Saul M. and his daughter repping our CrossFit Kids program while kitesurfing in Malpeque, Prince Edward Island, Canada

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Today is a scheduled rest/recovery day, but don’t fret! We are still open, of course, and running on a normal class schedule, but 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).

2. Struggling with your Pull-Ups? Stuck at the bottom of your Handstand Push-Up? A new cycle Coach Arturo‘s critically acclaimed Anti-Gravity Strength class starts on September 8th, and there’s just one spot left. Who wants it? Go here to grab it!

3. In another super useful video, Coach David talks us through shoulder position in the Dip—what a good Dip looks like and how it’s surprisingly similar to the good old Squat. Put it into effect next time Dips are on the menu!

4. Save the date! Fight Gone Bad, our annual workout/fundraiser/costume party/all-around-fun day, goes down on Saturday, October 20th, 2018. You won’t wanna miss it! Head over to the event page for details.

5. Want to get better on the ol’ jump rope? On November 3rd, we’re hosting the CrossFit Workshop: Jump Rope. This is a hands-on, fast-paced, fun seminar at which participants learn how to use a simple and effective tool to energize their programming and workouts.

6. Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throw down: the 8th annual NYC Subway Series! All NYC affiliates are invited to participate—the affiliate with the best overall score at the end of four events wins the Subway Series Trophy and bragging rights for a whole year. This year the action kicks off right here at CFSBK on September 9th! We’re looking for volunteers to help out with set up/break down, judging, and scorekeeping on the day of the event. Email David [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com if you’re interested!

7. We’ll be running on a modified schedule this Monday, September 3rd for Labor Day, but there will still be plenty of chances to get your fitness on! Head over to the Schedule page to find out what you can expect!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Front Squats, Handstand Push-Ups
What Is An EMOM Workout? And Why Is It Effective? BarBend
You Cannot Escape Jet Lag, Only Embrace It The Outline

Snatch Complex

Every 2 Minutes x 10:
Hang (Knee) Snatch Pull + Low (1″) Hang Snatch Pull + Low Hang Snatch

Pause for a 2 count 1 inch from the floor at the Low Hang position before the Snatch. Focus on staying balanced and finishing your pulls vertically by extending the knees and shrugging the shoulders. The time that you’ll be hanging on to the bar and maintaining tension for this complex will limit the load. Build only to a point that feels heavy but allows for perfect execution.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8

_____________________

AMRAP 7 Minutes:
7 Front Squats 135/95
7 Handstand Push-Ups

The barbell comes from the floor and should be light enough to perform the reps unbroken. The first rep of each set can be a Squat Clean. Kipping is allowed on the HSPUs. Scale them to 1-2 AbMats, Box Piked, or regular Push-Ups as needed. When scaling, choose an option that allows you to score 5+ rounds.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

We can’t guarantee that the CrossFit Jump Rope Workshop we’re hosting in November will get you jumping rope like Buddy Lee, but it’ll definitely make you better! (Seriously, watch this video.)

November 3rd: CrossFit Jump Rope Workshop at CFSBK

Want to get better on the rope? On November 3rd, we’re hosting the CrossFit Workshop: Jump Rope. This is a hands-on, fast-paced, fun seminar at which participants learn how to use a simple and effective tool to energize their programming and workouts. The workshop features longtime CrossFit proponent and 1992 U.S. Olympian Buddy Lee, who is widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost jump-rope authorities. Participants will leave the workshop with clear paths to elusive jump-rope skills such as double-unders, triple-unders and more.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The CrossFit Workshop: Jump Rope teaches participants how to:

• Use optimal biomechanics for jump-rope mastery.
• Properly set up jump-rope equipment.
• Correctly adjust the jump rope for optimal results.
• Use progressions that form the base of jump-rope techniques: basic jumping, speed jumping, power jumping (double-/triple-unders).
• Use visualization, imagery, breathing and relaxation techniques in combination with dynamic jump-rope path patterns (forward, backward, sideways, crossover, infinity).
• Program various jump-rope techniques into CrossFit workouts—beyond single-/double-/triple-unders.

What are you waiting for?

Register Here!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Back Squat | Deadlifts, Burpees
Mastering the Bar Muscle-Up CrossFit (video)
Good Riddance to the Red Delicious, an Apple That Sucks Slate

Back Squat

Fitness
3 x 5 LP

Heavier than last week.

Performance
75% x 5, 75% x Max Reps (more than week 1)

Warm up, then perform one set of 5 at 75% (of 1RM), followed by a max-rep set at the same load. Use a spotters, but aim to end the set 1-2 rep shy of failure. The goal is no failing.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8

_____________________

2008 CrossFit Games Deadlift/Burpee Event

5 Rounds For Time:
5 Deadlifts 275/185
10 Burpees

10 minute cap

Post time and Rx to comments.

Here’s Janet U. representing CFSBK while shooting on location for Vice. Going somewhere fun as this hot, hot summer winds down? Be sure to send photos of yourself repping CFSBK at said somewhere to Josh [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com! 

Register Now for the 2018 Subway Series

Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throw down: the 8th annual NYC Subway Series! All NYC affiliates are invited to participate—the affiliate with the best overall score at the end of four events wins the Subway Series Trophy and bragging rights for a whole year. This year the action kicks off right here at CFSBK! Here’s the whole schedule:

Sunday, September 9th: CFSBK
Sunday, September 23rd: CrossFit Virtuosity
Sunday, October 7th: CrossFit Queens
Sunday, October 21st: CrossFit Gantry

This year’s Subway Series is using a team format (M/M and F/F), and there are both Scaled and Rx’d divisions, so we hope as many CFSBKers as possible will sign up. As you can tell from last year’s photos, it’s a really fun series.

What are you waiting for? Sign up!

News and Notes

• We’re looking for volunteers to help out with set up/break down, judging, and scorekeeping on September 9th. Email David [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com if you’re interested!
• Are your back and shoulders sore after Monday’s Press/Deadlifting combo? We have some good news for you! In our never-ending quest to be your one-stop fitness shop, we’re very happy that we’re now offering massage therapy with Leah DeCesare, LMT! Book an appointment today!

_____________________
Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
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REGISTER NOW FOR STARTING STRENGTH PROGRAM

Want to get a lot stronger? The Starting Strength program is an opportunity to spend 8 weeks with Coach Jeremy honing your technique and increasing your capacity at the most fundamental strength movements: Back Squat, Overhead Press, Bench Press and Deadlift. This small group format of 90 minute sessions offers one-on-one guidance, great camaraderie, and a simple roster of movements allowing you time to correct errors and challenge your limits.

Whether you are brand-new to lifting, someone with experience who has struggled to surpass a plateau, or just looking to try something different, by taking the time to focus exclusively on the lifts that support almost ever other activity you do inside (and outside) the gym, you will gain confidence and enhance your performance.

Upcoming Program Times and Dates

A cycle: Novice, 7pm Mon/Wed and 6pm Fri |Wednesday, Sept. 5th – Friday, Oct. 26th (FULL)
B cycle: Intermediate, 7pm Tues/Thurs and 10am Sun | Tuesday, Sept. 4th – Sunday, Oct. 28th (FULL)
C cycle: Morning Novice, 6:30am Mon/Thurs | Thursday, Sept. 6th – Thursday, Oct. 25th (FULL)
D cycle: Continuing Education, 6pm Mon/Wed | Wednesday, Sept. 5th – Wednesday, Oct. 24th (FULL)
E cycle: Late morning, all levels, 10am Mon/Thurs | Thursday, Sept. 6th – Thursday, Oct. 25th

A CrossFit Total testing one-rep maxes in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift will take place on Sunday, October 28th at 2pm to cap off all cycles.

Class Sizes: Space is limited to 4-10 participants
Class Length: 90 minutes

Pricing

3x Per Week Cycles: $300 paid upon registration and then another $300 at the halfway point
2x Per Week Cycles: $200 paid upon registration and then another $200 at the halfway point

Group Class/Open Gym/Active Recovery/Yoga/Pilates Add-On Option!

This add-on membership allows our 2x/week Starting Strength Program to attend two additional classes per week, outside of the regularly scheduled strength cycle classes. This includes group classes, Open Gym, and Active Recovery/Yoga/Pilates/Short Circuit.

Price is $100 per four weeks, first bill due at sign-up and second bill ($100) charged automatically to the card on-file four weeks later. Register here!

If anyone is confused as to which cycle they belong in or has any questions, they can contact Jeremy directly at Jeremy [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com to discuss placement.

Labor Day Schedule

We’ll be running on a modified schedule this Monday, September 3rd for Labor Day, but there will still be plenty of chances to get your fitness on! Here’s what you can expect:

Press / Deadlift*

Press (Slower Down-Faster Up Tempo):

Fitness
3 x 5 Linear Progression

Heavier than last week.

Performance
3 x 6

Heavier than last week. The last rep or two of each set should be a challenge.

Deadlift (Slower Down-Faster Up Tempo):

Fitness and Performance
Heavy 3

After a few warm up sets, perform one heavy (but not max effort) set of 3 reps, heavier than Week 2. No hook, no switch.

*Perform all sets of the Press, then move to the floor for the pulls.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8
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3 Rounds of…

AMRAP 3 Minutes:
6e Single-Arm Kettlebell Rack Reverse Lunges
6 Knees-to-Elbows
6e Single-Arm Kettlebell Thrusters

Rest 3 minutes between rounds.

Choose a challenging kettlebell load that you can stay unbroken with. Aim to keep moving for the entire 3 minutes and to score within a few reps on each round. Scale Knees-to-Elbows to Hanging Leg Raises as needed.

Post work to comments.

In today’s vid, Coach David talks us through shoulder position in the Dip—what a good Dip looks like and how it’s surprisingly similar to the good old Squat. Put it into effect next time Dips are on the menu! 

Sign Up for Anti-Gravity Strength

Want to get better at bodyweight movements like the Dip, Pull-Up, and Handstand Push-Up? Check out Coach Arturo‘s critically acclaimed Anti-Gravity Strength class. These always sell out, so hop on it!

Each AG Strength class will be an hour-and-a-half long, focusing on the strength and skills needed to improve Pull-Ups and Handstand Push-Ups. This will include a variety of skill exercises, progressions, weighted and strict practice, and other techniques to teach, develop, and perfect your Pull-Up and Handstand Push-Up. This fundamental strength work will carry over into other CrossFit gymnastics movements, including the coveted Muscle-Up. The class meets 2 times per week for 8 weeks according to the schedule below.

Schedule

Power Clean Complex

Every 3 Minutes x 7:
Power Clean + Hang Power Clean + 3 Front Squats

Build to a heavy load on the complex. The goal is no misses.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 3 of 8

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3 Rounds for Time:
500m Row or 3/4 Mile Bike
15 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
20 Burpees

Post time and Rx to comments.

Today: Starting Strength Total at CFSBK

Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their 8-week cycle today starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering.

Want to get a lot stronger? Registration for our next round of Starting Strength Program cycles opens this week. Check back Tuesday for details!

_____________________
Yesterday’s Results Board: “Danny”
How Long Should Weightlifters Rest Between Sets? BarBend
How You Felt About Gym Class May Impact Your Exercise Habits NY Times

Freestanding Hand Balancing Practice

Work against a wall or with a spotter on one or a few of the options below:

A) Handstand Hold from a Wall Walk
B) Handstand Hold from a Kick-Up
C) Second Handstand Hold to a Spotter
D) Freestanding Handstand Hold

Choose a level that allows you to hold a good position for 10-40 seconds, working back and forth with a partner or two to allow for rest between sets.

Post work to comments.

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“Danny”

AMRAP 20 Minutes:
30 Box Jumps 24/20″
20 Push Presses 115/80
30 Pull-Ups

Long one with large sets today, average scores will be 2-4 rounds on this Hero WOD. The intention is not to do any particular movement unbroken, so consider this when scaling. Keep the reps high enough and the degree of difficulty challenging enough to not blast through any of it. Scaling for Pull-Ups is either volume or Ring Rows.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Photo by Robert C. 

Register Now for the 2018 Subway Series

Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throw down: the 8th annual NYC Subway Series! All NYC affiliates are invited to participate—the affiliate with the best overall score at the end of four events wins the Subway Series Trophy and bragging rights for a whole year. This year the action kicks off right here at CFSBK! Here’s the whole schedule:

Sunday, September 9th: CFSBK
Sunday, September 23rd: CrossFit Virtuosity
Sunday, October 7th: CrossFit Queens
Sunday, October 21st: CrossFit Gantry

This year’s Subway Series is using a team format (M/M and F/F), and there are both Scaled and Rx’d divisions, so we hope as many CFSBKers as possible will sign up. As you can tell from last year’s photos, it’s a really fun series. You can register here, but hurry: early bird pricing only lasts through August 26th!

Tomorrow: Starting Strength Total at CFSBK

Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their eight-week cycle this Sunday, August 26th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering. Get ready for some massive PRs!

_____________________
Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
How a Woman Who Lost 200 Pounds Will Lose Even More CrossFit Journal (video)
Greg Glassman Wants to Shake Up CrossFit’s Competitive Nature Breaking Muscle

TONIGHT: We’re hosting a ping pong night for CFSBKers at Ocean’s 8 (at Flatbush and 7th, a short walk from the gym). The fun starts at 7pm and will likely continue until everyone is pinged and/or ponged out. Ocean’s 8 has a full menu of food and drinks for purchase. Bring friends!

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Today is a scheduled rest/recovery day, but don’t fret! We are still open, of course, and running on a normal class schedule, but 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). On Tuesday, we explained why we program Rest Days twice a week and how you can get the most of of them.

2. Save the date! Fight Gone Bad, our annual workout/fundraiser/costume party/all-around-fun day, goes down on Saturday, October 20th, 2018. You won’t wanna miss it! Head over to the event page for details.

3. Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throw down: the 8th annual NYC Subway Series! All NYC affiliates are invited to participate—the affiliate with the best overall score at the end of four events wins the Subway Series Trophy and bragging rights for a whole year. This year the action kicks off right here at CFSBK on September 9th!

4. Want to get better on the ol’ jump rope? On November 3rd, we’re hosting the CrossFit Workshop: Jump Rope. This is a hands-on, fast-paced, fun seminar at which participants learn how to use a simple and effective tool to energize their programming and workouts.

5. A new cycle of our Level 2 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class with Callie Brennan starts this Sunday, and there are still some spots left. Go to Wednesday’s post for more info!

6. Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their eight-week cycle this Sunday, August 26th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering.

_____________________
Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Run, Bear Crawls
The Race to Build a Better Bee JSTOR Daily
4 Cues to Lose Athlete Daily

Snatch Complex

Fitness and Peformance
Every 3 Minutes for 7 Rounds:
Power Snatch + Hang Snatch + Overhead Squat

Build to a medium-heavy load on the complex. The goal is no misses.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 3 of 8

_____________________

4 Rounds Not for Time:
400m Jog
100′ Bear Crawl

Not for Time today. Keep the jogs at a moderate aerobic pace. If you can’t breathe only through your nose or hold a light conversation then slow down a bit. It’s easy to blow through these, but pay attention to your ab bracing, your hands grabbing the floor, and your hips staying stable on the crawls.

Post work to comments.

Leah is a licensed massage therapist in the state of New York, where she was born and raised. A graduate of the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences in 2009, she brings a decade of professional experience to her table. Shortly after obtaining her license, she earned additional certifications in sports and medical massage. She has worked in personal training studios, chiropractic offices, private studios, various gyms, community health centers, and at a variety of races and athletic events.

Leah maintains that truly skilled massage therapy has been the most effective modality for any physical ailments she’s personally dealt with, and has made it her mission to frame it in the larger discussion of physical rehabilitation. Her sessions are resolution-oriented, incorporating myofascial release, deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, ART, and rhythmic proprioception rebalancing.

In tandem with her massage therapy study, Leah is informed by her own experiences as a competitive powerlifter since 2012. She competes within USA Powerlifting and is a former New York state record holder in her weight class’s Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, and overall total in the raw open division. She has worked extensively with strength athletes since making lifting such an integral part of her life, so she understands common myoskeletal issues they often develop. While strength sport is her forte, Leah has a storied athletic background in dance and martial arts and is a former self-defense instructor. When not healing or training, she rides her Harley in an all-women motorcycle club and plays guitar in rock bands.

Schedule

Monday: 9am to 2:30pm
Tuesday: 3pm to 8pm
Wednesday: 9am to 2:30pm
Friday: 9am to 2:30pm
Saturday: 4:30pm to 8:30pm

This weekend and next week Leah is extended hours on Saturday (12:3opm to 8:30pm), Monday (9am to 5pm), and Wednesday (9am to 8pm).

Contact

E-mail Leah at leah.decesare [at] gmail.com to set up an appointment.

Pricing

30 minutes: $50
60 minutes: $100
90 minutes: $150

Purchase Here!

Cancellation Policy

Appointments cancelled within 24 hours are subjected to the full cost of the session.

FRIDAY: PING PONG NIGHT!

This Friday, August 24th, we’re hosting a ping pong night for CFSBKers at Ocean’s 8 (at Flatbush and 7th, a short walk from the gym). The fun starts at 7pm and will likely continue until everyone is pinged and/or ponged out. Ocean’s 8 has a full menu of food and drinks for purchase. Bring friends!

_____________________
Yesterday’s Results Board: Back Squat | Double-Blunders, Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
Sex, Steroids, and Arnold: The Story of the Gym that Shaped America Deadspin
CrossFit Games Layoffs Signal Big Changes to Come Morning Chalk-Up

Back Squat

Fitness
3 x 5 LP

Heavier than last week.

Performance
85% x 1, 85% x Max Reps

Warm up, then perform one set of 1 at 85% (of 1RM), followed by a max rep set at the same load. Use a spotters, but aim to end the set 1 rep shy of failure. The goal is no failing.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 3 of 8

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AMRAP 10 Minutes:
10 Double-Unders
3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
20 Double-Unders
6 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
30 Double-Unders
9 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
40 Double-Unders
12 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
50 Double-Unders
15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

Continue adding 10 Double-Unders and 3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups per round until time is called. Scale Dubs to about 1/2 attempts (aka Double-Blunders) or 2x Singles as needed. Scale the Pull-Ups to Chin-over-Bar or Jumping Chest-to-Bar as needed. Alternately, instead of scaling to keep moving consider using today as 10 minutes of practice on one of these 2 skills you have trouble with.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at CFSBK

Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is a full-contact grappling style that prioritizes strategy over brute force. Literally translating to the “soft” or “pliable” (jiu) “style” (jitsu), it is often thought of as the chess of martial arts. BJJ is, at its core, a self-defense system that employs positional advantages, joint locks, and chokes to defend against an opponent or attacker in an assertive and elegant manner. You needn’t be stronger than your opponent to subdue them, which makes BJJ one of the most practical and effective martial arts for all ages and sizes. There is no striking in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This is a submission grappling art based on efficiency of movement, leverage, and timing.

In Level 2, we will build on concepts and vocabulary of movement from the various positions with a larger portion of class-time dedicated to progressive resistance drilling, positional sparring, and straight sparring. If you have grappling experience from the past, you are welcome to jump into the Level 2 course!

This is a 4 week course with 1 class per week.

Days & Times

Level 2 (August 26th – September 16th): Sundays, 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Pricing

$100 (1 class per week)

About the Coach

Callie Brennan is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Team Fabio Clemente. Callie has been training and competing for the past 7 years. She began teaching beginner and intermediate students under the guidance of Pan American champion Babs Olusanmokun and multiple time World and Pan American champion Dominyka Obelenyte. Callie has competed locally and internationally winning gold at American Nationals as a white belt, the Montreal IBJJF Open at blue belt, and New York IBJJF Open at purple belt in her weight. She also medaled in the Abu Dhabi Pro Trials at blue belt.

Callie recently founded Rag Doll Camps with her training partner and coach, Dominyka Obelenyte, with a mission to close the gender gap in the sport. She also teaches privately. Callie initially began CrossFit to supplement her jiu-jitsu practice, and she is looking forward to sharing it with the CFSBK community!

Feel free to contact Callie directly with any questions!

REGISTER HERE!

Weekend Events

• This Friday, August 24th, we’re hosting a ping pong night for CFSBKers at Ocean’s 8 (at Flatbush and 7th, a short walk from the gym). The fun starts at 7pm and will likely continue until everyone is pinged and/or ponged out. Ocean’s 8 has a full menu of food and drinks for purchase. Bring friends!
• Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their eight-week cycle this Sunday, August 26th starting at 2:00pm. Lifters will be testing their 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press, and Deadlift. All are welcome to come by, hang out, and do some cheering.

_____________________
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