Workout of the Day

FLOATER STRENGTH

Push Press
5-5-5-5-5

Back Squat
Heavy 3 then, 80% AMRAP

Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

Bench Press
Heavy 3 then, 80% AMRAP

Notes
Choose a lift that corresponds to what you’ve missed this week. If you’ve hit all these lifts you can order off the menu. Feel free to superset this with a DB/KB/BW exercise. Tomorrow we have clean and jerks, kipping pull-ups and burpees.

METCON

EMOM x 4 Rounds of:
A: :30 Kettlebell Swings
B: :30 Shuttle Runs
C: :30 Handstand Hold

Notes
Each minute perform :30 of work followed by :30 of rest until you’ve gone through each exercise 4 times.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK2/6)

Bittersweet news, Front Desk legends Aaron W and Gus H will no longer be behind the front desk as they have both other professional projects won’t allow them to continue as staffers. HOWEVER, don’t fret too much as they both will still remain members so give them a high five next time you see them!

Front Desk Staff Wanted!

That being said… we have some openings for the Front Desk if you’re interested. Peep the deets:

Workout of the Day

5 rounds for time:
500 meter row
15 DB Shoulder Presses
30 Lunges

Notes
This is a CrossFit.com workout from 10.30.23. It will take you somewhere between 20-25 minutes with a hard cap at 30:00.

These are strict shoulder presses, not push presses with the recommended loading of: 35/25/15 But feel free to go heavier!! The presses should be completed in around 1-3 sets per round.

Use the same DBs for your lunges and make sure they’re held at the hang.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK2/6)

New UpsideDown PM series starting on 11/29

Starting on 11/29 we’re launching a new 4 week handstand intensive that will meet on Wednesdays at 6:00pm. This is a great way to really lean into you handstand practice and work with coach Suzanne-Michelle for 4 weeks on progressions specific to yourself.

This class is a modern approach to hand balancing. We will learn rules, and then break them! Great for curious minds and bodies, this class will help expand your practice here at CrossFit. Come advance your capabilities through this inversion work deep dive. students will be given tasks according to their level- ie experienced hand balancers are and new students are equally challenged and welcome. There is no age limit, no weight limit, and no prerequisites other than an open mind, patience, and the ability to touch the floor.

About the Instructor:
Suzanne-Michelle is a Pole Artist, Aerialist, Hand Balancer, and Coach. She attended Berklee College of Music as well as graduating various training programs including the American Academy of Personal Training in Boston, MA. Suzanne-Michelle (Suzy) is a certified pole instructor and trainer with over a decade of teaching experience in all areas. Students can expect individualized constructive criticism on form and flow and a passion for their personal growth. As an instructor, she strives to create an all inclusive, uber positive environment. She would also love to see all of your pet photos.

Register Here!

Workout of the Day

FLOATER STRENGTH

Push Press
5-5-5-5-5

Back Squat
Heavy 3 then, 80% AMRAP

Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

Bench Press
Heavy 3 then, 80% AMRAP

Notes
Choose a lift that corresponds to what you’ve missed this week. If you’ve hit all these lifts you can order off the menu. Feel free to superset this with a DB/KB/BW exercise. Tomorrow we have C2 rowing, DB pressing and lunges.

METCON

5 Rounds for time of:
8/6 Cal Air Bike
35 Double Unders

Notes
This is a quick couplet that should take you around 5-7 minutes.

Jump Rope
The double unders should take :20-:30 at most. If you have double unders but 35 will take you significant longer, scale the volume down by 5 rep intervals until you hit the mark. Otherwise perform 50/35 single unders.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK2/6)

Competition curious? Looking for something to do on a Friday night? Come join Coach Katie at 608 Degraw for HARPER HOUR! Whether you’re a well seasoned CrossFitter, interested in the idea of taking on your very first competition, or just looking to have a little FUN with friends, YOURE INVITED!

What: A 75 minute competition seminar for the well seasoned and/or aspiring CrossFit competitor! The first portion of the hour will be dedicated to fine tuning skills that may appear on the competition floor (gymnastics, strongman, barbell cycling etc). Strategy will be discussed on how to approach higher level mixed modal pieces, as well as team communication with synchronized movements. We will then execute what has been learned with a partner workout! Beers (or La Croixs) at a local watering hole to follow if you would like to socialize for longer!

Who: All skill levels are welcome. We just ask that you have enough group classes under your belt to ensure you are able to understand the basic CrossFit language with relative ease.
When: Friday Dec 1, 75 min seminar, from 5pm-6:15pm!
Price: $50 per person
Cap: 10 people

Register here!

Workout of the Day

ASSISTANCE

4-5 Progressive sets of:
8-16 Sandbag Squats
8-12e Three Point DB Rows
12-16 Anchored Weighted Sit-Ups

Notes
Your first round should feel very easy and each subsequent round should feel more challenging.

Sandbag Squats
This will challenge not only your legs but your upper back to support the load and maintain your posture.

Rows
These should be taken to failure in the later rounds.

Sit-Ups
Move at controlled tempo, maintain back extension the whole time and don’t let your back touch the floor at the bottom like in the video. The goal is to feel like your abs are on tension the entire movement.

STRENGTH

Bench Press
Heavy 3 then, 80% AMRAP

Notes
In roughly 5 total sets, work up to a heavy 3 on the Bench Press, then take your highest successful 3 rep weight, drop to 80% and perform 1 AMRAP set. The AMRAP should leave you with 0-1 reps in reserve.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK2/6)

JB, Grant, DO and Mucks happy in all black, as always

Tips on How to Bench Press

Workout of the Day

ASSISTANCE

3 Progressively challenging Sets of:
12-16 DB Pull Overs
:40e Single Arm Static KB Farmer’s Hold
30 Supine Leg Raises + Hip Lifts

METCON

Every 4:00 x 5 Rounds perform:
10/8/6 Strict Chin-Ups
10 Deadlifts
AMRAP Box Jumps Overs to the 2:00 Mark

Rest 2:00

Notes
Chin-Ups
Should be performed in 1-3 sets and take you :45 or less to complete. Adjust volume or difficulty with a band to hit the mark.

Deadlifts
Challenging but unbroken every round. +/225/185/155/135/95/-

Box Jump Overs
Just… jump on over to the other side of that box a bunch of times 🙂

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK2/6)

November Member of the Month: Robert Larson

Text/photo by Julie Barnard
We’re excited to announce that November’s Member of the Month is… Robert Larson! An established member and frequent event-based participant, this Open Gym’er has been making a positive impact at CrossFit South Brooklyn for 8-years. Robert is incredibly friendly and helpful, consistently gets his workouts in, is thoughtful about shared space, committed to moving well, and carries the mystique of being one of the coolest bike mechanics you’ll ever meet. He’s not a bike mechanic but I’ve stopped counting how many folks have asked if he was one. Congratulations Robert! We are incredibly happy to have you within our walls.

Name (and any nicknames)
Robert. No nicknames that are SFW.

Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Texas. Dallas, mostly. Have been in Brooklyn since 1994.

How long have you been CrossFitting, and how did you arrive at CFSBK?
I joined CFSBK in April, 2017. I was doing triathlons at the time, but hurt my knee. Jonathan Blyer, who owns Acme Bicycles (right above the gym!) recommended I go see Arturo to see about alternatives to running. I have to admit that I did a couple of sessions with him, and then kind of ghosted him. I was super-intimidated. Eventually, though, I made my way back in the spring of 2017.

What are your current fitness goals?
Mainly, NOT get injured. But inside that, I’d like hit 1000lbs in the CrossFit total. I have a looooooong way to go, but it’s nice to have something like that out there.

What keeps you coming back to CFSBK?
The people. I have terrible social anxiety and body dysmorphia. And yet, never, not once, ever, have I entered this gym and thought to myself that people are judging me. Part of my inner monologue and therapy is to be more friendly and talkative to the people that surround me, particularly when I’m at the gym, and it has only reinforced my feeling that CFSBK is a little slice of heaven in an otherwise terrible world.

Program your nightmare workout
Thrusters and burpees in any combination. Even if the workout was to do one thruster and one burpee, I’d hate it.

Program your dream workout
Bench press into heavy power cleans into heavy deadlifts. Any combo of that would be an outstanding way to get fit.

Favorite and least favorite lift
Do I really need to reiterate my incandescent hate for thrusters? Favorite lift is probably the deadlift. I love it.

Ask me about that time I….
I was working in a mail-order cycling shop, and someone called in and asked if we had an 800 number from Canada. I was, like, seriously, why would you need an 800 number to call Canada. And he asked me that again, and, again, I responded with something akin to “why would I have an 800 number for a country.” We went around and around for a while, and then he hung up in frustration. That’s when the guy in the cubicle next me said “He was asking if had a toll free number to call us from Canada.”

What are you recommending right now?
I’ve just started reading Rippetoe’s Starting Strength book. Looking forward to thinking I know waaaaaaaaay more than I actually do.

What are you up to when you’re not at 608 (or 597) Degraw Street?
We have two daughters, one a senior in college, and one a junior in high school. Two cats. But, mostly, what I do when I’m not here is work on my house. It’s a never-ending renovation. I also love to travel. My wife is a flight attendant, so I get to fly for free, which can get me in trouble, because then I ignore all my responsibilities and go and drink beer and sit in sidewalk cafes in foreign cities.

Any advice for new CFSBKers?
Listen to your coaches. The depth of the knowledge they have is impressive. Also, lift lots of heavy things.

Last thoughts?
I’m a cynic, and I believe that the world is a mostly terrible place run by terrible people with terrible motives. It would be nice if it weren’t that. I’m glad that we have a haven here in which we can find respite, both physically and mentally, and I look forward to being a part of it for many years to come.