Workout of the Day

ASSISTANCE

4 Rounds for Load and Quality:
6-8 ea Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
:30 L-Sit
1:00 Crossover Single Under Practice
*Floater Exercise

Notes
Split Squat: you can set up with your bench behind the plane of a rig today and use it for support, similar to this demo with the pvc pipe. This will lessen the balance/stability demand and allow you to potentially work a bit heavier. Hold a DB in the opposite side arm, suitcase style.

L-Sits: Scale by accumulating time in shorter sets with quick rest between, tucking one or both legs in, or elevating to a matador hold.

*Floater Exercise Options:
A. 6-10 ea Three Point DB Row
B. 6-10 Dips or Push-ups @ 30×1 Tempo
C. 30 sec Hamstring Bridge

METCON

For Time
800m Run
1000m Row
2000m Bike

Notes
Cardio party! Find your groove and just keep swimming. 🐠

Intent: ~11-15 min. Scale so you can complete your version of the workout in 15 min or less.

Scaling Option A
680m Run
800m Row
1600m Bike

Scaling Option B
550m Run
700m Row
1400m Bike

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK7/8)

Coach Grant, Petra and Ariel on a beautiful afternoon at CFSBK

Crossover Single Unders

Today’s skill work is crossover single unders. This is the a prerequisite skill to crossover double unders. If you struggle with these today, consider using a longer and heavier rope than usual. Especially if you use a wire speed rope you may feel the movement better with one of our plastic ropes.

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Sumo Deadlift, 5 x 2-4, across

Notes
This week, we’re progressing to five work sets of 2–4 reps. Plan on taking several warm-up sets before you start. Compare your performance to last week. If your sumo technique feels solid, lower the reps and push for more weight than in previous weeks. If you’re still dialing in your form, stay with the higher rep range to get extra practice under a moderately heavy load.

Next week, you’ll work up to your heaviest lifts of the cycle, so it’s fine to leave a little in the tank today.

Check out our recent article on how to properly warm up your lifts including examples from 75-300lbs

PARTNER METCON

“Buddy Karen”

For Time
150 Wall Ball Shots

Notes
Half the volume, but twice the fun! Today’s workout is a chance to move fast while keeping your movement clean and controlled. Focus on accuracy with each rep and hold yourself (and your buddy?!) accountable to your squat depth.

This is a great day to test a heavier weight or aim for a higher target since you and your partner can split the reps however you like. Use your time from our last “Karen” workout (March 28, 2025) as a reference to help scale appropriately. The goal is to finish in under 14 minutes.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK7/8)

Fit55 at CFSBK is expanding!

Great news for the fall — due to popular demand we’re adding a third Fit 55+ class to the schedule!

When: Mondays at 11:00 AM
Starts: Monday, September 15

We’ve had such high demand (and even a waitlist!) that it’s time to open up more spots. This new class will make it easier for everyone to get their workouts in. Programming will be set up so you can come three times a week, but most people will probably attend 1–2 times.

The class cap stays at 12 to keep things safe, fun, and focused. Please remember to pre-register on Zen Planner before you arrive — in the fall, you will not be admitted without a reservation unless there is an open spot at class time.

The updated membership options for Fit 55+ will be:

Fit 55+ (10 Class Punch Card) $200
Fit 55+ (2x Week Monthly Recurring) $125
Fit 55+ (3x Week Monthly Recurring) $185

If you’d like to adjust your membership for the fall, please reach out to the Front Desk.
We can’t wait to see you in the new Monday class — more chances to move together!

Workout of the Day

“Running Isabel”

5 rounds for time of:
130m Run
6 Snatches (155/105)

Notes
This workout was inspired by the CrossFit Games event “Running Isabel” which consists of five rounds of a couplet of running and snatches. The games featured a shorter 200 foot run, which meant for an exciting, very fast event (sub 3 minutes!). Today’s variation will allow for a bit more “recovery” between each round of snatches with the longer run.

The intent for today is that this workout is <15 minutes. Choose a power snatch weight that is challenging to cycle, but not so heavy that you need to resort to singles.

Power Snatches
If you’re new to snatching, you could also perform 5 hang power snatches each round instead.

Run Options
Row 200/150 m
Bike 400 m

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK7/8)

Throwback to September 2020 when the gym was still closed and we were running classes down the street at the park.

Running Isabel at the 2025 CrossFit Games

Check out the best in the world getting after today’s workout!

Women’s final heat

Men’s final heat

Workout of the Day

FLOATER STRENGTH

A. Back Squat, 5 x 3-5
B. Sumo Deadlift, 5 x 3-5
C. Bench Press, 5 x 3-5
D. Strict Pull Ups, 4-5 x Max Reps (1 RIR)

Notes
Tomorrow we have running and power snatches.

You may superset your main lift with another DB/KB or bodyweight movement.

Pull-Ups: Use the following progression to guide you:

If you have…
> 10 unbroken reps: consider adding load.
5-10 unbroken reps: perform as written.
< 5 unbroken reps: perform a cluster of sub-maximal reps for you with short rest between. For example: 3+2+2 or 2+1+1, with 15-20 sec of rest
0 body weight reps: perform 6-8 box piked or toe assisted reps per set

METCON

For Time
75 Double Unders
15 Front Squats (135/95)
75 Double Unders
15 Front Squats (185/135)
75 Double Unders

Notes
Intent < 11 min

The barbell will come off of the floor for this workout. A squat clean where the athlete passes through a below-parallel squat may count as their first rep in each set. Otherwise, any method of a power clean can be performed before starting the squats.

DU: < 2 min each round. A. 60 DU B. 40 DU C. 20 Double Under Attempts + 100 Single Unders per round FSQ: The first barbell should be a light-moderate load, about 50-60% of a 1 rep max. The second weight is heavier; something you can complete 5-7 reps at a time with. Here are some scaling ideas (Round 1 > Round 2):
A. 135 > 185
B. 115 > 155
C. 95 > 135
D. 75 > 105
E. 55 > 75

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

New Equipment Alert!

Some of our stuff was getting worse for the wear so we’ve got some new equipment on the way!

From Rogue
– 12 25lbs competition plates
– 10 45lbs CrossFit games competition plates (used at the 2025 CrossFit Games!)

From Fringe sport
– 12 10lb Bumper Plates

From Perantlb
– 5 20ft climbing ropes

Plus… a NEW COUCH for the front of 597. This one will be an Antimicrobial Upholstered (faux) Leather Sofa, you stinky mcstinkersons.

Workout of the Day

6 Intervals of:

AMRAP 2 MIN
6 Strict Chin Ups
6 Devil’s Press (40/25# ea)
Max Reps Shuttle Runs in remaining time

Rest 2 min between intervals.

Note
Intent is to have at least 30 sec per round to complete shuttle runs. Scale load, volume of work, or movement complexity as needed.

Choose variations and/or weights that you can perform with good mechanics and consistent range of motion for all 6 intervals. Remove ego and adjust as needed.

Chin-Ups: If you have…
10+ unbroken, consider scaling up to Chest-to-Bar
6-10 unbroken, perform as RX’d.
2-5 unbroken, perform 3-4 reps
1 rep at a time, perform 2-3 reps
0 bodyweight reps, perform 6 foot assisted

*The chin-ups do not need to be completed in an unbroken set! For many, it will be good to break early and often so you still have plenty in the tank. Having equal rest to work today should allow more experienced athletes to push the edge here.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Manu and Sammy, the happiest training partners

CrossFit and Chronic Disease

Our CrossFit training methodology is aimed at “increasing work capacity across broad time and modal domains” which essentially means increasing your fitness. If you came to our “What is CrossFit? / Nutrition for health and performance” lecture a few months ago, we talked about this definition in detail but also touched on how increasing your fitness is a buffer against chronic disease. This part of CrossFit’s sickness, wellness, fitness continuum which describes how increasing our overall fitness pushes our biomarkers (see below) toward more favorable metrics and thus, helps protect us from commonly developed chronic disease like hypertension, for example.

The 5 Buckets of Death

In this 7:00 video, CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman divides various common causes of death into five categories: chronic, microbic, genetic, kinetic, or toxic. He discusses what how chronic diseases are unique and touches on their effect on people who transmitted covid 19 (this video was shot not long after the pandemic)

If this piqued your interest, this 45:00 video goes much deeper into the sickness, wellness, fitness continuum and CrossFit’s goal of combating sedentarism as well as over consumption of processed foods as it relates to hedging against chronic disease.

Workout of the Day

ASSISTANCE

3-4 Rounds for Quality
~1 min Row/Bike/Run
100′ Reverse Sled Drag
30 sec each Side Plank
Floater Exercise*

Notes
Floater Exercise – Choose from the following:
A. 40 sec Sandbag Hold (Thursday)
B. 8-10 Devil’s Press (Saturday)
C. 10-15 Banded Face Pulls

Sled: Use a ring + strap attached to the sled. Keep torso vertical like a wall sit, and use small, steady, smooth footsteps. Do not sit your hips back OR lean your shoulders excessively back to move the sled. Place plates or KBs atop the sled for added load. Use a weight you can move steadily for 100′ unbroken (minding the turnaround logistics).

Side Plank: Feel free to play with your options — forearm, hand, “star,” knee lifts, etc.

FLOATER STRENGTH

A. Back Squat, 5 x 3-5
B. Sumo Deadlift, 5 x 3-5
C. Bench Press, 5 x 3-5
D. Strict Pull Ups, 4-5 x Max Reps (1 RIR)

Notes
Tomorrow we have strict chin ups, devil’s presses, and shuttle runs.

You may superset your main lift with another DB/KB or bodyweight movement.

*Anyone who typically does strict pull-ups on Fridays and is also coming to class tomorrow might want to choose a different focus for today!

Pull-Ups: Use the following progression to guide you:

If you have…
> 10 unbroken reps: consider adding load.
5-10 unbroken reps: perform as written.
< 5 unbroken reps: perform a cluster of sub-maximal reps for you with short rest between. For example: 3+2+2 or 2+1+1, with 15-20 sec of rest
0 body weight reps: perform 6-8 box piked or toe assisted reps per set

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Hey CFSBK, Kevin G here. This year is the second year I’ve signed up for the CrossFit Everyday Hero Service Cup, and I want you to sign up and workout with me!  Public service runs in my family; both my wife (FDNY) and I (DOE) are proud to work for the city and people of New York. I was motivated to sign up and compete because this event honors the work of our colleagues and those who have inspired us to service.

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

EMOM x 15 Min (5 Sets)
A. Max Effort Strict Handstand Push-Ups*
B. Bike
C. Rest

Notes
While different than previous exposures this cycle, today’s segment provides 5 sets of productive strength and capacity work for your handstand push-ups!

If you are very proficient with this movement, either do 1 max effort set per round OR see how many reps you can accumulate in the minute. Go hard on the bike for 20-40 sec and then rest.

If you are not yet proficient with HSPUs, choose a scaling option and range of reps that’s realistic for you to achieve each round, and then bike for a minute at RPE 4-5 to keep your blood flowin! You can also mix and match within the progression. Example: 1 Strict HSPU at the wall + 6-8 box piked reps each round.

HSPU Movement Progression:
Multiple Reps
Single Reps (up to 1 AbMat ROM scale)
Box Piked from feet (up to 1 AbMat ROM scale)
Box Piked from knees
Heavy DB Press: 6-10 reps per round, RPE 8-9

*Note, if you’ve been performing negatives in previous weeks, try for full reps OR get more volume of work by performing box piked reps today. If you think they’re too easy, try single leg reps!

TEAM METCON

AMRAP 15 MIN
8 Burpees over the Sandbag
80′ Sandbag Carry

Notes:
In teams of 3, with one person working at a time, alternate full rounds of work.

Jumping over the sandbag will provide a greater challenge to our coordination, accuracy, and agility (3 of the 10 general physical skills trained in CrossFit)! Practice some reps before the clock starts and make sure to move at your own pace while you work out this movement with a different implement.

Athletes can jump laterally over the bag as shown in the demo video, or turn to jump forward over the bag instead. Scale by stepping over the bag.

Choose a heavy bag that you can carry for multiple rounds of 80′ unbroken.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

CFSBK in the new CrossFit “F*ck The Quick Fix” ad!!

Check out front desker Andrew as well as Javon and Emily who are all featured on this new CrossFit video. We were reached out to last week by CFHQ to see if they could do some filming at the gym, we obliged and were so excited to see CFSBK and community members used! Andrew will be signing autographs at the front desk all week!

Workout of the Day

For Time
1,000m Row or 2,000m Bike
30 Alt Single Leg Squats (Pistols), 15 ea
40 Tuck-Ups
500m Row or 1,000m Bike
400m Single Arm KB Suitcase Carry, 32/24g
500m Row or 1,000m Bike
40 Tuck-Ups
30 Alt Single Leg Squats (Pistols), 15 ea
1,000m Row or 2,000m Bike

Notes
Intent for today is a longer duration, steady effort workout. Time cap is 32 min.

In full classes, athletes will pair up to share an erg and a bike and can decide who starts where. We suggest you each do at least one longer segment and one shorter segment on each machine. Example: Athlete A 1000m Row, 1000m Bike, 500m Row, 2000m Bike.

Single Leg Squat: If scaling, choose a variation that challenges you, but allows you to keep the bottom heel grounded, the knee aligned over the center of the foot, and good control throughout the rep:

A. With plate under heel and/or holding the foot
B. Foot Wrap
C. Elevated on a box
D. Single Leg Squat to box/bench with plate press ou

Carry: Choose a relatively heavy KB that will challenge your grip and core stability. Keep a good torso position while moving quickly to get the work done! Change arms as often as needed/desired and do your best to keep making forward progress!

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Image by Kess B

The 5th Annual Wet Hot American Throwdown returns!

Workout of the Day

STRENGTH

Sumo Deadlift, 5 x 3-5, across

Notes
Week 6 will be similar to Week 3. You’ll be performing sets across instead of building up in weight. If you were here last week, use those weights to perform sets across at an RPE of 8-9/10. You’ll likely use a load from sets 2-4 from last week, depending on how heavy you went. You should have at most 1 RIR by your final set.

If you have missed a few exposures of the sumo deadlift this cycle, you may build to a heavy set of 5 reps across 5 work sets, leaving 1-2 reps in reserve (RIR) on your final set. Prioritize form throughout, especially if you’re new to this lift.

METCON

“HELEN”

3 Rounds for time of:
400m Run
21 Kettlebell Swings 24/16kg
12 Kipping Pull-Ups

Notes
This classic benchmark triplet is as simple as it is potent. The last time we completed this workout was April 11, 2024. Run hard and try to go as close to unbroken on the swings and pull-ups as you can. To perform the official version of “Helen” go overhead with your Kettlebell Swings today.

Pull up Options
6 Strict Pull-Ups
6-8 Banded Pull-Ups
12 Jumping Pull-Ups

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Primary Coaching Focus for today: Hips Rising Early

Today in class we’ll focus on the proper sequencing of the hips and shoulders rising together off the floor with Sumo deadlifts. When the hips rise too fast in a sumo deadlift, it’s usually because the lifter isn’t maintaining proper sequencing between the legs and the back — essentially turning the lift into a stiff-leg deadlift too early.

Why it’s a problem: It shifts load to the lower back early, reduces quad involvement, and makes lockout harder since you lose the mechanical advantage sumo provides. Here’s why this happens and what’s going on biomechanically:

1. Weak quads relative to hips/glutes
The sumo deadlift relies more on quad drive off the floor compared to conventional.

If your quads aren’t strong enough (or you’re not engaging them), your body will shift the work to the posterior chain by shooting the hips up early, so the hamstrings and lower back take over.

2. Poor bracing or losing upper back tension
Without a strong brace and lat engagement, the torso can’t maintain its angle during the initial push. The hips shoot up to “shorten” the lever arm for the back, but this also kills mechanical efficiency.

3. Starting too low (over-squatting the setup)
If you set your hips too low at the start — more like a squat than a deadlift — your body will naturally correct mid-pull by raising the hips to a stronger pulling position before the bar leaves the floor.

4. Not pushing the floor away
In the sumo deadlift, the first move should be pushing the floor away with the legs while keeping the hip-shoulder angle nearly constant until the bar passes the knees.

If you “pull” instead of push, your hips tend to rise before the bar breaks off the ground.

Quick cues to try: “Chest up, push the floor away.” or “Shoulders and hips rise together.”

Workout of the Day

ASSISTANCE

3 Rounds for Quality
1:00 Row, increase pace each round
5 Seated Vertical Jumps
3 Three Position Paused Snatch RDL
3 Tall Muscle Snatch
3 Tempo Overhead Squat @ 31×1

Notes
Use today’s assistance movements as a technique primer for your 3-Position Snatch complex.

We’re starting with a top-down segmented pull to groove the three snatch positions you’ll be working from today: high hang, below the knee, and floor. If you’re using an empty bar, pretend there are plates on the bar—stay tight and under tension when you pause at the “floor” (aka your start) position. Hold each pause for at least one count. When you stand up, hit each of those three positions again while smoothly pulling the bar to your hips.

The tall muscle snatch is a valuable drill for teaching and reinforcing the snatch turnover. It’s great for warming up that phase of the lift. An empty bar is usually best, though you can add weight if your goal is to strengthen the motion. Just remember—don’t sacrifice movement quality for load.

Beginner/Intermediate lifters: Start with a lighter barbell than you normally snatch to dial in tempo and precision.

Advanced lifters: Start with an empty bar, then either stay there or add a light load across rounds.

STRENGTH

Every 2 minutes x 8 Sets:
3-Position Snatch

Notes
Compare to Week 1 (7/14/25). You may perform full or power snatches.

The 3-Position snatch complex consists of three consecutive snatches performed from different starting positions. This week’s sequence is: High hang → Below the knee → From the floor.

Pause briefly at the start of each rep to show control and balance with the barbell. This complex will also challenge your grip, so consider starting with lighter weights—around 60–75% of your 1RM—before increasing the load.

CrossFit Group Class Programming Template (WK6/8)

Some 10+ year CFSBKers on a Saturday morning 😍
(Joy, Mel, Stella, Jill, Yossi, Tina, Sasha and Jenn)

An Update on an Event for Jess Fox 🦊

Several folks have been asking when the gym will be doing an in house event for Jess Fox. We’ve been talking to Chris and are going to be organizing an event with him which will happen sometime after her celebration of life on 10/11. It was important to us that anything we did was not considered an alternative to the event in Ohio and that Chris could be here for it and involved. Once we have a hard date we will post with more information about it, but in the meantime, if you’re interested in joining us in Ohio, please use the form below from Jess’ substack.

Jess’ Celebration