65%x5
75%x5
85%x5+

The three sets listed above are your work sets with the last set being a “rep out”.  This means that you’ll perform as many reps as you can with good form.  Keep 1-2 reps in the tank on these, you should be confident that every rep you attempt will go up.

Also, these percentages are based off of 90% of your true 1RM.  So if your 1RM Squat was 100lbs, you would be doing 85% of 90lbs for the last set. Please come to the gym prepared with your numbers.
If you don’t have established 1RMs and are a new trainee, you’ll be doing 3 sets across at the same work weight.

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
10 Push-Ups
15 Pull-Ups
20 Kettlebell Swings 53/35

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Teresa and Micheal visit us from Europe and take an Active Recovery Class
Do you think a stretch like this could help counter act the effects of slouching and looking at a computer screen?

Standardized Warm Ups
Version 3.0

The start of the new group strength cycle will bring new standardized warm ups as well. Here’s what’s on tap.

Warm Up 1

3 Rounds NFT of:
10-20 Second L-Sit/Tuck Sit
10 Muscle Snatch to OH Squat w BB/PVC
10 Push Up/Knee Push Up
5-10 Pull Ups/Negatives or Bands

Warm Up 2

3 Rounds NFT of:
5 Inchworms (walk hands out only as far as you can maintain a solid hollow body position)
5 ea DB Thruster-Reverse lunge (perform 1 thruster then one reverse lunge with the DB held in the rack position)
10 Ring Face Pulls w/ External Rotation (this guys first rep is really the only good one, don’t be that guy)

What we hope to accomplish with these new versions of the standardized warm ups is to continue to build competence in some basic movements (lunges, squats, push ups, pull ups) while incorporating some shoulder girdle and rotator cuff work and some different ways to work on the hollow body position. The L-Sit and the Inchworm work the hollow body position combined with an active shoulder girdle. The Muscle Snatch/Overhead Squat and the DB Thruster/Reverse Lunge work the squat/lunge basics with some added external rotation work at the shoulder. Push Ups and Pull Ups explain themselves and will always be staples in a healthy program, and Ring Face Pulls work the shoulder girdle and external rotation combined with maintaining a stable mid-line. We’ll be going over the warm ups at the start of each class for a while until they get rolling but as always, please don’t hesitate to ask a coach for help.

Announcing Tough Titsday Plus+

TTD Plus is the third iteration of Tough Titsday. This 6 class series is all about lifting heavy and playing hard. Each Saturday, we’ll meet after classes are done and we have the gym all to ourselves. We’ll get our lift on and then break out the fun stuff you’re always eyeing like the prowler, sled, slam ball, sledgehammer, sandbags, ropes and more!

Limited to 6 participants who have some experience with lifting heavy and the desire to be awesome.

Saturdays at 2:00pm, 1.5 hours
1/21; 1/28; 2/4; 2/11; 2/18; 2/25
Register Here

…And Tough Titsday Novice!

Ladies, it is time to get your estrogen on. This four part series is geared for beginning lifters who want to develop competency on the four barbell lifts: Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press and Press. We’ll focus on technique development, how to establish appropriate warm up and work set weights for the novice lifter, as well as the mental aspect of preparing to manage heavier loads. Titsday is a practical class using moderate volume and weight; it should complement your regular CrossFit life.

For beginning lifters who have been out of Foundations at least one month and had some exposure to the movements. Limited to 4 participants.

Sundays at 11:30am, 1.5 hours
1/22; 1/29; 2/5; 2/12
Register Here

Tomorrow is the last day to get your Paleo Registration in order.  Dude.. Get on it!
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Training With Champions, Part 5 CrossFit Journal (free)
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Allen Gaoiran!

Take 20 Minutes to work up to a heavy weight on the following couplet:

Hang Snatch
Snatch

Post loads to comments.

3 Rounds for Max Reps of:
1 Minute Slam Ball 30/20/15
1 Minute DB Squat Clean Thruster 35/25/15
1 Minute Unanchored Sit-Ups
1 Minute Rest

Post total reps to comments.

Maxim B on the Erg

CrossFit Group Class Strength Programming

The new cycle is starting today so here’s a preview. Our intermediate and advanced athletes will be following a Wendler 5/3/1 for the 3 lifts we’ll be doing over the next 6 weeks. The lifting schedule is as follows:

• Wednesday – Squat + Accessory/Conditioning

• Thursday – Press + Accessory/Conditioning

• Saturday – Deadlift + Accessory/Conditioning

• Mondays and Sundays will continue to be mixed exposures of lifting, gymnastics, and conditioning

The 5/3/1 is a strength program developed by Jim Wendler that uses sub-maximal loads (a “Wendler max” is 90% of a 1RM) to keep the lifter fresh and allow for recovery from week to week. Each week there are 3  ascending ‘work’ sets and the loads on the bar go up each week as well. The first week each set is 5 reps, the second it’s 3, and the third week it’s a set of 5, followed by a set of 3, followed by a set of 1.

Here are the percentages for the work sets

Week 1
5×65%, 5×75%, 5×85%

Week 2
3×70%, 3×80%, 3×90%

Week 3
5×75%, 3×85%, 1×95%

For example, in Week 1, if you had a true 1RM press of 125lbs, you would be working off 90% of that which is 113lbs. So after your warm-up sets, you work sets would be: 73×5, 85×5, 96×5+

Week 4 is usually a de-load week but we’ll be running back to back cycles and holding off the de-load until after week 6. So, week 4 you will be starting over using week 1 percentages and basing them off a slightly higher number. Remember, the starting percentages are based off 90% of a 1RM, not a true 1RM.

This Wednesday is the start of the cycle…get stoked!

Congratulations, you’ve survived Day 1 of the CrossFit South Brooklyn Paleo Challenge.  The beginning of the challenge is often a learning process in where to get food on the go, how to easily make and pack food and what kinds of obstacles might come your way.  Always feel free to post experiences and lessons learned to comments, you may be helping someone out!

Only 4 Days left to get all your registration material in
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Brand Development with Greg Glassman CrossFit
Mel Ockerby’s 2:38 Fran at the 2011 CrossFit Games
Registration for the 2012 CrossFit Games Open Sectionals begins Feb 1st
EJ, Age 10 Does Fran

Hanging Over

There are NO group classes today!  Our regular group class schedule resumes on Monday at 6am.

We wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!

The 2012 Paleo Challenge Begins!

Today is day 1 of the 2012 Paleo Challenge!  For the next 60 Days participants will be making some pretty significant changes to their diet and lifestyle in the interest of looking, feeling and performing better.  Whatever your reasons for joining this year’s challenge we wish you the best and keep checking out the blog for info to help you reach your goals as well as updates on things like the Rest Day Dinners and the potlucks! 

The transition to Paleo can often be challenging but remember you aren’t doing this alone but with over 80 other people.  The coaches, your fellow athletes and this blog are all invaluable resources and here to help your achieve your goals.  We wish you luck over the next 60 days and can’t wait to see what the next Paleo Challenge holds for each and everyone of you!

It’s Not Too Late to Sign Up for the 2012 Paleo Challenge!

Now’s the time! Only 5 days left to sign up for the 2012 Paleo Challenge! Sign up today!
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What’s going to be your first Paleo meal of 2012?

10RM

use no more than 65% – 75% of your 1RM

Post load to comments.

21-15-9 reps for time of:
Pull-Ups
Burpees

Post time and RX to comments.
compare to 6.15.11

Guest photographer Hannah G captures a group warm-up

The CFSBK staff would like to thank everyone for an incredible 2011.  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 2012 brings us.  From the bottom of our hearts, Thank you!

A Crossfit Shoe Primer
By Coach Noah

If you’ve been Crossfitting for a little while, odds are you’ve noticed that most of our athletes tend to sport some footwear that many would consider unconventional, old-school, or just plain weird.  While you can Crossfit in any pair of shoes, some types of shoes will optimize your ability to get in good positions, protect your body, and ultimately perform better.  Since among our coaches I own the dubious honor of being the resident shoe-ho, I will be your tour guide through the always controversial world of Crossfit footwear.  3, 2, 1, GO(d I am lame)!

Training Shoes

For most of the population, one pair of shoes should suffice to get us through 99% of Crossfit workouts.  These don’t have to be incredibly expensive, and may in fact be cheaper than the over-engineered running shoes currently on the market.  Rather than give you specifics about one shoe over another, following a few general rules should get you into something appropriate:
A (relatively) flat and (relatively) non-compressible sole:  Most of the activities we perform require the ability to “feel” the floor.  Many athletes have trouble keeping their heels down when they squat or shifting their weight forward when they swing a kettlebell simply because their shoes are so built up and cushioned that they simply have no concept of their foot’s relationship to the floor.  Look for a shoe with a sole that is flat and low, without any zany cutouts or hollows.  Ideally, the shoe will be close to “zero drop” a term which means that the heel and toe of the shoe are of the same height.  The sole should also be made of relatively firm rubber.  Some shoes, in their quest for greater cushioning have embraced such plush materials that you may as well be squatting wearing a pair of sweet potatoes on your feet, which while delicious, is not ideal.

Lightweight aka the Single Digit Rule: An easy rule I’ve come to embrace is that any show I wear to work out in should weigh under 10 ounces.  Many weigh under 8, and there are some under 6 and even a few under 4.  The lighter the better, although I personally question whether your feet know the difference between 4.6 and 5.3 ounces.  Mine certainly don’t, but they, like their owner, are stupid.
Rad colors:  This is a personal sentiment, but c’mon folks, this isn’t black tie footwear we’re talking about. 

Most of these shoes fall into the “racing” or “performance” running shoe category.  Manufacturers use these terms to signify that when trying to run fast (like, say, for a race), people will want light shoes that don’t make their feet act stupid.  Since we are Crossfitters, and are ALWAYS RACING, we can just wear them all the time.

Weightlifting Shoes

Dedicated weightlifting shoes take the concept of a firm sole to the next level, using either ultra hard
synthetic (EVA or similar) or real-honest-to-paleo-god wood(!) for maximum stability and to better transmit force from the lifter to the floor.  These are purpose specific shoes, which violate the “no heel” rule above- most weightlifting shoes have a heel of about ½ to 1inch high, to allow for more ankle flexion at the bottom of squats, which helps mobility/positioning under heavy load.  Consider:

Pros:
Incredibly stable
Aids in mobility and positioning at the bottom of squats and in force transmission
Can “add” weight to your lifts (somewhat illusory/placebo, but whatever)

Cons
Most are expensive
Extremely purpose specific.  If you wear them to a bar, people will laugh at you.  Ask me how I know this.
Look like they were designed by a team consisting of my grandpa, Frankenstein, and a Hell’s Angel (except for the super sexy Nike Romaleos, which cost approximately the GDP of Belarus.)

Some other quick thoughts

LSD Shoes: No, these are not shoes to wear while attempting the Dark Side of The Moon/Wizard of Oz mashup- I’m referring to Long Slow Distance.  If you are planning to run substantial distance, or are training for a long race and logging significant miles, you may want to invest in some purpose specific running shoes.  Especially if you have not practiced (or suck at) minimalist/POSE/Chi running, you may want to avoid super-minimal shoes.  While a super-efficient runner may get away with a length of tractor tire duct taped around his foot, most of us could benefit from a little bit of cushioning in our shoes.  There are plenty of models out that split the difference between the conventional Staypuft Marshmallow Man meets Cadillac Biarritz shoe and dipping your feet in candle wax before your marathon.  Ease into it.

Chuck Taylors: Worn by the everyone from Wilt Chamberlain to Kurt Cobain to toddlers everywhere, Chucks are in many ways the perfect Crossfit shoe.  They’re flat, non-compressible, fairly light, and cheap.  Plus, you can wear them in the “real” world, which cuts down on WOD to “first beer of the weekend” transition time on Friday.  The only real downside is that they are a bit clunky to run in, and don’t make you feel like a ninja.

Vibram Five Fingers: I’m going to take some flack for this, so I will be gentle, but I don’t particularly care for VFF’s (yes, in the name of science, I do own a pair.)  VFFs arose from well-intentioned folk who wanted a more minimalist training shoe when there weren’t many options out there.  Now there are plenty of shoes that blend minimal/lightweight design and the benefits of modern technology.  Five Fingers are offer poor stability during lifting, and are inadequately padded for box jumps, double unders, and sprints.  I do think Five Fingers can be useful for training runs or to practice minimalist running, as they do offer great ground feedback, but as I mentioned earlier, that feedback comes at a price.  If you can run fast in Five Fingers, you can run faster in real sneakers, trust me. 

Ok!  Enough about shoes already!  You get the drift- light, flat, not squishy.  Cheap and colorful are pluses.  If you have any other questions, want my thoughts on Shoe A vs. Shoe B, have specific training goals or injury history to consider, or just want to talk about feet, email me at noah(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com

Skill Session: Double Unders Workshop

Hey you!  Yeah you!  The one with the jumprope tangled around your neck!  Come get your skip straightened, your bounce bolstered, and your jump jazzed up- Join Coach Noah on Saturday, January 7th at 1:30 PM for a Skill Workshop focusing on everyone’s greatest nemesis- THE DOUBLE UNDER!
 
This will be an hour long session incorporating technique discussion, movement prep, and guided practice to try and smooth out the kinks in people’s double under game.  There is a $10 drop in fee and participants should have at least 3 linked double unders in their repertoire.  Space is limited to eight people, sign up on the sheet next to the bulletin board at the gym.

The Paleo Challenge starts TOMORROW!

Tomorrow marks the first official day for the 2012 Paleo Challenge. We’ve got about 80 folks Willing, Able and Ready to make some dramatic changes in their health, performance and appearance.  The next two months will test your will and reveal to you how important consistent healthy nutrition can be.  Best of luck, Paleo Warriors!

Only 6 days left to sign up for the 2012 Paleo Challenge! Sign up today!
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How will you spend the first day of 2012?
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