Today is a scheduled rest/recovery day, but don’t worry! We are open and running on a normal class schedule. In today’s CrossFit group classes, you’ll have the option of doing either yesterday or tomorrow’s programming, which can be found in the comments section of today and every Rest Day’s post.
“I’M BATMAN. But I’m also the coach of Active Life Strength at CrossFit South Brooklyn”
Who Is Active Life Strength For? An Interview with Coach Keith
A new PM cycle of Coach Keith‘s critically acclaimed Active Life Strength class starts on October 15th! Today we’re bringing you a short interview with the man himself, which may answer some of your questions about this one-of-a-kind program. Let’s do it!
Could you tell us about the Active Life method? What’s it all about?
The Active Life method is designed to help people get out of pain and stay out of pain with out having to miss time in the gym or on the field. We essentially look at pain and nagging injuries as symptoms of larger dysfunctions. Through individual, specific assessment, we determine what that larger dysfunction is and attack that. By eliminating or decreasing the dysfunction, be it strength imbalance or range of motion restriction, we begin to alleviate the symptoms, while also improving performance and/or movement efficiency and safety.
We also look at other factors such as lifestyle and variation in training frequency, intensity and volume, and provide recommendations on adjustments based on individual needs. Can these things help someone get a Muscle-Up, improve their “Fran” time, or Squat heavier? Absolutely, if that is what they’re after, but the general goal is to get people moving better and with out pain, while also giving them information to help them continue to do so after that class is over.
Tell us more about your coaching background and how you got involved with Active Life.
I’ve been coaching in one way or another as long as I can remember. My first job was as a coach at a basketball camp when I was 14. As the last Division I program with out a hired coach, I coached and trained my college rugby team as a captain, and stayed on as an assistant coach following graduation. After pursuing rugby internationally, I continued coaching youth sports and began CrossFit coaching while pursuing my Masters degree in Physical Education at CrossFit Buffalo. I worked with an Olympic weightlifting coach and the owner on developing the programming, and we sent a team and two individuals to Regionals in my final year there.
I then opened my own CrossFit affiliate in New Paltz, NY with a partner before relocating to Long Beach, where I took over as the head coach at CrossFit Island Park/Active Life Athletics. It was at this time that the doctors at Active Life began developing the system, and I worked very closely with them during this process, being one of the first athletes tested, and the first coach to begin incorporating the system with athletes and members in a gym setting. As Active Life grew, I began assisting and eventually leading seminars, and working as a 1-on-1 remote coach. I am currently developing a coaches’ training program that will teach other coaches and trainers how to implement these methods with their gyms and clients.
Who should take this class?
This class is appropriate for anyone who is interested in eliminating their nagging pains and injuries and breaking through plateaus by identifying their individual strength imbalances and/or mobility and flexibility limitations, and devoting time and energy to fixing them.
Whether it’s a nagging back, knee, or shoulder, difficulty getting into positions, or just feeling stuck with strength movements, the individualized assessments and specific programming help us determine what is causing these issues and allow us to take huge steps towards fixing them. In addition, the class lectures provide athletes with some of the knowledge to continue to monitor these limitations and imbalances going forward, and give them strategies to continue to improve upon them.
Is it possible to do ALS along with other classes (like CrossFit group class)? What would be the best way to do that?
Most, if not all, participants in ALS are still actively taking group class, Short Circuit, Next Level Weightlifting, rowing/running programs, etc. We discuss how to work these other programs in with our class sessions as well as the individual “accessory” work that can be done in and out of class.
What might someone hope to accomplish after 8 weeks of Active Life Strength?
After 8 weeks of Active Life Strength, one can hope to have identified their specific, individual mobility and flexibility limitations and strength imbalances. We begin with a full body mobility and flexibility assessment, followed by strength testing: Push vs. pull, left vs. right, strength vs. stamina, stability vs. force production. Each athlete is tested and provided with an appropriate program.
In addition to our class sessions, a 20-30 minute individualized workout is provided, which includes exercises, stretches, and holds, to specifically address individual issues. We refer to these as “necessary, not accessory.” Improved positioning and range of motion, reduced or eliminated pain, and greater overall strength and movement quality are the typical results. Participants will also understand the causes of their symptoms or limitations more clearly, and walk away with direction on how to continue to improve on their own.
Schedule
PM Cycle
October 15th, 2018 – December 7th, 2018
Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
2x per week for 8 weeks
Register Here!
Cost
The cost is $160 per month ($320 total plus NY state sales tax). The first charge will occur at the time of registration and the second payment of $160 will occur automatically 1 month later. This cycle is open to all CFSBK members as well as CrossFitters from other affiliates.
(Please note that you are committing to specific days and times and there be no refunds for any missed classes or late cancellations.)
Have you taken Keith’s Active Life Strength class? Tell us about your experience in today’s comments!
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Yesterday’s Results Board: DB Complex | Run, Pull-Ups, Ring Dips
Powerlifter Allison Hind Smokes a 340 lb Raw Bench Press at 150 lb BarBend
The Perks of Fasting, With None of the Work The Atlantic
Josh says
Wednesday’s Programming
Back Squat / Front Squat
Performance
Back Squat 2 x 8
Front Squat 1 x 8
Perform the Back Squats at or near at the load you were able to successfully complete a 10RM from last cycle. Move directly from the Back Squat to the Front Squat, using a challenging load that leaves a rep or two in the tank.
Fitness
Back Squat 2 x 5
Front Squat 1 x 5
Start your linear progression for the BSQ/FSQ light enough to add weight through 7 weeks, backing off a bit from where you finished the previous Back Squat cycle. Move directly from the Back Squat to the Front Squat, using a challenging load that leaves a rep or two in the tank.
Post loads to comments.
Exposure 1 of 8
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Performance
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7…
Deadlifts 315/225
Ring Muscle-Ups
The Deadlift should be on the heavy side for you, something you could do a set of 4+ reps of when fresh. If you’re a Deadlift monster, then scale up appropriately.
Fitness
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7…
Deadlifts 225/155
Lateral Bar-Over Burpees
The Deadlift should be on the heavy side for you, something you could do a set of 4+ reps of when fresh. If you’re a Deadlift monster, then scale up appropriately.
Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.
Arturo Ruiz says
AG
A.
4 rounds – NFT:
1 min – single unders
1 min – row
1 min bike
1 min run
B.
Double under Practice
C.
Sustained pace:
6- 5-4-3-2-1
Wall walks
-b/t each round 50 double unders
D.
5-10 min cool down
Stella says
7 AM with Jess
Performance squats at 185/145. 8 is a long damn set.
WOD 8 rounds + 6 reps Fitness Rx (burpees to dumbbells). Basically just chugged through this at a steady pace. I hate burpees over the bar so, so much.
Linda says
730pm with DO and KHarpz last night
Adjusting to this whole new concept of working out at night 🤯
DB complex: 15#, 20#, 22.5#, 25#, 30#
Moved well, didn’t want to go crazy with the push press.
WOD in 15:14 with 5 kipping pull-ups and 10 strict pushups per round.
Stella says
Allison Hind’s bench press is INSANE. She doesn’t even look like she’s working all that hard!
Kirby says
7am w/ Jess doing Wed
BSQ: 135x5x2
FSQ: 100×5
Decided to go Fitness since I’m only going to be here for 3 squat days this cycle 🙁 and I haven’t trained FSQs in so long.
Fitness WOD: 7 rounds + 5 deadlifts RX. Felt kinda slow and heavy…just think I need a rest day.
Sunday 10am
Think I worked up to 70# on the snatches and OH squats. 5 c2b pull-ups per round. Grip was shot after this!
Monday 12pm
Started with the WOD and finished in 16:30-something. Lots of scaling…started with 7 strict pull-ups for the first two rounds, then went to 15 ring rows for rounds 3–5. 10 push-ups instead of ring dips for all 5 rounds.
Then worked up to 30# on the DB complex. Fun!
K HarpZ says
AM sesh:
A)Easy does it!
with a running clock:
40 min bike – 35-40 rpm
every 10 min 25ft HS walk
30 sec hollow hold
Nice! Much more organized in walks 2-4, unbroken
PM sesh:
A)NFT – sustained pace
25 jump squats
30 sec ring support
4 min row – increasing pace every minute
B)Front Squat
@20X2 4,4,4,4; rest as needed – not a max!
155/165/165/165
Surprised that felt hard, but def wasn’t max
C)Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
@20X1 4-6 x 3; rest 2 min
3x6ea @ 30# across, didn’t want to push it and find myself unreasonably sore for Thursday since this is a new combo
D)3 rounds – sustained pace:
12 TTB – unbroken
15 push ups
20 box jumps
SAME times per round
4:17 total time. Splits- 1:24/1:26/1:27
Felt good to push something hard and not feel too tired! this is a good movement combo for me. Was just push-up that slowed me down but not by much
TTB unbroken
Push-ups- 8/7, 8/7, 10/5
BJ step down quick turnaround
Allie B says
6am
HBBS: 130 8×2
Fsq: 115×8
Legs were totally toast!
Went to do the workout RX— made it through the round of 4. Then dropped down to 135. Was it the morning? Did I wear out my legs on squats? Was it because I didn’t eat breakfast? I don’t know, but I was a little disappointed— only made it into the round of 7 :X
KLove says
Sunday:
KBS @24kg
Snatches: worked up to 73 and stayed there because the bar started getting away from me. Think they improved each round.
5 C2B instead of BMUs.
Monday:
Did the metcon first. 19:26
Did pullups (6-5-4) the first round then had to switch to challenging ring rows because my hands were really sore and I could barely hold onto the bar.
5 ring dips. Worked on trying to coordinate the kip.
DB clean complex: 20#-25#-27.5#-30#
Felt crushed by this workout!
Today:
HBBS: 130x5x2
FSQT: 105x5x2
WOD modified: 8+4
Did the deadlifts at 125# (which is light for me) off of blocks to decrease range of motion since my back is still bothering me. Did the burpees over a paralette which a little higher than a bar. My back was fried after this and I think (*hope*) it’s just fatigue since I haven’t been deadlifting. Didn’t feel any actual pain. I also started Bulletproof Back Max yesterday so that may have contributed as well.