Photos from 18.4 by Thomas H. and Robert C. are now up on Flickr! | Photo by Thomas H. 

Interested in the Spring Vegetable CSA?

A few weeks ago, we ran a post to see how many people might be interested in participating in a vegetable CSA this year. To make sure we got the word out, we’re asking again for a non-binding headcount. Here are the details:

CFSBK is considering partnering with a new vegetable CSA vendor this summer: Miracle Springs Farm from Gallatin, NY.

Cost info: $700 for a weekly share for 22 weeks, or $350 for every-other-week for 22 weeks. Pick up would be at the gym on Wednesday evenings.

In order to move forward, we need to get a tentative headcount. The farm would need 15 every-other-week members or 30 weekly members.

Please comment below if you’re interested, and include if you would like weekly, every-other-week, or “doesn’t matter.” If you have questions, please email Michele at mignyc [at] gmail.com.

Cam C. at Pull for Pride

Cam C. will be competing in the Pull for Pride on Saturday, June 16th  at CrossFit Crow Hill. The Pull for Pride is a Deadlift-only event benefiting the Ali Forney Center, whose mission is to protect LGBTQ youths from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently.

Go here to sponsor Cam!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Bench Press | Run, Thrusters, Pull-Ups
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Fitness Space Girls Gone Wrong
18.4: Preliminary Analysis Beyond the Whiteboard

Bench Press

5-5-3-3-1-1

Warm up and perform two heavy sets at each rep scheme. The goal is no misses but use spotters on all work sets.

Post loads to comments.

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For Time:
400m Run
21 Dumbbell Thrusters 50/35
21 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
400m Run
15 Dumbbell Thrusters
15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
400m Run
9 Dumbbell Thrusters
9 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

Scale load on the Dumbbell Thrusters and to regular Chin-over-Bar Pull-Ups or Ring Rows as needed.

Post time and Rx to comments.

This Friday: Iron Maidens Registration Opens!

The 4th Annual Iron Maidens Raw Open is happening! We’ve moved to a warmer month this year: June 2, 2018.

This is a full, raw powerlifting meet contesting the Back Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift. It is open to women only. You do not need to be a member of CrossFit South Brooklyn to participate and we welcome all ages. We have space for 60 participants, and we always sell out fast!

For the third year, we are happy to continue raising funds for the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship which provides college tuition support to students of Grace Outreach, a Bronx based nonprofit that works with women to further their education and gain financial independence. Through past competitors’ efforts, we have raised over $65,000 and supported 10 women pursuing higher education!

Registration will open March 23, 2018. Be on the lookout for the sign-up link posted right here on the blog and the Iron Maidens website!

News and Notes

• A note from Stella Z.: “Next weekend (March 23-25) I’ll be heading to Stamford, CT for the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. It’s a contest to see who’s the fastest and most accurate solver across seven puzzles, and the top three competitors at that point solve a live final puzzle on a giant grid in front of an audience. I’d love to get on the podium, although that is mostly a pipe dream, but my totally achievable and yet not easy goal is to remain in the top ten. As a reference point for how competitive the field is: I regularly solve the New York Times Sunday crossword in less than seven minutes, and I’m still not even unequivocally the fastest person in Brooklyn! Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it.” Good luck, Stella!
• Robert C. did some more maths and figured out that according to the CrossFit Games site, as of Saturday, CFSBK members had collectively lifted 252,855 lb (126 tons) in 18.4. For reference, that’s more than the weight of 18 Tyrannosaurus rex. For 18.5, you’ll have to kill the Tyrannosaurus for time.
• Don’t forget to submit your 18.4 scores to the Games site tonight before 8pm!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Power Snatch, Toes-to-Bars, Planks, Burpees
The Untold History of the Bench Press BarBend
Why Can’t Everyone Do the “Asian Squat”? The Atlantic

WOD 3.18.18

Every minute on the minute x 36 (6e)
1) 1 Power Snatch + 1 Hang Power Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat
2) 5 Strict Toes-to-Bars (or Hanging Leg or Knee Raises) + 10 Air Squats
3) 10 Burpees
4) 30 Second Single-Arm Plank Left
5) 30 Second Single-Arm Plank Right
6) Rest

Post work to comments.

Theodora is ready for those Overhead Squats today

The End Is Nigh!

By Chris Fox

Hard to believe that this year’s Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge is about to be a wrap, the official end date being next Saturday, March 24th! Please get your Post Challenge Submissions to us no later then Wednesday, March 28th. We recommend that you take some time, 1-2 weeks, to let loose just a little bit. Don’t go off the rails entirely, but do allow yourself a few treats that you may have been avoiding (great time to experiment with your Red, Yellow, and Green Light Foods!). If you’ve been counting macros, put your scale away and eat intuitively for a few weeks. If you’ve made some changes to your body composition, you need a little time to let your body adjust to the new version of you. If after the short break you still want to make more changes, get right back on your plan. If you’ve been counting macros and you’re still progressing then there’s no need to change the numbers. If you’ve stalled out a bit and your goal is to lose body fat then you can drop your carbs and/or fats by 10-15% to create a further, small caloric deficit. If your goal is to gain mass and you’ve stalled then you can bump all your macros up by 10-15%. In both scenarios you’ll follow the new numbers for about 12 weeks, then take another break before deciding where you want to go with it.

We’ve programmed the Capacity Test WOD (in bold below) for Monday, March 26th. If you can’t make class on either that Monday or Tuesday then simply ask a coach for some space when you can do it and we’ll accommodate you. Open Gym is another option. Maybe you can find a few friends looking to do it together on the Facebook page! Use the same version of any scaling options you used initially, or make note if you chose a more difficult version of the workout (like now you do pull ups instead of jumping pull ups). If for any reason you performed a different test workout then re-do that same one and submit it with your Post-Challenge Submission.

2018 LFPB Challenge Capacity Test WOD

“Jackie”

For Time:
1000m Row
50 Thrusters 45#
30 Pull-Ups

Regardless of how well or poorly you think you did these last 12 weeks we encourage you to follow through with the Post Challenge Submission. It can provide a platform for some healthy introspection on what does and doesn’t work for you. Also, it’s important to note that some while some habits might have been hard to follow right now, it doesn’t mean they won’t be a bit easier to follow in the future. You are constantly evolving as you learn and practice…and it all takes time and practice. One thing we know for sure is that getting down on yourself for being “bad” won’t help. There is no failing, only learning. (very Miyagi, no?)

Once more with the link:

2018 Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge Post-Submission

Winners will be announced the week of April 2nd, the week after the submission deadline of March 28!

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Unhappiness Is a Palate-Cleanser Nautilus
Fan Favorites Face Failure CrossFit

Amino Disrespect team member Coach MeLo on her way to a Muscle-Up at Friday Night Lights

Open Intramural Team Rankings: Week 3

In Week 3 of the CFSBK Open Intramural Team Competition, shit started to get real. Well, it might be more accurate to say it continued to get real. It’s been pretty real all along. After Kippin’ It Real took 1st place last week (inspired, no doubt, by the ferocious beauty of Jay-Star‘s prose), Make America Blue Again came roaring back with a 34.9 to retake the top spot by a hair. Powered by Coach MeLo‘s gunz, Amino Disrespect solidified their position as a Top 3 team. Expect these teams to continue trading paint this week, setting up a Week 5 showdown. You heard it here first.

That’s not all! Captained by world-class photographer Thomas H. and powered in no small part by Coach JB (her size to strength ratio is roughly that of a leafcutter ant), Going Dark posted a tremendous performance to move past 50 Shades of Gainz and into 4th place. They’re now less than 1 point out of 3rd.

Will 50 Shades reemerge from their sex dungeon to exact revenge? Find out tonight from 5:30 to 8pm at Friday Night Lights! There’s still time to sign up for a heat right here!

Current Ranking – Team – Overall Average (Week 3 Score)

1. Make America Blue Again: 36.1 (34.9)
2. Kippin’ It Real: 36.28 (36.3)
3. Amino Disrespect: 37.9 (36.7)
4. Going Dark: 38.56 (33.2)
5. 50 Shades of Gainz: 39.08 (39.4)
6. The Incredible Hulks: 41.25 (37.1)

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Clean | Handstand Walking
Nicole Carroll’s Tips for 18.4 CrossFit
Dakota Rager Clears 18.3 with Time to Spare YouTube

3 Touch-and-Go Power Cleans + 3 Push Jerks

Warm up and work up to a heavy set of 3 Touch-and-Go Power Cleans, into 3 Touch-and-Go Push Jerks.

Post loads to comments.

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Handstand Walking

Choose one of the following scaling options, and spend 15-20 minutes developing your hand balancing:

A) Hand Walking (free or 2′ from wall)
B) Wall Inverted Hip Shifts with Hand Release (from a Wall Walk or Kick Up)
C) Box Piked Hip Shifts with Hand Release
D) Floor Piked Hip Shifts with Hand Release

Rest after each set or attempt and don’t turn it into a 20-minute AMKAP (As Many Kick Ups as Possible). If you’re not spotting someone, you can use the rest periods to do some light stretching or light rowing, jogging, cycling, etc.

Post work to comments.

Jake M. knocks out some Overhead Squats at last week’s Friday Night Lights. Come out to the gym again this Friday night to get after Open Workout 18.4 with yer buds or just do some cheering. Go here to sign up for a heat! | Photo by Thomas H.

Open Diary 18.3

By Brett Ferguson

After seeing the movements in the announcement for 18.3, I sent a text to a friend that read, “This is not going to be a good one for me.” I saw Ring Muscle-Ups programmed and, even though I can do them, I’m not nearly as efficient as most men who are competing in CrossFit. Games Athletes can pretty much all do thirty Muscle-Ups unbroken. Regionals athletes can easily do 30 Muscle-Ups for time in a matter of minutes. I still don’t have the technique quite down. I compensate by over pulling with my arms and this strength fades really quickly for me. Like all gymnastics movements, more needs to be done with the legs and hips than I have yet to fully embody when I am on the rings. So, when I see this movement programmed in 18.3, I immediately think of what other athletes can do that I cannot. I have mentally given up on this work out before it even begins. I’m guessing some people felt the same way when they saw Double-Unders or the Overhead Squats at the prescribed weights.

Leading up to the workout on Friday, I had a solid game plan in place. I knew that I needed to break up the Double-Unders early to save my shoulders and keep my breathing as steady as possible. This meant stopping when I started to feel the burning sensation in my shoulders or grip. I knew that I need to try to do the Ring Muscle-Ups without going to failure. Going to failure on any movement is extremely taxing on the body and also takes a subliminal toll on the mind. If I fail at something during a workout, a quick flash of panic hits me and can totally throw me off. I moved through the first few pieces well and got to the rings. I came down every time I felt like I might fail the next one to save energy and shake out my arms. I failed my very last one but stayed calm and took a few seconds until i was confident I would hit it. I wasn’t thinking about anyone else at this point, because I didn’t know anyone else who had done the workout yet and I wasn’t trying to chase a score. I was just trying to keep moving and do my best. I ended up doing pretty well considering my attitude from the previous evening.

I knew my score wouldn’t be a top 200 score in the region, but I didn’t expect it to land me where it did. The old Compare and Despair set in after looking at the Leaderboard and seeing other athletes that I had been competitive with in 18.1 and 18.2 beating me by 70-100 reps on this one. I came up with a game plan for my redo on Monday and prepped myself. I decided to push the Double-Unders a little harder to give myself some extra time on the back end. My shoulders had felt pretty good on Friday. It was more the breathing that became the challenge. This strategy completely backfired! My shoulders were fried. My Ring Muscle-Ups went to singles early on. The dumbbell felt way heavier. However, I was still moving faster than I did on Friday, so I kept pushing… until the Bar Muscle-Ups. Previously I had done 3 sets of 4. On this day, it was singles right off the bat. I was completely thrown off by how hard they felt and started doing whatever I could to get over the bar, i.e. pulling more with my arms, letting my kip fall apart, and generally making the movement way harder for myself. I hadn’t even considered the possibility of this problem, so I was unprepared when it hit. I looked at the clock: five reps done and it read 10:30. I had finished the Bar Muscle-Ups at 10:20 3 days earlier. I stooped in a low squat looking at the floor. I gave up. I felt defeated and like I had failed myself. Part of it was that I had mentally given up and stopped doing the work out. I can’t remember the last time I did that. The other part was that I hadn’t reached the goal I had set for myself. What I did do was give it the best effort that I had in me that day but for some reason that wasn’t enough. Because my best effort on Monday was not equal to my best effort on Friday, I equated it to failure.

I got on the Assault Bike and just let me legs move the pedals while I sent a flurry of frustrated texts to my coach. Arturo, who has seen the whole thing unfold and could likely sense that I was upset, came over while I was mentally freaking out and said, “You know, you’ve made a lot of progress since you started here as a member four years ago. You work really hard every day and you’re doing great. Think about how far you’ve come.” The message that I tell everyone else but find so hard to accept for myself was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. It wasn’t said to try to make me feel better but in a genuine way. I paused for a second, and instead of responding with the classic, “Yeah, but…” like I wanted to, I said, “You’re right. Thanks, man.” Every day won’t be a PR day. In fact, most won’t. But giving 100% is something that I can do.

I’ve found it very interesting to write these diaries thus far. It’s crazy to see the same pattern repeat itself each week and then write about it again and again. Obviously, it’s something I need to continue to work on. On the up side, it has led to some very interesting conversations in the gym with a few members. Why do I beat myself up in this aspect of my life? Is it just because I’m competitive? Do I feel like I need to prove something because my job is coaching CrossFit and somehow that means that I need to be a top athlete in the world?

I asked a few people where they talk negatively to themselves in their lives and where they don’t. Occupation seemed to be a big source of negative talk, as did things where expectations were set (not goals, expectations). Things where people were positive: hobbies and activities where people saw themselves making progress without being competitive with others. This is not an all inclusive list by any means. It only comes from a few conversations, but it does give me a lot to think about. Think about it for a second. Do you ever beat yourself up? If so, why? What it is about that thing that creates the pressure you put on yourself? All good learning. More to come next week!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Dumbbell Lunges, Dumbbell Burpees| Tempo Back Squat / Tempo Front Squat
Moving from Roadblock Stage to Breakthrough Stage Catalyst Athletics
How Exercise Can Keep Aging and Immune Systems “Young” NY Times

WOD 3.14.18

Every 3 minutes for 6 rounds:
12 Dumbbell Front Rack Reverse Lunges (6e)
12 Dumbbell Burpees

Post work to comments.

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Tempo Back Squat / Tempo Front Squat

Tempo Back Squat (33X1):
Heavy 3

Warm up and work up to a heavy set of 3 Tempo Back Squats. Use spotters on all work sets.

Tempo Front Squat (33X1):
Heavy 3

Drop weight from the Back Squat set and perform a heavy set of 3 Tempo Front Squats.

Post loads to comments.

Here’s CFSBK OG Samir C. putting his gainz to good use on Illiniza Norte (about 16,500 feet above sea level) in Ecuador

News and Notes from CFSBK Members

• Samir also recently published an essay in Aeon entitled “The Usefulness of Dread,” and it’s about something a lot of us can relate to. Here’s a snippet: “Anxiety is insidious, more than just a simple fear. It is, all at once, a fever and an occupation, an affliction and a constitution. An anxiety is a lens through which to view the world, a colouration that grants the sufferer’s experiences their distinctive hue.” Read the whole thing!
• Last week we told you about Chris Y.’s podcast interview with Captain Osorio. There’s a new episode of Giant Korean Head out this week in which Chris and his cohost discuss giving up booze and soda for a month. Check out both episodes on the GKH site!
• 200 (!) or so of you are currently KILLING IT in the CrossFit Open. We’d like to take a moment to thank you for all the awesome energy you’ve been bringing to the gym day in and day out. Don’t forget to follow along on the CFSBK affiliate leaderboard!

Allie B. and Coach Whit embrace after a milestone Muscle-Up at Friday Night Lights. Be sure to check out the whole series here! | Photo by Thomas H. 

Jay-Star’s Guide to the Open: AARGH

By Jay Reingold

Editor’s Note: This is the second episode of Jay-Star’s new satirical series about the Open. You can find last week’s installment here.

They say that many things get better with age. And by “many things,” I mean me. Haters are gonna hate, but I am currently ranked in the 78th percentile in my age group which is an extraordinary accomplishment given my lack of motivation and general CrossFit suckiness.

What this really demonstrates is that CrossFitters need to have a well-developed aging strategy during Games season. Remember young = bad, old = good. Competing in an older cohort is pretty much guaranteed to put you on the fast track to relative CrossFit Open greatness. Since rapid aging is not likely to be one of your #goalz, you need to turn to the old tried and true: the fake ID. Yes, it’s time to drop by mom’s house, dig through the crates, and dust off the Finland driver’s license that made your Zima- fueled good time Saturday night dreams come true.

Back in my minorhood, my fully documented cover story was that I was a 25-year old submariner on shore leave after a six-month stint in the Arctic hunting Russkies, defending baby seals, and picking up hitchhiking polar bears. Let me say it served me quite well both with the ladies and at the West End Bar where I felt great after the first seven tequila shots until I passed out in the bathroom of Tom’s Restaurant and had to find my way back to Bensonhurst. I forgot my address, and to this day I am not sure if I ever made it to the right place. Some nice family finally took me in and helped me pay for college after I knocked down—I mean…  on a few doors

Anyway… keep in mind… AMRAP becomes ARAP if you get rid of the M and ARAP becomes AARP if you do some other stuff.

Kip it real y’all.

News and Notes

• Intramural team captains: Don’t forget to submit your athletes’ scores to the spreadsheet today!
• Missing something? Check out the goods from our latest lost and found clean out, and be sure to claim your stuff before we donate it to CHIPs in a couple of weeks.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Run, KB Swings, Push Presses, Bar Muscle-Ups
The Magic (and Math) of Skating on Thin Ice Scientific American
Better to Be Better Than Perfect Breaking Muscle

WOD 3.12.18

Performance
5 Rounds for Time:
270m Run
12 Kettlebell Swings 32/24 kg
6 Push Presses 165/110 lb
3 Bar Muscle-Ups

The Kettlebell Swings are Rx’d as overhead. The Push Press is taken from the floor and should be on the heavyish side for you.

Fitness
5 Rounds for Time:
270m Run
12 Russian Kettlebell Swings 24/16kg
6 Push Presses 115/75
3 Toes-to-Bars
3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

The kettlebell and barbell weights should be medium-heavy for you but unbroken. Scale the loads accordingly. The barbell is taken from the floor. The low reps on the gymnastics elements should allow you to choose a challenging version of each if scaling, even if you need to do them as singles.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Photo by Thomas H.

SAVE THE DATE: 2018 Iron Maidens Raw Open

The 4th Annual Iron Maidens Raw Open is happening! We’ve moved to a warmer month this year: June 2, 2018.

This is a full, raw powerlifting meet contesting the Back Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift. It is open to women only. You do not need to be a member of CrossFit South Brooklyn to participate and we welcome all ages. We have space for 60 participants, and we always sell out fast!

For the third year, we are happy to continue raising funds for the Iron Maidens Stay Strong Scholarship which provides college tuition support to students of Grace Outreach, a Bronx based nonprofit that works with women to further their education and gain financial independence. Through past competitors’ efforts, we have raised over $65,000 and supported 10 women pursuing higher education!

Registration will open March 23, 2018. Be on the lookout for the sign-up link posted right here on the blog and the Iron Maidens website!

News and Notes

• Missing something? Check out the goods from our latest lost and found clean out, and be sure to claim your stuff before we donate it to CHIPs in a couple of weeks.
• Photos from Open Workout 18.3 by Thomas H., Robert C., and your blog editor are now up on Flickr. Relive the glory!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Team 10K Row
Balls of the Feet, Not the Toes, in the Split Jerk Catalyst Athletics
There’s a Bunch of Extremely Cool NASA Stuff on the Internet Archive The Outline