“Perfection itself is imperfection.”- Vladimir Horowitz
PROFILE
The Champ is Home: Tia-Clair Toomey Returns Back to Australia
It’s been over three years since Tia-Clair Toomey and her husband Shane Orr have set foot in their homeland of Australia. This past Sunday the two founders of PRVN Fitness made their return “down under”, detailed in a video that they released on their YouTube Channel.
The details: Toomey’s last appearance in Australia was back in February 2019 when she competed at the Torian Pro at Pat Rafter Arena in Tennyson, Queensland. That event was essentially an exhibition put in front of a packed house with the top Australian athletes as well as Rich Froning, Chyna Choi and Tasia Percevecz joining Toomey as they all put on a show for the crowd.
Coincidentally it’s the Torian Pro that brings Toomey back home, as the competition for the second year in a row will host the Oceania Semifinal. Last year due to the global pandemic and travel restrictions Toomey was unable to attend the Semifinal and instead competed at the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge in Knoxville,TN. It was those restrictions that made it hard for her and her husband to return home and instead they set up residence in Nashville.
Both talked about the disadvantages of traveling back to Australia noting the 21-hour flight and the need to acclimate to the time difference and getting back to a normal training routine.
The bottom line: Both Toomey and Orr are no strangers to traveling as they have traveled all around the world the last two years, from Korea to various countries in Europe for Olympic bobsled training. They are both experts in preparing for peak physical activity and arriving in Australia a month prior to their Semifinal will assure that they have no residual effects from international travel.
Both are professionals and will be able to avoid the distractions that no doubt will be prevalent for a person in such high demand as the five-time “Fittest Woman on Earth”. The already loud and engaging Aussie crowd will no doubt welcome Toomey with a warm welcome worthy of a returning hero that she is.
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In case you missed it, Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Brian Friend and Patrick Clark about their initial takes on the seeding for the Granite Games. Friend said there are a few people he is keeping his eye on:
“Sydney Wells is going to be interesting to watch and see where she has progressed in a year.”
The Masters Fitness Collective has partnered with five, count them, five competitions this year as a route to qualify for the MFC.
Ok this is pretty cool. Training Think Tank is giving away a $50 gift card if you can guess the male and female winners of this grueling Echo Bike and Ski Erg workout. 🤔
INDUSTRY
CrossFit Announces Change to Affiliate Programming Service
CrossFit has announced that beginning May 2, CrossFit Affiliate Programming (CAP) and CrossFit.com will be programmed separately.
The details: For the past several months, CAP and CrossFit.com daily programming has been aligned, but in an effort to increase the exclusivity of CAP, that will no longer be the case.
In the email, CrossFit explained the change: “Due to a desire to strengthen the value of CAP, we want to increase the exclusivity of our programming service.”
“CAP can continually address and prioritize our affiliate’s needs,” the email continued, “this includes equipment considerations, seasonal programming, weekend class schedules, and the best days for benchmark workouts.”
Remind me: CAP was initially unveiled in June of 2021 and rolled out over the next six months, first as a free trial service and now as a paid subscription at $150 per month. (CAP is currently available for a one-month free trial.)
CAP was created by Austin Malleolo, James Hobart and Spencer Hendel and not only provides daily class plans, but also focuses on coaching development. When the service was first announced, Nicole Carroll, CrossFit’s General Manager of Training and Education stated that “daily coach development is what will set CAP apart.”
Membership grew fast, with nearly 1,800 affiliates subscribing in the first 24 hours and that number reached 4,000 by the end of 2021.
Why this matters: The free daily WOD on CrossFit.com (“mainsite” for you OGs) will continue and will follow the three days on, one day off approach. It will still offer scaling options and movement demonstrations as well.
The move to distinguish CAP though, is clearly to highlight its value as a paid subscription.
In the email announcement, CrossFit emphasized its selling points: “CAP is created by expert coaches, affiliate owners and CrossFit Seminar Staff head trainers, and delivers programming seven days a week … with our daily class plans, we can help improve class consistency and effectiveness.”
“We provide ongoing coaching development through the daily class plans–including a warm-up, skill work, focused coaching, and cool-down–and workout overview videos, educational tips, exclusive demos, and a progressions video library.”
LIFESTYLE
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Research Review: CrossFit, Exercise Addiction, Body Dysmorphia, and Anxiety
Background:
In a paper published just last week, researchers in Brazil set out to evaluate the prevalence of exercise dependence, muscle dysmorphia, and trait (chronic) and state (acute) anxiety in CrossFit gym members. The researchers acknowledged that while exercise can improve body image and wellbeing, when practiced compulsively, it can have the opposite effect. Anecdotally, if you have been in the fitness industry for a long time, you have certainly observed compulsive exercise habits in the gym setting.
Exercise dependence (ED) is a disorder in which persons exercise excessively and obsessively to a point of dependence and, often injury or illness. It goes beyond infatuation or interest in a new hobby. It is a compulsive problem.
Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) is a psychological disorder characterized by the preoccupation with the idea that one’s body is not lean and muscular. It is more common in men than in women.
Today’s workout is programmed by eight-time Games athlete and CrossFit’s Director of Gym Operations, Austin Malleolo. As an affiliate owner himself, Malleolo is no stranger to programming workouts. Today’s workout is courtesy of the CrossFit Affiliate Program (CAP) which he helps program and also follows religiously. The CAP was introduced in July 2021 and as of January had around 2,000 affiliates actively following the $150 a month program.
Austin Malleolo
Five Sets:
On a 2:00 clock
4 Power Snatches (155/105 LBs – 70/47 KGs)
16 Alternating Single-leg Squats
Max calorie row in remaining time
Rest 2:00 between sets
Scaling Options:
Power snatches – Scale the load, do hang power snatches if you can’t pull from the floor. Do power cleans if you can’t go overhead.
Single-leg squats – single-leg squats to a target. Reverse lunges or air squats.
Row – use a bike or SkiErg.
Some advice from Austin: “Stimulus & Goals: As many touch-and-go reps as possible with the snatch. Smooth and continuous movement on the single-leg squats. Have at least :45 to row for max calories. 75+ calories on the rower. Today’s workout is as difficult as you want to make it. If you feel like you need a bit of recovery, move at a smooth pace and consider lightening the load on the snatch. If you feel like you want to burn it down, we encourage you to really push the pace on the rower. After the snatches and single-leg squats, you should have about a minute to motor on the rower. This is a CAP (CrossFit Affiliate Program) workout from the compete track that is a part of the program that CAP Affiliates get!”
To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.
THINGS TO...
...IMPROVE
Your Butterfly Pull-Ups
You have some strict pull-ups in your pocket, you've even started to get good at kipping ones, but still, when you attempt to look like a beautiful butterfly...you look like a beached whale. Stop flailing around and use these tips to master your butterfly pull-ups.
The HYBRID Strength Coach App brings together world-class coaching, proven programming that gets you results, and training options for all levels. Because we all deserve results no matter where we are in our fitness. Download the HYBRID Strength Coach App and get your first seven days of any best in class programs for free.
How Sliding Down a Mountain at 85 MPH Affects Your Heart Rate
Three-time CrossFit Games athlete Kesley Kiel spoke about her experience trying out for the USA Bobsled Team, the type of training she did and its impact on her WHOOP data, as well as her return to CrossFit and competing with her team in the Quarterfinals.
It's Mother's Day weekend soon and if anyone deserves a treat, it's your long-suffering mom. Luckily, Reebok agrees and are offering 40% off sitewide this weekend using code "MOM40". So go ahead and get your mom something nice, and maybe something for yourself as well.
A Day in the Life of Professional Athlete and PA Student
"If I had the time to train all day, I'd be a Games Champion." Follow along with Taylor Williamson, part of the 2021 CrossFit Games Team Champions Mayhem Freedom, as she dispels that myth and takes you through a full day in her life as a professional athlete and PA student.
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise. Send us a highlight.
Congratulations to all five MADAthletes teens, Kulani Subiono, Elijah Subiono, Marissa Nichols, Aaron Merritt, and Kā’eo Subiono and Coach David Tillman from CrossFit 2222 in Austin, TX on qualifying for the virtual Age Group Semifinals, May 26-29.
🇺🇸 Congratulations to USAF Service Member Michael Shearn from CrossFit Above the Bar in Ocean City, FL on completing the Occupational Games entirely in uniform, and finishing in 27th place in the Active Duty Military division.
Canada’s Cédric Lapointe put 386 pounds/175kg overhead for a new split jerk PR.
Sara Sigmundsdóttir is looking strong while repping fellow Icelandic Games athlete, Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson, in this training session on her path to the CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown semifinal.
🧗 Alec Smith is taking notes from Laura Horvath and giving speed climbing a try on active recovery days— his fastest climb was only 23 seconds.
CrossFit Hillcrest in San Diego, CA is hosting a fundraiser WOD this Saturday, April 30 starting at 9am.
Proceeds will go to the family of James Ashbrenner, whose sister is a member at CF Hillcrest. This February, 11-year-old James was diagnosed with Burkitt Leukemia, a rare form of childhood leukemia.
The family of 8 is now managing travel costs, medical bills, and time away from work while James receives treatment at Milwaukee Children’s Hospital for Chemotherapy.
Donations can be sent to his sister Brooke’s Venmo in James’ name.
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