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What’s It Like Being An Adaptive Athlete?

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is powered by Red H Nutrition, an athlete founded, athlete focused supplement company who believes in the process as much as the result.

We’re hanging out in D.C. Yesterday, we ate the best doughnut in the city and joined Anthony (reader) at CrossFit Balance in Thomas Circle for a spicy ski erg + snatch chipper. Check it out on our Instagram story.

Meet Brandon Ryan, an adaptive CrossFit athlete with Cerebral Palsy. He shares his story about the challenges that athletes like him face when starting CrossFit. All Red H products are currently buy one get one 1/2 off, no code necessary.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” — Zig Ziglar 

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX

CrossFit HQ is hiring a studio assistant at their Scotts Valley, CA office. Becca Voigt gets some kisses from her dog while doing overhead squats. Melissa Doss is on her way to Kill Cliff HQ to film for the Granite Games qualifiers. Sara Sigmundsdottir, Hillary Froning and the Mayhem ladies get together for brunch. FloElite agrees with us…the CrossFit bike “is a signal that CrossFit Games athletes this year should expect to hit the trails in and around Madison, Wisconsin, on a bike.” Meet Maryland’s fittest cop. This is what it looks like to deadlift 500 pounds for 15 reps.

With your second cup of coffee — “MS is not a stop sign, just a guideline.”

Relationship goals via Carleen Mathews.

THINGS TO…

WATCH: Masters Men 50 – 60

Tommy Marquez and Pat Sherwood take a look at the Masters leaderboard after the Open, analyzing the performances of some of the new athletes and familiar faces.
START WATCHING.

HEAR: Achievement and Growing Through Obstacles

Julie Foucher sits down with Amelia Boone, a full-time corporate attorney and one of the world’s most decorated obstacle racers. In this episode they discuss battling athletics and time consuming careers.
TUNE IN.

EAT: Crispy Buffalo Chicken Fingers

Basically anything buffalo reminds us of pizza, wings and beer nights — no, not the healthiest of choices, so finding something that has that spicy buffalo flavor but still OK to eat makes game night just a little more guilt free.
GIVE IT A TRY.

BUY: Free Recovery Kit

Get a free PurePharma protein shaker and PR3 samples packs with any order over $25. Just use code “PROTEINSHAKE.”
START SHOPPING.

CHALK UP AFFILIATES

AFFILIATE STORIES  |  CrossFit Alkaline in Salida, CO
How’d you get the name of your box?

“CrossFit Alkaline named their box Alkaline because for a person in homeostasis, blood pH should be 7.35-7.45 or slightly ‘Alkaline’. To get to a state of slightly Alkaline the body has to be fed the right kinds of food, more specifically, alkaline foods. We named our box this because as owners we believe that CrossFit and nutrition go hand-in-hand. Whatever fitness level you want to achieve, nutrition plays a 70% role in your training. It has been said many times, if you want the best results from your training program, it needs to start in the kitchen.”

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The Sherman Police Department presented CrossFit Solus with a Citizens Certificate of Merit for organizing a fundraising event to help SPD purchase new bicycles.

Fitt lists their 15 most badass CrossFit boxes in the U.S. and we dropped into one of them in D.C. yesterday.

Becca Voigt shares some tips on opening and owning your own affiliate.

CHALK UP READS

“Using the Barter System: Starting A CrossFit Gym Part 8” by Noah Abbott, Beyond the Whiteboard

When you’re starting out, keeping expenses to a minimum is crucial. Editor’s note: I did a bad job at this. ? Even if your gym isn’t huge, if your margins are right then you are doing fine. Many gym owners and coaches get wrapped up in membership numbers, but if your rent is too high and you’re paying out lots of other streams for monthly upkeep, expenses, etc. you will quickly have a problem on your hands.

Combined with that potential problem area, a major hurdle in the beginning is just getting enough bodies in the door to call yourself an actual CrossFit gym. Coaching classes of one person gets old quickly, and classes where nobody shows up feels even worse. In the beginning, just getting enough people to have classes with a fun vibe and different people who can interact, push each other, and build your community wider is key.

There are two crucial things to keep in mind about bartering. First, the person should be someone you want in your gym- someone whose energy, social network, and personality are all fits for the vibe you are creating. Ideally they are bringing more value than just the service they are performing- in the same way that your gym is giving them more than just a workout. Second, are they already a member or planning to sign up for a membership anyway? If you convert all of your paying members to “staff” you will quickly have a very smoothly-running gym…with no income. Try and identify people who are on the fence about signing up, or who want to sign up but are worried it will be a financial stretch. Or find a member who comes a few times a week but wants to come more, and offer to make up the difference in memberships for a little help.

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