Austin Malleolo Joins Rich Froning’s Mayhem Nation

September 3rd, 2025

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 🛫 Austin Malleolo leaves CrossFit HQ after 15 years, joins Mayhem as VP.

  • 📺 Netflix’s The Biggest Loser doc exposes the dark side of “rapid” weight loss.

  • 🔈 Not For Time drops new episode with Sabrina Schoenberg, adaptive athlete & world champ dancer.

  • 👑 Jason Grubb claims sixth Masters title — and isn’t slowing down.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

This sixth title was the hardest. The athletes in this division are relentless, and I carried a lot of pressure into it.”

Jason Grubb on his historic sixth consecutive Masters CrossFit Games title.
INDUSTRY

Austin Malleolo Departs CrossFit After 15 Years, Joins Mayhem Nation

Credit: @amalleolo / Instagram

After 15 years working for CrossFit LLC, Austin Malleolo has left the company for a new role with Rich Froning’s Mayhem Nation as VP of Mayhem Gyms. He most recently served as CrossFit’s Senior Director of Strategy & Operations for Affiliates.Remind Me

Malleolo competed in the CrossFit Games as an individual five times from 2010 to 2015. 

  • He was also an affiliate owner and a long-time member of CrossFit’s seminar staff, having worked at over 400 seminars worldwide in 10 years. 

  • Additionally, he worked for Reebok before joining CrossFit HQ, initially as part of the programming team behind the “CrossFit Affiliate Program” or CAP with Spencer Hendel and James Hobart.

In December 2022, Malleolo became CrossFit’s interim General Manager of Affiliates. In 2023, he switched roles again and assumed the position of Director of US Gym Operations, finally settling in as a senior director for affiliate strategy and operations.

Read on for more on the visions Malleolo is bringing to Mayhem, his hopes for impacting coaches and gyms, and the potential industry ripple effects.

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SPEED READS

🏋️‍♂️🔥 Fraser Gets Back to Basics: Mat Fraser strips it back with an old-school garage grind — heavy pulls, gritty metcons, and a post-WOD run. Between sets, the five-time champ reflects on Jayson Hopper’s Games win, dad life with two under two, and why a “shitty metcon” still feels so good.

🎥👕 Coaching Office Hours: CrossFit’s Eric O’Connor and Rob Lawson go live with a Q&A on movement fixes, class management, and those awkward floor moments. Bring your toughest scenarios for real-time Red Shirt solutions.

🎥💻 CrossFit’s Hiring: HQ seeks a Social Media Video Editor (6-month contract) to craft short-form content for IG, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and more. If you know Premiere Pro, trends, and CrossFit storytelling, this gig’s for you.

🦺🏋️ Carry the Weight: Weighted vests aren’t just for Murph. Adding five to 10 percent of your body weight can turn walks into full-body workouts, boosting calorie burn, strength, and bone health. Research supports this claim: studies show that vests help preserve muscle during weight loss and improve power and endurance.

🤸‍♂️⚡ Rapid-Fire Gymnastics Hacks: Training Think Tank coaches drop quick hits for chest-to-bar (wider grip, faster drop), handstand walks (neutral gaze, bent knees), wall walks (jump both feet to the wall, fixed step count), and pegboards (hips to the board, long arms on the descent). Click here for the drills you’ll actually use.

ICYMI: 🎓 CrossFit announces a one-day Hybrid Level 2 certification built for busy affiliate owners.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

5 Takeaways from Netflix's “Fit for TV” Documentary

Credit: Netflix

Netflix has just released a three-part documentary series called "Fit for TV," which pulls back the curtain on The Biggest Loser – the reality show that aired for 17 seasons and generated millions of dollars per season in ad revenue.

  • If you've ever wondered how contestants could lose more than 15 pounds a week or why most gained the weight back, this documentary reveals some uncomfortable truths about extreme weight loss that every athlete should understand.

I never watched the show when it aired, so this new documentary was eye-opening (to say the least). 

Continue reading for five big takeaways.

PODCAST

Not For Time Podcast Episode 7, Live Now!

CROSSFIT GAMES — MASTERS

Masters Legend Jason Grubb Wins Sixth Games Title — Still Hungry for More

Photo Courtesy of  Jason Grubb

Jason Grubb, the face of Masters CrossFit, cemented his legacy once again with a record sixth title at the 2025 Age Group CrossFit Games. 

His recent win marks a clean sweep of the men’s 45-49 age division, defying age and showcasing incredible athleticism. 

Remind me: The Age Group CrossFit Games were held in Columbus, OH, in late August, where Masters and Teenagers competed in their respective season-ending events. Last year marked the first time that age groups were separated from individual and team divisions. 

Grubb didn’t start out aiming to become a six-time champion. He took first place in his last year of eligibility in the 40-44 age division in 2019 and hoped to win at least one more time while moving into the 45-49 age division, but he clearly ended up with more than he expected. 

  • “My original goal was just to win one more time – if I could. Then another…and another. By the time I was 48, it felt nearly impossible with the wave of new athletes coming in. But after last year’s win, I set out intentionally to go after this one,” Grubb tells Morning Chalk Up in an interview.

The story doesn’t stop at six titles — find out how he’s still raising the bar.

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.

  • 💕Happy anniversary to Alex Parker and Meredith Root.

  • Check out Hampton Morris on this 140-kilo/308-pound snatch PR at the 2025 VS2 in Fort Worth, TX.

  • 👟Congratulations to James Newbury on his 3:09 marathon in Sydney, Australia - a 22-minute PR.

  • Check out this 195-kilo/430-pound clean for the “King of the Barbell,” Gui Malheiros.

  • ⚡️Check out this event win on Pro 1 from the World Fitness Project last weekend for Aimee Cringle — she finished the two-mile run in 12:01.