The PFAA Issues Pre-Thanksgiving Update; Responds to CrossFit LLC

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

• On Wednesday, the Professional Fitness Athletes Association released a statement expressing its dissatisfaction and disappointment in CrossFit’s lack of transparency surrounding the third-party investigation into Lazar Ðukić’s death and its new safety plans. Get the details below.

• What are the key parts of a great whiteboard brief for a CrossFit class? Learn about them below from Jason Ackerman and Jason Fernandez of Best Hour of Their Day.

• The ABCs of Being Happy and Healthy by Patrick Cummings introduces young readers to key ideas about physical and mental wellness with short poems and vibrant illustrations.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Remember, your athletes are here to move, not listen to a lecture.” - Jason Ackerman and Jason Fernandez on one of the keys to a good whiteboard brief.

CROSSFIT GAMES

“Disappointed” and “Dissatisfied,” Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association Issues Response to CrossFit LLC

“The PFAA Board is disappointed with CrossFit’s lack of transparency of their investigation and dissatisfied by their next steps,” began the statement just issued by the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association. 

• The response came one week after CrossFit released its “Safety and Procedural Changes After the 2024 CrossFit Games,” which announced the conclusion of the third-party investigation into the death of Lazar Ðukić and the plans to be instituted during the 2025 CrossFit Games season. Notably, CrossFit also announced that they do not intend to reveal the details of the investigation to the public.

One big thing: The PFAA intends to support athletes whether they choose to compete in the 2025 Games or boycott them. (“Veto” is the word the PFAA used.) The PFAA also intends to seek out alternative competition options, stating that it is “engaged with the broader ecosystem of functional fitness competitions to expand opportunities for athletes.” 

The State of Play

On August 20, the PFAA made several demands of CrossFit LLC, including that the Director of the CrossFit Games, Dave Castro, “be removed from his position in [CrossFit’s] Sport Team.”

• Two other demands included “an appropriate level of transparency between CrossFit and the PFAA” regarding their third-party investigation into Đukić’s death and for CrossFit to create an independent safety team “to liaise with the PFAA on an ongoing basis.”

The PFAA also told the Morning Chalk Up in August that CrossFit's response would dictate the next steps it takes. 

Most pundits in the community viewed last week’s announcement by CrossFit as a clear rebuke and strong stance against the PFAA’s demands.

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SPEED READS

🛍️💪 Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals from CrossFit: Through December 3, select CrossFit Online Courses are 15% off, as is the Crossfit Mentor Program. Also, you can get the CrossFit Online Nutrition course for free when you sign up for an in-person L1 or L2 Seminar. Finally, CrossFit gear is 25% off sitewide (U.S. and Canada only).

🏋️🐐 Rich Froning’s Basement Gym: Check out the first part of this video series touring Rich Froning’s Cookeville, TN, fitness compound from our friends over at Garage Gym Reviews.

📺👂Hear Their Stories: CrossFit’s new video series, Hear Their Stories, brings viewers into the heart of the CrossFit community. The newest episode, “Taking the Capitol By Storm,” features Games athlete Rebecca Fusilier and one of the most iconic moments in CrossFit Games history, “The Capitol.” Watch now.

😎🌴 2024 TYR WZA Miami Beach Roster Updates: In case you’ve missed it, TYR WZA Miami Beach has begun to announce the athletes “confirmed to celebrate!”

• So far, the roster includes “the Boys” (Noah Ohlsen, Chandler Smith, and Travis Mayer), “the Broadway Girls” (Haley Adams, Brooke Wells, and Sydney Wells), Ricky Garard, Pat Vellner, Dani Speegle, James Sprague, and Arielle Loewen. Many more to come.

ICYMI: Last week, CrossFit announced some of the 2025 Games season details, but Dave Castro provided more information on the monthly Affiliate Town Hall. Mike Halpin from Known and Knowable puts it all together for us.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Why a Great Whiteboard Brief Matters – 3 Elements of a Successful Class Intro

In the mere 60 minutes you get with each class you coach, it's easy to overlook one of the most crucial elements of a successful session: the whiteboard brief.

• This oft-neglected component, typically delivered in three to four minutes, sets the stage for the entire workout. 

Get it right, and your class will run like a well-oiled machine. 

Miss the mark, and you're in for a bumpy hour.

Why the Whiteboard Brief Matters

A well-executed whiteboard brief is a testament to a coach's competency and professionalism.

In just a few minutes, you can establish expectations, provide clarity, and inspire confidence in your athletes. Skimp on the details or ramble on for too long, and you risk losing your members before the first rep.

But it's not just about making a good impression.

• A solid brief can mean the difference between a smooth, safe workout and an hour of mild chaos.

By clearly communicating the workout's parameters, scaling options, and strategic considerations, you empower your athletes to make informed decisions and push themselves appropriately.

BLACK FRIDAY

Start Your Shopping

Stocking up on the best home gym equipment is not a cheap endeavor. Even just buying a new piece of fitness gear can cost quite a chunk of change. Shopping strategically is crucial — enter Black Friday and Cyber Monday and BarBend’s list of the best fitness deals.

BarBend‘s crack team of certified personal trainers, fitness coaches, and deal hounds have scoured the web in search of discounts, codes, and limited-time sales on strength, cardio, and recovery equipment from dozens of the top brands. These deals can include anything from discounted prices and free shipping to bonus gifts and financing opportunities. Click below to see our picks for this year’s best Black Friday fitness sales.

BOOK REVIEW

The ABCs of Being Happy and Healthy: A Children’s Book By Patrick Cummings

Patrick Cummings, the co-host and producer of the Chasing Excellence and Consistency Project podcasts, has been a big presence in the CrossFit space for years. 

With his new book, The ABCs of Being Happy & Healthy, his impact has broadened to include a younger audience.

The Details

The book takes the reader through the alphabet, with every letter representing a specific word explained with a short poem and vibrant illustrations. It isn’t specific to fitness but focuses more on healthy development and common themes of growth and maturity. 

The book begins with the letter A, which stands for “attitude.” Here’s how Cummings tackles this theme in the book:

“A is for Attitude, that thing that you bring
Into every room, every day and everything.

It can feel like a backpack full of big rocks
Or tiny rockets glued to your favorite socks.

What most never learn is that you get to pick
Whether your attitude will help you soar or sink.”

Other themes include “determination,” “imperfection,” “movement,” and “reflection,” giving children new ideas and situations to ponder. 

HIGHLIGHTS

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

• 🙌Congratulations to Mia Hesketh on her recent weightlifting meet. She finished with an 88-kilo/194-pound snatch and 105-kilo/231-pound clean and jerk.

• Congratulations to Alexia Williams, the elite female winner of the Argentina Throwdown.

• Nice work to Corey Lunney on this 142-kilo/315-pound overhead squat.

• Check out Travis Mayer, slinging around this 154-kilo/340-pound barbell. Nice work, Travis!

• 💪Congratulations to Adam Spagna, who hit a 142-kilo/315-pound bench press at a competition at CrossFit 401 in Smithfield, RI.