that caffeine for the greater good? Learn how to use caffeine as a tool.
Ready to learn helpful information about yourself and your training? Whoop helps you monitor your recovery, sleep, training and health and gives recommendations to become a more efficient and healthy human. And don’t worry, for new members we’re hooking you up with a free Whoop 4.0 and a month of membership on us!
Does your coach look at you squatting and then remind the class to hit full depth on their squats? Yeah, it’s not them, it’s you. Use these tips to squat to full depth.
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise. Send us a tip.
🎉 Congratulations to CrossFit NCR in Ottawa, Ontario, who celebrated their 10-year affiliate anniversary last month.
💍 Congratulations to Tasia Percevecz and James Lancaster on tying the knot this past weekend.
Congratulations to CF-L2 trainer Jeremiah Sund and his wife Sarah on the birth of their baby girl, Kalista.
💙 Speaking of babies… Kara Saunders takes Baby Boy Saunders along for a squat day ride.
Iceland’s Thuri Helgadottir competed in the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan, Armenia on Monday, landing in 13th place in the 59kg category with an 82kg snatch (180lb) and 104kg clean and jerk (229lb).
Emma Lawson and Jack Farlow are #couplegoals in this color coordinated Sunday morning lift sesh.
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