• Morning Chalk Up
  • Posts
  • Will Moorad Pushes Back: “False Narratives” & WFP’s Path Ahead

Will Moorad Pushes Back: “False Narratives” & WFP’s Path Ahead

September 22nd, 2025

POWERED BY

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 📚 Dr. Amy West’s textbook dismantles the “CrossFit is dangerous” myth.

  • 🍂 Seasonal eating = better recovery: fuel with fall’s superfoods.

  • 🌍 WFP maps its future: Copenhagen Finals + 2026 expansion; Moorad pushes back on exclusivity rumors.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

There's no truth to any of the exclusivity stuff. I think that there's been a little bit of smear campaigns going on if you ask me.”

Will Moorad, Director of Sport for the World Fitness Project
INDUSTRY

CrossFit Isn’t Dangerous, It’s Medicine: Dr. Amy West’s New Textbook Sets the Record Straight

Credit: @amywestmd / Instagram

Dr. Amy West was fed up with people accusing CrossFit of being unsafe and dangerous, claiming that it would cause injuries.

So, the sports medicine physician and CrossFit Level 2 coach started connecting with other healthcare practitioners and researchers to “fight the good fight” and demonstrate through science how CrossFit can improve health, she explained in an interview with the Morning Chalk Up.

The result is her new book High Intensity Functional Training: Clinical Applications in Training, Rehabilitation, and Sport, a textbook that digs deep into the science and shows that, not only is CrossFit not dangerous, but there’s well-researched evidence that it can make you healthier.

  • “It exonerates the [CrossFit] methodology as not only something that doesn’t cause injuries, but actually it’s something that can prevent injury and illness, and here’s the proof of that,” said West, who is the editor and one of the book’s contributors, and also works at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University-Northwell in New York.

After the jump — West dismantles the “CrossFit is dangerous” myth.

A MESSAGE FROM NOBULL

Just Dropped. Drive Ripstop. Built for Hybrid Training.

Introducing the all-new Drive Ripstop.

Drive Ripstop is your new go-to hybrid trainer. We made it so you can stop lifting in running shoes—because running shoes aren’t designed to stabilize heavy weight. The Drive Ripstop's durable, one-piece ripstop upper locks you in. Pebax® foam delivers stability under the bar and responsiveness for miles. A grippy rubber outsole gives traction from every angle. Built for strength, speed, and everything in between—all in one shoe.

Use code WELCOME30 to get 30% off your first order at nobullproject.com.

*This newsletter relies on our sponsors. Please consider supporting them.

SPEED READS

🌴🔥 2026 CrossFit Open Finale Hits Miami: The final week of 2026 CrossFit Open will kick off on March 12 with the live 26.3 announcement at Wodapalooza. Competitors will throw down on the floor for official scores — and fans can jump in, too.

🤝✈️ CrossFit x Air National Guard: CrossFit announced the Air National Guard as the official presenting sponsor of the 2026 CrossFit Open. This will be the first time a non-apparel or footwear partner has presented the Open.

🏆🔥 Rogue Legends Return: The 2025 Rogue Invitational will feature CrossFit icons in a full Legends slate — from VIP meet & greets to coaching spectator workouts, the weekend brings fans face-to-face with the sport’s greats.

💰🌎 Competitive Fitness Goes Big: HYROX’s growth proves it — fitness events are rivaling concerts, connecting communities, and feeding a $7T industry. Read more from Well.Being. 

🗄️💪 Training Trumps Office Time: Millennials are shaping remote work around fitness, highlighting a generational shift toward health-first living.

🧪🚫 Junk Science, Real Harm: Flawed studies fueled the myth that CrossFit is dangerous — Zach Long breaks down how evidence proves the opposite.

ICYMI: 💰 Apparel done right boosts brand loyalty and gym owners’ bank accounts.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Fall Into Recovery – Seasonal Foods That Support Muscle Repair

Credit: @ctpcam / Instagram

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall brings more than just cozy hoodies and pumpkin spice. 

  • For athletes, it provides a powerful yet often overlooked opportunity to align recovery nutrition with the natural rhythms of the season.

Believe it or not, what’s growing locally right now can directly influence how well your muscles repair, how quickly inflammation subsides, and how your body adapts to training stress. Fall foods aren’t just comforting; they're packed with micronutrients, antioxidants, and compounds that support recovery from the inside out.

Why Seasonal Eating Matters for Athletes

Seasonal produce is fresher and more nutrient-rich (because it hasn’t been stored or transported for weeks). It’s better aligned with the body’s natural rhythms, especially during times of transition like fall, and it’s more environmentally sustainable and often more affordable, too.

Let’s break down a few fall superstars and how they support athletic recovery.

COMPETITIONS

WFP Finalizes Copenhagen Details, Maps 2026 Season — Moorad Pushes Back on “False Narratives”

Credit: World Fitness Project

Last week, Will Moorad, Director of Sport for the World Fitness Project, met with Lauren Smith, Seth Page, and Tommy Marquez to review Tour Stop II Mesa and discuss questions about the upcoming Finals, which are scheduled for December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

  • Moorad discussed various topics, including programming at the Finals, potential tournament formats in 2026, and even issues related to media narratives.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Finals will feature a swim event and a long-duration event, likely “Project 1,” which WFP describes as their “signature hybrid competition” and has been designed for the communities in Indianapolis and Mesa.

  • The WFP team is actively negotiating with existing competition organizers to have third-party events award WFP season tour points.

  • Age groups and four-person teams will be more closely integrated into the 2026 season.

  • There will be three to four Tour Stops plus the Final in 2026, where points from the top three finishes, along with points from possible outside competitions, contribute to qualifying for the WFP Finals.

  • Will Moorad: “There's no truth to any of the exclusivity stuff. I think that there's been a little bit of smear campaigns going on if you ask me.”

HIGHLIGHTS

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