75%x5
85%x3
95%x1+

Post loads and reps to comments.
compare to 1.12.12

3 Team Partner WOD:
75 Reps Shoulder to Overhead, 165/115
100 Reps Power Clean, 165/115
125 Push-Ups

This workout is done chipper style with only one partner working at a time. The sets can be partitioned out as desired.

Post partners, Rx and time to comments.

Craig C Squats 405×2 For Yesterday’s Rep Out

Dude, Where’s My 1RM?
By Coach Jeremy 

Everyone has had the experience:  it’s the 2nd attempt of a Crossfit total or your working up to a new 1RM on singles day, you load up the bar with a weight equal to you your existing 1RM, you get psyched up, unrack the bar, go into the hole, and……nothing.  It doesn’t come back up.  Why?  Did you get weaker?  Are you doing something wrong?  Why can’t you do what you’ve already done?

Think of a 1RM not so much as a measure of strength capacity but as an act of strength performance.  Veteran lifters will speak of owning a weight versus hitting a weight.  Owning a weight means that you can get under a bar just about anytime you want and move that weight (assuming a proper warm-up and having not done back-to-back hero WOD’s that week).  Hitting a weight is a much less reproducible feat.  It means that on a day where you felt good, were well rested, timed your eating properly, had your weight belt sitting just right, heavenly bodies were aligned properly, and you managed not to fuck anything up,  you were able to squeeze out a higher weight than ever before. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a weight that you have only hit isn’t something that you can just do on command.  It’s an act of strength and will; repeating it doesn’t just happen.  No sprinter expects to hit a PR every time they run a given distance, not in competition and especially not in training.  There is no reason to just assume that every time you get under a barbell you’re going to PR.

We should also consider that not every one’s best event in lifting is the 1RM.  Consider again, sprinting.  All sprinters are fast, that’s why they are sprinters.  However sprinters have different specialties, some are better in a 60m dash, others are better at the quarter mile.  If we took a random group of sprinters and tested their best times at a series of distances, say 60m, 100m, 200m, and 400m, we would probably find that the rankings would look very similar across the events: the faster runners would tend to do well at all of them.  However, you would also expect to see some shuffling of rankings based upon the individual strengths of the sprinters.  Some are better at accelerating, some run the turns well, some finish well, etc. To bring this back to lifting, imagine a group of powerlifters from the same weight class.  If you tested their 1RM, 3RM, and 5RM squat you would see something very similar:  The strongest lifters would tend to be at the the top of each ranking, however you would also see some move up or down the leader board as the reps changed based upon their individual characteristics.  This is relevant to us because the better you are at an event, the 3RM versus the 1RM for instance, the more likely you are able to reproduce your best effort.  We should test our strength at 3RM’s and 5RM’s for precisely the same reason that Track and Field tests more than just the 100m dash as a measure of speed.

Weighlifting, Powerlifting and Crossfit Total’s are all tests of 1RM. This isn’t because 1RM’s are magical, it’s just that they are easier to quantify, they are the highest weights (and everyone wants to see big weights), so they lend themselves to being tested. All this being said there is certainly nothing wrong with going after 1RM’s and when game day comes, you want to break some records. Set yourself up for success by working hard at a good program, resting up in the days leading to the event and getting your head inside your lift when you get under the bar.  Once the day’s lifting is over, let it go.  A sprinter isn’t suddenly slow on the day they don’t PR; you’re not weak on the day you don’t either.  Allow for the fact that not everyday you try to PR is going to be the perfect day to demonstrate that amount of strength.

Did you play any sports as a kid?  Whether you did or did not, how do you think it affected you?

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Muscle Spotlight: Psoas CrossFit South Bay
CrossFit, Living the Dream
The 27 Rules of Conquering The Gym Wall Street Journal
Mark Rippetoe, Fixing The Squat: Hip Drive
How to get a better rack CrossFit Invictus

75%x5
85%x3
95%x1+

Post loads and reps to comments

3 Rounds NFT:
8-10 Front Squats
15 Pull-ups

Front squats will be power cleaned off the deck. Choose a weight that will allow you to hit each rep range in one set. You can move up in weight if you hit 10.  Use this as an opportunity to work your kipping pull-up rythem.  If you can, do each set unbroken.

Post loads and reps to comments.

Dave E gets over the bar

Jacinto On Mainsite!

Check out local legend Jacinto Bonilla working out with Team Again Faster at Mike’s Gym in California. Here Jacinto and Coach Mike Burgener talk about the Split Snatch.  Jacinto is a former CFSBK coach, CrossFit Games level masters competitor and one of the nicest people you could ever spend some time with.

Got Kids?

So you’re a parent who wants to go out, but you cringe at the thought of paying $50 (if you’re lucky) for a babysitter. Thankfully, there’s the Park Slope Babysitting Coop, a group of families in the area who babysit for one another using a point system – this saves you cash and allows greater flexibility and availability compared to a one-on-one exchange between two families. The group’s members live in Park Slope and surrounding neighborhoods, but it does not have geographical boundaries.

Interested in joining? Our very own CFSBK is hosting the Babysitting Coop’s next bi-annual get-together on Saturday, January 21st, from 2:30 to 4:30. The purpose of these get-togethers is for the parents to meet each other and each others’ kids. Email Coach Nick at nick[at]crossfitsouthbrooklyn[dot]com if you plan to come.

Coach Margie Squats!

We’ve added a few new pictures to the banner rotation. Enjoy!

Potluck on the Horizon

The CFSBK Paleo Potluck is this Saturday at 6:00pm!  As of right now about 75 folks have RSVP’d and from the looks of it we’ll have some great dishes (and tequila) to sample all night.  This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow SBK’ers in a casual setting and learn some tastey new dishes you can add to your own rotation.  If you’d like to come and haven’t RSVP’d yet please do so on the Event Page today. Tomorrow is the unofficial deadline to rsvp since we’ll need to get an accurate headcount for tables, cutlery etc. 

Got Meat? Got Veggies? Need Variety? Add Sauce…

By Christian Fox

            You’ve dutifully prepare some meals at home. But now, you’re getting tired or bored. It happens all the time. Folks set out full steam ahead with every intention of cooking more healthy meals at home, but in a week or two it becomes either too much work, or too monotonous. I’ve said before that a big key to actually cooking at home is pre-prep, that way it’s as easy as possible to throw a meal together on a Wednesday night after a long day at work, and the gym, and the dozen other things that you have going on in your life. Having a pre-roasted piece of meat can be a lifesaver here, as can having a quick cooking protein like filleted fish, lean pork chops, lean steaks, and the like. Problem is that just good old salt and pepper can start to seem like punishment after a while to some. Having a few pre-made sauces in your fridge or freezer to call upon can add variety to the same meat and veg throughout the week. Try these…

Aji’ – Kind of a Columbian salsa. This stuff is like crack. It takes any meat or fish to another level, and also works as an amazing dip, best scooped with some tostones. Super easy to make.

In a food processor or a blender:

• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 small Red Onion, rough chopped
• 1-2 Chiles, rough chopped, depending on how much heat you like (Serrano or Jalepeno work well)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, rough chopped
• 1-2 medium Carrots, rough chopped (carrots bring both sweetness and texture)
• ½ Bunch Cilantro, rough stems removed
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 cup White Vinegar (or cider vinegar to keep it mas Paleo)
  

Add ½ of the vinegar first to help chop the veg, and then the other ½ to mix

This makes about a quart of deliciousness. The vinegar helps it keep well, but you can also freeze half for next month.

Basic Marinara – Everyone should know how to make this staple. It’s a template that can serve as the base for other sauces as well. The later addition of herbs, spices, or veg, can take this in any direction you want to go.

• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-6 cloves Garlic, chopped (really depends on your taste, I love a lot of it)
• 1 Spanish Onion, chopped
• *Optional – 1 Carrot, shredded (adds sweetness)
• 2 35 oz cans peeled Tomatoes (best is San Marzano D.O.P. certified. It really makes a difference especially if you’re using the sauce as-is)
• 2 tsp Dried Basil (or chopped fresh if you’ve got it, added at the end of cooking)
• 1 tsp Red Chile flakes
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 2 tsp Black Pepper

– Saute the onion in EVOO over medium heat in a medium saucepan until translucent.

– Add the garlic (and carrot if using) and sauté till fragrant

– Add the dried basil and chile flakes and stir a few seconds to bring out their oils

– Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands into the saucepan (Alternately you can dump them in and use a spoon or potato masher to crush them, but where’s the fun in that?)

– Add the salt and pepper and bring to a hard simmer, then reduce to low. Simmer on low for 15 minutes, or longer depending on desired richness of sauce.

This sauce can be doubled or tripled and kept frozen for some time. Use it as-is on meats, stirred into greens, mixed into sautéed mushrooms or squash as a ragout, or just top your morning omelette with it. Add cumin, cilantro, and some chipotle en adobo and it’s a Mexican sauce. Add curry powder and mix it in with pan-roasted cauliflower with cumin seeds for an Indian side dish. Throw a pint of it in the blender with a cup of coconut milk and desired spices and herbs for a pink sauce rich in flavor and healthy fats. Heck, fry up a pound of ground beef with a Tbsp or 2 of chili powder; add a pint of this sauce and viola, chili.

Cook! Enjoy!

List all the meals from yesterday. Include whether you made them or purchased them and a short reflection on each one.
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Reducing Muscle Pain and Injury with Nutrition and Supplementation Dr. John Berardi
All About Fish Oil Precision Nutrition
More Vegetables Evolving Chocolate-Sauce-Filled Centers As Evolutionary Imperative

3×3
or
Work up to a 1RM

Post loads to comments.
compare to 1.11.11 or 1.28.11

AMRAP in 10 minutes:
30 Double Unders
15 Overhead Squats, 95/65

Post rounds and RX to comments.

McDowell Takes a Drag

RSVP for the Potluck Today!

Are you going to the CFSBK Paleo Potluck next weekend?  Please RSVP to the event page listing what you’ll be bringing and how many will be in your party.  Because we need to order extra tables, chairs and cutlery, please post by this Wednesday so we know how many to plan for.

Park Slope Babysitting Coop

So you’re a parent who wants to go out, but you cringe at the thought of paying $50 (if you’re lucky) for a babysitter. Thankfully, there’s the Park Slope Babysitting Coop, a group of families in the area who babysit for one another using a point system – this saves you cash and allows greater flexibility and availability compared to a one-on-one exchange between two families. The group’s members live in Park Slope and surrounding neighborhoods, but it does not have geographical boundaries.

Interested in joining? Our very own CFSBK is hosting the Babysitting Coop’s next bi-annual get-together on Saturday, January 21st, from 2:30 to 4:30. The purpose of these get-togethers is for the parents to meet each other and each others’ kids. Email Coach Nick at nick[at]crossfitsouthbrooklyn[dot]com if you plan to come.

________________

How are you spending your holiday?

MLK’s Last Speech
________________

Paleo Diet Infographic PaleolithicDiet.com
Do I Need One-on-One Training CrossFit Virtuosity
Highlights from the 2011 CrossFit Games CrossFit
Bringing CrossFit to ESPN ESPN.com

Work up to a heavy single

Post loads to comments.

15-9-6 Reps For Time of:
Hang Squat Clean
Burpee

There is a 10 Minute Cap on this workout

Post rounds completes and Rx to comments.

Long Live the Ring Row!

Why Do I Feel Funny? (On Paleo)

By Margie Lempert
(Orginally Posted on 1.7.11)

It’s a little over one week into the Paleo Challenge, you’ve done at least one big shopping trip, you’re getting into this cooking thing, you’re diggin’ the meat, feeling hardcore, totally rockin’ it!

Except. Well. You feel kinda funny. Not like gym class funny; more like slept too long, contact high funny. What gives? I mean, paleo eating is supposed to make you feel really good. “Look, feel, perform better” Right?

Right. And you will, but first your body has to adapt. Unless you are cracking out on fresh and dried fruit and coconut water (which is hopefully not the case), your carbohydrate consumption has dropped considerably. No more grains, legumes, sugar, even dairy – aka carb, carb, carb and carb. The standard american diet is carbohydrate intensive, and carbs are super easy for the body to turn into energy. You’ve just dumped most of your main supply of gas, and your body is a bit pissed. Feeling weak, nauseated, dehydrated, constipated, even flu-ish are all very common reactions. And engaging in strenuous exercise (ahem) generally exacerbates such reactions.

But this will pass. Once your body figures out how to run on fat, both dietary and your own, things will smooth out and the real health benefits will begin.

You might be thinking that if it feels this crappy to “switch” your fuel source, maybe it’s not such a good idea – this whole paleo thing has a fatal flaw. I think Gary Taubes’ puts it best: “Carbohydrate withdrawal is often interpreted as a need for carbohydrate. It’s like telling smokers who are trying to quit that their withdrawal symptoms are caused by a need for cigarettes and then suggesting they go back to smoking to solve the problem.” (From Gary Taubes’ Why We Get Fat.) Excess carbohydrates may be easy to burn, but they promote all kinds of problems including fat growth, insulin insensitivity, metabolic derangement/type II diabetes, a crappy cholesterol profile, and, many believe, can contribute to cancer growth and heart disease.

So, what’s a girl to do? Eat lots of protein and fat, throw in some starchy veg post workout, give yourself a break if your workouts feel harder than usual and hang in there. Once you’re passed the initial week or two, you should start feeling back to normal. And then you’ll start feeling really damn good.

RSVP for the Potluck Today!

Are you going to the CFSBK Paleo Potluck next weekend?  Please RSVP to the event page listing what you’ll be bringing and how many will be in your party.  Because we need to order extra tables, chairs and cutlery, please post by this Wednesday so we know how many to plan for.

Nick’s Rowing Workshop Today

Nick’s Workshop covering the mechanics of the drive is today at 1:30pm.  This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to improve their technique especially if you’d like to represent SBK at the 2012 CRASH-B’s in Boston. The workshop will finish with everyone’s favorite a 2000m row!  Don’t come in hungover.

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Sequences of the great lifters of the last quarter of the 20th century Flickr
2011 CrossFit Games Men’s Champion Graham Holmberg Speaking at CrossFit NYC
WLShoes.com
7 Signs of the Foodpocalypse FITBOMB
Weightlifting Shoes: EVA Heels vs Wood Heels