Bekka Palmer

We’re introducing a new mini-series on the blog today called Behind the Lens, about our intrepid and freakishly talented photographers. Photographs don’t grow on trees, and our Flickr account is populated by the art of a number of wonderful CFSBKers. They’re so good at shooting us while we sweat that we sometimes even forget they’re there! Our first photographer is the lovely Bekka Palmer. See some of her favorite photos and her interview with Kate below.

Behind the Lens: Bekka Palmer

Candid Shots

Where and when were you born? Denver, Colorado on December 28, 1985 at 8:15 a.m.

What is your theme song? Eye of the Tiger

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be? My other dream was to be a C.I.A. agent

Weird fact: Both of my parents are aerospace engineers.

Do you believe forks evolved from spoons? No way! Okay, maybe now that I think about it, but I think a fork is more of an evolution of the knife than the spoon.

Favorite photographer? Do I have to pick just one? How about one living and one not living. My favorite living photographer right now is Lauren Randolph, and my favorite departed photographer is Walker Evans (who has an exhibit at MoMA right now if you are interested).

Longer Exposure

Kate: So, how did you start down the CrossFit journey and how did you find SBK?

Bekka: I started CrossFit almost five years ago when I was living in San Diego. I started watching some videos from CrossFit SoCal and decided I wanted to try it. I was so nervous going in my first time, I think I sat in the car for 15 minutes before getting the nerve to walk in the door. My first few weeks I could barely move a 22 pound bar, but I was hooked. I stayed there for a while and then got really into the CrossFit Endurance program and started coaching for the CrossFit Invictus Endurance team. I was working out probably 8+ times a week including the CrossFit Endurance programming. I loved it and fell into a crowd of ultra marathoners who were all doing it the CrossFit way. I tried one 50k and it was miserable, but also incredibly gratifying. After than I continued running and doing CrossFit, but realized one day I needed to leave San Diego for my career.

I moved to New York and haven’t run more than a mile since.

I had a friend of a friend that was going to SBK when I moved to Brooklyn. Conveniently, I moved just 16 blocks south of the gym so I started at SBK in November 2011. 

Kate: Tell us about your journey with your camera. Do you remember your first photograph? What did you shoot with? 

Bekka: The last time I was at my mom’s house she dragged a bunch of old boxes out of the garage and asked me to go through them and get rid of anything I didn’t want anymore. While I was looking through the boxes I came across two things: my first camera and my first photography project. I was in fifth grade, and was in a special arts program through my elementary school. I don’t think it was the first time I had ever used a camera, but it was definitely the first time someone handed me a camera and basically told me, “This is a tool which can be used to tell stories.” 

The camera was an all-plastic Vivitar, which is currently sitting on my desk.

Kate: What do you shoot with now? 

Bekka: My main camera is a Canon 5D Mark II with a 50mm lens. Occasionally, I’ll bust out my Polaroid for fun, but that film is pretty expensive.

Kate: What’s your favorite photo that you’ve taken?

Bekka: That’s tough, I’m pretty hard on myself, so I’m rarely satisfied with my work, but right now it’s a photo I took during a family reunion last summer on the Gasconade River in Missouri. 

Kate: When your photographs are seen as a whole, I feel like a really clear, crisp, and lovely aesthetic emerges. You’re so excellent at composing your photos in an interesting and fresh way, and at drawing attention to things that most people might overlook. What captures your eye over everything else? 

Bekka: Oh wow, thank you! In my life, I can be focused almost to a fault. If I get my mind set on one thing, I’ll let everything else fall by the wayside to see it through. That probably translates a lot to my photography work. I pick the subject of my photo and everything else just falls away. I think it’s probably about 10% intuition and 90% practice. For every good photo I take there are at least 100 bad ones.

Kate: If you had to spend the rest of your life photographing one thing or one type of scene, what would you choose?

Bekka: I think it would be behind the scenes of film shoots. I did my first behind-the-scenes gig recently and was completely enthralled by the amount of energy and equipment it takes to make a movie. 

Kate: Do you have a philosophical approach to your art, or does it seem more intuitive and organic? Or both?

Bekka: I definitely am the type that shoots with my gut more than with my head. If I overthink something, it never turns out well. Often it’s a game of patience, and it’s more about being there with your camera ready than about planning great shots ahead of time, especially when you’re doing documentary photography. The genuine moments can’t be staged.

Kate: Tell us about your life outside of the gym. How do you spend your days beyond barbells and skulls?

Bekka: Now that I’m freelancing full-time, I spend about 90% of my waking hours working. I have a lot of emails to write, estimates to build and I spend a lot of time writing pitches to companies I really want to work with. I’m also very lucky to have a lot of freelancer friends, so we can sit together and work and it makes it more fun to do the admin side of things. When I’m not working I try to kick back with friends and have a few beers. My sister lives in Northern New Jersey, so I like to head out there and visit with her, my brother-in-law and my nieces.

Another of Bekka’s favorite photos. Click the image to learn more about Frank.

Kate: Talk to me about shooting athletes and people who are sweating all over the place and often not looking their conventionally “sexiest.” How do you capture CrossFit in your photos? What’s the hardest part about shooting athletes?

Bekka: I guess I go into it expecting to get shots that maybe aren’t the most flattering, but the ones where people are making crazy faces are the most genuine. Like, yeah, that 200 pound deadlift was a challenge for that athlete, and it should look that way in the photo. I’m not trying to get fake smiles during difficult movements. However, I do understand that not everyone is into having their most intense faces on the blog, so sometimes after class people will come up to me and ask to see their photos, and if they really hate them I won’t post them. 

The hardest part is catching them at just the right time. If you look at someone who makes their living taking photos of professional athletes, they have four cameras that each can take 15 frames per second. They’ll have them all rigged together so they can push one button when Shaun White is doing some half pipe trick and can grab 60 shots at 4 angles in just 4 seconds. To me that’s kind of cheating, it’s a numbers game, if you take 60 photos you are almost guaranteed to get one good one. For me, since I have a slower camera and only one of them, it’s about having the intuition to wait until the perfect moment.

Kate: What’s your favorite event or day that you shot at SBK? 

Bekka: My favorite day so far was Memorial Day Murph last spring. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we had the garage door open. I went in one of the first heats so I had the rest of the day to hang out and take photos. It’s nice to not just be an observer, but be able to participate and take photos at the same time. I really enjoyed the vibe at the gym that day, most people hung out long after their heat to have beers and eat that delicious chicken Fox was grilling. I caught a photo of David sleeping on the wrestling mat that day too, which is a great one for the archive.

Kate: Where can we see more of your work? Can I hire you? 

Bekka: My portfolio is at bekkapalmer.com and I update my photography blog at look.bekkapalmer.com pretty often. You can also follow me on Instagram.* Yes, I’m available for work. Mostly I’m sticking to documentary work, but I enjoy doing portraits or more collaborative projects as well. If you have some idea, but aren’t really sure how to do it, I would love to help!

*She humbly didn’t mention it, but Bekka also happens to have over nine million followers on Pinterest. Follow her here.

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If you feel inspired, please remember to nominate Coach DO’s blog Inside the Affiliate for Breaking Muscle’s Top 10 Fitness Blogs contest. Have the best Tuesday ever, CFSBK! 

Work up to a heavy double in 12 minutes.

Goal is no failing. Work on creating an active, rock solid rack with the shoulders shrugged up and pushed forward slightly to support the bar. Try to focus all of your leg and hip drive through a rigid torso straight into the bar.

Post loads to comments.
Push Press e4/6
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As Many Rounds as Possible in 8 Minutes of:
15 Kettlebell Swingsm 53/35
10 Push Presses 115/75
5 Toes to Bars

Post rounds completed and Rx to comments.

Check out our new “events wall” next to the Front Desk

Yoga for Athletes at CFSBK

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.

All payments will now go through Zen Planner. Please sign in at the Front Desk before coming upstairs to class!
Class is open to CFSBK members and non-members.

People with previous yoga experience are encouraged to attend, as modifications and variations will be provided for all levels.

Help Inside the Affiliate Win a Contest!

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What Your Deadlift to Squat Ratio Can Tell You About Your Olympic Lifts Breaking Muscle
The CrossFit Level 1 Training Guide

Performance: 5/3/1 “1 Week”
75%x1, 85%x1, 95×1+

Loss of a neutral back position will automatically end your rep out.

Fitness: 1×5 Linear Progression
Add 5-10lbs from last week’s exposure.

Post loads to comments.
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As Many Rounds as Possible in 7 Minutes of:
25 Double Unders
3 Thrusters, 155/105

Today’s thrusters should be strictly, jerking is a no rep!

Post rounds completed and Rx to comments.

Coach Nick Coxwains Robert F in a solit Paleo Chair at CRASH Bs

Potluck, LFPB and a New Challenge

Thanks to everyone who came out to the potluck yesterday! We had about 90 folks come through the gym and brought lots of tasty food and tastier booze. Big thanks to cruise director Mare L for organizing the potluck and Coach Fox for organizing and seeing through the entire LFPB Challenge. We even had farmer Jerry from Herondale there to talk CSA with interested members.

2014 LFPB Winners
1. Nick F & Shaye L
2. Dave & Sarah E
3. Evan E & Elyse B

Also shout out to CFSBK Hoodie recipient and serious CFSBK OG Steph P who was in our FIRST foundations cycle ever in 2008 and has brought countless new CFSBKers with her.

Follow up Challenge
Everyone who filled out the post challenge write up is entered into our follow up challenge which extends through June 1st. Essentially we want to see how well people can adopt long term healthy behaviors from the challenge and continue onwards with their progress. The challenge will be judged on another set of “after” pictures and a write up indicating how they implemented and stuck to their new plan. Top prizes are one free month of training for top male and female.
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The “Knees Out” Cue

For Time:
1000m Row
50 Wall Ball Shots
1100m Run

Post time and Rx to comments.
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10 Minutes NFRs of:

Fitness:
2 Wall Walks
Accumulate :30 in an L-Sit

Grace R is a pious CrossFitter and writes her numbers on the board before going home

• Good luck in everyone doing today’s Time Trial in Prospect Park with Mike O!

Paleo Potluck Tonight!

Starting at 7:00pm we’ll be hosting our second potluck of the season.  Not only will we be crowning the top three folks from the LFPB Challenge, we’ll also be talking about our addendum “bonus challenge” to provide more support and accountability moving forward. We’ll also have some of our CSA farmers in the house so you can meet where you’re meat comes from and learn about the farms that CFSBK has partnered with. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come.   Can’t wait to see you all!

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Meditation transforms roughest San Francisco schools
Two trends that will kill CrossFit

Lauren’s Goblet Squats

• Don’t forget to RSVP for tomorrow’s Paleo Potluck and LFPB Awards Ceremony starting at 7:00pm

Hiring Front Desk Staff

CFSBK is looking for new talent to staff the front desk.  Responsibilities include handling inquires from walk-ins, managing basic membership issues, light cleaning/organization and other miscellaneous duties. Ideally, we’d like to hire from within so that candidates are already familiar with CrossFit and CFSBK but are open to talk to new folks if they’ve got good people skills and are committed to joining the gym.  On top of an hourly wage, FD staff will also receive a comped membership. We are looking for people who can devote at least 2-4 days of their week to FD and can commit to 6 months of work with us barring extenuating circumstances.

Please email info(AT)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com to inquire.

CFSBK Endurance Program Benchmark Session Tomorrow

Come join Mike O for this free time trial session we’ll be holding in Prospect Park tomorrow starting at 1pm. Athletes interested in our upcoming endurance program will be led through some warm-ups and then will benchmark their 5K or 1 Mile run. For more information on this event, please click here.
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The Test of Fitness

Performance:

“Nasty Girls”
3 Rounds for time of:
50 Air Squats
7 Muscle Ups
10 Hang Power Cleans, 135/95

There is a 12 minute cap on this workout.

Fitness:

With a partner, altnernate rounds for max work in 25 minutes of:
5 Clean and Jerk 115/75
10 Kipping Pull-Ups (or Jumping C2B Pull-Ups)
15 Air Squats

Post time or rounds completed and Rx to comments.

Sneak Peak Inside CrossFit South Brooklyn

CFSBK Snow Shoe Trip

On Saturday, March 1st, local outfitter Gear to Go will guide us on a snowshoe hike on Bear Mountain, 1.5 hours from NYC, where we’ll hike around historic Hessian Lake and then climb to the top where we’ll take in amazing views of the Hudson Highlands.  Not familiar with snowshoeing?  Basically, it allows you to travel to areas that would otherwise be impossible to reach in Winter but if you can walk, you can snowshoe.  Exertion level will be moderate, suitable for anyone who exercises at least 1-2 times per week.

$80 per person includes:

• all equipment — snowshoes, trekking poles, crampons, and MicroSpikes, as appropriate for the day’s conditions
• roundtrip transportation from CFSBK
• breakfast and on-trail hot cocoa

This cost reflects a 15% CFSBK discount off Gear to Go’s normal prices!

RSVP to mare@CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com by MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24. 
We must have a minimum of 8 people for the trip to be a GO!

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Eva T, Nicole and Annie S do “Nasty Girls”

Performance: 5/3/1 “1 Week”
75%x1, 85%x1, 95%x1+

Fitness: 2×10
Linear Progression

Post loads to comments.
LBBSQ e3/6
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5 Rounds, each for time of:
10 Burpees
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings
10 Burpees

Rest about 2 minutes between sets.

The C.R.A.S.H.-B Sprints in Boston

• Don’t forget to RSVP for the Potluck this Saturday starting at 7:00pm!
• See more pictures from CRASH Bs in our Flickr page

CRASH B Results

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Rival Industries Sweet Talk the Public NYT

Akoto is NOT giving up her Kettlebell

Fundamentals, Virtuosity and Mastery

An Open Letter To CrossFit Trainers
By Greg Glassman, CrossFit Journal, August 2005

In gymnastics, completing a routine without error will not get you a perfect score, the 10.0—only a 9.7. To get the last three tenths of a point, you must demonstrate “risk, originality, and virtuosity” as well as make no mistakes in execution of the routine.

Risk is simply executing a movement that is likely to be missed or botched; originality is a movement or combination of movements unique to the athlete—a move or sequence not seen before. Understandably, novice gymnasts love to demonstrate risk and originality, for both are dramatic, fun, and awe inspiring— especially among the athletes themselves, although audiences are less likely to be aware when either is demonstrated.

Virtuosity, though, is a different beast altogether. Virtuosity is defined in gymnastics as “performing the common uncommonly well.” Unlike risk and originality, virtuosity is elusive, supremely elusive. It is, however, readily recognized by audience as well as coach and athlete. But more importantly, more to my point, virtuosity is more than the requirement for that last tenth of a point; it is always the mark of true mastery (and of genius and beauty).

There is a compelling tendency among novices developing any skill or art, whether learning to play the violin, write poetry, or compete in gymnastics, to quickly move past the fundamentals and on to more elaborate, more sophisticated movements, skills, or techniques. This compulsion is the novice’s curse—the rush to originality and risk.

The novice’s curse is manifested as excessive adornment, silly creativity, weak fundamentals and, ultimately, a marked lack of virtuosity and delayed mastery. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to be taught by the very best in any field you’ve likely been surprised at how simple, how fundamental, how basic the instruction was. The novice’s curse afflicts learner and teacher alike. Physical training is no different.

What will inevitably doom a physical training program and dilute a coach’s efficacy is a lack of commitment to fundamentals. We see this increasingly in both programming and supervising execution. Rarely now do we see prescribed the short, intense couplets or triplets that epitomize CrossFit programming. Rarely do trainers really nitpick the mechanics of fundamental movements.I understand how this occurs. It is natural to want to teach people advanced and fancy movements. The urge to quickly move away from the basics and toward advanced movements arises out of the natural desire to entertain your client and impress him with your skills and knowledge. But make no mistake: it is a sucker’s move. Teaching a snatch where there is not yet an overhead squat, teaching an overhead squat where there is not yet an air squat, is a colossal mistake. This rush to advancement increases the chance of injury, delays advancement and progress, and blunts the client’s rate of return on his efforts. In short, it retards his fitness.

If you insist on basics, really insist on them, your clients will immediately recognize that you are a master trainer. They will not be bored; they will be awed. I promise this. They will quickly come to recognize the potency of fundamentals. They will also advance in every measurable way past those not blessed to have a teacher so grounded and committed to basics.

Training will improve, clients will advance faster, and you will appear more experienced and professional and garner more respect, if you simply recommit to the basics.

There is plenty of time within an hour session to warm up, practice a basic movement or skill or pursue a new PR or max lift, discuss and critique the athletes’ efforts, and then pound out a tight little couplet or triplet utilizing these skills or just play. Play is important. Tire flipping, basketball, relay races, tag, Hooverball, and the like are essential to good programming, but they are seasoning—like salt, pepper, and oregano. They are not main courses.

CrossFit trainers have the tools to be the best trainers on earth. I really believe that. But good enough never is, and we want that last tenth of a point, the whole 10.0. We want virtuosity!!

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Kipping Pull-Ups with Jeff Tucker
Just Squat
The ascent of Alex Honnold

Take 12 minutes to work up to a moderately heavy (around 75%) triple on the front squat.
Should be fast and crisp. No failing.

Post loads to comments.
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Performance:

Fitness:

10 Rounds for time of:
5 Deadlifts
5 Push Presses
5 Pull-Ups or Ring Rows

Choose a load that allows you to move unbroken on the Push Press

The 2014 Open is Upon us!
Team CFSBK has 89 members signed up, the 23rd biggest team in the world! Interested? Sign up here.

The 2014 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge is “Over”

The six week 2014 Look, Feel, and Perform Better Challenge is over and we want to hear about your experiences. Please get your

Post Challenge Entry in. The deadline for entries to be considered for awards is Monday. These challenges improve from year to year based largely on learning what worked well for the most amount of people so whether you killed it or withered a bit, please take a few moments to share. Also set your calendar for the wrap up potluck on Saturday where we’ll also speak about how you can make these changes last longer than 6 weeks, and unveil the bonus challenge!

Inside the Affiliate

As we’re sure you’re aware, there’s a massive shortage of videos on the Internet. To rectify this dearth, we’ve created a swell video about fitness over on ITA. More specifically, a video about how we break down group instruction during Olympic lifting segments in Group Classes. Check it out, CFSBKers! We sure love your love.

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Cellar Dwellers!!

Performance: 5/3/1 “3 Week”
70%x3, 80%x3, 90×3+

Loss of a neutral back position will automatically end your rep out.

Fitness: 1×5 Linear Progression
Add 5-10lbs from last week’s exposure.

Post loads to comments.
LBBSQ e2/6
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For Time:
400m Row
40 Double Unders
40 Box Jumpss
40 Toes to Bars

Post time and Rx to comments.

Some of the CFSBK “Crash Beasts” do their final workout at the Harvard Boat house (Coach Nick’s Alma mater). Today they will take on the CRASH B Sprints in Boston. Good luck to all competing!

The 2014 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge is “Over”

The six week 2014 Look, Feel, and Perform Better Challenge is over and we want to hear about your experiences. Please get your Post Challenge Entry in. The deadline for entries to be considered for awards is Monday. These challenges improve from year to year based largely on learning what worked well for the most amount of people so whether you killed it or withered a bit, please take a few moments to share. Also set your calendar for the wrap up potluck on Saturday where we’ll also speak about how you can make these changes last longer than 6 weeks, and unveil the bonus challenge!
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In December 2013, CrossFit offered its first women-only Level 1 Seminar in Dubai. Read “Under Cover” for more details