“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”- Henry Ford
CROSSFIT GAMES
Next In Line: What Mat Fraser's Retirement Means for the Men's Division
Mat Fraser’s retirement has left a vacuum at the top of the men’s division at the CrossFit Games. There’s no dancing around the fact that the most dominant athlete the sport has ever seen riding off into the sunset suddenly opens up a gap of opportunity wide enough to drive an 18-wheeler full of Rogue equipment through.
The question on everyone’s mind is: Who is next?
Historically speaking the answer is a tad complicated. It should be noted that the same Mat Fraser that held a monopoly on the top of the podium for the last half-decade is also the only man in history to repeat as the runner-up at the Games as well.
That means no one left in the current competitive field of men has been able to cement themselves as the heir apparent. All five of Fraser’s title runs have resulted in a different person standing next to him on the podium with a silver medal around their neck.
2016: A year after winning the Games himself, Ben Smith took home the silver medal spot on the podium finishing 197 points behind Fraser, and 36 points ahead of 3rd place Patrick Vellner.
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MUST WATCH: TheRogue Fitness Mat Fraser tribute video.
Eva Twardokens, who survived a plane crash two years ago, is now squatting 200 pounds, deadlifting 210 and scheduled to take her driver’s license test. Eva T is the namesake for the benchmark girls WOD, EVA.
One year ago, Kristin Holte discovered that she had a herniated disc.
Holte: “This was really hard for me to accept and I dug myself a hole and stayed down there for about a month. I got really mad for feeling sorry for myself and felt like a loser because I couldn’t get myself out of this self-pity party. The other thing that made me really mad was that I knew I could have prevented this by listening to my body.”
ICYMI:The Washington Post published an OpEd by gym owner Grant Barker that calls on Congress to provide community gyms and fitness studios with targeted relief. The Community Gyms Coalition notes that new data shows existing federal relief programs have failed to help nearly two thirds of local gym owners, and that 39 percent of owners do not believe that they will survive 2021 without direct government grants.
Barker: “If Congress and the federal government act quickly in the days ahead, we can save thousands of our nation’s community gyms from collapsing. It’ll empower us to pay our trainers, keep supporting the local economy here in D.C. and help us keep our community healthy and strong.”
CROSSFIT GAMES
Mat Fraser's Top 5 Moments: 2018 Battleground
The 2018 CrossFit Games are widely considered the high watermark for the sport. In a year where participation and media coverage was at an all-time high, the spectacle of the sport reached a fever pitch thanks to the incredible performances of the athletes on the floor as they tackled an increasingly stout, and complex test of fitness.
On the surface level, the 2018 Games were another dominating performance by Mat Fraser as he cruised to a new record for the largest margin of victory — 220 points — but behind the scenes, a collection of close calls and gritty performances characterized Fraser’s will to win in the face unseen adversity.
#3 – 2018 Battleground
Day two of the Games started off with a beefed up variation of 2017’s obstacle course race and was preceded by the most extensive opening day of the Games yet — with four events bookended by a cycling criterium race and a marathon row. During the Crit, Fraser managed to avoid disaster in the form of a near bike wreck on the final set of turns before settling into the top spot and donning the white leader’s jersey that has practically lived on his shoulders.
Metabolic Adaptation, An Ancient Tool in a Modern World
The idea of “maintenance” calories is pretty simple. It is the amount of energy (calories) a person can take it without gaining or losing body weight.
There are many calculators and estimations for this number in normal circumstances, and even the NHS recommendation of 2000 calories for women and 2500 calories for men tends to be pretty close.
When we are trying to gain weight or muscle mass, we eat more than our maintenance. When we are trying to lose weight, we eat less. And as our body size changes, so does our maintenance intake.
Every Friday, we’re bringing you an exclusive workout challenge programmed by a CrossFit Games athlete or coach that you can take on at home or the gym. You can post your times or scores in the comment section.
Today’s workout of the week is programmed by Lucas Parker .
Some advice from Lucas: “Have fun and focus on maintaining breathing while under high tension.”
To inquire about submitting an upcoming workout of the week, shoot us a note.
THINGS TO...
...LEARN
Three Exercises for Better Ankle Mobility in Your Squats
If you struggle to hit depth in your squats or just feel pain in your ankles, give this ankle dorsiflexion test a try. If you aren't able to meet the standard, work on some of the ankle mobility exercises outlined in this post from Brute Strength.
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Overhead Mobility Work for Better Snatches and Jerks
Overhead mobility is critical for the snatch and jerk, but many athletes spend most of their lives hunched over a computer, working a desk job. These static holds and stretches from coach Greg Everett at Catalyst Athletics will help increase your overhead mobility and make you a better lifter.
Through February 7, ButcherBox is making cooking for the Super Bowl easier and more delicious than ever. Sign up today and get their first ever Game-Day Bundle (1 rack of St. Louis ribs, 1 pack of pulled pork, and 1 pack of bacon) free in your first box.
This vanilla brown butter pear baked oatmeal has hints of cinnamon and sweet pears in every bite. It's an easy, no-hassle recipe that is naturally sweetened, filled with warming flavors and makes the perfect winter breakfast or brunch!
Chalk Up Highlights is our section dedicated to celebrating our community’s wins in the gym. Follow @ChalkUpHighlights and submit your highlight to tips@morningchalkup.com to be featured.
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