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New Study Highlights CrossFit's Impact on Women in Strength Sports

October 10th, 2024

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • How has CrossFit paved the way for women in strength sports? A new study reveals insights into changing perceptions of beauty and body types.

  • The Rogue Invitational is coming next month. Check out 13 fun facts from the event’s past.

  • Plus, five reasons why you should take NASM's Performance Enhancement Specialization Program.

Should your gym be featured as our Affiliate of the Month? Send us a note explaining why.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’ve always been a little mini ‘She-Hulk.’ So, since I was a kid, if something needed to be lifted, I wanted to lift it. I’ve always wanted to be strong, period…But then I found CrossFit, and I watched [The CrossFit Games] on ESPN, and I thought, ‘I could lift that shit.’ And then, lo and behold, a place opened up across the street just a couple of months later. So, it’s kind of destiny,” - A study participant in the journal article “Beyond the Barbell: Women in Strength-Based Sports and the Reshaping of Gender Norms,” discussed below.

RESEARCH

Credit: Carlos Fleury

Is CrossFit Paving the Way for Women in All Sports?

Today, I feel very proud to be part of the CrossFit community. 

This came about after I stumbled across a September 2024 article in Sex Roles: A Journal of Research.

  • OK, before you fall asleep because I’m about to review an academic article, I promise that’s just part of the story and I’ll keep the jargon to a minimum.

The article — “Beyond the Barbell: Women in Strength-Based Sports and the Reshaping of Gender Norms”— included 21 participants, all of whom are women in weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit, and strongman. It dug into topics like body image, societal expectations, as well as how these female athletes feel about interactions with men. 

My biggest takeaway was that CrossFit is way ahead of many other sports when it comes to women embracing being strong and empowered while still feeling feminine and sexy.

A Quick Personal Story

Growing up, I was a gymnast. More specifically, I was the giant gymnast among a flurry of tiny teammates. 

  • I never believed being tall was beautiful — never mind being big and strong.

I got into basketball in high school and eventually played in college. At that time, there were no Caitlin Clarks of the world to look up to. 

A MESSAGE FROM LMNT

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SPEED READS

🤕💪 Khrennikov Out for Rogue and Dubai: Mayhem athlete Roman Khrennikov, who placed ninth at the 2024 Games, announced this week that he would sit out of the Rogue Invitational and Dubai Fitness Championship this off-season due to injury.

  • From the post: “I sustained an injury during the semifinals and aggravated it while preparing for the Games. As a result, my training didn’t go as planned…I knew my chances at the Games were slim, but I still chose to compete, and you saw the result….[W]hen I resumed training [after the Games], it became clear that my injury hadn’t healed.”

☀️🥇The Dubai Fitness Championship — Online Qualifier Ends TODAY: The Dubai Fitness Championship is coming to the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Stadium from December 6-8, 2024. The total prize purse is approximately 1.3 million AED or just over $350,000 USD. Thirty men and 30 women will compete, and the only way to qualify is through the online qualifier. Be sure to use the Official Video Recording Partner of the DFC, WODProof.  

📺👂Hear Their Stories: CrossFit’s new video series, called Hear Their Stories, brings viewers into the heart of the CrossFit community. Episode three is out now, focusing on Lynne Knapman, the “Iron Woman,” who has qualified for every CrossFit Games that has included a masters division. Watch now.

🚣 🚣 2025 Rowvember by Dark Horse Rowing: Back again this year, Dark Horse Rowing’s Rowvember challenge will kick off after Halloween. Get ready.

ICYMI: Coming off a podium performance in the Team Division at the 2024 CrossFit Games and all the emotional weight of Lazar Ðukić’s death, Lena Richter struggled to feel motivated to train. TYR WZA SoCal changed all that.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Credit: @rogueinvitational / Instagram

13 Fun Facts About the Rogue Invitational

In a few short weeks, all eyes from the CrossFit world will be on the Rogue Invitational. 

  • This competition always brings out the best in the sport. 

With a new location in 2024, it will be interesting to see what new and unique ways Rogue will challenge athletes this year.

As we count down the days to the competition, we dove into the history of the event to find 13 interesting facts about the Rogue Invitational.

Athlete Results

1. There have only been two women champions at the Rogue Invitational.

  • Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr won the first three competitions. Laura Horvath won in 2022 and 2023.

The women’s defending champion has never been beaten at the Rogue Invitational.

2. On the men’s side, there have been three champions. 

Two men have won the Rogue Invitational twice, Justin Medeiros (2021 and 2022) and Patrick Vellner (2019 and 2023). Mat Fraser won the inaugural event.

  • Patrick Vellner is the only Rogue champion not to have won the CrossFit Games.

INDUSTRY

Credit: NASM

5 Reasons to Take NASM's Performance Enhancement Specialization Program

The National Academy of Sports Medicine, known as NASM, has launched its Performance Enhancement Specialization (PES) course. This is a new certification for trainers looking to up their coaching skills and become better leaders in the world of fitness.

The PES is an online principle-based program that’s been updated with the latest research and best practices in exercise science and sports psychology. The overall goal of the program is to prepare fitness professionals with innovative performance strategies for athletes of all levels. 

While NASM recommends participants have a previous NASM certification, the course is open to all trainers. Below is a list of the top five reasons for taking the PES course and choosing NASM.

HIGHLIGHTS

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