Overhead Squat

Overhead Squat
3-3-3-3-3
Work up to a max triple for the day.

Post loads to comments.
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For Time:
20 Overhead Squats 135/95
40 Pull-Ups
10 Overhead Squats  
20 Pull-Ups
Overhead Squat comes off the floor. Load should be on the medium-heavy side. Any method of getting the bar overhead is accepable (Snatch, Power Snatch, Clean/Jerk/BTN Rack/PP). Sub for Pull-Ups is Ring Rows. 

Post Rx and times to comments.

Throwback Thursday to when CFSBK hosted Annie Thorisdottir and Lindsey Valenzuela for the announcement of Open Workout 13.2. Who can you spot in the crowd?

• SCHEDULE UPDATE: CrossFit Teens is cancelled today and Tuesday. 
• Due to the impending blizzard, the Community Potluck has been postponed until Saturday, February 6th at 7pm. We’re bummed that we have to wait another couple of weeks, but we want everyone to stay safe. You can still leave a note on the event page to let us know what kind of food you plan to bring!     

TONIGHT! Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session: “Understanding Macros”

Attend this Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session, the second of this year’s bi-monthly Q&A Info Sessions. These sessions will function more as a support group setting than a true lecture, though they will begin with a lecture. In this second session, we’ll discuss how counting and regulating your macronutrient intake will, in turn, control your caloric intake and optimize your training while maintaining lean muscle mass. An open Q&A will follow.

Where: CFSBK’s second floor Annex
When: Thursday, January 21st at 6:30pm

Gym Etiquette Tip of the Week: Scanning In

Art by Jen Murray

Don’t forget to scan in at the Front Desk of 597 Degraw! Whether you’re taking group class, Active Recovery, Yoga, or Anti-Gravity, please scan your card at the desk and let us know which class(es) you’re taking. This is especially important for classes that meet at 608 Degraw. If you lost your scan card, the Front Desk will be more than happy to get you a new one!
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Squat | Dumbbell Thrusters, Box Jumps, Knees-to-Elbows
Ring Row Progression Gymnastics WOD 
My Time as a Magnolia Bakery Cupcake Bouncer The Billfold 

Front Squat/Back Squat

Performance
Heavy: Back Squat 85% x 2 x 2, Front Squat 85% x 2 x 2
Based on 1RM.

Fitness
Back Squat 2 x 5, Front Squat 2 x 5
Same load as last week.
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 Matt E. working through a work set on one of our lower volume, higher percentage Squat days… like today!

• The CFSBK Community Potluck is this Saturday, January 23rd at 7pm. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend! We need some volunteers to come by at 6:30 to set up and/or stay for a little while after to clean up. Please e-mail our Events Coordinator Danae M. at Events [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com to let her know you’re available to help out. Comments were temporarily disabled on the event page, but they’re fixed now, so leave a note there to let us know what kind of food you plan to bring! 
• In case you missed it, Fiction writer and CFSBKer Nathan Englander appeared with Coach Noah on WNYC’s New Yorker Radio Hour. It’s great. Give a listen!
• Check out Yoga with Jaclyn K. tommorow at 9am in the Annex.

Call for Volunteers: Iron Maidens Raw Open 2016

Interested in volunteering for Iron Maidens? We’d love to have your help! Please fill out this form if you’d like to take part. Volunteers are needed to help set up on Friday, March 4th from 7:30 to 9:00pm and during the AM and PM sessions of the meet on Saturday, March 5th. Questions? Contact Coach Margie at Margie [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. And don’t forget to start fundraising for the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship!

Tomorrow Night! Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session: “Understanding Macros”

Attend this Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session, the second of this year’s bi-monthly Q&A Info Sessions. These sessions will function more as a support group setting than a true lecture, though they will begin with a lecture. In this second session, we’ll discuss how counting and regulating your macronutrient intake will, in turn, control your caloric intake and optimize your training while maintaining lean muscle mass. An open Q&A will follow.

Where: CFSBK’s second floor Annex
When: Thursday, January 21st at 6:30pm

On Honoring the Body with Constance Tillett

Reebok.com just published a piece on all-around wonderful human and 77-year-old CFSBKer Constance Tillett. The essay, which documents Constance’s inspiring fitness journey, was written by all-around wonderful human and former CFSBK blog Managing Editor Kate R. Of course, it also features Constance’s trainer, all-around wonderful human and CFSBK owner Captain Osorio. There are a lot of wonderful things here, not the least of which is Constance’s parting quote. Check it out! And follow CFSBK on Instagram to keep up with “The Constance Chronicles.”
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
Fixing the Squat: Hip Drive YouTube
A Plan for Eating High-Quality Protein on a Low Budget Breaking Muscle
Bones And Grooves: The Weird Secret History of Soviet X-Ray Music NPR

Coach Fox writes our group class programming, and he’s a Danzig fan, so if you wanna find hell with him, he can show you what it’s like

• SCHEDULE CHANGE: Tonight’s 6:30 Active Recovery class is CANCELLED. Still want to do something other than group class? Check out Pilates with KH at 7:30pm.

Register for the 2016 CrossFit Open

Yesterday we encouraged you to register for the 2016 CrossFit Open. Today we’re going to explain why you should register. First, as of last year, the Open includes both Rx’d and Scaled divisions, so don’t fret if you don’t have Muscle-Ups yet. Second, registering for the Open is good for the whole CFSBK community. As befits our spirit of inclusiveness, we usually have one of the biggest Open teams in the world, and we’d love to have an even bigger team this year. Even if you do only one rep for one of the WODs, it won’t bring the team down. The third reason is a little more complicated. What if—like your CFSBK blog Editor—you’re not naturally competitive because you were always large for your age and thus a big, slow target in dodgeball? To answer this last question (or some version of it), we’re reposting Coach Fox’s terrific “Why Compete?” Enjoy! 

Why Compete?

By Chris Fox
Originally posted on 12.1.2012

As a youth I was not very involved in competitive sports, so I can’t speak to that angle on why competition is a healthy aspect of training as an adult. Sure, I’ve played some pick up football, basketball, rugby, baseball, etc… but the consequences were only week to week, never having long lasting meaning to me. As an adult I have found new meaning in what training and testing mean to me. I’ve trained with intention and set performance goals for more than a decade and found CrossFit within the past 6 years. CrossFit was the first time that I had ever really tested my performance in a competition setting. The beauty of Crossfit, and the related fitness sports that go along with it like powerlifting, olympic lifting, strongman/women, adventure races, etc… is that while you are ‘competing’ with the people you’re sharing floor/track/trail/platform space with, you must also compare your performance to your own previous performances. Sometimes the goal may be to only finish an event. First time out? Just get through it with success. Other times it may be to best your previous years placement or possibly to achieve a top place in an event. In my case the goal is to get better as an athlete and to not slip backward as the competitive environment gets more and more, well, competitive.

I have no illusions of winning any powerlifting meets, Olympic meets, the CrossFit Games, or even any of the local throwdown style events. Does that mean that my participation is silly? Hell NO! I get to hang with some cool folks, push my limits, and measure where I lay not only in comparison to my fellow athletes but also in relation to my previous self. As a (very) soon to be 40 year old male, society would have me believe that my best days are behind me. I respond with a resounding “NOT” and strive year after year to be a bit better that the me from the year before. I enjoy the process, the goal setting, and the satisfaction of knowing that I prepared for an event as best as I could. Or, in learning what I might do differently  the next go around.

We test ourselves day in, day out at CFSBK. There are metrics to be recorded for sure, and you should be tracking them regularly. I encourage you all, however, to step outside of your comfort zone once in a while and and test your performance in those not so cozy places where the others are. You might find out that you hate it, but you might also find out that it inspires you to be better or at least have some outside of the box fun. At the very least you’ll have learned something about yourself.

CFSBK’s Community Potluck: Saturday, January 23rd at 7pm

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. Check out the event page for guidelines and more info. Bring your favorite Paleo dish! We can’t wait to see you there! 
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Leonid Zhabotinsky, Strongman for the Ages, Dies at 77 The New York Times
Destroy Your Safe and Happy Lives: A Poet’s Guide to Metal Harper’s

Handstand Push-Ups

Performance
7 rounds (12 minutes):
1 Minute Max Strict Handstand Push-Ups 
1 Minute Rest

Do these from a deficit if you can, or scale the range of motion to 2 AbMats as needed.

Fitness
5 Rounds Not For Time:
5 Box Piked Handstand Push-Ups or 20-Second Box Pike Hold 

Rest as needed between sets. If you’re doing the Box Pike Holds, then immediately following the Hold, perform a set of 5 challenging dumbbell Presses.
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Every Minute on the Minute for 4 Rounds
Minute 1: 20/16 Calorie Row
Minute 2: 20 Russian Kettlebell Swings 53/35
Minute 3: 15 Burpees
Minute 4: 5 Bar Muscle Ups, Jumping Bar Muscle Ups, or 10 Jumping Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
Minute 5: Rest

Go as fast as you can on each round. If you can’t finish the reps/cals within the minute, then scale to a number that gives you a few seconds of transition time.

Post reps and Rx to comments.

You’ve heard us talk a lot about the Open in class lately. Now’s your chance to sign up!

• The CFSBK Community Potluck is this Saturday, January 23rd at 7pm. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend! See the event page for more details.
• Team Steel Magnolias (Coach MeLo, Coach K Harpz, and Tina D.) finshed Wodapalooza 2016 tied for 10th place out of 25 teams in the Intermediate Women divsion. Tell ’em how proud we are the next time you see them. We’ll post a full report from K Harpz later in the week.

WE WANT YOU… to Register for the 2016 CrossFit Open

Registration for the 2016 CrossFit Open went live this past Friday. Get crackin’! There will be Rx’d and scaled versions of each workout, so you can only help CFSBK’s team by signing up. Even if you do one rep for one of the WODs, it won’t bring the team down. We just want you to join us! Sign up here, and don’t forget to register as a CFSBK athlete. 

ANTIFREEZE: The Gowanus Canal Conservancy Fundraiser

CFSBK on The New Yorker Radio Hour

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Clean | Partner WOD
The Skill Transfer of the Burpee with Carl Paoli YouTube
Letter From a Birmingham Jail (Original Typescript) King Institute

Power Clean

Power Clean:
Work up to a Power Clean a bit heavier than the work weight you intend to use in the WOD.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8.
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In teams of 3, with 1 partner working at a time, complete 7 rounds each (21 total) of:
3 Power Cleans 185/125
6 Box Jumps 30/24
9 Push-Ups

Partners alternate full rounds. The Power Clean weight should be on the heavy side of medium. Cycle the reps if you can. The Box Jump is meant to be higher than you’re used to. Practice fast transitions between teammates.

Post time and Rx to comments. 

Coach MeLo, Tina D., and Coach K Harpz with some photobomber named Rich Froning at Wodapalooza 2016 in Miami. At the end of Day 2, team Steel Magnolias is in 6th place out of 25 teams in the Intermediate Team Women division. They took 2nd place in the Swim Triplet! 

• Want to try something other than group class today? Check out Active Recovery at 11am, Anti-Gravity at 2:00pm, or Open Gym from 6-8pm.

Hand Care for CrossFitters, Part 2

By Chris Fox

Editor’s Note: We noticed quite a few questions about hand-related issues in the comments this week, so we’re re-posting Coach Noah and Coach Fox‘s terrific two-part feature on hand care this weekend. This is especially useful and important as we continue to train for the Open. See yesterday’s post for Part 1. Part 2 was originally posted on 11.1.15. —Josh 

In Part 1, Coach Noah explained the why behind tearing, and offered some great tips for how to prevent tears and deal with them when they do happen. In Part 2, Coach Fox sat down with (i.e. emailed) CFSBK’s coaching staff recently about the topic. Here’s what the women on staff had to say about how to keep your hands from opening up and what to do about it if they do.

Fox: How often do you tear your hands or blister while doing CrossFit, and when is the last time you tore? 

Jess:  Sadly, I’ve torn fairly recently. Normally, I tear during high volume pull-ups WODs. I’ve also historically used a lot of chalk so I’m trying to cut back on that. 

Whit: I used to tear quite a lot, maybe once a month? Now, I rarely do. I was sure I would tear during “Murph” with high volume this year, but I have built up a bit of a tolerance by doing higher volume pull-ups more regularly and more Olympic lifting. Yay! Also… I got a weird blood blister thing recently, like a callous that wanted to tear/pop but didn’t quite, and luckily when that eventually came off there was a good layer of skin underneath. 

K Harpz: If I were to put a number on it, I would say about once every two months or less. Generally mine heal up pretty quickly too, unless that sucker is in the palm/crease of my hand. Those are the worst.

JB: I tear about two to three times per year, typically during high volume pull-up WODs. The last time I tore was during “Cindy.” 

MeLo: I honestly can’t recall the last time I tore. I think I’ve gotten good at 1) maintaining my leathery hands and taking care of them regularly and 2) recognizing when my calluses are on the verge of tearing during a workout and changing grip, slowing down, or stopping. The disruption a bad tear causes to training consistency isn’t worth it.

Fox: Have you stopped or modified a workout in order to not tear? 

Jess: Yes, recently I had to modify a 30-minute AMRAP with toes-to-bar because I knew that my hands couldn’t handle it. 

Whit: Yes, not recently, but after my first few tears, I realized it really wasn’t worth it to keep going if I knew I was about to tear. I would be in a lot of pain and end up having to modify my training for a week or so afterward, which is stupid and a potential loss of GAINZ!

K Harpz: Yes. In my opinion, a gnarly tear is not worth ruining your training week.

JB: Yes, but sometimes I get a little too gung-ho and ignore a tear (hence the two to three tears per year). Like Whit and HarpZ said, it’s never worth messing up a week of training.

MeLo: Yes, agree with the ladies above and refer to my answer to #1.

Fox: What is your routine to maintain your hands/calluses? Include stuff like home care as well as how you choose to grip a bar, chalk use, etc…

Jess: I use a pumice stone and foot file combo in the shower, but not as diligently as I should.

Whit: I use a pumice stone in the shower or right afterward, maybe two to three times a  week. I know it’s not ideal, but on high volume pull-up or toes-to-bar work, I use a thumbs-on-top monkey grip most of the time, and then alternate using thumbs-around grip here and there. I don’t use nearly as much chalk for that stuff as I used to… but I still use a decent amount, esp. for Olympic lifting. When gripping a bar for pulling (deadlift, clean, snatch), I try to line up the bar in the crease of my first knuckles, not in the middle of the palm of my hand. 

K Harpz: I like to grip the bar with my thumbs around, as close to the underbelly of my knuckles as possible. The less skin I bunch up in the palm of my hand, the less likely I am to tear. Once I start to notice callus buildup, I shave it down with a pumice stone after allowing my hand to soak in water/applying hand balm. I also have the tendency to chalk up as an excuse to rest, and am trying my best to kick that habit.

JB: I don’t do much hand care, unless picking at my calluses when I am bored or anxious counts. In workouts, I try to be diligent about grabbing the bar right under my knuckles and avoiding bunching up the skin in the middle of my hand (that’s where my worst tears always happen). For the most part, I wrap my thumbs underneath the bar. 

MeLo: I use a pumice stone in the shower regularly plus a callus remover/razor to shave down my calluses two times a month, then smooth them out with a pumice stone. For pull-ups, I tend to use a thumb-over grip to get better purchase on the bar, but that comes at the cost of skin bunching up and making you more susceptible to tears. If I haven’t been diligent about hand care, or if my hands feel at risk, I’ll use a thumb around grip with conscious effort to flatten out the skin on the bar so it doesn’t bunch (that sounds really gross). For barbells, I’ve only had a problem with my thumb using a hook grip, so I tape around my proximal phalange (aka, thumb).

Fox: How do you care for a torn callus or blister when it does happen?

Jess: I immediately wash my hands and cut off any loose skin. I apply an ointment like Aquaphor on the tear to keep it from drying out and then cover with a Band-Aid. I tend to keep it moist so that it doesn’t dry out and crack. Antibiotic ointments tend to dry the wound out so I reserve them for when a tear actually becomes infected, which shouldn’t happen if you keep it clean with soap and water. 

Whit: Wash hands immediately, cut away loose skin with clippers. I use a bit of bacitracin and cover with a Band-Aid for the first couple nights/days. Either keep using a little bacitracin or Aquaphor as it heals so it doesn’t keep splitting. 

K Harpz: Immediately disinfect/wash the area, take sterile manicure scissors, and cut back all of the dead skin. Apply Neosporin and leave the wound open as often as possible, generally I’ve found healing is optimal if it is moist and uncontained. (Unless I’m going on the subway and need to grab onto them slimy poles, of course.) I have Burt’s Bees Hand Balm but also have this stuff for rock climbers that I occasionally use. 

JB: I immediately wash my hands (so painful!) and cut away the loose skin. I’ll apply Neosporin and a Band-Aid. I generally keep a Band-Aid on until it heals.

MeLo: Same as the gals above.

Fox: Any other advice or thoughts you think would be helpful?

Jess:  Don’t have sissy hands like mine! But really, apply less chalk during WODs and try to grip the bar a little higher in the hand (fingers) instead of the palm. Don’t let calluses get big and out of control.

Whit: Gymnastics grips!!! These have made a huge difference for me in high volume workouts and training. I have torn so much less since I started using them.

K Harpz: I know how to make a cheap/reusable hand-wrap made of elastic self-adhering first aid tape. I find it doesn’t really mess up my grip and it adds a nice protective layer for a higher volume pull-up WOD. If anyone would like me to show them how it’s done, I’m happy to help anytime!

MeLo: Consistent hand care. Don’t let your calluses get so big that they get in the way of your training, file them down regularly and keep them smooth. If you feel a tear coming on in a workout, modify your grip, take the time to tape, or sub a different movement. 
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Squat | Wall Balls, Deadlifts
3 Misconceptions About Juice Cleanses YouTube
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