Yes, Coach JB can lift many times her bodyweight, but she can also do an elite-level CrossFit Face. More photos from Saturday’s Subway Series event are up on our Flickr account! 

REGISTER NOW FOR STARTING STRENGTH PROGRAM

The Starting Strength program is an opportunity to spend 8 weeks 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 | Monday, October 30th – Friday, December 15th (8 slots)
B cycle: Intermediate, 7pm Tues/Thurs and 10am Sun | Tuesday, October 31st – Sunday, December 17th (SOLD OUT)
C cycle: Morning Novice, 6:30am Mon/Thurs | Monday, October 30th – Thursday, December 14th (8 slots)
D cycle: Continuing Education, 6pm Mon/Wed | Monday, October 30th– Wednesday, December 14th (4 slots)
E cycle: Late morning, all levels, 10am Mon/Thurs | Monday, October 30th – Friday, December 14th (10 slots)

Class Sizes: Space is limited to 4-8 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.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Press / SLDL | Toes-to-Bars, Squats
Which Sounds Better, Digital or Analog? Scientific American
How Your Body Keeps Time NY Mag

Tempo Press / Tempo Stiff-Legged Deadlift Superset*

A1) Tempo (31×1) Press:
3 x 6

Heavier than Week 4‘s  3 x 8.

A2) Tempo (31×1) Stiff-Legged Deadlift:
3 x 6

Heavier than Week 4.

*Warm up and then perform a set of Presses, followed by a set of Stiff-Legged Deadlifts. Repeat for 3 work sets of each, resting about a minute between movements. Use a 31×1 tempo for both movements. The last few reps of each set should be tough, but the goal is no misses.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8
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For Time:
21-15-9
Toes To Bars
9-15-21
Overhead Squats 95/65

The Overhead Squat weight should be light for you, unbroken on the fast end or in 2-3 sets with quick breaks. Same for the Toes-t0-Bars. Scale load and/or degree of difficulty to Hanging Leg or Knee Raises as needed.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Coach Jess looks pretty badass doing Sandbag Cleans, doesn’t she? More photos taken by your blog editor and Robert C. at Saturday’s Subway Series event are up on our Flickr account. Thanks to everyone who competed, volunteered, and cheered! 

Want to Reach Your Rowing Potential? Come to the CRASH-Bs Kick-Off Meeting With Coach Nick On Sunday, Oct. 29!

Do you hate and fear workouts that involve rowing? Do you secretly love them but don’t want to admit it? Either way, you have a good reason to train for the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championship! Olympian Coach Nick will prepare participants in the months leading up to race day, which is February 25th, in Boston. Come to Coach Nick’s kick-off meeting at 12:15 on Sunday, October 29th in the Annex. This meeting is open and free to anyone who’s “erg-curious” and wants to learn more about what’s involved. There will not be a workout.

Here’s some basic info:

• The events at CRASH-Bs are individual
• You don’t have to be a CFSBK member to participate—so tell your non-SBK friends! (If you have any!)
• The group will get together for three technique clinics (each of which will conclude with a workout) and three or four races
• Participants will do the workouts on their own
• Nick will provide programming and support—including video analysis of your technique—throughout the program
• Anyone can join—there is no minimum performance requirement

At the kick-off meeting at 12:15pm on Sunday, October 29th, in the Annex, Coach Nick will explain the program in detail.

Send Coach Nick an email at Nick [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com if you plan to show up or if you have any questions.

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Adaptive Athlete Casey Acree – Bar Muscle-Ups CrossFit (video)
The Renaissance Painter Who Made Fantastic Portraits from Food Atlas Obscura

Snatch Complex

Every 2 Minutes x 5:
1 Mid-Hang Snatch

Warm up and work up to a heavy load. Focus on a powerful finish in your extension (2nd pull) followed by an immediate and aggressive pull under the bar (3rd pull).

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8

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Performance
AMRAP 14 Minutes:
7 Ring Muscle-Ups
7 Power Cleans 155/105

Fitness
AMRAP 14 Minutes:
14 Pull-Ups
14 Push-Ups
14 Power Cleans 115/75

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Photo by Thomas H. 

Today: Starting Strength Total at CFSBK

Coach Jeremy’s Starting Strengthers will wrap up their eight-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. Get ready for some massive PRs!

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Just About Everything We Know About the Pard Atlas Obscura
Why Chasing Strength Matters Girls Gone Strong

Jess P. representing CFSBK at the 2nd event of this year’s Subway Series (we see you, too, Thomas!). We’ll be hosting the 3rd event of the Subway Series tomorrow. Come over to the gym at noon to watch the action and cheer for your buds! 

1. We’ll be running on a modified schedule for the big day tomorrow. Morning classes will run on the usual schedule, but everything from 11am onward is cancelled (i.e., 10am classes are the last of the day).

2. Fight Gone Bad fundraising season is here! So far we’ve raised just over $4,000 for Brooklyn Community Foundation. On Monday, we offered an email template you can send to your friends and family.

3. Front desker Karina S. has a show with her sketch team this Monday, October 16th at 7:30pm! Karina tells us, “It’s got some bizarre, spooky-funny sketches and makes a great date night. Also, you’ll get to see me making a rare cameo on stage in some spooky circumstances.” Check out the Magnet Theater website for ticket info and more details.

4. As we’ve mentioned before, Coach KHarpz is writing a series for our friends at beyond the whiteboard on her training for next year’s Northeast Regionals. Check out the most recent installment, “Trusting the Process”!

5. Need to build a foundation for gymnastics work on the rings? Check out this fun video of Coach David demonstrating a basic ring support!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Clean | 3 x 500m Row
Mattie Rogers Unofficially Broke the American Clean and Jerk Record BarBend
What Half-Marathons Teach Us About Running a Marathon NY Mag

Clean Complex

Every 2 Minutes x 5:
1 Mid-Hang Clean + Front Squat

Warm up and work up to a heavy load on the complex. Focus on a powerful finish in your extension (2nd pull) followed by an immediate and aggressive pull under the bar (3rd pull).

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8

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3 x 500m Row

Rest 5 minutes between rows. Max effort on all three pieces.

Post times to comments.

Sign Up for Anti-Gravity Strength

Struggling with your Pull-Ups? Stuck at the bottom of your Handstand Push-Up? Check out Coach Arturo‘s critically acclaimed Anti-Gravity Strength class!

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

Back Squat

8RM

Warm up and hit a heavy set of 8, heavier then last week. No failing. No tempo. Use spotters.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8

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4-6 Rounds Not for Time (or 20 Minutes):
150′ Farmer Carry, AHAP unbroken
Max Strict Ring Dips (1-2 RIR)

The carry is 75′ out and 75′ back. You can place the implements down at the turnaround, but pick them right back up within a few seconds to come back. Aim to begin with at least 10 Dips or scale accordingly. “RIR” stands for “Reps in Reserve.” In other words, you should end the sets to 1 or 2 reps shy of failure. Scale the Dips to the Matador as available or to Ring Push-Ups or regular Push-Ups. There should be plenty of space to do elevated Push-ups as a further scaling option as needed.

Post work to comments.

Need to work on those Ring Dips? Check out this video demonstrating the basic ring support! Coach David is winking because he knows you got this one…

News and Notes from CFSBKers

• Front desker Karina S. has a show with her sketch team this Monday, October 16th at 7:30pm! Karina tells us, “It’s got some bizarre, spooky-funny sketches and makes a great date night. Also, you’ll get to see me making a rare cameo on stage in some spooky circumstances.” Check out the Magnet Theater website for ticket info and more details.
• As we’ve mentioned before, Coach KHarpz is writing a series for our friends at beyond the whiteboard on her training for next year’s Northeast Regionals. Check out the most recent installment, “Trusting the Process”!

Tweet the Deets

THIS SATURDAY: The Subway Series at CFSBK!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Press /Sumo Deadlift | KB Swings, Push-Ups, Pull-Ups
Aging with Grace and—Fran CrossFit Journal
The Clean: Don’t Just Fall Down, Turn It Over Catalyst Athletics

Press / Sumo Deadlift Superset*

A1) Press:
8RM

Warm up and hit a heavy set of 8, heavier than last week. No tempo. Be sure to lock your knees and not Push Press.

A2)  Sumo Deadlift:
8RM

Warm up and hit a heavy set of 8, heavier than week 3. Dead stop, no touch and go. Use a double overhand grip. Hook grip is allowed.

*Warm up and then perform a set of Presses, followed by a set of Sumo Deadlifts. Repeat for 3 work sets of each, resting about a minute between movements.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8
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5 Rounds for Time:
40 Russian Kettlebell Swings 24/16kg
15 Hand-Release Push-Ups
10 Strict Pull-Ups

Choose a bell that you can swing for 40 reps in 1-2 sets. Maintain a strong midline on the Hand-Release Push-Ups, no snaking. No Kipping on the Pull-Ups, so break them up before they go away. Scale to bands or challenging Ring Rows as needed. You will most likely need to break these up a bit.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Fight Gone Bad Fundraising Update

Comrades! We’re at $2,159—which is 9% of our fundraising goal for Brooklyn Community Foundation. Team Ziggy WODdust and the Squatters from Mars (nice) is in the lead with Team Goes to 11 (also nice) not far behind. We’re off to a great start!

Now’s a good time to start e-mailing your friends and family. Rip off a version of this one below, and select, replace, or delete adjectives as you see fit. One of our members used this email a few years ago (with almost all of the adjectives) and quickly raised over $500. Jump on it!

Dear/Salutations/Greetings/Hola/Aloha/Beloved [insert name],

As you probably know, I’m really into CrossFit. It’s helped me/I love it because _______. Every year at my gym, CrossFit South Brooklyn, we have an event called Fight Gone Bad, where we do this crazy/hard/weird/incredible/soul-crushing/soul-enhancing workout (which you can see here).

What makes the event even more cool/inspiring/sweet/meaningful is that it’s not just a competition for highest reps, but also a competition to raise money for a local organization called Brooklyn Community Foundation. BCF supports a variety of artistic, agricultural, environmental, social, and educational programs in Brooklyn, helping people of all ages. 

So, why am I telling you all of this? Because I need your help! [Insert any crazy story or incentives for hitting certain fundraising markers, i.e., If you donate $XX, I will do X, Y, and/or Z.] Donate here [insert link to your page]! 

I will be sure to let you know how the event goes, and probably send along a sweaty/hot/sexy/revolting photo of myself post-workout.

Sincerely/With love/Gratefully/Be well/Shalom,
[Your name]

AND REMEMBER TO SAY THANK YOU WHEN PEOPLE DONATE! It’s what our moms taught us to do.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Hang Snatch, Burpees, Toes-to-Bars
The Meaning of “South Brooklyn” NY Times
Good vs. Bad Trainers Starting Strength

Snatch Balance (or Tempo Overhead Squat)

Performance
Snatch Balance: 
80-85% x 2 x 4

4 sets of 2 reps at 80-85% of your 1RM Snatch.

Fitness
Tempo Overhead Squat (2211):
4 x 2

Warm up and perform 4 sets of 3 reps. Use a load that’s challenging but allows you to hold solid positions, and as such, only squat as low as you can move well. Goal is to go heavier than on 9.17.17.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 4 of 8

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Partner Metcon

In teams of 2, complete 14 rounds (7 each) for time of:
7 Hang Squat Snatches 95/65
7 Burpees
7 Toes-to-Bars

The barbell should be light for you. The Burpees happen lateral to your barbell and are not “jump over.” Scale TTB to HLR or HKR as needed, or to 15 Sit Ups.

Post time, Rx and partner to comments.

November 11th and 12: CF Level 1 Certificate Course

On Saturday, November 11th and Sunday, November 12th, CFSBK will host the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course. Courses are open to individuals and trainers at all stages of development. The Level 1 Certificate Course serves as the cornerstone for CrossFit methodology and movement and includes classroom instruction on these topics, as well as hands-on small-group training for the movements. These group sessions are conducted under low intensity with a focus on improving mechanics. Students’ movements are observed and corrected, and they engage in dialogue concerning effective coaching techniques. Large group CrossFit workouts are conducted as an example of bridging the gap from theory to practice. These workouts provide examples of how to:

The Level 1 provides introductory education on the fundamental principles and movements of CrossFit. It is structured to meet two goals: 1) Provide attendees with the knowledge to better use CrossFit methods for themselves; and 2) Provide attendees with an initial and foundational education to begin training others using CrossFit.

Register Here!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Row, Power Cleans, Handstand Push-Ups
7 Ways to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve (And Why You Should) BarBend
For Your Brain’s Sake, Keep Moving NY Times