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Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil and guests break down the day's top sports stories in CrossFit.
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The 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Open is just a few weeks away, and Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil caught up with Chase Ingraham and Tim Paulson to discuss their ideas on how to increase participation. Ingraham is a 10-year affiliate owner and the south center affiliate rep for CrossFit HQ, while Paulson is the co-owner of CrossFit Pallas in Ithaca, New York. They discussed what works, what doesn't, and why it's important for your coaching staff to participate in Friday Night Lights.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Click the link below to sign up for the Open:https://auth.crossfit.com/?client_id=games_D9Mh3d&extra=%2Fregister%2Fopen%3Futm_source%3DSport-website%26utm_medium%3DSport-register_early_article_KL%26utm_campaign%3DSport-2023CFGO&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fgames.crossfit.com%2FcentralAuth&response_type=code
The off-season competitions these past several months have been packed full of fitness. For elite athletes, the Rogue Invitational included 10 events, the Dubai Fitness Challenge with eight, and most recently, TYR Wodapalooza with nine. While all three majors had similar volume, Rogue and Dubai spread the workouts over four days, whereas WZA, just two days.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Chase Ingraham and CrossFit Games competitor Tim Paulson to discuss whether there were actually too many tests for a two-day competition, or if it was necessary for a more well-rounded test. The three looked at other competition formats, the pros and cons of each system and how taking away some fitness could be better for a spectator experience.Use code "CHALKUP" to get $20 off:butcherbox.com/morningchalkupRelated Articles:https://morningchalkup.com/2023/01/19/by-the-numbers-how-two-day-wodapalooza-gave-athletes-as-much-volume-as-four-days-in-2022/Show Breakdown:0:50 - Volume within two-days2:00 - Impact of doing indy and team3:30 - Are athletes prepared for this volume6:15- More events better test?10:10 - Spectator experience12:30 - Bottom Line
The 2023 CrossFit season is officially upon us, but we still have several questions about how certain stages will play out. Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with sports analyst Mike Halpin and Games athlete Brent Fikowski to discuss what we do know, and what questions we still have.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"To watch Part 1, click the link below:https://youtu.be/ezZGRRFMx7oShow Breakdown0:20 - Will North America get most of the spots?2:30 - Brent reveals his training partner5:30 - Impact to Oceania without Tia9:25 - Oceania shift on the men's side?12:30 - Does the Open matter14:00 - The bottom line
Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sat down with Emma Cary and Matt Tores on the TYR Wodapalooza podcast stage after Cary placed 3rd in the Elite Individual Division. As her first live competition since returning from a back injury, the three discussed the process of returning to the competition floor, how Cary is learning to take more risks in her strategy, and even the importance of finding a passion outside of CrossFit.Honorable mention to Morning Chalk Up's Preslie Hirsch for subbing in mid-interview while Kalil had to excuse herself during an acid reflux attack.
Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sat down with Mat Fraser and Sammy Moniz to catch up at TYR Wodapalooza. With recently bringing on new athletes this season, the three discussed the dynamic of the group, what it's like to have a house full of people, and how their upcoming romantic getaway turned into a "family vacation."
Now that we've had a few weeks to digest what the season structure will look like, sports analyst Mike Halpin has laid out some key examples of how the new "strength of field" rule could impact spots at each semifinal.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Halpin and Games athlete Brent Fikowski to discuss some of the different scenarios that are raising questions, specifically, how important the Open could be with this new rule in place.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Show Breakdown1:30 - Thoughts on the strength of field2:50 - How the 2022 Games impacts the structure9:30 - What part does the Open play in strength of field12:36 - Looking into NA East and NA West Semifinals
Just days before the Christmas holiday, CrossFit CEO, Don Faul sent an e-mail to affiliates owners announcing that Gary Gaines, General Manager of Affiliates, is no longer with CrossFit HQ, making him the sixth CrossFit executive to change in 2022.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Make WODs Great Again creator and affiliate owner, John Wooley, and Senior Editor, Joe Genetin-Pilawa to discuss the changes in leadership, if this is normal for big companies, and what the future could hold under CEO Don Faul.Use code "CHALKUP" to get Ground Beef for Life + $20 off:butcherbox.com/morningchalkupRelated Articles:https://morningchalkup.com/2022/12/24/gary-gaines-general-manager-of-affiliates-becomes-sixth-crossfit-executive-to-leave-company-in-2022/
Tia and Shane gave everyone some exciting Christmas news last week as they announced their pregnancy! And that means there will be a new Fittnest Woman on Earth at the 2023 CrossFit Games. But -- Tia not competing this year will also impact stages in the season before we get to Madison, WI.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil spoke with sports analysts Dex Hopkins and Joey Adduci to discuss how Tia not competing in the 2023 season will impact the rest of the women's field, and they even gave their "way too early" predictions for the next championship title.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Show Breakdown:0:30 - Initial thoughts on the announcement2:40 - Is this actually "good" for the women's field6:40 - Other women up for the title7:50 - Impact to Oceania Semifinals10:00 - Games moms who made comebacks15:39 - Way too early predictions for the 2023 champion21:45 - The bottom lineRelated Articles:https://morningchalkup.com/2022/12/24/tia-clair-toomey-announces-pregnancy-and-change-of-events-for-2023-games-season/
Merry Christmas ya'll! You can start planning your 2023 CrossFit season now that we have the full list of Semifinals Locations and an equipment list for the Open...and beyond! Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Chase Ingraham and Dex Hopkins (before he leaves for baby duty) to break down where athletes will be headed for Semifinals and take a first look at the equipment list as they speculate which movements could show up.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"
In this episode of the Bottom Line, Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil brings sports analysts Dex Hopkins and Joey Adduci on the show to debate which training method is superior: individualized programming or a training camp. The two go back and forth bringing up certain athletes that have fared well with one spectrum of the argument, and discuss which side of the coin they ultimately land on.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Show Breakdown:0:45- Initial thoughts3:30 - Is there a benefit to being alone8:20 - Brent Fikowksi as an example13:00 - Training around "character traits"14:15 - The bottom line
TYR just announced they'll be selling limited edition athlete replica jerseys ahead of Wodapalooza. With the t-shirts selling at $40, TYR is giving $20 of that directly back to the athletes.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with sports analyst Dex Hopkins to discuss how TYR is leveling up when it comes to giving athletes more financial opportunities -- both in the percentage earned and who is included.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Link to get your hands on a replica jersey:https://www.tyr.com/hdn-lp/tyr-wza-athletesShow Breakdown:1:00 - TYR giving athletes a bigger cut for jerseys2:15 - Who gets to opt-in4:30 - Looking at the past8:43 - Giving athletes time to opt-in11:24 - TYR in the space13:00 - The bottom line
With numerous off-season competitions to choose from all around the globe, how does an athlete narrow down which one might help inch them closer to their overall goal? Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil catches up with seven women and seven men to see what drives them to compete and if there's a common theme amongst the athletes.Use code "CHALKUP" to get Ground Beef for Life + $20 off:butcherbox.com/morningchalkup
The "unknown and unknowable" is part of our CrossFit roots, but has the sport outgrown the concept? Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Training Think Tank coach, Adam Rogers, and Brute Strength coach, Matt Torres, to discuss ways that CrossFit can evolve from this potential sticking point and still challenge athletes in a way that moves the sport forward.Use code "CHALKUP" to get Ribeyes for a Year + $20 off:butcherbox.com/morningchalkupShow Breakdown:1:44 - Preparation leads to a better spectacle4:00 - What should be released ahead of time5:10 - Will unknown and unknowable go away9:10 - The price of this format14:00 - Is this just part of "fitness"
At the CrossFit Games and the Rogue Invitational, we saw a new test of strength: ladder style with an odd object. Historically, the sport has tested strength primarily with a barbell, and in a way that allows athletes to choose their own weights -- rather than having set weights to hit.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Training Think Tank coach, Adam Rogers, and Brute Strength coach, Matt Torres, to discuss which style better demonstrates an athlete's true ability when it comes to testing strength.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Show breakdown:0:52 - Implementing odd objects5:00 - Creating a better tie-break8:50 - "Playing the game" choosing your own weights13:17- Ladder style here to stay?17:00 - Downside of ladders19:40 - The bottom line
CrossFit has released the Games rulebook earlier than ever, and we're diving into what's new and what could impact athletes in the 2023 season. Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Dex Hopkins and Joey Adduci to talk about how the change in the residency rule could shift where athletes compete in Semifinals, the introduction of the two-appeal rule, and which athletes might benefit from having best practices in place ahead of time.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Show Breakdown:0:40 - Transparency from CrossFit2:00 - Residency Changes6:13 - Country representation9:00 - Proactive approach11:00 - Two appeal process17:00 - Consistency with the season19:45 - The bottom lineRelated Articles:https://morningchalkup.com/2022/11/16/2023-rulebook-review-region-selection-and-the-two-appeal-rule/https://morningchalkup.com/2022/11/15/breaking-the-2023-crossfit-games-rulebook-has-arrived-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
When looking at CrossFit Games champions like Justin Medeiros and Tia-Clair Toomey, their weaknesses are few and far between. Recently at the Rogue Invitational, even with a 19th placement in the strict handstand push-up event, Laura Horvath was still able to take home the title and stand on top of the Podium.Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil chats with Dex Hopkins and Joey Adduci to discuss how big of a margin a champion can have with their weaknesses and how changing the standard of a movement like the handstand push-up impacts an athlete when trying to narrow that margin.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code CHALKUPShow Breakdown:0:55 - Margin for error with a weakness3:15 - Looking at weaknesses in past champions5:30 - Training when standards change10:00 - "Field goal" of HSPU always changing13:00 - The bottom line
A new ranking system for the CrossFit Games season was recently announced by HQ through the Hopper e-mail. Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with sports experts Dex Hopkins and Mike Halpin Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Show Breakdown:0:45 - Initial thoughts3:45 - Athletes this system could affect6:00 - Watching the system play out10:30 - Comparing other professional sports12:15 - Regional breakdown16:30 - What came first, chicken or the egg19:50 - Who benefits and who suffers22:50 - Bottom lineRelated Articles:https://morningchalkup.com/2022/11/10/crossfit-introduces-worldwide-ranking-system/
New details emerge from the European Championship, an off-season competition that has yet to pay its podium athletes, judges, and media. Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Jason Croxon, the man behind Jason CF Media, to peel back the layers of how the competition is planning to pay its people for the event in 2022, through a competition in 2023...and how the athletes are apparently not supporting it.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code "CHALKUP"Related Videos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKjPMsqQy9Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDCo9-hLrgIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvXMal53DRghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONxyUFMAIUURelated Articles:https://morningchalkup.com/2022/10/04/european-championships-ends-with-large-amount-of-debt-organizers-unsure-they-will-be-able-to-pay/https://morningchalkup.com/2022/11/05/european-championships-update-support-a-2023-event-and-you-might-get-paid-for-2022/https://morningchalkup.com/2022/11/08/european-championships-update-the-show-will-go-on/
As off-season competitions continue to outsource training camps for their programming, it raises the question of whether there might be an unfair bias when it comes to athletes competing from the camp that's programming the event. Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Training Think Tanks head coach Max El-Hag and Chase Ingraham to discuss their concerns when payouts get involved and some ideas as to who could program off-season events to even the playing field.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code CHALKUPShow Breakdown:0:43 - Potential conflict of interest2:40 - How it can benefit training camps5:00 - Standards to make it more “fair”9:25 - Is it better to have multiple camps program12:45 - Too many cooks in the kitchen?15:20 - Unconscious bias to help your athletes17:20 - Who should program events18:30 - Utilizing Dave Castro?!20:30 - Increase in participation21:55 - Bottom LineTraining Think Tank original video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvpVkn97Owc
Watching the younger generation of CrossFit Games athletes grow up with the sport of CrossFit versus having an athletic background in other sports raises the question of which path will ultimately fair better at the Games. Morning Chalk Up's Lauren Kalil sits down with Jason Khalipa and Jared Graybeal to discuss the topic and dive into different scenarios of how each track might play out.Learn more at http://ucan.co/chalkup and save 20% on your first order with code CHALKUPShow Breakdown:0:50 - Long-term outcome of only training CrossFit2:40 - Comparing athletes based on background5:30 - Rich Froning as an example8:00 - Coaches implementing sports into training10:30 - What elements should the Games include16:00 - Creating consistency in the sport17:05 - Jason planning an event at Castro's Ranch
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