Barbell Warm-Ups

Suggested Viewing

How Clean Is Your Bathroom?
Coach Glassman (creator of CrossFit) talks about what be believes are the most important characteristics of a successful affiliate. What do you think?

Schedule Changes

Effective January 1 we’ll be adding 5 more Group Class hours per week. Our evening schedule will go to a half hour start and we’ll be adding a 1pm class on Saturdays.  Get Stoked.

Monday through Thursday
6am, 7am, 8am, 12pm
4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm

Saturday
8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm

More information on to come.

Competition Weekend

Lots of testing going on this weekend for CFSBK’s athletes!

Saturday: Hoboken Winter Challenge
12 of CFSBK’s competative CrossFitters will be heading to Hoboken for the Winter Challenge. We’ve participated in this event the last few years and are gearing up for a great showing this Saturday.

Sunday: CrossFit Total
Coach Jeremy’s Strength Cyclers will wrap up their 8 week cycle this Sunday at 1:00pm. Over 20 lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by and cheer on the lifters.

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6 Tips For a CrossFit Newbie
Kevin James 70lbs Weight Loss
5 Steps To Find The Perfect CrossFit Gym
Kristen Clever Lifting at the USAW American Open

Five rounds for time of:
12 Deadlift 155/105
9 Hang Power Clean 155/105
6 Push Jerk 155/105

Post Rx and time to comments.
compare to 12.25.11

Remember, “DT” as Rx’d is now on the CFSBK leader boards!
See Jason Khalipa do this in 6:18

In honor of USAF SSgt Timothy P. Davis, 28, who was killed on Feburary, 20 2009 supporting operations in OEF when his vehicle was struck by an IED. Timothy is survived by his wife Megan and one-year old son T.J.

A Day In The Life of CFSBK

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with a very diverse sample of our community. I thought I’d share with you all some of the highlights of my day in the hopes of you seeing CFSBK from my viewpoint for a day:

9:00am: Group Class
A diverse bunch of folks hitting Fran hard. Group class is the melting pot of CFSBK where seasoned veterans, sophomores and newbies come together to challenge themselves and those around them. Every single class is different, interesting and fun.

10:00am: Dr. Mike and  Dr. Judy
My “Platinum CrossFitters”. Two of the more senior folks I train who came in with really modest goals and have amazed me with their progress and commitment to strength and conditioning.  These guys are not only an inspiration but a wealth of knowledge and experience. Great additions to our community! We recently posted a video of Mike Squatting!

11:00am: Group Class
An even bigger bunch of folks crushing Fran. I jumped in to give Noah a second hand since we had a big turn out. Fran is a big day for lots of folks and I hoped that I could give someone that extra push or cue that leads them to a PR today.  I could have easily gone upstairs and relaxed, but it’s too damn fun to be around you people.

12:00pm: Comp Class
Some of CFSBK’s competitive heavy hitters. A great combination of VERY motivated folks with big engines and the time, capacity and interest to go the extra mile with their training.  Coaching at this level needs to be more refined and technical. After a warm-up we work some fine details of Snatch Pulls and Tall Snatches before getting after Fran competition style with judges.  Everyone in this class could run circles around me all day so I’m humbled to get to coach them.

1:15pm: Teaser Class
9 folks who have never done CrossFit before. I take them through the name game, some DROMs, Squats, hollow holds then a WOD which consists of a couplet of Rowing and Burpees. Afterwards we discuss what’s important in a fitness program (Diversity of movement and time domains, chasing concrete performance markers and something mentally and socially stimulating). Some folks sign up on the spot, others never come back, I hope I’ve made a positive impact on them regardless.

4:00pm: CrossFit Birthday Party
Twelve 7 year old boys get put through a two hour birthday party, CrossFit Style. We play the following games:

CrossFit Tag Team Bowling:
Think of a bowling relay race where three teams try to earn max points by sprinting to knock down pins (Foam Rollers) with medicine balls. Once they make their throw they’ve got to pick up their pins and run the ball back to the start line so the next kid can start. We’re trying to build comradery, speed and accuracy.

Zombie Apocalypse
Part 1: Outbreak
A virus is spreading turning kids into zombies. 3 Zombies start within city boundaries and try to rip flags off the humans. If you get your flag ripped off you need to do 5 burpees after which you’re reborn as a zombie and can start hunting.  Each game is about 2 minutes and we see how many survivors are left at the end round. Hiding in the big tire is very popular..

Part 2: Aftermath
2 Camps of survivors are left on earth and supplies are few and far between. I hide an axe (a great Zombie defense tool) in the abandoned city (a bunch of mats, boxes, the big tire, kegs etc strewn about) and call out 1-2 members from each team to find it as fast as they can and bring it back to their camp. (think, steal the bacon meets 28 days later)

The CrossFit South Brooklyn Infantry Obstacle Course
An Obstacles course with lava rocks, balance beams, handstand walks, a crawl through and ends with each kid swinging off a platform on a ring and knocking down a wall to escape. This is the “slowest” game but requires the most accuracy and control in movement.

My goal is to have the kids connect physical activity with a positive experience. Also- let kids be kids and have some down and dirty fun.

21-15-9 Rep rounds for time of:
Thrusters, 95/65
Pull-Ups

Post time and Rx to comments.
compare to 9.10.11 or 7.27.11

Weird POV Squats with Coach Nick

Congrats to Coach C Fox

Benchmark by Dan Betz

I’ve been a member of CFSBK for 2 years now and I’ve always been frustrated with the lame WOD-tracking apps out there. I know it’s come up a few times in the comments on the blog so some of you definitely feel my pain. Workout journals, the gym whiteboard, and the gym leaderboard are all great ways to track your progress and compete with your fellow CFSBKers, but I wanted a more personalized way to compete with a focused group of my friends. Since I couldn’t find one, I built one with a couple of my friends.

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Kipping Pull-Up Series CrossFit
2012 CrossFit Games – Men’s Final: Fran, Heat 1, 2 & 3
2012 CrossFit Games – Women’s Final: Fran, Heat 1, 2 & 3
Human Turkish Get Up

Fitness: 3×5 Across
Add 2.5-5lbs from your last exposure.
Linear e12/12

Performance: Work up to a 5RM
Intensity e5/6

Post loads to coments
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Spend 20 minutes working up to a heavy triple Turkish Get Up

Post loads and implement to comments.

Chris Fox Laftin Wates

This is the event I’m doing today. Just me lifting from SBK but thankfully J is coming along. USA POWERLIFTING NORTHEASTERN USA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

My openers are:
355 Squat
235 Bench
475 Dead

Hoping to hit:
385 Squat
255 Bench
525 Dead

Wish me luck!

Why compete?

By Chris Fox

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

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

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

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50 Ways To Achieve Greatness In Your Life
The 2013 CrossFit Open is announced!
CrossFit Games History 2007-2012

 
Homebrew To The Rescue

Fine drinkers! The victims of Sandy need you to guzzle loads of beer. It’s the charitable thing to do—at least, it will be on December 15.

Please join us when 10 of New York City’s finest homebrewers take over CrossFit South Brooklyn for a one-of-a-kind charity event to support organizations doing real, on-the-ground work for victims of Sandy. (That does not mean you, Red Cross.)

In addition to unlimited samples of some of the city’s best homebrewed beer, you’ll be treated to meats, cheeses and other tasty, top-secret snacks. There will be a raffle with killer prizes from Sycamore Bar & Flowershop, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, Brooklyn Homebrew and CrossFit South Brooklyn just to name a few!

You can get tipsy, stuff your gut and help New Yorkers who need it most? It’s a win-win for everyone. Today, let your liver do the heavy lifting.

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Olympian Fails To Break World Record In Beer Mile USAToday
An Alternate Hypothesis for the Problems with Shoes Matt Metzgar
Why We Love Weightlifting
Klokov Snatches 205kgs

Fitness: 3×5 Across
Add 2.5-5 lbs to last exposure

Performance: Try and establish a new 5RM today

Post loads to comments.
Press e6/6
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As Many Rounds As Possible In 5 Minutes Of:
10 Push Press 115/75
10 Burpees

Scale the Push Press weight such that it’s more or less balanced with the burpees.

Post rounds completed and Rx to comments.

CFSBK Family Portrait: Greg and Erica Nofi and their baby strongman, Reid. (holding a 100lb Dumbbell)

Hoboken Winter Challenge Sound Off

Are you doing the CrossFit Hoboken Winter Challenge?? Please email David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn so we can get a headcount on everyone who’s going and organize transportation. 

Sandy Relief with lululemon athletica Brooklyn

The lululemon athletica stores in NYC have come together to create a volunteer event over the next few weekends to assist with Hurricane Sandy Relief in various areas of the city. We are partnering with volunteer organizations and foundations out in hard-hit areas to provide our support. All are welcome — we have a bus that seats 55 people heading out every Saturday and Sunday for the next few weeks and would love to get our friends and community out there with us.

We have a lot of space on the bus, so the more the merrier!

Philadelphia Winter Warmer Challenge

Philadelphia Winter Warmer
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550lb PAUSED Front Squat
Check out CrossFit South Brooklyn’s review on CrossFit Drop In

Fitness: 3×5 Across
Add 2.5-5 lbs to last exposure.

Performance: 2×5 Across Followed by a rep out capped at 10
Fight to get at least 5 on your rep out, if not more.

Post loads to comments.
LBBSQ Wednesday e 6/6
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5 Rounds, Each for time of:
Row 250m

Rest about 2:1 between attempts. All out efforts on each.

Post each interval to comments.
compare to 2.5.12

CFSBK Athlete of the Month

David Turnbull

        If it seems like this is long overdue, it’s because it is. The guy has been over on the platforms pushing and pulling iron with the Strength cyclers for so long that I hadn’t really realized how long he’d been an SBKer. I was very pleased to sit down with David and find out more about him. So pleased, in fact, that I lost my interview notes on purpose and asked him to meet with me a second time. Ok, so that statement is only partly true. SBK, I give you the man known (by David at least) as D-Turn.

Fox – So tell me, again. How and when did you wind up at Crossfit South Brooklyn?

DT – Well I guess that it’s coming up on about three years now, I believe I was in the first Foundations class in the new space at Degraw street in February 2010. It was David and Laurel who coached it. I’d read an article in the New York Times on the Paleo lifestyle and was intrigued. I already was eating kind of that way and believed it made sense and remember thinking that I should also learn how to train my body in a more sensical manner. Crossfit seemed to make evolutionary sense. So an internet search led me to David, and the gym was right nearby. After a few email exchanges with him I signed up for Foundations.

Fox – What had you been doing before Crossfit, fitness-wise, and why did you stay with us?

DT – I’d done Shotokan Karate for a long time and attained a brown belt, but sustained a back injury that made me re-think what I was doing there and why I was getting bruised up on a regular basis. The back injury probably wasn’t from Karate alone. I was travelling a lot for work and had pretty poor posture, but it gave me pause. After that I became a gym regular for a long time. I imagine I was kind of like a farm animal in there, moving from station to station without any feeling about it and no real reason or purpose. Nothing bad was happening but nothing good was happening either. I eventually hit rock bottom when I did Bikram Yoga for a year. It was my year in the fitness wilderness. Not that yoga can’t be great, but it was not good for me as my only fitness routine. I lost any strength I’d had and needed something new. I knew when I signed up for Foundations that I would begin training this way. What I found was technically sound instruction, and a community of generally solid people. That’s worth staying.

Fox – You did classes for a year and then landed in Strength with Coach Jeremy. How’s that process been?

DT – It’s been really amazing. Barbell training makes sense to me. It’s the right tool to use and I have the right coach to teach it. I really enjoy the process, that it’s difficult, and that I get to learn new aspects of the lifts all the time. I did my first cycle in September of 2011 and I remember having struggled with 95 pounds on a back squat not too long before that. My most recent CFTotal I hit a 380 lb squat, a 150 lb press (PR is 165), and a 420 lb deadlift for a 955 lb total.  My goal for 2013 is a 1000 lb total. I think that there is virtue in being strong and physically prepared. Obviously I have a strength bias in my physical preparedness but I am happy with the thought that I could protect a loved one by virtue of being strong. I remember a  sensei said to me that if someone tried to pick a fight with you take three steps to end it. One, you try to talk your way out of it. Two, you run away. Three, if the person runs after you, you annihilate them because if they’re crazy enough to still keep coming they need to be dealt with. Another part of my goal for 2013 is to incorporate prowler and erg work in my training to develop my conditioning so I don’t have to go from ‘talk’ to ‘annihilate’.

Fox – Virtue in strength. I like that. Tell me a bit about you outside the gym.

DT – I work for the Nielsen Company as a research consultant. Basically I help companies connect data to their needs. I’ve been with them for 9+ years now and find value in my work. In my personal time outside the gym and work, I enjoy traveling with my wife Tracy. We recently visited Ireland which was an amazing trip. Among the highlights was visiting the monument Newgrange and also seeing the imagery throughout the country. Berlin, where I lived for a period in the early 90’s, is next on the list. I want to show Tracy my Berlin. Aside from that I also practice Tibetan buddhist meditation. I work with a group called Nalandabodhi here in New York.

Fox – I haven’t noticed you squatting in orange and red robes. How did you come to meditation and Tibetan buddhism in particular?

DT -After 9/11, I like many, was looking for something. I’m not a native New Yorker, I’m from Oregon, but I felt that event in a profound way. It seemed like there was this great spiritual panic where we all looked for something to turn to. I had read Zen in college and found myself having conversations about it once again and eventually found the writings of Choygum Trungpa.  Our group is mostly a bunch of regular folks in practicing together, hence, no robes.

Fox – Alright D-Turn, last question. What should we look for in a future AOM?

DT – I’ve thought about this. I think we should appreciate people who care about themselves and the community at large. Someone who cares about bettering themselves in multiple ways and also does what they can to help others is worth the honor of AOM.

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Shotokan: The Art Of War

Ellie JM Stylin’ and Profilin’, Wooo!!

CFSBK Movie Club

And this month’s CFSBK Movie Club selection is…”Hitchcock“, by a nose.

From Andrew:
Scheduling might be a little tricky because of the holidays but we are tentatively looking at the evening of Saturday, December 15th.  Location is TBD for now – the movie is currently in limited release at just a couple of theaters but it will hopefully roll out wider in the next few weeks.  If you have a theater and/or bar that you want to suggest, feel free to shoot me an email at andrew.migdail(AT)gmail.com

Goodie Goods

Goodie Goods is a healthy meals delivery service operated by Jesa Henneberry, a natural foods chef, specializing in Paleo Diet Meal Programs.

Fitness: Spend 15 Minutes working up to a heavy load on the complex of:
1 Clean Deadlift + 1 Hang Power Clean
If your movement is feeling pretty good go ahead and try to pull from the floor in your later sets.
Hold every catch for :02 to ensure a completed and mature rack delivery.

Performance: 15 minutes work up to a heavy single power clean. Finish with a few singles at 85%.

Post loads to comments.
PC e6/6
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Fitness:
5 Rounds NFT of:
5 Push-Ups or Box Handstand Push-ups
5 Pull-Ups with as little assist as possible

Performance
5 Rounds NFT of:
3 Handstand Push-ups to a 2″ deficit
8 Strict Toes To Bars or Rings

There is a 15 minute cap on this.  If you don’t have strict push-ups, work on those, if you’ve got them but not full range of motion handstand push-ups, use the box modification. A 2″ deficit is with your hands on the Rogue competition 45lb bumpers. No Kipping on anything today.

2 Versions of Strict Toes To Rings
The first two reps are a stricter version with no bend in the elbows or knees. These require a tighter midline, stronger hip flexors and good flexibility. The latter 4 reps allow a little knee and elbow flexion to which makes your body more compact and the movement easier. See if you can do today’s Toes to Rings or Bar with straight knees and arms.

Tough Titsday Powerlifting Meet III

To the ladies of CFSBK:

We are hosting our third powerlifting meet!

What: 3 attempts at a 1 rep max of Backsquat, Bench Press and Deadlift
When: January 5, 2013 at 2:30pm; weigh in and registration at 1pm
Who: SBK women who have been attending group classes for at least 3 months

How much: $25 Includes participation and a Rules Clinic with Margie prior to competition.
Bonus: Celebrate post meet with your fellow lifters and friends. Drinks on us! (Stay tuned for info on grubs.)
25 spots available. Registration deadline is December 29, 2012. 

The Details:
Each woman will have 3 attempts to hit a max single in Squat, Bench and Deadlift, in that order. All lifters will make their attempts in each lift before moving to the next.
First, second and third place winners will be awarded in each weight class based on total combined weight of best lifts.

There will be 3 weight classes:
Ladies: Under 135
Dames: 136-159
Broads: Over 160
In the event of a tie, lowest weight wins.

Register here!

Information regarding rules and logistics of the meet will be emailed upon registration.
Questions? Contact Margie(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com
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SPF Women’s Powerlifting Meet
Body Image Qualification Announced BBC
Study: Americans Get Majority Of Exercise While Drunk
Olympic Lifts AllisonNYC
More Fitness, No More Sports iofthetiger

Fitness:
12-9-6-3 Reps For Time of:
Hang Power Snatch
Front Squat
Box Jump

Rest 2 minutes,
Run 400m for time
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Performance:
15-12-9-6-3 Reps For Time of:
Hang Squat Snatch 135/95
Box Jump 24/20

Rest 2 minutes,
Run 400m for time

Post time and Rx to comments.

Devi A!

Leaderboards

The leader boards have been updated with three new categories:

• Powerlifting Meet Total: 3 Attempts at 1RM Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift. Sanctioned meets and Tough Titsday results are all fair game. If you’ve competed in a PL meet with your training at the gym, you’re elligible for this.
• Clean and Jerk: These also exist as seperate categories but we’ve gone ahead and included the competition lift here. From ground to shoulder then overhead and stable. See Brian D C&J 280 here
• L-Sit Max Hold: Using the Parallettes, max length hold with your feet above a thick 45lb bumper plate. Like this
• “DT”
  Five rounds for time of:
  155 pound Deadlift, 12 reps
  155 pound Hang power clean, 9 reps
  155 pound Push jerk, 6 reps
  See Jason Khalipa do this in 6:18

More All Star Performances:

Coach Josh Split Jerked 290lbs
Sarah LR Cleaned 195lbs
Nate W linked 21 Double Unders
Coach David Deadlifted 365lbs
Katie Mo ate 6 tacos!
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Women and Strongman with Rob Orlando
The Flower Book
Woman Muscles Her Way into Pit Crew
Heavy 1 Arm Lifts