“Worm” doesn’t crawl… she RUNS!
- Happy Birthday, Jen S!
The Subway Series Continues!
We will have an augmented schedule this coming Saturday, August 17 while we host the third event of the Subway Series! Group classes will be held at 7:30am, 8:30am, 9:30am, and 10:30am only. Additionally, there will be NO Active Recovery. The event will get started at noon, and everyone is invited to come out in their Skull & Crossbones Tees to represent CFSBK, spectate, and cheer on all the athletes!
We’ll need some folks to help judge the competition and assist with scoring. Anyone interested should email David(at)crossfitsouthbrooklyn(dot)com.
Got Shoes?
Need some killer lifting shoes in your life? Get a good look at these Reebok Crossfit Lifter Plus shoes (Men’s size 7.5). David is selling them at cost
Feeling Crushed?
Ongoing Yoga for Athletes class with Whitney H. starts tomorrow (Wednesday) morning!
What: Yoga for Athletes with Whitney H.
Where: CrossFit South Brooklyn!
When: Wednesdays & Fridays (ongoing, weekly classes; starting Wed, Aug 14)
9:15AM-10:15AM
Pricing: Drop-In: $18
5-Class Card: $80 ($16/class)
10-Class Card: $150 ($15/class)
Do you consider yourself too tight or too inexperienced to do yoga? These ongoing Yoga for Athletes classes, designed and taught with the CrossFitter in mind, will focus on the fundamentals. We’ll develop body awareness, learn basic postures, workshop key alignment principles, and incorporate a focus on our breath to create the foundations of a yoga practice to complement our WODs and weightlifting. If you are looking to increase range of motion and flexibility, discover more take-home (or take-to-work!) methods of active recovery, and de-stress your body and mind, these classes are for you. Folks with previous yoga experience are encouraged to attend, as modifications and variations will be provided for all levels.
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Thanks to everyone who shared their feedback on the last seven weeks of programming. We’d love to hear from more of you. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
Mobility Triangle Atlas Crossfit
6am with Jess and McDowell. Worked up to 235# on the floor press. Didn't feel like I could properly pull my shoulders back as I do on a bench. Fun to work on a new movement, though. 4 rounds + 270m on the accessory work with a 30# DB for the sit-ups. Limiting factor on the sit-ups was being able to keep my feet down. I need heavier shoes. 1000m cool down row. Pulls felt incredibly strong and smooth today.
I liked two lift Thursday during the past cycle, though I was nursing my left shoulder most of the time. Missed every single deadlift and bench exposure so nothing to comment on there. Enjoyed mixing up my squats this cycle with a linear progression instead of Wendler. The extra volume helped drill in good form.
6am with Jess
DB work @ #35
Felt heavier than expected. I kind of hate one-arm DB presses, always make me feel like I need a chiropractor after. Had trouble keeping my ribs down on the last rep or two in the later sets, which didnt help.
WOD was interesting/different. Worked up to the big 40 kg KB and 20# dumbbells on the jumps
Cached out with 50×3 du work, first two sets unbroken. I think it's time to move to a lighter rope. Still jumping way too high by the time I reach 50 or so.
I enjoyed this last cycle's programming as I did the one before that. I like having lifts programmed on all days with metcons afterwards. The WODs that have included movements which stress the components worked on during the lifts have been great. I hope we can continue to have at least one O-lift included in every cycle.
This past cycle, as the weights got heavier, I felt that squats and deadlifts back to back was tiring. Wasn't such a big deal; just felt my legs were a little heavy on Sunday after Saturday's heavy squatting.
Sad news out of Florida today: a Crossfit coach was shot and killed while teaching a class.
http://touch.orlandosentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-77008592/
8 AM, easing myself back into East Coast time before I have to go back to work tomorrow (yuk).
Floor press topped out at 120×3. Weird and fun!
Sit-ups with 25# DB, wall ball 14#/9'. I toyed with the idea of the 20# ball, but that lasted all of one rep. It *is* back off week, right?
I enjoyed the programming this cycle, although the one thing I would have switched is to do press first, then snatch. I felt like a couple of times I was going into the rep out feeling pretty tired, and I'd rather work heavy on the press than the snatch. I love two-lift Thursdays as a rule, though!
6am with McDowell and Jess.
Did yesterday's floor bench press. Like some folks said yesterday, I also noticed my elbows hitting the floor at different times. Something to keep an eye on. Was able to do 110×3, but couldn't do 115×3 (failed on the 3rd). Same issue with the 3×5 — 115# is elusive. So I think I need to do some smaller jumps with the fractionals. I think I did 3 rounds plus the run and sit-ups, but maybe it was 2. Used 17.5# for the first set of sit-ups and then switched to 20#. 14#/9' target for the wall balls. Thanks, McDowell, for gently reminding me not to dog it on the wall balls.
I thought last cycle was good — really liked the focus on mobility and the partner WODs. And I still like the concept of the standard warm-ups.
I enjoyed last cycle. Two lift Thursday was great since it included an oly lift. It would be ideal to always incorporate an oly lift, such as clean or snatch, in each cycle. Unfortunately two lift Thursday just doesn't provide enough time to dial in on form and weight. Maybe it is possible to increase 15-18 minutes to 25 minutes and then do a short metcon?
Personally, I want to work on some of the more nuance moves – such as muscle ups, cycling toes-to-bar and double unders.
Worked up to 235 on the floor press. Kind of a weird movement, but fun to try out.
3 rounds on the metcon using 25#, 35#, 45# on the sit-ups and a 30# med-ball, which was even more difficult than I expected.
Agree with most comments — would like to continue to see more Olympic lifts & other gymnastic-moves. Also, on the WOD portion, I enjoyed the ones during crush week that used lifts as part of the WOD, rather than just body weight (or KB swings). Really adds a differernt dimension.
Lastly, i realized the other day playing tennis that we don't really do anything requiring lateral movement. Could be something else to add into the mix.
Ooh, I forgot: more sprints! The fartlek was my favorite WOD from the whole cycle.
Yesterday's 5:30 with MeLo and DO.
Worked with Mike on the floor press. Awkward movement, for sure.
[45×5, 135×4, 165×4] 185×3, 200×3, [185×4]
Got through the run and sit-ups on round 4 of the accessory work. 30lb DB for the sit-ups and 20lb ball.
Today's 8:00 with Jess.
Used the 35- and 40lb DBs for the work sets. Found that hanging on to the DBs for that long was the most taxing part of this. Agree with Alex that the last few reps of the final two sets were very tough to stay tight for.
32- and 36kg for the kettlebell swings, did rounds of the box jumps at 20in, 24in, 30in, and 30in+10lb DBs. Fun (if a bit daunting).
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Two-lift days have been my favorite part of these past two cycles, though I would agree that my press numbers were uniformly down all cycle after the snatching. I also liked the on-the-minute work we did for the clean better than the 12 minutes on the snatch — I never am able to get more than 10 reps or so during those 12 minute periods. Maybe we could extend that to 15 or 18 minutes on occasion?
Like the addition of a longer metcon on Sunday. It's been forever since I've done a front squat or a jerk so hopefully those show up in the weeks to come.
I like these past couple cycles – tried to always hit squat days once a week and Two Lift Thursdays. My only comment/complaint is about recovery time between heavy lifting and WODs, especially on squat days.
I followed the fitness program this cycle, and it was hard to get to 3 heavy sets without going right up to (or over) the allotted time. Not only did I feel rushed, but I often had nothing left to give on WODs with very little recovery time. Maybe we could shave a few minutes off the warmup and add some quick skills work before the WODs to give people a chance to recover before going all out in a WOD.
I enjoyed this cycle a lot, especially the snatches, which are a fun move. REALLY liked the crush week WODs too. I agree with what people have said about having more time to work on skills like handstands, rope climb, rings, etc.
My other biggest issue was that the lifting felt much more rushed than in the previous cycle. There were a few times this cycle when, despite minimal chatting and time-wasting, I found myself just beginning my first work set when the coaches announced that we should be finishing up. I assume this is because we're doing some mobility work every day, which I think is great and I wouldn't want to change. I'm not sure how this could be addressed…maybe shorter DROMs/warm-ups?
I loved this last cycle, but I have loved each cycle more than the previous one due to the fact that I am improving in most areas, so I am guessing I will love the next cycle even more!!
Two-lift Thursday was great but as some people said, it might have been nice to do the press first. I enjoyed squatting twice per week, bench press was fun and I love deadlifts. Re: standardized warm-ups- I had trouble finishing these too, and felt like we did them less than the previous cycle.
Today's (yesterday's) warm-up was kind of gross though.
12pm class with Jeremy and McD.
Worked up to 100# x 3 awkward-weird feeling movement but may have been able to go heavier.
Took an extra few seconds to finish my fourth round of the WOD. Did one set of sit-ups at 15# and the rest at 25# and14# wallball. Still nowhere near the 9' target.
Did some pull-up/chin-up practice afterwards. I got two unassisted chin-ups in a row for the first time and then did two more sets of two. Really happy about that because it was not happening and I was stuck at one, for what felt like ages.
Also moved up in weight at last on the DB part of Fox's pull-up programme- curls are now 20# and bench press 25#.
1000m row at 16- 18 s/m. Getting there!!
I think this paleo thing is working… 🙂
i'd like to request no running, rowing, burpees or double unders
LOST CUFFLINK… All, I lost one of my sliver (with a navy blue) cufflinks last night. Squarish. Pretty sure at the gym, probably in back bathroom but maybe in "locker room". If anyone finds it let me know. Thanks!
More oly lifts.
Olympic@ CFGC
1 Snatch Pushpress+3 OHS@75%
205 1+3×3
HBBS 95ish% 3×3
365 3×3
Snatch Pulls@ 115%
305 4×4
Bench Press: 275 3×5
Another note … MeLo complimented me on my front-rack position last night. But I just want to compliment HER back because without her and all the instructors who took time with me early on I'd not have been able to get it improved. THANK YOU MELISSA!
Oh, and Fox's pull-up program coupled with Noah's kipping class totally works.
more chest & arms days.
Luca: LOVE IT.
I liked the programming as well. A few comments:
* I actually liked doing snatch first. It was a new movement for me and it was good to be fresh.
* timing on Thursday frustrated me. This is my fault maybe for always wanting everything, but when classes run over I have to either leave early or be late to work, I ended up skipping some of the accessory work on Thursdays. I guess the obvious solution is to wake up and get to the 6 am class…
* I dreaded doing slow pushups during standardized warmups. Actual anxiety. Would be happy to do more slow work during warmup, then, to get over it.
* someone else mentioned this – wasn't dawdling but I never finished 3 rounds of warmup this time. I don't think that's bad, just that the pause work takes a while.
* I like the WODs – first one of crush week was particularly mind blowing. Rrrr I guess it actually total system shutdown inducing. I couldn't even add up my times after… Supposedly I do math for a living…
Couldn't make it in yesterday or today. DIY press, new PB at 95x3x5, then ran some dreadmill 1/2 mile intervals. Slowly getting better…
@pckr – it was actually impossible to complete warm-up 1 in the allotted time if you followed the 2-2-2 tempo
(6 seconds per rep * 32 reps per round * 3 rounds = 576 seconds or 9 minutes 36 seconds)
Did tomorrow's workout tonight at 6:30pm with Josh (and Melo laughing at my attempts to do sitting box jumps).
Did the dumbbell work at 25# for the first round, and 30# for the rest. So swole.
Used the 28kg kettlebell, which would have been impossible to get all the way overhead, but was fine going just to face height. AND THEN oh man those sitting box jumps. I'm not sure why I found it so scary but I was actually on the verge of tears. Crazy? Crazy. Josh talked me off the ledge and by the last round I managed to jump from the small box to the 20". It was still terrifying, but my jumping-superstar partner Aileen gave me something to aspire to.
Packer — me too. I had to bail on the cash out almost every time, which I felt bad about, but not quite bad enough to get up for 6 AM 😛
For those losing sleep about this, I found my cufflink.
Took yesterday (Tuesday rest day) off with an 11mile run up west side of Manhattan and around central park. Great running weather.
This new cycle looks like it's going to be fun!! Yay handstands! @Lindsay- emmm… three laps around the block, or would you prefer a more scenic route?!
8am with Noah.
One round of DB work at 20# but felt too heavy so switched to 17.5# after that. Stupid left arm.
Seated box jumps were scary at first but I moved up to the 24 inch box for the first time ever. I wasn't exactly landing without a thud but it was nice to know I could do it!
KB swings- started at 20kg moved up to 24kg then 28kg and did the last two rounds at 32kg, which I would never have dreamed of doing if Noah had not told me to. That was pretty amazing and extremely heavy!
Stayed after class for Whitney's yoga class which was great! Very relaxing and not too taxing. Learned some new stretches and, actually, a lot of the work we did was in areas in which I was really tight from Crush Week, so it was perfect timing as well. I am excited to start doing this regularly and will be interested to see how the classes progress.