This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Murph Day 2018 is THIS MONDAY! So far, 143 CFSBKers have registered to participate in one of our biggest and best community events of the year. Can we get to 160 by the end of the day? Go HERE to sign up for a heat!

2. For the 3rd year in a row, we’ll be raising money to benefit K9s for Warriors, an organization that provides service dogs for veterans suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disability, traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma as a result of military service post-9/11. The program has graduated over 300 Warrior/canine teams like Edna and Sarge, who are pictured above. 90% of the dogs in the program come from rescue shelters or are owner-surrendered. Because there is no charge for no charge for the workout, nor will it be deducted from your weekly class limit, though we do recommend donating what you would have paid for the class to K9s for Warriors. You can donate here or at the gym on the day of the event!

3. Still on the fence about doing “Murph”? Don’t forget that you can scale it! On Monday, Coach Fox walked us through all the options.

4. So many good things happening at the gym next week! On Saturday, June 2nd, we will host the Iron Maidens Raw Open. 60 women, from CFSBK and beyond, will test their strength at Back Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift. For the 3rd year in a row, Iron Maidens lifters will raise funds for the Stay Strong Scholarship, which supports students at Bronx-based Grace Outreach. On Tuesday, CFSBKer and Executive director of Grace Outreach Danae Mcleod talked about why the Stay Strong Scholarship is especially important in helping DACA youth achieve their dreams. This year, our goal is to raise $40,000 to continue supporting these students. Right now we’re at $11,747 raised. Can you help us get there? Help DACA youth by donating to your favorite CFSBK lifter(s) or directly to Grace Outreach through the 2018 Crowdrise campaign here.

5. Register for our upcoming Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fundamentals class with Coach Callie Brennan! Fundamentals is your jiu-jitsu starter pack. The course is geared towards anyone intrigued by BJJ but unsure where to begin, anyone who wants to become better acquainted with dynamic movement on the ground. By the end of the course, you will be at the point where you can walk into a live-sparring Jiu Jitsu class without reservation.

6. “Powerlifting for me has been about doing something for my body that is not about losing weight, getting smaller, or changing an aesthetic. Those things are fine for some people but for me the fact that most if not all fitness is about those goals has been damaging and discouraging to me in my pursuit of health and a strong, capable body. The biggest thing I have taken from Starting Strength (besides several PR’s haha) is that strength is for everyone.” That’s Anise in the most recent installment of our continuing series Humans of Starting Starting Strength. Give it a read!

7. All classes are cancelled next Saturday, June 2nd for Iron Maidens. Come out to the gym to cheer our lifters on!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | NFR Work
Are You a “Type D” Athlete? Relax and Ask for Help NY Times
Here’s What Competing in the CrossFit Games Teaches You About Real Life Self

Snatch Complex

Every Other Minute on the Minute  x 16 (8 Reps):
Snatch Pull + Hip Snatch

Build to a heavy but perfect load on the complex. No misses, no press outs. The “Hip” or “Power” position is one in which both the knees and hips flex. While the torso may lean forward a small amount, the barbell remains in the crease of the hip and does NOT travel down the thigh into a Mid-Hang position. The limited travel off the bar into the hang doesn’t allow for maximal loads to be used, and instead forces the lifter to focus on SPEED and an active arm pull under the bar.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 8

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20 Minutes Not for Rounds:
270m Jog/300m Row/Half-Mile Bike
7 Box Jumps (jump up, step down, use a high-for-you box)
3-5 Wall Walks

Post work to comments.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at CFSBK

Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is a full-contact grappling style that prioritizes strategy over brute force. Literally translating to the “soft” or “pliable” (jiu) “style” (jitsu), it is often thought of as the chess of martial arts. BJJ is, at its core, a self-defense system that employs positional advantages, joint locks, and chokes to defend against an opponent or attacker in an assertive and elegant manner. You needn’t be stronger than your opponent to subdue them, which makes BJJ one of the most practical and effective martial arts for all ages and sizes. There is no striking in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This is a submission grappling art based on efficiency of movement, leverage, and timing.

Fundamentals is your jiu-jitsu starter pack. The course is geared towards anyone intrigued by BJJ but unsure where to begin, anyone who wants to become better acquainted with dynamic movement on the ground, and anyone who could use a review to jump back into it. This will be an 8 week course with 1 class per week. Classes will cover the basic body mechanics and techniques used in Jiu jitsu. Come dressed in standard work out garb (leggings, spats, shorts that won’t fall off) and be advised that the sweat you leave with may not be your own. No zippers, no claws, no jewelry! By the end of the course, you will be at the point where you can walk into a live-sparring Jiu Jitsu class without reservation.

Days & Times

June 3rd to July 22nd
Sundays from 1:30 to 3:00pm

Pricing

$200 ($100 will be charged when you register and then again at the 4-week mark of the cycle)

About the Coach

Callie Brennan is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Team Fabio Clemente. Callie has been training and competing for the past 7 years. She began teaching beginner and intermediate students under the guidance of Pan American champion Babs Olusanmokun and multiple time World and Pan American champion Dominyka Obelenyte. Callie has competed locally and internationally winning gold at American Nationals as a white belt, the Montreal IBJJF Open at blue belt, and New York IBJJF Open at purple belt in her weight. She also medaled in the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials at blue belt.

Callie recently founded Rag Doll Camps with her training partner and coach, Dominyka Obelenyte, with a mission to close the gender gap in the sport. She also teaches privately. Callie initially began CrossFit to supplement her jiu-jitsu practice, and she is looking forward to sharing it with the CFSBK community!

Feel free to contact Callie directly with any questions!

REGISTER HERE!

News and Notes

• A note from CFSBKer MK: “I’m selling my Liv Envie Tri Advanced 2016. I used the bike for 2 seasons, pretty light mileage. Size Large. Shimano Ultegra components. Aero clip-on bars (easy to adjust). Super light. Super fast. Super fun. Turns out that it’s just a little too small for my build . Purchased in May 2016 from Ride Brooklyn for $3400.  Looking to sell for $2800 or best offer!  Definitely prefer to sell to someone in the BK community!  Call/text MK Flynn at 415-306-4572 if you are interested.”
• Got news you want to share with the community, something for sale, or an event coming up? Always feel free to send anything you’d like to share with the community to Josh [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com!
• Due to a mix-up at our laundry service, towels may be in short supply or unavailable throughout today’s AM classes. If you plan to shower after class, it might be a good idea to bring your own towel. We apologize for any inconvenience!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Front Squat / Ring Row | Power Clean, Push Jerk
Elijah Muhammad: 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Me Athlete Daily
Your Unreasonable Assumption of Comfort in Weightlifting Catalyst Athletics

For anyone using the gym in the morning 5/24: We ran into a problem with our cleaners, so we are temporarily out of towels in the shower rooms. We should have the problem resolved by late morning. Sorry for the inconvenience, thank you for your patience. -CFSBK

Danae gets ready to Squat

Iron Maidens 2018: DACA Youth Need Help

By Danae Mcleod, Executive Director of Grace Outreach
Reposted from NYNMedia

Throughout the United States, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival students are not eligible for state or federal financial aid of any kind to help them cover college expenses. That makes it very difficult to complete a degree.

Many DACA students pay for college on their own dime. Many of them can pay lower in-state tuition if they attend college in their home state. However, a recent decision by the Arizona State Supreme Court makes DACA youth who live in the state pay out-of-state tuition prices. More than ten other states have passed similar laws. Thankfully, New York has not, but it is painfully clear that there are people who wish to make it even harder for undocumented immigrants and DACA youth to get to college.

Nearly all DACA youth pay taxes. They are given temporary social security numbers and required by law to file their income taxes. Yet they are still not covered for certain civic benefits like post-high school education.

So how do DACA youth and undocumented immigrants make it through higher education while paying out of pocket? The direct answer is most do not. According to TheDream.US, only 5 to 10 percent can afford college.

There are many great scholarships for undocumented youth wanting to further their education. TheDream.US awards some 3,000 scholarships to those who are either high school or community college graduates, or students who live in states where they cannot access in-state tuition. Golden Door and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation are two others. However, these scholarships are extremely competitive and not sufficient to meet the needs of the more than one million Dreamers estimated to currently be living in America.

Nearly four years ago, I started working at Grace Outreach, a nonprofit in the South Bronx that works with women who want to earn their high school equivalency degrees, go to college, and get jobs. I have met hundreds of smart, talented and motivated women who want to improve their lives through education – but most of them are DACA youth and undocumented women who came to the U.S. as children. As such, many of them are ineligible for financial aid.

I started looking for ways to help. We started by applying for all of the scholarships for undocumented youth. None of our students received a scholarship, in part due to the incredibly competitive nature of these applications.

In 2015, I started talking to a close friend, Margie Lempert, about my students’ dilemma. Lempert runs a women’s powerlifting event called the Iron Maidens Raw Open every year at CrossFit South Brooklyn. She wanted to add a fundraising component to this incredible day showcasing women’s strength. We thought that the grit and determination that it took for undocumented women to get to college matched the strength and tenacity that women powerlifters demonstrate. Together we created the Stay Strong Scholarship to support undocumented women at Grace Outreach. The money raised pays for 80 percent of college tuition for selected undocumented students and DACA youth.

In the two years since Grace Outreach and Iron Maidens started the Stay Strong Scholarship, we have raised over $65,000 and sent 10 women to college. So far two students have graduated with associate’s degrees and moved on to bachelor’s programs. We currently have five students making their way through City University of New York community colleges with GPAs more than 3.0.

Now more than ever, the undocumented community needs our support. There are many great organizations out there supporting DACA youth but the need is still so great. We must provide more avenues of support to the undocumented people in our city who are living, working, paying into our tax system, and trying to better their lives through education.

This year, our goal is to raise $40,000 to continue supporting these students. Right now we’re at $8,948 raised. Can you help us get there? Help DACA youth by donating to your favorite CFSBK lifter(s) or directly to Grace Outreach through the 2018 Crowdrise campaign here.

News and Notes

• Register for our upcoming Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fundamentals class with Coach Callie Brennan! Fundamentals is your jiu-jitsu starter pack. The course is geared towards anyone intrigued by BJJ but unsure where to begin, anyone who wants to become better acquainted with dynamic movement on the ground. By the end of the course, you will be at the point where you can walk into a live-sparring Jiu Jitsu class without reservation.
• Interested in volunteering to help out at Iron Maidens? Fill out this form!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Bench Press / Lateral Lunge | Toes-to-Bars, Push-Ups, Sit-Ups, Squats
Deadlift Setup Fix Starting Strength
The Overlooked Importance of Parasites JSTOR Daily

Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press / Goblet Lateral Lunge Superset*

A1) Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press:
4 x 5-8

A2) Goblet Lateral Lunge (not alternating):
4 x 5-8

Use a heavy load for the rep range that allows you to move with perfect form. Keep rest to a minimum, 30-60 seconds between movements. Prioritize range of motion and stability over load on the Lateral Lunges. Good range of motion would have the femur of the “lunging” leg hit below parallel depth while maintaining a neutral spine. The foot of the opposite leg can stay flat or rotate up onto the heel, whichever feels more comfortable.

*Warm up and then perform a set of Bench Presses, followed by a set of Lateral Lunges. Repeat for 4 work sets of each, resting 30 seconds to a minute between movements.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 8
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4 Rounds for Times:
10 Toes-to-Bars
20 Push-Ups
30 Sit-Ups
40 Squats

Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

The goal is fast and relatively unbroken rounds. Scale Toes-to-Bars to Hanging Leg or Knee Raises and Pus- Ups to Knee Push-Ups as needed. Don’t fall into the “simple” movement trap, where your start doing Toes-Near-Bars, Pervy Uncle Push-Ups, Hunchback Sit-Ups, and 1/4 Squats. You have 400 opportunities to perform these common movements uncommonly well. Use all 400 of ’em!

Post times and Rx to comments.

Murph Day 2018 is just a week away! So far 99 of you have registered. Can we beat last year’s number, 177? Go HERE to sign up for a heat! | Photo by Thomas H. 

“Murph” Is For Everyone

By Chris Fox
Originally posted on 5.23.17

Hero WODs are usually longer, harder, and heavier—more grueling than your average WOD. “Murph” is no exception. But “Murph” is also for every CFSBKer who wants to do it. As always, we have a scaling option that is appropriate for wherever you’re at on your fitness journey. Whether you’re going to do a full “Murph” or not, you can choose to perform one of the following options:

“Murph”

1 Mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run

Partition the Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, and Squats however desired. The classic and most often-chosen version is “Cindy” style: 20 rounds of 5 Pull-Ups, 10 Push-Ups, 15 Squats. Many folks choose to split the Push-Ups up and instead do 20 rounds of 5 Push-Ups, 5 Pull-Ups, 5 Push-Ups, 15 Squats. If your Pull-Ups and Push-Ups are pretty strong, you might consider doing 10 rounds of 10 Pull-Ups, 20 Push-Ups, and 30 Squats (less to count!). Of course, you can also choose to perform the reps “Angie” style and do “Murph” as a chipper… or as Rx’d and wear a 20/14lb vest for the whole shebang.

Our standard movement scaling options are…

Run: Row or Bike
Pull-Ups: Ring Rows
Push-Ups: Knee Push-Ups
Squats: Squats!

We know that many of you can perform the movements as prescribed but may need to scale the total volume a bit. To this end, here are some scaling options:

1/3 “Murph”

33 Pull-Ups
66 Push-Ups
99 Squats
11 sets of 3/6/9

1/2 “Murph”

50 Pull-Ups
100 Push-Ups
150 Squats
10 Sets of 5/10/15 or 5/5/5/15

3/4 “Murph”

75 Pull-Ups
150 Push-Ups
200 Squats
15 Sets of 5/10/15, or 5/5/5/15

We encourage everyone to complete both 1 mile runs, unless an injury precludes you from running. It’s generally the large volume of bodyweight movements that need scaling.

How have you approached “Murph” in the past, and how will you approach it this year? Tell us in the comments!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Clean | Run, Pull-Ups, Push Jerks
Murph: Why We Do It Boxlife
From Couch to Community CrossFit Journal

Clean Complex

Every Other Minute on the Minute x 12 (6 sets):
Clean Pull + Hip Clean

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

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Rope Climb

12-15 Minutes Not for Rounds:
130m Jog
1-3 Rope Climbs 15′

Post work to comments.

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AMRAP 21 Minutes:
18 Burpees
15 Russian Kettlebell Swings 24/16kg
12 Box Jumps 24/20″

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Our annual Memorial Day “Murph” event, one of our biggest and best events of the year, is just over a week away. Go HERE to sign up for a heat or to the event page for more info! 

This Week at CFSBK in Review

It’s almost summer, and there’s lots happening at the gym. Let’s recap!

1. We’ve delayed the start of the upcoming Active Life Strength PM Cycle to this Monday, so you know what that means: There’s still time to register! See this post for details, and go HERE to register.

2. Register for our upcoming Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fundamentals class with Coach Callie Brennan! Fundamentals is your jiu-jitsu starter pack. The course is geared towards anyone intrigued by BJJ but unsure where to begin, anyone who wants to become better acquainted with dynamic movement on the ground. By the end of the course, you will be at the point where you can walk into a live-sparring Jiu Jitsu class without reservation.

3. “The Stay Strong Scholarship means a second chance for me. This scholarship has opened up doors for me that I never thought would be open.” On Tuesday, we talked to Stay Strong Scholar AS. For the 3rd year in a row, Iron Maidens lifters will raise funds for the Stay Strong Scholarship, which supports students at Bronx-based Grace Outreach. This year, our goal is to raise $40,000 to continue supporting these students. Right now we’re at $8,673 raised. Can you help us get there? Show some love by donating to your favorite CFSBK lifter(s) through the 2018 Crowdrise campaign here.

4. Coach Whit is a longtime client of Zach Dacuk, who is offering a workshop from June 21st to the 24th. “Mapping the Body: Recognizing Successes & Principles in the Application of Fascial Movement” is of interest to massage therapists, fitness instructors, and movement professionals.

5. In this week’s installment of Humans of Starting Strength Program, we talked to longtime CFSBKer Rob Underwood. It’s a great insight into one of our cornerstone programs. Check it out!

6. Today’s 11am Active Recovery class is cancelled. Coach David is serving his 8th year as the Competition Director of CrossFit’s East Regional!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
10 Things You Don’t Know about Yourself Scientific American
Making Time to Switch Off BarBend

Register for Active Life Strength!

We’ve delayed the start of the upcoming Active Life Strength PM Cycle to Monday, so there’s still time to register! Get out of pain, stay out of pain, strengthen your weaknesses, and improve mobility and movement patterns, all while getting stronger! This is a predominantly strength-based class very specifically programmed to strengthen movements and improve positions based on your individual needs.

The Active Life methods help athletes of all levels identify the root causes of their pain, injuries, and plateaus, and provide solutions for alleviating and eliminating those limitations through strength training, hands on treatment, corrective movements, and program modification. As the Head Coach at Active Life Athletics, Coach Keith worked closely with the Active Life doctors as they developed the system and led the charge to incorporate it into a gym model. Using those principles, this program will help you identify your individual weaknesses and limitations, guide you through the necessary strength and mobility exercises, and get you moving and lifting more efficiently, with less pain. A pain-free athlete is a confident athlete, and a confident athlete is a dangerous athlete. If your goal is to look better, feel better, and go hard into your 80s, this program will help you set and maintain the foundation.

For more information on The Active Life, check out:

• @activeliferx on Instagram
• www.performancecarerx.com
• The Active Life on YouTube

Schedule

PM Cycle
May 14th, 2018 – July 5th, 2018
Mondays from 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Thursdays from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
2x per week for 8 weeks
Register Here!

Cost

The cost is $160 per month ($320 total plus NY state sales tax). The first charge will occur at the time of registration and the second payment of $160 will occur automatically 1 month later. This cycle is open to all CFSBK members as well as CrossFitters from other affiliates.

(Please note that you are committing to specific days and times and there be no refunds for any missed classes or late cancellations.)

What happens in class?

We will start with testing your single leg strength relative to your Back Squat, your Deadlift stamina relative to your absolute strength, your 1-arm carry ability, and your upper body pressing and pulling. You will then receive progressive strength work during each class to address your weaknesses based off of your test results.

In addition, we will identify your general movement limitations through mobility and flexibility assessments. Each athlete will receive an individualized “Not for Time” piece to complete as a warm up/cool down for CrossFit group class or during standardized warm-ups to address these limitations through corrective movements, stretches, and holds.

News and Notes

• Tomorrow’s 11am Active Recovery class is cancelled. Coach David is serving his 8th year as the Competition Director of CrossFit’s East Regional!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Double-Unders, Deadlifts
Broke Your Right Arm? Exercise Your Left. It May Help, Really NY Times
When Should You Use a Weightlifting Belt? Girls Gone Strong

Snatch Complex

Every Other Minute on the Minute x 16 (8 reps):
Snatch Pull (4 seconds down) + Snatch Pull + Hip Snatch

Build to a heavy but perfect load on the complex. No misses, no press outs. The Hip or “Power” position is one where the knees and hips both flex. While the torso may lean forward a small amount, the barbell remains in the crease of the hip and does NOT travel down the thigh into a Mid-Hang position. The limited travel off the bar into the Hang doesn’t allow for maximal loads to be used.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

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For Time:
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
21-18-15-12-9
Deadlifts 185/125

Post time and Rx to comments.

Tom S. having some fun with the yoke at Strong Fit. Check out more recent photos by Thomas H. on our Flickr account!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at CFSBK

Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is a full-contact grappling style that prioritizes strategy over brute force. Literally translating to the “soft” or “pliable” (jiu) “style” (jitsu), it is often thought of as the chess of martial arts. BJJ is, at its core, a self-defense system that employs positional advantages, joint locks, and chokes to defend against an opponent or attacker in an assertive and elegant manner. You needn’t be stronger than your opponent to subdue them, which makes BJJ one of the most practical and effective martial arts for all ages and sizes. There is no striking in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This is a submission grappling art based on efficiency of movement, leverage, and timing.

Fundamentals is your jiu-jitsu starter pack. The course is geared towards anyone intrigued by BJJ but unsure where to begin, anyone who wants to become better acquainted with dynamic movement on the ground, and anyone who could use a review to jump back into it. This will be an 8 week course with 1 class per week. Classes will cover the basic body mechanics and techniques used in Jiu jitsu. Come dressed in standard work out garb (leggings, spats, shorts that won’t fall off) and be advised that the sweat you leave with may not be your own. No zippers, no claws, no jewelry! By the end of the course, you will be at the point where you can walk into a live-sparring Jiu Jitsu class without reservation.

Days & Times

June 3rd to July 22nd
Sundays from 1:30 to 3:00pm

Pricing

$200 ($100 will be charged when you register and then again at the 4-week mark of the cycle)

About the Coach

Callie Brennan is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Team Fabio Clemente. Callie has been training and competing for the past 7 years. She began teaching beginner and intermediate students under the guidance of Pan American champion Babs Olusanmokun and multiple time World and Pan American champion Dominyka Obelenyte. Callie has competed locally and internationally winning gold at American Nationals as a white belt, the Montreal IBJJF Open at blue belt, and New York IBJJF Open at purple belt in her weight. She also medaled in the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials at blue belt.

Callie recently founded Rag Doll Camps with her training partner and coach, Dominyka Obelenyte, with a mission to close the gender gap in the sport. She also teaches privately. Callie initially began CrossFit to supplement her jiu-jitsu practice, and she is looking forward to sharing it with the CFSBK community!

Feel free to contact Callie directly with any questions!

REGISTER HERE!

News and Notes

• We’ve delayed the start of the upcoming Active Life Strength PM Cycle (but not AM) to next Monday, so you know what that means: There’s still time to register! See this post for details, and go HERE to register.
•  Missing something? It might be in our most recent lost and found dump! You can also now see photos of our lost and found clear outs via the link under Member Resources. Be sure to claim your stuff at the front desk before we donate it to CHIPS!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Front Squat / Ring Row | Pull-Ups, KB Swings, L-Sits
Why We Love Chuck Taylors for Weightlifting Wirecutter
You and Mat Fraser Vs. Linda and Triple 3 CrossFit Journal

FRONT SQUAT / SINGLE-ARM RING ROW SUPERSET*

A1) Front Squat:
4 x 8-10

A2) Single-Arm Ring Row:
4 x 8-10

Use a heavy load (or degree of difficulty for the Ring Row) for the rep range that allows you to move with perfect form, heavier than last week. Keep rest to a minimum, 30-60 seconds between movements.

*Warm up and then perform a set of Front Squats, followed by a set of Ring Rows, heavier than last week. Repeat for 4 work sets of each, resting 30 seconds to a minute between movements.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

_____________________

20 Minutes or 5 Rounds:
3-6 Strict Pull-Ups
12e Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings
20 Second L-Sit

Use assistance or add weight to the Pull-Ups as appropriate. The Kettelbell Swings should be heavy for 12 reps. Scale the L-Sits to Tucks or Half-Tucks as appropriate, or accumulate 20 seconds in a few sets.

Post work to comments.

Humans of Starting Strength: Rob Underwood

A new round of CFSBK’s Starting Strength Program cycles just started! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you some Humans of New York-style interviews with our Starting Strengthers. Who are these intrepid powerlifters? What brings them together? What is Starting Strength Program like? How is it different from other classes?  What kind of funny stuff does Coach Jeremy say in class? Let’s find out! For last week’s first installment, we talked to Bridget M. This time it’s longtime CFSBKer and Starting Strength mainstay Rob U.!

What are some differences between Starting Strength Program and CrossFit group class? Were any a surprise to you?

​Starting Strength made me a lot more hungry, which was dangerous as I put on weight, both fat and muscle, easily. I had to really watch my intake of protein and overall calories so that I was making good of all the strength training I was doing but also not just getting fat. Generally I found I had to think more about diet or I would use SS as an excuse to eat anything and everything.

SS also seems easier in the moment, since you take longer breaks between sets. But, a day after, I found I need a bit more rest than with regular classes​. Sleep, as always, is key.

What are a few of the biggest things you took from or accomplished in SS?

​I got a lot stronger! Before my first SS I was at something like a 200 lb Squat, 250 or so on the Deadlift, and maybe 115 or so on the Press. Now my PRs on those are 372, 435, and 177 respectively. It’s no joke. It works.​ You will get much much stronger doing SS.

How has Starting Strength affected your capacity in CrossFit group class? 

​From a pure ego perspective, I like that when we do power lifts in group class I might be one of the top lifters in a given day. I know we’re only competing against ourselves, but as an overweight, unathletic 45-year-old man it is definitely a boost to feel like you can be one of the stronger people in the room from time to time, especially as I tend to come in “last” in virtually everything else we do, especially the WODs (except the marathon, though I’m not exactly fast there).

Overall, I just feel a lot more confidence when we’re doing lifts in group class, whether on their own or in a WOD. I’d also note than an adjustment going back to group classes is less time between sets. I learned I had to adjust my weights on, say, a 3 x 5, down 10-15% to account for that when going back to group class.

What’s the culture like?

​Very supportive. Lots of friends. Feels like a community within a community. Margie and Jeremy are the best. ​

Some of the other over-the-hill dads who do SS and I also created an informal group within the SS community called “Slippery Slope,” because we’re on the slippery slope to death now and SS is one of our last defenses. I think our motto was “Park Slope dads with an overenthusiastic obsession for CrossFit and Phish.” Just writing down that motto made me throw up in my mouth a bit, by the way. Our aim was to be the total opposite of the show “Girls”: boring, ugly, old men doing nothing interesting other than squatting and listening to “Fluffhead.”

Were there any major challenges (physical or mental) that you had to overcome?

Even now when I go heavy on a Squat, I get scared even though I only very rarely miss a lift. But overcoming that mental challenge, the fear, each time is really empowering. ​I also learned that it’s really important to learn how to spot correctly and to ask for a spotter early and often.

News and Notes

• Registration for our annual Memorial Day “Murph” is open. Head over to the event page for more info and to sign up for a heat!
• Saturday’s 11am Active Recovery class is cancelled.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
Fiber Could Save You from the Flu The Outline
Chakera Holcomb Sets Highest All-Time Wilks Score BarBend