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- The 2024 Masters and Teenage CrossFit Games Begin Today!
The 2024 Masters and Teenage CrossFit Games Begin Today!
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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.
In today’s edition:
The 2024 Masters CrossFit Games by Legends kicks off today with men and women in seven divisions taking on the first three of 10 events. Check out who to watch in each division below.
Want to optimize your diet to align with your fitness goals? EC Synkowski has some practical tips to help.
Get caught up on schedules, workouts, and how to watch the first two (of three) “Divisional Games” this weekend in Birmingham, AL, and Three Rivers, MI.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The stage is set, the bar is high, and my heart is pounding with the rhythm of a thousand burpees.” - Jason Grubb, four-time CrossFit Games Masters champ via Instagram
CROSSFIT GAMES
Credit: Sara Inez Chew
Who To Watch at the 2024 Masters CrossFit Games by Legends
The Masters Games aren’t just a celebration of fitness — they’re a celebration of longevity.
And impressive feats of strength, skill, and endurance will be on display at the 2024 Masters CrossFit Games in Birmingham, AL, from August 29 to September 1.
“The masters are like the (NCAA) D3 athletes. They’re doing it for the love of the game,” Scott Panchik said last year while competing in the 35-39 division for the first time.
While this is true, they are also striving to earn the title of “Fittest on Earth” in their respective age groups.
Let’s take a look at some of the athletes to watch this weekend.
35-39, Men’s Division
Will Moorad won the Age Group Semifinal, finishing all four events in the top eight. However, he had to withdraw from the North America East Semifinal by Syndicate Crown due to a hip injury, which he sustained in Event 2.
If he is at full strength, the five-time Individual Games athlete is the favorite to stand on top of the podium.
Bronislaw Olenkowicz, a.k.a. “Big Bron,” is also bound to put on a show in Birmingham.
He placed 26th at the 2023 CrossFit Games as an individual and 42nd in 2019. After finishing in sixth in the Age Group Semifinal this year, he placed 20th as an individual in Europe.
It’s worth noting that Olenkowicz won the snatch ladder at the Europe Semifinal by French Throwdown, so you can look for him to repeat that in Event Four this weekend.
A MESSAGE FROM REEBOK
Light Up the Gym
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SPEED READS
Constantly Varied Conversations: Over the past few weeks, a lot of discussion in the CrossFit community has centered around the role of the sport within the larger affiliate, methodology-centered ecosystem. In his recent episode, John Wooley took on the question “Should CrossFit sell the CrossFit Games?” Watch it here.
Behind the Scenes of the 2024 CrossFit Games: Two-times Games champ Justin Medeiros talks through this 2024 CrossFit Games experience.
He provides good insight into his friendship/friendly rivalry with Lazar Ðukić, the conflicting emotions and confusion athletes felt surrounding the decision to continue the Games, and what it was like returning to the competition floor.
Buttery Bros 2024 CrossFit Games Doc: Every season, the CrossFit community excitedly awaits the Buttery Bros’ take on the Games. And while “excited” is not the right word in this case, anticipation was high.
Check out “Tragedy at the CrossFit Games // 2024 Documentary” now and make sure to stick around to the end for a very touching tribute to Lazar Ðukić.
ICYMI: The Masters CrossFit Games kicks off this weekend. Check out our programming preview here.
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Credit: Scott Warman / Unsplash
The Quest for the Perfect Diet: The 4 Areas of Optimization
Are you overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition advice and endless dietary fads?
You're not alone.
Many of the CrossFitters I work with in my nutrition Masterclass come in with confusing and head-scratching beliefs, influenced by the overwhelming amount of content available online.
The problem isn’t a desire to “optimize” their diet; it’s what they’ve been led to believe will get them there rather than what is necessary.
So, let’s try to demystify this a bit.
Why Optimize Your Diet?
Optimizing your diet is about more than just losing weight or building muscle. It's a crucial piece of the puzzle when it comes to overall health and well-being.
With the caveat that we all have limits set by our genetics, fine-tuning your nutrition can help:
Achieve and maintain a healthy body composition.
Support physical performance in the gym and out.
Promote long-term health and disease prevention.
CROSSFIT GAMES
Credit: @crossfitgames / Instagram
Masters and Teenage CrossFit Games – Schedule, Workout Descriptions, and How to Watch
The first year of the “Divisional Games” kicks off this weekend, August 29-September 1, in Birmingham, AL, and Three Rivers, MI, with the Masters CrossFit Games by Legends and Teenage CrossFit Games by Pit Teen Throwdown.
Down south, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, elite athletes aged 35 and up will compete across 10 events for the right to claim they are the fittest in their age group.
Division Breakdown
35-39 Division – 40 Men | 40 Women
40-44 Division – 40 Men | 40 Women
45-49 Division – 40 Men | 40 Women
50-54 Division – 30 Men | 30 Women
55-59 Division – 30 Men | 30 Women
60-64 Division – 20 Men | 20 Women
65+ Division – 20 Men | 20 Women
To the north, at the Pit Fitness Ranch in Three Rivers, MI, and Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, MI, elite teens aged 14-17 will take on seven tests in their quest to rule the fitness schoolyard.
Division Breakdown
14-15 Division – 30 Boys | 30 Girls
16-17 Division – 30 Boys | 30 Girls
Masters CrossFit Games — Schedule and How to Watch
All Masters divisions will be live-streamed, starting on August 29, on the Legends Championship YouTube channel, the CrossFit Games website, and in the CrossFit Games app. Sean Woodland, Tommy Marquez, Chase Ingraham, and Lauren Kalil will be on site to provide live commentary and analysis of the competition.
Check out the complete schedule on Competition Corner.
Day 1 Schedule, Thursday, August 29 (all times local)
35-39 Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 5:09 p.m. | 1:51 p.m.
Event 2 – 7:03 p.m. | 3:52 p.m.
Event 3 – 1:47 p.m. | 10:48 a.m.
40-44 Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 4:27 p.m. | 1:09 p.m.
Event 2 – 6:29 p.m. | 3:18 p.m.
Event 3 – 1:31 p.m. | 10:32 a.m.
45-49 Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 3:45 p.m. | 12:27 p.m.
Event 2 – 5:55 p.m. | 2:44 p.m.
Event 3 – 1:15 p.m. | 10:16 a.m.
50-54 Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 3:03 p.m. | 11:45 a.m.
Event 2 – 5:21 p.m. | 2:10 p.m.
Event 3 – 12:59 p.m. | 10:00 a.m.
55-59 Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 10:33 a.m. | 8:42 a.m.
Event 2 – 1:11 p.m. | 11:21 a.m.
Event 3 – 1:47 p.m. | 10:48 a.m.
60-64 Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 10:12 a.m. | 8:21 a.m.
Event 2 – 12:54 p.m. | 11:04 a.m.
Event 3 – 1:47 p.m. | 10:48 a.m.
65+ Division, Men | Women
Event 1 – 9:51 a.m. | 8:00 a.m.
Event 2 – 12:37 p.m. | 10:47 a.m.
Event 3 – 1:47 p.m. | 10:48 a.m.
Workout Descriptions
Event 1
4 rounds for time of:
600-meter run
RD1 - 5 deadlifts, 255/180 pounds
RD2 - 10 deadlifts
RD3 - 15 deadlifts
RD 4 - 20 deadlifts
Time cap: 18 minutes
Event 2
4 rounds for time:
4 rope climbs, 15-feet
6 sandbag cleans, 150/100 pounds
40-foot handstand walk
Time cap: 12 minutes
Event 3
25 overhead squats, 75/55 pounds
80-foot dumbbell walking lunge, 50/35 pounds x2
25 overhead squats
Time cap: 3 minutes
** — For Age Group weights and scaling, go here.
Teenage CrossFit Games — Schedule and How to Watch
All teen divisions will be live-streamed starting on August 30 on the Pit Media YouTube channel, the CrossFit Games website, and the CrossFit Games app. Joel Godett, Matt Rattay, and Bella Martin will provide live commentary and analysis of the competition.
Day 1 for the Teenage Games will kick off on Friday, August 30.
Check out the complete schedule here.
HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.
🍼Congratulations to Luke and Jennifer Parker, on the birth of their new baby.
Check out Christin Panchik’s fitness progression postpartum - nice work, Christin - you're amazing!
Congratulations to Charity, who hit a 104-kilo/230-pound power clean at the Mayhem on the Mountain competition.
Check out this little CrossFitter, 9-year-old Victoria, squat cleaning 20 kilos/45 pounds. Nice job!
🎂Happy belated birthday to coach Luke from 12 Labors CrossFit in Baltimore, MD.