Front Squats are on tap for Wednesday. Check out this very useful Ask a Coach video on how you should be balanced in the Back Squat, Overhead Squat, and Front Squat. Is there something you’d like to see us address in a future video? Let us know in the comments!

THIS SATURDAY at 7pm: Community Potluck

The CFSBK Community Potluck is just 5 days away! This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together. The fun starts at 7pm and will continue until around 10! This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come.

Your dish doesn’t have to be paleo, but please try and keep the ingredients within the guidelines of the Challenge… animal and vegetable proteins, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, starches, legumes, whole grains, and dairy are all good to go. We’ll vote on the top 3 dishes, so bring your best recipe! You may, of course, opt to bring a healthy dessert that limits the use of sugars and refined grains.

See the event page for more details, and leave a comment to let everyone know what you’re bringing!

News and Notes

• Well, well, well. It looks like we have a bunch of your stuff again. But we want to give it back! Check out our latest lost and found clean-out, and be sure to claim your possessions before we donate them to CHIPS in a couple of weeks.
• We’re always trying to get better at what we do. If you have a minute, head over to the Feedback page and tell us about your experience at the gym!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Bench Press | Run, Sit-Ups, Ring Rows
Does Weightlifting Attract Hardcore Personalities… Or Develop Them? Catalyst Athletics
Dealing With and Working Past Bad Days in the Gym BarBend

Bench Press

8-8-5-5-3-3-1-1

All work sets should be heavy, ideally heavier than the previous set. If you’re newer to Bench Pressing, then do a few extra moderately challenging sets of 3 instead of the heavy singles. Use spotters on all work sets.

Post loads to comments.

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3 Rounds for Time:
400m Run
25 Sit-Ups
15 Ring Rows

Make the Ring Rows challenging, but keep them strict. If you have to throw your hips into it then break the set and/or scale to an easier ring row.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Koji, Grizz, and Jess represented CFSBK at OUTWOD this weekend. Saturday’s event benefitted Trinity Place Shelter. Nice work, all! 

Upcoming Training Cycle Template

Training Cycle Dates: M 1/29/18 – Su 3/25/18 (through all 5 weeks of the Open)

Goals: This cycle will run a bit more similar to classic CrossFit (i.e., constantly varied, functional movement executed at appropriately high intensity). While we’ll see consistent exposures to movements on specific days, the load, rep, and set schemes will be varied, sometimes showing up in a dedicated lifting segment and sometimes in the metcon. The main focus of the cycle is to perform well in the Open—to stay fresh for each week’s workout, which we’ll again program for Saturday’s group classes, rather than gearing the cycle towards improvement in specific lifts/movements.

Monday

Upper Body Pushing

Wednesday

Squatting

Thursday

Olympic Lifting

Saturday

Metcon Funday

Sunday

Olympic Lifting

CrossFit Open Workout Dates

18.1 – February 22-26
18.2 – March 1-5
18.3 – March 8-12
18.4 – March 15-19
18.5 – March 22-26

The Open kicks off in less that a month, and we’re aiming to have 200 CFSBKers participate this year. Don’t forget to sign up here!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Partner WOD
To Scale or Not to Scale CrossFit Games
The Imaginative Powers of a Brain on Autopilot NY Mag

WOD 1.28.18

In teams of 3, with one partner working at a time, alternate complete rounds of the following for time…

30 Rounds (10ea):
15 Kettlebell Swings 24/16
7 Thrusters 95/65

Both the kettlebell and barbell should be light-medium and unbroken.

Post time, Rx, and partners to comments.

Crush Week is over! How did it go? What did you learn? Do you like Thrusters now? Tell us in the comments! | Photo by Thomas H. 

Today’s Schedule

CFSBK will host the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course in 597 Degraw this weekend. As a result, all classes will meet in either 608 or the Annex,  and we’ll be running on a slightly modified today:

8am Short Circuit
9am Crossfit
9am CrossFit Preschool
10am Crossfit Kids
10am CrossFit
10am Starting Strength
11am CrossFit
11am Active Recovery
12pm CrossFit
1pm CrossFit
2pm Anti-Gravity
2:15pm Free Intro Class
6 -8pm Open Gym

Cancelled: 8am Crossfit, 11am CrossFit Kids

Please note that there will be no Open Gym outside the designated hours and only in 608 Degraw.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Partner WOD
The Dinner Party That Served Up 50,000-Year-Old Bison Stew Atlas Obscura
10 Questions with CrossFit Immortal CrossFit Journal

Partner WOD

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
4 Dumbbell Power Cleans
4e Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
4 Pull-Ups

Rest 4 minutes, then…

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
4 Dumbbell Power Cleans
4e Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
4 Toes-to-Bars

Rest 4 minutes, then…

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
4 Dumbbell Power Cleans
4e Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
4 Bar Muscle-Ups

Score total rounds for each part. Partners alternate rounds. Choose dumbbells on the heavyish side for you, around 25-30% of body weight. Hold the dumbbells in the front rack for the Reverse Lunges.

Dumbbell Loads: Rx 50/35, Scaled 35/20, Further Scaled 20/15
Pull-Up Scale: Jumping Pull-Ups
Toes-to-Bar Scale: Hanging Knee Raises
Bar Muscle-Up Scale: Chest-to-Bar or Jumping Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

Post rounds, Rx, and partner to comments.

Today’s Schedule

CFSBK will host the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course in 597 Degraw this weekend. As a result, all classes will meet in either 608 or the Annex,  and we’ll be running on a slightly modified schedule. Here’s what today looks like:

8am Short Circuit
8am Strong Fit
9am Short Circuit
10am CrossFit
10am Yoga for Athletes
11am CrossFit
11am Active Recovery
12pm CrossFit
1pm CrossFit
2-4pm Open Gym

Cancelled: 8am CrossFit, 9am CrossFit, 11am AG Strength

As you can see, we’re offering an extra Short Circuit class at 8am today. See the Schedule page to find out what’s happening tomorrow.

Samir C. at the Brooklyn Public Library

Tonight at the Brooklyn Public Library, CFSBK OG Samir C. will present on Nietzsche and Buddhism as part of A Night of Philosophy and Ideas, an all-night marathon of philosophical debate, performances, screenings, readings, and music. Samir’s talk is at 1:30am, and you can catch it in person or on the livestream. You can find the whole schedule for the evening here!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
How Much Do Olympic Speed Skaters Squat? BarBend
What You Need to Know to Get Started with Powerlifting Girls Gone Strong

Coach Brett had his game face on while representing team 2 Legit 2 Quit at one of last year’s Friday Night Lights events. FNL is one of many great reasons to register for the CrossFit Open! | Photo by Thomas H.

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Still on the fence (the proverbial one, not the invisible one we step over during DROMs)? On Tuesday we offered some reasons why you should take part in the Open this year! We’re aiming to have 200 CFSBKers participate. Let’s make it happen!

2. Our annual Community Potluck is just over a week away. We’re excited to share delicious foods and see how everyone cleans up. Let us know what you plan to bring by leaving a comment on the event page!

3. What’s up with those stretchy bands that are in with the mobility gear? Check out this quick video on how you can work TheraBands into your routine!

4. In the latest chapter of Better Know a Member, we got to know Upright Citizen, talented bowler, and all-around good guy Corey B.! 

5. “Some of us can self evaluate, assess where we need more work and flexibility, and get to it. Most of us, myself included, cannot.” That’s from Coach Fox‘s latest post at Beyond the Whiteboard. It’s called “Older, Fitter: Little Tips for a Long CrossFit Life,” and you should give it a read!

6. In case you missed it, we’ll be running on a modified schedule this weekend while we host the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course. Everything you need to know is over on the Schedule page. We’re adding a second Short Circuit class on Saturday to meet your fitness needs!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Open Workout 13.1
The Mysterious Interior World of Exercise NY Times
Breathing Air Before Fire CrossFit Journal

Power Snatch

Warm up to a medium-heavy Power Snatch, around as heavy as your second load for the workout.

Post loads to comments.

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Open Workout 13.1

In 17 Minutes:
40 Burpees
30 Snatches 75/45
30 Burpees
30 Snatches 135/75
20 Burpees
30 Snatches 165/100
10 Burpees
AMRAP Snatches 210/120

The Burpees in this Open Workout were to a target 6″ above the athlete’s reach. We’re not going to set up targets, but be sure to jump and reach overhead on each Burpee. The Snatches are anyhow… Power, Full, Muscle, or Split. The first weight should be a weight you know you can get through. The second weight should be doable, something you can do sets of 2-5 when fresh; however, many people will end up somewhere in here as the total work adds up. The third weight should be challenging for you. That 4th weight is really just a joke that @thedavecastro played with us mere mortals that year, and something only Regionals level athletes worked up to.

Post total reps and Rx to comments.

Better Know a Member: Corey Brown

New year, new round of Better Know a Member! In this series, we profile members from across the ever-growing CFSBK community. Last week we got to know Texan and Court Street Grocer aficionado Jaime C. This week, let’s learn more about Corey B.!

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Born in Erie, PA and raised in Chapel Hill, NC.

How long have you been CrossFitting, and how did you arrive at CFSBK?

I’ve been doing CrossFit for a year and five months. I became a runner six or seven years ago and then started running marathons. I used to run by CFSBK when I would run home from work. I’ve always had zero motivation when it came to lifting heavy things, but I like to do crazy stuff, and CrossFit seemed to be just that. I signed up for Foundations class and quickly made a promise to myself not to ever tell anyone about CrossFit. I have failed numerous times with this promise.

Did you have any mentors or heroes growing up?

I’m such a daddy’s boy, and he was and is my hero. Growing up biracial I felt out of place 100% of the time, and he was so good at explaining life and how things would change for me as I got older. This was coming from a man who lived through a terribly racist time, and he still was able to see the good in the world and teach me to look for that. I should send him a card.

What are you up to when you’re not at 597 Degraw Street?

I am a performer and teacher at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. Basically I’m very funny and help to make other people very funny. I also have a full-time job as an academic adviser at NYU. You can also catch me checking my stats to see how well I’m doing in the Bachelor or Bachelorette leagues that I’m in.

What’s your hidden talent?

I was on the bowling team when I was in college at East Carolina University. I always hovered slightly above a 200 average, which was good, but not good enough to try to make a career out of it and do well. I’m still pretty decent out of it, but it’s very expensive to bowl in NYC.

What’s the first movie you ever loved?

I was smitten with The Karate Kid. I did a lot of martial arts growing up, and seeing some punk kid from Reseda learn karate made me want to find a wise old man who lived in a shack and have him teach me how to defend myself. Then they made The Karate Kid 4 and broke my heart.

Any advice for new CFSBKers?

Watch! I usually get to the gym 30-45 minutes before class starts, and I just watch everyone else. I can see what people are doing right and wrong and that teaches me a ton. You can only learn so much in an hour, and your body can only handle so much lifting, but your eyes/ears and brain can keep digesting. So if you creepily ever see me just staring in your direction, all I’m doing is picking up tips! Or you have a booger and I’m deciding if I want to tell you.

News and Notes

• “Some of us can self evaluate, assess where we need more work and flexibility, and get to it. Most of us, myself included, cannot.” That’s from Coach Fox‘s latest post at Beyond the Whiteboard. It’s called “Older, Fitter: Little Tips for a Long CrossFit Life,” and you should check it out!
• In case you missed it, we’ll be running on a modified schedule this weekend. Everything you need to know is over on the Schedule page.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Front Squat | Open Workout 13.2
Fueling the Open CrossFit
Cocktail of Brain Chemicals May Be a Key to What Makes Us Human Scientific American

Looking to spice up your mobility work? Those stretchy bands that can be found with the other mobility toys are pretty handy for that. Watch this video for some tips and tricks! 

This Weekend’s Schedule

CFSBK will host the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course in 597 Degraw this weekend. As a result, all classes will meet in either 608 or the Annex,  and we’ll be running on a slightly modified schedule. Here’s what you can expect:

Saturday, January 27th

8am Short Circuit
8am Strong Fit
9am Short Circuit
10am Yoga for Athletes
11am CrossFit
11am Active Recovery
12pm CrossFit
1pm CrossFit
2-4pm Open Gym

Cancelled: 8am CrossFit, 9am CrossFit, 11am AG Strength

Sunday, January 28th

8am Short Circuit
9am Crossfit
9am CrossFit Preschool
10am CrossFit
10am Crossfit Kids
10am Starting Strength
11am CrossFit
11am Active Recovery
12pm CrossFit
1pm CrossFit
2pm Anti-Gravity
2:15pm Free Intro Class
6 -8pm Open Gym

Cancelled: 8am Crossfit, 11am Crossfit Kids

As you can see, we’re adding an 8am Short Circuit on Saturday! Also, please note that there will be no Open Gym outside the designated hours and only in 608 Degraw.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
An Uneasy Truce: Lessening Dysphoria with Powerlifting Women’s Strength Coalition
15 Years of CrossFit CrossFit Journal

The Countdown to the Open Begins

We’re now less than 30 days away from the start of the 2018 CrossFit Open! 2017 was a big year for the gym, and we want to keep the good vibes rolling in 2018. That’s why we’re aiming to have 200 CFSBKers register for the Open this year! Rory McKernan explains what the Open is in the video above, but here are 5 really good reasons why you should participate:

1. As in years past, there will be both Rx’d and Scaled versions of each workout. So don’t fret if you don’t have those Pull-Ups or Muscle-Ups or What-Have-Yous yet.

2. We’ll be running the CFSBK Open Intramural Team Competition again this year, and you’ll have to be officially registered for Open to take part.  This competition aims to promote a healthy community rivalry and provide motivation for all Open competitors to perform their best each week. There will be t-shirts!

3. FRIDAY. NIGHT. LIGHTS. Each Open Intramural team will send a male and a female competitor to this super-fun throw down that we’ll host all 5 weeks of the Open. Check out the photos from last year here and here!

4. Competition is fun, even if you’re not the competitive type! Last week, we reposted Coach Fox’s “Why Compete?” and that about sums it up.

5. The Open best expresses the fundamentally democratic spirit of CrossFit. It’s easy to forget about that when you watch incredible athletes doing incredible things in the Games. But in the Open, everyone has a chance to prove something to themselves, and at CFSBK, we’re lucky to be able to do that in an environment in which your fellow athletes will cheer you on, whether you’re a veteran, a rookie, or somewhere in between. If you’re thinking about doing it, do it!

 

***PILATES IS CANCELLED TONIGHT***- KH IS SICK- GET WELL SOON CAGE!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: “Diane”
Outing Death NY Times
Get Strong Where You Need to Be Strong  Catalyst Athletics

“Diane”

For Time:
21-15-9 Deadlifts 225/155
Handstand Push-Ups

The Deadlift weight should be medium-heavy for you, and completed in 1-3 sets. Scale load as needed. For most athletes, however, this benchmark is more about the Handstand Push-Ups. To Rx this workout, you should be able to complete sets of 6-10 reps or more when fresh. If you can not complete at least 6 Handstand Push-Ups in a row, then scale volume or to heavy Dumbbell Push Presses instead. If doing the Dumbbell Push Presses, choose a challenging load that allows you complete sets of 6-10 reps or more.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Saturday, February 3rd: CFSBK Community Potluck

We’re excited to get everyone in house to break bacon and socialize together outside of classes. This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together. The fun starts at 7pm! This event is open to everyone and all are encouraged to come.

Your dish doesn’t have to be paleo, but please try and keep the ingredients of your dish to within the guidelines of the Challenge… animal and vegetable proteins, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, starches, legumes, whole grains, and dairy are all good to go. We’ll vote on the top 3 dishes, so bring your best recipe! You may, of course, opt to bring a healthy dessert that limits the use of sugars and refined grains.

• The gym will provide some alcohol, but feel free to bring whatever else you’d like. If you’re not drinking booze and want to bring a drink, seltzer is great, too!
• If your food needs to be kept warm, you’ll need to provide your own crockpot or other method for keeping it at serving temperature. We’ve got surge protectors and extension cords.
• We’ll provide notecards so you can label your dish and list its ingredients.
• When you leave please take everything you brought with you. Do not leave any pots, pans, Tupperware, utensils, etc. They will be discarded that night.
• There will be a raffle for one free personal training session with Captain Osorio himself!
• THERE WILL ALSO BE A BOUNCE HOUSE. Bring your kiddos!
• If you’d like to help out (and haven’t already been contacted) we’ll need some hands on deck putting everything away afterwards. If you stay until the end, we’d greatly appreciate some help cleaning up!
• We also need some volunteers to help set up before and clean up afterwards. To help set up, arrive by 6:30 PM! E-mail our Events Coordinator Danae M. at events [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com to let her know you’re available.
• Let us know what you’re bringing by posting in the comments section of the event page!

We can’t wait to see you there!

News and Notes

• Starting tomorrow, CFSBK will be offering Jiu Jitsu Open Mat hours with Callie Brennan on Tuesdays from 4 to 6pm! Jiu Jitsu Open Mat (accessible with a specialty-class punchcard) is a supplemental and informal training session for current students and practitioners with at least a fundamental knowledge of jiu jitsu. This is an opportunity to drill technique and spar with other practitioners on the mat and clarify any questions you may have about your training.
• Also, don’t forget that we’re now offering a second Strong Fit class on Tuesdays at 6:30pm. This is a great opportunity to play with sandbags, the yoke, and other fun stuff!
• How did test week go? Tell us about your PRs and other triumphs in the commens!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Clean and Jerk | Row, Thrusters, Muscle-Ups
Exposure to Nature Promotes a More Positive Body Image Pacific Standard
How America’s Olympic Freestyle Ski Team Gets So Strong BarBend

Clean and Jerk

1-1-1-1-1

Begin at about 75% and work up to a heavy single for the day. Press-outs are missed lifts. If you’re feeling good, then go for a new 1RM. If you’re newer to the lift then work up to a heavy load on the complex of: Clean Deadlift + Hang Power Clean + Front Squat + Push Jerk.

Post loads to comments.

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Performance
For Time:
500m Row
30 Thrusters 95/65
10 Muscle-Ups

Fitness
For Time:
500m Row
30 Thrusters 95/65
20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
10 Burpees

The Thrusters should be light, and done in 1-3 sets.

Post time and Rx to comments.

• Schedule Change: Today’s 2pm Anti-Gravity class is cancelled.

Changes to Sunday’s CrossFit Preschool & Kids Classes

As you may have noticed, our Sunday kids classes have grown quite a bit over the past couple months! While we are thrilled about this growth, we realize that a few changes need to be made to ensure that your children receive the best experience possible.

Beginning today, January 21st, we will be moving the Preschool class to 9am and adding a 2nd Kids class at 10am. We will also be requiring parents to RSVP their child for each class. See the CrossFit Kids program page for details on the RSVP process.

Sunday Preschool/Kids schedule change (effective 1/21/18)

9am CrossFit Preschool (in annex) (CAPPED at 10)
10am CrossFit Kids (in 608) (CAPPED at 8)
11am CrossFit Kids (in 608) (CAPPED at 8)

TODAY: LFPB CHALLENGE INFO SESSION AND Q&A

The next Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge Lecture and Q&A is today at 12pm in the Annex. This week’s lecture will focus on the question, “How does recovery (or a lack therof) affect my performance and body composition?” We’ll cover stress (both the good and bad kind), cortisol, and how good nutrition and recovery practices can optimize performance and body composition. As always, an open Q&A will follow.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Wodurday
Katrin Davidsdottir on the Next Five Years of CrossFit BarBend
3 Ways to Own Any Workout Athlete Daily