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Fikowski Talks Standards, Safety, and CrossFit's Future on Froning Podcast
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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.
In today’s edition:
PFAA, AFJ to launch movement standards database, Brent Fikowski shared more on the Froning Podcast.
Want better toes-to-bar? These three drills will change your game.
Gluck, Kanyo, and Ibarra are back — stronger, focused, and seeking a “more normal” Games in 2025.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Last year is my ‘normal,’ so I’m really excited to have a good experience [in Albany]… last year was really rough.”
COMPETITIONS
Fikowski Talks New Standards Database and Safety Push on Froning Podcast
Credit: @easemahcaptures / Instagram
On Wednesday, nine-time CrossFit Games athlete Brent Fikowski appeared on The Rich Froning Podcast to discuss a new initiative he's been working on with a team of expert coaches and judges.
The initiative involves developing a movement standards database to improve judging consistency, ensure athlete safety, and promote athlete representation across events.
The details: The Association of Fitness Judges (AFJ), J.R.. Howell, along with the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association (including its coaches on the Advisory Committee: Justin Cotler, Caroline Lambray, and John Singleton), is leading the initiative.
Fikowski called it an “important first step in trying to move this sport forward.” The purpose of the database, he explained, isn’t to force it upon competition organizers.
Instead, it’s simply a trustworthy resource they can use to ensure they’re implementing proven and reliable movement standards at their events that can be easily judged and followed.
“I think it’s a really good first step to just get some consistency at competitions [and] share some best practice from experts,” said Fikowski, the President of the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association (PFAA).
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SPEED READS
🧠⚖️ B.M.I. is Bad: While this is something that many folks already understood, a new study published in The Annals of Family Medicine has revealed just how much better body fat percentage is than B.M.I. at measuring mortality risk.
❤️🩹🌏 Support for Grayson: Organized by CrossFit legend Annie Sakamoto, this GoFundMe was established to support Grayson Greco, a long-time member of the CrossFit Santa Cruz Central community who was diagnosed with a brain tumor while vacationing in Australia. Support Grayson and the Greco family here.
🏋️♀️🔥 Pit Fest 2025: 100+ youth and community athletes from 20 states and Canada are throwing down this weekend in Three Rivers, MI. Watch the action live from the Pit Fitness Ranch.
🇺🇸🏆 USAFF Masters: The USAFF Online Qualifier for the Masters World Championships kicks off July 1. The top three men and women in each age group will represent Team USA at the IF3 Worlds in Brisbane, Australia, on November 21–23, 2025. Learn more and register here.
ICYMI: Speegle goes Gladiator.
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
3 Drills That Will Transform Your Toes-To-Bar
Credit: Kori Hoffman Photography
These three drills will significantly improve your toes-to-bar.
Yes, just three drills, but consistency is king.
If you’re frustrated because you can't increase your toes-to-bar rep volume, it’s likely because you aren’t focusing on the right ways to improve that capacity.
Just doing toes to bar once or twice a month in a workout won’t push you to the next level of toes-to-bar mastery.
Just as with lifting, where we focus on accessory movements and percentage work, we also need to include drills and percentage work for gymnastics outside of a metcon.
I know time is precious, but these drills usually take just five to seven minutes of extra work a few times a week, and you'll see that small, frequent exposure is exactly what you need to improve your toes-to-bar capacity during a workout.
THINGS TO…
…MASTER
Your Burpee Technique
Love them or hate them, burpees are here to stay. They are more than just a test of mental toughness, though — they’re a skill. Learn how to improve yours with this guide from Invictus Fitness.
…STACK
The Savings in Reebok’s Buy More Save More Event
Pile on the savings with Reebok's Buy More Save More event, going on right now. Find tees, hoodies, shorts, and lots of kicks, including the Nano X4. Just remember to use code "BMSM" at checkout and spend over $75 to snag free shipping.
…HEAR
The Story Behind CrossFit’s Celebrity Trainer
From losing his shot at a military career, to training celebrities on tour buses, to building a space where community comes first, Conor Murphy gets real with CrossFit Podcast host, Denise Murphy, on this recent episode.
CROSSFIT GAMES
After Tragedy Tainted Their Rookie Years in 2024, These 3 Returning CrossFit Games Athletes Hope for Normalcy in Albany
Credit: Jesus Montero
“I’m still wondering if it’s a dream.”
That’s what French athlete Claudia Gluck told the Morning Chalk Up last year after qualifying for her first CrossFit Games.
That dream, however, quickly turned into a nightmare as tragedy struck during the first event in Fort Worth, TX, when competitor Lazar Đukić drowned and died.
In the aftermath, some athletes withdrew. By the end of the weekend, 12 individuals and two teams had pulled out, citing Đukić’s death. Interestingly, none of the 22 individual rookies were on that list.
This season, 10 of them are on the Games roster, hoping to have a more “normal” Games experience this August in Albany, NY. We caught up with three of them: Claudia Gluck, Hattie Kanyo, and Chris Ibarra.
Continue reading to find out how they refocused for 2025 after experiencing something they hope they never have to go through again.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.
😮Check out these lightening-fast burpees from Grid Leaguer, Janine. We assure you this video isn’t on 2x speed.
Red Bull has challenged Noah Ohlsen to squat until he can’t. That 495 is coming soon!
Congratulations to Pame Gutierrez who completed Grace, unbroken, in 1:09.6.
🙏The CrossFit Mandeville community from Mandevill, LA, has organized a fundraiser for two-year-old Rowan, who is battling leukemia. There will be a workout to support him and raise funds at the gym on June 28th. There is also a link a GoFundMe account for those interested in helping from afar.