Mid-Hang Clean and Jerk

Every minute on the minute x 10:
Mid-Hang Clean + Jerk

Work up to a heavy load, build across the 10 reps.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

_____________________

Performance
5 Rounds for Time:
5 Hang Cleans 155/105
30 Double-Unders

Fitness
5 Rounds for Time:
5 Hang Cleans 115/75
60 Single-Unders 

For both Fitness and Performance, the Hang Cleans should be on the light-medium side for you and unbroken on the fast end.

Post time and Rx to comments.

The Iron Maidens of CFSBK: Allison K.

The Iron Maidens Raw Open is less than 3 weeks away! Leading up to the event, we’ll be posting brief interviews with CFSBK lifters to help you get to know our team and give you a sense of what these women are doing to prepare. This year, through competitors’ fundraising efforts, Iron Maidens will once again fund the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship. Last year, Iron Maidens participants raised $30,000, far surpassing the $20,000 goal. This year, our goal is to raise $50,000 to pay for 70% of college tuition for students in the College Prep program at the Bronx-based Grace Outreach, and we need your help to reach that goal! You can donate to a lifter’s campaign by going here.

First up: Allison K. (a.k.a, AJK, Alkat, Al-Babe, Gal Pal Al, AK-47)

Allison, thanks for being the first Iron Maidens of CFSBK interviewee this year. Is this your first time participating in Iron Maidens (or its predecessor)? If not, any advice or thoughts to offer to new folks? If yes, anything you are particularly looking forward to or nervous about?

I participated in the predecessor to Iron Maidens three times, but it’s been a while. The last time I participated was July of 2013. Yikes, I’m rusty, so I’m a little nervous about that.

I think the best advice I might offer to new folks is borrowed from my runner pals: run your own race. I have a reputation among family, friends, and colleagues as a rather competitive person. My loved ones have avoided playing board games with me for many years now. All joking aside, it’s easy for my competitive spirit to wander into the territory of comparing myself to others to the detriment of my training, confidence, and you know… overall enjoyment of life. Sure, at the end of the competition winners will emerge after we’re all measured against one another, but what is unique about barbell training is that the ultimate measurement is only against our individual goals.

I’d also encourage new folks to find even just a moment to really engage with the organizers and volunteers, the crowd, and your fellow competitors. While lifting can often feel very solitary and personal, the spirit of the competition is one of a big ol’ team and community.

How has lifting impacted you athletically? Personally?

Lifting is the first athletic endeavor I’ve experienced that feels like if I work hard and train, I’m building skills that my body feels innately suited for. I’ve always been active and outdoorsy, but I shied away from organized team sports as a kid because I have terrible natural endurance for running and comical hand-eye coordination (in fact, some friends gave me a trophy for being “Consistently Inconsistent” after years of playing social sports with me like wiffle ball, tennis, and volleyball). I am tall, with big bones and big muscles; when it came to the team sports that were popular for girls in my hometown—field hockey, soccer, gymnastics—I always felt like I was punishing my body, or somehow trying to fight its natural size, shape, and inclinations for movement. Lifting has helped me to identify as “athletic,” to feel grateful for this strong, healthy body, and to care for it by staying strong and trying new athletic pursuits, even as I trudge through my mid-thirties.

On a much more personal and perhaps political note: as a woman and a feminist, I am keenly aware of how many folks and institutions within our society place value on a woman’s body—on my body—more for how it looks than for what it can do. I believe that tendency inherently leads to devaluing women’s abilities and limits our potential, which is a bummer for our society. The barbell is the ultimate honorer of strength over shape. So! For me, Iron Maidens has the added bonus of being an occasion where our bodies are celebrated for their strength and function and not their form.

What is your motivation for competing in Iron Maidens?

I’ve got a couple of motivations—one purely physical, and the other a bit more mental.

Last year, I finally recovered from almost two years of painful foot injuries that culminated in me tearing the plantar fascia in my right foot. I’ve been so happy to be back in the gym and under the bar consistently since last spring. So, Iron Maidens is a target date to test my lifts after working hard all summer and fall to basically re-train, and to motivate myself to come into the gym consistently during a time of year when typically I just want to be cozy (i.e., nap and drink wine while wearing my slippers).

My foot injury recovery also coincided with me co-founding a business. I’ve been running a design and technology studio with three partners since last year, and it would be very easy for me to either work or think about work for most hours of the day. When I started this new phase of my career, I made a rule that I have to do something physical every day that forces me just get out of my damn overly analytical head. While some days I can only afford to shut off my brain during my short bike ride to work, re-focusing on lifting and group class here at the gym has, I think, made me a more sane business owner (and probably a more tolerable girlfriend and partner to be around, too).

Last but certainly not least, I give major credit to Margie for building a community—and to David and the CFSBK staff for supporting this community—that makes competing with all of these talented women such a pleasure.

_____________________
Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Front Rack Step-Ups / Chin-Ups | Wall Balls, Box Jumps
Powerlifting with Casey Johnston The Awlcast
Hook Grip Tip from Diane Fu Free+Style

Front Rack Step-Ups / Chin-Ups Superset*

1A) Front Rack Step-Ups

Perform 3 x 8-12 reps on each leg. Start the cycle light enough to make 12 reps on each leg without too much difficulty, and move up in weight week to week from there. Use your non-dominant leg to set the weight and only do as much weight and as many reps as that side can perform. The end goal by the end of the cycle is to perform 8-12 good reps on each leg with about 1/3 of your Back Squat 1-rep max. Use a height that allows you to be at full depth (hip crease below knee) when the working leg is on the box. Come to full standing using the working leg before the trail leg touches down for balance. Do not use the trail leg to help you stand up. Use the trail leg as little as possible to push off from, and use a tempo in which the down/eccentric phase of the movement is slower than the up/concentric phase. The barbell comes off the floor. Stop the set when you’re not sure you can do another rep or two (i.e., do not bail a bar on a box).

1B) Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows

Performance
Perform 4 sets of max reps. Once you can no longer clear your chin over the bar, your set is over. Each rep starts from a dead hang. Initiate the movement by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears and pull the elbows as far down and back as possible. If you can touch your chest to the bar on each rep, then do it. You should really be feeling these in your lats.

Fitness
Perform 3 challenging (but submaximal) sets of 2-4 reps using bands or a small partner assist as needed to achieve full range of motion, followed by a 4th set for max reps. These should be tough sets in a low rep range with the goal of performing around 10-15 total reps. If you can do them unassisted but only 1 at a time, then pepper in as many singles as you can in between sets of Step-Ups during the lifting segment. Start and finish the superset with a set of Chins to get all 4 sets in.

*Superset means that you perform a set of exercise A (in this case the Press) and then after a short rest, 30 to 90 seconds, you perform a set of exercise B (in this case the Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows). You then rest a short period before returning to exercise A and continue in this fashion until all warm up and work sets are completed.

Post work to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8
_____________________

AMRAP 9 Minutes:
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21… add 3 reps until the call of time
Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
Box Jumps 24/20″

Go unbroken on wall balls for as long as you can. Do your best to keep your toes on the floor and stay organized. Box jumps are Rx’d as a two-foot take off. Step-ups are considered a scale.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Steph M. and Andrew S. are doing the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge together this year. This fit couple sat down with Coach Fox to talk about how it’s going, what challenges they’ve faced, and what kind of results they’ve seen so far. Enjoy!

Want to Work at the Front Desk?

CFSBK is looking for new talent to staff our beloved Front Desk! Responsibilities include handling inquires from walk-ins, managing basic membership issues, light cleaning/organization, and other miscellaneous duties. Ideally, we’d like to hire from within so that candidates are already familiar with CrossFit and CFSBK, but we are open to talking to new folks if they’ve got good people skills and are committed to joining the gym.

On top of an hourly wage, Front Desk staff will also receive a comped membership. We are looking for people who keep a consistent schedule and commit to six months of work with us (barring extenuating circumstances). Preference will be given to candidates with the flexibility to change shifts in the new year. 

We will be interviewing this month and hiring a new staff member for immediate training. The shifts we are looking to fill are below, so before applying, please make sure these openings fit with your schedule:

Saturday 12pm-4:15pm

Email Charlie [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com to inquire and include Front Desk in the subject line.

Iron Maidens Volunteers Needed!

Interested in volunteering for Iron Maidens? We’d love your help on this very fun day! There are a variety of ways to be involved. Fill out this volunteer form to learn more and share your availability. Check out photos from last year’s event to get a sense of what it’s all about.

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
Write Your Open Story CrossFit Games
Game Changes: Ibtihaj Muhammed Unsung Heroines

January Athlete of the Month: Kelly Lovelett

New year, new AOM! Kelly has been training at CFSBK for a little over 3 years now and has been a great presence in the gym from the start. In addition to making some great strides in her training, she’s always supportive of her fellow classmates and is a regular at gym-related social events and extracurriculars. Learn a little more about this globe-trotting teacher from a kooky upstate town.

Fox: Hi Kelly, and congrats! When and why did you start Crossfit?

Kelly: Thanks! I’m honored! I started around the corner from here at Class One CrossFit and MMA in July 2012, then came to CFSBK before the end of that year. I’d been doing some boxing and Muay Thai at that gym and decided to give CrossFit a shot. Once I started it I didn’t want to miss any workouts, so the punching and kicking took a back seat. When they suddenly got rid of their CrossFit program, I knew I wanted to continue. I was deciding between CrossFit Prospect Heights, which was brand new, and CFSBK. Though the thought of being part of a gym’s culture from the very beginning was appealing, I decided to come here where I figured there would be more seasoned athletes who I could push myself to try and keep up with. I’m obviously glad with that choice!

Fox: Do you keep up the fighting skills? Like, could you beat David in a fight?

Kelly: Ha! No, not really. I do miss it, but I don’t prioritize it anymore.

Fox: Ok, but you didn’t really answer part two of that question. Kidding! What sort of athletic things are you prioritizing these days?

Kelly: I’m currently working on Butterfly Pull-Ups. With the Open coming up, I want to dial them in. I’ve also started doing Muscle-Up progressions and trying to get my false grip stronger. It’s so hard to swing using it! And since I want to get better at EVERYTHING, I’ve been doing some drop-ins to Next Level Weightlifting Club.

Fox: That’s a pretty comprehensive list. One of the things that stood out to the coaching staff is that you’re always going the extra mile to improve. We likey! Coming from another CrossFit gym, what were your first impressions coming here?

Kelly: I liked the programming overall, especially the dedicated strength training aspect. Right away the quality of coaching stood out to me as well. Not even just how knowledgeable the coaches are, but that you can sense their passion for what they do. A few years into training here, I can also see how the coaches evolve across the board. You generally won’t hear a cue or something from a coach that contradicts what another coach said. That consistency is noticed. I started by dipping my toes in at CFSBK with just 2 drop-ins, then a 10-class card, then 3x/week, then 5x/week, and now I have the unlimited membership. Seems my first impressions were correct! I read the blog for a month before attending my first class. I could tell the community was extremely supportive and felt like I knew people before I met them. I also have to add that I read one of David’s Inside the Affiliate articles a while back and am so glad he called this place a gym and not a box. I don’t like when people call it a box!

Fox: You mentioned that you were doing some boxing and Muay Thai prior to starting CrossFit. Were you always into that?

Kelly: Not really, though I’ve always been active. As a kid I played and did it all. Skiing, soccer, softball, gymnastics, even bowling. I really liked gymnastics, but my parents grew tired of the 50 mile round trip to bring my friends and I. Bowling was also pretty far, but it was only once a week. In high school I played field hockey in the fall and ran track in the spring and have generally always been a gym rat. I even had a stint as a personal trainer for a short bit after college.

Fox: A 50-mile round trip does seem like it would get old. Where’d you grow up?

Kelly: Yeah, bowling was awful though! We were three pip-squeaks trying to bowl a ball we could barely pick up! I grew up in Mt. Tremper, NY in quite the house. That house actually affected me more than I ever realized. It was (and is) pretty great. It’s a 150 year old farmhouse. The word “dilapidated” is not an overstatement to describe the condition it was in when my parents bought it. My grandmother actually cried when she saw it, and they weren’t tears of joy! The house was under construction for my entire childhood and my dad did the lion’s share of the work himself. It was a series of projects, usually with a few of them going on simultaneously. The were so many fun things about the property. My dad converted a barn into a recording studio, built a pool and pool house. There was plenty to explore as an inquisitive child whose parents let me roam the property freely. There was a small mountain behind us that I explored and a creek across the street that I swam in. One neighbor had a pond where I caught frogs. I’m still an upstate girl at heart, and my upbringing is the reason for my interest in science.

Fox: I’m envisioning sort of The Addams Family house …and it sounds amazing! Tell us about you outside of the gym. What do you do for work?

Kelly: I got my bachelors degree in SUNY-Geneseo thinking I was going into the health field. I was originally Pre-Med. I decided to get my teaching certificate while I was there because the school was known for their education program and was originally a “normal school” that only trained teachers. After graduating I started working at high schools here in Brooklyn. I’m currently the Assistant Principal of Biological Sciences at Brooklyn Tech and have been there since 2010. I’m fortunate to have landed there since it’s such a large school (over 250 faculty and 5700 students), so I can be an Assistant Principal with a focus in Biology.

Fox: What about hobbies?

Kelly: I can’t just say working out? I rarely cook anymore, but I like to entertain and grill out on my building’s roof deck. I also do a bit of gardening up there. And, like most Brooklynites, I like to day drink, eat brunch, and explore different neighborhoods. I also travel a lot and get to do much of it with my work. I organize international trips with my students and have been to Costa Rica and Iceland with them, to name a few. I really like that part of my job since, for me, school trips were such a memorable part of growing up.

Fox: I’ve heard that your cat is allergic to you. True story?

Kelly: Yes! Poor thing has to take medication just to live with me!

Fox: Alright, last question. What do you think we should look for in a future AOM?

Kelly: Character. It’s important to be kind, welcoming, supportive, and competitive in a constructive way. Be honest, and don’t be afraid to give yourself “no-reps” when they’re deserved. Seek growth, do a bit of extra work, and make small sacrifices to grow and improve.

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Push Jerk | Burpees
Your Dog Really Loves Reggae Music NY Mag
Mid-Line Stabilization: The Hip Extension CrossFit

Push Jerk

Every minute on the minute x 15 minutes:
1) 7 Push Jerks 155/105
2) 7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
3) 10 Calorie Row

The barbell comes from the floor (via a Power Clean). The barbell load should be medium-heavy for you, and the reps should be performed unbroken. The Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups may be broken up, but leave at least 15 seconds in the minute to transition to the row. Scale to regular Pull-Ups or Jumping Pull-Ups as needed. Aim to pull the 10 cals in as few strokes as possible.

Post time and Rx to comments.

_____________________

For Time:
50 Burpees

Get down, get up

Post time to comments.

Meredith R.’s award-winning desert from Saturday’s CSFBK Community Potluck. More photos from the Potluck will be posted this week!

Register for the 2017 CrossFit Open

Registration for the 2017 CrossFit Open started a couple of weeks ago. We want you to sign up! But why should you? First, as of a couple years ago, the Open includes both Rx’d and Scaled divisions, so don’t fret if you don’t have Muscle-Ups or Handstand Walks yet. Second, registering for the Open is good for the whole CFSBK community. As befits our spirit of inclusiveness, we usually have a big team, and we’d love to have an even bigger team this year. Even if you do only one rep for one of the WODs, it won’t bring the team down. We’re shooting to have 100 CFSBKers register for this year’s Open. The third reason is a little more complicated. What if—like your CFSBK blog Editor—you’re not naturally competitive because you were always large for your age and thus a big, slow target in dodgeball? To answer this last question (or some version of it), we’re reposting Coach Fox’s blog classic “Why Compete?” Enjoy! 

Why Compete?

By Chris Fox
Originally posted on 12.1.2012

As a youth I was not very involved in competitive sports, so I can’t speak to that angle on why competition is a healthy aspect of training as an adult. Sure, I’ve played some pick up football, basketball, rugby, baseball, etc… but the consequences were only week to week, never having long lasting meaning to me. As an adult I have found new meaning in what training and testing mean to me. I’ve trained with intention and set performance goals for more than a decade and found CrossFit within the past 6 years. CrossFit was the first time that I had ever really tested my performance in a competition setting. The beauty of Crossfit, and the related fitness sports that go along with it like powerlifting, olympic lifting, strongman/women, adventure races, etc… is that while you are ‘competing’ with the people you’re sharing floor/track/trail/platform space with, you must also compare your performance to your own previous performances. Sometimes the goal may be to only finish an event. First time out? Just get through it with success. Other times it may be to best your previous years placement or possibly to achieve a top place in an event. In my case the goal is to get better as an athlete and to not slip backward as the competitive environment gets more and more, well, competitive.

I have no illusions of winning any powerlifting meets, Olympic meets, the CrossFit Games, or even any of the local throwdown style events. Does that mean that my participation is silly? Hell NO! I get to hang with some cool folks, push my limits, and measure where I lay not only in comparison to my fellow athletes but also in relation to my previous self. As a (very) soon to be 40 year old male, society would have me believe that my best days are behind me. I respond with a resounding “NOT” and strive year after year to be a bit better that the me from the year before. I enjoy the process, the goal setting, and the satisfaction of knowing that I prepared for an event as best as I could. Or, in learning what I might do differently  the next go around.

We test ourselves day in, day out at CFSBK. There are metrics to be recorded for sure, and you should be tracking them regularly. I encourage you all, however, to step outside of your comfort zone once in a while and and test your performance in those not so cozy places where the others are. You might find out that you hate it, but you might also find out that it inspires you to be better or at least have some outside of the box fun. At the very least you’ll have learned something about yourself.

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Your Attitude Can Make or Break You Thrive Global
Benefits of Depth Jumps Breaking Muscle

Power Snatch

Every minute on the minute x 10:
Power Snatch + Hang Snatch + Overhead Squat

Build to a heavy load on the complex

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 8

_____________________

For Time:
400m Run
21-15-9
Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/53kg
Box Jumps 24/20″
400m Run

Buy in with a 400m run, perform the couplet, and then cash out with another 400m run. The swings should be on the heavy side and unbroken on the fast end. The Box Jump is Rx’d as a two-foot take off. Bounding or stepping down is permitted.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Our new Diapers & Dumbbells class kicks off tomorrow at 11am! Check out photos from a recent demo class here

Diapers & Dumbbells: Lift, Laugh, Learn, Love.

Crossfit South Brooklyn is excited to introduce Diapers & Dumbbells, a postpartum fitness class designed to help new mothers safely return to exercise, connect with other parents, and develop the strength they need to support their growing babies. Classes start tomorrow!

Diapers & Dumbbells is a one-hour class that focuses on postpartum rehabilitation, restorative exercises, strength training, and conditioning and includes time for socializing with other parents and their babies. It provides a supportive and educational environment and is appropriate for individuals with or without previous CrossFit experience. Classes are open to mothers (and partners) of all fitness levels and their pre-crawling/pre-walking babies. Scaling options are available to allow anyone to participate and progress. Bring your baby and enjoy an hour of fitness and community.

Classes are led by two coaches to ensure close attention to each participant and help parents manage their babies so they can get the most out of class.

Diapers & Dumbbells takes place at Crossfit South Brooklyn’s 608 Degraw Street location, between 3rd and 4th Avenues. Our facility includes new changing rooms (with showers and towel service) that may serve as a private nursing, pumping, or diaper-changing station.

We encourage new parents or parents-to-be to contact us with any questions at Melissa [at] CrossfitSouthBrooklyn.com

Schedule
Monday: 11am-12pm
Wednesday: 11am-12pm

Pricing
Single Class Drop-In: $25
10-Class Punch Card: $200
20-Class Punch Card: $360 

Members of CrossFit South Brooklyn may use their existing memberships to drop in to this class; however, anyone and everyone is welcome as there are no prerequisites for this class. You can also purchase a punch card for this and our other specialty classes: Yoga, Short Circuit, Active Recovery, and Pilates.

What to Bring
Along with yourself and your baby, we recommend that you bring typical baby changing supplies as well as a blanket to lay your baby on. We suggest bringing your baby to the class in a stroller so that they may be comfortable and easily wheeled around the gym during class.

Coaching Staff
Melissa Loranger, DPT:  Melissa received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Hunter College and is a licensed Physical Therapist in the state of New York. She has been a CrossFit coach and personal trainer at CFSBK since March, 2012. Melissa is also new mom to a 4-month-old baby girl. 

Sasha Slocombe: Sasha has worked with families as a parent-baby yoga teacher for 17 years and as a labor-support doula for 10 years. Her three children are her greatest teachers.

Lauren Borducci: Lauren is a personal trainer and wellness coach who works with individuals of wide-ranging ages and experience. She has coached a variety of CrossFit classes and has been developing her yoga practice for 20 years.  Lauren has two daughters (ages 8 and 6) who have been, and continue to be, a fun and inspiring part of her focus on health and fitness.

Note
If you have gently used boppys or toys appropriate for babies one year and under, please feel free to donate them for use in this program. Donations can be dropped off at the Front Desk.

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Back Squat / Front Squat | Double-Unders, Wall-Balls
36 Amazing Benefits (and Side Effects) of Coffee Jen Reviews
Alnwick Poison Gardens Atlas Obscura

Back Squat / Front Squat

Back Squat:
2 x 10

Front Squat:
2 x 10

Move directly from the Back Squat to the Front Squat. Heavier than last week. These should move fast throughout the entire cycle. Increase weight only as appropriate.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 8
_____________________

5 Rounds
AMRAP 1 Minute:
Double-Unders
Rest 1 Minute
Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
Rest 1 Minute

The goal is to score consistently across the 5 rounds.

Post reps and Rx to comments.

It’s not really a CFSBK Potluck until adults end up in the bounce house

TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT: The CFSBK Community Potluck

It’s finally time for the CFSBK Community Potluck. This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come. The fun starts at 7pm! Here’s everything you need to know…

Your dish doesn’t have to be paleo, but please use whole foods where possible. We’ll vote on the top 3 dishes, so bring your best recipe! You may, of course, opt to bring a healthy dessert. 

We can’t wait to see you there!

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5 Steps for Restful Sleep After Late Night Workouts BarBend
Get Up and Move. It May Make You Happier NY Times

From our Instagram account: “CFSBK representing at the Women’s March on Washington in DC. Our gym is a place where everyone is accepted for who they are, then challenged to get better.”

TOMORROW at 7pm: Join Us for the CFSBK Community Potluck

We’re excited to get everyone in house to break bacon and socialize together outside of classes. This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together. This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come.

Your dish doesn’t have to be paleo, but please use whole foods where possible. We’ll vote on the top 3 dishes, so bring your best recipe! You may, of course, opt to bring a healthy dessert. 

We can’t wait to see you there!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Power Clean and Jerk | Chipper WOD
Sober Second Chance CrossFit Journal
Society Becomes Less Trusting When More People Don’t Have Health Insurance NY Mag
Anthropologists Now Believe That Early Man Evolved Opposable Thumbs to Give Each Other Thumbs Up

Power Clean and Jerk

Every minute on the minute x 10 minutes:
Power Clean + Mid-Hang Clean + Power Jerk

Build to a heavy load on the complex.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 6 of 8

_____________________

Performance
For Time:
50 Calorie Row
40 Handstand Push-Ups
30 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
20 Burpees

Fitness
For Time:
20 Burpees
30 Pull-Ups
40 Push Presses 95/65
50 Calorie Row

Post time and Rx to comments.

Coach Jeremy sends Chainsaw Charlie into lift at last year’s Iron Maidens Raw Open

The Iron Maidens Raw Open and the Stay Strong Scholarship 

You probably know that The Iron Maidens Raw Open, our women-only powerlifting meet slated for February 18th, is one of our most anticipated events of the year. 60 women, from CFSBK and beyond, will test their strength at Back Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift.

For the second year in a row, Iron Maidens lifters will raise funds to support the Stay Strong Scholarship. The Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship is operated by Grace Outreach, a South Bronx based non-profit that works with women to further their financial goals and gain financial independence. Students at GO face significant financial barriers to starting college. They are first generation college students who are low-income and working to support their families.

All of the money we raise supports a scholarship fund that pays for 80% of college tuition for undocumented students or women who have been victims of predatory for-profit colleges. Students in these financial situations have no access to financial aid dollars and the undocumented students are ineligible for most scholarships.

Now, more than ever, we are proud to be giving this necessary support to undocumented women who are working to improve their lives through education. This scholarship rewards persistence—the grit and determination to keep going during hard times. We believe this recognizes and addresses the reality our students face, and also captures the essence of the Iron Maidens Competition.

How can you get involved? If you’re an Iron Maidens competitior, make sure you’ve signed up through the Crowdrise page, and get started with fundraising by reaching out to your friends, family, and professional networks. If you’re not competing, show some love by donating to your favorite lifter(s) through the 2017 Crowdrise campaign here.

Join Us for the CFSBK Community Potluck this Saturday at 7pm

We’re excited to get everyone in house to break bacon and socialize together outside of normal classes. This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the Look Feel Perform Better Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together.

This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come. See the event page for more details, and post in the comments there to let us know what you’re planning to bring. We can’t wait to see you there!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Front Rack Step Ups and Chin-Ups
The Only Way We Can Fight Back Is to Excel NY Times

Front Rack Step-Ups / Chin-Ups Superset*

1A) Front Rack Step-Ups

Perform 3 x 8-12 reps on each leg. Start the cycle light enough to make 12 reps on each leg without too much difficulty, and move up in weight week to week from there. Use your non-dominant leg to set the weight and only do as much weight and as many reps as that side can perform. The end goal by the end of the cycle is to perform 8-12 good reps on each leg with about 1/3 of your Back Squat 1-rep max. Use a height that allows you to be at full depth (hip crease below knee) when the working leg is on the box. Come to full standing using the working leg before the trail leg touches down for balance. Do not use the trail leg to help you stand up. Use the trail leg as little as possible to push off from, and use a tempo in which the down/eccentric phase of the movement is slower than the up/concentric phase. The barbell comes off the floor. Stop the set when you’re not sure you can do another rep or two (i.e., do not bail a bar on a box).

1B) Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows

Performance
Perform 4 sets of max reps. Once you can no longer clear your chin over the bar, your set is over. Each rep starts from a dead hang. Initiate the movement by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears and pull the elbows as far down and back as possible. If you can touch your chest to the bar on each rep, then do it. You should really be feeling these in your lats.

Fitness
Perform 3 challenging (but submaximal) sets of 2-4 reps using bands or a small partner assist as needed to achieve full range of motion, followed by a 4th set for max reps. These should be tough sets in a low rep range with the goal of performing around 10-15 total reps. If you can do them unassisted but only 1 at a time, then pepper in as many singles as you can in between sets of Step-Ups during the lifting segment. Start and finish the superset with a set of Chins to get all 4 sets in.

*Superset means that you perform a set of exercise A (in this case the Press) and then after a short rest, 30 to 90 seconds, you perform a set of exercise B (in this case the Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows). You then rest a short period before returning to exercise A and continue in this fashion until all warm up and work sets are completed.

Post work to comments.
Exposure 6 of 8
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AMRAP 12 Minutes:
12 Burpees
12 Toes-to-Bars
12 Push Jerks 115/80

Sub Hanging Leg or Knee Raises as needed. The barbell weight should be on the light side of medium and unbroken on the fast end.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Functional Rehab with Dr. Jason Fidler

Got issues with your tissues? Shoulder pain with overhead movements? Back pain after deadlifts? 

Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent, and the ramifications of compromised movement patterns don’t often rear their ugly heads until much later. Don’t let these things fester and become a limiting factor in your training.

Muscle and joint pain that develops insidiously over time is there for 2 main reasons. First, its purpose is to prevent you from making things worse. And secondly, it’s letting you know that you’re not moving well and something needs to change. Getting a thorough range of motion and stability assessment with Dr. Jason Fidler, conveniently 1 floor above our gym, is a great way to hone in on the root of the problem. Find out what you need to prioritize and how to take care of it on your own. Dr. Fidler has been CrossFitting since 2008 and a member of CFSBK for 7 years. He is familiar with CFSBK’s programming and can offer useful substitutions and/or mobility strategies to complement the WOD. He can also communicate orthopedic issues with coaches when necessary. Major insurances accepted and discount out-of-pocket cash rates for CFSBK members. Get help unlearning poor movement patterns or behaviors outside of the gym so you’re not suffering inside. You’ve got a standing desk? Great. Learn how to calibrate it properly. Need one? Come get a letter of medical necessity for your job. After all, Darwin said that “It’s not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Thus, learning how to adapt to the workplace environment and practicing easy-to-learn spinal hygiene is a worthwhile endeavor and an effective way to remove barriers limiting your performance.

Check out Dr. Fidler’s website for more info and scheduling.

Here’s how people describe a typical visit on Yelp.

News and Notes

• Interested in volunteering for Iron Maidens? We’d love your help! There are a variety of ways to be involved. Fill out this volunteer form to learn more and share your availability.
• Speaking of volunteering, the CFSBK Community Potluck is THIS SATURDAY. We  need some volunteers to help set up before and clean up afterwards. To help set up, arrive by 6:30 PM! E-mail our Events Coordinator Danae M. at Events [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn [dot] com to let her know you’re available.
  
• HEAR YE, HEAR YE: We have a bunch of your stuff in our Lost and Found. Come ‘n’ get it before we donate it to CHIPS in two weeks.
  

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
How to Compete in the Open CrossFit
The Case Against “Whole Grain” and “Whole Wheat” Breads Time

Video of the Week: Chris C., Constance T.’s son who got her into CrossFit, recently founded the Westside Athletes Association. WAA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of Bay Area teens by making functional fitness programs available in local schools. Check out his first video!

• Schedule Change: Tonight’s 7:30pm Pilates class is cancelled.
  

Join Us for CFSBK’s Community Potluck This Saturday, January 28th at 7pm

We’re excited to get everyone in house to break bacon and socialize together outside of classes. This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together. This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come.

Your dish doesn’t have to be paleo, but please use whole foods where possible. We’ll vote on the top 3 dishes, so bring your best recipe! You may, of course, opt to bring a healthy dessert. 

We can’t wait to see you there!

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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Barbell Metcon
12 Wrist Mobility Drills to Do at Work and Before Lifting BarBend
So You’ve Given Birth… Now What? Training Think Tank