Captain Osorio just chillin’ with WWE superstar John Cena. Check out more photos from WWE’s visit to CFSBK here! 

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. Fan favorite Eat, Pray, Gainz returned this week with Coach Fox’s Yellow Vegetable Curry with Steamed Cod recipe!  

2. CFSBK will host an Own Your Eating Seminar on Monday, September 11th from 6 to 8pm. Registration is just $25! For more info, check out the event page.

3. Items from our latest lost and found clear-out are up on our Flickr account. Claim your stuff before we donate it to CHIPs in a couple of weeks!

4. Are you a freelancer and/or independent professional? See Wednesday’s post for info on the Soloist Collective, an awesome new group created by Emily W.!

5. Tomorrow’s 10am Yoga for Athletes class is cancelled. Yoga for Athletes will be cancelled for the rest of August while Coach Whit is out of town. Class will resume next weekend!

6. Next Saturday, September 2nd, CFSBK will be hosting a community potluck at Prospect Park! Come lounge on the grass, throw some frisbee, toss the ol’ pigskin, and hang out with your gym buds. What better way to spend Labor Day weekend? We’ll be on the hill south of the Picnic House from 2pm on. Bring a dish or drink to share. Friends, family, and dogs are, of course, welcomed. We can’t wait to see you there!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Box Jumps, Run, Wall Balls
24 Hours of Murph CrossFit Journal
The 23 Most Ridiculous Moments in Goop History, Ranked NY Mag

Snatch

Heavy Single:
85-95% x 1 x 3-5

The pull from the floor should be purposeful and balanced, with your weight balanced over mid-foot. Aim to make 3-5 reps between 85-95%. This is not necessarily a testing day, but if you’re making all your reps and feeling good then go for it. If not, then get a few heavy reps in and live to snatch another day.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 8

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For Time:
55 Box Jumps 24/20
550m Run
55 Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9

Aim to move steady and relatively unbroken on the Box Jumps and keep an aggressive pace on the run. Complete the Wall Balls in 1-4 sets.

Post time and Rx to comments.

TBT: Coach Jess moves the bar overhead during CFSBK’s last day at the Brooklyn Lyceum in 2009. Help us celebrate 10 years of making Brooklyn a fitter place at our 10th Anniversary Party on September 30th! 

CFSBK FAQs

As you may have noticed we’ve added a Frequently Asked Questions page accessible under Member Resources on the blog (to the right). Many thanks to Coach Chris Fox for writing this page! To draw your attention to the FAQs and to refamiliarize everyone with some important stuff, we’ll be reposting some of these questions and answers to the blog. First up…

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “FITNESS” AND “PERFORMANCE” PROGRAMMING?

Instead of having “Beginner,” “Intermediate,” and “Advanced” classes held separately, we program every class to accommodate the full range of members from novices to competitive CrossFitters alike. Member feedback on removing obstacles from coming to the gym led us to this approach years ago, and now there’s no longer a schedule barrier (on our end at least) for when you can take a class.

All of our new Foundations graduates begin their CFSBK career by following “Fitness” programming for a recommended period of 6 months (or about two cycles). “Fitness” and “Performance” programming happens within the same class and are usually more similar than different. For example, Performance Back Squat programming might read: “Work up to a max effort set of 3 for the day,” a very high intensity effort that is appropriate for a more experienced athlete. On the same day, Fitness Back Squat programming might read: “3 sets of 5 repetitions performed at a moderate load,” allowing a newer or de-conditioned athlete to get in some volume and practice with the lift at much more approachable loads without coming near failure. Similarly, we may program higher-skill versions of gymnastics movements for “Performance” than we would for “Fitness.” As an example, if “Performance” programming calls for Ring Muscle-Ups, the “Fitness” version might call for Pull-Ups and Dips, and have some further scaling option for those movements as well. Again, both versions of programming happen within the same class, use the same time stamps, and are more similar than different. Not sure which you should do? Ask a coach!

News and Notes

• There are a couple of other changes to the site we want to draw your attention to. Take a look at the social media icons on the right side of the header toolbar. We’ve added direct links to our RSS feed and Flickr pages to make your lives a little easier!
• Today’s 4:30pm CrossFit Teens class is cancelled. Tuesday and Thursday CrossFit Teens classes will be cancelled this week. Class will resume on Tuesday, August 29th!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Back Squat / Front Squat | KB Swings, HSPUs
Finding Vitality at CrossFit Roots CrossFit Journal
The Uses of Platitudes Current Affairs

Front Squat / Back Squat

Tempo Back Squat (31X1):
2 x 2

Tempo Front Squat (31X1):
1 x 2

Heavier than last week. Use spotters on all Back Squat work sets.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 8
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Every 5 Minutes for 4 Rounds:
15 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
5 Handstand Push-Ups
10 Russian Kettlebell Swings
2 Handstand Push-Ups

Post work to comments.

CFSBK OG Carlos G. during Saturday’s “Heather” Hero WOD. More photos from the day by Robert C. (like this one!) and Thomas H. can be found here

Join The Soloist Collective!

CrossFit South Brooklyn members are invited to join the Park Slope chapter of the Soloist Collective. The Soloist Collective is born out of the conviction that independent professionals and service providers deserve a community to call their own. This community aims to empower independent professionals who want to master their craft, grow their business and lead life on their own terms. Members get access to a network of independent professionals in the neighborhood and exclusive invitations to meet-ups in the area. Find inspiration in the best practices, stories, and insights from other amazing Soloists like you. To join or RSVP, send an email to CSFBKer Emily W. at emily [at] prefer.com with the subject line “Soloist Collective.”

Tweet the Deets

Here’s WWE’s Seth Rollins rockin’ the skull & crossbones during a pre-SummerSlam interview. Seth and other WWE wrestlers, including John Cena, Bayley, Sheamus, Cesaro, Becky Lynch, Gentleman Jack, and Noam Dar, have trained at CFSBK this week while SummerSlam 2017 goes down at the Barclays Center! 

Monday, September 11th: Own Your Eating Seminar at CFSBK

CFSBK is thrilled to announce that we’ll be hosting an Own Your Eating Seminar on Monday, September 11th from 6 to 8pm.

Own Your Eating’s mission is to educate as many people as possible about flexible eating and give them the tools they need to set them up for long term success with their nutrition. Seminars typically last 2 hours from start to finish including time for questions and the chance to chat with hosts Roz & Jason one-on-one.

Please bring a pen and paper to take notes.  We also recommend downloading My Fitness Pal to your smartphone in advance.

This seminar is just $25 if you sign up ahead of time, so what are you waiting for?

Register Here!

News and Notes

• Today’s 4:30pm CrossFit Teens class is cancelled. Tuesday and Thursday CrossFit Teens classes will be cancelled this week. Class will resume on Tuesday, August 29th!
• Items from our latest lost and found clear out are up on our Flickr account. Claim your stuff before we donate it to CHIPs in a couple of weeks!
• BarBend, a great health and fitness website that we link to pretty frequently, is looking for story pitches. Interested in writing something? Contact Nick [at] barbend.com with your pitches!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Bench Press / Split Squat | Double-Unders, Hand-Release Push-Ups, Bar Muscle-Ups
In the Future, Your Body Won’t Be Burried… You’ll Dissolve Wired
How to Make Diet Ice Cream that Actually Tastes Good NY Mag

BENCH PRESS / SPLIT SQUAT SUPERSET*

A1) Tempo (31×1) Bench Press:
3 x 4

Heavier than last week.

A2) Tempo (31×1) Split Squat:
3 x 4e

Set back foot on a 16-20 inch box and load as appropriate with dumbbells or kettlebells held goblet-style. Heavier/better than last week. If last week was tough, then use the same load and try to perform the reps better.

*Warm up and then perform a set of Bench Presses, followed by a set of Split Squats on each leg. 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 8 of 8
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AMRAP 8 Minutes:
30 Double-Unders
10 Hand-Release Push-Ups
3/2 Bar Muscle-Ups

Scale 30 Singles or 10 attempts for Dubs. Sub 3/2 Jumping Bar Muscle-Ups or 6/4 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups for Bar Muscle-Ups as needed.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

Eat, Pray, Gainz: Yellow Vegetable Curry with Steamed Cod

By Chris Fox

This recipe started coming together when Coach Whitney’s curried lentil recipe awakened my long dormant love of all things curry. I’d eaten many curries when I was a vegetarian, and then when I started eating meat again they, like many other vegetarian staples, fell off my plate and were replaced by mostly “meat and _____” dishes. Lately I’ve been working my way back around to my love of vegetables and realize that a “plant based” diet doesn’t have to exclude eggs, fish, and meat. This recipe is similar to one I used to prepare from scratch and serve over rice with a side of lentils and naan. Here I make use of yellow curry paste, a rainbow of fresh vegetables, and serve it with a steamed cod fillet as a great source of lean protein. Without a side of starchy veg or grain, it’s a great meal to enjoy away from exercise. I offer a few hacks and suggestions below to beef up the carbs and lower the fat to make it a great post exercise meal, and also some to keep it 100% vegetarian. Hope you enjoy!

Makes 4 servings, each coming in at about: 350 calories (roughly 35 grams protein, 20 grams fat, and 12 grams of carbs).

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, fine chopped
• 1 TBSP ginger, fine chopped
• 4 TBSP (I used Maesri brand) yellow curry paste
• 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into ½” half moons
• 1 medium carrot, sliced into ¼” half moons
• 1 large red pepper, sliced into bite sized pieces
• 4 cups green cabbage, rough chopped
• ½ cup coconut milk powder, mixed with 2 cups water*
• 2 TBSP oil (coconut, canola, light olive, or ghee)
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 4 cod fillets (about 5-7 oz each)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional – chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, mint) and lime wedges for garnish

*A shaker cup with a wire whisk ball works great for this!

Prep

• Prep the veggies, keeping the garlic and ginger separate.
• In a large pot, heat half of the coconut oil over medium high, and sauté the garlic and ginger for a about a minute, until fragrant.
• Add the curry paste and sauté for a minute.
• Add the rest of the vegetables and stir to coat in the curry paste.
• Add the coconut milk mixture, sugar, salt and pepper and stir thoroughly.
• Cover, reducing heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are cooked through (8-10 minutes to maintain a bit of crunch, 12-14 if you like them softer).
• While the curry is simmering, heat the remaining coconut oil over medium-high in a large non-stick pan.
• Pat the fish dry and salt and pepper them to taste.
• Place the fillets in the pan, cover, and cook through, about 5-6 minutes (the fish will steam in it’s own liquid and should be opaque throughout when done).
• Ladle the curry into bowls then place the fish alongside or atop, and garnish as desired.

The curry paste makes this so easy to make, and honestly, you could skip the garlic and ginger and go right to sautéing the paste before adding the vegetables if you wanted. The bulk of the time is spent prepping the veggies. Double or half the recipe for more/fewer servings. If you’re planning to have leftovers to reheat, I recommend cooking the veg al dente so they aren’t mushy the next day.

Hacks

• Boost the carbs: Serve over cooked rice, add 3-4 cubed potatoes with the rest of the veg, or serve with some naan to make a great post workout meal.
• Lower the fat: Use ¼ cup of the coconut milk powder or use a canned light coconut milk.
• All veggie option: Add 2 cups of cooked chickpeas a minute or two before the veg are done cooking to ditch the flesh but keep the protein up.
• Garnish with ¼ cup of low-fat greek style yogurt for a vegetarian protein boost or just to cut through the heat.
• Add the chickpeas and keep the fish for a higher calorie and protein meal.
• Use any veggies you like or have around. Chopped greens, snow peas, green beans, the options are plenty. Be sure to keep cooking time for different veggies and thickness of cuts in mind.
• Use more or less of the curry paste to taste. For a spicier kick, add a few sliced fresh green chiles when you sauté the garlic and ginger.

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Brett Grayson: Breaking Barriers CrossFit Journal
How Exercise Could Help You Learn a New Language NY Times

Clean and Jerk Complex

Every Minute on the Minute x 12:
Clean High Pull + Clean + Jerk

The pull from the floor on the Clean High Pull should be purposeful and balanced, with your weight balanced over mid-foot. Mimic the same balance on the full Clean. The dip/drive should also be balanced and not pull you forward. Aim to make a few reps at/above 80%.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 0f 8

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Partner WOD

In teams of 3 with one partner working at a time, partners alternate complete rounds of the following for 24 total rounds (8 rounds each):
5 Burpee Box Jumps 24/20″
5 Shoulder to Overhead 135/95
5 Toes to Bars

These rounds should be fast sprints, just a little bit below your max capacity. Scale the height/load/degree of difficulty as needed.

Post time, Rx, and partners to comments.

Lots of Pull-Ups at yesterday’s “Heather” Hero WOD. In case you missed it, see yesterday’s post to learn more about Heather Heyer and the intention behind this workout

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. There are still some slots open, but hurry: these cycles start this week!

UPCOMING PROGRAM TIMES AND DATES

A cycle: Novice, 7pm Mon/Wed and 6pm Fri | Monday, August 21st – Friday, October 13th (1 slot remaining)
B cycle: Intermediate, 7pm Tues/Thurs and 10am Sun | Tuesday, August 22nd – Sunday, October 15th (SOLD OUT)
C cycle: Morning Novice, 6:30am Mon/Wed | Monday, August 21st – Thursday, October 12th (1 slot remaining)
D cycle: Continuing Education, 6pm Mon/Wed | Monday, August 21st– Wednesday, October 11th (SOLD OUT)
E cycle: Late morning, all levels, 10am Mon/Thurs | Monday, August 21st – Thursday, October 12th (3 slots remaining)

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: “Heather”
A Century of Eclipse Watching, in Photos Atlas Obscura
You’re Probably Stretching Wrong CrossFit Journal

“Heather”

AMRAP 20 Minutes:
8 Pull-Ups
12 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches
17 Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9

In honor of Heather Heyer, who was killed by a white supremacist in Charlottesville, VA on 8/12/17 during an anti-discrimination protest. Scale the Pull-Ups to Ring Rows as needed. Use a dumbbell that’s heavy for you but that allows you to move through.

Post rounds, reps, and Rx to comments.

A New Type of Hero WOD

By Noah Abbott
Reposted from CrossFit Lumos

This past weekend in Charlottesville, VA, Heather Heyer, a 32 year old paralegal and activist, died as a result of injuries sustained when a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters who had gathered to oppose a “Unite the Right” rally that had quickly become a organizing point for the worst parts of American society—Nazis, KKK members and sympathizers, and racists.  Heather was a passionate fighter against injustice who paid the ultimate price for her beliefs. If you’d like to know more about Heather, read the links at the bottom of today’s post  A GoFundMe page for Heather’s funeral has already met its goal and been deactivated, but if you’d like to donate, please give to Natalie Romero, a 20 year old Texas native who sustained a skull fracture and other injuries in the attack.

In CrossFit, there is a tradition of doing Hero “WODs”—especially tough and grueling memorial workouts typically named after soldiers, police officers, and other first responders who have died in the line of duty. CrossFit was adopted early on by military and LEO communities and the reciprocal connection between the two groups is enduring and profound. That said, it is myopic to argue that being a soldier or law enforcement officer is the only way to stand up for something you believe in. History is rife with examples of brave men and women who have risked and sometimes lost their lives defending movements, ideas, and principles they believed in. Many of these heroes put themselves into these dangerous situations fully aware that they would be opposing armed, hostile opponents with little more than their beliefs and bravery to shield them.

This Saturday we will be performing the first of a new series of “alternative” Hero WODs—“Heather”—at the gym. It is not our goal to do away with traditional Hero WODs like “Murph” or “DT” (sorry kids, you don’t get off that easy), but rather to foster a more complete and complex discussion about the nature of sacrifice.  We hope that this acts as a catalyst for discussion and insight and isn’t seen as a condemnation of any group (except for Nazis/white supremacists). Instead, we see this WOD and others like it as a way to celebrate the bravery of soldiers and teachers and freedom fighters, police and activists and clergy—men and women of any race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or creed who decided to risk their personal comfort and safety for what they knew was right.

Heather’s family asked that attendees to her memorial service wear purple, her favorite color. If you’d like to pay tribute in that way please wear an item (or more!) or purple clothing on Saturday for the workout.

News and Notes

• Today’s 10am Yoga for Athletes class is cancelled. Yoga for Athletes will be cancelled for the rest of August while Coach Whit is out of town. Class will resume on September 2nd!
• In just two weeks, on Saturday, September 2nd, CFSBK will be hosting a potluck at Prospect Park. Come lounge on the grass, throw some frisbee, toss the ol’ pigskin, and hang out with your gym buds. What better way to spend Labor Day weekend? We’ll be on the hill south of the Picnic House from 2pm on. Bring a dish or drink to share. Friends, family, and dogs are, of course welcomed. We can’t wait to see you there!
• The water at 608 is back on! Due to continuing work on Degraw, it may be out again on Monday, but 608 will have water today and Sunday. 597 is still good as well.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
Heather Heyer, Charlottesville Victim, Cannot Be Silenced, Mother Says NY Times
Charlottesville Victim Heather Heyer Told People in Crisis “It’s Going to Be OK” Daily Beast

Here’s CFSBK OG Samir C. doing Push-Ups at Iceland’s Hornstrandir Nature Reserve while hiking there in July

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. In solidarity, we will be running “Heather” as this Saturday’s group class programming. “Heather” is a Hero WOD in memory of Heather Heyer, written by former CFSBK coach Noah Abbott (now owner of CrossFit Lumos in Austin). See Noah’s post to learn more about Heather and the intention behind this WOD.

2. Good news! We’ve changed the date of the Subway Series so that it no longer conflicts with Flex on the Beach. CrossFit Gantry will now host the 1st event of the Series, and we’ll host the 3rd on Saturday, October 14th. See Monday’s post for the full schedule.

3. Registration for our upcoming Starting Strength Program cycles opened this week. There are still some spots left in a few of the cycles, but hurry! These are sure to sell out.

4. On Wednesday, in the return of blog fav feature Better Know a Member, we learned more about Charles S.! 

5. CFSBK is in the process of updating our member waivers and integrating them with Zen Planner! Active members will soon (tomorrow) have an alert added to their account saying that they have an “Unsigned Document.” While it won’t prevent you from checking into class, the alert won’t go away until you complete the waiver. To speed the process, we’re asking members to sign into their Zen Planner accounts from home to complete the waiver. If you’re having a hard time signing in, get in touch with the front desk and/or plan on arriving early/staying late to complete it in house.  Thanks so much, gang!

6. Tomorrow’s 10am Yoga for Athletes class is cancelled. Yoga for Athletes will be cancelled for the rest of August while Coach Whit is out of town. Class will resume on September 2nd!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Row, Burpees
6 Elite Strength Athletes Share Their Best Hotel Workouts BarBend
Finding Vitality at CrossFit Roots CrossFit Journal

Snatch Complex

Every 2 Minutes x 8 Reps:
Snatch High Pull + Snatch

The pull from the floor on the Snatch High Pull should be purposeful and balanced, with your weight balanced over mid-foot. Replicate that same pull on the full Snatch. Aim to make a rep or two at/above 85-90%.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8

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For Time:
15-12-9
Calories Rowed
Burpees

Short one today, but that doesn’t mean easy. Go hard, no pacing. Make this one hurt a bit.

Post time and Rx to comments.

TBT: This week(ish) 5 years ago, Barbara K. scaled a wall consisting of some mats plus Coaches Noah and McDowell. Want to help us celebrate 10 years of making you do silly stuff in the name of fitness? Read on!

CFSBK’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

2017 marks CFSBK’s 10th anniversary. Woohoo! This shindig goes down the evening of Saturday, September 30th (exact time TBD). The traditional 10th anniversary gift is tin or aluminum, but we don’t want your recyclables. We just want you to show up, drink some drinks, get down with your gym buds, and help us celebrate 10 years of making Brooklyn a better, fitter borough! Get stoked!

News and Notes

• Due to plumbing issues there is no water at 608. Showers and bathrooms are out of service at 608 ONLY until further notice.
• CFSBK is in the process of updating our member waivers and integrating them with Zen Planner! Active members will soon (tomorrow) have an alert added to their account saying that they have an “Unsigned Document.” While it won’t prevent you from checking into class, the alert won’t go away until you complete the waiver. To speed the process, we’re asking members to sign into their Zen Planner accounts from home to complete the waiver. If you’re having a hard time signing in, get in touch with the front desk and/or plan on arriving early/staying late to complete it in house.  Thanks so much, gang!
• Tonight’s 7:30pm Active Recovery class is cancelled.
• Today’s 4:30pm CrossFit Teens class is cancelled. All Tuesday and Thursday CrossFit Teens classes will be cancelled for the next two weeks. Class will resume on Tuesday, August 29th!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Back Squat / Front Squat | Run, Single-Unders, Handstand Hold
Why We Fell for Clean Eating The Guardian
What Happens If We Throw an Elephant from a Skyscraper? Kurzgesagt