Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

A1. Weighted Chin Up: 4×2, 1xMax Effort Set @ bodyweight
A2. Goblet Curtsy Lunge: 4×8-12 ea side

Notes
Superset the two movements, resting about 45-60 sec between them. The lunges are not alternating.

On your chin ups, pull as high as possible on every rep (“peak pull”). After the weighted sets today, perform one set of as many reps as possible without coming off the bar. Compare to Week 4.

Chin Up Progression/Options
Adv: Chin Up, 1xME @ BW + Accumulate 12-20 reps (bw + neg if needed)
Int: Chin Up Negatives, 6×2 *If you have been doing these consistently this cycle and can control the full range of motion, add weight today on at least some of your sets.
Beg: Foot Assisted Chin Up, 5×5 @ 2121

METCON

AMRAP 10 Min
4, 8, 12, 16, … etc. Reps Each Of:
Abmat Sit ups
Russian KB Swings
*After each round complete 10 Wall Ball Shots

Notes

Start with 4 sit ups, 4 swings, then 8 sit ups, 8 swings, and so on, adding 4 reps each round. The wall ball set remains the same throughout. Continue in this fashion until 10 minutes is up.

Use a heavy kettlebell that you can go unbroken with for the first few rounds and will likely want or need to break up once you get into bigger sets.

In terms of our physical skills, accuracy is defined as the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity. Today, with simple sets of 10 reps at a time on the Wall Ball, challenge yourself to be as accurate as possible on each and every rep. This includes: the range of motion of your squat, creating power through core to extremity movement, the trajectory of your ball to the wall, and how you receive it to efficiently begin the next rep!

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK7/8)

From the Archives: Allison K performing Fran and being judged by Michele K at the 2011 “Subway Series”. This was a three week event where each week one gym would host a workout and folks from nearby affiliates would come and throw down.

What is Fitness? The 10 Physical Skills

In this six-part series, Seminar Staff Head Trainer Jenn Hunter-Marshall explains CrossFit’s definition of fitness during the “What Is Fitness?” lecture presented at a Level 1 Certificate Course at CrossFit South Philly in 2021.

As first outlined in the “What Is Fitness?” article from 2002, CrossFit recognizes 10 general physical skills. They are:

Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance – The ability of the body’s systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen
Stamina – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy
Strength – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force
Flexibility – the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint
Power – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time
Speed – The ability to minimize the cycle time of a repeated movement
Coordination – The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement
Agility – The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another
Balance – The ability to control the placement of the body’s center of gravity in relation to its support base
Accuracy – The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity

You are as fit as you are competent in each of these 10 skills, and a regimen develops fitness to the extent that it improves each of these 10 skills.

Workout of the Day

“Mythic Strength”

Farmers & Sandbag Carry Medley

80 ft Farmers into 80 ft sandbag carry (RPE 8). 3 sets moderately heavy, same weight across for both implements.

Rest 2-3 min.

Notes
Farmer’s carry 40 ft, re-pick, return 40 ft. Run back, pick sandbag, run 40 down, 40 back. Both implements return to where they started.Farmer’s should be heavy, but not so heavy you can’t move your feet quickly. If you are in danger of dropping farmers (fingers slipping), decrease weight.

Unilateral DB Push Press & Deadlift

Push Press one arm for 8-10 reps. Perform single leg deadlift on one side 6-8 reps, then perform other arm and other leg.

Minimal rest.

Notes
4 rounds building in weight, go heavy. Brief pause at lockout on the push press. Leave 1-2 RIR on the press.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

 

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A post shared by Cara Claymore (@caraclaymore)

From Coach Cara

It has felt utterly spectacular to cultivate a new training groove outside of strength sport competition. It’s taken some time, for myriad life reasons, but a lot of things are falling into place after a few seasons hanging out in the cocoon of metamorphosis.

Competing in strongwoman and hitting specific numbers and performance metrics used to be my only aim, and while that was a powerful and fun time I’m grateful for, one must grow according to their aims (if you’re new here, I’ve competed somewhere north of 25 times in strongman/various strength sports and it used to dominate my life).

⚔️ The meaning of training has changed. It has evolved to serve my biggest desires, the ones I’m now wholly invested in conjuring – my film and artistic ambitions.

Being really strong is something I worked hard for(and I’ll always have the bone density to prove it), but it’s much more meaningful to me now to pursue a high level of fitness in other capacities right alongside it.

As an actor who likes doing their own stunts and is cultivating the appropriate skillset, qualities like endurance, stamina, speed and mobility also deserve focus.

I have long aspired to a high level of performance fitness, and growing as a coach at @cfsbk , learning CrossFit methodology, and expanding my own horizons through simply following my curiosity for human performance, have all served to break me out of some rigid thinking I fell into around training. Being inspired by gym community has also been invaluable. ☠️

Also, it’s never been more clear to me how potent a place for spiritual self-connection training is. It can be a time for presence with your higher self and your biggest dreams as well a way to engage with your fear and resistance in a positive way.

Not shown in the video: group class work, metcons galore, distance runs, stretching, hand stand practice.
🖤
Shout out to @thestonecircletraining who has made some really fun YT videos I’ve pulled some inspo from.
The green bag I’m pulling in this video is 150#, black bag to shoulder is 120#.

Workout of the Day

CrossFit Open WOD 15.4

AMRAP in 8 minutes:
3 Handstand Push-Ups
3 Cleans (185/125 lb)
6 Handstand Push-Ups
3 Cleans 
9 Handstand Push-Ups
3 Cleans
12 Handstand Push-Ups
6 Cleans 
15 Handstand Push-Ups
6 Cleans 
18 Handstand Push-Ups
6 Cleans 
21 Handstand Push-Ups
9 Cleans 
Etc., following same pattern until time is up

Notes
These are intended to be power cleans. They should be on the heavy side of moderate and can be performed as singles throughout the workout.

Choose scaling options that allow for challenging, yet consistently technically sound movement for your 8 minute effort.

Intermediate
Box Piked Handstand Push Ups (same volume)
Cleans (135/95 lb)

Beginner
DB Strict Press (same volume, heavy!)
Cleans (115/75 lb)

CASH OUT

3 Rounds for Quality
20 sec Hollow Hold
15 V-Ups
10 ea KB side bends

Notes
Aim for minimal rest within the round then then rest up to 1 min between rounds.

Use a light to moderate load for the side bends and work to keep your movement in the frontal plane, rather than flexing forward from the hips or spine.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Coach Brett taking 375 for a ride

CrossFit Open 15.4 BRIDGES vs PANCHIK

Watch the 2015 Open announcement for 15.4 with Josh Bridges taking on Scott Panchik.

Workout of the Day

FLOATER STRENGTH

A. Weighted Strict Chin Up: 5×2, as heavy as possible

B. Bench Press: 5×5, building

C. Deadlift: 5×3, building

D. Back Squat: 5×3-5, building

Notes
Tomorrow we have power cleans and handstand push ups.

METCON

3 Rounds for Time
15/12/9 Cal Bike
50 Double Unders
400m Run

Notes
It’s a cardio party! Intent is 9-15 min (3-5 min per round). Scale accordingly, up or down.

Bike <1:15
Run <2:30

DU Scaling
A. 30-40 reps
B. 75 Single unders

Run Sub: 400m Row

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

SATURDAY 9.14.24: CONSCIOUS SANGHA – HALF DAY RETREAT AND WORKSHOP WITH CHRIS FOX

Join CFSBK coaching alumni Chris Fox for an opportunity to sit in community, learn a few practices of meditation and working with your breath, and practice them together. During our time together we’ll cover topics ranging from how to find a comfortable posture, how to settle your thoughts, how and when to focus and when not to, how to relate to our tendencies toward distraction and unpleasant feelings like anxiety, sadness, boredom, and restlessness.

What can I expect?

Logistically, the day will involve alternating periods of instruction and formal practice of both seated and walking meditation, each lasting from a few minutes to about 20 minutes. The practice of noble silence will be encouraged, but there will be small group sessions along with opportunities to ask questions.

If you’re new to meditation, or have tried and failed before, my hope is you’ll walk away with a sense of freedom from what you’ve thought meditation “should” look and feel like, and be inspired to beging your own personal practice, however small.

If you’ve been practicing regularly for months, years or decades,  you’ll have the unique opportunity to view the practice from a different perspective, and hopefully walk away with new tools and a renewed commitment to the path.

Enlightenment not guaranteed, though I feel confident you’ll walk away feeling lighter than you came.

When: Saturday 9.14.24 1:30-4:30pm

Learn more about the event here

Workout of the Day

A. Every 2 minutes for 9 sets, complete (18 minutes):

Advanced
Snatch Waves (% of Snatch 1 RM)

1) 2 reps at 70%
2) 2 reps at 75%
3) 2 reps at 80%
4) 2 reps at 73%
5) 2 reps at 78%
6) 2 reps at 83%
7) 2 reps at 80%
8) 2 reps at 85%
9) 2 reps at 88%

Example (185# 1 RM)
2×130, 2×138, 2×148
2×135, 2×144, 2×153
2×148, 2×157, 2×162

Beginner
2 Snatches (every 2-3 sets, increase weight)

Notes
This week the Advanced rep scheme changes slightly and you will perform 2 snatches every 2 minutes at the same percentages as Week 4. Accumulating an additional rep at higher percentages should help build confidence and consistency as you attempt heavier weights.

The Beginner rep scheme is the same, but this week we encourage you to increase weights more frequently to work up to some heavier weights.

B. Back Squat
4×4, building

Notes
Build quickly to a tough set of 4 reps. You should be fairly warmed up from snatch work, so consider taking larger jumps across 4 total work sets, but not at the expense of speed or position.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

From the archives: 2009, CFSBK was operating out of the Brooklyn Lyceum (now blink fitness) and hosted the first CrossFit Level 1 certification in New York state. Here Chuck Carswell and Adrian Bozman brief the group on “Fran”

Registration for the WET HOT AMERICAN THROWDOWN is live!

Wet Hot American Throwdown IV is back! This time it’s double the trouble!

Can you believe it? Our Throwdown is turning 4 years old! This year we will host a partner competition on Friday, September 13th. Grab a friend, any friend! All combinations of genders are welcome. It’s not about the leaderboard; it’s about the camaraderie!

Who: Everyone is welcome! We’ve got scaling options for all abilities
Where: 597 Degraw Street
When: Friday, September 13th, 5:00-8:00pm
Signing Up: Click here to register!

Not sure about competing? Don’t sweat it! This event is all about coming together, breaking a sweat, and cheering on our awesome gym mates. Spectators are highly encouraged, so even if you’re not competing, come out and join the fun!

After the event, we’re heading to a local watering hole for an epic after-party. Don’t miss out – we can’t wait to see you there!

 

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A post shared by Katie (Harper) Calanca, DPT (@kharper369)

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Turkish Get-Up
1-1-1-1-1

Notes
In 5 total sets, work up to a heavy single on each arm. Start at a medium heavy weight and perform one rep on each side. Try to add weight every set. You should be able to perform each weight on both arms EXCEPT for the last set, where you can try a weight you can probably only hit on your dominant side. You will always be a little asymmetrical, have some fun on that last set and go for it!

METCON

AMRAP 15:00:
5 Strict Knees to Elbows
15 Kettlebell Swings
20 Alternating Box Step Ups

Notes
Move at a steady pace on this workout. Commit yourself to solid mechanics and consistency across all of your rounds by not using a kip with your Knees to Elbows. Choose a KB weight that is challenging but allows you to complete most if not all of your sets unbroken. The step-ups may be bodyweight or loaded with DBs.

Knees to Elbows Scaling
A. 5 Strict Knees to Armpits or Chest
B. 5 Hollow Hanging Lat Push Downs + 5 Tuck Ups

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Dan shifting his mindset before attempting a heavy squat

Great Turkish Get-Up primer

This is, in our opinion the best most accessable video on the TGU on youtube!

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Bench Press
Build to Heavy 5 reps

Notes
Compare to Week 4 as a reference for loading. In roughly 5 total sets, work up to a heavy 5 on the Bench Press. The final set should leave you with 0-1 reps in reserve.

METCON

For Time:
1000 m Row
50 Burpees to overhead target

Notes
For today’s workout, aim for a slightly faster row pace then your 2k. At this point in the cycle, you should have a good idea what you can hold and maintain for a 1k. If you are more experienced, try to shoot for negative splits every 250 m.

Negative splitting is when successive times for 250 meter splits are faster than preceding times, e.g. in a 1K piece, the first 250 meters are at a split time of 2:00, the next are at 1:59, the next are at 1:58 and the last 250 meters are at 1:57. The 1K is just an illustration; the same is true for any distance. This can help you avoid the “crash and burn” method of pacing where you go out too fast at the start and can’t maintain that pace for the entire distance.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Kat D putting on a Pistol clinic yesterday morning

Today’s Metcon

Here is how I (David) approached yesterday’s workout. It’s a simple couplet but a little planning can go a long way. Here’s what I focused on:

1. 1000m Row
I am not a strong rower and I tend to blow up if I push too hard, so I set the simple goal of rowing sub 2:00 splits the entire time. I hovered around 1:55-1:58 splits cruising at about 23 strokes per minute. This felt very sustainable but still challenging enough for me. I probably should have tried to drop my splits by a couple seconds at the 500m and 750m mark, but alas.

2. 50 Burpees
I may be in small company here, but I like burpees. I feel like I can just sort of do them forever. My focus points here were:
– start your first burpee the second you get to the station
– Keep a pace where you won’t have to stop
– Just get into a flow of doing the same thing, putting my hands in the same spot, breathing and moving at a steady tempo. Just “more of the same, more of the same, more of the same” is sort of what my internal monologue was.
– Push on those last 10 reps!

Even simple focus points can allow you to be more intentional about your efforts at the gym. Take a moment to plan your strategy and get after it today.

PS my time was 7:43

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

A1. Weighted Chin Up: 5×2, as heavy as possible
A2. Single Leg Squat (Pistol): 4×5 each side

Notes
Superset the two movements, resting about 30 seconds after the chin ups and about 1 minute after the pistols.

On your chin ups, pull as high as possible on every rep (Think “peak pull”!). If you’re running into a wall on adding load for your chin up doubles, one option is to complete the set as two singles with a 10-30 second break between reps.

Chin Up Progression/Options
Adv: Chin Up, Accumulate 16-30 reps (bodyweight or negatives if needed)
Int: Chin Up Negatives, 6×3 (bodyweight or weighted)
Beg: Foot Assisted Chin Up, 5×5 @ 2121

Pistol Progression/Options
A. With Hand Assist: Grabbing the Toes
B. Box Pistol
C. Pistol with Toes on Calf/Ankle
D. Single Leg Squat to Bench/Box, with optional plate counterbalance

PARTNER METCON

A. 5 minute AMRAP:
Bike Calories
DB Hang Power Cleans

3 minute Rest

B. For time:
Complete the same number of reps on each movement you accumulated in the AMRAP with your partner.

Notes:
In this workout, both athletes are working the entire time. One will start on the bike, one on the dumbbells. Trade movements with your partner as desired, while keeping transitions as tight as possible. (For example, you might start with a 45 second effort and then switch movements, aiming for a 5-10 second transition). Start the AMRAP at a challenging, but sustainable pace and work hard for 5 minutes. Choose a DB weight that you can cycle for sets of 10 reps at a time.

The bike will count your reps for you (don’t reset it), so you will just need to keep counting up total reps on the DB hang power cleans as a team.

After the 3 minute rest, aim to push your effort and finish the same number of reps you accumulated as a team in part 1 as quickly as possible. Again, you may trade movements at any point you like.

Example:
Part A: Completed 63 bike calories and 98 hang power cleans in total.
Part B: For Time: 63 bike calories, 98 hang power cleans, as a team.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Watching the finals yesterday. 

4 Things I believe are necessary to running a  successful CrossFit gym

As we’ve mentioned on Inside the Affiliate before, coaching skill is only a small part of what it takes to run an affiliate, and there are countless other qualities that are required to excel in this business. For starters: the ability to manage people, make tough or sometimes unpopular decisions, listen to your instincts, and the humility to know that you won’t always be right. Here is some advice I’ve given to people who are interested in running their own gym:  

1. You must be good with people.
If you’re not comfortable working with a variety of personalities, this might not be the profession for you. As any seasoned coach or trainer knows, a huge part of this business requires the social fluency to deal with a vast spectrum of people on a daily basis. This skill becomes even more critical when running an affiliate, as your reactions and responses to different situations carry greater weight and begin to represent the ethos of the business itself. If people easily get under your skin, I recommend treading lightly—how you interact with members, coaches, or partners can easily turn a potential success into a frustrating mess.  

2. Focus on the experience over income.
Running a small business can be hard and unpredictable. One of the biggest lessons I learned from CrossFit founder Greg Glassman is that “excellence is obvious to everyone”, meaning that if you put in the effort to create a consistently positive experience people will stick around. Focus on the experience and the income will follow. I’ve never had a “business plan” for the gym, I don’t have projections that I run, I’ve never advertised, ran discounts and I don’t get lost in “KPIs”. Are people smiling? Are classes run on time? Are people getting fitter? Are we having fun? Those are the metrics I focus on and that have kept us open for 17 years.

3. Learn what’s most important when it comes to hiring great coaches.
When I first moved to New York City, I had the good fortune of being hired by an insightful coach who taught me that for the most part, any dedicated, intelligent person could learn the skills required to become an exceptional coach. Learning how to identify and triage movement faults, effective cueing, and the nuts and bolts of programming and kinesiology can be both taught and learned. Shitty personality traits, however, are much harder to modify in adults and often fall well beyond the scope of any affiliate owner who is looking to train or mold a coach.

So, hire based on personality first, then potential. Make sure that the people you hire have the people-person qualities we outlined in Number 1—namely, the maturity to be professional and work well with a variety of personalities. We are in the service industry, and the success and reputation of your gym depends on having a staff that honestly cares about the people they’re working with. Individuals who are condescending, impatient, and create drama in your gym are to be avoided at all costs, in my opinion. These people can corrode and undermine the culture you’ve created by placing their own interests and biases above the greater common goal of helping run a great affiliate.

Almost all of CFSBK’s coaches have been hired from within our community after they first demonstrated an interest in learning the “hard skills” of becoming a coach and second, all the “soft skills” of personality I mentioned above.

4. Don’t cut corners when it comes to the details, and be the person you’d want to hire.
In the early days of CFSBK, I did everything from the blog, to cleaning the floors and organizing the equipment on a daily basis. Know that there are going to be days when you start to lose sight of why this is important—but taking pride in all the little things helps you appreciate the entire spectrum of work that goes into running a tight ship.

One of the best ways to be an empathetic manager is to first become a dedicated employee in your own business. Especially in the future, when you’re not the one doing it all, you’ll be glad that you know what goes into executing each detail well. On the days when you’re tired and want to start cutting corners, remember that details matter and every little piece, even those that are less glamorous, is an important part of a much larger whole.

Workout of the Day

“Mythic Strength”

Deadlift

2 x 45 Seconds AMRAP (RPE 8-8.5)
Rest 2-3 min.

Notes
Ramp up tp approx same weight as last week. Aim for higher reps (10+). Full resets (No TnG).

Single Arm Press & Farmer Carry

Press DB for 6-8 reps. Rest 30 sec. Farmer carry same hand 40 ft. Rest 30 sec. Repeat other side, rest 90-2 min sec.4 rounds, building.

Notes
4 rounds building. Leave 1-2 RIR on the press.

Cashout

Lu Raise50 reps

Notes
Go light. Short breaks, count to 15, then continue.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK5/8)

CFSBK Coaching alumni Pat F judging the GOAT, Tia Claire Toomey

CrossFit Games Viewing *UPDATED*

Hey everyone, we’re modifying the CrossFit Games viewing/Open gym today to 4-6pm to just stream the final individual event. 1-6 was too long of a window! Sorry! Come on by, chill, eat, workout, watch. We’ve got free beer and non alcoholic drinks like water and seltzer.

You can see the competition details here.

Workout of the Day

PARTNER METCON

CrossFit 2024 Semifinal Event 2

5 Rounds For Time:
100 Double Unders
20 Toes to Bar
10 Front Squats

Notes
Today we’ll tackle this beast of a workout… with a buddy! There is an 18 minute time cap.

In the semifinals, this event was done at 225/155#. The winners did it in under 12 minutes (solo)!!

For our version, athletes will trade off as needed to accumulate the volume of work listed as a team. For example: Partner A does 50 Double Unders, Partner B does 50 Double Unders, then they move to the Toes to Bar and trade off sets of 5 until 20 total reps are complete, etc.

The barbell will come from the floor. Choose a challenging weight that you could complete 5 reps unbroken when fresh.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK5/8)

Good training partners are invested in the success of their gym pals!

Tomorrow in 597!