Bench Press

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add 2.5 – 5 pounds to last week. 
Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 65% of 1RM (capped at 20)
_____________________

Deadlift 

Fitness and Performance: 1 x 5
Add 5 – 15 lbs to last week ONLY IF ALL YOUR REPS WENT WELL. No loss of spinal position. No touch and go.

Post loads to comments.
e3/6
_____________________ 

For time:
30 Dumbbell Power Snatches, alternating arms
30 Burpees
30 Dumbbell Power Snatches, alternating arms

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Our strong Tough Titsday ladies from July 2013!

• Come party with lululemon Brooklyn at 166 Smith Street! The store is having a party this Thursday, Dec. 18th, with local vendors and artists and complimentary food/booze. They would love any and all CFSBKers to come hang. The party goes from 8:30-10:30 but might run a little over. RSVP and get more details here!
• Happy birthday, Grace R.!

Announcing CrossFit South Brooklyn’s Women’s Powerlifting Competition

The Iron Maidens Raw Open
February 28, 2015, 10AM-5PM
Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift

You are invited to test your one rep maxes in a rare, women’s only environment of badassery. Compete for awesome prizes and cheer on female feats of strength. This meet is open to all women; you do not need to be a member of CFSBK to compete. We only have space for 50 participants, so sign up soon!

Prizes will be awarded to the women with the top three Totals in each weight class. Beer will be awarded to all. 

(We encourage novice to advanced lifters to participate, but strongly advise that you have at least several months of consistent training under your belt.) 

Details

Entry Fee: $50 for non-SBK members; $40 for SBK members.
Includes: Eligibility for prizes, a t-shirt, pre-meet rules/movement clinic, beer 

Registration Deadline: February 14, 2015

Pre-Meet Rules/Movement Clinic: February 15, 2015, 2:30PM, at CFSBK (optional) 

Get the meet rules here. 

Weight classes: Pixies (125lbs and under); Ladies (140lbs and under); Dames (155lbs and under); Broads (Over 155lbs)

REGISTER HERE.

REGISTRATION NOTE: Members who log in should see the $40 registration option. Members can also stop by the front desk to sign up with the discounted rate.

Schedule

10AM-1PM: Pixies and Ladies
2PM-5PM: Broads and Dames
Weigh-in and check-in: 8:30-9:30AM; 11:30-12:30PM 

Questions: Contact Margie Lempert, Meet Director, margielempert [at] gmail.com.

_____________________ 
Missing Snatches Behind: Diagnosis and Correction Catalyst Athletics
The ‘Big Bang’ of Bird Evolution Science Codex
Stunning Music Video for Nils Frahm’s ‘Re’ Colossal 

Fierce CFSBK females: Have you signed up for The Iron Maidens Raw Open? 

Fitness: 5 x 3 Linear Progression
Bail each rep and reset within a few seconds. Try and go a bit heavier than last week. 

Performance: Work up to a top set of 5 on a Touch and Go Power Snatch
You can pause at the hang but not at the floor. Must be touch and go. Try and go a bit heavier than last week. 

Post loads to comments.
e2/6
_____________________ 

AMRAP 5 Minutes:
15 Wall Balls
30 Double Unders 

Rest 1 Minute

AMRAP 5 Minutes:
10 Box Jumps
20 AbMat Sit Ups 

Rest 1 Minute

AMRAP 5 Minutes:
Max Meters Rowed

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Coach Arturo demonstrates a solid power snatch catch position. Note his balance and how his weight stays over his whole foot in the quarter squat position. His shoulders are back and engaged. From here, he could easily descend into a solid overhead squat.

• Watch the live stream of Jake L. lifting from 9am – noon today at the 2014 American Open Championships. 

Help Others This Holiday Season 

New York Cares Coat Drive (12/6 – 12/21)
Give the gift of warmth this holiday season. CFSBK is collecting new and gently used winter coats to help keep those in need warm during the winter season. New York Cares aims to collect 100,000 gently used winter coats each November and December and distributes them to thousands of men, women, and children who would otherwise go without them. They work hand-in-hand with a wide variety of Community Partners in New York City to make sure coats are distributed as quickly as possible. Coats will be collected at the front desk from 12/6 – 12/21. We are only collecting coats at this time. 

City Harvest Canned Food Drive (12/22 – 1/4)
From 12/22 – 1/4 CFSBK will be collecting canned foods to help stock NYC’s food pantries and soup kitchens. City Harvest helps feed the more than 1.4 million New Yorkers facing hunger each year. They provide free deliveries of food to more than 500 emergency food programs throughout New York City. The most needed foods are canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned proteins (like fish and chicken), and peanut butter (plastic jars).

_____________________
Got a Minute? Let’s Work Out New York Times
A Pema Chödrön Primer

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 57.5% of 1RM (capped at 20). 

Post loads to comments.
e2/6
_____________________ 

5 Rounds Not for Time:
5 Dumbbell Bench Presses, as heavy as possible
5 Chin Ups (add weight or add a pause at the top if chins are easy for you)
5ea Dumbbell Reverse Lunges, as heavy as possible

Post weights to comments.

Good luck to Jake L. and Oly lifting coach Frankie Murray, who are competing in the 2014 American Open Championships in Washington, D.C. today and tomorrow. Jake is opening his snatch at 286#, and will aim to hit 303#, and his clean and jerk at 356#, goal of 374#. Coach Frank is opening his snatch at 140-145kg, and will aim to hit 150+kg, and his clean and jerk at 175-180kg, goal of 185+kg. Get after it! We’re cheering for you!

Have You Heard about Coach Frank’s Olympic Lifting Program?

What: An 8-week Olympic lifting cycle meeting twice a week with Coach Frank Murray and/or Heather Farmer in addition to 2 Open Gym or group class per week.
When: Then next cycle will start in late December or early January
Price: $300 per 4 weeks, first bill due at sign-up and second bill charged automatically to the card on-file 4 weeks later. 

The cycle wraps up with an Olympic Weightlifting Total.

Coached by Frank Murray, “participants can expect to build a strong foundation focused around proper technique, mobility, and attention to individual weak points. Building this foundation will not only help lead to higher lifts, but also set the base for continued and consistent progress. Moreover, by developing proper technique, mobility, and focusing on weak points, participants will become more confident, less prone to injury, and more consistent lifters. All of this giving you the tools for a longer, healthier, stronger career with the Olympic lifts.” —Next Level Weightlifting

A typical day* consists of: 

Warm-up
Weak lift
Opposing lift
Mobility

*Each athlete may have different exercises depending on their individual needs. 

Frank has competed in weightlifting for over seven years. During that time, he has medaled at five separate National Championships, most recently a Silver at last year’s Nationals. His all-time best lifts in competition include a 151kg (333lb) Snatch and a 182kg (400lb) Clean and Jerk at a body weight under 200lbs. He has worked with many athletes, from multiple CrossFits, including: CF Garden City, CF Queens, CF Great Neck, CF 516, CF King of Island Park, RADD CF, CF Greenpoint, CF Manhasset, CF L.I.C, among others. 

Coached by Arthur Drechsler, former world record holder, chairman of the board of USAWeightlifting, and author of The Weightlifting Encyclopedia, Frank has learned from the many years of experience that Artie has had over his coaching career.

• Happy birthday, Chris L.! 

 _____________________
Lumbersexuality and Its Discontents The Atlantic 
Please Respect My Standing Desk While I’m on Vacation The New Yorker

Great advice from Charles M., who joined CFSBK in October of 2013. Soon after joining, Charles became intrigued by all those strong people on the platforms, who seemed to lift weights for about 30-40 seconds, and then joked and laughed between sets. Charles explored Mark Rippetoe’s books at the suggestion of David C. (to Charles’ right in the above photo) and he signed up for Strength Cycle in March 2014. He was amazed at the power of the linear progression, and quickly got hooked.

His first class included Charles’ two sons (Jeffrey and Steven) and David’s wife Rebecca. Charles also told his daughter Janice about CrossFit, and she signed up for a Foundation class at CrossFit Jerusalem in Israel, where she lives. Charles’ other son Richie does CrossFit in a box near their home (Coney Island CrossFit) and Janice continues to workout in Israel. Jeffrey is traveling abroad and Steven is playing for his high school basketball team (leaving them little time to do a cycle)—but they’re one big, strong CrossFit family (see a family photo here)!

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COACH FOX!!! 

_____________________
What is Life? Kurzgesagt
The Health Benefits of Going Outside The Atlantic 
Lu Xiaojun & Liao Hui Ma Strength Seminar Attendees: What did you learn? All Things Gym
Brave Puppy Destroys Fear, Cleanses World of Toxic Trepidation

Fitness: 5 x 3 Linear Progression
Start light. Bail each rep and reset within a few seconds. Try to go heavier than last week.

Performance: Work up to a top set of 5 on a Touch and Go Power Clean
Work on resetting hook grip on the descent. You can pause at the hang but not at the floor. Must be touch and go. Try and go heavier than last week. 

Post loads to comments.
e2/6
_____________________ 

AMRAP in 10 Minutes:
30 Russian Kettlebell Swings 72/53
10 Shoulder to Overhead 135/95

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

CFSBK Pilates Maven with a perfect push-up start position. Speaking of Pilates…

Check out these additional programs we offer at CFSBK, if you haven’t already!

Pilates with KH (a.k.a. Cage)

Have you ever been told by a coach or PT that you have a weak core? Are you not sure what “keep your ribcage down” means? Do you suffer from a tweaky lower back after lifting heavy weights? Help is on the way! The Pilates Method can be great “accessory work” for a Crossfitter, not only because it improves flexibility and strengthens the abdominal and back muscles, but mainly because it can help you figure out HOW to use these muscles properly. Come join Kristin Hoesl (KH) in CFSBK’s first ever weekly Pilates class. We’ll go over neutral pelvis, engaging the transversus abdominis (say WHAT?), stabilizing the rib cage, and finding good shoulder girdle positioning. So if any of this sounds intriguing to you, come drop in on!

Schedule: Tuesday nights at 7:30pm upstairs in the CFSBK Annex
Price and online registration links:
1 Time Drop In: $20
5 Class Punch Card: $85

Learn more about KH in our interview with her, called “‘Mad Abs, Yo!’ How Pilates Complements CrossFit, and Getting to Know Kristin H.“

Yoga for Athletes with Coach Whitney 

Do you consider yourself too inflexible or inexperienced to try yoga because you’re not one of those “naturally” bendy-kinda-people? Are your tight shoulders keeping you from finding a good overhead squat position? Are your hips and hamstrings begging for a bit of attention? Do you sit in a chair for long period of time? You get where this is going…

These ongoing Yoga for Athletes classes, designed and taught with the CrossFitter in mind, will allow you to start exactly where you are and build a foundation that supports your WODs, weightlifting, and overall quality of life. We’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.

Schedule: Thursdays at 7:30PM and Saturdays at 10:00AM 
Price and online registration links:  
Drop-In: $20 Purchase Here              
5-Class Card: $85 ($17/class) Purchase Here

Learn more about Coach Whit in our interview “On Being An Athlete Who Doesn’t Eat Meat.”

Active Recovery

This class 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.  

Schedule:
Tuesdays at 6:30pm
Saturdays at 11am and 12pm
Sundays at 11:00am
Price:
Contract members may use AR as one of their weekly classes. Otherwise there is a $15 drop-in rate.

To learn even more about Active Recovery, check out our article “Active Recovery at CFSBK.”

• Happy birthday, Thomas A.! 

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The Year of the Thruster CrossFit
5th Grader Attempts Planking World Record AOL 
Best Ski Line of 2014: Cody Townsend’s Epic Chute

Have you taken one or more of our additional classes at CFSBK? If so, post thoughts and recommendations below!

Fitness: 3 x 3 Linear Progression
Add 5-10 pounds to last week. 

Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 57.5% of 1RM (capped at 20) 

Post loads to comments.
e2/6
_____________________ 

Partner WOD
5 Rounds Each of:
20/15 Calorie Row
15 Burpees to a plate
Aim for 80-90% effort on each round and consistent times for each. 

Post time to comments.

Sit-ups, jumping rope, and squats. Fitness cascade!

News and Notes 

• Have you heard about the New York Cares Coat Drive? CFSBK is collecting new and gently used winter coats to help keep those in need warm during the winter season. Coats (and only coats!) will be collected at the front desk from 12/6 – 12/21. 
• We are also collected canned foods as part of City Harvest’s Canned Food Drive. The most needed foods are canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned proteins (like fish and chicken), and peanut butter (plastic jars).
• Have you checked out all the new Lost and Found items yet? Head over here to check out the latest collection. Pick up your stuff by 12/18 or we’re giving it away.

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Olympic Weightlifting for Masters: Training at 30, 40, 50 & Beyond Matt Foreman
In CrossFit or Olympic Lifting, Lauren Fisher is a Powerful Presence ESPN
On Self-Respect Joan Didion 
Misnomers VSauce 

Want to create more compression with a lacrosse ball under your upper back? Grab a sandbag and bridge your hips to get at deeper tissue. Here is Lauren S. doing exactly that!

• We repurposed Coach Noah’s recent article for Inside the Affiliate! We added a new intro and changed some of the headers… so you should probably go read it again!!  It’s called “How To Get the Most Out of CrossFit Group Classes“!

Want to Flex in the City?

There is a Flex in the City Team Event coming up at the 69th Regiment Armory (E 25^th and Lexington) on Saturday, February 14th and we’d like to send some teams to compete and represent CFSBK!

Teams are comprised of two men and two women and there are three events:

1) Max Effort
2) Metcon Ladder
3) “The Rig” 

Registration cost is $100 per person ($400 per team). There are scaled and RX divisions. Full event details can be found here.

If you are interested in participating, can commit to competing on January 31st, and would like to be placed on a CFSBK team, please fill out this form by Sunday, December 14: Flex in the City Team Event. If you have any questions, please email Coach MeLo: Melissa [at] CrossfitSouthBrooklyn.com.

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A Short Film about a 90 Year Old Athlete Aeon 
Crickets as the Perfect Protein, Nutrition Trend Men’s Health
2014: The Year in Photos, January – April The Atlantic

Bench Press

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add 2.5 – 5 pounds to last week. 
Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 57.5% of 1RM (capped at 20)
_____________________

Deadlift 

Fitness and Performance: 1 x 5
Add 5 – 15 lbs to last week ONLY IF ALL YOUR REPS WENT WELL. No loss of spinal position. No touch and go.

Post loads to comments.
e2/6
_____________________ 

AMRAP 4 Minutes:
8 Deadlifts 135/95
8 Hang Power Cleans
8 Push Jerks 135/95

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Congrats to all our C.R.A.S.H.-B.ers who completed their 6K on Saturday! 

• Have you checked out all the new Lost and Found items yet? Head over here to check out the latest collection. Pick up your stuff by 12/18 or we’re giving it away!

Help Others This Holiday Season 

New York Cares Coat Drive (12/6 – 12/21)
Give the gift of warmth this holiday season. CFSBK is collecting new and gently used winter coats to help keep those in need warm during the winter season. New York Cares aims to collect 100,000 gently used winter coats each November and December and distributes them to thousands of men, women, and children who would otherwise go without them. They work hand-in-hand with a wide variety of Community Partners in New York City to make sure coats are distributed as quickly as possible. Coats will be collected at the front desk from 12/6 – 12/21. We are only collecting coats at this time. 

City Harvest Canned Food Drive (12/22 – 1/4)
From 12/22 – 1/4 CFSBK will be collecting canned foods to help stock NYC’s food pantries and soup kitchens. City Harvest helps feed the more than 1.4 million New Yorkers facing hunger each year. They provide free deliveries of food to more than 500 emergency food programs throughout New York City. The most needed foods are canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned proteins (like fish and chicken), and peanut butter (plastic jars).

_____________________ 
Where Am I? Radiolab
Stop Treating Crossfit Like a High-Intensity Sport Juggernaut 

Fitness: 5 x 3 Linear Progression
Start light. Bail each rep and reset within a few seconds.

Performance: Work up to a top set of 5 on a Touch and Go Power Snatch
Start light  (around 50% for first work set) and work on resetting hook grip on the descent. You can pause at the hang but not at the floor. Must be touch and go. 

Post loads to comments.
e1/6
_____________________ 

5 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
15 Toes to Bar

Post time and Rx to comments.

Congrats to our CFSBKers who crushed CrossFit Hoboken: Winter Challenge 7.0 yesterday!

News and Notes 

• Tim J. works for SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders), and wants to pas along this article from ABCNews: “LGBT Baby Boomers Face Tough Retirement Hurdles.” This issue is near and dear to him, and he’s always looking for volunteers! People contact Tim at the gym or at tjohnston [at] sageusa.org.
• Happy birthday, Jared D. and Megan W.!

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression

Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 50% of 1RM (capped at 20). 

Post loads to comments.
e1/6
_____________________ 

For time:
100 Russian Kettlebell Swings 

Every Minute on the Minute:
5 Burpees 

At the call of “go” and then at the top of each minute, perform 5 burpees before moving directly to the kettlebell. This workout is capped at 10 minutes.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Do you forget what our schedule is sometimes? (We’re talking to you people who show up for the mythical 9am class!) Check out these new Group Class Schedule and Price lists available at the Front Desk. Pick one up and put it on your fridge!

News and Notes

• Good luck to all our CFSBKers competing in the CrossFit Hoboken: Winter Challenge 7.0 today! Coaches Ro, McD, MeLo, JB, Jess, Fox, and Noah are competing, as well as Jason M., Zachariah H., K HarpZ, and Alex B. See the workouts here!
• We’re hosting a complimentary handstand clinic followed by a short WOD today from 3:30-4:30pm followed by drinks courtesy of our friends at lululemon athletica in Brooklyn. The beer social afterwards will be held one block over at our new neighbors Threes Brewing. If you’re interested, please RSVP to brooklyn-store (at) lululemon.com as space is limited for the class. If you don’t make it into the class or can’t make it, folks are still welcome over for some drinks afterwards.

Low Bar Versus High Bar Back Squats

By David Osorio

As you have probably noticed, we have not been specifying which version of back squats we want people performing in each cycle, and are leaving it up to you. As CrossFitters, we would ideally be well-rounded and should have some capacity in each version. If one version is particularly challenging for you and you’ve been unable to make progress with your positions in the lift, then you can choose the version which seems to be working better for you.

Low bar back squats can be better for people with knee issues, people who want to lift more weight relative to a high bar squat, and folks with tight ankles and good shoulder mobility. The low bar squat biases the muscles of your posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, etc.) more effectively and is our general go-to squat when starting people out.

The high bar back squat can be better for people with good ankle mobility but perhaps not great shoulder mobility. It’s also a bit easier to learn since it is essentially a weighted version of air squats which we all are used to doing. This version biases the quadraceps relative to the low bar version and uses a more upright posture.

Both versions are effective, both versions will contribute to overall strength development, and we don’t recommend avoiding one completely out of personal bias. For your average CrossFitter, gaining some competency in each version can make you more well-rounded and allow you to include two different types of stimuli in your squat training. I don’t care what the internet says—they will both provide positive strength transference to all your non-squatting activities, especially for CrossFitters.

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The ‘Heartbeat’ of the Sun The Atlantic
In Defense of the Middle Aged Suburban CrossFitter Be Well Philly
“Für Elise” Done in Black MIDI 620,000 note remix