Welcome to 2013! CFSBK will not be running AM classes (6a,7a,8a) today but we’re back on schedule at 12pm and then we’ve switched to our new Monday-Thursday Evening schdedule of: 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30pm

There is no Comp Class or Active Recovery Tonight

See you tonight!   

No Rep, Noah!!

CrossFit Crow Hill is opening up! Check out their grand opening party this Saturday

2013 Look, Feel and Perform Better Challenge Starts Today!

Time to tighten the screws! The LFPB Challenge starts today, you and over 90 CFSBKers will spend the next 6 weeks refining the habits that will help initiate positive habits for the rest of the year. Remember, you guys need to complete the following 3 steps:

1. Pay your $20 buy in at the front desk white board
2. Fill out the online form with your “before” pictures. These are also great shots to review not only after the challenge, but at the end of 2013.
3. Perform the Capacity test posted yesterday.

New Waivers

Every year we re-up our membership waivers and in 2013, we’re going paperless!  Please take a few minutes to fill out our new online waiver.  We’re going to be bugging you guys about this until everyone’s done it so just do us a favor and fill it out today

Click here to fill it out
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New Trampled Snow Art from Simon Beck

Take 15 minutes to work up to a heavy double on the Sumo Deadlift

Post loads to comments.

Look, Feel and Perform Better Capacity Test

In 7 Minutes
Row 1000/850m
Then in the remaining time perform as many rounds as possible of:
10 Burpees
15 Kettlebell Swings

Male weights: 24k, 20k, 16k
Female weights: 16k, 12k, 8k

Range of motion standard for the Kettlebell swing is such that the entire bell should clear your head with your knees and hips at full extension. Burpees are chest to deck followed by a jump with full hip extension.

If you can’t complete this today, perform this workout as soon as possible. Ask a coach if you’re able to substitute one of the following week’s WODS for this if you need to, or  come to Open Gym on Friday or Sunday.

Post Row time and rounds/reps completed to comments.

Fran’s got a new look for the new year

New Year’s Schedule

• New Years Eve, Monday Dec 31: 6am, 7am, 8am, 12pm classes normal. 5-8pm Open Gym
• New Years Day Jan 1: No am classes. 12pm, 4:30p, 5:30p, 6:30p, 7:30p, 8:30p ) new schedule goes into effect). NO Active Recovery or Competition Class.

The Look Feel and Perform Better Challenge Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow jump starts a happy and healthy 2013.  While in some ways, it’s just another day, many of you guys have committed to starting the new year on the right foot by cultivating some good habits that will extend well beyond the challenge.  Self improvement is noble virtue and something we should all strive for, no matter how large or small the change may be. As comfortable as it is to behave in the ways we’re used to, we know that we only limit our experience and happiness by doing what’s easiest. Change is slow and takes time, lay your first brick for the new year tomorrow!

Also don’t forget to mark your calendars for January 19th. CFSBK will be hosting our first community potluck where all are invited to sit down together and break bacon with old friends and new.

ALSO two CFSBK superstars have submitted Challenge Trackers to help you tally points along the way. Check them out!

Jonathan S’ Tracker

Bekka P’s Tracker

Thank You 2012

The CFSBK staff would like to thank everyone for an incredible 2012. We’ve seen our gym grow by leaps and bounds in the last year and that is in no small part due to the dedication, integrity and fun that our community brings to the gym every single day. We are so thankful to work with you guys and can’t wait to see what 2013 brings us. From the bottom of our hearts, Thank you!

What was your favorite (or some of your favorite) moments of 2012?
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5 Rounds for load and reps:
5 Thrusters, heavy
:20 seconds AMRAP Pull-Ups

Perform 5 unbroken Thrusters then move immediately to the pull-up bar and perform as many pull-ups as possible in :20 seconds. Rest as needed between attempts. Find your heaviest 5 rep Thruster for today.

Post loads and reps per round to comments.

CrossFit South Brooklyn Collected Training: V1 (Dec 2012)

66 Strong

We’ve currently got 66 folks signed up for the 2013 Look, Feel and Perform Better Challenge. Some of you guys still have to either pay your $20 entrance fee, submit your online “before” form and/or sign your name up on the list by the couches.  If you still owe any of these actions, complete 1 TODAY.  The Challenge officially starts this Tuesday!

Tough Titsday Cometh

Our third “Tough Titsday Powerlifting Meet” is quickly approaching.  We’ve got 25 gals ready to test their wits against the barbell in three lifts. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to come cheer on the gals. Female atheltes are especially encouraged to attend.

What: 3 attempts at a 1 rep max of Backsquat, Bench Press and Deadlift
When: January 5, 2013 at 2:30pm
Who: Some of SBK’s toughest ladies (see below)

The Details:
Each woman will have 3 attempts to hit a max single in Squat, Bench and Deadlift, in that order. All lifters will make their attempts in each lift before moving to the next.
First, second and third place winners will be awarded in each weight class based on total combined weight of best lifts.

Competitors:
1. Janelle R.
2. Cassie X.
3. Sarah W(orm).
4. Laura M.
5. Bethany B.
6. Mobina H.
7. Jenna J.
8. Katie Mo.
9. Julie B.
10. Haley G.
11. Jessica B.
12. Lauren B.
13. Whit H.
14. Jen S.
15. Judith G.
16. Sarah LR
17. Courtney H.
18. Marian L.
19. Radhika V.
20. Shaye L.
21. McKensey S.
22. Erica W.
23. Lauren H.
24. Christine N.
25. Nicole A.
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An open letter to every person I meet who finds out I ride a motorcycle Hell For Leather

Work up to a heavy 10 rep set

Post loads to comments.
____________

For Time:
20 Burpees
30 DB Hang Power Clean @45% BW
20 Burpees
30 KB Swings 72/53
20 Burpees

Post time and Rx to comments.

VER IST ZE MICROFILM?!

Happy belated Birthday, Bekka P!

Time Out NYC has done a run down on some of the City’s CrossFit gyms. Check us out!

Head Start Your LFPB Challenge

On January 1st many of you guys will be taking on the Look, Feel and Perform Better Challenge to dial in some lifestyle and nutritional factors that have been limiting your performance and health.  That being said, for many this will be a large overhaul on business as usual and easing into things might help make the transition in January more manageable for you. Here are some ideas to kick start better behaviors:

1. Start taking your fish oil tablets. Pick a consistent time (and a back up time) to take them daily. Make it part of your pre work ritual or post dinner wind down.

2. Switch your beverages.  If you’re drinking soda, sugary coffee, weird energy drinks with lots of exclamation points and neon colors on the label, start switching these out. Create a new Water, seltzer or tea habit.  Sweet beverages are some of the worst things you can put in your body and can really mess with your insulin sensitivity.

3. Start setting a bed time and making note of how many hours of sleep you got.  Have a baseline so you know what you’ve been doing, this will make it easier to see which days you sleep least and help you figure out strategies to get more sleep.

4. Take an A/R Class. Pick up some new mobilizations and soft tissue work you can take home with you.  You might find that one stretch that you feel like you need every day. Start building your tool box.

Remember, the Look Feel and Perform Better Challenge starts in 4 DAYS.

Sameer P’s New Years Party

Got plans for the 31st? Sameer P is throwing a party, check out some details and the link below for more info:

Photo Booth by Frank Scallo Photography
Music Courtesy of the Cloudfactory (Pop, House, Techno, Tech-House)
Bespoke Cocktail Bar
NY Blackout Cake by Leske’s Bakery
Rooftop Fireworks

Dancing.Drinking.Debauchery
More information here
__________________
10 Things That Happen When You Start CrossFit The Reformed Broker

Coach Nick or “Quadzilla”

Strategies for Movement Development:
The Olympic Lifts, Part 1

The quick lifts are notorious for their perceived complexity and many athletes struggle developing capacity in the lifts. To the undeveloped lifter, the Olympic lifts look like a blur of movement and often feel even worse. Putting it all together seems overwhelming and often frustration and dismay ensue.  The good news however is that with the right approach steady progress can be made.  Below are three things to consider that I gurantee will make your training more productive.

Mindset
The Olympic Lifts (Snatch & Clean and Jerk) are different than the Power Lifts (Deadlift, Back Squat, Bench Press). While both are barbell exercises, the Olympic lifts are demonstrations of power expressed through a technically sensitive sequence movements and positions. Their inherent speed decreases your margin for error unlike the power lifts (misnomer anyone?) which are performed at slower tempos and are easier for your nervous system to process.  We often harp on gradually increasing the loads on your power lifts to develop strength and many in our gym have been quite successful getting strong through gradual progressive increases of weight on the bar.  We cannot however expect the same linear development of the olympic lifts. Your emphasis when approaching these lifts should be “as heavy as technically proficient today” instead of “a little heavier than last time”.  If you’re feeling good and the positions are clicking, then by all means push a little that day, but if you’re missing positions and starting to deviate from good form, you need to pull back and work on the skill component of the lifts.  This mindset helps produce productive training sessions where you can focus on getting better, not necessarily moving more weight. Instead, each time you train, focus on one to two aspects of the lift you want to develop that day. Even if you moved 10lbs less then the previous week but your rack delivery became a little smoother and quicker, you’ve moved in the right direction.

Positions
The biggest mistake I see athletes make is not taking the time to develop PERFECT starting and rack positions. The beauty of these is that they’re static positions you can take the time to work on and get right every time. There are a lot of things happening quickly in the Olympic lifts, but if you focus on achieving mature start and end positions a lot of the blurry stuff in the middle will naturally begin to work itself out. 

Start position basics
Whether you’re starting from below the knee, the floor or anywhere else take the time to make sure your back is arched, your weight is balanced and the bar is touching your body with your arms hanging straight. On top of that, remember that you’re about to rapidly accelerate a barbell and you need to get TIGHT. This means taking the slack out of the barbell/you system by taking a big breath in and bracing your muscles.  You upper back should feel engaged and your hamstrings should be on tension (like our “gillie” stretch). A simple way to think about this would be to imagine you’re about to jump as high as you possibly can from your start position. Another way to think about it is to imagine you’re going to throw the barbell as high as you can towards the ceiling. These mental cues often help people achieve the positions and tension they need to initiate an efficient pull (does this guy look soft?). Never, ever (ever) rush through your start position. If you’re soft or out of balance, the barbell’s trajectory will deviate from where it needs to be and the lift will be missed or botched.  You simply cannot lift well from a bad start position, so take the time to learn exactly where you need to and get there every-single-time.

Rack Position
I don’t think there’s anything that makes me want to pull my hair out more than people who try and stand up a lift they haven’t properly racked on their shoulders or overhead. It’s understandable that this portion of the lift can be difficult for folks because of mobility restrictions or general apprehension about the movement but once you’ve got that barbell in the rack position, take the time to make it perfect before standing it up. If it’s so heavy that you can’t troubleshoot your position here you’ve jumped the gun and gone too heavy too fast. Developed lifters will need to troubleshoot minor errors and occasionally chase a lift but it’s never because they don’t know how to properly rack the barbell. Think of if this way, every time you do an Olympic lift there are three positions you need to get through.

A. Your Start Position: On tension, in balance and ready to explode
B. Your Rack Position: In the clean, this means the barbell is on your shoulders with your hands open and elbows as high as you can get them. In the Snatch, the barbell is locked out overhead above the middle of your foot. These can be received anywhere from a 1/4 to full squat.
C. Your Finish Position: Fully stood up with the barbell and you in balance and under control.

Often I see people want to go straight from A to C in an effort to simply complete the lift. If there is no distinct rack delivery position in the early stages of your learning progression you will NEVER (ever) move heavier weights well and you’ll never lift anywhere near as much as you’re truly capable of. The “B” should be a quick, distinct and crisp moment where the lift is won or lost.
Have you ever really pressed out a snatch overhead? YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. Have you ever stood up a clean with your hands still clenched to the barbell and your elbows low? YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. Stop doing it wrong, it’s really not that hard. Just fucking take the extra time to fix the position every time you get there before standing up.  If you practice this consistently it eventually won’t be a problem because a smooth and complete rack delivery will be so intuitive to you you’ll get as mad as I am right now when you see people rushing through this portion. These concepts also hold true for Olympic lifts in conditioning workouts. Every rep should be executed with intention of hitting A-B-C-A-B-C-A-B-C… as consistently and correctly and quickly as possible. The newer you are, the longer you’re going to need to take at each position before moving to the next. If your WODs look like A-C-A-C-A-B²-C-a-q-C-A-W?-C you need to chill out out and slow down.

In conclusion, don’t stress about your numbers every time you train the O-Lifts, learn what a good start position feels like and never stand up a lift you haven’t finished racking. Easy peasy.

Okay, movie time

Califorina Strength on Cleaning and the Rack Position

Watch Cal Strength at Catalyst Athletics. Get used to seeing the A-B-C for each lift.