CrossFit South Brooklyn

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A typical Rest Day for Martina O

Rest Day News and Notes

  • There are No Classes this Saturday as CFSBK will be hosting the CrossFit Open Sectional Workout for WOD 12.2.  Click here to read more and sign up!
  • Speaking of upcoming events, on March 31st and April 1st we’ll be hosting Shane and Laura Phelps-Sweatt for the CrossFit Powerlifting Seminar.  Check out the Event Page to learn more and sign up.
  • Inspired by a recent conversation in the comments section, Samir C decided to write a post on his blog about his thoughts on CrossFit’s relashionship with the Military.  Read here
  • The Paleo Potluck is coming up on March 10th! To learn more and RSVP please check out the Event Page. This event is open for all our community, even if you didn’t participate in the Challenge. We had about 100 people at the January Potluck and hope to have at least as many this time around!
  • This Wednesday at 6:30pm CFSBK’s Strength Cycler’s will be particpating in our largest CrossFit Total to date. After 8 hard weeks of pushing and pulling steel these guys and gals are going to test their strength with three attempts at 1RM Back Squats, Presses and Deadlifts.  All are welcome to come spectate and cheer
  • Want to see some more cool CFSBK pics?  Check out our Flickr page which is updated weekly!

Heavy: A Response

By Coach Margie

“How did your squats go?” I ask.

“Heavy. More weight than last time. But heavy,” you say with a mixture of disappointment, exhaustion, and maybe even a hint of disbelief. 

As if you wish, you think, you expect that your increase in weight will feel lighter by virtue of the fact that you got a little stronger. And that’s your goal: to be strong enough that heavy weight feels light.

Well, I think you’ve got your goal backwards.

Weight should be heavy. You should be required to push. Getting strong is hard work, as Mark Rippetoe often says. It is a commitment; not something you suddenly arrive at, but rather a slow, deliberate journey that becomes more challenging over time.

Stress adaptation – a fundamental principle of physiology. When you tax your body it rises to the challenge by growing stronger. Your bones get denser, your muscle fibers increase their contractile potential, and your ability to recruit those muscle fibers becomes more efficient. Increase weight, increase capacity; increase capacity, increase weight. It is a harmonious vertical see-saw.

Once you gain enough technical proficiency to use loads that stimulate growth, you are at the glorious beginning of not just building tolerance for, but ushering in struggle. Struggle signifies progress. “Feeling good under the bar” means you gave it a fight, and are rewarded with the tired satisfaction of getting your reps done. It does not mean an effortless set of 5 where you barely breathed hard and didn’t ever once ask: “Is this rep gonna happen?”

Sure today’s weight will feel light one day: when it’s your warm up on the way to lifting something heavier. Relish heavy weight, it never gets easier. And you shouldn’t want it to.

_________________
The Pusher Don’t Care (ibuprofen) Cathletics
Three Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat Huffington Post
The Paleo Summit (Is Happening Right Now For free Online) Underground Wellness
Inhalable Caffeine May Get FDA Review Greatist
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (written by CFSBK Alum, Charles D)

Comments

  4. these ever more frequent gym closures are starting to become a real annoyance that I doubt would be acceptable at many other (and less expensive) gyms. just my $0.02

  6. I've always been really impressed with the schedule CFSBK keeps. They're open on almost all holidays despite the fact that there are only a few coaches running things. Coaches who are real people, with real lives and real families. If you've been training here long enough to get to know them, you probably wouldn't begrudge them a day off. This Saturday, however, is not a day off. It's a huge event that all members were invited to/encouraged to participate in and will likely be a ton of work for them. Other closures are generally for seminars and certifications where our coaches are learning to train us better (which we're also invited to attend). Just my $0.02.

  8. Just wanted to say that after a quick trip to Fairway, I'm making those pork spare ribs mentioned above right this very moment. Thanks, Michele!

  9. oh yay! please let me know how you like them.

    i was very pleasantly surprised with the texture of the ribs. the low moisture in the recipe actually allowed them to "lacquer" up a bit, even in the crock.

  11. @Michelle, Those ribs looks delish! I love crock-pot ribs. Good job with the blog, it's looking fantastic. Brooklyn Paleo was hacked recently and I need to start it over from scratch 🙁 so I am currently feeling jealous of your blogs awesomeness hahaha

    I am OK with the gym being closed every once in a while for community oriented functions – the strong sense of community is what separates CrossFit from other gyms.

  13. @MGMT: Thanks very much for linking to my blog post above (and thanks to the folks that have commented, and prompted thoughts for other posts). Much appreciated. I expect to write more on CF(and CFSBK) related topics in the future.

  14. "Howard",

    I understand that not being able to train on Saturday can be an inconvenience to you however I'm a little confused by your claims of the increasing frequency of gym closings. In 2011 we had 8 days of gym closings total. So even at a 5xW membership, that's 104 Rest days that one could have arranged to correspond with those 8 days off.

    Gym closings happen either on national holidays, for community events or when we host educational seminars. We host seminars like the two coming up in order to better our staff's ability to serve you. In both cases we're bringing in world and national level competitors for us to learn from at cost to the gym. Seminars like these offer 2-3 comped slots as compensation and then the gym and trainers pay out of pocket to attend. We do this because we take our profession seriously and want to invest in ourselves so that you all can continue to invest in the program.

    Also, unlike most other gyms, I openly and regularly offer membership suspensions, banked classes, contract cancellations and full refunds without any termination fees, fine print or hoops to jump through. I think you'll find that to be completely unheard of anywhere else in this industry. I hope I'm not misleading myself when I say that I've made a concerted effort to ensure our members never feel like they're being taken advantage of financially.

    If you'd like to discuss your situation further, please email, call or talk to me in person and I'll get you sorted out. By posting anonymously I think you're perhaps under the impression that feedback isn't welcome at CFSBK. It is, the catch is that you have to actually talk to me in person for anything to happen.

    Michele,
    I fixed the HTML bit on the comments.

  16. @DO, @Betz: Hear, hear! (Or is it, "here, here!"? I never know.) It's not just b/c I'm married to a (part-time) coach that I agree with you, either; I think David is right that people are fairly treated and the days when the gym is closed are a good investment in our community.

    Thanks for being explicit about welcoming feedback, David. I'm not a fan of anonymous comments. We've had some discussion lately about what's appropriate on the blog in terms of subject matter–I think no matter what the subject, anonymity really undermines the quality of the community here. Just my $.02.

    And, plus one for pork lacquer. NOM.

  17. What David said. I, for one, appreciate the unbelievable flexibility that CFSBK allows in memberships. The 'closures' only help to keep the box running even better, and I don't grudge them that for a second.

  18. Just wanted to add my voice in support of what David/Samir said. The difference between SBK and many other gyms is the level of expertise among our coaches and the amazing variety of seminars that we have the chance to take part in.

    Don't get me wrong, I love my original box back in Colorado, but my lifting technique has improved by leaps and pounds since I started here in the summer, all because of the help from our amazing coaches. Anything that helps them improve is worth it — and a lifting seminar like the upcoming one looks like it would be wonderful not just for staff, but for interested gym members too, so I'm glad it's being offered.

    As for Saturday's Open Series event, it gives the city's Crossfit community a chance to come together, compete, and have fun while showing the other boxes what we're made of.

    I understand it can be upsetting to miss out on a planned workout or not getting five days of training in each and every week — I get frustrated when something breaking at work prevents me from coming to the gym — but it's not for any arbitrary reason, it's for events that make our coaches better at what they do and help bring together our community.

  20. CFSBK is a business that thrives off of the people who run it, every single hour that it's open. We're lucky to have coaches critquing us constantly and working on improving us day in and day out. It's a business of people and not just a business that opens its doors to let you use their equipment. One of those cheaper gyms, that wouldn't "accept" the closing of their gym on a business day doesn't give you these very luxuries that you take advantage of each day at SBK.

  21. Michele,
    It literally took 2 seconds. I went to the admin area and clicked a box.

    Also,
    I will be guest coaching Active Recovery tonight! We're focusing on knee mechanics!

    Thanks for the nice words, everyone

  22. I would like to say that if a seminar or event interfered with my highly controlled and modulated workout schedule I would be annoyed too, but the fact of the matter is that the seminars are for everyone, as are the events.

    I may not want to participate in them, but regardless, I am welcome to attend and many provide an incredible opportunity to work with other coaches and dive more deeply into specialties.

    Not to beat poor "Howard" to death on this one, but I think there needs to be a little give and take with the "gym management." David has been nothing but gracious with all my requests, even if he is forever shortening my platform rental windows. Hint, hint.

    I'll talk to you in person about that one David! 🙂

  23. i have a feeling that "Howard" is going to see many replies to his post and they will contradict his feelings. i personally have had david bank days in my membership for me during the past year. rock On!!!

  24. Squat
    225×5
    265x3x2
    Stiff, couldn't get stuff moving right. Put on enough weight to squat the soreness out a bit.

    Bench
    235×3
    250×3
    265×7
    Meh.

    Kroc Rows
    120×23

    Happy with a small increase on the rows, everything else was a blah workout.

  28. Kroc Rows are really just dumbbell rows. Matt Kroczaleski, a powerlifter from Westside Barbell, would do them heavy for high reps. So what became known as Kroc rows are basically just dumbbell rows done till failure one set on each side. 120×23 was a new rep PR at 120, however it ain't shit compared to the originator:

  29. Kroc Rows are really just dumbbell rows. Matt Kroczaleski, a powerlifter from Westside Barbell, would do them heavy for high reps. So what became known as Kroc rows are basically just dumbbell rows done till failure one set on each side. 120×23 was a new rep PR at 120, however it ain't shit compared to the originator:
    youtu.be/D7jAIdoORxI

    P.S. I tried making that a click-able link, but to no surprise it sent my post to the approval blackhole. If I ever meet any asshole who works for squarespace I will kill them until they die.

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