Fitness and Performance: Work up to a heavy triple on the Paused Squat.
Have a partner count out “1 one-thousand, 2 one-thousand” before rising. No missed reps, use spotters if you’re not 100% sure you’ll make all three reps. Rerack if you think you might miss mid set. 

Fitness Transition: If you’ve been doing Fitness programming and have cleared a full Linear Progression, find a heavy single to use for the upcoming programming cycle.

Post loads to comments.
________________

20 Minutes, Not for Rounds of:
Run 400m
16 Unbroken Kettlebell Swings (go heavy)
3, 6 or 9 Strict Pull-Ups (add weight if desired) 

Post notes to comments.

September Athlete of the Month: Michael Crumsho

By Chris Fox

September’s Athlete of the Month has been sitting in the wings for almost as long as he’s been a member. I must confess that the first time his name came up as a potential AOM, my response was an emphatic, “Let’s let him be a member for while!” Mike has since proven to be a diligent, coachable athlete who has trained consistently since Foundations. He has in fact been around for a while now, and here’s our chance to get to know him a bit better.

Fox: Mike, how did your journey to CrossFit South Brooklyn begin?

MC: It actually began somewhat begrudgingly, and long before I’d heard of CrossFit. To start way back, I turned 30 years old and decided to get in shape. At a recent doctor visit, I weighed in at 297 pounds with a fasted glucose level of 155. Needless to say I was in need of change. It was around then that I started lifting weights, with my long time college buddy Todd C. paving my path. He introduced me to Starting Strength and I followed that and then eventually 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler with lots of assistance work. During that time Todd had started at CFSBK and I was hating on it. I had all the standard arguments against it, from it being for shirtless and mindless bros, to a lack of thought or purpose in programming. I was making pretty good progress with the lifting and Todd was a completely non-assertive influence, though after seeing some of that years Fight Gone Bad photos, I decided to give CF a shot. Camille and I joined a Foundations class in October of 2013, a little less than a year ago.

Fox: Glad you decided to join us! 297 is a big weight for you, I can’t imagine it. Where are you at now? And what really was the deciding factor in joining CF after lifting on your own? 

MC: I can’t say I truly enjoyed lifting on my own, and I’d developed my fair share of gym “enemies.” Ask me about the Jeff Van Gundy look alike who would occupy the squat rack for an hour to do dips and curls… the final straw was when I hurt my back in June of 2013. I suffered an L4/L5 herniation, likely while deadlifting, that sidelined me. Looking back I believe I had unrealistic goals regarding my training and I recognized that I really needed to just listen to someone else and have eyes on me. I needed to take a few steps back and focus on the things that mattered, like moving well, and also to work on some more complex movement patterns that would increase my movement pool overall. You (Fox) and Ro showed me right away that I would in fact have eyes on me and also that I had a lot to learn.

Fox: What is it about CFSBK that keeps you coming back?

MC: CFSBK appeals to me for a variety of reasons. There’s a level of intelligence in programming with consistent exposure to movements. There’s the vibe in general with the (usually) good music, the inclusive atmosphere vs the solitariness of the Y where I used to train, and the balance that’s struck between a DIY approach and personal training. There are a bunch of things that I still need to get better at, including HSPUs, double unders, and muscle ups. Overall though the tangible progress I am making is a large enough reason to keep coming. My first squat exposure was 55x5x3. I ended this last cycle at 275x5x3, and hit a 1RM of 305. It’s still a bit off from my historical 1RM, but mentally it feels like I am back in the game, with better form to boot. After my previous injury I was scared of deadlifts, now I’m comfortable with the them and hit 390 for a 1RM the last time we worked on this lift. I see myself developing in a very positive and quantifiable way.

Fox: Tell us about you outside of the gym. Were you athletic as a kid? What do you do outside of nerding out on your training? 

MC: I’m from outside of Philadelphia. I played football and swam as a kid, and focused on basketball in high school. I never really gave much of a thought to rowing until I got to CFSBK, which is a little strange given that my high school was pretty well-known for its crew team. I guess the “henley and Penn cap” lifestyle conflicted with the whole “eat mushrooms, listen to My War” thing I was trying to cultivate at the time. Anyway, I gave up sports in college to basically become captain of the bong team and hang out at the radio station. During my time at at NYU, between 1998 and 2006, I was a Music Director and DJ on a couple programs—The New Afternoon Show—and I also started a program called Outside that played weirder, more experimental stuff.

My longstanding passion has been music. I’ve always been a pretty avid collector, and have a few thousand CDs and LPs in our apartment—if you don’t see me show up in class for a few days it will be safe to assume that I have finally been crushed under the weight of them. I have played synthesizers and “sang” in a few bands. I’ve also written as a music journalist for outlets such as The Voice, the AP, and The Baltimore City Paper. I consider myself to have a strong punk ethic but my ear ranges from Minor Threat all the way to electronic, jazz, psych rock, and folk music. Arthur Russell, Alice Coltrane, and Fela Kuti are a few of my faves at the moment. I recently discovered that Windhand are one of the LOUDEST live bands out there…

I really just simply love good music. In fact I met my partner, (Front Desk superstar) Camille, through the music scene. We were on the same punk and hardcore forums and connected through there. Aside from music I’m pretty tame. Career-wise, I am a brand/product manager and content strategist that develops digital products like apps and websites. For the past seven years, I’ve focused on the medical education and point-of-care side of things, helping to steer a publishing company out of books and into the interwebs. I like to chill out and watch movies and TV shows, I’m a huge Trekkie but I won’t force that on the readers. Really, cooking a good meal at home and maybe watching a movie is a great night for Cam and I. 

Fox: Great stuff, Mike. Last stock question: What should we look for in a future AOM? 

MC: Someone whose demeanor is the same whether they’re first or last to finish. You know, to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. When I bit off more than I could chew and tried “Angie” Rx’d a couple months ago, I remember and appreciate the people like Jason and Pierre who stuck around and cheered even though they were finished. Finally, someone who listens. You’ll get something out of simply coming to a CrossFit gym and being exposed to cool movements at high intensity, but you’ll miss the point if you don’t take the advice and cueing of your coaches. Being a humble, coachable athlete is important. 

• Happy birthday, Coach McDowell! 
• We begin our new cycle next week. If you want to see what’s on tap, check out the updated Current Programming Cycle link in the left sidebar. 

________________ 
Are You Authentic? Wisecrack
Battle of the Ants BBC Earth
Cat Performance Review McSweeney’s
Walk Off Depression and Beat Stress Outdoors Science Daily

Training Cycle Template

Training Cycle Dates: M 9/29 – Su 11/9
Crush Week: M 11/10 – Su 11/16
Back Off/Transition Week: M 11/17 – Su 11/23 

Cycle Biases: Pretty similar to the previous cycle with a few focuses.
– Strict HSPU (over kipping).
– Rx’d Box Jumps will be 2-foot take off.
– Gymnastics assistance work in the form of static holds, global and hip flexion. 
– We’ll also see some Rope Climbs programmed.

Standardized Warm-ups
Will be the same with a few provided to hacks to scale up or work on individual weaknesses.

Monday: 
Performance: Rack Jerk (80-90% range)
Fitness: Push Press (5×3) Linear Progression
+ Conditioning/Assistance Work

Wednesday: 
Performance: Back Squat 5/3/1 (Trying to get advanced Novices to transition into 531)
Fitness: Back Squat 3×5 Linear Progression
+ Conditioning/Assistance Work

Thursday: 
Performance: Clean (80-90% range)
Fitness: Clean (complexes)
+ Conditioning/Assistance Work

Saturday:
Performance: Front Squat (5-5-3-3-2-1)
Fitness: Front Squat 3×3 Linear Progression
+ Conditioning/Assistance Work

Sunday: 
Performance: Snatch (80-90% range)
Fitness: Snatch (complexes)
+ Conditioning/Assistance Work

Competitions/Events:

Fight Gone Bad 2014: October 18 

Ellie M. a couple months ago

CrossFitting While Pregnant: An Interview with Four Women and a Coach, Part 2

By Kate Reece 

In case you missed it last week, we began our three-part series about training CrossFit while pregnant. In Part 1, we introduced you to four CFSBK women who became pregnant in the midst of their training, and also spoke with Coach Fox. The women answered our questions about their reaction to finding out they were pregnant, and the best kinds of advice they received. This week, we hear from them about whether they continued to CrossFit after becoming pregnant and how that decision affected their experience. We also asked them to share any advice they might have for other women. Coach Fox weighs in with his advice for women who become pregnant and want to continue training.

(Also, our article on ITA yesterday was all about Coach Fox’s guide “Guidelines for Training While Pregnant at CFSBK.” Check it out.) 

CFSBK: Did you continue CrossFitting after you got pregnant? Tell us about that experience. What did you notice was different about your performance, and how did you have to adjust your expectations? 

Bethany E.: I did continue to CrossFit after I got pregnant. I really appreciated (and recommend!) being in Strength Cycle for the first trimester of both of my pregnancies because pregnancy hormones and morning sickness—which for me, was really all day long, every day—can be a real energy drain. Having that set date with a barbell two or three times a week is a real lifesaver. There’s no “Oh, I’ll go to group class tomorrow”—you just show up and do your lifts and feel better for it. I also found the pace of Strength Cycle to be very compatible with the first trimester. It’s hard work, but also chill and involves a lot of rest and not too much over-heating and sweat. 

During my first trimester/early-second trimester Strength Cycles, I experienced no negative impacts to my training. I continued to be able to put weight on the bar, and all of my current strength PRs were made during pregnancies—squat and press with Alex, and deadlift and bench with Oscar. As for group class performance, I found that being pregnant forced me to slow down immensely. I remember doing a track WOD with CFSBK and being dead last in every run. I’m not normally a strong runner but my lack of speed became even more pronounced when pregnant. On the other hand, even though I was slower, I found that with the increased blood volume and lung capacity in my second and third trimester, I took a lot of pleasure in the metcons and rowing that I normally dreaded. 

After the Strength Cycle was complete, with my first pregnancy I switched to Strength Cycle “Continuing Ed” and group classes. I participated in the Tough Titsday meet at around 32-weeks pregnant and was still pulling some pretty significant weights. I’d planned to cut back on the weights but didn’t really, because it “felt good” still and I mistakenly thought it would help me bounce back somehow after the baby was born—wrong! Then unfortunately at around 35 weeks, my back started spasming and I had to stop training (and walking!) for the remaining four weeks of my pregnancy. 

I’ll never know if the heavy squats caused the back spasms or if I’d just plain ran out of room in my abdomen, but I decided for my second pregnancy to take a much different approach to my training. After Strength Cycle ended when I was pregnant with Oscar, I returned to group class. In my late second trimester, I started dropping weights (subtracting five pounds each exposure) instead of adding them for my lifts. This approach worked well for me because I did my last WOD at CFSBK 24 hours before I gave birth to Oscar!

Noor A.: I was lucky to have a surprisingly easy pregnancy. My biggest problem that first trimester was a major craving for sweets, which luckily helped me to carb up for my Strength Cycle Total. I still remember Coach Margie bringing a gorgeous chocolate cake for us, which was meant to be enjoyed after the Total, but my mommy cravings were so strong, and the Total was taking so long, that I ended up stealing a piece between pressing and deadlifting. I got a bit of a scolding, but that piece of chocolate cake really did the trick for my deadlift! 

And one factor that I had not taken into account was the effect of the growth hormones that were pumping throughout my pregnant body on my workouts. Throughout my pregnancy, while I may have ended up slowing down a bit because of the added bulk on my belly, I felt as though I stayed pretty consistently strong. 

Courtney S.: I did CrossFit up until the day the baby was born and I truly credit it for keeping me sane throughout my pregnancy. In a time when so much in my life (and body) was changing, it was great to be able to step into the gym and put it all aside for an hour. 

Since I hadn’t really known anyone else before me who did CrossFit while pregnant, I was actually pleasantly surprised to learn how much I could continue to do. One of the most challenging parts for me was recognizing that training intensity would be different and that my goals would change, at least temporarily. The first trimester was probably the hardest for me because even though I didn’t necessarily look or feel much different than my pre-pregnancy self, I was just so tired all of the time. I actually took a fair bit of time off in the early days and I just kept reminding myself: “You’re making a baby—it’s okay to rest.” After the first few months, I started feeling much better and was able to continue training mostly as normal. When I really started showing, I simply modified the movements to accommodate for my growing stomach and general comfort level. It’s funny, but in a weird way I felt like I actually got stronger those last few months because I was doing most everything strict and weighted. 

Ellie M.: The first thing I noticed was being out-of-breath. I was 12 weeks along and participating in the Open, and just couldn’t breathe as well during the high-intensity metcons. As my belly grew, I had trouble engaging my midline, so I stopped lifting as much as I had previously. No more pushing to the point of breathlessness, and no more competing against myself or others. It was a hard adjustment to make at first, but it felt right. 

Toward the end, I just did my best to show up. My workouts sometimes barely resembled CrossFit, but I kept it up because the fitness I’ve built here was so important to my pregnancy and my own feeling of wellness. 

CFSBK: Coach Fox, how has CFSBK usually approached pregnant mothers?

Coach Fox: We’ve always had a “That’s awesome, we would love for you continue training,” approach. In the beginning, we’ll ask how far along they are (after lots of congratulating and hugs, of course). The first trimester is always about doing what they were doing before. Independent of morning sickness, there’s really no drop-off in training intensity or volume. The first trimester is when women are dealing with morning sickness and lack of energy. There’s no danger in training or risk of anything going on with the baby. So, training depends on how you feel. It’s just like any other day—if you woke up with the flu, you wouldn’t train with as much intensity. Most everything you’ve been told that you can’t do, is bullshit. But this isn’t the time to PR your lifts. Bethany did, and that was her path, but I wouldn’t recommend that. 

As you get into the second trimester, the belly starts to grow and especially in the latter second trimester, we advise women to be cautious and not do anything where the risk of falling is involved—something like a box jump or a pull-up off a high bar. This varies from person to person. Courtney was a competitive gymnast, so she could probably do a handstand, given that she has great body awareness. Even as her body grew and changed, she could adjust easily. Ellie said a handstand still felt great for her, too, up until very recently. 

A common recommendation in the second trimester onwards is don’t lie on your back. In the gym, that translates to don’t bench press. When you’re lying on your back for long periods of time, the pressure of the baby on the abdominal aorta cuts off blood supply to you and your baby. But we’ve had many women go through full-term pregnancy and continue to bench press. Because you’re around so many people and are only lying there for 30 seconds, we’ve never had an issue. 

Also, the hormone relaxin increases during pregnancy and relaxes the joints, the pelvis, and the rest of the body. So we usually suggest not doing full cleans and snatches—maybe switch to power versions. Even things like wall balls, which involve a really dynamic squat-type motion, or thrusters, become a much more controlled movement. So we start to move away from really dynamic movements in the second and third trimester. This is also an issue postpartum. Your shoulders and knees will all be less stable, which puts your joints at risk. 

Third trimester, in our experience, usually becomes self-regulatory. We’ve had only one pregnancy over the years CFSBK has been in business where we had to put the reins on a woman, and say, “Hey, you can’t do box jumps today,” or “You need to slow down a bit.” Usually you become tired. You don’t want to run; you’d rather row. Weights feel really heavy and women will knock their weights down naturally (as Ellie mentioned). Then it’s just the physical impediment of the belly. You can’t do a sit-up or toes-to-bar. You can’t conventional deadlift, you can’t clean, you can’t snatch. So there are exercise substitutions that work around the belly. We’ve included the list of substitutions below: 

Sit Ups: plank, pallof press, slam ball, side plank, hanging knee raise
Bench Press: press, push up (elevated as necessary)
Handstand Push Ups: Dumbbell or press/push press
Box Jumps: lower box at first, and then step up
Kipping Pull Ups: should be on low bar and then strict or ring row.
Kettlebell Swings: possibly fine throughout, may need to modify to single arm swing for comfort
Deadlift: possibly okay throughout, sumo or kettlebell deadlifts may be more comfortable
Snatch/Clean: hang power versions, then dumbbells as necessary once the belly is in the way. You can perform the power version of the movement and then squat under control. Squat versions of the lifts should be avoided. Light/moderate deadlifts are also a great sub.
Jump Rope/Running: as far as your level of comfort allows, keep doing them. Rowing is a common sub, as are kettlebell swings and/or slam ball for a similar metabolic effect.
Thrusters/Wall Balls: controlled squat and presses, either with a barbell or dumbbell
Push Ups/Burpees: on a raised surface, i.e. parallettes or a bar in a squat rack.

Usually by the time women are in their third trimester, it just feels good to be in the gym—that’s the success. 

CFSBK: Do you think being an active CrossFitter before getting pregnant influenced your experience of being pregnant? 

Ellie M.: CrossFit helped me approach pregnancy and childbirth with strength and confidence. I just gave birth on September 6, and it was a very positive and empowering experience. Staying committed to CrossFit and having a wonderful community of support (including other badass CrossFitting mothers) really contributed to that experience. 

CFSBK: What advice would you offer to other mothers about their time in the gym while pregnant? 

Bethany E.: Know yourself. If you have a hard time NOT putting weight on the bar, then plan for that—tell your coach or training partner that you aren’t going to lift more than X and make them hold you to it. If you know you have a hard time not pushing yourself to the point of being winded, then ask someone to have a conversation with you while you work out. 

Learn where your transverse abdominus muscle is and how to engage it. This will help you push during labor and will help you heal your mushy core after the baby is born. If you see any ridging or doming on your belly during a movement during pregnancy, stop. In general just because you physically can do a movement doesn’t mean you should. Enjoy the more relaxed pace of your pregnant workouts and enjoy all the awesome support you’ll get from your fellow CFSBKers. Also: turn on the floor fan and stand right by it. 

Noor A.: I continued doing CrossFit throughout my pregnancy, up until the last two weeks or so, because it felt good, and more importantly, it did not feel good when I didn’t come. But I know for other mothers the experience of being pregnant was very different than mine. I don’t think it’s because I’m extraordinary in any way—I just had an easy pregnancy. How you feel while pregnant will depend on how you carry, where the baby’s sitting, and can vary from one pregnancy to another. My daughter was considerate enough while I was pregnant to not sit on my bladder, so I was able to run longer than most pregnant women. I also didn’t suffer from the fatigue that many other women feel. Perhaps this means that I’ll be paid back when she is a teenager. Anyway, the takeaway is that there is no one standard for how you should be while pregnant, you have to know yourself, and stay tuned with your own body. 

Courtney S.: Listen to and respect your body—it will tell you what it needs. Be okay with taking things slow and even taking an extra rest day if you need it. Most importantly—enjoy this time! Especially if it is your first, really take the time to savor those moments that you have that are just for you. 

Ellie M.: Take it one day at a time and don’t be too hard on yourself. There will be good days, and bad, and just know this is only temporary and for the best possible reason. There are few times in life when you truly have permission to slow down, so if anything, embrace it while you can. 

Coach Fox: Listen to your body. Use this as a time to just enjoy moving, and come in with the mindset that you’re doing something healthy for your body. Get out of any competitive zone, whether against others or yourself. It’s almost anti-CrossFit, since CrossFit is all about quantifying and always getting better. As Bethany said, at a certain point, she started subtracting instead of adding five pounds every week. That concept makes a lot of sense—at a certain point, you’re going to do less and it’s going to be scaled to a larger degree. In general, keep moving. You’ll have a healthier pregnancy because of it. 

We’ll be back next week, with Part Three!

• Happy birthday, Eric M.! 

________________ 
Klokov – 165 kg/364lb Slow Pull Snatch at 2014 Olympia
Why I Hope to Die at 75 The Atlantic
Artificial Sweeteners May Disrupt Body’s Blood Sugar Controls New York Times
Paper Towel vs Hand Dryers asapSCIENCE

Performance: 1RM Rack Jerk
Take 15 minutes to find a 1RM on the Rack Jerk. Any press-outs will not count. We’ll be using this number to do some % work with through the next cycle.

Fitness: Heavy Single Push Press
Take 15 minutes to find a heavy single push press. Prioritize maintaining a neutral midline as the weight goes up.

Post loads to comments.
e0/6
________________

Take 10 Minutes to find a heavy set of 8 reps on the Dumbbell Press

Including warm-ups, perform 4-6 total sets of the DB press finding a load that challenges you but remains symmetrical. Try to perform about 3 sets of your top weight across. Rest as needed between attempts.

Post loads to comments.
________________

AMRAP 10 Minutes:
Row 20 Calories
10 or 20 Push-Ups

Gauge intensity on how you feel. If you’re feeling great drop the hammer on this workout, if you’re smoked from last week take it easier and work at a moderate pace.

Post rounds completed and Rx to comments.

You can run, but you can’t hide from the CFSBK coaches!

Programming Feedback

Tomorrow we’ll be revealing the upcoming programming cycle, but we want to hear what you all thought about the previous seven weeks of training. Please let us know what you thought in the comments!

News and Notes

• Congratulations to Jake L. on his 300kg Olympic Lifting Total yesterday! Jake hit a 130kg/297lb Snatch and 165kg/363 Clean and Jerk to qualify for the American Open in the 105lg weight class. Amazing!
• Congratulations to the CFSBK Fighting Tacos on their 1-0 victory yesterday. The team is currently undefeated.
• There is a new post on Inside the Affiliate called “A CrossFit Coaches Guide to Training Pregnant Women.” Check it out!

CrossFit Field Trip to …Brooklyn Boulders!

CrossFitters, get your climb on! Brooklyn Boulders is hosting a special one hour course where you’ll learn climbing techniques, compete on the auto-belays, and get a chance to put all of your training to the test – on the walls. You’ll use your gymnastics-heavy, explosive-lifting skills on dynamic cave-esque walls like The Beast, and get to connect with the climbing community at BKB! The course has been specially designed for CrossFit South Brooklyners AND discounted (their 30-minute Learn-to-Boulder class is normally $45).

When: Saturday, October 11, 4pm
How Much: $30, includes day pass and gear rental for the day of the class (a $36 value)
Sign up here!

Class is capped at 10 people, but if you find the 4pm class is sold out, please email Mare at mare [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com as we can set up another class that afternoon if there is enough interest!
__________________
City Mulls Plan to Dig Up Gowanus Park and Pool to Install Sewage Tanks DNA Info
The Iron Triathalton CrossFit
Injury and Opportunity by Bill Starr CrossFit
The Paleo Lifestyle, the Way Way Way Back NYT

Performance
Partner WOD
AMRAP 20 Minutes
Partners alternate rounds for 20 minutes of:
1 Rep of the Bear Complex at 225/155
(1 Power Clean + 1 Front Squat + 1 Jerk + 1 Back Squat + 1 BTN Jerk)
5 Toes to Bar 

Fitness
Partner WOD
AMRAP 20 Minutes
Partners alternate rounds for 20 minutes of:
5 Power Cleans 155/95
5 Push Jerks 155/95
5 Front Squats 155/95
5 Dragon Flags 

Post rounds and Rx to comments. Peace out, Crush Week!

Alan L. at Flex on the Beach last weekend

News and Notes

• Jake L. is attempting to re-qualify for the American Open in the 105kg weight class today at the Rudy Sablo meet in Garden City, NJ. His goal is to hit 297# on his snatch and 363# on his clean and jerk. Crush it, Jake!
• People’s Climate March is today! The March takes place two days before the UN meets to decide on key issues regarding climate change. Head over to Central Park at 11am and check it out!

_____________________  
CrossFit Versus Yoga: Choose a Side The Atlantic
The Expanding American Waistline New York Times

Partner WOD
In teams of 2 with one partner working at a time, complete the following for time:
120 Kettlebell Swings 53/35
120 Box Jumps 24/20
120 Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9
80 Kettlebell Swings
80 Box Jumps
80 Wall Balls
40 Kettlebell Swings
40 Box Jumps
40 Wall Balls
Break up into sets as desired but aim to split the work up as evenly as possible. An even split would have each partner performing 120 reps of each movement in the triplet. 

Post time and Rx to comments.

Foam rolling and couch stretching should always elicit winsome smiles. Enjoy that pain cave, Matt K. and Keith W.!

Schedule Changes

• Active Recovery is CANCELED today and tomorrow.  
• Check out Yoga for Athletes with Coach Whitney at 10am.
• If you signed up for Ken H.’s rings class, remember that you’re meeting today from 2-3:30pm! 

Community Announcements

• Congrats to Coach Jeremy and Margie who are getting married today up at Herondale Farm!
• Good luck to platform superstar Jake L. who is attempting to re-qualify for the American Open in the 105kg weight class tomorrow at the Rudy Sablo meet in Garden City, NJ. His goals are to hit 297# on his snatch and 363# on his clean and jerk. Crush it, Jake!
• Happy birthday, Aimee G. and Chris Y.!

Walk for Climate Change Tomorrow!

People’s Climate March is tomorrow, September 21. The March takes place two days before the UN meets to decide on key issues regarding climate change. If you are interested in participating in the March (which starts on the west side of Central Park), sign up here. Email Keith F. at keithrfr [at] gmail.com if you’d like to join other CFSBKers. 

_____________________ 
The Real Reason You Love Crossfit: Says Who? Science Box Life 
21 Words That Mean Something Different When You Have A Cat Buzzfeed

Performance
For Time:
1 Mile Run
then,
2 Rounds:
7 Power Snatches 155/105
50 Double Unders
then,
50 Burpees

Fitness
For Time:
1 Mile Run
then,
3 Rounds:
10 Deadift 225/155
30 Double Under
then,
50 Burpees

Score load and total time.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Todd (or Scott Ian?) dumbbell bench pressing like a boss

CFSBK Classfieds and Travel Gym Recommendations

Some recent highlights…

• Amy M. is looking for a physical therapist. 
• David and Rachel run a pet care business, and want to help with your cute creatures! They offer a variety of services including boarding, walking, off-leash romps, and raw food delivery. Check out their website. 
• Matty C. visited River North Crossfit Chicago, which he recommends, and Scott visited Reebok Crossfit BCN, Barcelona Spain, and shares some interesting thoughts. 

Check it out, post your own!

Come Roller Skate with CFSBK on October 12th!

What: All-ages roller-skating, admission for the first 25 people that RSVP is compliments of CFSBK
When: Sunday, October 12, 2-4pm (Note: this is the weekend the gym is closed for the Starting Strength Seminar)
Where: the newly-opened Pier 2 Roller Rink at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Event is a go with a minimum of 10 people. Skate rental is not included. The same pier also has bocce and shuffleboard courts we could play on. Afterwards, we’ll head to 68 Jay Street Bar (where Charlie works) for some post-skating drinks. Stella Z.‘s SMART in DUMBO trivia night is also happening later that day at 7pm, in case people want to stay for that too. 

RSVP to mare [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com by Friday, October 10.  

_____________________
The Ghost Trains of America The Atlantic
5 Common Mistakes New Athletes Make CrossFit Invictus
Are We All Unique Snowflakes? Hyperallergic 
Hydration by CrossFit Endurance CrossFit

How much water do you drink everyday? How do you gauge your intake?

“Fran”

21-15-9 Reps For Time of:
Thruster 95/65
Pull Ups

Post time and Rx to comments. 
Compare to 10.2.2013 and 2.13.2013.

Coach DO and Dan go to the video for further analysis. (Or are they just Googling cat memes?)

Fight Gone Bad 2014 Reminders

• ATTENTION FIGHT GONE BAD TEAM CAPTAINS! You should have received an email yesterday inviting you to sign up for CrowdRise. Jump on it! Also, if anyone got assigned to multiple teams, email Info [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com ASAP!!! We’re also still accepting registrations for anyone that missed the boat but still wants to participate.
• We are still on the hunt for super awesome (or just awesome) donations for prizes. If you own or work at a business that wants to provide some sort of prize (no matter how small!) for our top performers (for the WOD and fundraising) please email David [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. 

Upcoming Schedule Changes

Saturday 9/20: 11am/12pm Active Recovery CANCELLED
Sunday 9/21: 11am Active Recovery CANCELLED
Saturday 10/4: 11am/12pm Active Recovery CANCELLED

Walk for Climate Change this Sunday!

People’s Climate March is this Sunday, September 21. The March takes place two days before the UN meets to decide on key issues regarding climate change. If you are interested in participating in the March (which starts on the west side of Central Park), CFSBKer Keith F. would love if you’d join him. First, sign up here, then email him at keithrfr [at] gmail.com. 

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Everything: You’re Doing It Wrong The Atlantic
Seeing the Invisible New York Times
Artist ‘Bordalo II’ Brings Trash and Found Objects to Life on the Streets of Lisbon Colossal
Fitness Through Sports? The CrossFit Journal

Bethany’s Mother’s Day CrossFit Total 

CrossFitting While Pregnant: An Interview with Four Women and a Coach, Part 1 

By Kate Reece 

Over the last couple years, the CrossFit blogosphere has exploded with articles about pregnancy and CrossFit. Beyond the typical and legitimate concerns about what is “safe,” many women who become pregnant while CrossFitting often find themselves lost in a sea of conflicting information—not just on the Internet, but also from their doctors and other well-intentioned friends and family members with strong opinions. In the interest of caring as well for CFSBK’s community of women and parents as possible, we decided to enter the conversation from our perspective and experience, and gather as many resources as possible for anyone who is training with us and becomes pregnant. 

Our approach is simple, and acknowledges that everyone’s experience is different—and that the most important thing is listening to your body. We talked to four CFSBK members who became pregnant during their training: Bethany E., Noor A., Courtney S., and Ellie M. We also interviewed Coach Fox about CFSBK’s guidelines for training women who are pregnant (available here). 

We got such great information from these women and Coach Fox that we’ve broken the article into three parts, which we’ll post over the next three weeks. There will also be an article on ITA soon. 

CFSBK: Tell us about your training history before you became pregnant, or where your CrossFit journey intersected becoming a mom. Did you already have a child before you started CrossFitting? 

Bethany E.: When I became pregnant with my first child, Alex, I had been CrossFitting for about four years already, and was a few weeks into my second consecutive Strength Cycle with Coach Jeremy. Two years later when I became pregnant with my second son, Oscar, I was a week or two into my fourth Strength Cycle. 

Noor A.: I was CrossFitting for about three years before I became pregnant—the intensity of the workouts were a perfect antidote for the stress of law school. The game plan between my husband, Samir, and me was to make a baby while I was in school, and for me to start Coach Jeremy’s Strength Cycle while we were working on it. By the time I started Strength Cycle, there were already two or three other pregnant women who had gone through at least one eight-week cycle, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to give the “Squat Whisperer” a try.

Courtney S.: I started CrossFit in April of 2011 when I moved from San Francisco to New York.  In June of 2012 my box started, and I participated in, a competition team for those who were interested in CrossFit training at a competitive level. We trained two-plus hours a day, five days a week. I trained with the team until I moved to Brooklyn this past September.  My first child, Hannah, was born October 4, 2013.

Ellie M.: I started doing CrossFit-type workouts sometime in 2008 when I lived in Virginia with McDowell. I followed the main site programming, with everything scaled beyond recognition, but I enjoyed it, and was able to start building skills just by reading, watching videos, and winging it. I took Foundations at CFSBK when we moved to Brooklyn in August of 2011. For the past two years, I’ve focused on training and learning, participating in random local competitions, and just having fun with it.

CFSBK: What was your reaction to finding out you were pregnant in the context of your training? 

Bethany E.: Delight and an even stronger commitment to my physical health and consistent training for the duration of my pregnancy. I have non-insulin dependent diabetes, and was well aware of how carefully (i.e. medically) diabetic pregnancies are treated. I wanted to have the most low-key pregnancy possible and a natural, unmedicated delivery, and knew that training would help me achieve that. 

Noor A.: After years of trying not to get pregnant, Samir and I assumed that the minute we actually consciously tried to make a human it would happen. Not so much. To spare you the details, I was pretty psyched when I finally realized I was pregnant. I was in the middle of my second strength cycle at the time, and felt pretty good overall. More than anything, the forced abstention from alcohol and caffeine probably did me a lot of good, because if I remember correctly, I was pretty happy with my Total. 

Courtney S.: I knew that to the extent I had a healthy and low-risk pregnancy that I would continue to CrossFit throughout my pregnancies. I found out I was pregnant with Hannah two months prior to the 2013 Open. I honestly didn’t expect to get pregnant so quickly, and although I was ecstatic that it happened right away I was (secretly) a little bummed that I wouldn’t be able to help the team qualify for Regionals. I actually think I napped in the corner of the gym during the Open workouts that year. 

Ellie M.: I was so excited to be pregnant. I knew it would be a big change, and I kind of looked forward to slowing down and focusing on something different for a while. Gwen Stefani once said, “I imagine my children will save me from my vanity.” (Who knew I’d ever be quoting Gwen Stefani’s maternal wisdom?) I like this quotation, because becoming a parent means sacrificing your vanity, and women certainly experience that when they see their bodies and training change so dramatically.

CFSBK: Did you seek out resources or advice from our coaches or other coaches about how to proceed? What was some of the best or most resounding advice you received/learned about how to proceed?

Bethany E.: Because I was enrolled in Strength Cycle at the time, Coach Jeremy was the first person after my immediate family to know about both of my pregnancies! We both did our research and didn’t find a whole wealth of information on pregnancy and powerlifting specifically. There is a lot of good info on CrossFitting and pregnancy so that was a good start. We decided to just take it a session at a time and use common sense and listen to my body. The best advice I’d read was exactly that: use some common sense, protect your belly and abs from diastasis (no sit-ups!), stay cool and hydrated, and in general just listen to your body. There is a great forum on BabyCenter.com called “BBC Crossfit Moms” that I found helpful. 

Noor A.: My mother’s a doctor, and … I knew many women who were cautioned against doing anything by their doctors while pregnant. … [I was skeptical of] medical advice regarding working out and pregnancy, [so] I decided to use the more unscientific approach of asking around, checking out blogs, and listening to my own body when it came to working out. Of course, I was aware of certain changes to look out for, such as the effect of the hormones relaxing my ability to maintain proper form on my squats, or problems that could arise if I were dehydrated or overheated. I don’t consider myself to be an overly competitive person, so I wasn’t too worried about overdoing it. 

My general principle was to keep coming to the gym, to keep moving, and to do things at a pace where I felt good and stayed in proper form. The best advice I got was from other moms, who told me to make sure I could always keep up a conversation while doing any WOD, and those who taught me to adjust my stance in my squats, or in my rowing, to make room for my growing belly.

Courtney S.: Oddly enough, I was only the second member at our box, and the first who was training competitively, to become pregnant. As a result, my coaches—who were the first people to find out I was pregnant outside of my immediate family—and I did a lot of experimenting with modifications and substitutions throughout the different stages of my pregnancy. Learning to think creatively and modify workouts within the context of my pregnancy was not only fun, but allowed me to do many of the workouts up until the last weeks of my pregnancy (Barbara at 37 weeks—yup!), and also allowed me to continue to train with the team as opposed to doing totally different workouts off on my own. 

Aside from seeking advice from my coaches whenever I had a question or needed inspiration, my main focus was to simply listen to what my body was telling me felt okay on each particular day I made it to the gym. Although it sounds simple, that was the most important lesson that I learned during my pregnancy:  to listen to my body on a day-by-day, movement-by-movement basis. What felt good one day often did not feel good the next, so I would try to focus in the moment and not push too much or have too many expectations about what I should or could be doing. 

Ellie M.: I read a lot online, seeking a story like mine. I wanted to hear about another experienced CrossFitter who kept it up throughout pregnancy, and find out how it felt, how it benefitted the pregnancy, what’s possible, etc. I know that relying on the voices of the Internet can be tricky—I had to navigate my way around a wide spectrum of opinions and experiences. But basically, I knew deep down this was something I wanted to try. I never discussed CrossFit with my doctor.

The biggest challenge is all the conflicting information. You see guidelines that tell you not to go upside down or lie on your back during the second trimester, but find that those movements still feel just fine, and that your handstands are actually better than ever! Or you’ll see videos or photos of pregnant women in their third trimesters doing muscle ups. It’s hard to determine what’s safe.

The best advice I received came from CFSBKer Kristin H., who told me that from her experience training pregnant women, she learned that exercising while pregnant is a deeply personal and relative experience for each woman. We decide what is best for us and what we feel safe doing. That might seem obvious, but with a first time pregnancy, you are seeking some kind of blanket advice to help steer your actions, and the truth is, this is it. The best thing you can do is take it one day at a time, listen to your body, and put your vanity aside.

CFSBK: Coach Fox, how do you respond, as a coach, when a CFSBKer tells you she is pregnant? What resources do you point them to? 

Coach Fox: Usually a smile and a hug or high-five first. Then if I don’t know already, I’ll ask if it’s their first kid, and how they’ve been feeling. I’d explain many of the things we included in our new internal guide—explaining what to expect in the beginning, and how things change in the second and third trimester. CrossFit as a whole obviously supports women working out while they’re pregnant, but I can only speak from my experience training pregnant women and doing research. All the useful information is common sense—how does it feel? If it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it. I tell women not to ever be afraid to scale something, ask if they’re not sure, and to look at the next nine months as maintaining a level of fitness. You’re not going to be coming in and crushing workouts. 

We’ll be back next week, with Part Two!

News and Notes

• ATTENTION FIGHT GONE BAD COMPETITORS! Teams need to reply to their welcome email with the name of their team captain ASAP. Team captains will then receive a separate email with details on how to set up their fundraising page, invite their teammates, and start fundraising! Also, if anyone got assigned to multiple teams, email Info [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com ASAP!!! We’re also still accepting registrations for anyone that missed the boat but still wants to participate.
• People’s Climate March is this Sunday, September 21! The March takes place two days before the UN meets to decide on key issues regarding climate change. If you are interested in participating in the March (which starts on the west side of Central Park), CFSBKer Keith F.would love if you’d join him. First, sign up here, then email him at keithrfr [at] gmail.com. 

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The Learning Myth: Why I’ll Never Tell My Son He’s Smart Khan Academy
Pumping Iron in Cuba: Arien Chang Reveals an Underground Scene National Geographic
Introducing Brooklyn’s Threes Brewing, on 333 Douglass Street around the corner from CFSBK