Happy Eating to everyone attending The 6th Paleo Challenge Rest Day Dinner tonight at Casa Zellner!
Congratulations to Martina O. on completing in the Empire State Building Run
Martina O finished the 2012 Empire State Building run in 25:34. That’s a total of 86 flights and 1,576 steps. Congratulations Martina!
Like Books? Join the Book Club!
We all know CrossFitters love their acronyms, so we thought it was about time to throw another one in the mix – BOM (Book of the Month).
A few members (Shaye L., Teddi M., Peggy J-L. and Martina O.) expressed an interest in forming a monthly book club that would be open to the CFSBK community. As a start, the group will meet monthly to discuss a pre-selected work of fiction. The first meeting will be held on Sunday, March 11th at 5:00 PM at [location TBD]. Please feel free to bring Paleo-friendly snacks to share!
The first BOM will be Super Sad True Love Story: A Novel by Gary Shteyngart.
From Publisher’s Weekly:
Shteyngart (Absurdistan) presents another profane and dizzying satire, a dystopic vision of the future as convincing—and, in its way, as frightening—as Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. It’s also a pointedly old-fashioned May-December love story, complete with references to Chekhov and Tolstoy. Mired in protracted adolescence, middle-aged Lenny Abramov is obsessed with living forever (he works for an Indefinite Life Extension company), his books (an anachronism of this indeterminate future), and Eunice Park, a 20-something Korean-American. Eunice, though reluctant and often cruel, finds in Lenny a loving but needy fellow soul and a refuge from her overbearing immigrant parents. Narrating in alternate chapters—Lenny through old-fashioned diary entries, Eunice through her online correspondence—the pair reveal a funhouse-mirror version of contemporary America: terminally indebted to China, controlled by the singular Bipartisan Party (Big Brother as played by a cartoon otter in a cowboy hat), and consumed by the superficial. Shteyngart’s earnestly struggling characters—along with a flurry of running gags—keep the nightmare tour of tomorrow grounded. A rich commentary on the obsessions and catastrophes of the information age and a heartbreaker worthy of its title, this is Shteyngart’s best yet.
And the New York Times Book Review is HERE
If you are interested in selecting a fiction book for an upcoming BOM meeting, please bring your suggestions to the first meeting where we’ll pick the books for the next three meetings by random drawing. We figured it would also be helpful to have a discussion leader to keep the conversation flowing, so if your book is selected, you should also be prepared to be the discussion leader that month. All this means is that you need to attend the meeting and have a few questions prepared about your book. Easy stuff!
If you have questions or want to RSVP to the first meeting on Sunday, March 11th please email Martina O. at parisgirl30(AT)gmail.com.
___________________
Read Pat Sherwood’s “Lesson’s Learned” article. What lessons have you learned about training and life from CrossFit?
___________________
Lana Z.’s ‘Art Not Arrests’ Would Memorialize Crown Heights Violence Huffington Post
The Manimal is Back: Pat Barber CF Games Profile CrossFit
Arkasia, or Why You Act Against Your Own Better Judgement Mark’s Daily Apple
All 47 Sports and Fitness Activities, Ranked Gawker
Joel w says
AWWWWW.
That is all.
michele says
1. that baby is a cutie patootie.
2. i just *loved* Shteyngart's first novel. he's the real deal. the excerpt of "Super Sad" that the New Yorker published was absolutely riveting.
Carlos says
Awesome pic. That's one lucky baby to be born to those parents.
Gabrus says
Babies are awesome
First early class in a long time (I hated it)
Squat
235×5, 275×5, 305×10
RDLs
135x8x3
Sprints
6x100m
asta says
YAY ALEX-ROCKET. And Allan.. of course.. & Bethany.
Baby appears a bit "unimpressed" in this photo. ๐
Dh3 says
Allan, Bethany, congrats again.
The only thing better than a Friday, is when that FRIDAY ENTAILS PIEING SOMEONE.
JR…..tick tock.
JR says
@DH3, bring it, don't sing it. I've always been a man of my word. Just let me get my workout in first, and then I'll face the music like a man!
michele says
what time is this all going down?
McGrath says
6a with coach nick
pre wu
excellent hip openers. more please
wu 2
PRESS (first exposure) 65% 75% 85%
(45×5 95×5)
115×5 135×5 155×7
TABATA (muscle) CLEANS
34 rx'd
Sarah H says
Paul's first boxing match is official! 6pm on Saturday February 18th at Gleason's Gym in DUMBO. I hope everyone can make it! After party will be nearby, but is still TBD.
I read Super Sad True Love Story and it was a wild book, but nonetheless changed the way I look at the world. I can't ask for more from a book.
JR says
@Michele well probably around 7:30 or something around when I am finished working out. You're a birds fan, so I assume you'll be there to support me in my time of trouble!
@Sarah, that's great! I am going to try to be there. Fight cards like this are a ton of fun to watch. If he wants to wear my lucky cleto reyes headgear, no problem. It's a beauty, believe me.
Stella says
I didn't know Michele was an Eagles fan too! (Although I'm much more of a baseball fan than a football fan.)
KYOOT BEBEH.
I read the article and I have to say I've learned something opposite of what the author says he's learned from CF. He says don't bias your programming. I totally agree with him that you should be doing things you're bad at so as to get better at them. On the other hand, I get a sense from him that you should work on everything that you're bad at RIGHT AWAY. And that just doesn't work for me. If I try to work double unders one day, and then squat cleans the next day, and then handstand progressions the day after that, I will not be good at any of those things. I have to really nail down one or two things and get it right, and then move on to the NEXT thing I'm not good at. I think I just need a little more time, especially with movements that require a great deal of coordination (*coughCLEANcough*), to fully internalize the correct way of doing things. And this is why I think strength cycle has been so great for me. Focusing on the same group of lifts has really enabled me to get my squat form, which was terrible before, to be pretty good without even thinking about it.
I plan to jump back into group classes once this cycle is over, but I will carry with me that idea of working on one or two skills at a time consistently (which might mean arriving early or staying after class to practice them). I think double unders are next on my sh*t (to-be-conquered) list.
JeffZ says
E A G L E S
The biggest thing that Crossfit has taught me: "it's okay to be uncomfortable". We live in this weird world where discomfort is met with "Boo! Avoid at all costs!". Not only is discomfort where you grow, but it's also not inherently bad, it just *is*.
Whoa mannnnn deeeep ๐
DH3 says
Jeff, feel free to get some pie as well. As you can see from the photo below, I am not messing around. Brooklyn & NY are very dear to my heart. The insults from lesser sports fans are downright absurd. That is why pie is being served.
JR any preferences?
You like Pie?
Lana Z says
Go birds! Who knew there were so many green bleeders at our box?
ALSO, There were some paleo dinner cancelations tonight, so we have 3 spots open. Please email me and let me know, ASAP, if you want to join in on the BBQ action. 7:30 at the Smoke Joint in Fort Greene – Lana@groundupdesigners.com
asta says
have camera, will document.
Jeremy says
Reverse Grip Bench Press
215×1
245×1
275×1
Playing around with heavy singles. Never reversed gripped heavy before
Got hungry, called it a day. Short workout
Lana Z says
Make that 5 spots.
no one else is allowed to cancel as of this moment ๐
Billy says
Awesome picture.
David Osorio says
I'm considering joining the book club!
I've learned SO many lessons from CrossFit that it would be impossible for me to summarize everything within the context of a comment so I'll focus on one lesson I'm currently working with that relates to Stella's comment.
Biasing a weakness
I think it's important to have one, maybe 2 major biases in your programming that deal with your biggest weakness. You should prioritize the "weakness" that affects the most other things in your training. For most people that falls into either strength or mobility. My weakness has been Squatting strength for so long and the last several months I've been squatting my little face off in attempt to "own" the movement more. It's been rewarding, challenging and i've made slow progress with the lift. I've still got a long way to go but I took something that intimidated me and did it over and over until it became a regular part of my weekly routine and something I look forward to. Another one is pressing strength and I've regularly added additional DB Benching and Barbell Pressing into my routine. I do both 1xW. The benefit is that other barbell movements have become more doable and I've gotten objectively stronger. That being said, I realize my metcon has gone down and given that I want to compete in sectionals this year, I need to build it back up so that I can live up to my own expectations on those events. As sectionals approach my bias will be more conditioning and discomfort tolerance with ideal positions during my workouts. I want the benefits of competing but am not competitive enough to sacrifice technique.
Here is a basic template to help folks figure out what to work on, from my opinion:
Priority 1: Mobility
If you have major Range of Motion limitations, it's something you need to work on Everyday because it will make everything you do at the gym harder and SIGNIFICANTLY stunt your development. Find 2-3 Mobilizations that target your weakness and do them everyday. No excuses.
Priority 2: Relative Strength
Can you Air squat with full range of motion, a flat back and your knees tracking over your toes? Are you strong enough to do a set of perfect push-ups? Do you have 1 Strict pull-up? Can you hold a plank for a minute with perfect form? Body weight movements are so rudimentary and important that they need to be developed before you emphasis how much weight is on the barbell. You don't need to be a Calisthenic King, just be able to do the most basic movements correctly. (Squats, push-ups, lunges, Pull-Ups, Isometric holds like planks and hollow rocks). The standardized warm-ups and Metcons are great places to develop these skills. Doing "Angie" with 100 perfect Push-Ups is harder than doing "Angie" with 100 Dirty uncle, partial range of motion, soft midsection push-ups. Slow down and get functionally stronger.
Priority 3: Absolute Strength
Now that you can move an unloaded body well, its time to bring up your lifts to respectable numbers. Barbell training is the "easiest" way to get really strong. "Easy" because it's ergonomic and easily scalable up or down. High level gymnastics movements are much harder to develop than bigger barbell lifts. OWN the movement before you load the bar up. Take your time and very gradually increase your numbers. If shit gets weird back off and work your weakness. If your chest drops on squats, don't keep adding weight. Fix the issue then add more weight.
Priority 4: Mid and high skill movements
Once you've got the basics from 1-3 under some control, now you can think about some of the sexier movements like muscle-ups, Double Unders, handstand push-ups, Oly lifts, etc. Developing these skills with a firm base will make them much easier to perform.
Application
So where to begin? Well continue to come to class, do all the movements to the best of your ability and get fitter in the process. Make note of what things you're trying to really emphasize and make sure to put extra attention into them. Especially when you're new, it's possible to get better at a lot of things at once, but the point is to not sweat the higher level stuff until the lower level stuff is taken care of. All too often I hear people give me a laundry list of things they want to get better at. Emphasize the basics and approach all the other stuff with a realistic perspective. Are you new and find yourself in a class with Power Cleans in a workout? Load the bar a little lighter and in a 21-15-9 rep workout try to do each one perfectly. Don't stress if your time is a little slower. After/before/during class work on the things that are holding you back most. If you suck at push-ups and you're doing a WOD with Push-ups. Scale them so you can keep good form and get into best fit positions. Sweat the basics, then sweat how much weight is on the bar or what your time is.
Like I said, It's harder to do most movements correctly and consistently than to do them heavy and quickly.
(Sorry I had no expectations of writing such a long post…)
Fox says
Typos aside, I couldn't agree with David's sentiments more.
I have also learned:
That regular people can do exemplary things that most people, including themselves, never would have guessed they could.
That I can no longer hit it "hard" 5 days a week.
That I will always have a lot to learn, and that's a good thing.
Billy says
Oh,.picking up on hip openers. Do we have any of those long flat bands Kstar uses do do the "super compression tack and stretch" stuff? Need to get some tough love in and around my hip socket in a very urgent way.
David Osorio says
I've seen him do the compression, tack and stretch stuff on the elbow and knee, not so much the hip. If we're talking about the same thing then you might be better served with a band distraction and MOB to work your hip. There are some tack and stretch methods for the hip but I've only seen them with LAX balls, not additionally compressed with bands. What are you trying to open up? Anterior Hip? Lateral Hip? Posterior? Do you have a video reference? Maybe it's an MWOD i've never seen before.
Charlotte says
I have no idea what Billy and David are talking about but David thank you so much for that post–I find it overwhelming to think about the things I need to get better at, this is such good guidance for how to focus (esp for someone who makes it into the gym 2x/week, sometimes just to pass out randomly…)
So, my goal in Feb is to work kipping pullups every time I'm in the gym. And to keep up the mobility hip & ankle stuff at home.
Biggest lesson I've learned from CrossFit is how to move my body–where to be stable, where to be mobile, how to bear loads, how to be explosive. I'm not great at most movements but at least I have a new sense of what the #&$ I'm supposed to be doing.
Peggy says
Please do join the book club, David…we'd love to have you! And thanks for the rest of your post as well. Super helpful to a second stage beginner like me when considering how to approach improving.
Stella says
"Are you new and find yourself in a class with Power Cleans in a workout? Load the bar a little lighter…"
Hell, even if you're not so new and power cleans continue to bedevil you!
DH3 says
Heading to the Gym now with pie. Great write up David.
Also in for the book club if i can finish the book in time,
Billy says
Hi David (great, not at all long feeling comment, btw) my hips were completely shot this week (snatches) particularly the the bits and bobs that make up the very top of my groin muscle and hip flexors, to a lessor extent front outside of hips. I was so tight that I was catching with my feet about 5 inches apart and I could not push my knees out without cursing if at all.
Then I saw this video by kstar and I thought it looked horrible enough to just maybe work: http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/12/episode-354365-make-your-own-super-flosshigh-hamstring-hip-gnar-gnar.html
I also have an unmentionably tight muscle that I think Freud maybe wrote a book or two about. I honestly only bring this up because the soreness surrounding my tailbone seems to coincide with the stiffness in the front of my hips. I think they are a symptom of a weakness or twisting somewhere.
Mel says
Hi all cannot wait to see some of you tonight for Paleo Dinner – recovering from the shoulder surgery well but BORED so def. miss the gym!!
Best thing the gym had taught me in general is that being scared of something and uncomfortable is OK in fact sometimes it is good because once you come out the other side of it the feeling is fantastic!
Book club, awesome!
Fox says
I know Jimmy's wife is Puerto Rican so he probably already knew the merengue, but now he know the meringue!
JR says
Ok, first of all, my wife is Puerto Rican, so I know SALSA!
Secondly, what can I say. I think open gym is the best night. Yes, the pie happened. But let me tell you, there are some competitors in there on a Friday night, and it's impressive. People come in, get dialed in, and get to work. Josh is the one that really impresses me, and makes me feel old. That guy is all business, and he just goes after it. Nicest guy in the world too.
Yes, I was blowing lemon merengue out of my nose. I guess it beats blowing blood out. The eagles will rise again
ALL OF MY EAGLES BRETHREN, ALL THOSE GREEN BLEEDERS, WE ARE ONE! RISE UP! CAW!!!
mig says
JR is an example of an extremely upstanding person. He took his lick with honor and humor. I really admire him. He is a mensch.
Rob Is says
Strength Cycle: Texas Method Intensity Day
Squat: 335×3
This is a 3RM PR but I was actually hoping for 5. All in all bad technique. My first rep was a grind. 2nd rep I came forward and got it up. 3rd rep I was fried and good morning-ed it up. Jeremy was surprise I went down for 3. I guess it was a test of will.
Bench: 215x2F (failed 2nd rep)
I didn't have it tonight obviously. This ties my 1RM PR, but again, i was going for 3, so it's disappointing to not have any improvement.
These are not the penultimate tests to see if my cycle was "productive." In one sense it was productive regardless of the numbers because I enjoyed a lot, if not all of my workouts and I learned a ton. That said, after grinding out all those reps, it would be nice to see progress. Anyway, the final test will be my first PowerLifting competition March 3rd. Hopefully I'll see some PR's then. If not, I'll have at least gained the confidence to show up to a PL meet.
________
JIm: you handled the pie with grace and aplomb. Excellent show of sportsmanship and humor.
Go FINS! ๐
Joel w says
Made up Thursday's presses at 120×5 on the rep out. I was ok with this outcome, wanted one more, and I think I was half way there before losing it.
Sarah la Rosa says
Aw, open gym is becoming my favourite time of the week… made up backsquat and deadlift tonight.
Squat
wu: 45×5, 95×5, 135×5
170×5
195×3
215×6
Oh my lord, I love my weightlifting shoes. (Yet again.) Squats felt solid, I was able to really control pushing my knees out. I left a few reps in there, so I could deadlift, but that 6 felt really nice.
DL
wu: 95×5, 135×5, 155×5
180×5
200×3
225×1
I forgot about the 1×3 business, so I only did one rep. Deadlift felt fine. My grip is still not amaaazing, but it was ok.
Moved into working on pullups and kipping. Got 5 strict pullups, woot! (not chinups) and then messed with kipping until I was too tired to do much else. Must remember to figure out how to involve my hips more, but not over swing. I don't really have the finesse of it yet.
Made up a metcony thing: 3 rounds: 30 wallballs (14#10')+30 DU+30 Box jumps
R shoulder went bad at the last round of wallballs, mishik told me to not be an ass and stop after I tried to do 10 more (thank you sir, I needed that) so I finished out short 20 WB at about 14 minutes. Definitely got my heart rate going.
Samir Chopra says
JR shared his pie with me. That was awesome.
Strength Cycle, Week 5, Day 3
Squats:
WU: 45×5, 95×5, 135×4, 185×3, 205×1, 225×1
Work: 235x5x2, 235×10
These repouts have really added up this week. I love 'em.
Press:
WU: 45×5, 95×3,
Work: 110x5x2, 110×9 (I was really hoping I'd get 10, but no dice)
Cleans:
WU: 95×3, 135×3, 145×1
Work: 160x3x3 (third set, third rep failed so did one more)