Coach Ro helping Shawn C. figure out her kip during Anti-Gravity class. Read on to learn more about this awesome program!
The Past, Present, and Future of Anti-Gravity: An Interview with Noah Abbott and Arturo Ruiz
Edited by Josh Schneiderman
CFSBK has been offering Anti-Gravity, a class focused on gymnastics and body-weight movements, for just about a year now. To celebrate this milestone, we decided to check in with Coaches Noah and Ro, the masterminds behind the program, to see how things are going. Enjoy!
When did you guys start offering AG classes, and what was your motivation?
Noah: We started AG about a year ago. I had been offering gymnastics skills workshops covering Kipping Pull-Ups, Muscle-Ups, Handstand Push-Ups, and other of the “higher skill” movements we see in CrossFit. While the workshops were successful, they were too periodic, and often didn’t match people’s schedules or give them consistent skill practice. Around the same time, Arturo and I had been talking about how we noticed that our membership’s gymnastic skill and capacity seemed to be lagging behind their strength and Olympic lifting technique. We envisioned a full class that let people work gymnastic skill, strength, and capacity with better CrossFit performance as the goal (as opposed to getting better at gymnastics in a vacuum).
How has the class changed or evolved over the past year?
Ro: The program is pretty much the same as when it started. We tend to focus on movements that will help folks in group class and any of the special workouts like the Open WODs, “Murph,” and Fight Gone Bad. I think if it isn’t broken, why should you fix it?
Noah: Yeah, we have played around with some different programming formats and tend to tailor programming a bit based on what is going on in group class and when the Open comes up, but it has largely remained the same. It runs very much like group class: warm-up, skill and strength work, conditioning.
What have you guys learned about coaching body-weight movements?
Noah: Like most of the stuff we do at CFSBK and in CrossFit in general, sexier isn’t necessarily better. We spend a lot of time building a base of strength and making sure people have checked all the boxes in a progression before they move along. The needle often moves slowly, but it is always inexorably rising.
Ro: It’s just as hard, sometimes harder, as coaching everything else. Gymnastics movements require a lot of spatial awareness, balance, and strength–all while being as graceful as possible.
Who are these classes for? Do I need to be a certainly level of strength before I show up?
Noah: They are for everyone! We will have scaling for every movement for any level of ability, and since the classes are generally smaller than group class we can get really creative with scaling if something isn’t working for someone.
What’s the best way to fit AG into your training?
Noah: We had originally envisioned AG to stand alone as its own class, meant to replace a group class, but A LOT of people take group class and then AG, so we have made sure to make our programming not overlap too bad or punish people for doing both. There was a week or two in the beginning when people did 100 Burpees in group class and walked into AG and saw another 100 programmed! (We had them sub something else, and then made sure to check the group programming more closely before we programmed.)
Ro: Although many people take AG after group class, I recommend that you use it as a replacement class. Like I said, gymnastics movements require spatial awareness, balance, and strength. Taking it after a group class will usually make it more difficult to practice skills. I’m not saying not to come if you take group class before! I just think that if you are working on a new skill or trying to dial it in, you would benefit from being fresh.
How often should I take AG to get benefits out of it?
Noah: I think you’d benefit from dropping in randomly to get some skill practice and progressions to use on your own time, but I’d say at least 1x a week for some consistency and repeated practice.
What’s in store for AG in the future? Noah is, sadly, leaving us. Will Arturo start coaching Sunday AG? Any other changes you’re planning to make to the class structure/programming?
Ro: More of the same stuff as far as format goes, but I will be taking over Noah’s class on Sundays!
Anti-Gravity is open to all CFSBK members and experienced visitors. It counts towards your weekly limit with recurring memberships. Check it out at 7:30pm on Tuesdays and 2:00pm on Sundays.
Crow Hill Open 2016 Results
As we mentioned yesterday, Coach JB qualified for the American Open with a 71kg Clean and Jerk and a 51kg Snatch. Coach Katie went 5 for 6 and took first in her weight class. Coach Lady Fox took 2nd place in the Masters division, and Amanda Mc went 3 for 6 in her first meet and PRed her Clean! Over on the men’s side, Coach Fox went 6 for 6 with an 87kg Snatch and a 115kg Clean and Jerk. Coach McDowell went 5 for 6 with a 108kg Snatch and a top Clean and Jerk of 125kg. Finally, Alex B. hit a 103kg Snatch and a 130kg Clean and Jerk. Congrats, guys! We’re so proud of you!
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Bench Press / Bent-Over Row | Deadlifts, Burpees
The Reflection of Light Medium
Strongman Smashes Deadlifting Record, Immediately Passes Out Huffington Post
Wednesday's Programming
Front Squat
Fitness
3×5 LP
Add 5-10 lbs to last week.
Performance
3×4
Heavier than last week's 6s
Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8
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4 RNFT or 20 Minutes:
6ea Front Rack Reverse Lunges
5-10 Strict Handstand Push-Ups or 10 DB Presses, AHAP
20 Strokes on the Erg for Max Calories
Lunge bar comes off the floor. Start at about 50% of your FSQ weight and work up as appropriate. 1 or 2 AbMats is acceptable for the HSPU, otherwise perform the dumbbell presses AHAP.
Post work to comments.
AG
A.
10 Min EMOM
1 HSPU
15 Hollow Rocks On Even Minutes
15 Superman Rocks On Odd Minutes
B.
Rope Climbs (WEAR HIGH SOCKS)
C.
For TIME:
300 Double Unders
Every Time You Break Do An Ascending Ladder Of Pull Ups And Push Ups Starting at 3 Repetitions And Adding 2 Repetitions Every Time,
Had a feeling it would be rope climbs tonight! Hope to make it to AG after a long hiatus due to injuries and life!AG is the reason I can do kipping pull-ups, HSPU's, T2B and rope climbs and hope to, some day, do muscle-ups. I'm a huge fan.
Yesterday- Weightlifting Club
Halting Snatch
63 x 2 x 8
Snatch
63 x 2 x 8
Clean and jerk
83 x 8
Technique, technique. Ummm also Frankie reminded me of a cue which really worked and I had forgotten somehow because of not being able to lift for a while. Lock your knees and jump! It worked! And even my jerks were solid last night. Very exciting!
OHS
73 x 5 x 3
BTN Snatch Grip Push Press
103 x 3 x 3
Going to be doing these more because we have OHS coming up in Flex on the Beach and I just have to get better at them.
730 last night with Ro
Bench : 3×8 #155
Fine no real problems up to 165 next week.
Bent over row : 3×8 #115
The last two reps suck consistently.
WOD Rx 7:32
Deadlifts not too bad. Broke all sets. 12/9, 6/5/4, 5/4
As Ro said burpees are burpees.. Which means real slow for me.
AG is a great supplement to the group classes. I like to use it as my rest day on Tuesdays and really like how it fits in with the rest of the week. And idk about it being smaller than group classes the last few weeks have been packed!
Shawn is badass!!!
Make up post from 7:30pm
Bench at 150×5, 147.5x5x2 ; 150 felt too heavy so I dialed it back. Checked my notes, the last one I did was 140, so yeah that was a big jump. Consider repeating 147.4 next week.
Row; kept it at 95#, for me theres no point in going up in weight if it means sacrificing my lower back, im just not there yet.
WOD w/ 84# and plank burpees in 8 minutes and change.
I know they make teeshirts that say UNBROKEN and RX this… do they make ones that say "Scaled AF"?
Shawn is definitely thinking up some snark in that photo.
7am with Jess doing Wednesday's squats
FS – 175 x 4 x 3
Used the belt today for the first time — wow. I had been putting it off for some time really hoping to have decent technique first before using it to assist. So helpful.
3 rounds of the NFT
Lunges @ 95#
HSPU – Mix and match of 5's with 1 to 2 ab mats. It's amazing what a difference the 1 mat makes.
Row – Best 19cal / Worst 17cal
7 am with McDowell:
Bench: 95x3x5 and Bent Over Row: 85x3x5
Was going to try to go up in weight on the bench this week but my shoulders have been so sore the past couple of days so I kept it lighter. I always forget until after I'm all warmed up that I can kind of use my legs on bench, so once I got that dialed in it felt easy peasy. Going to try to bump it up to 103# next week (I did 100# last week)
Workout in 5:01 with 95#. Did 95# deadlifts in a workout a couple of weeks ago and my back was so sore after, but today it didn't hurt at all. I've been doing tons of good mornings and reverse hypers in OG and it's working!
Loving this badass pic of Shawn!
Spikeball set part of Amazon Prime Day:
https://www.amazon.com/Spikeball-Combo-Meal-Shark-Drawstring/dp/B002V7A7MQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468338180&sr=8-1&keywords=spikeball
8am with Lady Fox
Bench Press
125 x 8 x 3
Bent Over Row
95 x 8 x 3
Bench Press is getting heavy. Rows always were.
WOD Rx in 4:10
Unbroken. Stupid burpees.
10am class doing Wednesday
Subbed BSQ and worked up to 242×5 which felt really heavy
Lunges at 110
DB Presses at 20-25-30-35
17 cals on the rows
Warm up x 3
4 chin ups
16 reverse lunges
10 push ups
FSQ
143# x 4 x 3
4 Rounds NFT
6 each side Front Rack Rev Lunges — 73, 73, 78, 83#
5 HSPUs 1 abmat — 5, 5, 4-1, 3-2
20 Erg pulls
Also! Amanda and Ariel and I are doing this Epic Bike Ride next Saturday July 22nd and would love to get some more people on board. It's from Greenpoint to Jacob Riis Beach. Anyone interested in joining us? https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-epic-ride-registration-23058749340?aff=efbneb
Like Charlie said, join us for the Epic Ride! It's 40 miles from Greenpoint to the Rockaways, mostly along waterfront bikeways, at at a generally moderate pace (but it's up to you, if you want to go fast or slower). This will be my third year on this ride, and it is my fave tour of all time and I look forward to it — less challenging than the Century and way less crowded than the 5 Boro. At the end they hand you a beer on the beach, tastes so good! Any Crossfitter should be good to go, even without experience riding distances. If you are interested and lack wheels, I'd also recommend Spinlister (the "Airbnb of bikes"). Really, really fun, so check it out!
Bench: 85x8x3
Row: 63x8x3
WOD Rx'd in 4:55
DLs: 12-9, 8-7, 9
Burpees: steady
AG:
1HSPU hollow rock/superman EMOM: I focused on lowering myself slowly and not crashing down on my head. Supermans were tough after that DL WOD.
Rope Climbs: I learned the Spanish wrap at my previous gym. This was my second lesson learning the Russian wrap (first lesson was in one of the first AG classes!) and I think I got it today! I was not graceful by any means, but I just need more practice.
WOD:
I knew this would be a bad one for me because my DUs are so inconsistent. Did only 98 reps in the 15 minute time cap and went into the 15 pullup round. If we only had one freebie I would have gotten to 100 🙂