Hand Balancing

A) Handstand Walking/Partner Spotted
B) Wall Walks/Shoulder Taps
C) Around-the-Worlds

Post work to comments.

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Partner AMRAP 20 Minutes:
30 Power Cleans 135/95
30 Lateral Bar Burpees
30 Toes-to-Bars

Partners break up the reps however desired. The barbell weight should be medium-heavy, something you can move through sets of 5-10 reps. The Rx for the Burpee is a two-foot hop over the bar and a two-foot landing. Scaling for the Toes-to-Bars is Hanging Leg or Knee Raises. Choose an option that allows you to perform sets of 5-15 when fresh.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Our new CrossFit Kids rules board by Tina Fino and 364 Rebel Signs. You can see more of their work at CFSBK on our Instagram account! 

Thanksgiving Schedule

Happy Thanksgiving from your buds at CrossFit South Brooklyn! We’ll be running on a modified schedule over the next couple of days. Here’s what you can expect:

Thursday, November 22nd (Thanksgiving)

8am CrossFit
9am CrossFit
10am CrossFit
8am – 11am Open Gym-only membership

Cancelled: Everything else!

Friday, November 23rd

9am Short Circuit
10am CrossFit
11am CrossFit
12pm Crossfit
9am – 1pm Open Gym-only Membership
6pm to 8pm Open Gym

Cancelled: Diapers & Dumbbells, Fit 55+, Starting Strength, Next Level Weightlifting Club

See Sabrina Perform Tomorrow Night!

A note from Sabrina S.: “As some folks know, I have done a few gigs as a jazz singer but rarely have a chance to with my other professional obligations. However, I do have one coming up and I’d love to see you there!”

Sabrina Silver Trio at The Cupping Room
Cupping Room Cafe, 359 W. Broadway
Friday, November 23rd, 8-11pm
No cover, No minimum

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Back Squat / Front Squat | Row, Hollow Hold, Overhead Hold
Regular Exercise May Keep You 30 Years “Younger” NY Times
How to Digest a Gigantic Meal NY Mag

Back Squat / Front Squat

Performance
Back Squat: 2 x 8
Front Squat: 1 x 8

Heavier than Week 1.

Fitness
Back Squat: 2 x 5 LP
Front Squat: 1 x 5 LP

Heavier than last week.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

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20 Minutes For Quality:
30 Calorie Row, 20 Calorie Bike, or 400m Jog
30 Second Hollow Hold
30 Second Double Kettlebell / Dumbbell Overhead Hold

Aerobic/conversational pace throughout.

Post work to comments.

Check out our awesome new roll up gate at 597, freshly painted by Tina Fino. Notice any other new touches around the gym?

Want to Explore the World of the Rings?

Join guest gymnastics Coach Ken Haller as he takes you through 4 weeks of gymnastics  strength training! This 1.5 hour long class starts Thursday, November 29th and will incorporate different facets of body weight strength training and movement.

Each class will focus on three to four distinct areas: warm-up and active mobility, rings skill work (Muscle-Ups, Levers, etc.), bodyweight strength conditioning, balance (on hands and feet), and flexibility. Students will be asked to have a goal or intention to focus on over the 4 weeks. Students can then focus on that goal outside of class.

Class Outline:
Rings
Support
Inverted Hangs
Back Levers
Muscle-Ups
Ring Routine
Balance
Headstand
Handstand
Mobility

When: 4 Thursdays from 7:30pm to 9:00pm (11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20)
Cost: $100 for 5 weeks
Buy-in: Previously attended a rings class or 1 Pull-Up for women or 3 for gents

Register Here!

More About Ken

Ken Haller was a nationally competitive gymnast in Newton, MA and at the University of Michigan. After graduating, Ken coached for eight years at Capital Gymnastics in Northern Virginia where he coached regional and national champions. His students have gone on to be NCAA champions and members of Cirque du Soliel. In searching for an activity to replace gymnastics, Ken filled the void with rock climbing and yoga for the past ten years and recently found CrossFit to round out his training.

Today’s Schedule

We’ll be running on a modified schedule from Wednesday to Friday this week for Thanksgiving. Here’s what you can expect today:

6am CrossFit
7am CrossFit
8am CrossFit
9am Short Circuit

10am CrossFit
11am Diapers & Dumbbells
11am Fit 55+
12pm CrossFit
6am -1pm Open Gym-only Membership

4:30pm CrossFit Pre – Teens
4:30pm CrossFit
5:30pm CrossFit
6:30pm CrossFit

Cancelled: 7:30pm and 8:30pm CrossFit

You can find tomorrow and Friday over on our Schedule page.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
What Are the Different Types of Barbells? BarBend
What Is Kettlebell Sport? Girls Gone Strong

Today is a scheduled rest/recovery day, but don’t worry! We are open and running on a normal class schedule. In today’s CrossFit group classes, you’ll have the option of doing either yesterday or tomorrow’s programming, which can be found in the comments section of today and every Rest Day’s post.

CFSBK member Emily Asher performing with her band Garden Party at Saturday’s Art Show

How to Avoid Back Pain While Traveling

By Dr. Jason Fidler
Function Rehab

As a fellow traveler with 10 years of experience as a chiropractor and CrossFitter (my practice is on the 2nd floor of 597 Degraw), I often see gym members and patients suffering from stiffness in their back or neck due to, or exacerbated by, the rigors of traveling. Teleportation has yet to be invented and airplane seats are shrinking by the day. And unless you’re a hermit, we all have to use mass transit, which doesn’t always allow us the luxury of choosing the right kind of seat or standing up to move around whenever we feel like it.

We know that long periods of sitting can cause adaptive stiffness and irritation in the discs, ligaments, and muscles around your spine and trunk. Whether it be planes, trains, or automobiles, you have to be able to maintain good spinal positions when you’re stuck in a seat or, at the very least, know how to actively recover from being in those compromised positions for long stretches of time.

To help decrease the risk of injury and avoid compromised body function afterwards, here is the general advice I give to my patients before they embark on a long, uncomfortable journey.

BEFORE THE TRIP

Your gluteal muscles support your lumbar (low back) region. We want to prep these muscles to keep them active during the time you’ll be stuck in a seated position.

Exercise 1: Banded Glute Bridge (you do not need a band)

Glute Bridges are a great way to activate this region pre-flight/car ride.

1) Start with your feet close to the glutes and hip width apart. Grip the floor with your toes, keeping the foot flat.
2) Tuck your hips under into slight posterior tilt, flattening the back to the floor.
3) Drive the knees out slightly into a band or belt.
4) While thrusting the hips upward, drive your weight through your heels and drive your knees forward, keeping the knees apart against the band. Make sure your hips are still slightly tucked posterior. If you arch your lower back, your abs and glutes are now disengaged and you are using your lower back muscles.
5) Hold the top position for 3 seconds, actively squeezing the glutes.
6) As you drop back to the floor, maintain a slight posterior tilt and keep the knees apart.

Note: At the top of the bridge, your weight should be in your feet and shoulders. Your body should make a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. If your pelvis goes any higher, you are starting to use your lower back. Also, do not round the spine as your lift the hips like in yoga. Your spine should stay neutral! This bridge is different.

Exercise 2: Air Squats

These are are another great way to get blood flow into this region. Focus on loading up your hips.

1) Stand with neutral feet shoulder width apart.
2) Stick both arms straight out in front of you and pull your shoulders down.
3) Squeeze your butt, engage your abs, and screw your feet into the ground.
4) Lower your hamstrings until you get as deep in the squatting position as you can while maintaining a braced neutral spine. The minimum depth is going down until your upper legs are parallel with the floor.
5) Maintaining the tension in your glutes, abs and hips, and keeping your big toes on the ground, drive back up to the starting position.

The number of reps is less important than the feeling of getting your glutes and trunk region activated.

Exercise 3

Any variation of hip openers will help. This will help mitigate the amount of time your hips will be stuck in flexion.

DURING THE TRIP

Tip 1: Use a lumbar support. A small inflatable pad is nice because it’s adjustable. Position the support at the base of your ribcage. Tinker with different positions to see what works best. I tend to use my puff coat, but if that’s not an option, try a Terma-a-Rest Lumbar Travel Pillow. While neck pillows can be also be helpful, they are often a pain to carry and too warm. Here’s one that worked for me.

Tip 2: Make friends with the people sitting on either side of you so they won’t be bothered when you ask them to stand up periodically.

Tip 3: Open your hips, shift positions, and stand up as often as possible. Try to straighten your legs, squeeze your butt and thighs as hard as you can enforce your hips into full extension every 20 to 30 minutes if possible. You can do so in your seat. Turning on your glutes will help reset those femurs and make you feel a whole lot better. Try Glute Popping.

Tip 4: Use your seatbelt to stabilize your pelvis. When you slouch in an airplane seat you’re not actively braced and your lower back rounds in your pelvis rotates posteriorly underneath your body. This puts tremendous compressive stress on the discs in your lumbar spine. To help minimize the pressure on your lower back, try keeping the belt tight enough to push your rear end against the back of the seat to keep your pelvis as neutral as possible. This locks your pelvis in place and prevents it from rotating underneath your body.

Tip 6: Stay hydrated. Airplane air is exceptionally dry, so aim to drink 8 ounces of water for each hour you’re in the air.

POST-FLIGHT / CAR RIDE

Mobilize for 10 to 15 minutes after you arrive at your destination. I know that mobilizing is usually the last thing you feel like doing after a long trip. But prioritize it, even when you get in late. Think about this: if you go to bed stiff, you’re going to wake up feeling even worse.

Try: Quad smash, hip openers, foam roll thoracic spine and glutes, chest openers

Should you still continue to have a nagging pain or discomfort after your travels, it may be wise to consult a healthcare professional to screen out other possible underlying issues. I hold office hours 5 days a week. Use my website to schedule an appointment or for insurance inquiries.

Safe and happy travels!

News and Notes

• We’ll be running on a modified schedule from Wednesday to Friday this week for Thanksgiving. Find out what you can expect over on the Schedule page.
• CFSBK OG Samir C. recently penned an essay for Aeon spicily entitled “Intellectual Property Is Nonsensical and Pernicious.” Give it a read!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: DB / KB Complex | KB Swings, Muscle-Ups
Seasonal Weight Gain: A Balanced Approach to the Holidays Breaking Muscle
The Pros (and Cons) of Probiotics JSTOR Daily

Dumbbell / Kettlebell Complex

5 Rounds or 18 Minutes:
10 Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses
10 Double KB Deadlifts
10 Pike Press Ups (from erg)

Build to a few challenging sets on each movements using a controlled tempo.

Post work to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

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Performance
For Time:
30 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
9 Muscle-Ups
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
7 Muscle-Ups
10 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
5 Muscle-Ups

Break up the sets or scale volume on the Muscle-Ups as needed. The goal is no misses.

Fitness 
For Time:
30 Russian Kettlebell Swings 
15 Ring Dips or Push-Ups
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings 
10 Ring Dips or Push-Ups
10 Russian Kettlebell Swings 
5 Ring Dips or Push-Ups

Choose a challenging kettlebell load. When scaling the Ring Dips, choose an option that allows you to move through consistently and not get caught up missing reps. 

Post time and Rx to comments.

Thanks to everyone who came out to our 5th Art Show on Saturday night! Some photos from the evening are up on our Flickr account

Thanksgiving Schedule

We’ll be running on a modified schedule from Wednesday to Friday this week for Thanksgiving. Here’s what you can expect:

Wednesday, November 21st

6am CrossFit
7am CrossFit
8am CrossFit
9am Short Circuit
11am Diapers & Dumbbells
11am Fit 55+
12pm CrossFit
6am -1pm Open Gym-only Membership

4:30pm CrossFit Pre – Teens
4:30pm CrossFit
5:30pm CrossFit
6:30pm CrossFit

Cancelled: 7:30pm and 8:30pm CrossFit

Thursday, November 22nd (Thanksgiving)

8am CrossFit
9am CrossFit
10am CrossFit
8am – 11am Open Gym-only membership

Cancelled: Everything else!

Friday, November 23rd

9am Short Circuit
10am CrossFit
11am CrossFit
12pm Crossfit
9am – 1pm Open Gym-only Membership
6pm to 8pm Open Gym

Cancelled: Diapers & Dumbbells, Fit 55+, Starting Strength, Next Level Weightlifting Club

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Dumbbell Push Presses, Row, Pull-Ups
Want to Really Connect at Your Next Family Gathering? Try This Ted
How an Unremarkable “Brunch in the Forest” Turned into the Thanksgiving We Know Smithsonian

Snatch Complex

Performance
Snatch Balance:
3-3-3-3-3

Warm up and work up to a heavy triple for the day.

Fitness
Behind-the-Neck Snatch Grip Push Press + 3 Overhead Squats

Warm up and work up to a challenging but perfect set of the complex.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 8

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For Time:
21-15-9
Dumbbell Push Presses 50/35
Calories Rowed (15-9-6 Bike)
Pull-Ups

The dumbbell load should be challenging and done in 1-3 sets. Same for the Pull-Ups. Scale volume on Pull-Ups or to Jumping Pull-Ups as needed.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Alchemy Nutrition & Wellness at CFSBK

Know a lot (or a little) about nutrition but can’t seem to make it work for you consistently? Have you tried diets like Paleo, vegan, Zone, counting macros, counting calories, intermittent fasting, you name it… to no avail? Did it work while you were “good,” but was eventually too hard to maintain and you “got off track”? Programs that ask for quick, wholesale changes often end up this way. If you’re tired of starting over every few months to get “back on track” and are ready to commit to yourself for the long haul,  there’s a different approach.

What we offer

Many people know what they should be eating but lack the structure necessary to do so consistently. At Alchemy Nutrition & Wellness, we use a client centered coaching program to provide the structure and accountability you need to finally make nutrition work for you. It’s not a quick-fix, short-term diet. There’s no counting, complicated meal plans, or elimination of any particular food group. Working side by side with your coach over the course of a full year, you’ll develop the habits necessary to eat better today, tomorrow, and next week, and develop skills to be healthy for life.

Results you can expect

• A healthy relationship with food and the ability to enjoy it
• A deeper understanding of what foods to eat regularly and what serving sizes are appropriate, without the need to weigh and measure
• Independence from “dieting”
• Improved body composition and overall health
• Improved self esteem and confidence in other areas of your life

Skills and habits that you’ll work on

Goal setting and learning the difference between “what” to do and “how” to do it

• Eating mindfully and slowly, consistently
• Developing awareness of hunger cues
• Creating an energy deficit consistently (if trying to lose weight or body fat) or creating an energy surplus consistently (if trying to gain lean body mass)
• Eating high-quality, nutrient-rich foods consistently
• Getting enough protein, fat, “smart carbs,” vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
• Training consistently, frequently, and with appropriate intensity
• Improving sleep and recovery habits

Benefits of Alchemy Nutrition and Wellness Coaching

Regular communication with your coach to keep you motivated and progressing towards your goals

• Subscription to our online software system that serves as your hub for all aspects of the program, easily accessible from a computer, tablet, or smartphone
• An easy to navigate home page that charts and tracks consistency with daily habits
• Regular objective assessments (measurements and optional photos) to track progress
• Daily lessons on a variety of topics including: cooking, nutrition, mindfulness, prioritizing your own health, and the “why” of what you’re working on to help you develop the skills and behavior patterns necessary to achieve your goals

Head over to the Alchemy program page to learn more about how habit-based coaching works and how you’ll acquire the skills necessary to achieve your nutrition goals.

Pricing

Nutrition Coaching Only

$150 billed monthly with a 12-month commitment
$125 prepaid with a 12-month commitment ($1500, a savings of over 15%)

Exercise Programming Add-On

Include exercise programming for an additional $50 per month! Exercise is the best accessory to nutrition for your body composition goals. Our exercise programming is individualized to your experience, goals, and level of ability. Similar to the nutrition program, you’ll learn through daily practice to build healthy exercise habits while developing a stronger body. Whether you’re a seasoned gym rat or have never exercised a day in your life, we can provide a program that meets you where you’re at and challenges you appropriately.

Sign Up Here!

Questions? Contact Chris and Jess!

News and Notes

• Holy crap. It’s Thanksgiving! We’ll be running on a modified schedule this Wednesday through Friday. Head over to the Schedule page to find out what’s happening.
• Thanks to everyone who came out to the Art Show last night! And a special shout out to our exhibitors and performers and to Coach Brett for organizing a terrific event.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Ring Supports | Sumo Deadlift High Pulls, Front Squats, Burpees
Just Breathe Athlete Daily
What Should You Look for in a Cross Training Shoe? BarBend