Grace D. sets up for a clean

Tell everyone you know! The Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship

You probably know that The Iron Maidens Raw Open, our women-only powerlifting meet slated for March 5th, 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 dead lift.

This year, the stakes are even higher. Through competitors’ fundraising efforts, Iron Maidens will create the inaugural annual Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship.  Iron Maidens is thrilled to partner with Grace Outreach, a Bronx-based nonprofit that works with women to further their educational goals and gain financial independence. Our own Danae M. recently appeared in a New York Times video profiling Samantha Delgado, a Grace Outreach student who recently graduated from the College Prep program and is headed to LaGuardia Community College. The Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship will assist women like Samantha in paying for their college tuition.

And now we’re asking the whole CFSBK community to join us in our effort to raise enough funds to help 10 women continue pursuing a college education. Rather than selecting recipients based on common criteria such as grades or academic achievement, this scholarship rewards persistence—the grit and determination to keep going during hard times. We believe this recognizes and addresses the reality students face, and also captures the essence of the Iron Maidens Competition.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 to pay for 70% of college tuition for 10 students in the College Prep program at Grace Outreach, and we need your help to reach that goal! 

There are two ways to get involved:

1.     If you’re a participating lifter make sure you sign up on Crowdrise today and start asking all your friends to donate!

2.     If you’re not lifting in the competition show your love by donating to our favorite lifter’s campaign!.

We hope that the whole community will spread the word by telling everyone you know about the Iron Maidens competition and scholarship by sending out an email to your network, a tweet, a Facebook post, or even an Instagram using this donation  link: https://www.crowdrise.com/ironmaidensstaystron/fundraiser/graceoutreachbronx

To learn more about Grace Outreach and the Stay Strong Scholarship, check out the Iron Maidens website here!
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rack Jerk | Double-Unders, Squats, Push Ups
Legendary Artist David Bowie Dies at 69 The Hollywood Reporter
That Time David Bowie Was Arrested for Pot, Resulting in the Most Beautiful Mugshot Ever The New Republic
50 Years of David Bowie in One GIF Helen Green Illustration

Rack Jerk

Rack Jerk
5-5-5-5-5

Build up to a max set of 5 jerks for the day. These can be power or split but the intention is cycling. Catch the bar in your jerk rack, ride directly into the dip and drive of the jerk. Think about wanting to get the last 5 reps of a heavy shoulder-to-overhead WOD done without having to pick the bar back up.

Post loads to comments. 

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10 Rounds for Time 
24 Double-Unders
12 Squats
6 Push Ups

The sub for double-unders is 1/2 attempts. In lieu of the WOD, if you don’t have doubles somewhat dialed in, then consider spending the 10 minutes practicing instead. 

Post time and Rx to comments.

A busy night at 597 Degraw: Paola L. squats as Jihan S. and Natalia D. look on

Perfection Is the Enemy of Good Enough

By David Osorio 

As the Look Feel Perform Better Challenge enters full swing, many of you are diligently working to count your macros and make better decisions at the checkout line and in front of the fridge. We commend your diligence and are here to support your efforts in the online forums, during the bimonthly nutrition lectures, and in person around the gym.

But a public service announcement, perhaps even a warning, is warranted at this early stage of the Challenge. This Challenge is three months long—about as long as a college semester—and the reality is that motivation can wax and wane over a period of this length. The New Year finds everyone on their best behavior, feeling impervious to temptation and carefully planning each and every meal. And then you know how it goes: things get complicated. Life happens. You’re starving after a long, brutal day at work and end up grabbing a couple slices of pizza on the way home.

Remember not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. What’s important is your cumulative effort. Overarching trends—not any particular day, night, and certainly not a single meal—will be the key to making sustainable changes and ultimately looking, feeling, and performing better. 

Changing your nutritional habits is like practicing free throws. On different days, because of different circumstances, your success rate will fluctuate. A bad day where you missed 30 shots out of 50 doesn’t negate the next day, when you creep up to a 90% success rate. If you’re out there, practicing and putting in the work, the sum of your efforts will add up to a higher average success rate, which is what we all want.

Maybe you didn’t get any points today. Maybe you went over by 30 grams on your fat intake. Maybe you had a few slices of pizza and a couple of beers with your friends last night. The world won’t end! There are far more important questions to ask yourself. Are you eating cleaner overall and making more intentional decisions than you were last month? After a couple of weeks, is it getting easier to look at meals and assess how they’ll fit into the bigger picture of your goals? Do you have more “go-to” healthy meals that you enjoy and have become staples of your diet? Do you feel better than you did before you started the Challenge?

In these first couple of weeks, take a moment to remind yourself why you’re doing this and what you’d like to say you accomplished three months from now. It probably won’t be something like, “I didn’t eat a single grain of sugar.” It should be something more like, “I learned how powerful nutrition can be and can confidently say that I’m healthier and happier than I was before I started.” 

Are you doing LFPB this year or have you done it in the past? If so, what was the biggest challenge and how did you deal with it? 
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Clean | Row, Burpees, Run
William James on Habit Brain Pickings
Embrace the Suck Zen Habits 

Power Clean 

1a) Work up to a max for the day in 12 minutes.
1b) AMRAP Power Cleans in 3 Minutes at 80% of your max from 1a. 

Want to Improve Your Gymnastic Skillz?

Back Squat/Front Squat

Performance
Back Squat 65% x 8-12 x 2, Front Squat 65%x8-12 x 2
Leave 2 reps in the tank.

Fitness
Back Squat 2×3, Front Squat 2×3
Load is 90% of what you used on Wednesday.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8/16
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Performance
AMRAP 10 Minutes
1 Muscle Up
1 Hang (full) Cleans 205/135
2 Muscle Ups
2 Hang Cleans 205/135
3 Muscle Ups
3 Hang Cleans 205/135
4 Muscle Ups
4 Hang Cleans 205/135

Add 1 rep per round until time is called.

Fitness
AMRAP 10 Minutes
2 C2B Pull Ups
2 Front Squats 185/125
4 C2B Pull Ups
4 Front Squats 185/125
6 C2B Pull Ups
6 Front Squats 185/125
8 C2B Pull Ups
8 Front Squats 185/125

Add 2 reps per round until time is called. Bar comes off the floor and should be a medium heavy load for you. First reps can be full cleans off the floor.

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Have you complimented Penny on her new vest yet? Why not?

All The Good Reps, and Only the Good Reps

By Chris Fox
Originally posted on 1.12.15 

We’ve almost all been there before. You’re tired, it’s your 50th pull up, handstand push up, power snatch, or whatever. You sort of, kind of, maybe executed full range-of-motion—but then again, maybe you didn’t. Then, you maybe even tried to squeeze in another (no) rep! Coaches see this, your fellow athletes see this, and you see this.

With a judge in front of you—whether it’s a regular group class, during the Open, or at a local throwdown—you’ll have a harder time getting away with garbage reps. I’d suggest that you shouldn’t let yourself off the hook in your daily training either. Your continued progress over the long haul is the ultimate goal. You want your movements to be truly quantifiable. If you count reps where sometimes your chin gets over the bar and sometimes it doesn’t, then you’re left comparing apples to durian fruit.

At CFSBK, we strive for virtuosity—the principle that you should aim to perform even the simplest movements exceedingly well. With effort and practice, your 300th squat in “Murph” can and in fact should be a mirror image of your first. Be honest about your reps and if you’re not 101% sure, then don’t count them. It sucks, yeah, but don’t be that person who moves really fast but really poorly. Don’t be the person who the next class coming in looks at and says “Uh uh… that’s not a rep.” Be the person with whom you’d be impressed, even if it slows you down a bit. Consider that you may need to scale WODs sometimes. The Rx isn’t for everybody, and even if you do some or most of our WODs Rx’d, there may be some that you should scale load and/or volume. Then, even when you really, really tried to do a good rep but didn’t, resist the urge to count your effort as execution. Only count the good ones.
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Ned Overend Is the Champion Cyclist Who Never Grows Old Outside 
6 Hacks for Better Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups Boxrox 

Coach Fox talked nutrition last night at the first of this year’s Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Sessions

Speaking of Feeling Better… Check Out Active Recovery or Yoga This Weekend!

We’re smack in the middle of our eight-week programming cycle and maybe you’re not feeling so hot. Muscles sore? Didn’t keep up with your mobility work over the holidays? (We won’t tell.) Feeling a little banged up? So why not check out an Active Recovery or Yoga for Athletes class this weekend? 

Active Recovery is designed to give your muscles and mind a rest. For an hour you’ll be guided through a combination of soft tissue work, mobility techniques and general restorative movement. Perfect as a rest day for the heavy hitters or as a light days work for beginners and those of us somewhere in the middle. This class is also great for non-CrossFitters who could use a little soft tissue love.

When: Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00am (also Tuesdays at 6:30pm and Thursdays at 7:30pm)
Cost: Free as part of our Unlimited Membership option, or counts as one of your regular group classes

Yoga for Athletes with Coach Whitney is designed and taught with the CrossFitter in mind. You’ll learn and practice basic postures, focusing on the alignment and action of the body. Through a variety of standing, seated, kneeling, prone/supine poses, and even some inversions, the whole body will be stretched, moved, challenged, and restored. With consistent yoga practice over time, you can expect to increase your balance, improve coordination, develop more range of motion, create control of your breath, and calm the mind.

When: Saturdays at 10:00am (also Thursdays at 9:00am with Jaclyn K.)
Cost: Free as part of our Unlimited Membership option, or counts as one of your regular group classes

Both are open to non-members at the $20 drop-in rate, so bring your pals!
_____________________ 
Understanding Sleep for Optimal Recovery and Productivity Catalyst Athletics
Fighting Fear with the Skater Girls of NYC Hopes&Fears
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi YouTube

Power Snatch

Every Minute on the Minute, for 16 minutes:
Minute 1: 5 Touch-and-Go Power Snatches 115/75
Minute 2: 5 Strict Toes-to-Bar 

Repeat alternating power snatches and toes-to-bar through 16 minutes. Touch-and-go is the goal of today’s power snatches, but don’t let that devolve into crappy form for the sake of hanging on to the bar. Scale reps and/or load to something you can handle well. 

Post load and Rx to comments.
Exposure 4/8 
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Open WOD 11.1

AMRAP 10 Minutes:
30 Double-Unders
15 Power Snatches 75/55

This is a repeat of an Open Workout that has come up twice so far. The snatch is intended to be light; however, if you can snatch the Rx’d weight and intend to participate in the Open, give it a shot and see how far you can get. Scaling for double-unders is 15 attempts, but like Dave Castro says, doubles are not an advanced movement. So learn ’em!  

Post rounds and Rx to comments.
Compare to 2.18.2015 and 10.3.2013.

Dana M. sitting pretty at the bottom of a snatch during our Olympic lifting class

TONIGHT! Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session: “Why Should I Care About Nutrition Anyway?”

Why do and should we care about nutrition? Isn’t it enough that we come to CrossFit and work hard?

Attend this Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session, the first in our bi-monthly Q&A Info Sessions this year. These sessions will function more as a support group setting than a true lecture, though they will begin with a lecture. In this particular session, we’ll discuss how and why what you feed yourself with has direct impact on your performance and body composition. An open Q&A will follow.

Where: CFSBK’s second floor Annex
When: Tonight at 6:30pm
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Chris Spealler: Double-Unders Explained CrossFit Park City
80 Books Every Person Should Read Esquire 
Brooklyn’s Smallest Cemetary Atlas Obscura 

Back Squat/Front Squat 

Performance
Heavy: Back Squat 87.5% x 1 x 2, Front Squat 87.5% x 1 x 2
Numbers based off recent 1RM. 

Fitness
Back Squat: 2 x 3, Front Squat 2 x 3 
Add 5-15 lbs to Week 1’s exposure, possibly use your old 3RM. 

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7/16
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5 Rounds For Time:
250/200 Meter Row
12 Thrusters 95/65

The thruster should be on the light side, but with a nod to the Open, if this is a weight that usually challenges you, consider doing Rx.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Jack R. demonstrates a strong overhead position

• Don’t forget about the first Look Feel Perform Better Challenge Q&A with Coach Fox tomorrow night at 6:30 in the second-floor Annex. 
• Interested in karaoke with your fellow CFSBKers? Stella Z. is interested in organizing a karaoke night at Insa on Douglass Street. Post in the comments to let her know you’re interested. 
• The Herondale meat CSA pick up is tonight from 6–8:30PM sharp. The lovely and talented Kirsten D. will be distributing shares. Please find her in the couch area and introduce yourself when you arrive to pick up your bag.

Join Jacyln K. For Yoga Tomorrow at 9am!

Jaclyn has always had a love for fitness and overall health. She started practicing yoga as her source of recovery both physically and mentally. Her love for yoga drove her to get her first certification in 2007. Since, she has been teaching both Bikram and Vinyasa in the tri-state area. With her extensive study in many lineages of yoga, Jaclyn takes aspects from each creating a flow both challenging and accessible for everyone. 

For Jaclyn, CrossFit and yoga are a brilliant team. She uses her yoga practice not only for added mobility but for strength, focus, and breath work as well.  When Jaclyn works with athletes, she will gear her class around these principles while still keeping things light and fun in the same spirit that a CrossFit class has. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or brand new to a yoga mat, Jaclyn will offer plenty of options so everyone feels challenged yet still comfortable in this Vinyasa flow class. 

When: Thursdays at 9am
Cost: Free as part of our Unlimited Membership option, or counts as one of your regular group classes

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Unsupported The Awl
Steph Hammerman: The Road to Adaptive Fitness FitnessHQ

TFBA Lauren B. with her CrossFit Kiddos, Siena and Elaina, hitting a pistol on the Coney Island boardwalk!

• Want to try something other than group class today? Check out Active Recovery at 6:30pm, Pilates with KH at 7:30pm, or AntiGravity at 7:30pm.

Want more information about the Challenge? Get all the details here, or by clicking on the black widget in the upper right corner of the blog.

The First Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session Is This Thursday, Titled “Why Should I Care About Nutrition Anyway?”

Why do and should we care about nutrition? Isn’t it enough that we come to CrossFit and work hard?

Attend this Look Feel Perform Better Q&A Info Session, the first in our bi-monthly Q&A Info Sessions this year. These sessions will function more as a support group setting than a true lecture, though they will begin with a lecture. In this particular session, we’ll discuss how and why what you feed yourself with has direct impact on your performance and body composition. An open Q&A will follow.

Where: CFSBK’s second floor Annex
When: Thursday, January 7th at 6:30pm

_____________________
Revealing the Hidden Patterns of Birds and Insects in Motion The Atlantic
You probably know how to ask yourself, “What do I want?” Here’s a bettter question Quartz 

Fitness
5 Rounds or 16 Minutes:
5-10 Box Piked Handstand Push-Ups or :20 Piked Hold on box
8e Reverse Lunges with Dumbbells or Kettlebells held at side 

This can be done on knees or feet. same points of performance for hand and head placement for handstand push-ups. Review piked handstand push-ups here.

Performance
Every Minute on the Minute, 16 Minutes:
Even: 4-8 Strict Handstand Push-Ups (1 or 2 AbMats OK)
Odd: 4-8 Pistols, Alternating Legs

Post work to comments.
Exposure 4/8
_____________________ 

For Time, 21-15-9:
Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
Pull-Ups

Post time and Rx to comments.

Jake B. doing a muscle-up in his new garage gym in Philly! Read his letter to Coach David and CFSBK below…

• Don’t forget to complete all the necessary steps to get started with the 2016 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge by tomorrow! Get all the details here, or by clicking on the black widget in the upper right corner of the blog.

On Garage Gyms and Missing CFSBK: A Note From Former Member Jake B. 

A few weeks ago, former CFSBK-er Jake B., who now lives in Philadelphia, emailed Coach David to see if he had any leftover mats from when we expanded to 608. He needed the mats because he happened to have built himself a mini CrossFit box—in his garage! His gym is equipped with two Rogue racks, a wide selection of kettlebells, 25′ climbing rope, sandbags, 600lbs in plates, an erg, a heavy bag, gymnastics rings, jump ropes, bands, a wall timer, smash balls, wall balls, and a treadmill. He says the gym is inspired by CFSBK, and that he’s not sure he would have built it if not for his time here. Here’s an edited excerpt from one of his emails to David, from after he completed the gym… 

“Well, I have finally finished the garage and second floor gym and wanted to send you some photos of the end result. CFSBK was the primary reason I decided to spend an exorbitant amount of money to put a gym on the second floor of my garage. My wife and I have been using it five to six days a week, following your programming. My wife is an unofficial member of CFSBK and has been doing all the workouts. I love the balance and progression of the programming and despite perusing many other programming cycles, CFSBK still has a solid place in my heart.  

I can’t thank you and all the staff there enough for the great experience I had working out there for almost a year. I cherished my 7am workout class with all the great personalities. James, whom defected to the 6am class (probably because I moved away), Henry who I convinced to eat prior to showing up, Kristin (Cage) who undoubtedly runs the best Pilates class I never attended, Stella who always has something of great intellectualism to add to the workout, Austin, who was usually hungover like myself, Sarah, my favorite front desk girl and former Lululemon employee, and the many others I am missing. They all made my mornings and my time in Brooklyn memorable. 

Thanks again for creating a great culture at CFSBK and giving me a wonderful CrossFit experience. From my experience in the Marine Corps, I didn’t think I could get into a group fitness type thing and discounted CrossFit. Yes, I was wrong. Anytime my former 7am classmates are in Philly and need a free workout let me know or just some Philly knowledge and drink on me, shoot me a message!”

You can reach Jake at evergreenxt [at] gmail.com if you do find yourself in the area and want to hit him up! 

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Vegetables Likely to Take More of Your Plate in 2016 NPR
The 7 Hidden Benefits of Dating a Motorcycle Rider The BikeBandit Blog

What pieces of equipment would be in your dream garage gym?

Power Clean

Every Minute on the Minute, for 16 Minutes:
Minute 1: 5 Touch-and-Go Power Cleans 135/95
Minute 2: 7 Burpees

…repeat alternating power cleans and burpees through 16 minutes. Touch-and-go is the goal of today’s power cleans but don’t let that devolve into crappy form for the sake of hanging on to the bar. Scale reps and/or load to something you can handle well. Review touch-and-go here.

Post loads and Rx to comments.
Exposure 3/8
_____________________

“Annie Get Your Kettlebell”

50-40-30-20-10 Reps for Time:
Russian Kettlebell Swings 53/35
AbMat Sit-Ups

Post time and Rx to comments. 

Check out Brendan N.’s awesome CrossFit testimonial. Hard work and sound nutrition pays off! Want to get on track for the New Year? Check out our annual Look Feel Perform Better Challenge, which started yesterday! The Challenge comes with the potential to win lots of cool prizes, including a top prize of two months of free training at CrossFit South Brooklyn!

In Brenden’s words: “To anyone who’s nervous to start CrossFit, here’s a picture of me two years ago on the right and last night on the left. All my coaches have always been more then willing to modify my workouts to match my abilities until I was able to perform harder and more complex movements. Pull-ups became muscle-ups, push-ups became handstand push-ups, my 185-lb back squat moved to a 405-lb back squat plus plenty of other gains. If you’re thinking about making some changes in your life and want to give CrossFit a try, do it. I promise you’ll have all positive changes and make progress in one of the most supportive and friendly communities.” Learn more about the Challenge below!

The 2016 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge Started Yesterday, But You Still Have Three Days to Sign Up!

It’s that time of year again… New Year’s Resolution time. While we believe it’s best to make choices in accordance with your goals and values all of (or at least most of) the time, we recognize that many of us use markers like the beginning of the year to kick-start positive changes. This year’s Challenge will follow a similar model to last year. There are two levels that you can choose to participate from. 

1. With Level 1, you’ll focus primarily on food quality and eating from a large spectrum of whole foods (lean proteins, veggies and fruits, whole grains, and legumes). This is a perfect place to start if you’re new to healthy eating or are having to re-learn what that means for you.
2. With Level 2, you’ll be tracking macronutrients and focusing on eating particular quantities of them, adjusting along the way as necessary.  

This year is a longer Challenge than we’ve done in a while—12 weeks instead of just 6. The reason behind this is that while extreme actions can bring rapid results, we’ve seen this often result in a “crash” where the individual rebels against the limiting factors of extreme dietary challenge. We’d rather you have more inclusive food options and change a few manageable things over a longer period than change many things for six weeks only to get lost in a haze of bagels, beer, and chocolate cake once the Challenge ends. 

Who? The entire CrossFit South Brooklyn Community. 

What? A 12-week challenge meant as a collective kick-start toward healthier nutrition and recovery habits.

Where? Right where you are. You’re encouraged to organize “rest day dinners” either in your homes or out at restaurants with fellow participants. There will be twice monthly (non-mandatory, but helpful) LFPB Challenge Meet-Ups at the gym in addition to the online forums that you can look to for daily support. The key to success is not sweeping immediate change but rather consistent practice each day.

When? The dates of the Challenge are from Saturday 1/2/16 through Saturday 3/26/16. We’ll also be hosting a Community Potluck Dinner on 1/23/16 where you can meet and greet with fellow SBKers and sample some delicious ways they keep on track with their food choices. 

What will I need? For Level 1, only a desire to begin to make better food choices. For Level 2, you’ll need a food scale and a set of measuring cups and measuring spoons since you’ll be measuring out servings of lean protein, clean carbs, veggies, and fats. Whichever level you choose you should plan to do a bit of food shopping and prep beginning the first week to make good food choices easy. 

Why? To look, feel, and perform better! And, for some sweet prizes!

Wait, did you say prizes? Yes. The grand prize for both the men’s and women’s category is two months of FREE unlimited training at CFSBK, a $530+ value! There are also 2nd and 3rd place prizes for the men’s and women’s categories. Last year there was more than $2000 total value in cash prizes and gifts including a free month of dinners from Kettlebell Kitchen, gift cards to Lululemon, grass-fed steaks from Herondale, and lots of other great stuff too. This year looks to have more of the same awesomeness.

Additionally, Kettlebell Kitchen is extending a 15% discount throughout the Challenge to all CFSBK members who are participating! 

Alright, you’re in? Great!

How To Participate:

Complete the following steps by January 5th in order to participate and be eligible for prizes:

• Sign your name on the big list in the community area of the gym.
• Buy-in of $30 cash, given to Front Desk staff. 
• Answer a few brief questions and submit your “before” photos HERE. These entries are private will not be published or seen by anyone other than us without your consent.
• Perform the Test WOD and record your results.
• Begin tracking points earned daily on the 2016 LFPB Tracker based on how well you’re complying with the guidelines and submit 4 and 8 week check-in submissions.
• Optional: Attend the bi-monthly LFPB Q&A Info Sessions at CFSBK. Each one will have a brief topical lecture and a Q&A. The dates for these sessions are 1/7, 1/21, 2/4, 2/18, 3/3, and 3/18. The first discussion on January 7th is titled, “Why Should I Care About Nutrition Anyway?“

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How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain TED-Ed
A Gym Culture Shift: Stop Shaming and Start Welcoming Breaking Muscle