Laura C. a.k.a Dubie beasting out with kettlebell swings

News and Notes 

• Stella Z. is toying with the idea of organizing a Ragnar Relay team, either for Cape Cod (May 8-9) or Madison to Chicago (June 12-13). Email Stella at stellavision [at] gmail.com if you’re interested. You don’t have to be committed yet; she’s just gauging interest levels. 
• PLEASE TAKE YOUR OLY SHOES HOME Monday 12/22 through Monday 1/5. We are redoing the shoe containers and want to make sure the shoes we have are actually being used. If you are traveling, please pick them up earlier. Email the Front Desk with any other questions, cfsbkfrontdesk [at] gmail.com.
• There’s still time to sign up for Flex and the City! The event is on February 14th and teams are comprised of two men and two women. There are three events. Learn more here and contact Coach MeLo at Melissa [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com with any questions. 
• Schedule Reminders: 11am Active Recovery is canceled tomorrow! Check out our full list of changes for the rest of December here.

Reminder: Help Others This Holiday Season 

New York Cares Coat Drive (12/6 – 12/21)
Give the gift of warmth this holiday season. CFSBK is collecting new and gently used winter coats to help keep those in need warm during the winter season. New York Cares aims to collect 100,000 gently used winter coats each November and December and distributes them to thousands of men, women, and children who would otherwise go without them. They work hand-in-hand with a wide variety of Community Partners in New York City to make sure coats are distributed as quickly as possible. Coats will be collected at the front desk from 12/6 – 12/21. We are only collecting coats at this time. 

City Harvest Canned Food Drive (12/22 – 1/4)
From 12/22 – 1/4 CFSBK will be collecting canned foods to help stock NYC’s food pantries and soup kitchens. City Harvest helps feed the more than 1.4 million New Yorkers facing hunger each year. They provide free deliveries of food to more than 500 emergency food programs throughout New York City. The most needed foods are canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned proteins (like fish and chicken), and peanut butter (plastic jars).

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How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (and Why) The Atlantic
Explore the Structure of Manhattan’s Urban Fabric
Be a Good Gym Member: Safety, Respect And Taking Care of Equipment Catalyst Athletics 

Fitness: 5 x 3 Linear Progression
Bail each rep and reset within a few seconds. Try to go heavier than last week.

Performance: Work up to a top set of 5 on a Touch and Go Power Clean
Work on resetting hook grip on the descent. Hips back, chest and knees OUT on the descent to the floor. You can pause at the hang but not at the floor. Must be touch and go. Try and go a bit heavier than last week. 

Post loads to comments.
e3/6
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CrossFit Mainsite WOD 12/10/14
In front of a clock set for 12 minutes:
1 minute of Squat Cleans
1 minute of Push Jerks
2 minutes of Squat Cleans
2 minutes of Push Jerks
3 minutes of Squat Cleans
3 minutes of Push Jerks

Gals Rx = 95
Guys Rx = 135
Score reps for each set. Scale load as appropriate. 

Post reps and Rx to comments.

Jill and Rachel getting their air squat on

News and Notes

• Come party tonight with lululemon Brooklyn at 166 Smith Street! The store is having a party tonight with local vendors and artists and complimentary food/booze. They would love any and all CFSBKers to come hang. The party goes from 8:30-10:30 but might run a little over. RSVP and get more details here!
• Happy birthday, Abul H.! 

Prevention Strategies to Help You Avoid Getting Sick

Tis the season for a lot of things, including the flu. Here’s a list we pulled from WebMD to help keep CFSBKers safe and healthy: 

• Think of hand washing as a survival skill (more on this below).
• Never touch your mouth, nose, or eyes without washing your hands.
• Don’t share food and other things that go in the mouth, as in guzzling milk from the carton or double dipping chips.
• Encourage family members or friends to cover their mouths with a tissue when they cough or sneeze and to dispose of the tissue themselves. No time to grab a tissue? Cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow instead of your hands.
• Avoid sharing personal items like toiletries, towels, and pillows.
• Get proper rest and good nutrition to improve resistance and bolster immunity.
• Use paper towels instead of community towels in the bathroom and kitchen.

According to the CDC, frequent and thorough hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent catching colds, flu, or any contagious disease. Be sure to wash your hands frequently, including the following times: 

• Before and after you prepare food
• Before you eat
• After you use the bathroom
• Before and after changing a baby’s diaper
• After handling animals or animal waste
• After coughing or sneezing
• When your hands are dirty
• More frequently if someone in your home is sick  

To wash hands properly, follow these steps: 

• Wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Place bar soap on a soap dish that allows it to drain.
• Rub your hands together vigorously, scrubbing all surfaces for 15 to 20 seconds. That’s about how long it takes to hum the song “Happy Birthday to You” twice.
• Rinse well and dry your hands. In a public restroom, use the air dryer or paper towels.
• In the absence of soap and water, use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers.

But then of course, there’s this option… “Science Says: Cocktails Could Protect You From Getting Sick.” 

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Why the First Law of Thermodynamics Has No Place In Human Nutrition David Gillespie
Noah Ohlsen on Workout 12/10/14 CrossFit
The Art of Stillness Pico Iyer 

Fitness: 3 x 3 Linear Progression
Add 5-10 pounds to last week. 

Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 65% of 1RM (capped at 20) 

Post loads to comments.
e3/6
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Fitness
Partner WOD
5 Rounds Each for Time:
7 Overhead Squats 95/65
21 Kettlebell Swing 53/35
Overhead squat should be light enough to snatch and then perform the reps unbroken. 

Performance
Partner WOD
5 Rounds Each for Time:
9 Chest to Bar Pull Ups
6 Power Snatches 135/95
3 Overhead Squats 135/95
Buy-in is kipping chest to bar pull ups, and organized touch-and-go snatches.

Post time and Rx to comments.

LOOK WHO DROPPED BY CFSBK YESTERDAY! Olympian badass Holley Mangold!!

News and Notes

• PLEASE TAKE YOUR OLY SHOES HOME Monday 12/22 through Monday 1/5. We are redoing the shoe containers and want to make sure the shoes we have are actually being used. If you are traveling, please pick them up earlier. Email the Front Desk with any other questions, cfsbkfrontdesk [at] gmail.com.
• The 2015 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge Kick-Off and Q&A Meeting is on Sunday, 12/28, at 4pm! This Challenge is a collective kick start into healthier nutrition and recovery habits. The Challenge will run from Saturday 1/3/2015 through Friday 2/13/2015. Head over to our Event page to learn more about the meeting, and click here to learn more about the Challenge!
• CONGRATS to Rob Is on winning his division (82.5Kg, Masters 1) at the USA American Open Powerlifting Championships last weekend, and to former strength cycler Laurent, who took the silver medal.

Compete in Flex in the City with Other CFSBKers!

There is a Flex in the City Team Event coming up at the 69th Regiment Armory (E 25^th and Lexington) on Saturday, February 14th and we’d like to send some teams to compete and represent CFSBK!

Teams are comprised of two men and two women and there are three events:

1) Max Effort
2) Metcon Ladder
3) “The Rig” 

Registration cost is $100 per person ($400 per team). There are scaled and RX divisions. Full event details can be found here.

If you are interested in participating, can commit to competing on February 14th, and would like to be placed on a CFSBK team, please fill out this form by Sunday, December 14: Flex in the City Team Event. If you have any questions, please email Coach MeLo: Melissa [at] CrossfitSouthBrooklyn.com.

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Finding Purpose Through CrossFit CrossFit
Why Do My Knees Make Noise When I Squat? New York Times
Good Samaritan Tortoise Helps Friend Who’s Flipped Over

Jay-Star takes this holiday season to a whole new level

News and Notes 

• There’s still time to sign up for Flex and the City! The event is on February 14th and teams are comprised of two men and two women. There are three events. Learn more here and contact Coach MeLo at Melissa [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com with any questions. 
• Sam P. is biking across Florida in just 12 days with an organization very near and dear to her heart: Bike and Build, which helps to raise money and awareness for US affordable housing initiatives. She is 22% of her way toward raising her $300 goal and if you have any spare dollars floating around, she would be super grateful for the support! Donate here, and hit her up at s.goldman.peltz [at] gmail.com with any questions!
• Coach Arturo’s client Anna L. wants to share a quick video about how to dance, and she wants you to share your moves. Share your best video clips and pictures using #PureWowParty. (Jay-Star, we’re looking at you.)

Jake L. Reports Back on the 2014 American Open Championships 

My first national meet. I made it…now it’s time to go and put up a total!

My initial plan was to open my snatch with 130kg (286#). However, after watching numerous people on Saturday bomb out, I decided to be a bit humble and open with something I knew 100% I’d be able to hit.  

Sunday morning and its 4:30am. I wake up for a brief couple of seconds in my strange hotel room bed and think to myself, What the fuck am I doing, why am I in DC stressing out about a weightlifting meet? I tell myself to STFU and go back sleep. The alarm goes off at 6am. I order a smoothie and bagel from room service, pound some creatine mixed with water and c4 immediately. It’s time to weigh in… 

I get my stuff together and bleary-eyed, walk downstairs to the hall outside of the weigh-in area. I was the first one to weigh in and declare my opening weights. I chose to open with 127kg (279#) on the snatch and 160kg (352#) on the clean and jerk. Both weights I was sure I’d be able to hit.  

Get some iced coffee with two shots of espresso and slurp it down while sitting in the warm up area alone at 730am. Bars and weights were strewn about from the night’s session before, all of them looking very heavy and immovable. The caffeine begins to take effect, my heart begins to thump a bit harder and finally my body and mind begin to awake. 

8:15am and the warm-up area is bustling with anxious lifters and busy coaches. Everyone eager to get their hands on a bar and begin the warm-up process. I drink another scoop of C4 and I am AMPED. 8:20am, I pick up the bar and finally begin to do some bar work. The competition has begun. 

My snatches felt amazing during the warm-ups. I felt fast and strong, all the lifts were crisp and solid. 

132, 176, 198, 220, 242, 253, 264, 275. No misses, everything on point. Adrenaline flowing, but my nerves are pretty steady. I am confident with my opener and don’t feel much pressure. My name is called and I walk out on the platform. Grip the bar, set my back, and pull like a motherfucker. CRUSH the opener. But… as I’m walking off the platform I see two red lights… WTF?? I’m confused. I realize I had failed to fully straighten my right foot and my feet were not perfectly parallel. Very sloppy mistake! No lift… SHIT.  

The weight had felt so good that I decide to go up to 286 anyway on my second attempt. Walked out and took it for granted and wasn’t aggressive enough in the finish… dumped in forward. UH OH. I’m one miss away from bombing out of the meet. NOT a good position to be in. I retook 286. This time I made sure I was pulling it as if it was 400 pounds. Smashed it.  Good lift!!! I’m on the board, THANK God. I really felt as if I had the potential to snatch 300+, but sometimes the game plan changes and getting on the board is more important than being a hero. 

Pressure is off… now it’s time put up some big weight on the clean and jerks.

One of my favorite things about competitions is how much faster I feel. It’s as if my body moves at three times its normal speed. My jerks during the warm up were faster and crisper than I had ever felt. So ready to get out there and lift. 

220, 264, 297, 319, 341. No misses, each lift feeling better than the last. Walked out for my opener at 160kg (352#) and nailed it. Second lift, 165kg (363#), only four lbs under my PR, and crushed it. This was the single best lift I’ve ever executed. The jerk felt almost perfect. I was very confident I would hit my third and final attempt at 170kg (374#). This would be a PR. I caught the clean a bit forward and it was a real grind standing it up. Missed the jerk. No worries though! 295Kg total. I’ll take it! 

It was an amazing experience getting to compete on such a big stage amongst so many other great lifters. I wound up coming in 12th place. 

Huge thank you to Todd for helping me back stage, coaching me, and giving me encouragement. It was very comforting to have him there and I think it really contributed to how at ease I felt. It was just like OG!! Also a huge thank you to Lauren for making it out to cheer me on as well. 

Time to let the joints rest up a bit, and do some CROSSFITTING for a little bit. 🙂

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Got Grit? A Quiz
The Power of Expectation Juggernaut 
Men Explain Things to Me Rebecca Solnit

Bench Press

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add 2.5 – 5 pounds to last week. 
Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 65% of 1RM (capped at 20)
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Deadlift 

Fitness and Performance: 1 x 5
Add 5 – 15 lbs to last week ONLY IF ALL YOUR REPS WENT WELL. No loss of spinal position. No touch and go.

Post loads to comments.
e3/6
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For time:
30 Dumbbell Power Snatches, alternating arms
30 Burpees
30 Dumbbell Power Snatches, alternating arms

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Our strong Tough Titsday ladies from July 2013!

• Come party with lululemon Brooklyn at 166 Smith Street! The store is having a party this Thursday, Dec. 18th, with local vendors and artists and complimentary food/booze. They would love any and all CFSBKers to come hang. The party goes from 8:30-10:30 but might run a little over. RSVP and get more details here!
• Happy birthday, Grace R.!

Announcing CrossFit South Brooklyn’s Women’s Powerlifting Competition

The Iron Maidens Raw Open
February 28, 2015, 10AM-5PM
Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift

You are invited to test your one rep maxes in a rare, women’s only environment of badassery. Compete for awesome prizes and cheer on female feats of strength. This meet is open to all women; you do not need to be a member of CFSBK to compete. We only have space for 50 participants, so sign up soon!

Prizes will be awarded to the women with the top three Totals in each weight class. Beer will be awarded to all. 

(We encourage novice to advanced lifters to participate, but strongly advise that you have at least several months of consistent training under your belt.) 

Details

Entry Fee: $50 for non-SBK members; $40 for SBK members.
Includes: Eligibility for prizes, a t-shirt, pre-meet rules/movement clinic, beer 

Registration Deadline: February 14, 2015

Pre-Meet Rules/Movement Clinic: February 15, 2015, 2:30PM, at CFSBK (optional) 

Get the meet rules here. 

Weight classes: Pixies (125lbs and under); Ladies (140lbs and under); Dames (155lbs and under); Broads (Over 155lbs)

REGISTER HERE.

REGISTRATION NOTE: Members who log in should see the $40 registration option. Members can also stop by the front desk to sign up with the discounted rate.

Schedule

10AM-1PM: Pixies and Ladies
2PM-5PM: Broads and Dames
Weigh-in and check-in: 8:30-9:30AM; 11:30-12:30PM 

Questions: Contact Margie Lempert, Meet Director, margielempert [at] gmail.com.

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Missing Snatches Behind: Diagnosis and Correction Catalyst Athletics
The ‘Big Bang’ of Bird Evolution Science Codex
Stunning Music Video for Nils Frahm’s ‘Re’ Colossal 

Fierce CFSBK females: Have you signed up for The Iron Maidens Raw Open?