Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Bench Press
1-1-1-1-1

Notes
Work up to a heavy single today! Talk to your coaches about what your goal weight is and they can help you with a plan of attack. Make sure to REST at least 2.5-3 minutes between your attempts. Use the warm-up and attempt progressions from Tuesday and Wednesday’s blog post as guidance for your lifts today.

METCON

EMOM 14:00
A: Air Bike
B: Burpees

Notes
Alternate between the air bike and burpees for 14:00. Try to find challenging calorie and rep ranges you can sustain for the whole workout. Whatever you do should take no more than :45 each interval and feel sustainable.

ASSISTANCE

REGISTER FOR MEMORIAL DAY MURPH

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK11/12)

Elijah doing some assistance work to target the demands of sitting at a table.

Grant is going to be running both miles with EVERY HEAT OF MURPH THIS MONDAY

I’m (Grant) doing a running calendar challenge this month to rebuild some aerobic fitness after having Covid in early April.  In this challenge, I’m running whatever the date is, in KM.  So on the first, I ran 1km.  On the fifth, I ran 5km.  On the 20th, I ran 20km.  For the month, that equals 496km, or 307 miles, which isn’t a lot for Azam, but it’ll be a personal record for me.

On the 30th, which is Memorial Day, I plan on running both miles in every heat of Murph.  I have to run 18.6 miles (30km) that day, so after the first 8 heats I’ll have 16 miles.  I then plan on doing Murph in the last heat of the day, and I should finish +/- 18 miles, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats.  I don’t plan on running particularly quick, as I’ve been taking it pretty easy with this challenge thus far.  If anyone wants to do some extra jogging throughout the day, I’d love the company, and if anyone wants to get some extra miles in over the rest of the month, feel free to hit me up at the Front Desk!

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Back Squat
1-1-1-1-1

Notes
Work up to a heavy single today! Talk to your coaches about what your goal weight is and they can help you with a plan of attack. Make sure to REST at least 2.5-3 minutes between your attempts. Here are three examples for today:

Goal of 225×1
45×10
135×3
175×2
195×1 (last WU)
205×1 (safe single)
215×1 (challenging but safe single)
225×1
230F
Opted out of 5th Set

Goal of 350×1
45×10
135×3
185×2
225×1
275×1 Last WU
300×1
330×1
350F
340×1
Opted out 5th set

Goal of 100×1
35×8
50×3
60×1
70×1 Last WU
85×1
100×1
105×1
110×1
115×1!

PARTNER METCON

AMRAP 12:00
12 Wall Ball Shots
6 Kipping Pull-Ups

Notes
Partners alternate complete rounds for 12 minutes. DO NOT TEAR YOUR HANDS.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK11/12)

Halle K dropping into OG to drop slang some weights around

TYR Merch Pick-Up and Sales Event This Saturday!

This Saturday everyone who preordered the CFSBK x TYR shirt and hoodie will be able to pick them up at the gym. On top of that, TYR will be on site with sports bras, shorts, leggings, tanks, mens shorts, men’s tanks, mens tops, sunglasses, bags, hats, and shakers ALL AT 25% OFF RETAIL PRICE!!! CFSBK members will be the first group of folks to see some of these new merch drops for the season and can save some significant scratch on their summer threads!!! Be there or be square!

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Shoulder Press
1-1-1-1-1

Notes
Work up to a heavy single today! Talk to your coaches about what your goal weight is and they can help you with a plan of attack. Make sure to REST at least 2.5-3 minutes between your attempts. Here are two examples for today:

Goal of 135×1
45×10
75×5
95×2
105×1 (last WU)
115×1 (safe single)
125×1 (challenging but safe single)
135×1
140×1
145F

Goal of 75×1
25×10 (green bar + fractionals)
35×3
45×3
55×1 Last Warm-Up
65×1 (safe single)
70×1 (challenging but safe single)
75×1
80F
78F

METCON

AMRAP 5:00
1-2-3-4-5-6… Reps of:
Hang Power Clean
Shoulder to Overhead

Notes
Perform 1 HPC, followed by 1 S2OH. Then 2 and 2, 3 and 3 etc for 5 minutes. Choose a medium heavy weight (115/95/75/45/-)

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK11/12)

The Passing of Dr. Mike

It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of longtime CFSBK member, Dr. Mike Cutaia. Dr. Mike and his wife Judy started personal training with David back in 2012 and quickly became staples of the community. Every time Mike walked through our doors he did so with enthusiasm, humility, curiosity and a relentless desire to improve. As an older athlete and someone who had persevered through many health struggles in the past, his athletic training became somewhat of a second lease on life. He was a relentless advocate for the power of exercise and community and praised CrossFit to anyone who would listen. He even completed our coaching development program with the intention of helping out with the Fit55 program and obtained his CrossFit level 1 at the site of the original CrossFit Games. Professionally, he served as a physician of pulmonary critical care for over 30 years at the VA here in Brooklyn and touched countless lives in his career as a physician as well as a mentor to his medical residents. In his personal life he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Dr. Mike was a kind soul with a deep love of life and passion for learning about the human condition. He was always quick to muse about philosophy, poetry, art, sport and their respective intersections. He loved meeting people and his kindness and warmth were immediately evident to all who were lucky enough to interact with him. We loved him deeply and will miss him.

Read Dr. Mike’s Athlete of the Month Interview from September 2013

A shot of Dr. Mike from the Physicians only CrossFit Level 1 in 2018 hosted at the Ranch in Aromas, California.

A collection of Poems written by Dr. Mike inspired by his time at the gym

Mayhem

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD

Meatballs and Back Squats

The Reluctant Athlete

Workout of the Day

SKILL REVIEW

The Kettlebell Swing

METCON

Every 6:00 for 5 Rounds:
20 Kettlebell Swings
60 Double Unders
30/24 Calorie Row

Notes
Use a heavy Kettlebell today and go unbroken on the swings. Spice things up by doing a double kettlebell swing if you’d like.
The row should take you around 1:30 +/- :15. Challenge yourself on your double under volume today but don’t spend more than 2:00 max on the rope. Folks who are dialed in can perform this in about :40 or less

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK11/12)

Memorial Day Murph is ONE WEEK AWAY! We’ll be grilling burgers and hot dogs. If you’d like to BYOB or bring a side dish like diced fruit we would appreciate it!!! 

As always this is a free event and we ask that folks donate to K9s for Warriors (we’ll have a kiosk set up) in honor of the holiday.

REGISTER FOR MEMORIAL DAY MURPH

Programming Change Note: 1RM Testing THIS WEEK

If you’ve been following along the last 11 weeks you know we’ve been focusing on a two track linear progression on the Press, Back Squat and Bench Press. Originally, we had planned on testing heavy singles in the final week of the cycle, however we realized it would be a terrible idea to try to 1RM 1-3 days after many of you will have just done Murph. So we’re going to shift things around and go for heavy singles THIS WEEK, then hit Murph on Monday and deload a little before the next cycle starts with guest programmer Whitney Hubbard!  The management thanks you for your understanding. Happy testing this week!

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Push Press
1-1-1

Notes
Work up to a heavy single Push Press taken out of the Rack. Only go as heavy as you can maintain a solid midline on.

METCON

15:00 AMRAP
6 CTB Kipping Pull-Ups
12 Box Jump Overs
6 Kipping Toes to Bars
12 DB Thrusters

Notes
If you came yesterday and your legs are sore you can perform DB Push Presses instead of Thrusters. The Thrusters should be medium light.

KT2B: 6 Kipping / 6 Strict or partial ROM / 12 Sit-Ups
Pull-Ups: 6 C2B / 6 Kipping / 4-6 Strict or banded / 8 Ring Rows

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK10/12)

Welcome recent Foundations grads Ellen and Devon!

Lost & Found

Your stuff. We have it. Scroll to see recent additions to the L&F Album

Workout of the Day

With a Partner

For Time:
Run 800m (tandem with one medball)
150 Med Ball Cleans (while partner holds plank or handstand hold)
Run 400m (tandem with one med ball)
100 Burpees (while partner holds Med Ball overhead)
Run 270m (one partners runs at a time while the other holds the med ball in a zercher carry)

Notes
This is a partner workout where you’ll carry a med ball through the entire workout. For the 800 and 400m runs both partners will run together switching who is carrying the med ball as desired. The cleans and burpees should be broken up evenly between partners but partitioned as desired. While the cleans and burpees happen the other partner should be performing the assigned position hold. If they stop the hold the other partner must pause the work until the hold is reestablished. The final run is done without the ball, but with the partner holding the ball until their partner returns.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK10/12)

Coach David doing today’s workout with fellow affiliate owners

The Medicine-Ball Clean

The “med ball clean” is a dynamic movement which starts with a deadlift-like set-up followed by an explosive extension before ending in a deep squat. While it may look “easy”, its execution at volume can really add up much like a wall ball shot or air squats. Additionally, one must resist the urge to curl the medicine ball up and instead commit to quickly transitioning from above to below the ball. Make the effort to perform each rep today with as much consistency and commitment to optimal technique as possible.

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Has anyone been to the gym lately?

Workout of the Day

ASSISTANCE

25:00 for Quality
:30e Single Arm Kettlebell Hold
8-10e Bench Supported KB or DB Rows
8-10e Contralateral KB or DB Single Leg RDL
5 Snatch Grip BTN Push Presses + 3 OHS

STRENGTH

Snatch Grip Deadlift + Hang Power Snatch + OHS
1-1-1-1-1

Notes
Work up to a heavy but technically sound single on this complex. Focus on your stability. The deadlift and squat should focus on a controlled tempo while the hang power snatch should have an aggressive extension.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK10/12)

Our In House Massage Therapist Leah performing some strict Toes to Bars

Massage Therapy @ CFSBK

Leah is a licensed massage therapist in the state of New York, where she was born and raised. A graduate of the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences in 2009, she brings a decade of professional experience to her table. Shortly after obtaining her license, she earned additional certifications in sports and medical massage. She has worked in personal training studios, chiropractic offices, private studios, various gyms, community health centers, and at a variety of races and athletic events.

Leah maintains that truly skilled massage therapy has been the most effective modality for any physical ailments she’s personally dealt with, and has made it her mission to frame it in the larger discussion of physical rehabilitation. Her sessions are resolution-oriented, incorporating myofascial release, deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, ART, and rhythmic proprioception rebalancing.

In tandem with her massage therapy study, Leah is informed by her own experiences as a competitive powerlifter since 2012. She competes within USA Powerlifting and is a former New York state record holder in her weight class’s Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, and overall total in the raw open division. She has worked extensively with strength athletes since making lifting such an integral part of her life, so she understands common myoskeletal issues they often develop.

CONTACT

E-mail Leah at leah.decesare [at] gmail.com to set up an appointment.

PRICING

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Bench Press

Intermediate+
85%TM x 5 Reps x 2 Sets
85%TM AMRAP

Novice
5 sets x 2 Reps

Notes
The final wave of this 12 week cycle! Get after it, ya’ll.

Int+: We’ll perform the 85% and 90% weeks then go for a 1RM on the final week.
Novice: This week and next will be 5×2 across and should feel like you still have 1-3 reps in reserve. On week 12 we’ll 1RM

METCON

EMOM 16:00
A: 8-16 Dips
B: AMRAP Double Unders
C: 6-10 Chin-Ups
E: AMRAP Tuck-Ups

Notes
The dips and chin-ups should be challenging, about 1-2 reps in reserve at most and should take no more than :30 or so to complete.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK10/12)

Connor reaching full extension during Tuesday’s Bike, T2B and Push Jerk Metcon

From Singles to Double Unders

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Back Squat

Intermediate+
85%TM x 5 Reps x 2 Sets
85%TM AMRAP

Novice
5 sets x 2 Reps

Notes
The final wave of this 12 week cycle! Get after it, ya’ll.

Int+: We’ll perform the 85% and 90% weeks then go for a 1RM on the final week.
Novice: This week and next will be 5×2 across and should feel like you still have 1-3 reps in reserve. On week 12 we’ll 1RM

METCON

21-15-9 Reps for time of:
Wall Ball Shots
Row Calories

Notes
This should be a fast workout and ideally done unbroken on the wall balls. Scale up by using a heavier ball than you typically do for Wall Ball.

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK10/12)

Theodora modifying her CrossFit Group Classes through her pregnancy

Why does CrossFit Hurt?

This is an interesting and humorous video where Mike G goes full send on a 1:1 ratio bike / rest interval metcon while a physiologist explains whats happening internally.

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Shoulder Press

Intermediate+
85%TM x 5 Reps x 2 Sets
85%TM AMRAP

Novice
5 sets x 2 Reps

Notes
The final wave of this 12 week cycle! Get after it, ya’ll.

Int+: We’ll perform the 85% and 90% weeks then go for a 1RM on the final week.
Novice: This week and next will be 5×2 across and should feel like you still have 1-3 reps in reserve. On week 12 we’ll 1RM

PARTNER METCON

8 Rounds for time of:
15/12 Bike Calories
9 Kipping Toes to Bars
6 Push Jerks

Notes
Partners alternate complete rounds until each person has performed 4 for a total of 8 rounds.

KT2B: 9 Kipping / 6 Kipping or Strict / 9 Hanging Knee Raises / 15 Sit-Ups
Push Jerks: Should be unbroken each round

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK10/12)

Lying Triceps Extensions are a great pressing assistance exercise.

Murph Options

People often understandably get some “sticker shock” when they see what Murph actually entails:

For Time
Run 1 Mile
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Squats
Run 1 Mile

If you have a weighted vest, wear it.

But as everything with CrossFit, this workout can be modified for anyone’s abilities. Modifications can be broken down into three categories.

Volume Modifications
This simply means decreasing the total number of reps or the distance on the run. A common sub would be to do 3/4 of the volume on the calisthenics or 2/3 distance on each of the mile runs. You can decrease volume across the board, or only on the movements that you struggle most with.

Movement Modifications
If any movement is outside of your ability to perform, even with decreased volume we can easily modify the exercise. Push-Ups can be taken from the knees or elevated, pull-ups can be ring rows or banded and the run can be subbed for a row if needed as well.

Sequence Modifications
Finally, perhaps it’s just the muscular stamina that will catch up to you. For example if Push-Ups are the hardest part of this workout, you can perform 20 rounds of:5 Push-Ups, 5 Pull-Ups, 5 Push-Ups, 15 squats to break up the push-ups into two sets of five.

Here is an example of a version that uses all three modifications in different ways. This person can perform the runs and squats but requires some modifications on the upper body exercises. They’re also not sure about the 20 rounds so are going to plan for no less than 15 and if they’re up for it, maybe make a game time decision to add the last five rounds.

Run 1 Mile
15 Rounds of:
5 Knee Push-Ups
5 Ring Rows
5 Knee Push-Ups
15 Squats
Run 1 Mile

We will provide some standard options and also happy to discuss what makes sense for YOU in these final few weeks leading up to Murph. For most people this workout takes somewhere around 45-60 minutes to complete and is what you should aim for. The goal is to find a version that will CHALLENGE you to finish, but at the same time be realistic and achievable within that time frame. Happy Murphing!!

REGISTER FOR MEMORIAL DAY MURPH (you can also register directly on the Zen Planner member app)