March 16
POWERED BY

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. With gym closures and social distancing, many CrossFitters will be looking to get their fitness in at home and our lead story today provides a lot of options for at-home programming. And, the Age Group Online Qualifier has been underway all weekend and our teenage reporter, Ava Kitzi profiles the preponderance of elite teen athletes hailing from the state of Michigan. Today:

• Staying fit at home.
• Forging elite teen fitness in the Mitten State.
• A deep breath and a look at the updated Sanctional season schedule.

How are you staying fit outside the gym? Hit us up at tips@morningchalkup.com.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Our actions may be impeded, but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” – Marcus Aurelius

Staying Fit, While Staying Home

As humanity continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, national and local governments continue to roll out regulations and travel bans that have effectively put the world on hold in many areas as the full scope of the pandemic unravels. Individuals and small businesses are (wisely) taking matters into their own hands by practicing “social distancing,” and self-quarantining to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

Class closed: Many industries are taking a hit, and the fitness industry isn’t exempt from that. CrossFit affiliates all over the world are closing temporarily, and some risk closing permanently due to the loss of business. For many, their usual CrossFit class may not be available for the foreseeable future, but it doesn’t mean that training and fitness has to fall by the wayside.

Online coaching and programming companies are taking the opportunity to adjust their offerings to cater to those staying at home during the pandemic. There is also a handful of “OG” garage gym oriented companies as well that are focused around home workouts.

• Street Parking – The most recognizable home gym workout program in the space is offering discounted memberships through May 1st.
• Comptrain – Will be offering FREE at-home workouts via SugarWOD, adding one new workout per day.
• NCFit – Providing FREE at-home versions of their NC30 program starting today.
• Annie Thorisdottir – Offering a year-long membership for programming at a 50% discount through the NEOU app.
• Kari Pearce – Her PowerAbs™ program was 50% off until Sunday March 15, keep your eyes peeled in case the discount gets extended.

Continue Reading…

Beets: Your New Pre-WOD Performance Enhancer ⚡️

Beets are being used by top-tier functional fitness athletes for improving: energy, endurance, oxygen and blood flow. ?

Now you can harness the energy of 140 power-boosting beets and use APEX O2™ before your next workout to experience the same results!

✅ Try Now & Save 25% on your first bottle!

The Mecca of Teen CrossFit

Since the introduction of the Teen Division in 2015, the CrossFit Games has only given out 320 teen invitations. Of those, more than twenty have claimed by kids from Michigan. Did someone spike the mitten state’s schools sloppy joes with clenbuterol?

The youngest of these Michigander prodigies is Jadzia Oronati-Phillips, who recently took third place in the 2020 Wodapalooza 13-15 division. After competing in gymnastics, the 15-year-old from Rochester, MI, a small town on the outskirts of Detroit, walked into CrossFit Maven to give it a shot. A year later, she’s in a solid qualifying position heading into the Age Group Online Qualifier (AGOQ) and is in constant competition with two-time Games athlete Faith Ferguson, among others who call Maven their home-gym.

• “Every day when I think I did good, I see that Faith beat my time by a minute on the WOD. I’m constantly reaching to beat people, so I’m constantly getting better,” Oronati-Phillips said.

Faith Ferguson shares the sentiment with her younger gym buddy. The 2018 Games athlete has taken Oronati-Phillips under her wing and the two, along with former teen competitor Mia Nightingale, train together at CrossFit Maven every day.

• “There’s something so special about training with someone so often that just makes you so much closer,” Ferguson said. “I feel like the camaraderie inherent in CrossFit is what makes it so special, so to have such a group like that just amplifies it and makes it so special.”

Rochester, MI isn’t the only town teeming with teen CrossFit talent. Just a short 15-minute drive from CrossFit Maven, is CrossFit Novi, home to both 2019 Games athlete and American Ninja Warrior competitor Sophie Shaft and 2020 Games-hopeful Carmen Raad.

• “Carmen and I are best friends, and our relationship is a lot closer than some of the other teens, but we’re all pretty close,” Shaft explained. “We all benefit so much from being able to train together.”

Continue Reading…

Update: 2020 CrossFit Sanctional Season Schedule

Now that we have had some time to breathe and take stock of what the Sanctional season looks like in the aftermath of last week’s wave of postponements, we can offer a new schedule for the foreseeable future. Please keep in mind that this is a fast-developing situation and any of this can change at a moment’s notice.

Here is what we know as of now:

When to Expect Scheduled Updates:

• April 3: Madrid CrossFit Championship — Next Decision Date (Event currently scheduled for May 22-24).
• April 15: Rogue Invitational — Next Decision Date (Event currently scheduled for May 15-17).
• April 15: Down Under CrossFit Championship — Next Decision Date (Event currently scheduled for May 22-24).
• April 27: CanWest CrossFit Championship — Next Decision Date (Event currently scheduled for June 5-7).
• May 1: The CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown — Next Decision Date (Event currently scheduled for May 29-31).

Currently Scheduled Events (Not Yet Postponed):

• May 15-17: Rogue Invitational — Planned as scheduled. Next decision date April 15.
• May 22-24: Down Under CrossFit Championship — Planned as scheduled. Next decision date April 15.
• May 22-24: Madrid CrossFit Championship — Planned as scheduled. Next Decision Date April 3.
• May 29-31: The CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown — Planned as scheduled.  Next Decision Date May 1.
• June 5-7: CanWest CrossFit Championship — Planned as scheduled.  Next Decision Date April 27.
• June 12-14: Granite Games — Planned as scheduled.
• June 20-21: Asbury Park Summer Games — Planned as scheduled.
• June 26-28: CrossFit French Throwdown — Planned as scheduled.
• July 3-5: Mayan CrossFit Classic — Planned as scheduled.

Continue Reading…

THINGS TO…

…WATCH

Tommy Marquez Reporting from The Atlas Games

Tommy Marquez was in Montreal when the Atlas Games Sanctional was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. He caught up with the event director, Alexis LeBlanc-Bazinet, the equipment supplier, TYDAX, and athlete Jeffrey Adler to discuss the effects of the postponement.

CHECK IT OUT.

SPONSORED

…KNOW

You Are What You Eat

Ice Age Meals pair high-quality protein with moderate amounts of carbohydrates and healthy fats while cutting out refined grains and added sugars to create the clean fuel you need to power your goals. Shop now and use the code “EATBETTER20” for 20% off your order.

EAT BETTER, LIVE LONGER.

…HEAR

March Sadness: Coronavirus Cancellations and the State of the Season

On this episode of Talking Elite Fitness, hosts Sean and Tommy recap a crazy few days in the CrossFit world, including event postponements. They also talk to Matt O’Keefe, the president of Loud and Live Sports, about the decision to postpone the West Coast Classic and what the coming weeks and months could look like for fans and athletes alike.

SEASON ON HOLD.

…DO

Recover Faster, Train Smarter

The WHOOP fitness tracker has been helping CrossFit athletes perform their best by providing personalized analytics into recovery, strain, and sleep. Know when your body is ready to be pushed or when it’s time for an active recovery day. If you are looking to be smarter about the way you recover, train, and sleep, you can save 15% off a WHOOP strap with the code “CHALKUP” at checkout.

OPTIMIZE YOURSELF WITH WHOOP.

…EAT

70 Healthy Meal Prep Recipes

We love meal prep, but eating identical containers of dry chicken and mushy veggies for five days straight is no fun. Check out this list and start by making a few simple, adaptable, and delicious recipes that will hold up in the fridge. Then, mix and match all week long.

CONTROL YOUR LUNCH; CONTROL YOUR LIFE.

HIGHLIGHTS…

• Luke Parker snatches 285 pounds for a PR.
• Sam Schultz clean and jerks 240 pounds for a 25 pound PR.
• Happy Birthday Matt O’Keefe.
• Kai Chmielak cleans 185 pounds.
• Elaine Tsay high hang cleans 190 pounds for a PR.
• Nicholas Youngblood front squats 435 pounds. 
• Jorge Alcaraz clean and jerks 175 pounds for a PR.

COMMUNITY

Everything not Related to Coronavirus

Here’s a round-up of things going in the CrossFit community unrelated to the coronavirus:

• “Cooper” WOD: On March 14, the Lumberjack Athletics community held a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to help fight childhood cancer. The WOD honors Cooper Lare, the son of community members Josh Michael and Cristen Lare, who won his battle with cancer and continues to fight.
• Battle Cancer AMRAP: Battle Cancer has announced a new fundraising concept to its events. The first workout of every Battle Cancer event will now be an AMRAP — “As Much Raised As Possible.” Teams of four can sign up to a Battle Cancer event and choose a cancer charity to support. Battle Cancer provides a fundraising pack and the teams report on how much they raised at registration on the day. The Battle Cancer scoring team keeps track on an event leaderboard and the team with the most reps (most raised) wins.
• Balance on Demand: There is a new meal planning app available on both the Apple App store and Google Play called Balance on Demand. The app developer is Rachel Rieder, a CrossFitter who wanted an easier way to meal plan and grocery shop for her macronutrient-based nutrition plan. The app, called BoD, helps you to decide what and how much to eat, as well as providing shopping lists and recipes. It offers a free trial week and costs $4.99 per month.

LOCAL COMPETITIONS

3/20 – 3/22: Okanagan Valley Throwdown (Penticton, Canada)
3/21: Pot O’Gold Throwdown (San Antonio, TX)
3/21: GRID 6 SCII (Columbia, SC)
3/21: Slingin Iron “Spring Fling” (Walker, LA)
3/21: WOD FOR OOCH (Toronto, Canada)
3/21: The Cheru Challenge (Denver, CO)
3/21: Battle of the Beast “Shamrock Showdown” a Strongman Event (Hudson, NY)
3/21 – 3/22: Rumble by the River (Columbus, GA)
3/21: All Valley CrossFit Championship (Wildomar, CA)
3/21: All Valley CrossFit Championships (Wildomar, CA)
3/21: Barbells For Bullies Charity WOD : Nashville (Nashville, TN)
3/21 – 3/22: Pensacola Beach Brawl (Pensacola Beach, FL)
3/28: HYROX Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
3/28: Fit for Freedom (Saint Charles, MO)
3/28: The 615 Theowdown (Nashville, TN)
3/28 – 3/29: Dork-A-Thon at CrossFit Florian (Norwood, MA)
3/28 – 3/29: Freaking Crossfit Throwdown (Miami, FL)
3/28: HYROX Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
3/28: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit Off the Grid (Williamstown, NJ)
3/28: Muscle Madness (Coppell, TX)
3/28: GOAT – A Youth Fitness Competition (Olyphant, PA)
3/28: CFQ SPRING FLING (Quispamsis, Canada)
3/28: CrossFit Katy Team Classic VI (Katy, TX)
3/28: Thunderdome Throwdown (Northfield, MN)
3/28: H2K’s Gauntlet fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Arden, NC)
3/28: GOAT – A Youth Fitness Competition (Olyphant, PA)
3/28: Bridgetown Throwdown (La Puente, CA)
4/2 – 4/4: Anarchy In The OK (Edmond, OK)
4/3 – 2/4: CFE’s Two Peas in a Pod – Same Gender Partner Competition (Burlington, MA)
4/4: Battle of the Sexes (Northville, MI)
4/4: AC2 Individual Competition (Flagstaff, AZ)
4/4: Kilo Crushfest (Hampton, VA)
4/4 – ⅘: The Tactical Games (San Jon, NM)
4/4: Battle of the Ages – Winnersville (Valdosta, GA)
4/4: Rookie Rumble at (Mountainside, NJ)
4/4: Remember a Lift (Southbury, CT)
4/4: Warrior Affiliate League Deuces Wild (Fontana, CA)
4/4: The FORGE Partner Challenge (Plantsville, CT)
⅘: Freehold Spring Lift Off 2020 (Freehold, NJ)
⅘: Cap City Ope (Alexandria, VA)
4/11: Rookie Rumble at River Valley CrossFit (Van Buren, AR)
4/18: Festivus Games (Snyder, TX)
4/18: Heroes for Heroes (Chantilly, VA)
4/18: Patriot Games (Cincinatti, OH)
4/18: Festivus Games (Collingwood, Canada)
4/18: Heavy Day Morgan Fundraiser (Oak Ridge, TN)
4/18: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit 611 (Southern Pines, NC)
4/18: Arsenal Open (Pittsburgh, PA)
4/18: Patriot Games (Cincinnati, OH)
4/18: Master of The Community: Masters Competition @ Crossfit Decimate (Colorado Springs, CO)
4/18: Tyler’s Voice (Jefferson City, TN)
4/18: One Ton Challenge – EHP CrossFit (Moorhead, MN)
4/18: Festivus Games (Fort Wright, KY)
4/19: HighGear’s Spring Fling (Medina, OH)