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Kelsey Kiel and SW Florida Sharks Eye Grid League Perfection
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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.
In today’s edition:
The United Grid League’s SWFL Sharks smell blood in the water.
When nutrition progress stalls, here’s what to do.
Gymreapers is the “Official Apparel, Knee Sleeve, and Belt Partner” of the 2025 CrossFit Games Age Group Games.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
The vibe on this team is absolutely insane and absolutely electric, and we wouldn’t be where we are without every single person working as hard as they are.”
COMPETITIONS
Southwest Florida Sharks Eye Perfect Season as United Grid League Playoffs Loom
Credit: @alex.hampstead / Instagram
The United Grid League will conclude its regular season this weekend, providing teams with a final opportunity to qualify for the playoffs and the championship match in August.
The Southwest Florida Sharks are considered favorites heading into the weekend, boasting a talented roster of CrossFit elite athletes, including Dana Paran and Kelsey Kiel.
“They’re basically the best team ever at the midpoint of a regular season,” Mather Wiswall, the United Grid League’s head of media and commissioner, told the Morning Chalk Up in an interview.
Kiel joined the UGL after retiring from elite CrossFit. She has been to the CrossFit Games five times and was named a UGL rookie to watch for 2025.
Continue reading to learn more about the Sharks’ domination this season and what’s on tap for this weekend’s matches. And, check out the full schedule here.
A MESSAGE FROM VELITES
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SPEED READS
🇭🇺💪 Train with Laura: Kaduzs Strength and Conditioning, Laura Horvath’s gym in Budapest, will hold its first “Training with LH” camp on July 26. Get the details here.
🏃♀️🤝 Meet Mat Lock: Founder Christian Toetzke recently shared their Olympic ambitions, but if the fitness race is to become a top-tier global sport, it will be up to the technical director of elite racing, Mat Lock. Get to know him in this interview.
🍓🎧 Emma’s Nutrition Hacks: Check out the newest episode of 2023’s Second Fittest Woman, Emma Lawson’s podcast, Strong Girl Style, to learn about her favorite realistic nutrition hacks that help her feel her best, without strict rules or complicated prep.
🏃♀️⭐️ HYROX Dallas Tickets Incoming: HYROX heads to Boston this fall for the first time. The three-day event will take place from September 28 to 28, 2025. Public ticket sales open on Thursday, July 17, at 2:00 p.m. EST.
ICYMI: Five-time Fittest Man, Mat Fraser’s secrets to moving like a champ.
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Frustrated With Your Nutrition Progress? Let’s Reset
Credit: Frank Nguyen
Few things are more frustrating than feeling like you’re doing everything right with your nutrition – tracking your meals, prioritizing protein, drinking water, and hitting your workouts – and still not seeing the results you expected. It’s enough to make you want to throw your hands up and ask, “What’s the point?”
But before you go down that spiral, let’s talk about it.
Because hitting a plateau or feeling like your progress is slow doesn’t necessarily mean you’re failing. In fact, it’s often part of the process.
This article is for those who are trying. The ones who are showing up, making changes, and feeling discouraged by the pace of progress.
Let’s walk through what might be happening, what a healthy rate of progress truly looks like, and, most importantly, what to do next.
THINGS TO…
…GET
Rapid Fire CrossFit Tips
Training Think Tank Coaches Mia Gianelli and Mike McGoldrick share smart, practical fixes for CrossFit’s toughest movements — from burpees to barbell cycling. They cover mechanics, mindset, and mobility to help you move better, faster, and more efficiently.
…KNOW
You Can’t Out-Train a Bad Diet
Veteran CrossFit coaches Eric O'Connor and Stephane Rochet debunk the myth that you can out-train a bad diet, and offer real-world nutrition strategies. From managing cravings to reframing food choices, they share how to fuel performance without obsessing over every bite.
…LEARN
How to Coach Like a Pro
Jason Khalipa and Matt DellaValle break down why coach development is central to NCFIT and how “Coach Like a Pro” is helping raise the standard. From structured feedback to cohort learning, it’s all about turning good coaches into great ones.
INDUSTRY
Credit: Gymreapers
Gymreapers Named Official Partner of the 2025 CrossFit Games Age Group Division
This August, Gymreapers will take the floor as the “Official Apparel, Knee Sleeve, and Belt Partner” of the 2025 CrossFit Games Age Group Division, supplying high-performance gear to 520 of the world’s top teenage and master athletes.
Taking place from August 21 to 24 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, the Age Group Games embody the CrossFit spirit – driven, disciplined, and deeply committed to personal excellence. From the youngest qualifiers to the most experienced veterans, these athletes train with relentless determination.
“Whether you’re 16 or 70, the standard is the same. Give your best, and keep getting better,” the Gymreapers team told us. “That mindset is everything, and it’s why we’re here.”
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HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.
🎂Happy belated birthday (7/10) to Frederik Aegidius.
Happy birthday (7/13) to Chandler Smith.
Congratulations to Djebryn of Blue Monkey Fitness in France on this 165-kilo/363-pound squat clean PR.
🔥Check out this throwback of Riley Martin hitting a 161-kilo/355-pound clean at the Torian Pro.