A post shared by CrossFit South Brooklyn (@crossfitsouthbrooklyn) on Jun 7, 2017 at 11:23pm PDT

From our Instagram account: “CFSBKer Sarah C. takes on CrossFit Games Regional Event 6. Crushed it!”

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Lesley O. is our June Athlete of the Month. Congrats, Lesley!

2. Cam C. and Kayleigh R. will be competing in the Pull for Pride tomorrow at 4pm at CrossFit Crow Hill. The Pull for Pride is a Deadlift-only event benefiting the Ali Forney Center, whose mission is to protect LGBTQ youths from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently. Head over to Crow Hill and cheer our lifters on! Better still, you can sponsor Cam here.

3. Rachel H. is planning to go to the Power Monkey Fitness Camp in October and would like to assemble a group of CFSBKers to go with her. Groups of 5 or more people get a sweet discount, and she needs just 2 more people! The camp takes place October 1st through 7th in Crossville, TN. Contact Rachel at rthsiung [at] gmail.com if you’re interested!

4. Our recent lost and found dump is up on our Flickr account. Please claim your lonely items before we donate them to CHIPS in two weeks!

5. Mo and Kat recently moved to Sweden, and we’ll miss them very much! On Wednesday, we posted Mo’s farewell message to the CFSBK community.

6. In a new installment of Behind the Desk, we learned more about Kate T., aka “Tik-Taks” (maybe). You can look forward to more interviews with your favorite front deskers in the coming weeks!

7. Last but not least, Coach Jeremy and Coach Margie’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their eight-week cycle on Sunday, June 11th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Clean and Jerk | Run, Power Cleans, Bar Muscle-Ups
Too Much Volume or Not Enough Fitness? The Russells
Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits Scientific American

Clean and Jerk Complex

Every 90 seconds for 8 rounds:
Clean High Pull + Low Hang (1″) Clean + Split Jerk

Work up to a heavy load for the day.

Post loads to comments.

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4 Rounds for Time:
270m Run
12 Power Cleans 135/95
3 Bar Muscle-Ups

The Power Cleans should be light, done in 2-3 quick sets or unbroken on the fast end. Scale the Bar Muscle-Ups to Jumping Bar Muscle-Ups or 3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups + 6 Push-Ups as needed. Aim for even splits on all rounds (i.e., don’t come out blazing only to flame out).

Post time and Rx to comments.

Behind the Desk: Kate T.

Over the next month or so, you can look forward to new installments of our Behind the Desk series, about our beloved and much appreciated front desk staff! These CrossFitters take care of the important duties of checking in our members, handling walk-ins, tidying up after classes, and so many other things that it would take forever to list them. They are the glue that holds this gym together.

Last time, it was Karina S. And now (drum roll, please)…

Name (and any nicknames): 

Kate; “Tatch”—never came by many nicknames, so I’m open! DO has been trying to make “Tik-Taks” happen, but we’ll see.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Born in Elmira, NY, and moved around a bunch between then and now—6 states later I’m back in NY. Spent most of my growing up years (middle and high school) in Cecil County, Maryland.

How long have you been CrossFitting, and how did you arrive at CFSBK?

Started CrossFitting here at CFSBK last August. I was always an athlete (volleyball, basketball, tennis in high school; tennis and then rugby in college), but “fitness” was just a result of sports, not something I ever worked on. After a decade or so of half-assed gym memberships, occasional pick-up games, and sitting at a desk, I knew I needed to do something more committed. My coworker (and fellow CFSBKer), Jen B., invited me to join her for the Sunday Intro Class here and I was immediately hooked (if a little intimidated).

Program your nightmare workout:

They are all terrifying/terrible. I am inherently lazy, but competitive and motivated by teamwork. CrossFit has been cool because I just need to get to the gym, and then hey look, I’m actually doing things! That said, workouts with Dumbbell Thrusters are particularly nightmarish.

What are you recommending right now?

I’ve been a podcast junkie lately. Favorites are RadioLab, Myths & Legends, and S-Town.

What are you up to when you’re not at 597 Degraw Street?

I’m a librarian working full time for a social-sector capacity building organization called Foundation Center. You can also find me at the LIU-Brooklyn library about once a week. I spend a lot of time traveling, networking, and presenting to nonprofit grantseekers and attending library conferences (which are more fun than you think, I promise). Otherwise, I like to wander around Brooklyn and the Internets.

What are three things you can’t live without?

1) All the water. I probably drink a gallon a day.
2) Burt’s Bees Pomegranate lip balm.
3) Comfortable footwear. You might have seen me rocking the socks and sandals behind the desk. No regrets!

Any front-desk public service announcements?

I will learn all your names eventually, I promise!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Back Rack Reverse Lunges | Double-Unders, Front Squats, Ring Dips
How to Build a Long-Lasting Habit Without Falling Off the Boat CrossFit Invictus
How Whales Got to Be So Enormous Scientific American

Back Rack Reverse Lunges

3 x 6

Heavier than last week. Perform 6 reps on one leg, then 6 reps on the other.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8
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2 Rounds
AMRAP 3 Minutes:
18 Double-Unders
9 Front Squats 95/65
Rest 3 minutes

AMRAP 3 Minutes:
18 Double-Unders
6 Ring Dips
Rest 3 minutes

Aim to score within a few reps each time on these AMRAPs. Scale dubs to singles. The FSQ weight should be light and unbroken. Scale ring dips between the box/bench dips or push ups as needed.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Faces of Murph I

Farewell to Mo and Kat!

In case you missed it, Mo A. posted a farewell message in yesterday’s blog comments. Mo and Kat (and let’s not forget Lilly!) moved to Sweden shortly after Murph Day. As is our tradition, we’re reposting Mo’s goodbye to the main blog:

I’m not much of a writer, but I wanted to share the following with all of you.

We started the process of moving to Sweden a long time ago. During our goodbyes most people asked what we thought we were going to miss from BK, and my answers always varied from “I’m going to miss that bar”… “that pizza”… etc. The truth is, what I’m going to miss the most from BK is where I spent most of my time sweating, chatting, chasing, and relaxing. My second home. My happy place.

Here’s a bit of what I miss already: I miss looking at the blog and seeing the WOD and figuring out how many classes I should take that day. Should I do Short Circuit followed by regular class? And maybe Active Recovery? Pilates? What should I eat before all of this? Hmm… that’s 4 hours of work. This brings my total to 13 classes this week… David hates me.

I miss the happy faces that always greeted me at the front desk.

I miss the dogs hanging out by the entrance and the occasional child or two patiently waiting for a parent to finish a WOD.

I miss looking around and seeing a sea of familiar faces. The whiteboard with the WOD numbers and the quick math to figure out how to beat the AM crews. The meticulous breakdown of the WOD by a fellow member: cue French accent the row should be done at 21 spm / @947. Transition in 6 sec and the Thrusters unbroken. Huh? The first round usually works exactly as mentioned and the rest is hell.

I miss the warm-ups and the Question of the Day. How sometimes the question becomes self-serving because a coach wanted ideas on where to get the best pie in town.

I miss seeing the regulars and knowing who your squat partners will be based on last week’s WOD… and seeing the fresh faces coming out of Foundations semi-lost in the lingo, but confident to start CrossFit because they know this is the best place to do it.

I miss the extremely detailed coaching and dedication from every single coach. The small adjustments, the ever-present go deeper on the Squat, the elbows up, the nod.

I miss Active Recovery classes and how the class turned into an episode of the cooking channel or group therapy. Pilates and the pain that comes with it… sometime from laughter… sometimes from 100s. The Short Circuit classes with our regular crew and seeing tabata on the board. Ok, maybe I don’t miss seeing tabata.

I’m happy to be here in Sweden and ready for my new adventure, but I do miss all of you.

To every single person who works at this gym and to every single member: Thank you.

Mo

We’re definitely not tearing up. Farewell, Mo and Kat! We’ll miss you, too!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
Two Minute Challenges: Double-Unders, Rope Climbs CrossFit
Be Better at Life by Thinking of Yourself Less NY Mag

Mary M. shows that sandbag who’s boss in this awesome photo by Robert C.

CFSBK at Pull for Pride

Cam C. and Kayleigh R. will be competing in the Pull for Pride this Saturday, June 10th at 4pm at CrossFit Crow Hill. The Pull for Pride is a Deadlift-only event benefiting the Ali Forney Center, whose mission is to protect LGBTQ youths from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently. Head over to Crow Hill and cheer our lifters on! Better still, you can sponsor Cam here.

News and Notes

• Rachel H. is planning to go to the Power Monkey Fitness Camp in October and would like to assemble a group of CFSBKers to go with her. Groups of 5 or more people get a sweet discount, and she needs just 2 more people! The camp takes place October 1st through 7th in Crossville, TN. Contact Rachel at rthsiung [at] gmail.com if you’re interested!
• Many sad fitness implements, articles of clothing, and water bottles are in our lost and found bin, abandonded by their uncaring owners. [Music from the Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commercial begins to play] But you make it right by going to our Flickr account and seeing if any of this stuff belongs to you. Please claim your lonely items before we donate them to CHIPS in two weeks.
• Coach Jeremy’s and Coach Margie’s Strength Cyclers will wrap up their eight-week cycle on Sunday, June 11th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering. Get ready for some massive PRs!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Push Press | Row
10 Undeniable Benefits of the Clean and Jerk BarBend
Taylar Stallings Power Snatching 103kg hookgrip

Push Press

3 x 6

Heavier than last week.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

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Every 4 minutes for 5 rounds:
250m Row

Take the first row at about 85%, then all out efforts on each. Score best time to comments.

Post best time to comments.

Lesley O. is CFSBK’s June Athlete of the Month! | Photo by Joel Z.

Athlete of the Month: Lesley O.

By Chris Fox

I first met the Lesley O. and her husband Nate in early 2011… and they pretty quickly let me know they were “non-joiners” and thus would likely not be taking classes or taking part in the larger CFSBK community beyond our private sessions. Lesley has now been around for longer than I’d realized before we sat down for this interview, and she and Nate and the kids have been a staple in the gym for almost all of that time. Lesley, based solely on doing CrossFit as a mother of 4, is a true TFBA and a well-deserving AOM. I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about her below!

Fox: Congrats! I’m so happy to be able to interview you for AOM.

LO: Thanks! Are you sure?

Fox: Yep… let’s start! When and why did you first start CrossFit?

LO: It was February 2011. Nate and his friend Rich were doing privates with you for a while, so I kept hearing about this “CrossFit” thing. I wasn’t (at the time) into the group class idea, so I started with private training. After Rich eventually fell off, Nate and I did semi-privates together for a while until I was about 7 months pregnant with Genevieve. I took a break, did a few more private sessions after Genevieve was born, and have been doing classes ever since.

Fox: What were you doing fitness-wise prior to CrossFit?

LO: I’d been working with a personal trainer at a local gym. It was fine. We did some similar things that we do here, but it just wasn’t adding up to anything. When I went on my own, I’d pretty much just “do the elliptical” for a while.

Fox: What were your initial impression of CFSBK? Why did you stay? 

LO: It was a big, intimidating space with lots of very fit people! Nate and I initially came together. I don’t think I would have come on my own. Honestly the fact that we lived so close at the time also helped. I soon became less intimidated by the experience and began to appreciate and enjoy aspects of CFSBK. I didn’t have to think about what I was going to do. It was laid out for me in a sensible way, and the progress was quantifiable. I could actually “see” how I was improving, and the programming was varied so I wasn’t doing the same thing each day or week. Honestly, for the first 2 years coming to the gym I didn’t even remember the names of the things we do… now it’s mostly there. 😉

Fox: So you were like, “Is that the one where you do uh and then do eh?”

LO: Yep… It took a while but here I am!

Fox: I’m pretty certain that many folks around here follow the same trajectory. Were you an athletic kid? Where’d you grow up? 

LO: I grew up just outside of Boston where one of my sisters still lives (the other is in Austin). I was… sort of an athlete? I played basketball and field hockey as a youth. I wasn’t an all-star athlete, but I did enjoy being on a team.

Fox: I know that family is a large part of your life. Let’s hear about how you met Nate, and about all your kids!

LO: I met Nate right after I moved to New York in 2001, and we had what I consider to be an extended flirtation at a big law firm we both worked at. Long story made short, we eventually started dating, married in 2006, and had our first child, Vivian, in 2008,. After that came Whit, Genevieve, and Arthur, who’s now 2.

Fox: I know (actually I don’t) that with 4 kids there’s not much time, but what do you do outside of CrossFit and being an awesome mom?

LO: Honestly, getting to CFSBK is my time away from home, especially now that we don’t live as close. I’ve also been working with a friend on a not-for-profit called the Childhood Rescue Project. It’s been great to work on a project that I believe in, and for a woman I strongly believe in as well. Other than that I really enjoy cooking and baking at home, especially when I get to be alone while doing it! Mexican food is always on the menu… and ask me about my awesome and easy Key Lime Pound Cake. Although Nate and I have pretty different parenting tactics, it balances out well. He’ll take the kids on the weekend for a few hour trek through the park, and they’ll come back filthy after doing things I likely would not have done with them. But, during that time, they’ll have thoroughly enjoyed their romp, be exhausted afterwards, and I’ll have had some time alone to do what I enjoy.

Fox: I’ve always appreciated how you guys work as a family unit and have a ton of admiration for it. Plus, the kids are a hoot! I hope we get a picture of them playing in “Lake Degraw” a few years ago during “Murph.” Back to fitness for a quick bit: What were things that you struggled with early on, and what are you working on now?

LO: The Olympic lifts for sure. I used to think I would never get them at all. Now I even have good days! I’m still looking for Pull-Ups, and to that end, I’m really enjoying AG Strength. It’s all the stuff I know I should do but don’t make time for. I have to say though, that Squatting is still so hard and doesn’t seem to get any easier.

Fox: I have to say that your Squat has come so far since your first private session where I thought you might fall over and wondered how you were able to walk! Just kidding, sorta… last question: What should we look for in a future AOM?

LO: Someone who has improved, and someone who has improved in the face of some adversity in particular. Also, someone who’s a welcoming presence in the gym. It can be an intimidating space to walk into at first!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Snatch | Kettlebell Swings, C2B Pull-Ups, Run
Park Slope Dad Nightmare The Awl
Squats and Your Knees Starting Strength