Perform the following complex every minute, on the minute, for 20 minutes
5 Dumbbell Deadlifts
5 Dumbbell Hang Power Cleans
5 Dumbbell Thrusters

Loading is 45% bodyweight for advanced athletes.  This version of “The Bear”
was made popular by coach Mike Rutherford. If you are able to complete
all the rounds,  first start scaling up until you can do the weight as
rx’d, then begin to add one rep to the circuit.  7 reps of the complex
for 20 rounds as rx’d is the gold standard.

Post load and rounds completed as rx’d (within the minute) to comments. If you fell behind the clock, indicate how far you got and how many rounds you were able to complete in the remaining time.
Compare to 12.9.09

Ever hear the one about the Powerlifter and the O-lifter?

Hybrid Total Results

Team SBK represented in a big way out in Connecticut yesterday! 

Dave Byrd-515/175/565-1255 for 2nd Place in Master’s Division 
Billy K.-215/NL/325-540
Jim R.-385 PR/185 PR/385 PR-955
Katie Mears-245/95/315-655 PR
Joel W.-375 PR/155 PR/385 PR
Jeremy F.-395/195/485-1075
Rob I.-275/155 PR/335

Tremendous work by all of the team!  A big thanks to Coaches Margie and Jeremy for organizing the team and getting everyone to put up some serious weight!

Monday Morning On-Ramp

Tomorrow at 7AM we’ll be holding the innaugural AM On-Ramp class!  Athletes fresh out of Foundations or anyone needing more time to refine their basics before hopping into group classes are encouraged to attend.  If you’re unsure whether On-Ramp is right for you email shane@crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com. 

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Who’s ready for Crush Week?
___________________
The Dumbell Bear CrossFit
How Important is Food Variety? Mark’s Daily Apple

 

Back Squat 1-1-1
Press 1-1-1
Deadlift 1-1-1

This is a CrossFit style powerlifting meet in which you have three attempts to find a 1 rep max in each lift listed. Your CrossFit Total is the sum the highest successful lift in each section. For a detailed explanation on the event and standards for each movement, please read Mark Rippetoe’s CFT overview here.  To see how you rank, check out these strength standards.

Post all 9 lifts and your CrossFit Total to comments.
Compare to 8.21.10

Teresa B. During Ken’s Advanced Handstand Class

Happy Birthday to Steph Paddock and Mike Mishik!! Congratulations to Willie who is getting married today!

CF Total Schedule

We are not running our usual group class schedule today due to the Total.  Instead come to 1 of the 3 following slots

Block 1: 8AM-9:30AM
Block 2: 9:30AM-11AM
Block 3: 11AM-12:30PM

Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your slot to complete whatever DIY warm-up you’d like so that we can promptly start with the movement standards and warm-up sets right at the designated time. In the interest of efficiency please come in with an idea of where you’d like to open each lift and what warm-up weights you intened to use to get there. 

**Teaser and Active Recovery are at their regularly scheduled times.**

Go Team!  CFSBK is Competing at the Hybrid CrossFit Total Competition!

Coaches Margie and Jeremy are leading a group of SBKers out to Stamford, Connecticut today to compete in the CrossFit Total at Rob Orlando’s Hybrid Athletics.  The team is:

Jess O. 
Billy K. 
Jim R. 
Dave Byrd
Joel W.
Katie Mears
and Coaches Margie & Jeremy

We wish Team SBK great luck and success today and look forward to news of big PRs from the Total.  Good luck guys!
___________________

Dude, Where’s My 1RM?
By Coach Jeremy 

Everyone has had the experience:  it’s the 2nd attempt of a Crossfit total or your working up to a new 1RM on singles day, you load up the bar with a weight equal to you your existing 1RM, you get psyched up, unrack the bar, go into the hole, and……nothing.  It doesn’t come back up.  Why?  Did you get weaker?  Are you doing something wrong?  Why can’t you do what you’ve already done?

 

Think of a 1RM not so much as a measure of strength capacity but as an act of strength performance.  Veteran lifters will speak of owning a weight versus hitting a weight.  Owning a weight means that you can get under a bar just about anytime you want and move that weight (assuming a proper warm-up and having not done back-to-back hero WOD’s that week).  Hitting a weight is a much less reproducible feat.  It means that on a day where you felt good, were well rested, timed your eating properly, had your weight belt sitting just right, heavenly bodies were aligned properly, and you managed not to fuck anything up,  you were able to squeeze out a higher weight than ever before. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a weight that you have only hit isn’t something that you can just do on command.  It’s an act of strength and will; repeating it doesn’t just happen.  No sprinter expects to hit a PR every time they run a given distance, not in competition and especially not in training.  There is no reason to just assume that every time you get under a barbell you’re going to PR.

 

We should also consider that not every one’s best event in lifting is the 1RM.  Consider again, sprinting.  All sprinters are fast, that’s why they are sprinters.  However sprinters have different specialties, some are better in a 60m dash, others are better at the quarter mile.  If we took a random group of sprinters and tested their best times at a series of distances, say 60m, 100m, 200m, and 400m, we would probably find that the rankings would look very similar across the events: the faster runners would tend to do well at all of them.  However, you would also expect to see some shuffling of rankings based upon the individual strengths of the sprinters.  Some are better at accelerating, some run the turns well, some finish well, etc. To bring this back to lifting, imagine a group of powerlifters from the same weight class.  If you tested their 1RM, 3RM, and 5RM squat you would see something very similar:  The strongest lifters would tend to be at the the top of each ranking, however you would also see some move up or down the leader board as the reps changed based upon their individual characteristics.  This is relevant to us because the better you are at an event, the 3RM versus the 1RM for instance, the more likely you are able to reproduce your best effort.  We should test our strength at 3RM’s and 5RM’s for precisely the same reason that Track and Field tests more than just the 100m dash as a measure of speed.

 

Weighlifting, Powerlifting and Crossfit Total’s are all tests of 1RM. This isn’t because 1RM’s are magical, it’s just that they are easier to quantify, they are the highest weights (and everyone wants to see big weights), so they lend themselves to being tested. All this being said there is certainly nothing wrong with going after 1RM’s and when game day comes, you want to break some records. Set yourself up for success by working hard at a good program, resting up in the days leading to the event and getting your head inside your lift when you get under the bar.  Once the day’s lifting is over, let it go.  A sprinter isn’t suddenly slow on the day they don’t PR; you’re not weak on the day you don’t either.  Allow for the fact that not everyday you try to PR is going to be the perfect day to demonstrate that amount of strength.

Unbroken

Bon Voyage to Sean B. whose last day at SBK is today.  We wish him and his family the best down in Ft. Benning!

CrossFit Total this Weekend

Our Saturday group class schedule is revamped this weekend for the CF Total.  Instead of our regular group hours we’ll be running the CF Total in 3 90-minute blocks to give athletes time to complete their lifts.  The schedule is as follows:

Block 1: 8a-9:30a
Block 2: 9:30a-11a
Block 3: 11a-12:30a

Please arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your block starts to complete your DIY Warm-up.  Each block will start promptly as scheduled.  Athletes ideally should know their warm-up weights and first attempts for each lift coming in. 

Strength Cycles B & C Still Have Slots

Coach Jeremy’s B & C Cycles still have some room.  Please contact Coach Jeremy at jeremy(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com if you’re interested/have any questions about which cycle is appropriate/scheduling.

July Cycle B  (Intermediate/Advanced)
7/12/11 – 9/4/11
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30pm 
and 
Sunday from 10:00-11:30am

July Cycle C (2xW Morning Cycle)
7/11/11 – 8/31/11
Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00am

For more information and to register, click here!

AM On-Ramp Starts Monday

The first class of the new morning On-Ramp starts this Monday, July 11th at 7AM.  This is a great opportunity for folks fresh out of Foundations to hone their skills and develop their work capacity before moving in to group class.  If you’re wondering if On-Ramp is right for you email Shane(at)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com
___________________

To the people doing the CF Total this weekend either at SBK or competing in the Hybrid Total, what are the numbers you’d like to hit in the Squat, Press and Deadlift?
___________________

350 Million People Have Diabetes and It’s Our Fault Guardian
Can We Eat Like Our Paleo Ancestors Huffington Post
US Army Cuts Off Five Fingers, Bangs Head Kings of War

Advanced 1-1-1-1
Novice 4×1
Advanced athletes may jerk from behind the neck

Post loads to comments.
(e 4/4) Compare to 6.23.10 and  12.15.10

3-4 RNFT
10 Weighted Sit Ups
20 Wall Ball
Row 300m

On the Wall Ball focus on consistency, breaking sets up as needed and by choosing a load that allows you to display excellent technique

Post Sit-up and Wall Ball Loads to comments.

Felix works the hollow position

So Long and Thanks for all the Shoes
5 members of our small tribe will be departing CFSBK soon to pursue other adventures.  We thought we’d give them a little digital send off and let everyone know where they’ll be going.  Everyone was asked to answer the following questions before they left:

1. Where you’re going & Why
2. When you’ll be leaving
3. How long you’ve been at CFSBK
4. Your plans for working out in your new home

Sean B
1. I am leaving to move to Ft. Benning, GA for six months and then to Ft. Bragg, NC for a year. This is to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course.
2. I will be leaving on July 8.
3. I think I joined the gym in July or August of 2010.
4. I plan on using the CrossFit style gyms on post until I return to CFSBK. I can’t cheat on Shane and Fox.

Samantha H
1. Singaz (AKA Singapore) Why? Work opportunity for my husband and it has always been part of our grand master scheme to live around the world, London, New York, Singapore and back home to Sydney.
2. 20th July. BBQ at our house on the 16th of July, Saturday arvo, all are welcome. We just had our jungle/backyard cut back so there is room for all. Yes, there will be prawns (shrimp) on the barbie.
samantha.hay(at)gmail.com for deets
3. Just over 2 years. Class of June Foundations 2009.
4. I have been cyber stalking the crossfit gyms in Singaz, all 3 of them. 1 looks pants, but the other 2 seem decent, so I will check both of them out. I would like to keep running… ermmm… jogging outside but I am not sure about the 80% humidity, it could be a little challenging. I know there will be easy access to pools where we will be living so I am looking forward to swimming again.

Eli F and Maggie G
1) Maggie and I are getting married in July. Maggie is conducting research for her doctorate in public health. We are headed to South Africa in mid-fall for six months for said research. We’re leaving SBK a little earlier than that because we are going to live on Cape Cod for a few months waiting tables to save money.
2) We’ll be taking an XFit hiatus starting Aug. 1. Maggie’s might have already started as she was doored on her bike on Tuesday and broke her elbow. She is doing well but sad about no more XFit.
3) Maggie has been at SBK since September. I started in January. But it feels like a lifetime. A great lifetime.
4) We’ll be following XFit SBK on Cape Cod at the local gym. Once we get to Cape Town we’ll join XFit Cape Town: Africa’s Premier Crossfit Gym! http://www.capecrossfit.com/

Willie N
1.  I finished my residency in Physical Medicine + Rehabilitation and I start a one year fellowship in CA in November.  In the meantime, I’m getting MARRIED July 9th at my parent’s farm in Maryland and I will live down there with my WIFE Neenah in the meantime.
2.  I’m kind of already gone (June 30th), but my brother lives in Westchester County, so I’m hoping to make some random appearances.
3.  I started @ CFSBK in the Lyceum a little before the level one cert in July ’09.  I had been Crossfitting on my own for a while before that, having put together a gym in my parent’s barn.  I kind of intended to take a few classes, do the cert and then go back to doing my own thing, but I got sucked into the whole good coaching/fun community thing.  Leaving CFSBK is one of the hardest things about leaving Brooklyn for me, and I’ll leave it at that.
4. In Maryland, I’m going back to the barn, and I also hope to do some Masters rowing this summer.  When I move to California, I will feel it out.

Thanks so to everyone for their contributions to our community! We hope everyone keeps in touch while they’re gone!
___________________

Behind the Neck Push Jerk Performance Menu
Split Jerk Performance Menu
Pre-Jerk Drill CrossFit

Advanced 1-1-1-1
or
Novice 4×2

Post loads to comments.
(e 7/7) Compare to 3.9.11

For time:
35 Double Unders
21 Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups
35 Double Unders
15 C2B Pull Ups
35 Double Unders
9 C2B Pull Ups
35 Double Unders

Post time and RX to comments. 

Christine, Armando & Earl repping On-Ramp

We’re Totes running a CrossFit Total on Saturday!

This Saturday we’ll be running the CrossFit Total and giving you a chance to see how your weeks and months of hard work has paid off as well as to lift in solidarity with the SBK team who’ll be competing in the Hybrid Total.  Each athlete will have three attempts to find a new 1-RM at Back Squat, Press and Deadlift.  Because the CFT takes some our Saturday schedule will run in 90-minute blocks as follows:

Block 3: 11-12:30

In order for things to run smoothly we ask that you arrive 15-20 minutes early to warm-up on your own and get ready to start lifting promptly at 8, 9:30 or 11.  For more info, including movement standards on the CFT please read Mark Rippetoe’s article “The CrossFit Total” in preparation for Saturday. 

Team CFSBK at the Hybrid Athletics CrossFit Total
Coach Margie has a big crew of CFSBK athletes heading out to Jersey this Saturday to compete in the Hybrid Athletics CrossFit Total.  The full roster is:

Jess O.
Billy K.
Jim R.
Dave Byrd
Joel W.
Katie M.
and Coaches Margie & Jeremy

We wish them all the best this weekend and will keep you posted on PRs coming back from the event! Goooo team! 

Always Room for One More
We have added 1 slot for Margie’s Tough Tits workshop.  The slot will be first come, first serve.  If you attempted to purchase a slot while it was sold out please email Margie at Margie(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com so we can get you in for the next cycle. 

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The Turkish Get-up CrossFit Invictus
Zac & Nicole CrossFit Total Crossfit
How to Win Friends and Influence Paleo Whole 9

Advanced 2-2-2-2
Novice 4×2 

 
SBK at Rockaway Beach for an Independence Day Surf Session 

 

Advanced Handstand Class, This Thursday!
We’ve stil got a few spots left Ken Haller’s Adanvanced Handstand class happening this Thursday! This is a great chance to further your inversion skills with similarly skilled athletes. Remember that you’ll need a minimum of a :05 freestanding handstand to qualify for this class.  For a class description, current roster and to sign up, click here

___________________

Clapping Bar Muscle-ups Youtube
City Living Affects Your Brain Researchers Find Guardian 

Rahsaan & Coach Fox during Muph

Reminder: The gym is closed today in honor of the holiday.  We will resume our regular class schedule on Tuesday, July 5th at 6am.  We wish you and yours a very happy and safe 4th of July!

Happy Belated Birthday to long-time SBK family member, friend and warrior Jacinto!

Holiday Programming Change and the CrossFit Total
Because we’re closed today our usual Deadlift day will be held on Tuesday keeping us on schedule.  This Saturday we will be running a CrossFit Total in order for us to benchmark our lifts. 

Upcoming Strength Cycle Dates
Still looking for an opportunity to get stronger than you’ve ever been?  Sign up for one of Coach Jeremy’s Strength Cycles today!

July Cycle A  (Novice)
7/11/11 – 9/2/11
Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm 
and 
Fridays from 6:00-7:30pm
SOLD OUT!

July Cycle B  (Intermediate/Advanced)
7/12/11 – 9/4/11
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30pm 
and 
Sunday from 10:00-11:30am

July Cycle C (2xW Morning Cycle)
7/11/11 – 8/31/11
Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00am

For more information and to register, click here!

 

___________________

How’re you celebrating Independence Day?
___________________
MobilityWOD Google Talk: Deskbound MobilityWOD
Let’s Get Real about Summer Time Hydration MobilityWOD
NYPD Fireworks Destruction 2011 Youtube

4 Rounds for time of:
12 Pull-Ups
24 Push-Ups
36 Squats
Run 400m

Post time and Rx to comments.
please watch each video demo before coming to class today!

The Boys Are Back In Town!

There is NO ACTIVE RECOVERY today.

Opportunities
By David Osorio

Today’s workout contains 3 calisthenic movements in addition to a run. The advanced version which is posted above contains 288 repetitions in total.  That’s 288 opportunities to ingrain and develop the motor skills and strength required to successfully perform these seemingly simple movements.  Will your first push-up look like your 96th?  Will your 144th air squat include planted heels, full depth and a neutral spinal position?  Range of motion is only one component of functional movement.  When you initiate a movement, what happens between the start and finish dictate the adaptation you’re pursuing.  Soft technique builds soft athletes.  Lazy attention to details builds laziness inside and outside the gym. Virtuosity is defined in Gymnastics as “performing the common uncommonly well”.  Will you settle for mediocrity today, or will you pursue virtuosity? No opportunity is too small!
Happy WODing!

___________________
Strong Ladies! Katie Hogan andLindsey Valenzuela On The Thruster Tie Breaker CrossFit Games
The CrossFit Games Update 1.1
Jacinto’s Muscle-Up! CrossFit Virtuosity on FaceBook

5×2
Tempo: 2-2-X

Add 5-10 lbs to last week. Make sure to remain explosive!
Rest no more than 2 minutes between sets

Post loads to comments.
(e6/8) compare to 6.24.11

For Time:
Row 1000m
50 Box Jumps

There is a 5 Box Jump Penalty every time your stroke rating goes above 30 s/m.  (With the exception of the first :20 of rowing). The goal is to pull hard, as opposed to pulling fast.

Post time and Rx to comments.
Compare to 1.19.11

Strength Cyclers Post Total

Happy Belated Birthday, “Petey Hopps“!

There is NO ACTIVE RECOVERY today.

The Return of “Tough Titsday”!
Ladies, it is time to get your estrogen on. This four part series is geared for beginning lifters who want to develop competency on the four barbell lifts: Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press and Press. We’ll focus on technique, how to establish appropriate warm up and work set weights, as well as the mental aspect of preparing to manage heavy loads. Titsday is a practical class using moderate volume and weight; it should complement your regular CrossFit life.

• This is your chance to dude out in a women’s only environment.
• For beginning lifters who have been out of Foundations at least one month and had some exposure to the movements. Limited to 4 participants.
• Please don’t hesitate to contact Margie with questions.
• Thursdays @ 6pm July 21, July 28, August 4 and August 11.
• Want more? Check out these Testimonials

Click here to register!

Advanced Handstand Class, This Thursday!
We’ve got 6 hand-balancers signed up for the free Advanced Handstand Class with Ken Haller this week.  This is a great chance to further your inversion skills with similarly skilled athletes. Remember that you’ll need a minimum of a :05 freestanding handstand to qualify for this class.  For a class description, current roster and to sign up, click here.

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New Addias Weightlifting Shoes! Rogue
Best Minimalist Training Shoe On The Market Eric Cressey
Most Vegetarians Return to Eating Meat Healthy Home Economist
Free “No Excuses Run” with lululemon atheltica Brooklyn this Wednesday

Chris Artis!

July brings us a new athlete to honor and we couldn’t be happier to have chosen Chris. He’s a super cool cat with an interesting past, and a great work ethic. He’s been really proactive about his weaknesses and in doing so has gone from not being able to put a barbell overhead to being able to go overhead in WODs, and from not being able to squat without pain to squatting a 1 rep PR of 300. Chris’ extra effort in making himself a better athlete is what brought him to the forefront of the AOM discussion. He didn’t believe me when I told him he was the AOM. Here’s what I found out about him when we sat down.

Fox – Hey man, thanks for meeting up with me. I’m looking forward to hearing about your sordid past.

CA – Wow. Are you sure you guys mean me? This Chris A? The one without the sub 6 minute 2k time?

Fox – Yes Sir, you. We’ve been really impressed with how you’ve improved over your time here and especially since getting injured. On to the first stock question. How did you wind up at CFSBK?

CA – My brother-in-law George had visited friends in Northern California and they’d been ranting and raving about CrossFit. He really wanted to start doing it but my wife Elizabeth (George’s sister) eventually did the
research and found out that there was one right here in Brooklyn. One day she told me, “George is signed up to start CrossFit, and so are you.” I guess she figured we should do something together. We did a private
Foundations with Shane and that’s how I started. That was September of ‘09. If it were me I never would have done the private cycle, I’m somewhat of a cheapskate. But, Elizabeth paid and all so I went. I did the
Foundations and then didn’t come in for a week or two until Shane started sending George and I emails badgering us. I’m a pretty shy person so I might not have gone otherwise. It was all in my own head really. I saw all these fit people with these crazy athletic abilities and was intimidated. I started with drop-ins but after a month or so I was in. Once I started coming in I realized that everyone was so nice. I’m glad I wound up going.

Fox – We’re glad you did too! So, what had you been doing fitness-wise before CrossFit?

CA – Right before I had been just going to the gym across from my house and running and doing some other stuff, no routine really. I had done some boxing before that and enjoyed it but wasn’t really going to be a boxer so that faded out. When I came to CrossFit I had thought of myself as pretty fit. I always was active, ran track in high school and stuff. The first few classes were a shock. I remember Shane asking me how many pull ups I could do and I was like “five or so”, thinking that I could probably do ten but not wanting to look weak. Shane told me to get up on the bar and if I did one, I was lucky. I then realized I had grown out of shape and wanted my fitness back.

Fox – What made you stick with CrossFit? And why did you become someone who does all this mobility work before classes?

CA – Seeing everyone do all the stuff I wanted to do! Pull Ups, cleans, snatches. Also everyone is really supportive of each other. No one argues, at least not that I know of. If that happens I don’t want to know (it doesn’t). It was just what I needed to help me to push harder. The mobility stuff came partly at coaches behest, and partly because I really want to be able to do everything here. Handstands, the O lifts, all that stuff. Also, if I don’t then my sciatica can be really painful. So, not being in pain is a pretty good motivator as well. I learned a few tricks in the Mobility and Recovery Intensive and continue to use them.

Fox – Tell me a bit about your life outside of the gym. Work, hobbies?

CA – Well, first work. For nearly two decades I worked at book publishers doing publicity and PR. I now do the same thing, but on a freelance basis out of my home. It pays the bills and it’s pretty neat. I’ve worked with novelists ranging from Dean Koontz and George R.R. Martin, of Game of Thrones fame, as well as serious non fiction writers such as the physicist Stephen Hawking. Basically my job is to and drum up interest among members of the press for upcoming books and their authors. As far as hobbies I have two that I’m pretty passionate about. First is diving. I’ve been diving for about 12 years now. I started down in Belize and have been hooked ever since. There’s so much to see underwater. My wife dives also, though she’s not as crazy into it as I am. I’ll go in 4-5 times a day when we’re away. We’ve been on some pretty amazing trips to dive but the best has to have been Asia. I did some diving in Indonesia that just doesn’t compare to anywhere else that I’ve been. In this hemisphere though Bonaire is good as are a few of the less populated islands. If you get me started on development and the s**t it does to the underwater ecosystems I’ll be off to the races. I’ve got to bite my tongue. (Chris is pretty passionate about this subject and lots of adult themed language ensued. Ask him in person and I’m sure he’ll fill you in).

I also play Petanque (pay-tonk), which I love. (I ask if it’s just like French bacci and Chris indulges my comparison). I started 7 years ago with a free lesson in Bryant Park from La Boule Newyorkaise and now I
teach for that same organization. It’s a great game, it’s really a good drinking and smoking game. There’s skill but not a lot of athleticism required. It’s kind of my anti-CrossFit (he says and smiles).

Fox – I smell a CFSBK field trip! Now tell me about the sordid rock and roll past.

CA – I wanted to be a rock star, you see. I moved to New York for that very reason. I played in a few bands and it was a great time but it didn’t pan out in terms of making a living. I did have a few brushes with other people’s fame. One was when I tried out for The Meatmen. Brian Baker had left the band and I auditioned to be his replacement. Let’s just say it was humbling. I also had a stint in a band, called Puppet Show. Always hated that name. And when they asked me to join I almost said no, but the drummer, Matt
Stelluto, had played in the 80s hair metal band Smashed Gladys and I was a big fan of his so I joined up. My first show with them was opening for Johnny Thunders about a month before he died. That was one weird
scene. If any of the bands I played in had a shot, it was that one. But it was not to be, and I eventually tired of lugging gear and playing for peanuts, if that.

Fox – Chris, you’ve led and continue to lead a storied life. We need to get a CFSBK house band going! So, where are you at now with things? What do you still want to improve? Any recent accomplishments you’re proud of?

CA – I want to continue to improve my mobility, and to be able to clean and snatch properly. I know those two things are very related. I’m having fun getting better at stuff and 300 certainly was a nice round number to hit on the back squat. I also recently did 21 unbroken pull ups in a WOD and that was a great feeling. Going from 0 (first class with Shane) to 21 isn’t that bad. I remember back at the Lyceum, John McCann Doyle doing a double under/pull up WOD unbroken and it seeming so effortless. I’d like to do that workout and have it be so effortless.

Fox – Those are some great accomplishments. I’m sure that with continued hard work the rest will come also. Alright, last question. What should we look for in a future AOM?

CA – I’ve been thinking about this question since you seem to ask it of everyone. I’ve really appreciated the people who continue to support and cheer me on even when they’ve finished their own workout and
are wrecked but I’m still struggling on. That says a lot to me about their character. I know it’s helped me to continue and made it even just a bit easier to finish. I think that quality should be part of the recipe for a future Athlete of the Month.

Thanks again to Chris for meeting up with me and for being a fun nterview. We look each month for a member of our community who contains within them some qualities that we think are worthy of imitation,
and Chris certainly demonstrates a few. We coaches look forward to seeing you improve with us. And SBKers, do ask Chris about diving and Petanque…he is a wealth of spunk on both!