2017 Crossfit Liftoff

Crossfit Mayhem Freedom Tryout

So you want to go to the Crossfit Games? What about going as part of Crossfit Mayhem Freedom?

First off you better wear booty shorts and a sports bra because the opening is for a female member.

Kristin Reffett has stepped away from the team to pursue a dream of living in Colorado. Reffett seemed to be a member that brought some comical relief to the team and was a great Crossfit athlete.

It may surprise you, but Reffett was the highest finishing Mayhem female in the 2017 Crossfit Open. So this will be a big hole to fill. Reffett was an original member, that was in the team for 3 years. Last Year with James Hobart leaving the Team and being replaced by Hunsucker saw the teams talent level drop little and depending who the replacement is, it may again this year.

For Froning to get back to 1st he will truly need to look outside Crossfit Mayhem to fill the spot. People have mentioned Hunsuckers wife, but that would mean losing a lot of Firepower.

It will be interesting to see who comes out of the woodwork, I'm sure there will be a long list to choose from

Kennyo

John Romano, Steroid Expert

When you talk about Steroids in sports, a name that comes up a lot is John Romano.  Romano stared on Bigger Stronger Faster, and has taken steroids, and helps athletes take Steroids.

Below is audio from a Podcast where Romano talks about Steroids in Crossfit, this came out well before the whole Steroid talk this year.

Here is Romano's Bio on the site T Nation: John Romano is a longtime industry insider and performance-enhancement specialist. He authored several bodybuilding and fitness books and appeared on HBO, ESPN, ABC's 20/20, and numerous radio talk shows. He is also featured in the acclaimed documentary Bigger Stronger Faster. Romano resides in Guadalajara, Mexico where he owns and operates a Gold’s Gym.

Nano 2.0 Review

Nano 2.0 ( Rich Froning Edition )

Well the Nano 2.0 is back and as awesome as ever. When I see the Nano 2.0 I instantly picture them
being worn by Rich Froning which instantly makes me think that if I slip on a pair I'll be off to the Crossfit Games next year!


It's very rare that a shoe company would release the same shoe again, years after they stopped making it. But hey maybe they had a warehouse filled with them and just discovered them the other month?


The Nano 2.0 was first released in June of 2012, and is considered by many as the best Nano shoe released, this post will take a quick look at the Nano 2.0 in case you forgot about it.

Nano 2.0 Review

So why is Reebok bringing back the Nano 2.0?

Is it because the Nano 7.0 was kinda a flop and they want to boast sales? Was it because there was a

outcry from the Crossfit community for it? Whatever the reason it's so Reebok can make money, but I'm just happy I can get a new pair. ( I have a old Yellow beat up pair of Nano 2.0 )

What made the Nano 2.0 popular?

• The introduced a breathable upper mesh
• They had a durable grip along the tow that made it last longer
• Better lateral support
• Awesome colours, but the classic black are the best
• Low to ground feel
• flexible
• 4mm heel to toe drop
• introduced when Crossfit was taking off

In the end the Nano 2.0 is a durable Crossfit shoes that has stood the test of time and for $110.00 you can add a pair to your collection or update that old pair that is now collecting dust.

Crossfit Reebok Nano 2.0

I have been seeing some buzz around the internet that Reebok may be releasing a remake of one of their best shoes, the Reebok Nano 2.0. The Nano 2.0 was my first Crossfit shoe and I loved it, I still actually have them today, but they are little beat up and a kinda grew out of the bright colour.

Are you excited about the Nano 2.0 being released?

Are you happy with the Nano 7.0, I personally enjoyed the 6.0 over the 7.

CrossFit Games GM on Garard Suspension

Here is The Crossfit Games GM on Ricky Garards Steroid Suspension.

Are Steroids in Crossfit ? Athletes Speak up..

So after Ricky Garard came out and admitted to using Performance enhancing drugs, he then ended his letter by trying to shift the spotlight from him to other athletes, saying that other top athletes are using steroids and beating the system. ( Which I believe is true )

Thuri  Helgadottir spoke out on her Instagram account against Garard, and I kinda side with her. If Garard is going to come out and say he has seen other top athletes beating the system why hasn't he reported it? Why doesn't he call up Crossfit HQ and come completely clean.  If your truly reformed isn't that the right thing to do for the sport of crossfit?

Maybe Garard could make a deal to cut his 4 year ban in half by ratting out these athletes he's speaking of.

But as I mentioned in the past post, I believe that Steroid use is more common then not, look at all other sports, people make their livings on selling steroids to athletes and they make sure they don't get caught.

If you want to watch a cool movie on this watch ICARUS on netflixs , it's about a normal joe that starts using steroids to see and show how you can easily beat the system, it ties in with the Russian and their long history of steroid use and not getting caught.

Here's  Thuri's post:

Crossfit Steroids Ricky Garard

So another Crossfit Athlete has tested positive for a banned substance, this time it was The 3rd fittest man on Earth Ricky Garard.

Garard responded to him being caught and I have the full letter below.

The substance that Garad was taking is called Sarms, and it admits he was playing in the grey by taking it, but took it at regionals and was not caught so he thought it was ok. He also pointed the finger at other top athletes by saying " It's tough to be on the receiving end when I know and have see other top athletes in the sport intentionally out smarting the system"

My view has always been the same and will stay the same... Look at Lance Armstrong, he out smarted the system his whole career, it wasn't till he was rated out by teammates that the truth came out, but I didn't care because we knew and accepted everyone was cheating. It's the same as Crossit, all the Top athletes are "cheating" they are just ahead of the tests, and Garard confirms that. I will look into the drug he used later.  

As you can appreciate my world has come crashing down, it is heart breaking & it's hard to comprehend that I am in this position.

On the pursuit of becoming all I could be as a CrossFit athlete, I have obviously taken the rules & boundaries to the very edge. I looked into, researched & was willing to dabble into ways that could improve my performance legally & within the rules, with no intention whatsoever to be a cheat.

I was taking the same supplements at The CrossFit Games as I did at The Pacific Regionals. Therefore, I didn't feel the need to change anything. I thought I was legitimately competing within the rules with no unfair advantage over others. 
But, after further investigation & very specific testing it has been revealed that my research has failed me & I have received a positive test for SARMS. To be clear these supplements were taken in tablet form with nothing ever injected. 
Everyone in life makes mistakes, it's how you learn from them that separates the great from the mediocre. 
These actions don't define me, this sport doesn't define me.

It's the lessons & growth of my character that truly matter. 
In time, I know this will be the best thing that ever happened to me. I wanted the title, I wanted to win & I was willing to do everything in my power to achieve that goal. 
Not for one second should you take away the hard work, sacrifice & dedication of my efforts.

At 23 years old I have a lot of years left in my life, I have endured the process & I have become something because of it. 
In the end, I am apart of their sport, The CrossFit Games. They have rules, guidelines & policies to abide by. I have unintentionally fucked up, their evidence has proven me guilty & I will own my actions day by day for the rest of my life. 
I really hope The CrossFit Games continues to tighten up their testing procedures, enforce the same level of strictness to all other competitors like they have to me & they continue to strive towards a legit drug free sport. It's tough to be on the receiving end when I know and have seen other top athletes in the sport intentionally out smarting the system, getting away with it & ruining the integrity of the sport. 

Because of this outcome I will learn a lot about myself, wipe my tears & be accountable for every single decision I make in this life. Ultimately that is what it means to be a man. 
I am reminding myself that sometimes life seems to be destroying you when it's actually saving you, time will only reveal what it's saving me from?

Haters will hate, and that's ok. They are entitled to express their insecurities to the world. I will focus & deal with what is within my control.

This news is heavy, it's real, but I will get myself together and keep moving forward. 
Sorry to anyone I have affected personally & sorry to anyone that is sharing my pain. I trust that the people closest to me will understand, remain loyal and be there to support me. 
I am coming to terms that nothing will ever be given to me in life, I know how to earn it the hard way & I will do just that for whatever it is I pursue next.

Rich Froning Saves 100's of Kids with Mustard

Well thats a catchy title isn't it, but it's true. Through a great organization called the Mustard Seed Ranch Rich Froning gives back to help hundreds of children in need. We see a lot of stories about the 4 time fittest man on earth, most has him with his shirt off working out, here's one about him giving back and saving children with his name, oh and still working out.

2017 Crossfit Games Strongman Event

CrossFit Games Cyclocross Course

Here's the 2017 Cyclocross Course, this will throw alot of athletes off....

Road to the Crossfit Games , The Women

I am really excited to watch the women compete at the Crossfit Games this year, I know that Davidsdottir has won the last two years, but both years someone choked, Sara and Toomey... So I'd like to see what will happen this year. I really like what Sara has done, moving to Cooksville, having fun again, and it never hurts training around Rich.

Crossfit Games Obstacle Course

Here's the obstacle course from the Crossfit Games... Looks fun

Road to the Crossfit Games

This video got me so pumped to be heading to the Games, it should be a battle this year.

Failed Crossfit Games Drug Tests

Today Crossfit Hq announced that 3 athletes failed their drug tests after qualifying for the Crossfit Games, these drug tests were taken at the Regionals.

The tough part here is that the 2 athletes that failed and were on teams, cost their team the spot, the simply just can't sub out that athlete. These athletes face a 2 year ban.

The two teams and the individual athlete were not contenders but you hate to see this. But really this is only the tip of the iceberg, all sports that athletes taking performance enhancers, but people always seem to be one step ahead of the tests.

I was excited to see Ryan Elrod at the games, he was a older athlete with a interesting background, as he was a cirque du soleil performer.

Here is what Ryan Elrod has to say about the ban...

CrossFit Fantasy The Teams Preview

With Reebok introducing Crossfit Fantasy this year I thought I would help you break down each division, all I ask for is some of the Million Dollar Prize money please.

This article will look at what teams I feel have a chance to finish in the Top 5 , it's up to you to make the order, I can't win the Million Dollars for you.

When you think of the Team competition at the Crossfit Games, two things should come to mind 1) Crossfit Mayhem and 2) The Worm. The Worm is a staple of the Team competition and races are won and lost by how well the team manages The Worm. This year ( 2017 ) at regionals the Worm was in 3 events ( 2,4,6 ) and you really saw who practiced with the worm and who said we will figure it out when we get there. The Top 3 teams who managed the Worm across all regions were Fort Vancouver , Crossfit Mayhem and Wasatch Brutes. Of course Mayhem would be in the top, Rich Froning has his team dialed in. Fort Vancouver who are previous champs had a tough year last year ( 17th ) but looked really good at regionals and they will have no issues with The Worm. The Wasatch Brutes really impressed me this season, and will make their first trip to the Games under Adrian Conway, who is a former Games athlete.

When it comes to the Games you know that Dave Castro's programming will switch to moving heavy loads. This year at regional we didn't see heavy barbells but we did see a pretty heavy dumbell in event 5, and a heavy sand bag in event 6.

Event 5 with the dumbell saw Crossfit Fort Vancouver perform well again, as well as very experienced teams like Team Back Bay and Invictus show no signs of struggling with the dumbell. Event 6 with the heavy sandbags saw Fort Vancouver rip through it again, with OC3 Black and
12 Labours Lions showing they had no issues with the sandbags.

When it comes to a Big stage like the Crossfit Games you like to see teams that have experience, Dave Castro will do his best to throw all the atheltes off, so if your team has been there before it will help alot. I look at Mayhem, 12 Labours and Fort Vancouver to be able to handle whatever Castro throws at them.

If you like to cheers on the Rookies look at Reebok Crossfit One with their power house names or Wasatch Brutes and Conway who will be leading the charge of course trying to chase down Crossfit Mayhem.

Hope this helps you win the Million Dollars.

Kennyo

2017 Crossfit Games are coming to CBS

The Crossfit games will be on CBS, This should make it easier for everyone to watch the Crossfit Games.

Here's what CBS had to say about this:

The No. 1 rule of CrossFit is the opposite of Fight Club: Tell everyone about CrossFit. The workout sensation founded by Greg Glassman in 2000 has, over the past several years, become well-known for the feats of strength that it requires. Now, CBS Sports is proud to announce that the CrossFit Games will be broadcast through 2017 and 2018 on CBS, CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Digital.

The CrossFit Games are the single largest participatory sporting event in the world with nearly 400,000 athletes from more than 175 countries. The agreement is highlighted by CBS Sports broadcasting live coverage of the 2017 Reebok CrossFit Games on Saturday, August 5 (1:00 PM, ET) from Madison, Wis., followed by a highlight show recapping all the action airing Saturday, August 19 (1:00 PM, ET). 

"We're excited that CBS Sports is our new television partner," said Justin Bergh, the general manager of the game. "CrossFit athletes are unquestionably the fittest in the world and the CrossFit Games are their ultimate proving grounds. We're thrilled that CBS Sports platforms will air our entire season and we look forward to teaming up to showcase the CrossFit community." 

Here's what the coverage should look like:

Thursday, July 20th, 8PM EST - Preview shows on CBS Sports Network
Thursday, August 3rd, 10PM EST - LIVE coverage of the Games
Friday, August 4th, 10PM EST - LIVE coverage of the Games
Saturday, August 5th, 1PM EST - LIVE coverage of the Games
Saturday, August 5th, 10PM EST - LIVE coverage of the Games
Sunday, August 6th, 8PM EST - LIVE coverage of the Games

Crossfit Fantasy

Reebok has come out with a Fantasy Pick'em contest for the 2017 Crossfit Games where you can win 1 million dollars. The video below introduces it.

Here's what the pick'em screen looks like, these wont be my final picks by the way.

The Fittest On Earth Netflix

So if you were like me and held out all this time, now you can watch The Fittest on Earth a decade of fitness.

Netflix has this amazing review of the 2016 games for free.... Enjoy

The LA Times says "Fittest on Earth” carefully tracks the events of the 2016 CrossFit Games, following several athletes along their journey, from rookies to returning champs.While at first it seems like an infomercial for CrossFit, the movie focuses more on the athletes when the games get going."

The Crossfit Games Event 2

This week The Dave Castro introduced event number two for The Crossfit Games, he panned down from the white board and it showed a bike. So Far the theme of these Crosfit Games are triathlon inspired, with the first two events being Running, Swimming and Biking.

We knew that there would be a biking event in this years addition of The Crossfit Games as they introduced their over priced 3 speed bike this year. I find it kind funny they didn't have that bike in the video, maybe Castro couldn't afford it...

The bike in the video in a Trek hardtail bike, perfect for all the trails around Madison. I'm excited for the biking event, who remembers the last time there was mountain biking? Back in 2012 there was an event where the athletes were biking in the mountains of Camp Pendleton, in the sand and rough trails, it was awesome, they were so out of there prefect elements. I see the 2012 as the last true Crossfit games, there were unpredictable, with throwing a ball, a obstacle course, biking in these terrible conditions. This should be a good one!!

BTW the highest ranking Man and Women that was at the 2012 Games in the bike event was Rob Forte and Annie Thorisdottir.