Back Squat

Performance
1-1-1

Fitness
3-3-3

Establish a new 1 or 3RM Back Squat. If you’re newer, then go for the 3RM. No tempo. The movement standards are as follows:

• Begin the lift with both knees and hips fully extended.
• Squat down to full depth, until the hip crease passes below the top of the patella.
• Return to fully standing in one motion (though it may be slow!).
• Feet must remain planted throughout the lift.
• If you fail, STAY WITH YOUR BAR and do not bail it on the spotters. Your spotters will help you stand and guide the bar back into the rack.

Post loads to comments.

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For Time:
50-40-30-20-10 Double Unders
15-12-9-6-3 Burpees

Scale the Dubs to Singles as needed. The goal is a quick metcon with minimal rest.

Post time and Rx to comments.

“Spiderman, Spiderman, / Owns a gym called South Brooklyn.” Check out more Fight Gone Bad action shots by Thomas H. and Robert C. right here. | Photo by Robert C. 

Train with an Olympian: Sign Up for the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championship!

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. The first technique clinic will take place this Saturday, November 11th from 4 to 6pm.

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

Pricing

Full Payment Up Front:

• Member Rate: $360 with discount code
• Non-Member Rate: $450

Three Monthly Installments:

• Member Rate: $134.40 per installment* ($403.20 total)
• Non-Member Rate: $168 per installment* ($504 total)

Register Here!

(Members, please contact the front desk for the discount code.)

Schedule

See the CRASH-Bs event page for the full schedule of technique clinics and events!

Weekend Schedule

We’re hosting the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Seminar this weekend, which means we’ll have to cancel a few classes. On Saturday, November 11th the following classes are cancelled: 8am group class, 9am group class, and AG Strength. On Sunday, November 12th, these classes are cancelled: 8am group class, 10am CrossFit Preschool, 11am CrossFit Kids, 11am Active Recovery.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Rest Day
Revealing the World’s Tiniest Wonders Atlas Obscura
Why Barbells Are Better Than Machines Starting Strength

Announcing the Artists for CFSBK’s Fourth Art Show

CFSBK’s fourth Art Show is next Saturday, November 18th, from 7-10PM. Free entry and alcohol (and La Croix!).

The show will feature live tattooing by Brooklyn artist Jim Gentry (flash sheet and sign-up information below), textiles for sale by Brooklyn artist Bekka Palmer, and photographs and Pop art by New Jersey artist Jon Arias. 

At 8:30PM, CFSBK members Alona Katz and Erica Dohring will present an aerial hoop performance, which will be followed by a dance/spoken word performance by Sacred Circle Theatre Company featuring CFSBK member Anise.

Come check out art from fellow talented CFSBKers:

Jaime Cheng
Sonya Cheuse
Katherine Akiko Day
Brian Faulk
Lucas Garrido
Katie Harper
Steve Hutsal
Jenna Jerman
Amy Muckerman
David Osorio
Nicholas Piltoff
Jay Reingold
Trevor Safford
Keith Walter
Brian “Baz” Zimbler

Get Inked at the Art Show

Are you an avid tattoo collector or interested in losing your skin’s virginity? At the Art Show, you’ll have the opportunity to get art permanently drawn onto your bod by a Brooklyn tattoo artist, Jim Gentry (@gentrytattoo) of Hand of Glory Tattoo in Park Slope. Jim will be live tattooing at the Art Show from 7-10pm in 20-minute sessions from the flash sheet of small, simple designs pictured here.

The price? Only $20.

The catch? There are only 9 slots total.

Sign up HERE

If you have questions about any of the above, email Kate R. at katharinereece [at] gmail [dot] com.

News and Notes

• Do you hate and fear workouts that involve rowing? Do you secretly love them but don’t want to admit it? Join Coach Nick‘s CFSBK CRASH-Beasts and train for the World Indoor Rowing Championship! The first technique clinic is this Saturday, November 11th, and there’s still time to sign up. See the event page for details.
• As if there weren’t already enough cool stuff on our humble Gowanus block, an axe-throwing venue called Kick Axe will be moving in across the street in mid-December! 
• We now have another set of Rogue speed ropes in 608 to match our set in 597! We also organized the weight belts in both gyms and set aside any that didn’t have names on them. If you can’t find your belt, it’s in the crawlspace near the lifters at 608. Please write your name on it before returning it to the downstairs storage spaces. See the front desk if you need a marker or help with anything else!
• We’re hosting the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Seminar this weekend, which means we’ll have to cancel a few classes. On Saturday, November 11th the following classes are cancelled: 8am group class, 9am group class, and AG Strength. On Sunday, November 12th, these classes are cancelled: 8am group class, 10am CrossFit Preschool, 11am CrossFit Kids, 11am Active Recovery.

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Press/Deadlift Test | Tabata Mash-Up
Running a  Marathon? Think Hot Tub, Not Ice Bath, Afterward NY Times
Why Does the Sumo Deadlift Get So Much Hate? BarBend

Test

Press

Performance
1-1-1

Fitness
3-3-3

Establish a new 1 or 3RM Press. If you’re newer, then go for the 3RM (no tempo). The movement standards are as follows:

• Feet may not move and must stay flat throughout the lift.
• Knees must remain fully extended and locked out.
• A small lay back is permissible, but must not be excessive.
• Barbell must finish over the shoulder blades and mid-line of the body.

Deadlift

Performance
1-1-1

Fitness
3-3-3

Establish a new 1 or 3RM Deadlift. Conventional or Sumo, lifter’s choice. Control the barbell back to the floor after the rep. If you’re newer, then go for the 3RM. The 3RM may be touch-and-go (no tempo). The movement standards are as follows:

• Neutral spine throughout
• No “hitching” or “ramping”
• Finish with knees and hips fully locked out and shoulders behind the bar.

Warm up and test your Press, followed by a Deadlift test. NOT a superset today.

Post loads to comments.

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Tabata Mash Up:
Row
Plank

Post work to comments.

Congrats to Hallowed By Thy Gains on winning the Fight Gone Bad Spirit Award amid stiff competition! Check out more of Thomas H.’s awesome photos from the day on our Flickr account

Results from Fight Gone Bad 2017

Top 10 Teams

1. Pirates of the Farmers Carrybbean (1,746 reps)
2. 20″ Box Jump Street (1,714 reps)
3. A Team Has No Name (1,700 reps)
4. Ziggy WODdust and the Squatters from Mars (1,674 reps)
5. The Snatchelorettes (1,649 reps)
6. Superheroes Gone Bad (1,647 reps)
7. Gowanus Mud Carp (1,627 reps)
8. Night of the Living Deadlift (1, 597 reps)
9. Count AMRAPula (1,544 reps)
10. Los SuperWODels (1,535 reps)

Top 10 Women

1. Katie E. (365 reps)
2. Coach Jess (361 reps)
3. Coach MeLo (359 reps)
4. Kayleigh R. (356 reps)
5. Morgan N. (354 reps)
6. Coach Whit (353 reps)
7. Toni S. (338 reps)
8. Coach JB (330 reps)
9. Erika M. (328 reps)
10. Allie C. (320 reps)

Top 10 Men

1. Brad L. (350 reps)
2. James A. (341 reps)
3. Matt E. (337 reps)
4. Dan L. (332 reps)
5. Pierre D. (319 reps)
6. Gregory C. (319 reps)
7. Chas C. (316 reps)
8. Michael A. (312 reps)
9. Jonathan W. (310 reps)
10. Bob S. (307 reps)

VIEW ALL SCORING RESULTS HERE.

Top 10 Fundraising Individuals

1. Charles S. ($2,775)
2. Coach David ($1,460)
3. Katherine D. ($1,350)
4. Dana B. ($1,218)
5. Scott M. ($1,170)
6. Lizzie D. ($1,089)
7. Allie C. ($1,050)
8. Patrick S. ($875)
9. Mary M. ($715)
10. Kate T. ($625)

Top 10 Fundraising Teams

1. Superheroes Gone Bad ($4,448)
2. Foam Roller Derby ($3,000)
3. Ziggy WODdust and the Squatters from Mars ($2,829)
4. Hallowed By Gainz ($1,840)
5. WOD Happened: A Memoir ($1,240)
6. The Snatchelorettes ($1,075)
7. Saturday Nite Squatz ($1,050)
8. Ruth Badder Gunsburg ($1,045)
9. A Team Has No Name ($922)
10. Dan Evans Hates Us ($825)

VIEW ALL FUNDRAISING RESULTS HERE.

This year we raised a total of $21,619 for Brooklyn Community Foundation. We’re so proud of you guys and all of your hard work! You rule. Thanks to everyone who organized, judged, fundraised, competed, or otherwise pitched in in any small way. And a huge thanks to Brooklyn Community Foundation for being such a wonderful organization. There’s still time to donate if you have had the chance! 

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Snatch | Run, KB Swings, T2Bs
Overweight? You Need to Read This CrossFit Journal
The Five Artists Will Help You Better Understand American Immigration Smithsonian

Snatch Complex

Every other minute on the minute x 10 (5 reps):
Power Snatch + Overhead Squat

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 8

______________________

3 Rounds for Time:
400m Run
21 Russian Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
12 Toes-to-Bars

Post time and Rx to comments.

Fight Gone Bad 2017: Thank You!

By the time the dust settled yesterday, we had raised over $21,500 for Brooklyn Community Foundation. That’s AMAZING. Every dollar of your efforts will help to fund some of the best causes in Brooklyn. Thanks to everyone who competed and/or fundraised, donated, cheered, or helped out in any way. We’ll have the full results from the day up on the blog tomorrow.

Many thanks again to the following sponsors for donating prizes: Herondale Farms, Left Bank, Olivier Bistro, LuluLemon, Afrobrutality, Parklife, Littlefield, and Dinosaur BBQ.

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Don’t Choke the Bar to Death Catalyst Athletics
What Can “Drunken Monkeys” Teach Us About Alcohol Addiction? Pacific Standard

“Fight Gone Bad”

Three Rounds, As Many Reps as Possible, of:
Wall Ball Shots 20lb-10’/14lb-9′
Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 75lbs/55lbs/35lbs
Box Jumps, 20″
Push Press, 75lbs/55lbs/35lbs
Row

In this workout, you move from each of the five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of “rotate,” the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

If you think you’ve got a top 3 score in you and want to go for the CFSBK Leaderboard, please let one of the coaches know ahead of time so we can communicate with your judge. Also remember that to get on the board, you need to start on the Wall Ball station and that Step-Ups are considered a scale for the Box Jumps.

Add up your points and post them to comments.

Gooooo team! | Photo by Thomas H.

TODAY: Fight Gone Bad 2017

Today’s the day! To see details about the movement standards and flow of the day, please refer to yesterday’s post. 608 will be available for warm-ups all day. Team captains or an assigned proxy must pick up the t-shirts and distribute them to their team.

ALL CLASSES ARE CANCELLED TODAY (including Yoga for Athletes, Active Recovery, and Open Gym)!

There will free beer provided by our friends at Threes Brewing! Friends, family, and well-wishers are all welcome at the gym. Please note that bike parking might be tight on Degraw, so plan accordingly.

8:30am: Gym Opens
9:00-1:10pm: Fight Gone Bad Heats
1:30pm: Group Photo!
Awards Ceremony

Afterward, we’ll celebrate with an after party right here at the gym.

Fundraising Totals

As of 7:00pm last night, we were just shy of $18,000 raised for Brooklyn Community Foundation. CONGRATS, CFSBK! You crushed it!

The race is still tight, and there are great prizes for the top fundraisers. All final numbers will be pulled from CrowdRise at 1:30pm. If you can, send one more email!

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Many thanks to the following sponsors for donating prizes: Herondale Farms, Left Bank, Olivier Bistro, LuluLemon, Afrobrutality, Parklife, Littlefield, and Dinosaur BBQ.

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Good luck today, everyone! Let us know how it went in the comments!

Everything You Need to Know About Fight Gone Bad 2017

Please check the heat assignments to see when you’re competing and judging tomorrow. Plan to arrive at least 20 minutes before your heat to get registered and ready. 608 will be available all day to warm-up. Your team captain will pick up shirts at the front desk when everyone on your team arrives. Immediately after your heat, there will be a team portrait taken outside, so look your best and get ready to flex.

At the end of the day, we’ll have an awards ceremony and group picture. We encourage everyone to hang out, drink beers (provided by Threes Brewing!), and cheer on the other teams. If you’re in an early heat, please hang out and then try to make it back for the awards ceremony… especially if you’re going to the podium!

Schedule

8:30am: Gym Opens
9:00-1:10pm: Fight Gone Bad Heats
1:30pm: Group Photo!
Award Ceremony

Afterward, we’ll celebrate with an after party right here at the gym.

Also, a friendly reminder: all classes are cancelled tomorrow. 

Fundraising Update

Team CFSBK has raised over $16,000 for Brooklyn Community Foundation so far! Check out our CrowdRise page to see who our top teams and individuals are so far. Don’t stop now, gang! Every dollar you raise will go to awesome local causes.

As usual, we’ll be giving awards to the top individual fundraisers, the top male and female Rx’d athletes, and the FGB Spirit Award for the team with the best costumes and such. Many thanks to the following sponsors for donating prizes: Herondale Farms, Left Bank, Olivier Bistro, LuluLemon, Afrobrutality, Parklife, Littlefield, and Dinosaur BBQ.

Movement Standards

Everyone competing in Fight Gone Bad tomorrow also has a judging assignment slot. Please come familiar with the movement standards so you can accurately perform and judge the workout. We’ll review that day, too. The box jump is still a CrossFit Games-Standard Box Jump, which means you’ll need to show extension and control at the top of every rep as opposed to being able to reach extension as you jumped off.

Box Jump (Demo Video)
Men’s Rx: 20″
Ladies’ Rx: 20″
Additional option: 16″

Standards:
Start: Standing on Ground
Finish: Standing on top of the box with knees and hips fully extended and under control. Athletes may jump down or step down, jumping off at the top before showing control is a no rep. For FGB, step-ups are considered a scale.

Sumo Deadlift High Pull (Demo Video)
Men’s Rx: 75lbs
Ladies’ Rx: 55lbs
Additional option: 35lbs

Standards:
Start: Both plates on ground
Finish: Knees and hips fully extended and barbell at approximately collar bone height.

Wall Ball: (Demo Video)
Men’s Rx: 20lb ball, 10′ target
Ladies’ Rx: 14lb ball, 9′ target
Additional option: 10lb ball, optional target

Standards:
Start: Hip crease dips below parallel
Finish: Ball hits ABOVE target line

Rowing:
No Scales
No ROM standards

Push Press (Demo Video)
Men’s Rx: 75lbs
Ladies’ Rx: 55lbs
Additional option: 35lbs

Standards:
Start: Bar in a racked position in front of shoulders
Finish: Knees, hips, shoulders and elbows fully extended with the barbell above the shoulders

If you need any additional modifications, don’t hestitate to let us know!

Don’t be afraid to call a “No Rep” on someone if they’re not meeting the standards! You’ll be doing them and the event itself a favor.

If you think you’ve got a top 3 score in you and want to go for the CFSBK Leaderboards, please let one of the coaches know ahead of time so we can communicate with your judge. Also remember that to get on the board, you need to start on the Wall Ball station and that Step-Ups are considered a scale for the Box Jumps.
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Matt Ufford: Fight Gone Bad 2010 Ari Bassin-Hill
Fight Gone Bad Explained CrossFit

Power Clean

Every Other Minute on the Minute x 10 (5 Reps):
Power Clean

Warm up and work up to a heavy single Power Clean. Focus on an aggressive 2nd pull and, even though they’re Powers, pulling under the bar with consistent footwork.

Post loads to comments.
Exposure 8 of 8

_____________________

5 Rounds for Time:
15 Deadlifts 135/95
9 Lateral Burpees Over The Bar
6 Push Jerks 135/95

Who’s gonna take home this year’s Fight Gone Bad Spirit Award? Could it be Ziggy WODdust and the Squatters from Mars? Or Night of the Living Deadlift? Maybe Ruth Badder Gunsberg? With just a couple days to go until FGB 2017, we’re at $15,437 raised for Brooklyn Community Foundation. Don’t stop now, gang! Every dollar we raise will benefit great local programs. Learn more about the Brooklyn Community Foundation and all the great work they’ve done.

Train with an Olympian: Sign Up for the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championship!

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. The first technique clinic will take place next Saturday, November 11th from 4 to 6pm.

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

Pricing

Full Payment Up Front:

• Member Rate: $360 with discount code
• Non-Member Rate: $450

Three Monthly Installments:

• Member Rate: $134.40 per installment* ($403.20 total)
• Non-Member Rate: $168 per installment* ($504 total)

Register Here!

(Members, please contact the front desk for the discount code.)

Schedule

See the CRASH-Bs event page for the full schedule of technique clinics and events!

_____________________
Yesterday’s Results Board: Back Squat | Light “Fran”
Restorative Modalities for Weightlifters Catalyst Athletics
Getting Out of a Rut + The Myth of Greatness Peak Performance

October Athlete of the Month: Dan Langevin

By Christian Fox

This month we’ll finally answer one of the oldest questions around CFSBK: ”Who the f%ck is Dan L.?” The 6am folks know him well, the 7am folks might recognize him as the guy who’s often finished with the workout for 5 minutes already while almost everyone else is getting into the last round. The rest of you might know him only by his numbers on the big results board, where many have exclaimed the previously mentioned query. Many others have insisted that Management made him up in an effort to coerce members into better performance. Rest assured, he does exist and is actually a really nice guy.

Fox: Congrats, Dan! It seems to be about time for you to be here. Let’s start with when and how you first found CrossFit.

Dan L.: Thanks very much! I started CrossFit in February of 2009. I’d been doing triathlons and was a member of the Brooklyn Tri Club, which is where I first heard of CrossFit. As I remember it, CFSBK was offering some sort of class for BK Tri members, and we were encouraged to inquire about it. I called the number, which was apparently David’s cell phone, and left a message. David soon returned my call and the rest is history. I did Foundations that month and have been pretty consistent ever since. By the way, Foundations felt like it was a LOT of classes back then. We had a lot of people in that group, too—Charlotte K., Peter H., and Chris J., to name a few.

Fox: Haha! Foundations used to take a month to get through and wasn’t capped back then. It obviously did it’s job, though. Petey Hopps trained with us until he moved to Wisconsin last year, Charlotte still makes cameos every so often, and Chris J. has been coming regularly since then as well. What were your first impressions of CrossFit, and why did you stick around?

Dan L.: I’d been looking to diversify my training a bit and was growing bored with triathlons. I had never really done any weight training beyond the usual 3 sets of 10 Bench Presses, where I’d eventually and predictably fail and get frustrated, at which point I’d stop doing it for a while before coming back around to the same pattern. With CrossFit I started to see results pretty quickly. I got stronger, and I looked and felt it. I do remember thinking that there was no way I could do all the training I needed in an hour, though, and that I’d have to do lots of extra stuff on top of class. I quickly realized I was wrong. As for the space itself, the Lyceum was a “special” place—special in that the bathrooms leaked, the roof leaked, it was COLD in the winter, and it was always pretty dirty despite what I’m sure were David’s best efforts to keep it clean. My first time in there, I walked in on a class that was about 30 seconds into “Fran.” I was so worried because I assumed they’d been doing that for the whole hour! There was no way I could keep up with that! As I moved away from doing triathlons, I became more drawn to CrossFit. The group dynamic really allows me to push myself harder than I otherwise would. There’s something new every day, and I don’t have to think about what I’m going to do. Like most people, I saw results pretty quickly early on but am still improving today, even if it’s slowly.

Fox: Ah, the Brooklyn Lyceum. I have my own “first sighting” story and always love hearing others. It’s a wonder people stayed. Have you always been a 6am guy?

Dan L.: Pretty much. When I first started there were only a handful of classes to attend, so I went at different times. I think there were only morning classes a few days a week, so I’d attend those on my way to work and make the evening classes on the other days when there were none in the morning. Since CFSBK moved to Degraw Street, I’ve been a 6am regular but have made a few appearances in the evening. The place feels so different compared to the morning, totally different energy for me. I just can’t drum up the mojo to train hard after a long work day.

Fox: I know you travel a lot for work. Do you visit other affiliates to get your training in when you’re out of town?

Dan L.: I do, but I almost always just drop in and take a class. I like getting the experience of a class and have noticed that standards have gotten better across the board. I trained for a while at Alexandria CrossFit (now Outlaw CrossFit) in late 2009 when I lived there for a bit, and even back then, they used many of the same practices (like labeling equipment, starting classes on exactly on time, and using timestamps) that make CFSBK a great place to train. That’s something I see more and more when I travel. SBK has certainly evolved over the past 8+ years that I’ve been a member, but it feels the same in key ways. The equipment has gotten better, classes are even better run, and you can tell there’s a concerted effort to provide the best experience possible. The true spirit of the gym hasn’t changed, though, it’s just more grown up.

Fox: Glad to hear we’re all getting better! I really enjoy taking classes at other affiliates, too. What do you do for work that has you on the road?

Dan L.: I work in tech and recently co-founded a company called Vericred, which is why I’m currently traveling pretty often. We provide health insurance data to companies that need it in a simplified manner. I’m on the road regularly for face-to-face meetings with clients to learn what they like about our product and what changes they’d like to see.

Fox: Where’d you grow up?

Dan L.: I grew up in Madison, Connecticut, just southeast of New Haven. My folks are still there. I’m the oldest of 4 siblings: I have one sister who lives in Oakland, another sister who lives in Boston, and my brother, Ethan, is here in Brooklyn. My brother did Foundations and was actually coming to CFSBK for a while, but he isn’t really a morning person. He’s been threatening to come back.

Fox: Did you play any sports as a kid in CT?

Dan L .: I wrestled in middle and high school. With wrestling, I can see how it carries over to CrossFit in a way. In a match, much like during “Fran,” there’s nowhere to hide. That taught me how to push myself and ask the question, “How much do I want this?” Also like CrossFit, there’s a team or group dynamic but really it’s an individual sport where you control your results. I played baseball in high school, too, but was more of a decent hitter who played right field.

Fox: Where can you be found when you’re not crushing workouts at 6am or working?

Dan L.: My girlfriend Laura and I just got a puppy, Burrito, who takes up lots of time but is totally worth it. I was pretty indifferent as to what type of dog to get (I grew up with hamsters and cats), but Laura really wanted a Corgi (here’s a bonus link to Corgi’s being adorable), so his name sorta makes sense. We’re currently looking for a daycare for him and will happily take reviews. I hope we can get him into a solid first grade when the time comes. I also like to travel. We regularly visit Ottawa, where Laura’s grew up, and recently had amazing trips to Peru and Mexico City.

Fox: Love the puppy’s name, and can’t wait to meet him! Were you always good at CrossFit? What’s your kryptonite?

Dan L.: Ha! I’ve had my struggles and still do. Early on I realized that I just wasn’t strong enough to be good at any barbell stuff. I could hold my own with bodyweight movements, but a heavy barbell would crush me. I tackled that by doing a pure strength phase for a few months and drank a gallon of milk a day. I put on 30lbs, and even though some of it was a fat, I’ve been able to hold on to the strength I built during that period while losing the extra fluff. My Olympic lifting wasn’t any good, to be honest it was a disaster, when I first started. I literally fell on my ass on my first ever Overhead Squat. Now I’m working on things like mobility, which is a slow process. Handstand Push-Ups are a weakness, as are high-volume Wall Balls or any high volume Squat workout. I’ll generally spend a few minutes before and/or after class working on some stuff but find the programming here to be pretty comprehensive. I’ve been able to improve consistently over time just by showing up and working hard. I did a Strength Cycle (now Starting Strength Program) here way back, but all of the other specialty classes are in the evenings, so I haven’t done any.

Fox: What keeps you coming back to CFSBK to train?

Dan L.: It’s a fun and effective place to train, and I’ve developed a group of good friends here that help keep each other honest. If someone isn’t in for a few days the texts will start flying. Honestly, seeing the gym evolve and having been a part of it through that process, I feel a real connection to it. I identify myself with the gym in a way.

Fox: What’s your least favorite thing about Brad K., aka BK?

Dan L.: Can’t answer that. Can’t choose just one thing.

Fox: Great stuff, Dan. Thanks again for coming in the evening to chat with me. Last question: What should we look for in a future Athlete of the Month?

Dan L.: Someone who works hard to be better but compares her or himself to themselves, not to professional athletes. Someone who wants to be part of the larger community and makes an effort to get to know people, even when you’re not partnered up with them. Lastly, someone who adds more to the community than their personal accomplishments.

News and Notes

• Tonight’s 6:30pm Active Recovery Class is cancelled. 
• Missing something? Check out our latest lost and found dump on Flickr. Claim your stuff before we donate it to CHIPS in two weeks!

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Yesterday’s Results Board: Press / SLDL | Row, Ring Support, Hollow Hold
Adults in Halloween Costumes NY Times
Welcome to Your Worst Nightmares Atlas Obscura