CrossFit's Public Video Review Faces Athlete Questions

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Good morning, and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

• New public judging system sparks concern among athletes.

• “Selling” is the first step in coaching — embracing it can grow your affiliate.

• Miami aims to rebrand spring break with TYR Wodapalooza and HYROX.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

CROSSFIT GAMES

Questions Mount Over CrossFit’s Crowd-Sourced Semifinal Review Process

This season, one of the changes CrossFit has implemented is a new public video review process at the Semifinals stage.

As outlined in rule 2.10a of the 2025 CrossFit Games Rulebook, anyone who has completed the 2025 Online Judges Course will be able to review, judge, and assess each video.

• More specifically, reviewers have three options: they can rate the video as “good video," “needs review,” or “unviewable” (indicating that the video cannot be viewed or does not match the correct workout).

This public review process occurred for the Age Group Semifinals from the end of competition on Sunday, April 6, until Friday, April 11, at 5:00 p.m. PT. CrossFit now has until April 21 to finalize the leaderboard. 

According to the rulebook, the Individual In-Affiliate Semifinals, which will be used to qualify 11 individual men and women for the 2025 CrossFit Games, will follow the same process.

Why it matters: In theory, the new public review process appears to be an effective way to enhance transparency and fairness in the qualification process. However, in practice, it has raised numerous questions and concerns.

The most pressing question is: How does CrossFit intend to use the public review votes? The rulebook is far from clear on this issue.

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After PODIUM’s Chocolate Brownie Stroopwafel sold out in just one day, FUSE 2025 is launching as a pre-sale on April 15. This approach allows PODIUM to allocate inventory more precisely—guaranteeing first-priority shipping for all pre-sale customers.

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SPEED READS

🥇🎙️ Mat Fraser on the Born Primitive pod: The five-time Games champ shares what it takes to win on the Born Primitive podcast. Watch here.

🇭🇺🥇 Laura Horvath is Unbreakable: The newest WFP minidocumentary dropped yesterday, Unbreakable — The Laura Horvath Story. Check it out.

📋 📊 CrossFit is Hiring: CrossFit is seeking to hire a project manager for sport operations. The successful applicant will support the successful planning, coordination, and execution of the CrossFit Games season as well as special projects. Apply now.

🧀 🍫 Protein Bars vs. Cheese?! The post-workout protein bar is a gym bag staple for many CrossFitters, but would we be better off with a chunk of Parmesan? Find out here.

🚨📋 Last Chance!: Want to be an HWPO Ambassador? Today is your last day to apply.

ICYMI: CrossFit OGs returned to the spotlight in the 2025 Age Group Semis.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Embracing the Sales Mindset for CrossFit Affiliate Owners

"How many of you think you're in sales?"

Only a few hands go up when I pose this question at affiliate owner seminars.

Most CrossFit coaches and affiliate owners see themselves as fitness professionals, not as salespeople. The very term "sales" can make many of us uncomfortable, evoking images of aggressive tactics or inauthentic pitches.

But here's a perspective shift that transformed my approach to growing my CrossFit affiliate: sales isn't separate from coaching — it's the first step in coaching.

COMPETITIONS

Miami’s Spring Break Gets a Fitness Makeover with TYR Wodapalooza and HYROX

If spring breakers aren’t leaving the country to catch some rays, they’re likely heading to Florida, specifically Miami. However, city officials hope to reshape the narrative and emphasize health and fitness by scheduling TYR Wodapalooza and HYROX to coincide with spring break weeks. 

Remind me: The 2025 TYR Wodapalooza event was moved to Miami Beach this year to expand and attract more attention to this iconic CrossFit event. Next year, the event will occur from March 12 to 15. 

• The increasingly popular fitness race, HYROX, will happen in just a few weeks on April 19 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. 

Marco Sagrera, the chief strategy officer at Loud and Live, the owner of TYR Wodapalooza, noted that they had been considering the move to Miami Beach for some time. Still, the city of Miami Beach ultimately provided the final push.

• “Miami Beach already attracts visitors from around the world during spring break, and TYR WZA brings a dynamic, healthy-lifestyle, and fitness-focused energy into the mix,” says Sagrera in an interview with Morning Chalk Up.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

• 💕Congratulations to newlyweds Bill and Olivia Leahy, who were married over the weekend.

• Great job to Ana Cattai from Brazil on this 96-kilo/211-pound clean complex. That’s a long time to hold onto that barbell!

• 🎪Take a look at Marston Sawyers of the Buttery Bros as he demonstrates the Two Hands Anyhow lift. What do you think - something to add to your accessory routine?

• Bronislaw Olenkowicz is doing what he does to prepare for a competition, and that’s throwing around heavy barbells. Check out this 140-kilo/308-pound complex.

• 🔥Congratulations to Ricardo of CrossFit Complex in Querétaro, Mexico, on this 158-kilo/350-pound clean PR.

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