http://www.sicfit.com/rss/recent-articles http://c0179261.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/599412_EqdBOM2x0xTcDLrZNPCl_m.jpg http://www.sicfit.com/rss/recent-articles en-us Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:31:01 GMT Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:31:01 GMT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7648-Fit-Is-Our-Weapon
A great photo by Jamie Brown. Nicole Hughes talks social marketing to over 40 CrossFit affiliates at CrossFit Clitheroe in England. ]]> Sun, 02 Oct 2011 09:44:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7648-Fit-Is-Our-Weapon http://www.sicfit.com/article/7642-Mark-Felix-meets-Rob-Orlando
Pictured from the Left: Tony Cross (Owner of CrossFit Clitheroe), Mark Felix, and Rob Orlando. ]]> Sat, 01 Oct 2011 10:36:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7642-Mark-Felix-meets-Rob-Orlando http://www.sicfit.com/article/7586-Can-This-Stick


Kelly Gray & Holly Smith (CrossFit South Hills) are warming up to train in these pics from CrossFitPhotos.com. What do you think about their choice of training gear. We think it works. Ladies would you wear it? ]]> Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:24:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7586-Can-This-Stick http://www.sicfit.com/article/7526-PR-MuSIC-AMEN-by-GOOD-Music
#PRMusic | Click above to download "AMEN" (Explicit lyrics)]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:58:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7526-PR-MuSIC-AMEN-by-GOOD-Music http://www.sicfit.com/article/7513-STYX-Special-Ops-Sniper
He does work with a SICFIT cap on. His name and location will be withheld. What's your most badass SICFIT pic? 

]]> Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:04:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7513-STYX-Special-Ops-Sniper http://www.sicfit.com/article/7497-The-Most-Viral-Tweets-of-ESPN-2-Day-One  































Neal Maddox's blond hair dye was not harmed in the process of publishing this blog.  ]]> Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:44:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7497-The-Most-Viral-Tweets-of-ESPN-2-Day-One http://www.sicfit.com/article/7449-Archived-Footage-JT-Interviews-Everybody
Jeremy Thiel, Co-Owner of SICFIT, interviews Reebok's Sports Marketing go-to-guy - Chad Wittman, Jason Khalipa and other top CrossFit Games athletes and personalities. Let him know what you think of his Piers Morgan skills and who SICFIT should hunt down for interviews next. ]]> Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:28:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7449-Archived-Footage-JT-Interviews-Everybody http://www.sicfit.com/article/7433-Official-Press-Release



 

2011 Reebok CrossFit Games to be broadcast on ESPN2

 

Santa Cruz, Calif., September 7, 2011—CrossFit, Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games will be broadcast as a multi-part series starting Wednesday, September 14, 2011 from 8:00-10:00p.m. Eastern with subsequent episodes broadcast September 21, 2011 and September 28, 2011 from 8:00-10:00p.m. Eastern.   The event took place July 29-31 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California and was carried live on ESPN3.com up to three hours per day.

 

The CrossFit Games are an annual fitness competition—the Sport of Fitness™—where elite athletes compete to be crowned the Fittest on Earth™. At the CrossFit Games, individuals and teams are faced with a wide variety of athletic challenges that include, but are not limited to, Olympic lifts, gymnastics movements, running, powerlifting, rowing, rope climbs, swimming, kettle bell swings, obstacle courses, and much more. Part of being fit means being ready for the unknown and unknowable, so the workouts are constantly varied and never the same from year to year.  Unlike other sports where athletes can tailor their training to the specific demands of the event or sport in which they compete, CrossFit Games competitors do not know the nature, duration, number, frequency or timing of the workouts they will be required to complete during the competition until shortly before each of the events begin.  The most well-rounded athletes are the ones who succeed as CrossFit Games competitors.

 

This year marks the fifth annual CrossFit Games and the first year in which Reebok was the title sponsor.  The first round of competition featured approximately 26,000 athletes competing to qualify for one of the 17 worldwide regional events. CrossFit athletes who qualified for the finals of the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games competed for a piece of the $1 million purse. For more info, visit http://games.crossfit.com.

 

 “The CrossFit Games appearing on ESPN is a natural,” said CrossFit co-founder and CEO Greg Glassman. “As the inventor of a new sport—the sport of fitness —there's no better fantasy for the property's coming into its own than to appear on ESPN.”

 

“We’re looking forward to presenting the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games across our platforms,” said Todd Myers, ESPN director, programming & acquisitions. “The event features tremendous athletic performance, which our viewers should appreciate and enjoy.”

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tim Chan

press@crossfit.games.com

619-944-3302

http://games.crossfit.com

 

About CrossFit

CrossFit, Inc. is the world's foremost developer of functional fitness programming and a leading accredited certificate issuer for physical training professionals worldwide. Founded by Greg and Lauren Glassman, CrossFit® is the principal strength-and-conditioning program for hundreds of accomplished and professional athletes and hundreds of thousands of individuals seeking to achieve elite fitness. CrossFit offers specialty certificate courses and programs, including the CrossFit Kids program; publishes the CrossFit Journal; and created and operates the CrossFit Games, an annual event that seeks to find and crown the Fittest on Earth™. There are currently more than 2,500 affiliated gyms in the global CrossFit training network. For more information, please visit www.crossfit.com.

 

]]> Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:45:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7433-Official-Press-Release http://www.sicfit.com/article/7411-Predict-The-Next-Year
We at SICFIT are CrossFit Games imperialists. By that, we mean that we believe that the CrossFit Games will be one of the most lucrative segments in the action sports market. What do you think? What is next year going to look like? Here is one of the best infographics that we've seen. By SocialWOD.]]> Mon, 05 Sep 2011 09:21:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7411-Predict-The-Next-Year http://www.sicfit.com/article/7344-A-New-Direction-for-Pros Click the above photo to download the CrossFit Journal video featuring Knowshon and Matt Chan

A good time to be a successful CrossFit affiliate. Pro-athletes have been training a certain way for years - cleans, bench, incline bench, squat, sprints. Just recently, they've added typical functional tools like kettlebells, battling ropes, and tires to add flair to their existing system of periodization and occassional body part training (often necessary for pre-habilitation). This is a step in a new direction. 

This type of functional training seems to be the norm in professional and collegiate training facilities but does that standard have more room to change? The video below is at the facility of David Claiborne, a L1 CrossFit coach and affiliate owner-to-be, a Zach Even-Esh protege, strength coach to Brian Cushing, and friend of mine. It would be hard to argue against the necessity of some of the elements that he uses in his training to assure an injury-free season for these NFL athletes. But is it the only optimal standard? And will sport-specific uses of CrossFit replace more traditional periodized training over time?



The question: when it comes to the training of professional power athletes, how will their training evolve in the coming years? Let's say Knowshon Moreno has a breakout year (seems likely). The usually skeptical Skip Bayless on ESPN's First Take will ask Knowshon about his new training style (that includes traditional .com programming). They'll ask Knowshon questions about his coach and whether his coach trains the same way. Likely, they'll peer over and see Matt Chan performing muscle ups with ease and then snatching heavy, moments after. Then they'll ask why Matt trains so intensely, considering he doesn't compete in a "traditional pro sport". They'll probably ask the same of his wife, Cherie, after they watch her knock out 21+ hand stand push ups in a row. They'll sit in amazement, in awe of the couple's pursuit of general physical preparedness. And they'll try to get to the bottom of how CrossFit, being the core of an NFL athlete's training regimen, could produce such broad and useful fitness. Whether for NFL athletes or us CrossFit athletes. 

Sure, Knowshon likely supplements his training with sport-specific techniques. But be honest, we never expected to watch the CrossFit Journal video of Knowshon, an NFL standout, performing "Fran" in a traditional manner. And performing "Fran" well. What if it makes him better? What if the pursuit of a more broad and inclusive level of fitness makes him perform more proficient, efficient, and confident in the performance of sport-specific tasks. 



I'd venture to guess that based on his pre-season performance, he might turn some heads and finally live up to his extremely high expectations. I've always been one of many that believe in the benefits of CrossFit for sport-specific athletes. To be clear, David Claiborne believes in the same. But what we're seeing is a further progression away from strict periodization and traditional football lifting, if you will. There are always multiple paths to the same goal. Wouldn't it be cool if this year, training at a CrossFit affiliate with an experienced CrossFit coach was widely known as another way to get to the Pro Bowl? 

If that happens, many of CrossFit's best will be influencing the training of NFL athletes - and beyond - in the years to come. 

By Web Smith ]]> Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:48:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7344-A-New-Direction-for-Pros http://www.sicfit.com/article/7281-Rate-this-Apparel-Afro-Brutality-Barbell-Club


Most everyone has heard of Afro Brutality apparel. It is a brand out of Harlem, U.S.A. It represents a By Any Means Necessary attitude and flair that only owner Syn Martinez can produce.  It is a CrossFit original and yes, the brand has originality. Especially in a time when there is a slew of Life AsRX competitors named after buzzwords and workouts. 

So about Afro Brutality's new shirt? It is really red. Certainly for the gym; definitely not meant to wear in casual settings. The monochromatic contrast between red and white is coarse and exhausting to the eye. While the garment blank is American Apparel (considered an A- to A+ brand for garment blanks) the paint used isn't of the best quality. The design and font isn't at all unique to the Afro Brutality brand. Neither is the concept of a barbell club shirt. See Rogue. 

But what makes this shirt is appealing is that this brand doesn't try to be anything beyond rugged, raw, and to the point. With the eloquences of design and premium production aside, is it enough for you to add to your list. What do you think? Rate this apparel 1-10*. 

*We'll take the average of the first 20 submittals. Submittals must be legitimate, non-derogatory ratings with a short but detailed justification for the rating. They must also be logged-in to receive the 20% discount on apparel via email. ]]> Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:30:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7281-Rate-this-Apparel-Afro-Brutality-Barbell-Club http://www.sicfit.com/article/7266-Ultramarathoners-are-SICFIT Photo by Lindsey Spurck Schrock

This past weekend, a lot of us were hanging out, SUPing, or vacationing, Kris Kepler, Zach Hughes, and SICFIT's J. Elliot Schrock took on the legendary Leadville Trail 100 Mile Race. Two of them braved 40 miles of the brutal race, at elevation. One of them finished. Kris Kepler finished the race, with a smile, in under 30 hours. Pretty amazing accomplishment to finish an Ultramarathon by training with CrossFit and 10 mile runs. It is a nod to both the efficacy of Brian Mackenzie's CrossFit Endurance programming and strength of Kris' will to finish. 

Congrats to each of the men and their support team. Carlos Ibarra, Kristen Dymmel, and Tim Dymmel served as race pacers. The wives of Zach and Elliot were on the scene manning every pit stop for first aid, moral, and loving support. Twitter was going wild in support of his efforts, from a distance. Congratulations to Kris for his amazing athletic accomplishment. 

Video of the finish can be seen here. 

Are you training for an endurance race or another sport with the CrossFit methodology? Let us know and we'll feature your competition. #SICFIT
]]> Sun, 21 Aug 2011 10:51:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7266-Ultramarathoners-are-SICFIT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7247-Paris-Satisfaction-PR-MuSIC



Because, on occassion, we could all use a special track to get us through our training. This features Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Benny Benasi. It is a re-imagining of Watch The Throne's N****'s in Paris. This PR MuSIC was programmed by Jess Holland (of Team Dangerous fame). ]]> Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:13:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7247-Paris-Satisfaction-PR-MuSIC http://www.sicfit.com/article/7236-Your-Caption-Here Photo By Mary Siani

Best caption wins an upcoming SICFIT apparel. Name the athlete and we'll make you the same offer!]]> Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:34:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7236-Your-Caption-Here http://www.sicfit.com/article/7209-Picture-Perfect
Warrior Dash. Windham, NY. The photo is by Jules Blight. ]]> Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:30:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7209-Picture-Perfect http://www.sicfit.com/article/7193-PR-MuSIC-The-British-Are-Coming

Chad Hobbs is a former college basketball player and CrossFit athlete hailing from CrossFit Bloomingon. Michael Clarkson is an athlete from CrossFit Leeds, which lies in a suburb of West Yorkshire, England. These two members of the world-wide crew called the SICFITERATI repped completely different genres of music, both types of which were downright dope in their own unique ways.

The breakdown. Chad went with typical American bangers (not to be confused with the sausage that our friends across the pond pair with mashed potatoes). He went with an Eminem classic, a Tupac hit, and Jay-Z's On to the next one - a track produced by Reebok's current creative director. You really can't go wrong with those classics and it showed. Chad received over 10% of the total vote putting him in second place overall. What got Chad? The unverified votes. 

Michael Clarkson used his considerable influence on his personal facebook page, with his affiliate's Facebook page, and using his Twitter account to spread the message, "Log-in to SICFIT before you place your verified vote!" This is an initiative that we put in place to prevent duplicate votes. His choices were considerably diverse. He chose a great mix that included" Example's Kickstarts, Fort Minor, and Bon Iver's Skinny Love. He received heavy international support that was fortified by a strong coalition out of the United Kingdom, to include the entire lineage of the Crisp family. Anyhow, it was a bit of positive news for our friend from Leeds, an area that saw reported "pockets of disorder" throughout the England Riots. He finished with 35.5% of the vote. 

Clarkson, a member of the duo that we fondly call SICFIT UK, is the winner of the first epic #PRMuSIC contest. He demonstrated great taste in music, social media influence, and the SICFIT swagger that translates everywhere. Not only is he going to snag every shirt that we've made but we are putting him down for the next two shirts that come out. Oh, and we're paying for a year membership to Spotify. Easily one of humankind's best inventions. It was a fun contest and a great showing of participation and support for other competitors. One thing is for sure, our culture is everywhere. CrossFit has no boundaries and neither does the lifestyle that we call SICFIT. 

Read more about Michael's PR MuSIC experience: here
]]> Fri, 12 Aug 2011 21:38:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7193-PR-MuSIC-The-British-Are-Coming http://www.sicfit.com/article/7154-The-US-Open-of-Surfing-Huntington-Beach

The Nike U.S. Open of Surfing just concluded just two days ago. Down the road from ESPN's X-Games. Which was down the road from the Reebok CrossFit Games. You get the picture. Los Angeles and its surrounding areas were brimming with sports that are passionately followed by smaller, more intensely engaged niches. It also seems to be an overlap in a more than a few ways, especially with the U.S.O.S. featuring BMX and skate, less than an hour away from the event that is known for those sports. 



Many of these sports are enjoyed by the CrossFit community, a talented pool that boasts a diversity of people with a range of interests that span well beyond our gyms. With the growth of the CrossFit Games, well beyond the imagination of many in this community, we continue to outgrow "yesterday". While in the figurative context, this matter may also be true in the literal. Even with the minority who still holds on to the dustbowl days of Aromas. Really? Can you still imagine if we were on the Castro ranch in Aromas with nowhere to go for food (besides Panda Express) after the one mom and pop corner store across the road from the strawberry fields closed at six PM? Excuse the run-on sentence but consider the point. 

 

We outgrew the beloved Aromas ranch after 2009. Amidst all of the complaining and yearning for nostalgia, a lot of us were saying, “Yes, well that makes sense.” Regardless of wherever "next" is, it will probably make sense to just let it ride and pipe down on the "but's", "why's", and so forth. The Home Depot Center may not be big enough to handle what grande vision is likely brewing in the minds, on the notepads, and at mastermind meetings of those who influence the next iteration of the competition to be seen at the CG6. 




 

We are huge fans of board sports, so surprisingly, it didn’t dawn on us to take our eyes off of CrossFit and X-Games highlights for a second to check out the thousands in attendance watching Kelly Slater and the best in the world surf the waves of Southern California. When Madeleine Letchford of the CrossFit Sports Series crew went out to watch the event, we paid attention. When SICFIT's Jeremy Thiel sent in these photos from Huntington Beach, it got us thinking more about the concept of temporary stadiums. On the drive to to downtown L.A. for the after party, we noticed the X-Games’ outdoor venue. A highly branded, magnificent structure that would host a majority of the X-Games events - while serving as a massive billboard for title sponsors. What if this is the next step for the CrossFit Games? 





With the record intensity of the beach event (a huge surprise to the skeptics), the growth of the CrossFit Sports Series, and spectator space at a premium in L.A., the following could be a solution. A beach full of CrossFitter’s, in a spectator village all our own, and tens of thousands of passers-by all wondering what the commotion is all about. If nothing else, it would be a great, official co-venue for the next CrossFit Games season. We can visualize the SUP, HSPU, sled pull event at CrossFit Games 2012, now. The possibilities are endless.

By Web Smith |  SICFIT Co-Owner and Action Sports Junkie
]]> Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:46:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7154-The-US-Open-of-Surfing-Huntington-Beach http://www.sicfit.com/article/7120-PR-MuSIC-The-Next-Stage
We've selected the top ten Mu(SIC) playlists! Based on expert feedback from music connoiseurs Kris Kepler and Bentura Flores of the famed SICFIT "Shop Boys". Now, it is up to you. Below, you have the opportunity to log-in and endorse your friend's favorite playlist (you must be logged in for a counted vote). Voting closes on midnight of Thursday, August 11. What music is the most SIC music to warm-up, train, and live to? Congratulations to the top ten! 

1. Michael Clarkson: Example, Remember the Name, Skinny Love
2. Wayne Richard: Beautiful People, Skills to Pay The Bills, Rockstar
3. Dan Schreiber: Don't Play No Game I Can't Win, Love Is Real, My Prerogative
4. Guerrillafit Tim: Blackstone Cherry, Aww Naww!, The Way Simple Men Are
5. Melissa Harrison: Finally Moving, All You Go To Do Is Say Yeah, Come As You Are
6. Andre Urquiza: Renegades of Funk , Saliva, Korn
7. Jessica Estrada: Sabotage, Bloc Party, Ruff Ryders Anthem
8. Carin Huggins: Burning Down the House, Fireball, Open Your Eyes
9. Chad Hobbs: Till I Collapse, Can't See Me, On To The Next One 
10. Brandon Gunsolus: Last Man Standing, It's My Time, Get Up]]> Sat, 06 Aug 2011 09:37:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7120-PR-MuSIC-The-Next-Stage http://www.sicfit.com/article/7111-Just-Fun-to-Watch Steph McCormack, sporting her SICFIT watch from The After Glow VIP gift bag. 


Joe Petrusky in his black SICFIT watch from The After Glow VIP gift bag

Are you a fan? Let us know your thoughts on these limited edition SICFIT watches. Should we expand them to our online market? ]]> Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:47:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7111-Just-Fun-to-Watch http://www.sicfit.com/article/7096-Why-Am-I-Still-After-Glow-ing
Photograph By Mary Siani



Several things I’d like to touch upon here but first and foremost: Jeremy Thiel, Web Smith, Ruben Rojas, Team Dangerous and the SICFIT crew know how to throw a party. If you are planning on attending the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games then staying in L.A. through Monday for the SICFIT after party is a MUST. I'll bet you a PROGENEX chocotini you won’t regret it.

So, after three days of fun in the sun, watching the top Crossfitters battle it out for the title “Worlds Fittest”, one experiences a sense of not wanting the festivities to end. For those of us that showed up to the Exchange LA club on Sunday night, the story kept going…and it went a little something like this: 

 

As you walk into the Exchange L.A. you’re greeted by Web Smith, Ruben Rojas and Team Dangerous. After exchanging pleasantries with this committee, head over to the red carpet and get your photo taken by a professional photographer. Then get out of the way, because a line of several other super attractive, in shape, type-A's are waiting behind you. (NOTE: if you don’t believe me, check out the red carpet photos for various aesthetically pleasing figures i.e. Melissa Einbinder and Najla Kayyem).

 

Now, if you’re a VIP (you bought a ticket, you work for CrossFit HQ, Reebok, or you’re an athlete) head upstairs and pick up your gift bag. Included is gear from Forged, Life AsRX, Fashletics, and an exclusive metal band and watch from SICFIT.

In case you have too much to drink (anything over one drink for those that have been competing or screaming in the sun for the past three days), I highly suggest just wearing all your new toys throughout the evening; you’ll lower your chances of losing your new stuff. At this point you should head into the bar and check out the scene.

 

Dancefloor: Like any good WOD, once the dancefloor got moving, it was AMRAP-jammed-packed until the club closed. If you were to take a lap, you could easily crash into any number of crossfit “celebs”: Libby DiBiase, Lindsay Smith, Ronnie Teasdale, Crossfit Central, Carey Kepler (killer boots, man!), Head Judge Adrian Bozman (he no-reped “the Worm” but “the Dougie” was allowed) and many more. If you had your cell, you could send a text to the jumbo screen behind famed platinum producer - DJ Felli Fel - and watch your words roll down as you get down.

 

VIP upstairs: Notables included the Life AsRX crew, Forged crew, the PROGENEX crew, Auvie Kincer II, Nick Urankar, team CFNE and many others. PROGENEX was kind enough to serve chocotini, which meant though you got a hangover, at least you had some refueling and bulking action.

 

All in all, the SICFIT after party was the perfect cap to 2011 Reebok Crossfit Games. I’ll leave you with a few Memorable Quotes that are still afterglowing in my mind 4 days later:

 

“It’s kinda nice seeing people dressed up for a change. Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing half naked bodies…but this is classy.”

 

“Camille: will you slow dance with me?”

--- 

 

Darwin Hunt is a self-professed "below average CrossFitter" that has way too much energy. He is the creator of the 2012 CharityFit Calendar and a Crossfit enthusiast. He trains at the 6am and/or the 6pm class at Crossfit Pasadena. He rarely wins but always looks good in argyle socks.



]]> Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:05:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7096-Why-Am-I-Still-After-Glow-ing http://www.sicfit.com/article/7072-The-Athlete-Whisperer
This past year, two-time Games competitor - Jeremy Thiel squeezed a great interview out of Chris Spealler and Matt Chan during their preparation for the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. The interviews were done at 2010's USA-W CrossFit Open. We learned a great deal about Spealler and Chan's raw motivations for success inside and outside of CrossFit. The question is, with SICFIT interviewing some of the world's top CrossFit athletes, what will you learn next? Jeremy Thiel is the Athlete Whisperer. 

Interviews were filmed for the CrossFit Journal. Stay tuned for updates. ]]> Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:09:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7072-The-Athlete-Whisperer http://www.sicfit.com/article/7054-Who-Would-Have-Imagined
Who would have imagined that the Games would have progressed to this point? In Aromas, would you have ever imagined an open ocean swim? The scene from the first brutal event - "The Beach WOD" at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. Photography by Ricky Magana. ]]> Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:45:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7054-Who-Would-Have-Imagined http://www.sicfit.com/article/7018-Collision-Course-By-Web-Smith
One of the biggest stories of the week may not have anything to do with any particular athlete. Rather, it is the seemingly obvious collision course between two sporting events. One is older and a bit more established, the other might as well be sitting on a rocket. 

In a recent conversation with top CrossFit executives, I marveled at the trajectory of the CrossFit sport. In my three years on the scene, the sport has gone from a path of humble niche recognition to the type of marketing initiatives seen by the best in sports. The approach has been more professional than UFC's rise to prominence between 2000-2010. CrossFit athletes are quickly gaining the same performance opportunities, earning initiatives, and sponsorship potential that the more traditional action sports received after 10-15 years in business. People tend to forget that Matt Hoffman first generated interest in BMX in the mid-80's. The sport didn't receive it's proverbial "shot in the arm" for at least 10 years and it didn't receive "legitimate sport" notoriety for nearly another decade. 

CrossFit has always been unique because the viewership is web savvy. While the fifth X-Games boasted nearly 300,000 in attendance, the CrossFit Games live online viewership will likely reach 10x that number. People that question the CrossFit Games' marketability only have to point to Reebok's early involvement in the sport and its community. One word - unprecedented. 

But it goes farther, this weekend. The two events are in the same little town called Los Angeles on the same weekend - at that. While CrossFit will be vying for relevance against a much more established counterpart, the stage has been set for a playful toil between the two. Especially as many of the sponsors that flocked toward the X-Games will finally realize that perhaps there is another niche - a generally affluent, consumer driven one - to which they should market their products. 

In an ironic symbolism of sorts, the "unofficial Official" Red Bull X-Games kick off party will be held at Los Angeles' famed Exchange LA night club on Thursday, July 28. The CrossFit Games' "unnoficial but so Official" SICFIT after party will be held at the same exact location, just three days later on Sunday, July 31. Who wants to beat around the bush, these days? 

SICFIT wants the sporting community to know that one of the world's most marketable sports will likely be seen for the first time - this weekend. And no one is shying away from the elephant in the room. While entirely playful, the competition between the two events will be noticeable. With CrossFit projects like the Sports Series, alive and well, the two sporting communities will find a lot of common ground and mutual respect in the future. The likelihood that the two communities' will attract cross-over appeal is an unspoken expectation from SICFIT and other action sports junkies in the CrossFit comunity. But back to the competition!

The X-Games may make the most noise. But on Monday morning, we have a feeling that more people are going to wake up talking about the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. They'll talk about its week of amazing events, the level of athleticism of its feature athletes, the mach speed of its growth, and the deafening noise that a five year old sport made during the weekend of one of ESPN's most marketed sports. Games on. 

By Web Smith | Co-Owner, SICFIT

*SICFIT is a proud Platinum vendor at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games

]]> Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:45:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/7018-Collision-Course-By-Web-Smith http://www.sicfit.com/article/6786-PR-MuSIC-A-Little-Game
Click on the album cover for download. "Bonkers" by Reebok Classic's creative director and platinum producer, Swizz Beatz.

We know that there are DJ's out there. Here's how this game goes: (1) each participant lists a three song play list with links via Youtube or a file sharing service (2) The SICFIT crew will pick their top ten favorite play lists and on the night of July 31, 2011 the winner will be announced on this site (3) The lucky CrossFit athlete will win every SICFIT shirt in stock (male or female) and a one year Premium subscription to Spotify. DJ away! 

*Each participant must be logged-in to SICFIT via SICFIT account or Facebook Log-In]]> Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:50:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6786-PR-MuSIC-A-Little-Game http://www.sicfit.com/article/6777-Freestyle-Athletes-and-CrossFits-Influence
Carl Paoli, of Gymnastics WOD fame, is known for training freestyle athletes. These athletes range in interests that span everything between dance (B-Boys) and snowboarding. With CrossFit becoming a more mainstream and influential means of training, how do you foresee it influencing these other disciplines? Do you expect athletes of X-Games caliber to come out and say that they've gotten better by training the way we do - any time soon? ]]> Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:03:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6777-Freestyle-Athletes-and-CrossFits-Influence http://www.sicfit.com/article/6765-Who-Will-Support-this-Movement-With-Us






]]> Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:33:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6765-Who-Will-Support-this-Movement-With-Us http://www.sicfit.com/article/6748-The-After-Glow-Vol-2-by-Team-Dangerous
The Vegas Edition. Jessica Holland is a graduate of The University of Texas, she is a CrossFitter, and personal trainer in Las Vegas, Nevada. Not only does she have a knack for forging elite fitness, she is also may be one of the most well-connected people that we know. Most recently, she was called upon by Nivea to promote their 100th year in the business.  The social media guru and Las Vegas night life maven always knows where the party is; she always has her pulse on the most exclusive parties in LV. Check out Jess Holland's "Vegas Edition" Mixtape by clicking below and downloading the songs of your choice! 



Want to keep up with #TeamDangerous by following them all on Twitter? Check out this list: Click Here. They have nearly 40,000 followers (collectively) for a reason, they will surely keep you entertained. And swing by the SICFIT are at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games to introduce yourself to Jess Holland and the team. ]]> Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:14:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6748-The-After-Glow-Vol-2-by-Team-Dangerous http://www.sicfit.com/article/6731-Are-You-Games-Bound
Are you going to the CrossFit Games to spectate and support your favorite athletes? If you are, how far are you traveling to get there? Leave your story below and win a Games Bound edition SICFIT tee from us!]]> Sat, 09 Jul 2011 10:16:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6731-Are-You-Games-Bound http://www.sicfit.com/article/6726-The-After-Glow-Volume-One-The-SICtape #TEAMDANGEROUS

1. "Sorry for Party Rocking" by LMFAO
2. "August 9th Dreams" by Ace Hood
3. "Still a Survivor" by Akon 
4. "YMCMB MMG" by Cory Gunz
5. "Gangsta of Love" by Yelawolf and Cyhi Da Prince
6. "We Don't Get Down Like Ya'll" by T.I. 
7. "Stadium" Cyhi Da Prince and B.O.B. 
8. "Cali Dreamin'" by Kid Ink 
9. "Summer Madness" by Common 
10. "Summertime" by Asher Roth
11. "Bulletproof" by Cyhi Da Prince [HOUSE REMIX]

Practice hard. Focus on mobility and speed because the dance floor at "The After Glow" may just be too much to handle. 
]]> Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:44:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6726-The-After-Glow-Volume-One-The-SICtape http://www.sicfit.com/article/6718-Our-Team-and-Our-Mission
The CrossFit Games are three weeks away and our team is getting set to rock it: before, during, and after The Games. The SICFIT team will be pushing 20 or so, to include: Co-Owners Jeremy Thiel and Web Smith, Diego Centeno, Elliot Schrock, Ben Flores, Lindsey Spurck, Aaron Arehart, just to name a few. Also on board to represent the lifestyle brand are seven CrossFitters that we call "Team Dangerous". The group is a selection of highly successful women who train CrossFit, coach CrossFit, and believe in what we are doing with SICFIT. They will be there at the CrossFit Games, throughout the weekend. 

The Team Dangerous Photo Album

We are a special group. We are all different but the one thing that we have in common is that we are a hard working team. Our goal is to be everywhere at once so that doesn't really present the opportunity to exploit a week long vacation or even a day's absence from our favorite social media platforms. CrossFit has no time zone and neither does SICFIT. We're always moving forward.

Our mission is to amplify the sport. Truly, by any means necessary. So sure, that may leave our definition vague but it leaves our purpose firm and our resolve strong. We have a saying, "SICFIT will continue until everyone knows our sport." And that is what you will see from us over the coming years. 

Come see us at the booth at the Home Depot Center. And if you feel you have the energy and the dedication to join us, here at SICFIT, leave us a message below. 

Details: 
1. Describe your appreciation for the CrossFit Games and the CrossFit community 
2. Describe your talents and passion.
3. Describe your commitment
]]> Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:44:00 CDT http://www.sicfit.com/article/6718-Our-Team-and-Our-Mission