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Good morning! This is the Morning Chalk Up, your daily roundup of the fittest news in the CrossFit® world.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” – Chris McCandless
SAY WHAT?
A FUNCTIONAL FITNESS TEST IS BORN
It was 1939 in New York City. A man named Royal Huddleston Burpee was finishing up his PhD thesis in Applied Physiology. As the executive director at the New York YMCA, Royal wanted a simple way to quickly measure the fitness level of new members – keep in mind that testing the fitness of everyday individuals was uncommon at the time. So he devised a 4-count movement called the “squat thrust.” To administer the test, the individual would perform four “squat thrusts” in a row, while he measured their heart rate to determine the heart’s efficiency at pumping blood – i.e. how fit are you? His version of the burpee consisted of: 1. Squat down and place both hands on the floor in front of you. 2. Jump feet back into plank position. 3. Jump feet forward. 4. Return to standing.
It was 1939 in New York City. A man named Royal Huddleston Burpee was finishing up his PhD thesis in Applied Physiology. As the executive director at the New York YMCA, Royal wanted a simple way to quickly measure the fitness level of new members – keep in mind that testing the fitness of everyday individuals was uncommon at the time. So he devised a 4-count movement called the “squat thrust.” To administer the test, the individual would perform four “squat thrusts” in a row, while he measured their heart rate to determine the heart’s efficiency at pumping blood – i.e. how fit are you? His version of the burpee consisted of: 1. Squat down and place both hands on the floor in front of you. 2. Jump feet back into plank position. 3. Jump feet forward. 4. Return to standing.
SO HOW’D THE BURPEE MAKE IT BIG?
Burpee had published his thesis right around the time that the United States entered World War II. And just like Burpee had wanted to measure the fitness level of new YMCA members, the U.S. military also needed to assess how fit their new class of recruits were. So the military incorporated the burpee into the armed forces fitness test, where soldiers had to perform “squat thrusts” for 20 seconds. By 1946 the test increased to 1 minute — performing 41 reps in that time was considered excellent, while fewer than 27 was considered poor.It’s unclear exactly when and how the burpee added in the extra push-up and jump at the end, but the extra work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Burpee had published his thesis right around the time that the United States entered World War II. And just like Burpee had wanted to measure the fitness level of new YMCA members, the U.S. military also needed to assess how fit their new class of recruits were. So the military incorporated the burpee into the armed forces fitness test, where soldiers had to perform “squat thrusts” for 20 seconds. By 1946 the test increased to 1 minute — performing 41 reps in that time was considered excellent, while fewer than 27 was considered poor.It’s unclear exactly when and how the burpee added in the extra push-up and jump at the end, but the extra work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
THE THING WE LOVE TO HATE BUT ALSO LOVE IN CROSSFIT
Royal H. Burpee did not intend for the burpee to be done in high volumes—he even believed the military’s adjustments were a bit too strenuous. However, as the burpee has transformed over the years, so have we. The burpee’s history with CrossFit is long, and painful. For those of us who remember CrossFit Open 12.1 – AKA 7 minutes in hell, as in burpees – this is especially true. The burpee first appeared on September 21, 2004 in a WOD consisting of: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 of: toes through rings, wall balls, reverse hip extension and burpees. But as ubiquitous as the burpee is to CrossFit WODs, they weren’t included in the CrossFit Games until the final workout of the 2009 Games. They are a constant and even arguably a “relief” sometimes, knowing that they are a movement you can just grind through. So do you love them or hate them? Regardless, burpees have been in every CrossFit Open since 2011 except for one, so we doubt they’re going anywhere.
THE COMPETITION FLOOR
COMPETITION CALENDAR (see full calendar)
October 15: The Crush Games
October 15: The MIA Weightlifting Classic (Miami, FL)
October 22: The Zombie Games (San Diego, CA)
October 24: Wodapalooza Online Qualifier for teams starts
October 30: Battle of the Beasts (Colchester, UK)
November 3: CrossFit Liftoff
November 20: CrossFit Invitational (Toronto, Canada)
CROSSFIT INVITATIONAL — Yesterday, CrossFit HQ released details on the CrossFit Invitational. It will be streamed live on ESPN 2 and here’s where you can pickup tickets. Since we don’t know all the athletes yet, we had a little fun and predicted the lineup; so far we are 3 for 4.
Canada: Michele Letendre, Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault, Patrick Vellner, Brent Fikowski, and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet (coach).
WHAT THE ELITE ATHLETES ARE UP TO — Camille Leblanc-Bazinet dances and lifts. The Panchik brothers are back at it: Spencer Panchik hits a 365 pound clean and jerk a day after Scott hits 370. It’s unclear exactly what Katrin Davidsdottir is doing in this photo. Annie Thorisdottir took a helicopter ride over a glacier in Iceland. CrossFit Teen champions Angelo DiCicco and Nick Paladino are looking for boxes that want to host a seminar for them to share their knowledge and training methods. Tia-Clair Toomey would like to know whether you’d rather do 150 thrusters or 150 GHDs for time? Alyssa Ritchey clean and jerks 210 pounds.
SPEED READ
IN 2 MINUTES —
You can workout with Cassidy Lance and 30 other CrossFit Games athletes at the 11th Warrior charity event. Reebok put together this tribute to CrossFit coaches helping us become the best physical version of ourselves and keep our communities strong. Suspended for two years, athlete Natalie Newhartdecides to call CrossFit quits and pursue bodybuilding.
Affiliate Corner – Meet Bettina Dolinsek a coach at CrossFit Merle Hay who is blind – “If someone tells me I can’t do something, that’s all the more motivation to do it.” Denver’s CrossFit Broadway raised about $16,000 for at-risk kids through Steve’s Club.
HEALTH, MOBILITY & MERCH
If you’re never done or heard of “shoot throughs,” let Miranda Oldroyd introduce you to a deceptively challenging ab accessory workout. Chris Spealler’s “tip of the week” walks through how you can use the sumo deadlift high pull to improve your snatch.
WOD Cash, the website that allowed you to compete in online comps for cash, now has a mobile app. Progenex released new fall t-shirts.