Back Squat / Front Squat

Fitness
Back Squat: 2 x 12 Linear Progression
Front Squat: 2 x 8 Linear Progression

Heavier than last week.

Performance
Back Squat: 70% x 2 x 2
Front Squat: 70% x 2 x 2

Every other exposure is a de-load so these should feel light.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8
__________________

For Time:
50 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
400m Run
30 Toes-to-Bars

Baller status for doing the swings unbroken, but 3-5 quick sets is appropriate. The run starts to 4th Ave, then to 3rd ave and back to the gym. Toes-to-Bars are the higher skill movement in this triplet chipper, so even small sets of 3-5 are ok. Sub T2Bs with Hanging Leg Raises, Hangng Knee Raises, or 60 AbMat Sit Ups as needed.

Post time and Rx to comments.

 

Behind the Desk: Juan Lopez

You all love the Underneath the Hoodie series and now we’re bringing back the 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 Toni S.  And now (drum roll, please), introducing another new front desker…

Name (and any nicknames): Juan Lopez, aka Juanito, aka JuanLo (no relation to JLo)

Where were you born and where did you grow up? I was born in New South Wales Australia, where my dad lives, and moved to Park Slope with my mom when I was almost ten years old, and spent the rest of my childhood here.

How long have you been CrossFitting, and how did you arrive at CFSBK? I took Foundations in January with Chris Fox and I’ve been CrossFitting at SBK ever since. I heard about CrossFit through my girlfriend, Jenna J., whose been at CFSBK for several years.

What are three (non essential like food and water) things you can’t live without? Pizza, pizza, and pizza.

Did you have any mentors or heroes growing up? Roberto Clemente, a right fielder for the Pirates in the 60s and 70s. In addition to being a great baseball player, he did a lot of good off the field, including volunteer and humanitarian work.

What are you up to when you’re not at 597 Degraw Street? When I’m not at the gym, I’m actually spending a lot of time at another gym, boxing. Boxing is huge part of my life, and eventually I would like to turn pro. I know I will regret it if I don’t give it a shot.

What’s the first movie or album you ever loved? Bad, by Michael Jackson, on cassette. I played that album over and over. (Still do)

__________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
Ask a Swole Woman: Am I Doing Enough? The Hairpin
Don’t Be a Cheerleader: 10 Pieces of Advice for CrossFit Coaches Inside the Affiliate
What Not to Talk About on Competition Day PurePharma

Do you see a familiar face in this video? In addition to her training at CFSBK, Tori P. is a professional dancer who recently did this video with her friend Kellen Stancil, a choreographer and the dance captain of The Lion King. Tori is on the far left at the start of the video. Enjoy!

Girls Gone Rx at CrossFit 718

On Saturday, October 1st, our friends at CrossFit 718 will be hosting Girls Gone Rx Brooklyn. Teams of 3 ladies will compete in 4 events throughout the day to raise awareness for Breast Cancer. $30 for each team’s registration fee will be donated directly to Bright Pink. So far, CFSBK is sending two teams to the competition:

 
There’s still time to sign up! Sound interesting? Find some teammates and head on over to the website to register!

News and Notes

• The first of Coach Whit’s Road to Gymnastics clinics is tomorrow. Tomorrow and Saturday’s sessions are FULL! But there’s still time to sign up for the next two. Head on over to the event page to lock your spot down!
• If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that we have something that belongs to you. Do you want it back? Look among these treasures. Our lost and found runneth over.

__________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Deadlift / Handstand Push-Up | FGB Prep
Recovery Is All in Our Head Outside
The Case Against Cats LA Review of Books

Deadlift / Handstand Push-Up Superset*

1A) Deadlift

Fitness
3 x 4

Heavier than last week.

Performance
70% x 5 x 3

1B) Handstand Push-Up

Fitness
3 x 5-10 Box Piked HSPUs

1-2 AbMats are ok. Knees are easier than toes. Sub 8-12 Seated Dumbbell Presses if you don’t have Boxed Pike HSPUs yet. 

Performance
3 x 6-12 Strict HSPUs  

1-3 AbMats are allowed as long as you’re getting some range of motion out of it. If you can do 3 sets of 12 easily, then add a deficit. DC blocks and bumpers work well for this.

*Superset means that you perform a set of exercise A (in this case the Bench Press) and then after a short rest, 30 seconds to a minute, you perform a set of exercise B (in this case the Barbell Bent-Over Row). 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 loads/work to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8

_____________________

Every Minute on the Minute for 5 Rounds each of:
1) 15 Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
2) 15 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 75/55
3) 15 Box Jumps 20″
4) Rest

3rd Scaling Options
WB: 10/8
SDHP: 35#
BJ: 16″ or Step Ups

A little Fight Gone Bad prep and primer today. The Sumo Deadlift High Pull only comes up around this time, so use the metcon to familiarize yourself with it. Box Jumps are Rx’s as a two foot take off. Step Ups are scaled. Aim to perform the reps unbroken for each round and see how far into the minute that takes you. If you don’t finish 15 reps within a minute, then move on anyway.

Post work to comments.

Athlete of the Month: Sasha Slocombe

By Chris Fox

The end of summer brings us a new AOM. Sasha started just over a year ago now, though it often seems as if she and her family have been here longer. She has trained consistently over that time, been coachable, and is always a friendly face to have in a group class. Read on to learn a bit about this yogini and mom of three!

Fox: Hi Sasha, thanks for coming in to speak with me, and congrats!

Sasha: Thank you! It’s such a surprise and an honor. I’m really excited. 

Fox: Alright then, let’s get to it. When and why did you start Crossfit?

Sasha: Dustin and I started on July 28 of last year in your Foundations!  I teach and practice yoga and had been going to the Y and exercising but found it hard to be consistent. Also, noise was frowned upon there, like even a “struggling to move a weight” noise! My brother was doing CrossFit in Venice, CA, and it sounded like something I wanted to try. I also knew a few people from the yoga community (like Coach Whitney) who were speaking positively about CrossFit, which helped since there was a negative slant on CrossFit in the press at the time about rhabdo killing people. The negative press actually intrigued me since just shortly before that someone had written an article basically stating that yoga was bad for you. Unilateral statements like that are often a sign of BS. All of that plus the fact that this could be something Dustin and I could do together were very appealing, so we did the Intro Class and then signed right up for Foundations.

Fox: I can’t believe it’s only a year that you’ve been here. It seems like your whole family jumped in right away. What about CFSBK made you want to stay and be consistent once Foundations was over?

Sasha: As a woman approaching middle age and a mom of 3, I was very into training in a way that would help me build and maintain muscle and bone mass, which weight training does. A really big factor was that the schedule here makes it easy to make it to class. I don’t have to worry when something pops up at 8am that my workout isn’t going to happen. I can just come later on in the day. Of course, the community of coaches and members are so welcoming and patient, so being a newbie who sort of only heard Latin when people were speaking of Kips and Snatches and ergs and such, I never felt like I wouldn’t be ok. I trusted that if we kept coming, it would get better. One really nice thing that CrossFit has done for my family is that we’ve developed a common language in it. The girls (Xela and Tulsi) have been going to CrossFit Teens since it started and at home, James (the youngest) will set us up and coach us to do Squats and such! It’s a nice thing for us to share.

Fox: That’s great stuff. I’d love to see James’s coaching in action! I know you’ve taught yoga for a while now. Were you always into physical culture?

Sasha: Well I’ve been teaching yoga since 2000 (Sasha was part of the very first Yoga Teacher Training at Dana Flynn’s Laughing Lotus!) and doing it for longer than that, but I was certainly not an active kid. I never played sports and was “the fat kid.” Not so fun fact: I was put into Weight Watchers at 8 years old. That identity started to shift for me in college when I began a yoga practice combined with running. Fun fact: at CFSBK I’m considered very flexible but not in the yoga world! I’m pretty happy with the balance that I have going now though. It’s one of the reasons I’m happy that the girls like coming to the gym. I want them to see a wide variety of people with a broad range of body types who all embody a healthy lifestyle. There are so many ways to become and be strong.

Fox: A fellow Former Fat Kid! I’m glad you’ve found balance and that your family is exposed to it as well. Where’d you grow up?

Sasha: I grew up in Northwest DC and then moved around a bit. I went to Oberlin in Ohio pretty much to not have to take any more math classes. From there I spent some time in Santa Fe, where the weather was great but it never really felt like home. Next was to Big Sur, to live and study at the Esalen Institute. It was so beautiful there and a very interesting time in my life. I spent some time in the Mission in San Francisco and then decided to get my Masters in Social Work at Smith. Finally I moved to NYC in 1998 and have been here since. I first lived here with a college roomie who had just broken up with her girlfriend. I met Dustin at an art opening that year and was smitten. I mean, here he was all Carhartt, long hair, and a motorcycle. Funny thing is that all of his friends asked him why he was hitting on the lesbian chick, the one who was living with her roommate from Smith. Luckily he was not phased, asking what I was doing the next day. I told him I was doing a yoga class and with an accompanying big gesture of his hands said he’d love to come along. We’ve been together ever since.

Fox: That’s a great story. Maybe we’ll get to see a picture of Dustin on his motorcycle with his long hair? Tell us what you do for fun outside of gym life?

Sasha: The gym and family activities take up a lot of time, but I find time to read any sort of book. I’m actually a stoop-book aficionado. I love that I can pick up a new book from someone’s stoop just about any time I want. And anytime we get to travel is great. I teach and practice yoga at Park Slope Yoga Center and also work as a labour doula. My work in both areas is immensely rewarding but also immensely draining since I always have to be “on” in full support of other people. CFSBK for me is my third place, where I can just be myself. I guess this is my main hobby.

Fox: What were some of the biggest challenges you had when you first started doing CrossFit?

Sasha: I already mentioned that it seemed like everyone was speaking Latin, and I never thought I would remember what anything was. That’s gotten a lot better. I relate a lot of this stuff to my yoga practice where after my 10,000th downward dog, it’s still a work in progress, but I sort of get it. CrossFit is a good mix of simple and complex movements, and I decided early on that I would just show up and do it, that I wouldn’t avoid anything. I did privates with Noah for a bit and that really helped to demystify a lot of it for me. I’m still trying to get my first Pull-Up though! If you would have told the 8 year old version of me sulking in gym class, hating every minute of it, that at age 49 I’d be in the gym 5 days a week working on getting a Pull-Up… And again, the community is amazing, which makes it easier to struggle and suffer with this stuff. It’s a little village. I remember one day recently, at the end of “Karen,” Chris looked over at me and said, “ I hate wall balls.” Chris is really strong and could probably be a pretty good powerlifter without doing 150 Wall Nalls, so I asked him why he didn’t take that route. He responded that getting through the hard stuff here transfers to the rest of his life. I think that part of CrossFit really resonates for people here.

Fox: This has been a really, really fun interview. Your insights are spot on. Last stock question: What should we look for in a future AOM?

Sasha: Someone who shows up and does the work in a way that’s right for them. And someone who asks the question, “How can I help my fellow athlete out?” Someone who goes out of their way to be inclusive and welcoming. Luckily there’s no shortage of CFSBKers who fit that profile!

_____________________
Sara Ahmed (-69kg) Clean and Jerks 143kg Hookgrip
Your Sculpted Pecs Are Worthless Vice

Snatch Complex

Fitness
Every 2 Minutes x 8:
Power Snatch + High Hang Snatch + OHS

Performance
Every 2 Minutes x 8:
Power Snatch + High Hang Snatch + Snatch Balance

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8

_____________________

21-15-9 Reps for Time:
Burpees (over the bar)
Overhead Squats 95/65
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

This is an individual version of Event 1 of this year’s CrossFit Team Series. On the fast end, the Overhead Squats should be unbroken. Scale so that they can be done in no more than 2-3 sets. Full Snatches count as a rep, but you may also Power Snatch or Clean and Behind-the-Neck Jerk the bar onto position. Sub hin over bar Pull-Ups or Jumping Pull-Ups as needed.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Want to get better at cool stuff like this? Sign up now for Coach Whitney’s gymnastics clinics. The first one is this Wednesday, so act fast!

Road To Gymnastics Clinics with Coach Whit

What is it?
A series of three clinics to improve body awareness and control, take gymnastics movements to the next level, and learn progressions for advanced skills that you can practice on your own.

When:
We’ll run two concurrent series of clinics. Choose which you want to attend, Wednesday OR Saturday:

Wednesday Sep 14 at 7:30PM or Saturday Sep 17 at 9AM: Pull-Ups and TTB
Wednesday Sep 21 at 7:30PM or Saturday Sep 24 at 9AM: Ring Skills
Wednesday Sep 28 at 7:30PM or Saturday Oct 1 at 9AM: Handstand Push-Ups and Inversions

How much:
$25 per clinic! You’ll get the most out of this series by doing all three, as they’ll build upon each other. Each clinic is limited to 9 people.

How is this different than Anti-Gravity?
AG classes are designed as a complete workout with a warm-up, skill and strength work followed by some gymnastics biased conditioning. The “Road To” clinics are hour long clinics focused on dissecting one to two movements to help your understanding and development of that skill. Classes will meet in the Annex so space is limited!

Ok, cool. Can I go to group class beforehand?
While you are a human being with free will, it is strongly suggested that you do NOT do CrossFit before this class. Gymnastic movements have a high neurological component and require a lot of coordination, balance, agility, and accuracy, while also improving those skills. These things are simply better learned and practiced when you are fresh. Feel free to workout afterward if you’ve got it in you!

Are there buy-ins or prerequisites?
No, but we do recommend you have been attending group class for about 3-6 months before signing up for this series. We will provide progressions for a variety of levels.

What will we work on?
The Pull-Ups/Toes-to-Bar Clinic will involve a lot of hollow/arch drills, strict, and kipping work for both movements. We will focus on lat engagement and how to develop better gymnastics positions across the board. Please note we will not be working on Butterfly Pull-Ups in this hour.

The Ring Skills Clinic will work on ring support/stability, “I’s/T’s/Y’s”, ring push-ups/dips, and Muscle Up progressions.

The HSPU / Inversions Clinic work will teach you more techniques for getting comfortable upside-down. We’ll work in groups and partners a lot to take our inversions away from the wall!

Bottom Line?
You can never have too much strength or too much skill, become a cyborg! What are you waiting for?!

REGISTER HERE!

_____________________
The Origin of Dogs The Atlantic
Six Observations from a Masters Athlete NYWA

Back Squat / Front Squat

Fitness
Back Squat: 2 x 5 Linear Progression
Front Squat: 2 x 3 Linear Progression

Heavier than last week.

Performance
Back Squat 70% x 6 x 2
Front Squat 70% x 6 x 2

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 16

_____________________

5 RNFT or 20 Minutes:
65m Farmer Carry, Left
65m Farmer Carry, Right
270m Run

The carries are to 3rd Avenue and then back to the door with the opposite arm. The runs are 4th and back. Go medium-heavy on the carries with the goal of doing them unbroken with minimal rest on the transition. If you’re feeling it, then push the pace on the runs. Otherwise use them as active rest.

Post work to comments.

Matt’s hair looks good even when he’s just judging!

• Reminder: Parking is still suspended on Degraw Street. Be sure to give yourself extra time to get to the gym, since parkng is cancelled on some other surrounding blocks.

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

All IM competitors and IM curious are welcome!
October 16, 2016
2-4pm

Press and Negotiating
BYOProgram OR plan to focus on working up to a heavy five on your Overhead Press. Feedback on technique can be provided.
Post-lifting, we’re happy to welcome CFSBKer and Starting Strength Cycle alum Karina Totah for a workshop in negotiation skills:

Women don’t ask. Research shows they forego over ½ million dollars in salary over their lifetimes. 

Like lifting, negotiation skills get better with practice. But unlike lifting, success and failure aren’t as black and white in negotiations. Come out to lift, and stay to learn the nuance of negotiation so you can successfully navigate asking for what you need and want.

In this workshop, we’ll cover negotiation framing and prep, do a live practice, and discuss negotiation plans.

Karina Totah’s Middle-Eastern father had her haggling from a young age.  She strengthened her negotiation instinct with more structured training at Yale’s School of Management.  Now she enjoys sharing her knowledge with other women.  By day, Karina is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the New York City Housing Authority; by morning, usually at 7am, she’s a CFSBKer.

_____________________
Ask a Swole Woman: Soreness and Notebooks The Hairpin
This Is How NYC Schools Teach Kids About 9/11 Gothamist