“History is a vast early warning system.”- Norman Cousins
PROFILE
CrossFit Games Bound Leila Ives Proving Illness Won’t ‘Stop your life’
Leila Ives wants to prove that even severe illness does not have to inhibit your life and your dreams. The English athlete is heading to the CrossFit Games, as the top ranked European athlete in the adaptive, neuromuscular, division.
Ives is seeking donations to realize her goal of traveling to the CrossFit Games.
Ives was told she was developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2017, and was diagnosed in 2018. MS is a condition that affects the spinal cord and brain. Symptoms include issues with leg and arm movement, and balance.
“When they said it might be MS, I said get me a wheelchair and my life is over. I didn’t know anything about MS, all I knew was what I’d seen, people on the TV in wheelchairs,” Ives, 34, said.
“Then, I learned more, and did my research and realized it wasn’t over. I could use this as a way to get into more sports as I’d read about weights helping, and I thought CrossFit was ticking all those boxes.”
Even with CrossFit, Ives took a long time to come to terms with her new reality.
Whether relaxing by the pool or doing double-unders to exhaustion, hot summer days require ice-cold O2, the Official Recovery Drink of the NOBULL CrossFit Games®.
This week only, save big with O2 and refuel with 2 times the electrolytes of big-brand sports drinks.
In case you missed it: Lauren Kalil, the host of The Bottom Line, spoke to Todd Meleney, the Chief Marketing Officer for NOBULL about some elite athletes now getting a cut of their jersey sales. Kalil also spoke to Morning Chalk Up analyst Brian Friend in more depth about what this means for the sport of CrossFit.
Support the cause: O2 has a way you can help victims of the Marshall Fire, which destroyed 1,084 homes across three Colorado counties. 👩🏻🚒
All ages: Great mini story here from CrossFit’s Instagram about two buddies proving age is just a number and you can PR, at any age.
Next up: The Next Rogue Invitational Challenge is here: The Mule, and wow, just wow.
Local love: Great story in the Howard County Times that was picked up by Yahoo! News about up and coming CrossFit star Jenna Michelotti.
INDUSTRY
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Swimwear Giant TYR Sport Making Major Waves in CrossFit, Signs One-Fourth of 2022 Men's Field
Rogue. Reebok. NOBULL. TYR?
Taking a scroll through Instagram you may notice three letters popping up on the shirts, shoes, shorts, swimsuits, and sunnies of some of the most notable CrossFit athletes in the sport today. Since coming on the scene in 2021, TYR has exponentially increased their reach, becoming a top-tier sponsor for CrossFit athletes and competitions alike—pun intended.
Remind me: After CEO Matt DiLorenzo tried and loved CrossFit in 2020, he brought on Corey Berger as TYR Sport’s Head of CrossFit and Fitness in the Spring of 2021 and the brand began to take off. In an interview with Morning Chalk Up last year, Berger stated they were using “calculated aggression” to enter the CrossFit space, with intentions of reaching the community via providing opportunities for athletes.
A few key moves in the last 18 months have led TYR (literally) to the top, as 12 athletes standing on the podium in the 2022 Semifinals are currently signed with the brand.
When Anne-Laure Coutenceau discovered CrossFit in 2016, she wasn’t into sports and fitness at all and “had a poor lifestyle,” explained the native of Rennes, France.
Six years later and the 35-year-old became the women’s upper extremity Semifinals champion and is headed to the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games for the second straight year.
For Coutenceau, who was born missing her left arm below her elbow, finding CrossFit was love at first WOD.
“I quickly took a liking to it…I discovered abilities that I had not imagined I had. I gained self confidence. I balanced my diet. I put my health at the center of my priorities,” Coutenceau said.
She added: “CrossFit helped me restore my life.”
Coutenceau’s Competitive CrossFit Journey
Two years into CrossFit, Coutenceau competed in her first competition, a local team competition with able-bodied athletes, and became hungry for more.
Shortly after that, she caught wind that there was an adaptive category at Wodapalooza in Miami, FL. She flew to Miami and got injured in the second event, but the experience let her know she wanted to become a competitive CrossFit athlete.
When the pandemic hit, her opportunities to compete slowed to a halt, but Coutenceau got right back at it last year, qualifying to the CrossFit Games and finishing third overall in Madison, a finish she’s hoping to top this season.
Surface Co. Strikes Surfacing Partnership with CrossFit Games
CrossFit has inked a new partnership with Surface Co., who will provide all flooring for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games next month.
A century old, Surface Co. started as an equine and agricultural supplier, but as CrossFit grew and affiliate owners turned to stall mats as a solution for flooring that required durability, the company branched out to make options specifically for CrossFit gyms.
“We had products with the same strength durability but with odor mitigant, beveled edges and a selection of color choices meant for indoor athletic use,” Surface Co. President and COO Torey Lawin said.
This specific type of flooring eventually developed into Shok Lok, Surface Co.’s official fitness products. Through one affiliate owner and company employee, James Eisele, the mats were installed at Foremost CrossFit right outside of Madison, Wisconsin. This opened up contact with CrossFit, and the relationship grew from there.
“ We met James at a CrossFit Affiliate Dinner that we hosted in 2021, and invited him out to the Games to discuss opportunities for the 2022 season and beyond,” David Woods, the Director of Partnerships for CrossFit, said.
Woods and CrossFit chose Surface Co. as their partner for a few reasons: First, the company’s structure makes adaptability and customization much easier than other options in the industry. In addition, this partnership expands well beyond the 2022 Games and can reach affiliates as well – through the Affiliate Partner Network, gym owners will be able to access lower prices for starting their CrossFit gym or replacing flooring. Plus, Surface Co. provides the “highest quality products we could ask for,” according to Woods.
Woods: “We’ve heard from our athletes that it “makes burpees better”, which is quite the statement!”
Does Having Good Mobility Actually Prevent Injury?
Being super flexible has to stop you from getting injured, right? That's what my gym teacher told me in 3rd grade, so it must be true. Well, despite the popular myth, the truth is a whole lot more complicated. Find out the real science behind mobility.
As a gym owner, you can increase your member retention by 20% by encouraging your members to keep track of their workout performance. Go behind the numbers to learn why and your gym should start performance tracking.
If you read the above and knew exactly what a labrum tear is...you need these drills. Although most labrum tears don't require surgery, they're painful and can limit both mobility and strength. Here are six exercises to help rebuild your shoulder and get you back to 100%.
A Free WHOOP Strap 4.0 and Extra Month's Membership
WHOOP measures your body's data over 100 times a second to provide personalized feedback on your recovery, strain, and sleep. Morning Chalk Up readers can get a free strap and an extra month's membership when you sign up at the link below.
Grilled chicken is an absolute must in a meal preppers diet, but don't be the sad person chewing on a dry, flavorless piece of cardboard. Use this incredible marinade in baked or grilled chicken recipes to keep it super juicy and delicious.
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