“El Oso”

Take 20 minutes to build up to a heavy load on “El Oso,” the CFSBK classic barbell complex:
5 Touch-and-Go Deadlifts
3 Hang Power Cleans
1 Jerk

Hands must stay on the barbell for the entire complex. Any version of shoulder-to-overhead is acceptable. 

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 6

_____________________

Cash Out

4 Sets:
10 Hammer Curls
20 Band Triceps Pressdowns

Rest :30  between movements and sets.

Post work to comments.

Coach KHarpz and Ruchir, who was the first person to attend our first-ever Adaptive Athlete class

CFSBK’s Adaptive Athlete Class Kicks Off

By Katie Harper

When I first got into physical therapy school, I knew it was a start. I knew I wanted to help people and that I enjoyed physical fitness. Then I found CrossFit. I could see the lines; it was just about figuring out how to blend them.

In physical therapy school, I met Kelly Starrett, and he gave me one bit of advice I will never forget: “Just start coaching, and you will figure it out.” So I did just that. At my Level 1 seminar, I met some amazing people involved with Crossroads. That weekend in 2013, I made a long term goal to start my very own adaptive class.

But first, I learned the basics. For 4 years, I coached in tandem while earning my DPT degree and working a full-time physical therapy job. In 2018, I quit my full time physical therapy job to learn to become a better coach, to blend the best of both worlds.

I registered for the Adaptive Training Academy course, digested the material and realized I was finally ready to make my goal a reality. Thank you to Dr. Theresa Larson for encouraging me to get this going!

This week we kicked off our Adaptive Athlete program! I absolutely can’t wait to see this community grow. These are the reasons why I spent countless hours in the library and why I spend so much time in the gym learning the art of movement. This is the stuff that lights my fire. Thank you so much for coming, Ruchir!

News and Notes

• Saturday’s 10am Yoga for Athletes class is cancelled. 
• Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their 8-week cycle this Sunday, July 14th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering. Get ready for some massive PRs!

_____________________
Loaded Carries Boring? Nah! They’re Essential Breaking Muscle
How Music Can Rev Up a High Intensity Workout NY Times

PULL-UPS

Choose the option below that you need the most. As a guide, we recommend focusing on the strict work for at least a few weeks if you can’t yet consistently perform sets of 5-10 strict, unassisted reps.

Strength Work:
8-10 sets of 2-6 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups (assisted as needed) or VERY challenging Ring Rows

Skill Work:
Perform 1-2 sets of 5-10 Strict Pull-Ups first to ensure your shoulders are properly warmed up,then practice Kipping or Butterfly Pull-Ups for 15 minutes. Come off the bar if/when your movement pattern falls apart. Perfect practice makes perfect! Be mindful of your hands and stay far away from tearing. If you’re feeling good, then after spending some time warming up and greasing a groove, go for a max unbroken set. #leaderboard

Post work to comments.
Exposure 6 of 6

_____________________

30 Minutes for Quality:
3:00 Row/Bike/Jog
10e Side Plank Rotations
10e Hand-to-Hand Kettlebell Swings
10 Barbell Upright Rows

The Kettlebell Swings should be at a light-to-medium weight. Rotate through the movements at a low intensity/aerobic pace. If you wear a heart rate monitoring device, then aim to say below about 150 bpm. Otherwise, you should be able to breathe through your nose the entire time and/or hold a conversational pace. 

Post work to comments.

Photo by Epic Life Images

Behind the Desk: Liz Marano

Over the rest of the summer you can look forward to new installments of our Behind the Desk series, about our beloved and much appreciated front desk staff! These CrossFitters take care of the important duties of checking in our members, handling walk-ins, tidying up after classes, and so many other things that it would take forever to list them. They are the glue that holds this gym together. Up first is the one, the only…

Name (and any nicknames):

Regal full name is Elizabeth Catherine Marano, but mostly just go by Liz, or Riz/Rizzay/Slizz in one particular friend group.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I grew up in Watertown, Connecticut, which is a small town known for basically nothing I can think of. It neighbors a lot of beautiful old Colonial towns and a not-so-beautiful city called Waterbury, home to the creepiest abandoned theme park on earth, Holyland USA.

How long have you been CrossFitting, and how did you arrive at CFSBK?

I think I took Foundations in 2017, so about two years? I started playing roller derby recreationally in 2016, and I think I really started getting serious about cross-training after I fell on my butt so hard that I almost broke my tailbone and couldn’t sleep on my back or get up from the floor for a few months. This was the first sport I’d played since I was a teenager, and my only other exercise involved a ton of walking and half-heartedly going to New York Sports Club every so often. Weak equals wobbly, and I wanted to get stronger so I was somewhat less likely to get horrifically injured in the future. (Spoiler: It helped!!)

A lot of other derby people were really into CrossFit (and the extra guidance and gentle peer pressure seemed like something I’d need), so I started looking into gyms in my general area. This one had the best Yelp reviews, so there ya go. Thanks Yelp!

Program your nightmare workout:

Death by Burpee Box Jumps.

Do you have any unusual rituals or superstitions?

I don’t know if this counts as a weird CrossFit habit, but I go through an identical mental pattern every time I have to do longer workouts, which are not my favorite. I start by finishing one round, thinking “Oh my god, why are there 18 minutes left I hate my life”, then finish another and “You are clearly dying, do one more and then you can quit”, then finish that next one and go “Actually this is fine”, finish the whole thing and leave feeling great. The illusion of crapping out early really gets me through the dark place.

My weirdest life habit is probably that I’ve gone to sleep to Law and Order SVU every night for years, even though it makes me have a lot of crime-related anxiety dreams.

What’s your hidden talent?

I’m a quasi-loner who hates asking for help, so I’m really good at teaching myself how to do almost anything and creatively fixing stuff like I’m a low-rent MacGyver. I turn my bike light on with a rubber band and a pen cap.

What are three (non essential like food and water) things you can’t live without?

Headphones (because walking is better with a soundtrack), a black bedroom (because sleep is better when your room is a cave), and glasses (because life is better when you don’t trip into traffic and die).

Any front-desk public service announcements ?

Do you remember how sad all of the appliances were when they got left behind in the Brave Little Toaster? That’s how your water bottles feel when you don’t take them home.

_____________________
US Women’s Soccer Team to Get Ticker-Tape Parade NY Times
Drinking Too Much Water Will Kill Me, and I Don’t Care The Outline

Snatch

Every Other Minute x 7 (14 Minutes):
3 Position Snatch (Mid-Hang/Below the Knee/Floor)

Keep the load for the complex light-moderate again today, focusing on speed, position, and footwork. Finish heavier than last week if you’re feeling good. You can do these as either full Snatches or Powers, but commit to one for the entire session.

Back Squat

3 x 12

Sets across. Heavier than last week. You should feel like you have another rep at end of the set. No failing, no grinding, no bailing. 

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 6

_____________________

Cash Out

3 x 16:
Alternating Cossack Goblet Squats

Rest 1:00 between sets. Prioritize balance and ROM and only add load if you can perform these well. Alternately, do them at bodyweight and/or using a full up upright for support as needed.

Post work to comments. 

Looking for that first Bar Muscle-Up, Pull-Up, or some other kind of -Up? We have the class for you! 

Register for Anti-Gravity Strength!

Struggling with your Pull-Ups? Stuck at the bottom of your Handstand Push-Up? Or do you just want to be able to do some badass weighted Chins? A new cycle Coach Arturo‘s popular Anti-Gravity Strength class starts Tuesday, July 23rd. This class always sells out, so get on it!

Each AG Strength class will be an hour-and-a-half long, focusing on the strength and skills needed to improve Pull-Ups and Handstand Push-Ups. This will include a variety of skill exercises, progressions, weighted and strict practice, and other techniques to teach, develop, and perfect your Pull-Up and Handstand Push-Up. This fundamental strength work will carry over into other CrossFit gymnastics movements, including the coveted Muscle-Up. The class meets 2 times per week for 8 weeks according to the schedule below.

Schedule

Tuesday, July 23rd to Saturday, September 14th
Tuesdays from 6pm to 7:30pm
Saturdays from 11am to 12:30pm

REGISTER HERE!

Cost and Eligibility

The cost is $160 per month ($320 total plus NY sales tax). This cycle is open to all CFSBK members as well as CrossFitters from other affiliates.

What Happens in a Class?

The first class will begin with an assessment of each individual’s upper body push, pull, and core strength. Once the assessment is completed, each AG Strength class will consist of skill work, strength development, and flexibility training based on your personal needs, weaknesses, and strengths. If a member chooses to do a CrossFit group class on the same day, we recommend doing the skill and strength work from the AG Strength cycle first. Arturo can advise you on this on a case by case basis. Just ask!

Testimonial

“I’ve done 3 cycles of AG Strength and will continue to do so. I’ve made so much progress with this class—not only in things we practice in AGS, but in movements we did not train in AGS but used in regular CrossFit classes. Let me tell you that I was a very poorly skilled person. I decided to take this class because I wanted to do a Pull-Up. That being said, I couldn’t do 5 Pull-Ups with a band. My upper body strength was mediocre at best. And, I didn’t know how to do a Wall Kick-Up, so I wasn’t even considering doing Handstand Push-Ups. The past 24 weeks were full of firsts: I did my first Chin-Up, Wall Kick-Up, Handstand Push-Ups with 3 then 2 then 1 AbMats, and Strict and Kipping Pull-Ups. Those are things we practice in AGS. But since the class focuses on upper body strength, I also improved in a bunch of things we didn’t even practice in class: Toes-to-Bar happened for the first time during the 1st cycle and now I’m able to do Toes-to-Bars in WODs (did 15-12-9-6-3 recently!). I also now can do Dips, Plank for 90+ seconds, Ring Transition + Hold, and many other small things that I was never able to do in classes. So, if you are a beginner, like me, and struggle with some things that seem basic to a lot of people—Toes-to-Bars, Pull-Ups, Push-Ups—I highly recommend this class. Trust Ro, push yourself and stick to the program for 8 weeks and will see mind-blowing results! As we say in Portuguese: se joga!”—Thaisa L.

_____________________
Why So Many of Us Don’t Lose Weight When We Exercise NY Times 
A Defense of Precise Terms Starting Strength

Bench Press

3 x 15

Sets across. Use a “slower down-faster up” tempo. Heavier than last week if you can. Aim to finish each set feeling like you have another rep in the tank. 

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 6

_____________________

5 Rounds for Time:
25 Squats
270m Run
10 Ring Dips

There are only 10 Dips per round, but it is 50 total so be smart about breaking them up as needed, or modify to Matador or Box Dips. Scaling volume to as few as 5 per round is also acceptable, make sure to perform them through full ROM in any case. 

Post time and Rx to comments.

July Athlete of the Month: Frank Howell

As told to Chris Fox

When and why did you begin your journey at CrossFit South Brooklyn? What were you doing fitness-wise prior?

It’s been awhile, so I can’t really remember all the details. I think I joined 6-ish years ago, it was shortly before CFSBK hosted the Open Workout 13.2 announcement. I can’t remember how I found CFSBK specifically, but I live on Degraw so it may have just been a proximity thing. Before becoming a member I had zero experience with weights. At the time I was doing a lot of running (had done a few marathons and a bunch of half-marathons) and was doing a couple triathlons a year. I was reading a lot about CrossFit and thought it could help with my running, so I gave it a try.

What were your initial impressions of the CFSBK environment?

Initially, I was confused as to why it seemed everyone HAD to drop their barbells and make so much noise. I was very focused on placing my barbells down, a habit that Arturo quickly helped me get rid of, thankfully. I also was a bit overwhelmed. There was a ton of crazy stuff happening all over the place, I didn’t understand it, and it all felt very foreign to me. And to be honest, I was intimidated by the place. As I said, I didn’t know this world, and I very much felt outside my element. But my interactions with the coaches were great, and the people I met seemed nice, so I kept coming back.

What’s your “athletic” background, even if it was being the 1999 thumb wrestling county champ?

I was a hurdler, high jumper, and cross country runner in high school, and then nothing for a few years. In the mid-90s (so old!) I started doing yoga and have kept up with that over the years. I took my first Pilates class while I was living in London in the early 2000s and got really into it, and that passion has sort of snowballed over the years. I had a nasty breakup in 2009 (he was a total dick, just sayin’), and I needed to focus on me and find a way to challenge myself in a different way, and that was when I got back to the running and doing triathlons.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. I’m proud of where I’m from and go back often, but am thankful every day that I got out! I was a skinny gay kid, and back then Michigan just couldn’t offer me what I wanted to get out of life. But I love going back to Detroit and get there several times a year. My family is still there, and while they drive me crazy, we always have a good time together.

How’d you end up in Brooklyn?

There used to be a joke that God looked down from heaven at the United States and yelled to all the gays, “GET TO THE SIDES, GET TO THE SIDES!!” So when I finished grad school, it was going to be either California or New York. I was fortunate enough to get job offers in each, and just decided NYC was more “me.” When I moved here I wanted to live alone and realized it would be more affordable to do so in Brooklyn as opposed to Manhattan. I found a tiny apartment in Carroll Gardens (where the only sink was in the kitchen, which made shaving fun) and have been in the neighborhood for the past 20 years.

How do you spend your days?

I’m an HR executive at an asset management company (sooooooo boring!). I like to think I bring a healthy dose of empathy, connectivity, integrity, and practicality to what is often seen as a fairly harsh industry. Additionally, I’m spending a ton of time in the Pilates world at the moment. Part of my master life plan is to eventually leave the corporate world and become a Pilates instructor. I’m in the middle of a 6-month training program that requires about 15-20 hours a week of observing, teaching, and doing Pilates.

What are your hobbies other than CrossFit?

My friends make fun of me because I always have something new I’m getting involved in. (They’re still wondering when the CrossFit thing will wane, *eye roll emoji*.) I consider myself a “serial dabbler.” Life is for living, so go out and try a bunch of different shit and find out what you enjoy doing and where your passions are. I have my PADI certification for scuba diving (meh…doubt I will do it again). I also have a certification to be crew on a sailboat (which I know I won’t do again, too much work… give me a pontoon boat and a Swell bottle filled with Aperol Spritz any day). My latest thing is making sourdough bread. Love that fermentation! I’m also a huge traveler. I’m taking my nephew to Japan at the end of summer. A couple other members have been great with sharing the itineraries of their recent trips, but if anyone else has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

If you could place an ad in the NYC subway system, or on a huge billboard in Brooklyn that people would see every day, what would it say?

Stop using so much plastic, asshole.

What were your initial goals in the gym, if any, and what are you working on now? What did you struggle with at first or what are you most proud of for improving? How has CrossFit (the training itself, or the community) changed you?

When I first joined my goal was to improve my running, and I think that has happened, so mission accomplished. But then I developed plantar fasciitis and the running had to be put on the shelf for a couple years while I sorted that out. So I turned to focusing on developing CrossFit specific goals. At first I had no idea what I was doing in the gym. I remember my first class after foundations was a Snatch class. I left that day thinking, “Oh hell no. This isn’t going to work.” So I started doing privates with Arturo. He was patient, instructive, clear, and just generally a great coach. He definitely helped me understand the movements and gain confidence in what I was doing. Once I got back into group classes I started to set periodic intentions for the practice. There was the year of the Pull-Up, the focus on the Low Bar Back Squat, the Handstand Walk goal (which hasn’t really materialized). As I get older, my goals become less micro and more macro. I don’t have a certain weight I want to Squat, or a number of Muscle-Ups I want to get (spoiler, its zero). My priority is on longevity and vitality more generally. How can I live a longer, healthier, happier life, and how can CrossFit play a role in meeting that objective? That’s where I’m at now.

Do you (or have you) participate in any special programs at CFSBK? 

I have, I have! It’s so exciting seeing the growth of so many different kinds of programs. As I said, I did private sessions with Arturo in the early days (fabulous). I did CRASH-Bs a couple years ago. Everyone should do CRASH-Bs! It helps your rowing so fucking much. It’s amazing. And how often do you get to say you trained with an Olympian, I mean come on. I’ve had some back issues that keep popping up and so did Active Life Strength with Keith, which was awesome and helped a huge amount. I did Starting Strength Program and my gains were unbelievable. Even more importantly I learned things about how to lift from Jeremy that I use every single day I’m in the gym. I also try to get to as many CFSBK Pilates, Active Recovery, and Short Circuit classes I can get to, cuz they’re all fabulous! I also did Precision Nutrition coaching with Mr. Christian Fox himself. It was quite a 12 month journey with some things that I really enjoyed, and other things that made me roll my eyes HARD. Overall, I thought the Precision Nutrition coaching experience was fantastic, rewarding, illuminating, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wanted to up their nutrition game.

What piece of advice would you offer to someone just starting CrossFit?

Keep coming, listen to the coaches and do what they say, step out of your comfort zone, ask for help, be friendly, and put your shit away when you’re done using it.

What keeps you coming back to CFSBK?

I could talk about so many things here (the coaching, definitely, the community, yadda yadda), but just having wrapped up Pride month I gotta talk about the sense of inclusivity I feel at the gym. As a gay man, I can definitely say that I have been to gyms where I haven’t felt welcomed or even safe necessarily. The drive for inclusivity at CFSBK has been overt and palpable from the start for me. I love that there’s a Pride flag (and Trans flag too now) up, not just on the 4th Sunday of June, but all year round. I love that we did the “Stonewall “workout the other day and raised a nice chunk of cash to further queer rights. And it’s not just for the queer folk out there. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new Adaptive Athlete Program and can’t wait to see how it evolves. Iron Maidens and the scholarship it provides makes me so proud to be a member here. I could go on and on, but I think you get where I’m going here: words, symbols, actions, impact. You go CFSBK!

What qualities are important to you for a future AOM?

I think someone who embody that sense of inclusivity is really important for me to see in a future AOM. Looking towards the silent fitness warriors as well as the gregarious ones in the crowd. Someone who is positive, friendly, supportive, and helpful to others. And someone who puts their shit away when they’re done using it.

_____________________
What We Can Learn from Olympians About the Common Cold Outside
Why Historians Are Reexamining the Case of the Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits Atlas Obscura

Romanian Deadlift / Dumbbell Press Superset

A) Single-Leg Barbell Romanian Deadlift:
4 x 8e

B) Single-Arm Dumbbell Press
4 x 8e

Use a “slower down-faster up” tempo on each exercise. 

Post loads to comments.
Week 5 of 6

_____________________

For Time:
50-40-30-20-10 Double-Unders
15-12-9-6-3 Burpees
5-4-3-2-1 Deadlifts 275/185

The barbell should be on the medium- heavy side for you but unbroken. Modify the Double-Unders to Alternating Foot Steps or 2x Singles and the Burpees to No-Push-Up Burpees as needed. 

Post time and Rx to comments.

Next Sunday: Starting Strength Total at CFSBK

Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their 8-week cycle next Sunday, July 14th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering. Get ready for some massive PRs!

_____________________
Discovering Strength: An Orthopedic Surgeon’s Perspective Starting Strength
Up the Mountain The Players’ Journal

WOD 7.6.19

Every Other Minute for 32 Minutes:
A) Thrusters 115/80: “Max” Reps in 30 Seconds
B) Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups: “Max” Reps in 30 Seconds

The goal is to work at a repeatable pace on both movements throughout and not redline at any point. The Thrusters should be one or 2 sets each round. Scale the load as needed. As we did last week, practice pausing the Thrusters overhead for a moment to help pace yourself and find good positions. Similar intention for the Pull-Ups, although skill may require you to perform a higher number of smaller sets per work interval, and even singles are okay here. Be mindful of your hands. Modify the Chest-to-Bar to Chin-over-Bar or Jumping Chest-to-Bar as needed. For example, if in a true max effort for 30 seconds of Thrusters (or Pull-Ups) you can perform 17 reps, slow down a bit and 12-13 as perfect as possible.

Post work to comments.
Week 5 of 6

The 5th Annual Iron Maidens Raw Open: Register Today

Hosted by CrossFit South Brooklyn
September 7, 2019; 9:00AM-6PM
Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift

Registration will open today at 10am. 

Go to www.ironmaidensrawopen.com to register and find out more!

About

You are invited to test your 1-rep maxes in a women’s only environment of badassery. Compete for awesome prizes and cheer on female feats of strength. This meet is open to all women; you do not need to be a member of CrossFit South Brooklyn to participate. We have space for 60 participants.

All lifters will have three attempts to lift one maximal rep, in the following order, for:

1. Back Squat
2. Bench Press
3. Deadlift

The sum of the heaviest successful attempts will constitute each lifter’s Total. For each weight class, a first, second and third place will be awarded to the highest Totals.

Weight classes: 123lbs and under; 132lbs and under; 148lbs and under; 165lbs and under; Over 165lbs

All ages are welcome.

Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship

For the 4th year, we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Grace Outreach, a Bronx based nonprofit that works with women to further their education and gain financial independence. Through competitors’ fundraising efforts, the annual Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship assists women without access to financial aid in paying for their college tuition.

In total, we have raised over $80,000 to support women pursuing a higher education. This year, we will continue to assist recipients as they work towards completing a degree.

Questions? Contact Meet Director Margie Lempert at Margie [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn [dot] com OR Event Producer Charlie Nagle at Charlie [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn [dot] com.

Details

Entry Fee: $60 for non-CFSBK members; $50 for CFSBK members.
Includes: Eligibility for prizes, and a t-shirt.
Cancellation Policy: No refunds will be made after July 27, 2019. If you are not able to compete, please notify the Meet Director as soon as possible.

REGISTER HERE!

Competition Rules and Regulations: https://ironmaidensrawopen.com/rules-and-guidelines/

Please visit our blog for more information, stories, and updates: https://ironmaidensrawopen.com

_____________________
Can You Fry an Egg on the Sidewalk? Smithsonian
Mount Everest’s Death Zone JSTOR Daily

Deadlift

3 x 12

Sets across. Lighter than last week. Use a “faster up-slower down” tempo. These should be challenging but feel like you could do another 2-3 reps per set. Touch-and-go reps are okay. Use a double overhand grip, hook if needed.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 6

_____________________

Every 5 Minutes for 5 Rounds:
250m Row Sprint

Aim for hard but repeatable efforts, scoring within +/- 1 second from fastest to slowest. 

Post work to comments.

Here’s the 4th and final (for now!) of Michael Dalton‘s videos from the East Coast Gambit. This one features another big Clean

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Scroll back through this week’s blog posts to see the rest of these killer vids! 

2. Our belief is that CrossFit should be accessible to everybody, including those who have physical disabilities. Last week we rolled out our Adaptive Athlete program, which focuses on introducing individuals with permanent physical impairments to the foundation of functional movement. Send this info to anyone who might benefit from this class!

3. There are just a few spots left in the 2019 Iron Maidens Raw Open, our annual all-women powerlifting competition. Go HERE for more info and to sign up!

4. Do you subscribe to our newsletter? Please do to get monthly updates on general gym happenings, blog highlights, and programming info! Sign up HERE or via the link on the sidebar to the right. And hey, while you’re at it, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram!

5. Going somewhere fun over the summer? Maybe dropping into a CrossFit affiliate in an exotic (or not-so-exotic) locale? Send visual evidence of yourself wearing CFSBK gear at said locale to Josh [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com, and we’ll put it on the blog!

_____________________
Don’t Worry… They’ll Suffer Too: Competitiveness in Weightlifting Catalyst Athletics
Advice for Young Girls in Sports The Players’ Journal (video)

Partner Metcon

3 Rounds for Time:
550m Medicine Ball Run
50 Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
40 Burpees
30 Hang Power Cleans 135/95

Partners run together, carrying the med ball anyhow and trading off as desired. The rest of the workout is completed with one partner working at a time, dividing the reps as desired. 

Post time, Rx, and partner to comments.

Today’s Schedule

PULL-UPS

Choose the option below that you need the most. As a guide, we recommend focusing on the strict work for at least a few weeks if you can’t yet consistently perform sets of 5-10 strict, unassisted reps.

Strength Work:
8-10 sets of 2-6 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups (assisted as needed) or VERY challenging Ring Rows

Skill Work:
Perform 1-2 sets of 5-10 Strict Pull-Ups first to ensure your shoulders are properly warmed up,then practice Kipping or Butterfly Pull-Ups for 15 minutes. Come off the bar if/when your movement pattern falls apart. Perfect practice makes perfect! 

Post work to comments.
Exposure 5 of 6

_____________________

30 Minutes for Quality:
2:00 Row/Bike/Jog
5e Turkish Get-Ups
150′ Sandbag Carry

Rotate through the movements at a low intensity/aerobic pace. If you wear a heart rate monitoring device, then aim to say below about 150 bpm. Otherwise, you should be able to breathe through your nose the entire time and/or hold a conversational pace. 

Post work to comments.

Here’s another video by our buddy Michael Dalton from the first-annual East Coast Gambit. This one features the heaviest women’s Clean of the day. So cool to see it in slow mo! 

4th of July Schedule

Snatch

Every Minute on the Minute x 2:
3 Mid-Hang Muscle Snatches

Then,

Every Minute on the Minute x 2
2 Mid-Hang Power Snatches

Then,

Every Minute on the Minute x 3
1 Mid-Hang Snatch

Then,

Every Minute on the Minute x 3
1 Below-the-Knee Hang Snatch

Keep the load for this complex light-moderate today and focus on speed and footwork. Finish heavier than last week if you’re feeling good. 

Post loads to comments.

Back Squat

3 x 12

Sets across. Use a lighter load than last week, one you feel confident you could use for sets of 15 reps reps. No failing, no grinding, no bailing. 

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 6

_____________________

Cash Out

3 x 8e:
Dumbbell Deficit Reverse Lunges

Choose a challenging load and work from a 2-4″ deficit. Rest 1:00 between sets. If you cannot touch your back knee to the floor on a regular (not from the deficit) reverse lunge then sub those instead and work on getting full ROM. 

Post work to comments.

Here’s another awesome Michael Dalton video from the East Coast Gambit. This one focuses on the athlete’s perspective, and we think you’ll love it! 

CFSBK’s Adaptive Athlete Program

Our belief is that CrossFit should be accessible to everybody, including those who have physical disabilities. That’s why we’re proud to introduce our Adaptive Athlete program focuses on introducing individuals with permanent physical impairments to the foundation of functional movement. The class is open to all individuals with limitations due to neurological motor/sensory impairments, spinal cord injuries, cerebral vascular accident impairments (stroke), traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress syndrome, amputations, and/or congenital disabilities.

Our mission is to break down barriers and build opportunities through the exploration of movement. Whether your goal is to improve quality of life through activities of daily living or pursue the sport of CrossFit in a more competitive environment, we are here to provide a supportive community that empowers you to learn.

Watch the video above to find out more about what happens in a typical class!

Days & Times

Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30pm

Class starts July 8th!

Pricing

$25 per class

Register Here!

About the Coach

This class is led by Coach Katie Harper, DPT, our in-house physical therapist at CrossFit South Brooklyn. Katie specializes in orthopedic injuries as well as performance programming for injured athletes. Her clinical experience with the adaptive population includes working with individuals with cerebral palsy, erb’s palsy, spina bifida, incomplete spinal cord injuries, CVA, Guillain-Barre, lower limb amputation in one on one personal training sessions, rehabilitation centers as well as aquatic therapy settings.

Katie holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree & a B.S. in Kinesiology. She is a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer & CrossFit certified in Adaptive Training.

More Info

If you are interested in attending, you must first contact Katie [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn [dot] com for inquiries. To ensure a safe and effective learning environment, we like to keep our classes small, and would like to get to know you first!

Know someone who might be interested in this class? Send them this post!

Sign Up for Our Newsletter!

Do you subscribe to our newsletter? Please do to get monthly updates on general gym happenings, blog highlights, and programming info! Sign up HERE or via the link on the sidebar to the right. And hey, while you’re at it, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram!

_____________________
Why Science Can Be So Indecisive About Nutrition The Atlantic
7 Weeks of Progress on the Starting Strength Program Starting Strength (video)