10 minutes of Practice
Ring Inversions/Skin the Cats/German Hangs

20 Minutes NFR
5 Handstand Kick Ups or Walk Ups
10 Reverse Lunge Dislocates
5 Forward Rolls
10 PVC Sit Ups
This is Not for Rounds. Athletes will focus on quality/position with each rep of each exercise

Post experience to comments.

Worm!

It’s Back-Off Week Not Slack-Off Week

Today marks the start of Back Off Week! Please read or re-read David’s article on Back-Off weeks for more insight into why we have them and their value. Use this week to refresh, restore and recover in preparation for the upcoming cycle.  Smart athletes don’t avoid deload weeks they utilize them.  Drill skills, work on your weakenesses and/or maybe even try a new physical activity or sport! 

Tough Titsday Meet Results!

Weight Class A
1. Nicole A-230/95/215-540
2. Kate D.-190/205/220-515
3. Ellie R.-155/90/185-430

Weight Class B
1. Jessica F.-240/125/275-670
2. Melissa L.-230/135/235-600
3.Jackie Z.-215/125/260-600

Weight Class C
1. Katie M.-260/160/335-755
2. Sara DLR.-240/120/240-600
3. Robin R.-225/110/250-585

The Wilks Total Winner-Nicole A!
The Wilks Formula is used to measure the strength of a powerlifter against other powerlifters despite the different weights of the lifters. Robert Wilks is the author of the formula.

Tremendous work by all the competitors this weekend! 

Want to see photos from the event? Here is the TTDPL Flickr Album! Thanks to Malcolm S. for his great photography!

2012 Paleo Challenge Countdown Continues!

Only 18 Days Left To Sign Up For the 2012 Paleo Challenge! Sign up today!

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How are you feeling after the last 6 weeks? How do you approach back-off weeks?
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Gots to Get Your Deload On Elite FTS
Skin the Cat CrossFit Gymnastics
Skin the Cat Gymnastics WOD

7 Rounds for time of:
3 Muscle Ups
7 Thrusters 95/65

or

7 Rounds for time:
7 Burpees
7 Thrusters 95/65

Post time and Rx to comments.

So Tough

Great Job Tough Titsday Ladies!

CFSBK would like to thank all the athletes who participated in the Tough Titsday Powerlifting meet yesterday.  We’d also like to thank our spotters, judges and everyone who came out and made the first TTD PL Meet a huge success.  How did everyone do??

Only 19 Days Left To Sign Up For the 2012 Paleo Challenge!
____________________
The Reason For Brains (To Control Movement) TED Talks
ConditioningResearch
Reducing Muscle Pain and Injury Dr. John Berardi

3 Rounds For Time of:
30 Wall Ball Shots, 20lb/14lb, 10′ Target
30 Box Jumps, 24″/20″
30 Chest to Bar Pull-Ups

There is a 20 minute cap on this workout.  Scale so that you can complete it in time.

Post time and Rx to comments.

McKensey S Squats

Good luck to Yitzy S on the World’s Toughest Mudder Race this weekend. Yitzy will have 24 hours to complete as many laps of the race as possibe… intense!

Tough Titsday Powerlifting Meet Today!

Good Luck to all the women competing in today’s Tough Titdsday Powerlifting meet! These 21 women from SBK will show off how strong they are. Come cheer these ladies on as they attempt personal bests for the Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift.

List of Competitors:
Bethany B, Colette K, Kate D, Sarah LR, Paloma S, Allison K, Charlotte K, Melissa L, Noor A, Jackie Z, Melon W, Billy K, Nikki S, Robin R, Ellie R, Marian L, Worm W, Liese M, Katie M, Jess F, Nicole A

Lifting starts at 2:30pm and will last approximately 3 hours; feel free to stop by anytime.
See you by the platforms!

Registration for the 2012 Paleo Challenge is now open!

Are you ready to take the leap and sign up for the Paleo Challenge?  You’ve got between now and January 5th to get us your Plan, Photo and $20 buy in.  Below each is explained in more detail

Plan

We’ve created a template for you to fill out so that you can create YOUR plan of attack for the challenge.  The write-up template can be found as a google Doc here or as an html webpage here.  Please take your time filling this out and send it to cfsbkpaleochallenge (AT) gmail.com.  Coaches David, Margie and Chris will be reviewing your plan.

Photos

Submit your “before” photos. One from the front and one from the side. You should be wearing a bathing suit or under garments in these.  All photo submissions are private will not be published or seen by anyone outside judges without your expressed consent. Again, email them to cfsbkpaleochallenge (AT) gmail.com.

Buy In

The cost for signing up is $20 per person.  This money will help us create awards (monetary and otherwise) for all the winners.  We’ve provided envelopes for you in the community area for you to put your money in.  Please put your name on the outside of the envelope and give it directly to any of the coaches.

We’ve also included a sign up board in the gym by the community area.  Please fill out your name (neatly!) and check off each part of the registration process you’ve completed.

For more information on the Paleo Challenge, click here

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The Paleo Diet Wikipedia
Leaning Out Talk To Me Johnnie
Ask Robb Wolf Anything Youtube

Shawna S gets a spot from Jenna M

Warming Up Wisely

By Noah Abbott

Each time we walk into the gym, we are confronted with a certain amount of work for the day. For many, this is one of the greatest pluses of working out at a “non-traditional” gym- you don’t have to think about programming or planning. Upon walking in the door and looking at the white board, we are given a prescription: exercises, rep-and-set schemes, even target weights, be they relative (70% of 1RM) or absolute (225#/185#.)

Despite the seeming absolutism, each day there is as much unsaid information and room for improvisation and interpretation as there are set parameters and instructions undoubtedly scrawled illegibly and supplemented with original art from the Osorio Stick Figure collection. The way we warm up for each lift and WOD is our own time to acquaint ourselves with the given exercise, practice form and execution, and familiarize our body with the (often heavy as all get out) weight we are about to move.

In the “real world,” when give a task most people will start by hashing out a plan of attack before jumping into the deep end. If we were to fix a broken table leg, we would plan out what tools we needed, sketch a few ideas, acquire materials, set out a work space, and make sure we had enough beer to get us through our clumsy Bob Villa imitation. If given a project at work, we would brew a pot of coffee, do some internet research, sketch a few outlines, vent to coworkers about how unfair it was that we had to do this shit, call home and say we’d be home late, and then maybe get to work. I propose that before any endeavor in the gym, we should practice a similar amount of introspection, practice, and slow familiarization with our task at hand. The beer and the bitching are up to you.

Position, Balance, Tension, Focus   

Our first consideration when beginning our warm-up sets is to use lighter weight repetitions of a movement as practice for the relatively high skill movement to follow. A good rubric to follow is to begin with an emphasis on Position and Balance in our first few sets and transition to emphasizing Tension and Focus as the weight begins to increase and we near our work weight. To illustrate this concept, let’s use the squat (our most familiar and important lift) as an example.

During your first 2 or 3 warm-up sets (always starting with an EMPTY BAR), while the weight is light and manageable, try to dial in your Position. Where are your feet and hands set up? Are they too close or far? Is your rack tight and centered? Are you reaching proper depth as you squat, are your knees shoved out, is your back in a good, safe position at the bottom? Think about these concepts, and begin to fix the feeling of proper positions in your mind. Your lifting partner is an invaluable resource at this time, as they can cue you on some things you can’t see. Ask them questions, and use their feedback to inform your lifting.

Once your positioning feels OK, quickly check in on your Balance. What part of your foot is bearing your weight at the start of your squat, does it shift at the bottom or remain constant? Is your bar path straight and balanced, or is it wavering or shifting? Your partner is helpful here as well, although some elements of balance, especially in your feet, can be so subtle that they are tough to perceive. If you can’t sense your balance due to your shoes, consider removing them – going barefoot is Tre Paleo.

Now that we are Properly Positioned and Badassedly Balanced, lets work on Tension and Focus. As the weight begins to increase, shift your inner gaze to getting TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT. Are you making sure to get a full, deep breath before you lift? Are you staying tight at the bottom of the lift? Are you holding that breath at the top and staying tight and controlled at the top of the lift before your next rep? Check in with your partner, and don’t get offended if they say you’ve gone soft, this isn’t Menace II Society, G.

Finally, its time to get Focused. Are you often suprised when your warm-up sets feel really heavy and slow, and then your heavier work sets feel faster and relatively light? If so, you are probably not truly focusing until your work sets, which can be both dangerous and prevent you from reaching full potential. Treat your last few warm-up sets exactly like a work set. If you have a ritual during your work sets- stamping feet, Monica Seles grunts, weeping uncontrollably- perform it during your last few warm-up sets. Prime your central nervous system for the task at hand, and your work sets will feel even easier and more controlled when you get there. Also, as you near your work sets, cut the chatter and jokes (what my grandpa called “grab-assin”) and go to your Squatty Place. Find your Power Animal, Chi, or Inner Ronnie Coleman, get centered, and then attack the bar.

Weight Go Up, Reps Go Down, or “The Two Trains Passing In The Night Theory of Warm-ups”

Numerous times I have had an athlete come to me and complain that their first work set of, say, 100 pounds for 5 reps felt incredibly heavy and slow. I walk over to their rack to watch their next set, and before they even begin, I spot a whiteboard where this dutiful soul has recorded their warm-up sets. It reads: 45×5, 55×5, 65×5, 75×5, 85×5, 95×5. As this point I begin sounding like Foghorn Leghorn as I stammer and sputter (I say, I, I, I say, boy!) and explain that a warm-up scheme like this means that before their very first “live” squat they have already moved over ¾ of a ton of weight!

Our first few warm-up sets, while the weight is light, should mimic the repetitions we plan to use when we work, or can even be slightly more. We can use these sets to get more mobile and comfortable in the positions we will need to hit when we work. As we begin to increase weight, we should drop the repetitions. We have already achieved Supple Leopard/Panther/Aardvark status due to our dedicated mobility work, standardized warm-up, and our first few light warm-up sets. Now we just need to accustom our body to the feeling of moving heavy weight. As we get close to work sets we should drop the repetitions to singles or doubles in an effort to not fatigue ourselves before we really get started. A warm-up set for the same reps at 95% of our work weight is just a neglected work set, sitting alone and unloved in our log book and condemned to a lifetime of second class Squatizen status.

Other Considerations

If we warm up with intention (Position, Balance, Tension, Focus) and with a plan (dropping the repetitions as we increase weight), we are most of the way there, but there are still a few ideas to consider. First, as Fox likes to say, “you are your own Peyton Manning.” I assume he means 2010 Peyton Manning (a cool and introspective leader who is confident changing playcalls on the fly and makes funny commercials) and not 2011 Peyton Manning (a spinally-fused ghost who haunts the sidelines of the NFL’s worst team looking like he wants to stab his teammates, yet still makes funny commercials). Listen to your body, and be prepared to add in some extra warm-up sets if you feel cold, wonky, or want to practice something. If something feels sticky or sore, do some mobility work or foam roll a bit between warm-up or work sets. You are Peyton Manning! (Minus the peanut shaped head.)

Also, keep in mind that lifts using smaller muscle groups (think: Beach Muscles) will fatigue faster than those using your larger muscle groups (think: Yo’ Butt) Don’t go overboard warming up the Little Guys, they are generally simpler lifts anyway, and you’ll find yourself fatigued when you work. You can linger a little bit on the Big Mommas, which have higher muscular endurance and can be trickier to nail down.

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Hopefully, now that you’ve suffered through some decent information wrapped in a bunch of bad jokes, you’ve got a better understanding of the general concepts that drive a good warm-up. If nothing else, when warming up make sure you have a plan. Think about what you want to accomplish with your warm-up, and use that time to get yourself ready to succeed. A lackadaisical warm-up inevitably leads to spotty and uneven results. Make your warm-up a dress rehearsal for your lifts and then break a leg. On second thought, don’t.

Tell us about YOUR warm-up ritual.
__________________
Getting Ready to Squat Margie Lempert
Heavy: A Response Margie Lempert
Opportunities David Osorio
Good Training Habits, Part 1 David Osorio
Sett(l)ing for a new PR Chris Fox
Preparing to 1RM Chris Fox

For Time:
70 Double Unders
600m Row
50 Kettlebell Swings 53/35
40 Burpees
30 Overhead Squats 95/65
20 Pull-Ups
10 Strict Ring Dips

Post time and Rx to comments.

Unfazed by David creepin behind him, Chris P sets a new personal record at the Total

Congratulations on three new leader board performances with Teresa B, Jackie Z and Melissa L pulling off  13:26, 16:08 and 18:00 (respective) Diane scores!

Good luck to Coach Margie who will be taking her GRE test today!

Big thanks to Tom C for hooking the CFSBK Coaches with some sweet FDNY Engine Co 226 Shirts! 

The Paleo Challenge Cometh

As 2011 comes to an end, we’re excited to look forward to 2012 and start things off with a bang.  Last year’s Paleo Challenge was a huge success with over 70 participants, many of whom adopted healthy habits all throughout the year.  We hope this year will be bigger and better than ever. Please go to the challenge page and read the overview.  Registration for the challenge will open up on Saturday.  Get Stoked!

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Are you on the Facebook machine? Do you like sweet videos, even sweeter pics and the sweetest shout outs on the face of the earth?  Maybe you just want to see the cutest Tae Kwon Do fight of all time.. whatever your reasons.. be our friend on Facebook!

What are the best books you read in 2011?
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WNYC’s Picks For the Brooklyn Book Festival
The 10 Best Books of 2011 NY Times
Best Books of 2011 Publishers Weekly
“Language” Greg Admunson CrossFit
Flexibility For the Overhead Squat at 6’5″ Cathletics