The Sport of Fitness Podcast

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Ep. 061: Drug Testing in CrossFit Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

“We’re not trying to protect the athletes, we’re trying to protect the claim. And the best thing we can do to protect the claim is to test the athletes.” — Justin Bergh
General Manager of Sport Justin Bergh and Athlete Relationship Manager Kurtis Bowler join host Chase Ingraham and Adrian Conway on the podcast for an extensive discussion about CrossFit’s drug-testing protocol, recent positive test results among top-performing athletes, and best practices to prevent positive results in the future.
During the 2022 CrossFit season, a number of athletes have tested positive for banned substances, including CrossFit Games qualifiers. To protect the integrity of the competition and its athletes, CrossFit strongly enforces an anti-doping policy.
In the podcast, Bergh and Bowler thoroughly explain the drug-testing process that athletes undergo. They also explain how athletes can appeal their drug violation and how Games spots are backfilled should a Games qualifier test positive for a banned substance.
Bergh also explains CrossFit’s mission to ensure that all athletes are able to compete on an even playing field, protecting its integrity as a sport and the claim of finding the Fittest on Earth.
As a former collegiate athlete and a Games competitor who’s been drug tested, Conway shares his experiences with the process and gives his opinion on being a responsible athlete in a professional sport.
In an attempt to help the CrossFit community, Bowler offers guidance on how athletes can better familiarize themselves with CrossFit’s Drug Testing Policy and as well as advice on how to better educate themselves about the supplements they’re taking.
Bowler encourages athletes to reach out to CrossFit’s team with any and all questions, advises athletes to read supplement labels, and urges athletes subscribe to “The Hopper,” which contains informative literature about the competition and drug-testing policy for the community and competitive athletes.
Bergh and Bowler also list the most common banned substances found in positive results, weigh in on the severity of the penalty imposed on the athlete, and address the misconception that CrossFit protects athletes by not disclosing positive tests.
For more information on CrossFit’s Drug Policy, visit games.crossfit.com/drug-testing and/or reach out to drugtesting@crossfitgames.com.

Ep. 060: Last-Chance Qualifier Winners Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Adrian Conway joins host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to recap the 2022 Last-Chance Qualifier (LCQ).
After two days and four workouts, Tim Paulson, Jonne Koski, Arielle Loewen, and Elena Carratala Sanahuja have punched their tickets to Madison for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
Conway and Ingraham analyze athletes’ performances, breaking down the leaderboards in each workout and sharing surprising outcomes from the competition.
Conway puts on his coaching hat and offers his perspective on Sara Sigmundsdottir’s training post-injury and on Katrin Davidsdottir balancing life on and off the competition floor. He also sheds light on the mental and physical challenges of competing.
The pair also revisits their predictions for the LCQ, seeing how their top picks placed on the leaderboards, and offering their opinions on the workout that best predicted the overall top 10 in the competition.
The 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games will be live from Aug. 3-7.
Presented by Airrosti.

Ep. 059: The Making of Fittest on Earth: Next Gen Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

“I actually want people to feel like they can relate. I want to humanize these people because it does a better job of showcasing what extraordinary humans they are and what they’re capable of when you actually get to see their weaknesses or their vulnerabilities.” — Mariah Moore
Mariah Moore — director of Fittest on Earth: Next Gen — joins host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to talk about the making of the 2021 CrossFit Games documentary.
After a challenging few years, athletes, spectators, and fans were back in Madison for the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
Moore describes the process of creating the film from start to finish, including narrowing down days of footage to a two-hour movie that captures the top storylines of the competition.
Moore also talks about the challenges and pressures that come with directing and producing, and that surround the creative space.
Specific to the film, Moore dives into balancing athletes’ emotions and perspectives, being respectful of people’s personal and professional lives, and accurately representing the athletes’ and staff’s stories through real and vulnerable topics. She also opens up about anxiety, depression, and the mental pressures creatives face when making art to be judged.
Moore shares her goals for the 2021 documentary and looks ahead to 2022.

Ep. 058: Last-Chance Predictions Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

“Nice flex, Adrian Bozman.” — Adrian Conway
Coach and CrossFit Games athlete Adrian Conway is back on the podcast with host Chase Ingraham to break down the Last-Chance Qualifier workouts.
Thirty men and 30 women have the chance to compete in the online Last-Chance Qualifier, June 29-July 1, for a ticket to Madison. The competition takes place over the course of two days and athletes will complete four workouts at their home gyms.
Before reviewing the workouts, Conway and Ingraham explore the advantages and disadvantages of a standardized CrossFit Games season across all stages of competition, including Semifinals, and share their personal opinions on the topic.
Then, the pair analyzes each of the four Last-Chance Qualifier workouts and dives into the design and programming, rep scheme and movements, and execution of each workout. They also consider how athletes might approach each test, noting the differences between online and in-person competitions, and offer advice from a coach’s perspective.
Conway and Ingraham close out the podcast with their predictions of the two men and two women who will earn their spot at the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games, going down Aug. 3-7.
Stay tuned to games.crossfit.com to see how the leaderboard shakes out.

Ep. 057: Last-Chance Workout Preview With Adrian Bozman Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

“I’m a staunch believer that there are certain tests that don’t have to have a lot of fanfare around them and they’re always gonna be spectacular because the athletes’ performances in them are gonna be so compelling.” — Adrian Bozman
CrossFit Competition Director Adrian Bozman joins host Chase Ingraham on the podcast to preview the Last-Chance Qualifier workouts.
Over the course of two days, 60 Semifinal athletes who just missed out on a qualifying spot for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games will compete in the virtual Last-Chance Qualifier for one of two tickets (per individual division) to Madison.
Bozman talks about programming for the online event and discusses the intent behind the four workouts the athletes will take on. He also breaks down the workouts in depth and offers his opinions on load, rep scheme, and time domain for each.
For anyone looking to try one of the LCQ workouts, Bozman recommends Workout 4 — a triplet of burpee box jump-overs, double-unders, and wall-ball shots.
Bozman, who recently visited Madison for Games prep, also looks ahead to the finals and shares some of his favorite things about hosting the competition in Wisconsin’s capital city.
“Just the fact that the (Madison) community is so embracing of the event is awesome, and the natural geography of the area is so cool. ... There’s just so much that it offers as a city and a geographical landing place for the Games. I love it,” Bozman says.

CrossFit Semifinals Press Conference 2022 Jun 17, 2022

Show notes

CrossFit held a post-Semifinals press conference following four consecutive weeks of in-person competition to determine CrossFit Games qualifiers for the 2022 season.
General Manager of Sport Justin Bergh, CrossFit Competition Director Adrian Bozman, CrossFit Lowlands champion Lazar Dukic, CrossFit Atlas Games winner Brent Fikowski, and Fittest Woman in Ireland Emma McQuaid were in attendance to answer questions from the press.
Hear from Bergh and Bozman on CrossFit’s efforts to improve the overall Games season for athletes and spectators, and hear from the athletes on their Semifinals experience.
Chapters
0:00-1:20 - Introduction
1:20-4:25 - Justin Bergh’s Welcome and Goals for the Season
4:25-5:45 - Adrian Bozman’s Summary of Age-Group and Adaptive Semifinals, and Looking Ahead
5:45-12:00 - Accountability for Safety, Equipment, and Movement Standards for Athletes in Competition
12:00-16:10 - Takeaways To Improve the Sustainability of Semifinal Events
16:10-18:30 - Athlete Drug Test Results
18:30-20:40 - Online and In-Person Judging
20:40-23:59 - Producing Livestreams & Increasing the Sustainability of Events
23:59-24:54 - Athlete Welcome & Introductions — Brent Fikowski, Emma McQuaid, Lazar Dukic
24:54-27:15 - Lazar Dukic’s Semifinals Win and Training With His Brother Luka
27:15-32:08 - Working Together To Provide a Great Athlete Semifinal Experience
32:08-33:45 - Emma McQuaid — Growing Over the Years in CrossFit
33:45-35:31 - Lazar Dukic Reflects On His CrossFit Career
35:31-40:32 - Advice for First-Time Games Qualifiers From the Athletes
40:32-46:00 - Athletes’ Opinions on In-Person vs. Online Competitions
46:00-48:05 - Brent Fikowski Weighs in on Training Alone
48:05-48:52 - Last-Chance Qualifier Details
48:52-51:35 - Emma McQuaid’s Points Battle With Jacqueline Dahlstrom at Strength in Depth
51:35-51:47 - Outro and Final Thoughts

Ep. 056: Week 4 Semifinals Recap With Adrian Conway Jun 15, 2022

Show notes

CrossFit Copa Sur, CrossFit Strength in Depth, and CrossFit Atlas Games closed out Semifinals and qualified 12 more men, women, and teams for the CrossFit Games. Adrian Conway joins Chase Ingraham on the podcast to recap the action from the competitions and preview the Last-Chance Qualifier.
Two athletes announced their retirement from individual competition last weekend — Sam Briggs and Dani Horan. Ingraham and Conway highlight Briggs’ and Horan’s careers and legacies in CrossFit, and discuss how retiring from sports can affect athletes.
The duo breaks down surprising upsets, incredible performances, and tight races from the three Semifinals, including CrossFit Oslo’s clean sweep, Katrin Davidsdottir’s inability to qualify for the Games, and Gui Malheiros’ impressive lifting.
Ingraham and Conway also shed light on what it takes to livestream and broadcast an event, and give their opinions on how things can be improved in the future.
Before closing out the show with their favorite moments from the weekend, the pair reviews the Last-Chance Qualifier rosters and makes their “way too early predictions” about which two athletes will punch their tickets to Madison via the virtual event.

Ep. 055: Week 4 CrossFit Semifinals Roundtable Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

Semifinal Competition Directors Jobst Olshewski of CrossFit Copa Sur, Ollie Mansbridge of CrossFit Strength in Depth, and Alexis Leblanc-Bazinet of CrossFit Atlas Games join Chase Ingraham on the podcast.
The group dives into the logistics of planning Semifinal competitions, including navigating unexpected challenges and managing multiple components of putting on a big event.
The competition directors also talk about the fan experience — how to tune in to the event and what in-person spectators can look forward to on-site — and share what they’re most excited to showcase in Week 4 of Semifinals.

Ep. 054: Week 3 Semifinals Recap With Adrian Conway Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

Chase Ingraham and Adrian Conway look back on the biggest stories from Week 3 of Semifinals.
The fittest in Asia competed at the Far East Throwdown and a third set of North American athletes competed at the Granite Games for tickets to the CrossFit Games.
Ingraham and Conway break down the leaderboards, highlighting the athletes who will be heading to Madison and those who will get a second chance in the online Last-Chance Qualifier.
The pair also discuss whether the order of Semifinals events affects an athlete’s performance over a weekend and if the heights of pull-up bars and rings should be adjusted relative to an athlete’s height.
Conway weighs in on the lure of competing on an affiliate team and offers his insight about the mental fatigue of competition.
The duo closes out the podcast with a wrap-up of the 50-65+ division Semifinal leaderboard and programming, touching on the challenges of programming as athletes age up in competition.

Ep. 053: Semifinals Week 2 Recap With Adrian Conway Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

“From a sport perspective, this is where you put every judge’s eyes and be like, ‘You have to have that kind of certainty and conviction with your calls that, in the last step, in the last workout, you’re willing — no matter the circumstance — to ‘no rep’ it when it’s a ‘no rep.’’” — Adrian Conway
Chase Ingraham is joined by former Games athlete and coach Adrian Conway to break down all the action from the Fittest in Cape Town (FiCT), the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge (MACC), and the virtual Age-Group Semifinal (14-49 divisions) in Week 2.
Ingraham and Conway highlight top stories from the competitions, including Brooke Wells’ triumphant return to competition after sustaining an elbow injury and Spencer Panchik’s first Games ticket. They also highlight winners from the FiCT and analyze the tight points spread between the competitors.
After reviewing Age-Group Semifinal leaderboards, they discuss the evolution of age-group workouts in competition and the change in complexity and difficulty as athletes become stronger and faster.
The pair also address judging, movement standards, and what workouts they’d like to see in the Last-Chance Qualifier. Then, they close out the show by answering questions from fans and sharing their favorite takeaways from the weekend.

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