You’re Fired

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Sorry for hitting the snooze button on yesterday’s edition. We accidentally hit pause the night before.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Wodapalooza Online Challenge. It’s more than just your typical “qualifier.” The Wodapalooza Online Challenge is about bringing together the community, having fun and testing your fitness. Register to compete in the three-week individual or team challenge by the end of this week and get 10% off with code “CHALKUP18.”

P.S. We’ve got more coverage on Harvey’s wreckage and ways you can help down in Chalk Up Affiliates.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” — Unknown

YOU’RE FIRED.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Remember that Charlottesville, Virginia protest that happened a few weeks back which turned violent and resulted in one young woman dead and several more injured? Naturally, it drew a lot of media attention and with that a lot of cameras.

One camera in particular, snapped a pic of a man in a white helmet with a distinct tattoo on his arm, flashing an “OK” sign. The photo went viral and people started recognizing the person by the tattoos on his arm.

WHO WAS IT?
His name is Bobby Ritter and up until very recently he was lead trainer of the The Lab’s Heavy Metal CrossFit class in St. Louis, MO. He was let go this week after members of the gym began recognizing Ritter in the photo and started asking questions.

Multiple news outlets have asked for comment from gym owner Justin Thacker, including ourselves, but he said “no thanks.” He did however, send this email out to clients and staff:

“After careful consideration, the Lab Gym has severed working relations with Bobby Ritter. There has been questions, concerns, and some evidence to part ways based on differences concerning important core principles that are innate to the Lab Gym and it’s mission.”

ANYTHING ELSE?
Sadly, this is the second individual connected to the CrossFit industry to get negative national media attention recently for incendiary comments or actions. The first was Jim Chambers who earlier this month posted a sign outside his Atlanta (non CrossFit) gym that read: “Rules: Do whatever the F*** you want, correctly, except CrossFit cultism. No F*****G Cops.”

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOX

Mantras & Macros just launched their Twitter account and they only have three followers — let’s help ’em out. Meet Anne, she’s 80-years-old and just graduated to RX burpees. Anyone else notice how much longer it takes Elijah Muhammad to hit the water than everyone else? No this isn’t a typo, Mattie Rogers’ OFF DAY included a 209 pound power snatch and a 282 pound clean and jerk. You think you have back muscles? Brooke Ence will show you back muscles.

MUST READ: Op-ed from CrossFit’s Russ Green in T Nation…”The Real CrossFit Fight…CrossFit was able to reach millions because the fitness industry is a level playing field. Fitness is free from barriers to entry that protect the status quo and keep out innovation. But now, an unholy alliance of certification and soda companies threatens to pull fitness back into the dark ages. Their strategy is to lie, lobby and legislate the competition into submission. We at CrossFit will not stand for it.”

Perennial Master’s Athlete Ron Ortiz on how CrossFit has changed his life...“I love what CrossFit is doing not only for my job as a firefighter, but also for the friends and family around me…As we get older we get sedentary, it’s just a proven fact. People kinda give up after a certain point. It’s so easy to sit down and do nothing and it’s causing a lot of bad things to happen…I’d like to see us get back to the times of old when we were healthy. ”

THINGS TO…

WATCH: 24 Hour Murph 
Think Murph is bad? Try doing it for 24 hours straight. Fifty-nine-year-old Dave Barry wanted to do something to support veterans dealing with PTSD, so he decided to do something no one has ever done before: 24 hours of Murph.
THAT’S CRAZY COOL. 

HEAR: The Secret To Gaining Strength as a Woman
Julian Pineau, the owner of Strongfit and coach at CrossFit Invictus, joins the Nasty Girls Podcast to talk about their new training template developed and dedicated especially for women.
TUNE IN.

EAT: Banana Cinnamon N’Oatmeal
Can’t eat oats or prefer not to? Well Bacon & Squats has you covered with this quick and easy N’oats breakfast, which will leave you full and with loads of extras for tomorrow.
N’OATS TODAY.

BUY: Game of Thrones WOD Shorts
2Pood just dropped some brand new Game of Thrones inspired shorts, think White Walkers meets White WODers. Available for preorder only.
WINTER IS COMING.

CHALK UP AFFILIATES