As we mentioned a few weeks back, Ryan J. and Matt J. got married recently and stopped into CFSBK for some photos. Here’s the happy couple on our roof! You can see the rest of Kate R.‘s awesome photos here

Join Us for the Next Iron Maiden’s Lift n’ Learn Session

All IM competitors and IM curious are welcome!
January 22, 2017
2-4pm 

Practicing the Commands and the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship
BYOProgram and plan to focus on practicing the judges’ commands for all three lifts at Iron Maidens. We’ll run through Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift to make sure you feel confident about following the rules during the meet.

At this final Lift’n’Learn before Iron Maidens, we’ll be discussing tips and techniques for raising money for the 2nd Annual Stay Strong Scholarship.

Danae M. will be  providing information about Grace Outreach students, how the Stay Strong Scholarship fund has worked over this past year, and our goals for keeping it going in 2017. Superstar fundraisers Bethany Erskine, Christina LaBrie, and Halston Bruce will be talking about how they raised so much money to support our scholarship students.

_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Bench / Row Metcon
10 Different Plank Exercises Vahva Fitness
Five Architectural Easter Eggs Hiding on Gothic Cathedrals Atlas Obscura

Barbell Metcon

5 Rounds:
5-Rep Bench Press
250m Row Sprint

Go heavy on the Bench Press and move directly to the row. You can perform ascending sets on the Bench or work across. Go for an all-out effort on the rows. Rest as needed between rounds. Score total weight moved on the Bench Press and best/worst times on the row. Have the monitor set up for a single distance count down from 250m so you can record your exact times. Spotters on ALL SETS of the bench press.

Post total weight moved and best/worst row times to comments.

_____________________

4 RNFT:
10 Russian Twists
3 Wall Walks (10 sec hold)

Post work to comments.

Coach KHarpz, KLove, Coach Frank, and Snickers just chillin’ at Wodapalooza in Miami

The 2nd Look, Feel, Perform Better Info Session: Nutrient Timing Simplified

Does nutrient timing matter? In a word, yes. While it’s not the most important part of your nutrition, eating whole foods in the correct quantities is. If you have that part covered pretty well, then you can benefit from spacing out your macros based on your activity level from meal to meal and day to day. Also, we’re 2 weeks in! We’ll discuss taking an honest look at how you’re progressing toward your goals and what adjustments to make so you can meet them. Come talk turkey (in an appropriate quantity) with Coach Christian Michael Thomas Fox this Sunday, January 22nd at 12:00pm in the Annex. As always, an open Q&A will follow the brief lecture.

Join Us for the CFSBK Community Potluck on January 28th

We’re excited to get everyone in house to break bacon and socialize together outside of normal classes. This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the Look Feel Perform Better Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together.

This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come. While your dish doesn’t necessarily have to be Paleo, it should consist of healthy whole foods. Let us know what you plan to bring in the comments section of the info page. We can’t wait to see you there!

_____________________
Louie Simmons: The 66-Year-Old Legend Who Trains the Strongest Humans in the World Grit
Team Geico Honda: Learning to Suffer CrossFit

Snatch Metcon

Fitness
5 Rounds for Time:
21 Double-Unders
7 Overhead Squats 95/65
7 Burpees over the Bar

Sub 50 Single-Unders or 10 attempts for dubs. The Snatch load should be on the medium side for you.

Performance
5 Rounds for Time:
21 Double-Unders
3 Snatches 135/95
3 Ring Muscle-Ups

The Snatch load should be on the medium side for you. Scaling Muscle-Ups is allowed to either Jumping Muscle-Ups or, if you’re close and have maybe done a few in the past, attempts. For the latter option, you must be able to perform at least 3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups + 3 Strict Dips.

Post time and Rx to comments.

 

What better way to plug our Fit 55+ class, which starts tomorrow at 11am, than with the heartwarming story of Constance Tillett? Even if you know Constance, this one’s always worth watching!

Fit 55+: Staying Strong, Mobile, and Able

What is Fit 55+? 
Fit 55+ is a strength and conditioning class for older adults who want to move and use their bodies and are not content to simply sit on the couch getting older. Research points to development of chronic disease in older populations not as a consequence of aging alone, but as a product of decreased activity and less-than-healthy lifestyle choices. Strength training and conditioning can help both stave off, as well as reduce, the effects of many chronic diseases. As the old adage goes: “If you don’t move it, you lose it.”

Fit 55+ will help you:

• Build muscular strength and joint integrity
• Increase and maintain bone density
• Improve cardiovascular function
• Improve pulmonary function
• Improve balance, coordination, and mobility
• Reduce your risk of falling (and be more resilient in case you do)
• Maintain independence and improve quality of life

Who is this class for?
Any older adult who wants to exercise in a fun, safe, and inclusive manner. Whether you’re a total newcomer to resistance training or more of a veteran, our classes will challenge you to become better.

What does a class look like?
A typical class will start with a series of light warm up movements to get your heart and joints ready for exercise.

From there we’ll move onto the strength training portion of class, using a variety of tools to help you develop strength. You’ll use both weight training and bodyweight exercises of the upper and lower body to develop and maintain muscular strength and joint integrity.

After the strength training portion of class we’ll move on to the conditioning portion. Here the goal is to get a bit sweaty and elevate your heart rate for a while to improve heart function and lung capacity. To this task we’ll use a variety of equipment and modes like: rowing machines, exercise bicycles, sled pushes, sandbag training, and bodyweight exercises, in addition to many others. The variety keeps it engaging and more fun (we think) than just walking on a treadmill for an hour.

Finally, we’ll end with a few cool down stretches to relax your heart rate and your mind before you head out of the gym.

Where and When do Fit 55+ classes meet?
Mondays and Thursdays at 11am at CrossFit South Brooklyn (597 Degraw Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues) located in the heart of Gowanus. We have served the local fitness community for nearly 10 years, growing from grassroots park-based workouts to our current location, which has two spaces with a total footprint of over 11,000 square feet. In addition to our spacious facility, we also have brand new locker rooms with showers, towel service, and bath products available for your convenience.

Pricing
Drop-In: $25
5-Class Card: $100
Monthly Unlimited (2x per week): $125

_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Back Squat / Front Squat | Toes-to-Bars, Deadlifts, Box Jumps
Benefits of a Lunch Hour Walk NY Times
Murph in Space BarBend

Back Squat / Front Squat

Back Squat:
2 x 10

Front Squat:
2 x 10

Move directly from the Back Squat to the Front Squat. Go heavier than last week. These should move fast throughout the entire cycle. Increase weight only as appropriate.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8
_____________________

AMRAP 15 Minutes:
5 Toes-to-Bars
10 Deadlifts 185/125
15 Box Jumps 24/20″

Scale the Toes-to-Bars to Hanging Leg or Knee Raises as needed.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Front Desker Lynsey R. takes the yoke for a test run

Today at 8am: The Very First Strong Fit Class!

Join us for Strong Fit, a strength program that includes lifting heavy things often. Strong Fit will stimulate different energy systems/intensities, and include objects not normally seen in group class: the yoke, axle, sandbags, handles, ropes, and sleds. Pick it up, put it down, hold it, squat it, push it, pull it, and move it from point A to point B. Full body functional movements performed at high intensity that will compliment your training and get you stronger. This is fitness in its rawest form.

On the fence? Still not sure what this is all about? Coach Fox recently responded to a request for more info from Karina T. His response was so good we’re reposting it here:

“Glad you’re interested in the Strong Fit class! It’ll be led by myself and Coaches McDowell and Brett. We’ll all be there for the first few weeks and then will begin to alternate week to week. The format will start with a warm up and then athletes will rotate through 3-5 stations performing carries, holds, pushes, pulls using varying implements. We’ll usually end with a “finisher” that will feel a lot like a short, intense CrossFit metcon.  One of the great things about the movements that we’ll employ in this class is that they are largely concentric in nature, meaning you shouldn’t be left too sore from them. Let me know if you have any other questions and hope to see you this Saturday!”

_____________________
How to Do a Jefferson Deadlift Jen Sinkler
You’ll Want to Sign Up for CrossFit After Seeing These Amazing Before and After Photos Popsugar

Ergs: Everybody loves ’em! | Photo by Thomas H.

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Interested in volunteering for Iron Maidens? We’d love your help! There are a variety of ways to be involved. Fill out this volunteer form to learn more and share your availability.

2. With the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge in full swing, we revisited Coach David’s “Perfection Is the Enemy of Good Enough.” Whether you’re counting macros or just trying to eat a little cleaner, it’s a good reminder of what really matters when it comes to getting fitter and living healthier!

3. Join us for the inaugural Strong Fit class tomorrow at 8am! Strong Fit will stimulate different energy systems/intensities, and include objects not normally seen in group class: the yoke, axle, sandbags, handles, ropes, and sleds. You may end up giving The Mountain from Game of Thrones a run for his money.

4. Another new class, Fit 55+, starts Monday! Fit 55+ is a strength and conditioning class for older adults who want to move and use their bodies and are not content to simply sit on the couch getting older. See yesterday’s post for more info.

5. Join us for the next Iron Maidens Lift’n’Learn session this Sunday at 2pm! The session will focus on practicing the powerlifting commands used at Iron Maidens, followed by a discussion about fundraising. Danae M. will be  providing information about Grace Outreach students, how the Stay Strong Scholarship fund has worked over this past year, and our goals for keeping it going in 2017. Superstar fundraisers Bethany Erskine, Christina LaBrie, and Halston Bruce will be talking about how they raised so much money to support our scholarship students.

_____________________

Yesterday’s Whiteboard Results
Efficiency Tips: Barbell Cycling CrossFit Journal
“Weekend Warriors” Show Survival Benefits NY Times

5 Rounds

AMRAP 3 Minutes:
3 Power Cleans 135/95
6 Push-Ups
9 Squats

Rest 3 Minutes between rounds. Start each round at the barbell.

Post work and Rx to comments.

_____________________

Tabata Mash Up (6 Rounds Each):
Hollow Hold
Handstand Hold

Post work to comments.

Throwback Thursday: Check out this awesome video by Kate R. about Coach Fox and his client Neal G. In the spirit of Fox and Neal’s work, we’re proud to announce yet another new class! Read on to learn more about Fit 55+

Fit 55+: Staying Strong, Mobile, and Able

What is Fit 55+? 
Fit 55+ is a strength and conditioning class for older adults who want to move and use their bodies and are not content to simply sit on the couch getting older. Research points to development of chronic disease in older populations not as a consequence of aging alone, but as a product of decreased activity and less-than-healthy lifestyle choices. Strength training and conditioning can help both stave off, as well as reduce, the effects of many chronic diseases. As the old adage goes: “If you don’t move it, you lose it.”

Fit 55+ will help you:

• Build muscular strength and joint integrity
• Increase and maintain bone density
• Improve cardiovascular function
• Improve pulmonary function
• Improve balance, coordination, and mobility
• Reduce your risk of falling (and be more resilient in case you do)
• Maintain independence and improve quality of life

Who is this class for?
Any older adult who wants to exercise in a fun, safe, and inclusive manner. Whether you’re a total newcomer to resistance training or more of a veteran, our classes will challenge you to become better.

What does a class look like?
A typical class will start with a series of light warm up movements to get your heart and joints ready for exercise.

From there we’ll move onto the strength training portion of class, using a variety of tools to help you develop strength. You’ll use both weight training and bodyweight exercises of the upper and lower body to develop and maintain muscular strength and joint integrity.

After the strength training portion of class we’ll move on to the conditioning portion. Here the goal is to get a bit sweaty and elevate your heart rate for a while to improve heart function and lung capacity. To this task we’ll use a variety of equipment and modes like: rowing machines, exercise bicycles, sled pushes, sandbag training, and bodyweight exercises, in addition to many others. The variety keeps it engaging and more fun (we think) than just walking on a treadmill for an hour.

Finally, we’ll end with a few cool down stretches to relax your heart rate and your mind before you head out of the gym.

Where and When do Fit 55+ classes meet?
Mondays and Thursdays at 11am at CrossFit South Brooklyn (597 Degraw Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues) located in the heart of Gowanus. We have served the local fitness community for nearly 10 years, growing from grassroots park-based workouts to our current location, which has two spaces with a total footprint of over 11,000 square feet. In addition to our spacious facility, we also have brand new locker rooms with showers, towel service, and bath products available for your convenience.

_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Front Rack Step-Ups / Chin-Ups | Partner WOD
72-Year-Old Fred Rice Deadlifts 520lbs for His 72nd Birthday BarBend
Puppies Like It Better When You Speak to Them in Baby Talk NY Mag

Front Rack Step-Ups / Chin-Ups Superset*

1A) Front Rack Step-Ups

Perform 3 x 8-12 reps on each leg. Start the cycle light enough to make 12 reps on each leg without too much difficulty, and move up in weight week to week from there. Use your non-dominant leg to set the weight and only do as much weight and as many reps as that side can perform. The end goal by the end of the cycle is to perform 8-12 good reps on each leg with about 1/3 of your Back Squat 1-rep max. Use a height that allows you to be at full depth (hip crease below knee) when the working leg is on the box. Come to full standing using the working leg before the trail leg touches down for balance. Do not use the trail leg to help you stand up. Use the trail leg as little as possible to push off from, and use a tempo in which the down/eccentric phase of the movement is slower than the up/concentric phase. The barbell comes off the floor. Stop the set when you’re not sure you can do another rep or two (i.e., do not bail a bar on a box).

1B) Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows

Performance
Perform 4 sets of max reps. Once you can no longer clear your chin over the bar, your set is over. Each rep starts from a dead hang. Initiate the movement by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears and pull the elbows as far down and back as possible. If you can touch your chest to the bar on each rep, then do it. You should really be feeling these in your lats.

Fitness
Perform 3 challenging (but submaximal) sets of 2-4 reps using bands or a small partner assist as needed to achieve full range of motion, followed by a 4th set for max reps. These should be tough sets in a low rep range with the goal of performing around 10-15 total reps. If you can do them unassisted but only 1 at a time, then pepper in as many singles as you can in between sets of Step-Ups during the lifting segment. Start and finish the superset with a set of Chins to get all 4 sets in.

*Superset means that you perform a set of exercise A (in this case the Press) and then after a short rest, 30 to 90 seconds, you perform a set of exercise B (in this case the Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows). You then rest a short period before returning to exercise A and continue in this fashion until all warm up and work sets are completed.

Post work to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8
_____________________

Partner WOD

Performance
AMRAP 6 Minutes:
Calories Rowed
AMRAP 5 Minutes:
Handstand Push-Ups
AMRAP 4 Minutes:
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

Break up sets as desired with the goal to keep moving as much as possible.

Fitness
AMRAP 6 Minutes:
Calories Rowed
AMRAP 5 Minutes:
Push Presses 95/65
AMRAP Minutes:
Jumping Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

Break up sets as desired with the goal to keep moving as much as possible.

Post reps and Rx to comments.

Join Us for the Next Iron Maiden’s Lift n’ Learn Session

All IM competitors and IM curious are welcome!
January 22, 2017
2-4pm 

Practicing the Commands and the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship
BYOProgram and plan to focus on practicing the judges’ commands for all three lifts at Iron Maidens. We’ll run through Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift to make sure you feel confident about following the rules during the meet.

At this final Lift’n’Learn before Iron Maidens, we’ll be discussing tips and techniques for raising money for the 2nd Annual Stay Strong Scholarship.

Danae M. will be  providing information about Grace Outreach students, how the Stay Strong Scholarship fund has worked over this past year, and our goals for keeping it going in 2017. Superstar fundraisers Bethany Erskine, Christina LaBrie, and Halston Bruce will be talking about how they raised so much money to support our scholarship students.

_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
4 Simple Steps to a Stronger Split Jerk Break Parallel
The Story Behind Gay Bob, the World’s First Out and Proud Doll Atlas Obscura

From our Instagram account: “New custom #CFSBK sandbags for our upcoming Strong Fit programming as well as more fun for CrossFit group! Plus a 100lb @roguefitness sandbag courtesy of @apbozman“

Introducing Strong Fit, a New Class on Saturdays at 8am!

Join us for Strong Fit, a strength program that includes lifting heavy things often. Strong Fit will stimulate different energy systems/intensities, and include objects not normally seen in group class: the yoke, axle, sandbags, handles, ropes, and sleds. Pick it up, put it down, hold it, squat it, push it, pull it, and move it from point A to point B. Full body functional movements performed at high intensity that will compliment your training and get you stronger. This is fitness in its rawest form.

Join us for the inaugural Strong Fit class this Saturday at 8am!

_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Push Press + Push Jerk | Double-Unders, Wall Balls, Toes-to-Bars
Is It Better to Sleep In Or Work Out? Time
Weightlifting Complexes: Getting Started with the Basics Catalyst Athletics

Push Press + Push Jerk

Work up to a heavy load on the complex. NO press-outs.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8

_____________________

AMRAP 16 Minutes:
24 Double-Unders
16 Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
8 Toes-to-Bars

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Like the poison dart frog, Coach KHarpz displays bright colors so you know not to mess with her | Photo by Thomas H.

• Interested in volunteering for Iron Maidens? We’d love your help! There are a variety of ways to be involved. Fill out this volunteer form to learn more and share your availability.

Perfection Is the Enemy of Good Enough

By David Osorio 

Originally posted 1.11.16

As the Look Feel Perform Better Challenge enters full swing, many of you are diligently working to count your macros and make better decisions at the checkout line and in front of the fridge. We commend your diligence and are here to support your efforts in the online forums, during the bimonthly nutrition lectures, and in person around the gym.

But a public service announcement, perhaps even a warning, is warranted at this early stage of the Challenge. This Challenge is three months long—about as long as a college semester—and the reality is that motivation can wax and wane over a period of this length. The New Year finds everyone on their best behavior, feeling impervious to temptation and carefully planning each and every meal. And then you know how it goes: things get complicated. Life happens. You’re starving after a long, brutal day at work and end up grabbing a couple slices of pizza on the way home.

Remember not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. What’s important is your cumulative effort. Overarching trends—not any particular day, night, and certainly not a single meal—will be the key to making sustainable changes and ultimately looking, feeling, and performing better. 

Changing your nutritional habits is like practicing free throws. On different days, because of different circumstances, your success rate will fluctuate. A bad day where you missed 30 shots out of 50 doesn’t negate the next day, when you creep up to a 90% success rate. If you’re out there, practicing and putting in the work, the sum of your efforts will add up to a higher average success rate, which is what we all want.

Maybe you didn’t get any points today. Maybe you went over by 30 grams on your fat intake. Maybe you had a few slices of pizza and a couple of beers with your friends last night. The world won’t end! There are far more important questions to ask yourself. Are you eating cleaner overall and making more intentional decisions than you were last month? After a couple of weeks, is it getting easier to look at meals and assess how they’ll fit into the bigger picture of your goals? Do you have more “go-to” healthy meals that you enjoy and have become staples of your diet? Do you feel better than you did before you started the Challenge?

In these first couple of weeks, take a moment to remind yourself why you’re doing this and what you’d like to say you accomplished three months from now. It probably won’t be something like, “I didn’t eat a single grain of sugar.” It should be something more like, “I learned how powerful nutrition can be and can confidently say that I’m healthier and happier than I was before I started.” 

Are you doing LFPB this year or have you done it in the past? If so, what is the biggest challenge and how did you deal with it? 
_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Snatch Metcon
The Need to Be Patient and Explain Weightlifting Catalyst Athletics
New Year of Learning Training Think Tank

Snatch Metcon

AMRAP 16 Minutes:
2-4-6-8-10-12-14… Add 2 reps per round
Power Snatch 95/65
Overhead Squat 95/65
Thruster 95/65

Use the same barbell for all three movements.
Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

_____________________

4 RNFT:
10 Dumbbells Bent Rows
10 Floor Levers

Post work to comments.

Farid A. gets his Front Squat on | Photo by Thomas H.

Today! The Look Feel Perform Better Challenge Info Session and Q&A: Why Nutrition?

Join Coach Fox for an Info Session and Q&A, the first of the Challenge, on today at 12pm in the Annex.Want to know why we should we care about what we’re eating? Do you have to weigh and measure? You exercise, isn’t that enough? We’ll also discuss what we mean by “whole foods,” “lean proteins,” “clean carbs,” and “healthy fats” to help get you started on the path to better nutrition followed by an open Q&A.

Also Today! Iron Maiden’s Lift n’ Learn Session

All IM competitors and IM curious are welcome!
January 8, 2017
2-4pm

Pause Bench Press and Programming for Iron Maidens
BYOProgram and/or plan to focus on practicing your technique for the pause bench press, which is the variant you will perform at Iron Maidens.

Post-lifting, we will talk about general training programs for Iron Maidens, and review the blog post about modifying group class to fit your needs. This will not be a specific programming session, but rather an opportunity to discuss general concepts, bounce ideas around, as well advice on resources for setting up your template.

_____________________
Staying Fit Isn’t a New Year’s Resolution for the Hunter-Gatherers NPR
Color Therapy The Awl