Thursday 9.4.25

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Push Press

4 x 5 @ 70% or RPE 6-7

Notes
Our goal here is to accumulate some volume with technically sound, crisp reps and establish a baseline of good mechanics with the rack position, vertical dip, and leg drive.

Today, reset at the rack position for each rep, rather than cycling or linking the reps together through the dip.

If you have a recent or well-established 1 rep max, use ~70% of that for your work sets. If not, go by rate of perceived exertion and work in the realm of 6-7 for how you’re feeling today.

Either way, this will be moderate load and you should have multiple good reps in the tank left on each set. Ideally we get 4 working sets at the same weight, but a little wiggle room is fine here for today.

PARTNER METCON

12 Rounds For Time (6 ea)
3 Wall Walks
12/9 Cal Row

Notes
Intent: 11-15 min

Breathe steadily during your time inverted and create as much leg drive on the erg as possible!

Wall Walk Scaling
A. 2 Full ROM reps (hands ~6″ from wall)
B. 2-3 Partial ROM Reps
C. 30 sec Angled Hollow Body Inversion Hold

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CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK1/8)

Interview by Julie Barnard
Since joining in 2018, Joey has consistently shown up in the ways that matter most – wholeheartedly, reliably, and with a voice you can hear across the gym. If you’ve ever experienced that mid-class “let’s gooo!” push, you know exactly the kind of energy he brings.

He swears he only ever attended one 6:00 am class back in his Foundations days. Still, since then, he’s been everywhere: through countless classes, rooftop and kitchen Zoom workouts during the pandemic, and even repping CFSBK at competitions. Joey is all in… unless there’s a bike involved, in which case he’ll suddenly have a very important work call.

Joey reminds us that it’s never just about the PRs – it’s about the friendships, the laughs, and the community that make CrossFit South Brooklyn home. Congratulations, Joey! We wouldn’t be the same without you.

Name (and any nicknames): Just Joey 🙂

Where were you born, and where did you grow up? I was born in Schenectady, NY. I grew up near Albany, NY in a small town. I moved to Westchester for Law School, and have been in the city after getting a job here in the fall of 2013.

How long have you been CrossFitting, and how did you find your way to CFSBK? I started CrossFit in August of 2018 when I moved to Brooklyn from Manhattan. I had recently started my first work-from-home job and knew I needed a gym to “kick my ass”, and keep me active. A simple google proximity search led me to CFSBK– one of the most life-changing and yet seemingly innocuous things I’ve done! I vividly remember attending my first foundations class at 6:00am with Coach Jess Fox. While that was the last time I’ve ever been seen at the gym at 6:00am, the CrossFit stuck. And the rest, as they say, is history.

What keeps you coming back to CFSBK? The new class cancellation policy, mostly. 😉

What does CFSBK mean to you? It’s hard to put the meaning of CFSBK into context. Though this gym has been a big part of my life since I joined in 2018, when the pandemic hit in 2020, it became more than that. For those of us that stayed in Brooklyn, this gym became a center of our lives. When the world was at a paralyzed standstill, we checked in on each other, we became each other’s family and support systems, and we continued to work out together in our respective kitchens, hallways, and rooftops, while peering at each other through our zoom screens. I remember the pure joy (tears even) when we all got the chance to workout together again in person!

What happened during that time was the natural result of a gym that has always been a safe space to everyone who walks in the door. CFSBK is just that. I’ve made life-long friendships here, I’ve both celebrated my highs, and been lifted up through my lows. David and this gym have created a culture and community in this place that makes Brooklyn feel like home.

How has the gym changed your life? I like to say that CrossFit is like going to hang out with your friends, and somehow you get more fit in the process. That’s been my experience coming to CFSBK for the last 7 years. This gym has been the foundation of my physical and mental fitness, which will impact me for the rest of my life. But in the process, it’s the friendships, the celebrations, the tens of thousands of smiles, fist bumps, and high fives. It’s screaming “Let’s gooo!” at a bunch of like minded crazy people who find this sort of thing “fun.” Yeah, this gym has given me a lot. I always say ‘it’s about the before and after photo’ when there’s something I can’t do yet, but in sincerity, the “change” that I’ve experienced since I started working out here has been significant. And we’re still going strong!

Can you share a memorable experience or achievement from your time at CFSBK? It’s impossible to pick just one moment in 7 years. That’s a lot of moments! One that comes to mind is getting my first ever strict ring muscle up (Jan 2020) after building my strict pulling strength for 2+ years. And another is competing in Miami at Wodapalooza in Jan 2024 with fellow CFSBKers and BFFs Dan Conroy and Matt Merenich!

What are your current fitness goals? Joey’s 2025 Fitness goals are all about “balance”. Balance between running and lifting, balance between eating healthy, and ordering Taco Bell delivery, and balance between being a father, having a demanding job, and running a sub 4 hour NYC Marathon in November.

As someone who hates hearing people say their PR days are behind them, (you don’t know what future you can do!) the era I’m in right now is a bit more ‘for quality’ than AMRAP. Anyone who knows me knows how hard it is for me to even type those words. I’m hyper competitive– and I’ll be back for the CrossFit PRs. (looking at you 10 unbroken BMUs) But for now it’s that sub 4 hour marathon in November with my son Lucas cheering on “Dada running” the whole time! Let’s get it!

Program your dream workout: 5 rounds for time: 400m run, 6 strict HSPU, 3 BMU

Program your nightmare workout: Row, Devils press, Rope climbs, Bike (In any order or assortment) I actually think I have a work call during that time…

Favorite and least favorite lift: I love BMUs and HSPU but I’ve never met a heavy deadlift, a pistol or rope climb that didn’t make me mad at the world. I also really don’t like biking. Was I supposed to pick just one?

How do you spend your time outside of CFSBK? Do you have any hobbies? When I’m not at CFSBK, I run, I play on a soccer team at Brooklyn Bridge Park (go Angels!), and sing tenor in the New York City Bar Association’s Chorus. (as one does)  Outside of that, I try to spend as much time as I can with my family and friends as possible.

Any advice for new CFSBKers? Always win the first round! (Jokes) No, I think my biggest piece of advice would be to celebrate all the small wins. In between the time we first walk in the door at CFSBK, and that future elite-athlete version of ourselves– are hundreds of wins. Celebrate all of them! There is no better gym or community to do that with than CFSBK.