Push Press

Push Press
5-3-3-2-1-1-1
Work up to a heavy single for the day. Practice cycling the barbell from overhead directly to the front rack/dip and drive in your early sets. Work hard to stay braced, especially on the heavy singles. 

Post loads to comments.
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5 Rounds for Reps: 
1 Minute Max Push Press at 70% of your heavy single
Rest 1 Minute
1 Minute Max Calories Rowed
Rest 1 Minute
Aim for consistent reps/cals on all rounds.

Post Rx, reps, and cals to comments. 

Miami sounds real nice right about now, doesn’t it?

Wodapalooza 2016: A Recap

Last weekend we kept you updated on CFSBK’s exploits at Wodapalooza 2016 in Miami. Among stiff competition, team Steel Magnolias (Coach Melissa, Coach Katie, and Tina D.) finshed tied for 10th place out of 21 teams in the Intermediate Women divsion. We couldn’t be more proud of them! Today we’re thrilled to bring you K Harpz and MeLo’s impressions of the event. Read on, reader!

Katie:
Wodapalooza 2016—what a weekend! Despite the torrential downpour on Day 1 (RIP Nike Metcons), the event was well organized and flooded with CrossFit Games athletes. The positive environment was infectious to say the least. It was an important experience for me in many ways, and I couldn’t have asked for better teammates. 

Competitive CrossFit is awesome because it pushes you outside of your comfort zone, and you get a sense of how you perform under pressure. At an event like Wodapalooza, we knew weren’t going to be the most jacked and tan athletes in the arena. But we knew our strengths, and with a little strategy, we were able to clinch a spot in the top 10 of our division! Hurray Steel Magnolias!

I started doing CrossFit 6 years ago, in January 2010, by attending a beginner class at Crossfit NYC. The workout in that beginner class was half “Cindy,” a 10-minute AMRAP of 5 Pull-Ups, 10 Push-Ups and 15 Squats. I performed the Pull-Ups using the thickest band available and the Push-Ups from my knees. The depth on my Squats was questionable. I quite clearly remember thinking that that was the hardest workout I’d ever done. My arms were too smoked to pick up a coffee cup. I couldn’t wait to do it again. 

Fast forward 6 years, and incredibly, last weekend, I was able to throw down with my teammates at a national event and compete amongst the best of the best at Wodapalooza. The weekend highlighted two things I cherish about CrossFit: the continual, measureable progress observed over time; and the supportive, friendly community. The inclusiveness, support, and general good nature of CrossFitters was evident throughout the event, from the elite-level athletes in attendance to the spectators, organizers, and vendors. Arrogance and ego were rare.

The 3-day competition included successes, surprises, and challenges. Here’s a recap of my experience and some of the lessons I learned.

Friday, Day 1:  The Storm
The conditions on Day 1 were less than ideal. I expected abundant sunshine and sunscreen. Instead, it was a rainy, muddy mess. However, we didn’t let that kill our competitive spirit. We rallied as a team and started with a workout called “The Little Chipper”: each teammate was to complete 9 Bar-Facing Burpees, 12 Power Snatches (65lbs), 15 Thrusters (65lbs), and 18 calories on the Assult Bike in a relay race to the finish. It was a quick burner, with nowhere to hide and no reason to slow down. Worst part? The bike. If you’ve never spent time on that thing, make it a point to do an 8-round tabata the next time you’re in the gym as a warm-up. (And mention to David that we need a few more bikes.) We finished 10th in the first event.

The second workout was “The Big Chipper,” which included Pistols, GHD Sit-Ups, Overhead Squats (95lbs) and D-Ball Holds and Carries (50lbs). I’ve always struggled with Overhead Squats, and this workout was no exception. While I’ve certainly made progress and have become more comfortable with them, they’re still a goat. I will make them a regular part of my training and will master them by the end of the year. Don’t let me slip on this, friends! Fortunately, Tina is incredible at Overhead Squats and banged out 27 unbroken reps (WHAT!?!?) to earn us a 5^th place finish in the event, a strong start to the three-day competition. 

Saturday, Day 2: The Sunshine
Conditions on Day 2 were everything we could have hoped for, and it was another successful day for the Steel Magnolias. The first workout was the Snatch Medley: 3 Rep Max Snatch, 3000m Row, 5 RM Snatch, 400 Double-Unders, 7 RM Snatch, and 70 Bar Muscle-Ups. While we didn’t move as much weight as the other teams on the Snatch, our teamwork was on point, and we were all able to contribute at each stage of the workout. Personally, I’ve been inconsistent with Bar Muscle-Ups and was nervous about whether I’d be able to contribute to my team. I’ve always been more of a team player rather than an individual competitor, and I hated the thought of letting my team down. With the energy of the crowd and the encouragement of my teammates, I was miraculously able to perform numerous Bar Muscle-Ups, contributing to our 49 reps total.  Definitely a high point of the weekend! 

The second event of Day 2 was the SWIM: 3 rounds of 40 Deadlifts (135lbs), 50m Swim, 40 Handstand Push-Ups, 50m Swim with two people working at a time. And OMG, we finished 2nd in that event! Who knew 3 girls from Brooklyn could swim so well? Yes, I automatically defaulted to the sidestroke, and no, we did not practice in the Gowanus. 

Sunday, Day 3: A Struggle with Synchronicity
Event 1 on Day 3 involved D-Ball Tosses (80lbs), synchronized Toes-to-Bars, and synchronized Pull-Ups. We didn’t have an opportunity to practice synchronization prior to the event, and it showed. We definitely lost time trying to get our rhythm together. On the positive side, our communication as a team was solid, and we managed to place 10th. We happen to have an 80lb D-Ball at the gym. Toss it over your shoulder a few times. It’s a great way to let out some aggression!

Event 2, Day 3: two short chippers, the first was legless rope climbs, Squat Cleans (155lbs), and Dumbbell Squat Snatches (60lbs); the second was 100 Clean and Jerks for time (65lbs). None of us had spent a lot of time practicing legless climbs. Turns out they’re pretty hard, especially when you have to do 7 of them. Harper stepped up and took on that challenge for us, and she did an incredible job. You better believe that you’ll see all of us practicing that skill more often. We placed 15th and 13th respectively on those last two events.   

We ended up 10th overall out of 21 Intermediate Women teams, a finish that I’m definitely happy with. I look forward to bringing more CSFBK teams down next year to represent. 

The Bottom Line:
Competing gives you perspective. Training in the same environment with the same people can make you complacent. It’s easy to lose track of the bigger picture. Getting out of your comfort zone can make you realize that what you thought was impossible is indeed attainable. For example, several women in our division were Touch-and-Go Power Snatching 135-145lbs. I need to get on that. Competitions can be stressful, nerve-wracking and, at times, disappointing. But they are also quite memorable, incredibly gratifying, and can be excellent learning opportunities. My team was incredible, and CSFBK’s support over the weekend was humbling. Thank you to our CFSBK family for supporting us from afar and to Alex and Marcos for being our entourage.

If anyone is interested in competing, seeing where you’re at, and having fun in the process, The Open is a great way to get your feet wet. Sign up. Challenge yourself. Surprise yourself. Talk to me if you’re at all hesitant. 

The Return of the Monthly Egg CSA!

If you love the incredibly delicious farm-fresh eggs we occasionally get from Herondale Farm, our meat and egg CSA provider, this is your lucky day.

Clean Deadlift/Pull + Hang Clean

Fitness
Every 90 seconds for 7 Rounds
Clean Deadlift + Hang Clean

Performance
Clean Pull + Hang Clean

Hang for today is anywhere above the knee.

Post Rx and loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 8
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7 Rounds For Time: 
7 Deadlifts 115/75
7 Hang Power Cleans 115/75
7 Burpees
7 Kettlebell Swings 53/35
7 Toes-to-Bars 

Post time and Rx to comments. 

Allie B., KLove, and Kristin C. are ready to do the blizzard in style

• 2:00pm Anti-Gravity class is cancelled.
• 9:00am and 10:00am CF Preschool classes are cancelled.
• All group classes, Active Recovery, and the Free Intro class are ON today. We’ll let you know if anything changes. 

Prepping for Iron Maidens: Advice on Modifying Group Classes

By Margie Lempert
Originally Posted on 2.2.15

We’re about six weeks out from Iron Maidens, which means there is still time to do some specific training. Below are suggestions for how to modify what you do in group class in order to prep for the meet. Our coaches are on-board, but always be sure to talk to whoever is coaching class about your plans so they can adjust logistics accordingly. And, of course, ask any coaches or me for specific advice on choosing loads/exercises. 

If this is your first meet and you’ve never maxed out a linear progression, then you should stick to the Fitness track in group class with some potential additions/substitutions. If this is your second, third, or more meet, or you’ve done quite a few linear progressions, then you can play with some other training regimens, as well as accessory work to address particular weaknesses. Most important is to get the work in every week. Consistency = gains.

Here are some suggestions:

For Everyone
In the week before the meet, you should work up to one heavy triple for each lift. This should be a tough triple, though not necessarily an all-out max. No need to get ugly about it. This will be your opening weight at the meet. You should hit all your triples by the Wednesday before the meet, but they do not have to be done in the same day. Make sure you pause the bench press. (After Wednesday, your aim should be sleep, active recovery/light training, and food.)

For Novices

Squat
Linear progression

• Substitute front squat with low bar back squat so that you back squat 2x/week, increasing 5lbs/exposure if possible. Make sure you have at least 48 hours between squat sessions. 

Bench Press
Linear progression

• Make sure you practice the pause command on your bench press. You can do this on your warm up sets throughout your training, as well as on your heavy triple day just before the meet. Get a friend/coach to cue you to press when the bar has made solid contact with your chest, or give yourself a one count.
• Consider adding in daily pushups via frequent, submaximal sets. Example: if max pushups = 5, aim for 5 sets of 3 pushups spread throughout the day. Do this 5 to 6 days a week. These should never be sets to fatigue. Each week, try to add one pushup to all your sets OR add one set of pushups/day
• Consider adding an overhead press exposure 1x/week during open gym. Follow a linear progression here as well. 
• Special note: ladies, we can always do with more pressing. As long as your joints feel good, go for all of it. 

Deadlift
Linear progression

• Replace Snatch OR Clean complex with DL so that you DL 1x/week. Warm-up to one workset set of 5; linear progression of 10lbs each exposure. All warm-ups should be sets of 5. Do not touch and go; take a breath and reset your back for each pull. If you have never hooked or switch gripped, start to practice this on your heaviest set. 

For Intermediate Lifters

Squat
Substitute front squat with low bar squat on both days. Make sure you have at least 48 hours between squat sessions. 

Option 1: Moderate volume, with heavy singles. Good choice for novice/intermediate who is looking for a little more experience with heavier weight.
Day 1: 3×5 linear progression
Day 2: Follow Performance track 

Option 2: Lower volume, with emphasis on finding and driving out of the bottom. Good choice for those who have trouble hitting depth or get stuck at the bottom. Also works postural strength (i.e. extended back, knees out, even pressure through the feet).
Day 1: Performance track
Day 2: 3×3 Pause Squat, increasing each week. Two count at the bottom. 

Option 3: Moderate volume, with heavy doubles/triples. Good choice for advanced intermediate who is able to put in a lot of work and manage recovery well.
Day 1: 2×5; 1×10 all at same weight (i.e. 155x5x2; 155×10) increasing each week
Day 2: Work up to heavy double or triple in no more than 5 total sets, including warm-ups. Try to beat yourself each week 

Bench Press
Option 1: Follow Fitness track; pause at least one, if not all sets. 

Option 2: Follow Performance track. Choose to hit a heavy single, double or triple. Pause your top set, but not your drop set of 10. 

• If a coach approves, try to add a pulling exercise between each work set, i.e. chin/pullups x submax; or DB rows x 10-12 or Ring rows x 10-12. If there’s not space during class, get it done during open gym.
• Consider adding an overhead press day at open gym. Work up to a top set of 5 – this should feel like you have one or two left in the tank. Then drop 6-9% and hit sets of 5 until it feels as difficult as your heavy set (should take 1-4 sets, rest 2-3 min between sets).

Deadlift
Replace snatch OR clean complex with deadlift.

Option 1: Linear progression of one set of 5 reps

Option 2: Linear progression of one set of 3 reps; drop 6-9% and hit another set of 3-5

• Consider adding in a second day for accessory work or a deadlift variant to address weakness in your deadlift. This would be done at open gym.
• Options:
  • Back: barbell rows from the floor, or heavy dumbbell rows; Pullups (weighted); ring rows (feet on a box). 3 sets of 10-12
  • Weak off the floor: deficit pulls from 1 or 2″. 1 top set of 5, or 3×3; linear increase. (25# rogue plate is 1” and the dc blocks are 2”.)
  • Weak past the knee: rack pulls, 1 set of 5 or 3×3, linear increase. Set the pins so that the bar is just below your knee. See this video for a thorough explanation.

Please feel free to ask me for clarification or advice any time: Margie [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com.

Happy Training!
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The Blizzard of 1996 Made NYC an Eerie Ghost Town Gothamist
Report: Mom Saw Car That Slid Off Road Into Ditch

Back Squat/Front Squat

Performance
Back Squat 75% x 8-12 x 2, Front Squat 75% x 8-12 x 2
Leave 2 reps in the tank.

Be mindful of maintaining good positions and not devolving into bad form for the sake of an extra rep or two.

Fitness
Back Squat 2 x 5, Front Squat 2 x 5
Load is 90% of what you used on Wednesday.

Post loads to comments
Exposure 12/16
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Post Rx to comments.

Benson is BUMMED that we had to reschedule the Community Potluck, but at least he gets to chow down at this custom feeder made by Andrew S. 

About That Blizzard

Due to the impending blizzard, the Community Potluck has been postponed until Saturday, February 6th at 7pm. Stay safe, everyone! You can still leave a note on the event page to let us know what you plan to bring, and we’ll need some volunteers to come by at 6:30 to set up and/or stay for a little while after to clean up on February 6th. Please e-mail our Events Coordinator Danae M. at Events [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com to let her know you’re available to help out.

Yoga for Athletes is cancelled today!
Anti-Gravity will be cancelled tomorrow, since Noah is away.
However, group classes and Active Recovery are still ON for today! Woo hoo!

Keep checking in here for updates, annoucements, and burnt offerings to Boreas, god of the north wind.
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
A Day in the Life of Brooke Ence YouTube
Why Is So Much of the World’s Great Art in Storage? Quartz 
Changes in Climate Have Always Made Things Worse for (Accused) Witches Atlas Obscura 

That time Lady Fox coached a whole class while holding a Side Plank

• WEEKEND SCHEDULE UPDATE: Sunday’s 2:00pm Anti-Gravity class is cancelled.  

This Week at CFSBK in Review

A lot happened on the CFSBK weblog this week. Let’s recap!

1. 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!    

2. 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. Look out for reports from MeLo and K Harpz on Monday.

3. Fiction writer and CFSBKer Nathan Englander appeared with Coach Noah on The New Yorker Radio Hour to discuss the relationship between CrossFit and writing. Some keywords: discipline, obsession, success, and failure. Give a listen!

4. Registration for the 2016 CrossFit Open went live this past Friday, and we’d love for you to sign up. Why should you compete? We’re glad you asked. 

5. Reebok.com published a piece on 77-year-old CFSBKer Constance Tillett written by former CFSBK Managing Editor Kate R. As Constance says, “To live is expensive, to die is expensive. You choose.”

6. 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. And don’t forget to start fundraising for the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship!

7. The Gowanus Canal Conservancy will be hosting their annual ANTIFREEZE fundraiser at 7pm on January 30, 2016 at Littlefield (right across the street), and CFSBK is one of the Silent Auction donors! The event will gather a wide range of attendees who care deeply about the health and resiliency of the Gowanus waterfront and the surrounding local urban environment. There will be delicious local food, plenty of beer, Silent Auction, and (of course) an excellent DJ. Tickets can be found here.
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Overhead Squat | Overhead Squats, Pull-Ups
My Recovery Program: CrossFit with Pat Sprague YouTube
How Wile E. Coyote Explains The World Deadspin 

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