Our valiant and mud-stained Spartans after their race on Saturday
2014 Articles and Media in Review
We’re almost half-way through 2014, and the CFSBK blog has been full of great articles—about good training habits, nutrition, thoughts on why and how we do things the way we do, and interviews with beloved members of our community. In addition to living over on the CFSBK Articles & Media page, all the cool shit we’ve posted so far this year is below, listed in the order each article was posted (starting with the most recent). All for your Tuesday reading pleasure!
Tips on How to be Prepared and Get the Most Out of Group Classes Chris Fox
Memorial Day Musings Dr. Mike Cutaia
The Master: An Interview with Bob Semmens and Coach McDowell Kate Reece
Notes on an Injury from a Physical Therapy Student who CrossFits Katie Harper
On Strength Training and Strength Cycle: A Q&A with Coach Jeremy Kate Reece
Starting Class with Introductions Inside the Affiliate
Running Training Tips from CFSBK’s Endurance Program Coach Michael Olzinski
April Athlete of the Month: Matt Chmielecki
On Being an Athlete Who Doesn’t Eat Meat with Coach Whitney Kate Reece
Why Join a CSA? Part 3 Margie Lempert
Why Join a CSA? Part 2 Margie Lempert
Behind the Lens: Asta Fivgas Kate Reece
Why Join a CSA? Part 1 Margie Lempert
Behind the Desk: Ava Page
March Athlete Of The Month: Laura McElherne
Underneath the Hoodie: Melissa L. Kate Reece
Transitioning from the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge Chris Fox
Behind the Lens: Bekka Palmer Kate Reece
Injury, Insight Noah Abbott
Low Bar Versus High Bar Back Squats David Osorio
There Is No Wagon: Thoughts on Binge Eating and Dieting Chris Fox
Underneath The Hoodie: Robert McDowell Myers Kate Reece
January Athlete of the Month: Peter Mattis
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What other topics would you like to read about, written by the CFSBK staff?
Wednesday's Programming
A: Turkish Get-Up 101
B: TGU/Swing Partner Couplet
With a partner, Alternate the following work for 15 Minutes:
3 Turkish get-ups, Right arm
30 Swings
3 Turkish get-ups, Left arm
C: Chin-Up/weighted Plank Couplet
With a partner, Alternate the following work for 15 Minutes:
:45 Weighted Forearm Plank
6 Strict CTB Chin-Ups with a :02 hold at the top
Basement press: 95, 105, 110F. Kind of sad about this as the benching was awesome last cycle, and I thought 110 would go up easy and 115 might be in my sights. Motivation to hit all press exposures this cycle.
Then a nifty little WOD Nick and I cooked up over the winter: 5RFT 24DUs/16 squats/8 pushups. 6:18. Pushups unbroken for first 2 rounds. (i should really bump up the rep scheme to 30/20/10 but I am lame.)
TGU work looks fun!
Greetings all from sunny (honestly!) Russia!
After a week of lazing about I dropped in last night at Crossfit Natrium in Moscow. Did some springs and squats for WUs then the WOD was:
10-8-6-4-2 Sprints (maybe 25 feet?)
2-4-6-8-10 FSQ (75kg)
Finished in 6:19, felt pretty rough after a week of vodka and pelmeni, so it goes. Headed back now for more.
See you guys soon!
Olympic Lifting Class #2. Worked up to 85# on snatch and 125# on jerk (about 80%-ish of my 1RM). Felt like everything was moving pretty well. I need to focus on getting my knees out of the way on the first pull by making sure my hips and shoulders move up together. On the jerk – need to try to get down a bit lower. Great queue from Frank about dipping down in a controlled manner (not too fast) on the jerk to avoid wasting energy. Looking forward to working on the clean next time since I have a lot more trouble with that lift.
As to today's question – maybe an article on pre- and post-workout fueling/nutrition.
On an unrelated note, Adele has been walking around our apartment with the sleeves of her t-shirts rolled up after two days of strength cycle. The next seven weeks are going to interesting. #sunsoutyo
Ha!
Strength Cycle – Class #2
SQT
45×5
95×4
135×4
185×4
220x5x3
Felt a bit wobbly at the 2nd rep of the last set. I definitely need to sleep more than 5.5-6 hours a night now. Insisting on not using belt. I don't like the idea.
BENCH
45×8
75×5
105×3
130x5x3
Still have problems with pushing my feet down firmly and forming an arch, and keep shoulder blades back… Trying to focus on those and I lose focus on lifting the actual weight.
DL
135×5
185×3
225×1
245×5
Feels ok but losing the right form towards the end.
—
Feel tired and old… and the Cycle has just started. Sigh.
On the question of the day: I would like to hear and read more about how CF / lifting weights / exercising the CF way affected, changed people's own and other's lives other than the obvious health benefits (or getting fit, looking more attractive, having longer sex etc)… I mean what good all this (collective) energy being spent cause for the personal relationships, family life, communities, society, other parts of the world, for the underdog and a like.
On a personal level, for instance, it made me more committed on the following fight that I was fighting for the last year along with fellow Turks and a few Americans (see below link), and be more focused and build stamina around it as it demands basically the same kind of mental challenge akin to getting under the bar for a LBBSQT… i.e. without getting intimidated, or even if I feel fear, doing it anyways…
GHOSTS OF GEZI
Addendum:
To clarify, as I think I poorly expressed the idea: what I am talking about is other than the obvious collective efforts like CSA, Murph, Coat Drive, fundraising for CHIPS etc… I am curious to know how CF empowered individuals to do good for a greater cause, for family life, for the block you live in etc, the "outside" of the CFSBK community which is already doing wonders around these.
Hi good people of CFSBK –
Jeremy and I are looking to move June 15/July 1, so I thought I'd put an ask out to the community to send anything promising our way.
We're looking for 1.5 – 2 bdrm (or large 1 bedroom) ideally within a 15-20 min walk from the gym (P Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill).
Trying to keep it under $2700.
If you hear of anything, please email Jeremy or me (margielempert at gmail dot com)
Thank you!
6am with McDowell and Jess
yesterday's "Warm Up": rowed 22, 21, 21, 21, 22 calories, and lunged with 0, 45, 55, 70, 70.
Press: 95, 105, 115, 120, 115
The first 115 and the 120 were slowwww and overextended a bit with my back. Last 115 was more organized. 120 was barely there, at one point it stalled out until I pressed out the left arm first, then the right 🙁 I felt like I had no strength today (maybe because of lunging with heavy plates overhead, or maybe because of the abundant chocolate and ice cream I ate in the last couple of days). 120 is 5 lbs below a PR. Looking forward to improving my press!
Really, really going to try to be better about posting:
Yesterday's Class:
4 rounds of the warmup
Press: (45×5, 65×3, 85×1) 90, 95, 100, 102PR
-102 felt better than 100. able to keep it closer and it moved relatively fast. happy about a 2# PR.
Today's Oly Class:
Power Snatch @ ~ 80%
40kg x 2 x 7-8. Inconsistent but I guess that's the point of taking the class. Pretty fatigued by the end!
Split Jerk @ ~80%
60kgx1x5
-need to keep my torso vertical as I dip and let my back knee bend more.
Press–stuck to my 3×5 programming with Ro
#65x3x5
Felt solid. Arms slightly shot from our session yesterday.
Back after a couple+ week absence to find Margie returned as a Badger and a pretty hot long warm-up
Cals in 5 rounds of 20 pulls: 20/18/18/18/17 may have snaked an extra pull in round one.
Strict press (all x 1): 65, 75, 95, 105, 110pr
Good to be back.
Been lifting out in Garden City for a couple days. Enjoying non-urban life for a bit (and my dog).
Snatch Doubles
215x2x4
Power Clean+Jerk+BTN Push Press
225(1+1+1)x6
Snatch DL
305x3x4
2nd Olympic lifting class today. Spent most of the time snatching. The idea was to trouble-shoot at 85% of our best which for me would be 75# (using 88# since the time I hit 98# was a power snatch).
I didn't make it past the start position and the first pull without a couple of key corrections from Frank that seemed to make a huge difference. Focusing on these two things, I was able to work at 83# (he said I should add some weight after watching a few at 85%) without ending up power snatching or second-guessing. I'm feeling optimistic.
I'm sure there will be more to address on the rest of the lift, but for now, Frank kept coming back to the first pull and the fact that my shoulders come up before my hips. This is where we will pick up on Thursday at a lighter weight to drill it in. I appreciate his emphasis on ingraining positions and technique. Knowing exactly where my body is supposed to be in relation to the bar and space makes me much more comfortable when approaching the lift and helps me avoid psyching myself out.
Last class we focused on the power position and one point that resonated with me was to keep your arms straight and essentially to not to think about them at all. Trying to use your arms does nothing but slow down the lift.
I know these are all things I've been told before, but I'm sure that having a full class dedicated only to this twice a week will help things sink in.
I have been to the gym less frequently than I'm used to over the last week or so and was feeling some pent up energy after a couple of rest/vacation days. Something about the rain cooling things off made me want to get out and run tonight. I ran 2.5 miles, which is more than I have run probably since high school and the last 2 miles were around 15 min, which is not too far off my 2 mile time in high school. And it felt great!
article: returning after a long layoff