Coach Arturo says practicing muscle-up transitions is a good time—and so is practicing your pull-ups! AntiGravity will be running pull-up workshops this week. Come check it out tonight at 7:30pm or Sunday at 2pm! | Photo by Thomas H.

Last Chance to Join the Fight Gone Bad Fun, and a Note From Brooklyn Community Foundation

There are still a spots left for Fight Gone Bad, but the teams are currently being made, so THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE. REGISTER HERE 

And while we’re at it, we’re going to share this lovely note we received from the Brooklyn Community Foundation, telling us all the great things they’ve done over the last year (and which the money we raised helped support!)…

Thank you CrossFit South Brooklyn for partnering with us on your Fight Gone Bad fundraiser for the 4th year running! Brooklyn Community Foundation is on a mission to spark lasting social change, mobilizing people, capital, and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn. Since our founding in 2009, the Foundation and our donors have provided over $20 million in grants to more than 300 nonprofits throughout the borough, bolstering vital programs and services while responding to urgent community needs and opportunities to fuel community-led change. 

This year, we plan to distribute a total of $3 million in grants across three distinct areas:

• Invest in Youth: Creating better opportunities and a stronger future for Brooklyn’s next generation;
• Neighborhood Strength: Fostering community leadership and identity in Crown Heights;
• Brooklyn Accelerator: A hub for strengthening Brooklyn’s vibrant nonprofit sector.

Highlights from 2015 so far include the launch of the Brooklyn Youth Fellowship supporting 10-month fellowships for young people at 12 youth-serving organizations, a Restorative Justice Project in partnership with four public schools in Brooklyn and the Mayor’s Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline, and an Incubator Project for Brooklyn nonprofits. Visit bcfny.org to learn more about all of our work.

Thank you all again (and good luck!).  

Hail to the Queen @ Citi Field: Come for CrossFit, Stay for Baseball!! 

In partnership with the New York Mets, CrossFit Queens is excited to bring the annual Hail to the Queen Competition. On October 3, the community will take over Citifield to compete, eat, drink, and watch baseball!

The event will start with some amazing female athletes demonstrating incredible athleticism as they compete to be the next Queen of CrossFit. There is over $5,000 in total cash prizes up for grabs and some incredible swag from our sponsors.

The Mets game will follow our HTTQ competition and we want our CrossFit Community there! We have two sections reserved for this exciting battle for first place between the Nationals and the Mets and throughout the baseball game the Mets will be recognizing the competition – 50,000 Mets fans will get a little taste of CrossFit.

“What am I supposed to do between the HTTQ and the Mets Game?”…. I am glad you asked… An after party of course! Stay tuned for more details about that and other surprises!! Tickets are limited and will sell out fast, so hurry up and reserve your spot!

Event Schedule
Hail to the Queen 9:00am – 3:00pm
After Party 3:00pm – 7:00pm
Mets Game 7:00pm

REGISTER HERE

Once you register, please let Coach MeLo know by emailing her at Melissa [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. 

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Moment skating champion careens down steeply inclined highway on his longboard at heart-stopping 70MPH Daily Mail

Bench Press

Performance: High Intensity: 85-90% x 3 x 4
Add a few pounds to last week’s High Intensity exposure.  

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add two to five pounds to last week’s exposure. 
Exposure 6/8
_____________________ 

Deadlift

Fitness and Performance: Work up to one heavy set of 3 using perfect form.
Heavier than last week’s set of 5. Dead start, no touch-and-go. 

Exposure 6/8
Post loads to comments.
_____________________ 

4 Rounds For Time:
20 Box Jumps 24/20″
400m Run

Post time and Rx to comments.

Congrats to our Strength Cycle Totalers, who put up some beastly PRs yesterday! If you tested your 1RMs with Coach Jeremy or Coach Margie yesterday, please let us know how it went in the comments below. And stay tuned for the upcoming cycles of Strength Cycle! 

CrossFit Teens Begins This Week With New Fall Times!

Have a teenager who is looking to gain a competitive advantage in their sport, improve their fitness, learn new skills, and have fun in a supportive, social environment?

CrossFit Teens is a strength and conditioning program that is specifically designed for teenagers and helps them develop a lifelong love of fitness. In a group setting, teens participate in fun and engaging workouts that deliver measurable results and prepare them to be well- rounded athletes. The workouts consist of constantly varied, functional movements that deliver a fitness that is broad, inclusive and general and scalable for any participant at any level. 

Classes will begin with a warm-up and icebreaker-style question. Each class will include skill practice and a strength development aspect, specifically designed to be accessible and appropriate to teenaged athletes. Classes will finish with a WOD, or Workout of the Day, designed to test work capacity, endurance, skill, and strength in a fun, competitive, but inclusive environment. As the school year starts, post-class homework time will be included to take advantage of the increased mental capacity brought about by movement and physical exertion.

Dates/Times:
Tuesday/Thursday at 4:30pm

Cost: 
10-Class Punch Card: $300 SIGN UP HERE
Drop In: $35 SIGN UP HERE

Questions:
Email Coach Noah at Noah [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com

Check Out CrossFit Preschool and CrossFit Kids Too!

CrossFit Preschool and CrossFit Kids emphasizes physical development through games and kid appropriate “workouts”. Most importantly, we’re all about having FUN! Developing a positive association between fitness, physical activity, and the joy of movement is the primary goal of our program. Our classes are comprised of obstacle courses, relay races, basic gymnastics, games and other engaging physical activities. Think of it like the gym class you wish you had growing up!

CrossFit Preschool (3 – 5 years old):
Run! Jump! Skip! Roll! Through playful games and fun activities, children learn to move safely and gain basic coordination and body awareness. Together we explore tumbling and movement using fun, kid-friendly scenarios and games. Your preschooler will flex their mini-muscles as they build their confidence and develop their fine and gross motor skills.

CrossFit Kids (6 – 8 years old): 
Building on the skills they developed in CrossFit Preschool, our Kids classes are designed to build strength, further develop coordination, and encourage a lifelong love of fitness. Age-appropriate programming includes calisthenics, basic tumbling, running, climbing, throwing, and other modalities to stimulate bone density and vestibular system development while improving fine and gross motor skills, coordination, and flexibility. On top of physical development, social and cognitive growth is encouraged through teamwork, problem solving, and building the confidence that helps them make healthy choices.

Schedule & Pricing

CrossFit Preschool:
Mondays: 4:30p – 5:30p
Sundays: 10:00a – 11:00a 

CrossFit Kids:
Mondays: 5:30p – 6:30p
Fridays: 4:30p – 5:30p

Pricing:
Single Class Drop-in: $30
5 pack: $135 ($27/class)
10 pack: $250 ($25/class)

SIGN UP HERE

20% discount for siblings (do not have to be registered for the same class).
There is a 3 month expiration on the 5 pack and a 6 month expiration on the 10 pack.

Please contact Janelle [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com before your first drop-in class.

_____________________ 
8.4 Million New Yorkers Suddenly Realize New York City a Horrible Place to Live
Startling Ignorance The CrossFit Journal 

Fitness
Back Squat: 3 x 5
Heavier than last week’s set of 8. 
Exposure 5/8 

Performance
Low Intensity
Back Squat: 65-70% x 7 x 2
Front Squat 65-70% x 7 x 2
Add a few pounds to your last Low Intensity day. 
Exposure 9/16 

Post loads to comments.
_____________________ 

For Time:
15 Overhead Squats 135/95
30 Calorie Row
15 Overhead Squats 

Rest 5 Minutes

For Time:
50 Double-Unders
40 Toes-to-Bar
50 Double-Unders  

The OHS should be a medium-heavy load that you may do unbroken for the first round. Full snatches count as reps. Scale load as necessary. Sub for 50 doubles is 20 attempts. If you don’t have toes-to-bar, sub hanging knee raises.

Post time/s and Rx to comments.

Hollywood mid-flight at AntiGravity, where you too can learn how to fly! Check it out on Sundays at 2pm and Tuesdays at 7:30pm. AntiGravity focuses on the gymnastics skill and strength components that are most commonly demanded in CrossFit workouts, using a variety of skill exercises, progressions, weighted and strict practice, and other techniques to teach, develop, and perfect your bodyweight movements. Learn more here. | Photo by Thomas H.

• There are still spots left for Fight Gone Bad, so we’re extending the deadline for you to register. We only keep repping this out because it’s bascially the coolest day of the year at CFSBK, and we don’t want you to miss out. Read more here, sign up here. 
• We are open for any and all donations for FGB prizes! If you own or work at a business that wants to provide some sort of prize (no matter how small!) for our top performers (for the WOD and fundraising) please email David [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. Thanks to everyone who has already contacted us about being a sponsor, we love you!

Run/Walk a 5K to Raise Money for Miles for Midwives

Colleen M.’s sister is on the board of the organization Miles for Midwives, and they are raising money through a 5K race to improve maternity care and community wellness. The organization does a great job of educating and providing resources for maternity health and healthy childbirth.

The 5K is October 3, 2015 at 10:00 followed by a Community Birth and Wellness Fair.

The entry fee is $25.00 for an individual and $10.00 for a child. Learn more here.

Come Check Out the Strength Cycle Total Today at 2pm

Coach Jeremy’s and Coach Margie’s Strength Cyclers will wrap up their eight-week cycle today starting at 2pm. 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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Scale As Needed Episode 2 FloSports 
Politics and the English Language George Orwell 

Clean and Jerk

Take 10 minutes to warm up a bit beyond your clean and jerk weight for the WOD.

Post loads to comments.

_____________________ 

30 Rounds For Time:
1 Clean and Jerk 185/125
3 Burpees

The barbell is meant to be medium-heavy. A weight that you can power clean and then push jerk early, maybe split jerk later on as the reps pile up. Scale as appropriate.   

Post time and Rx to comments.

A weekend class warming up their clean and jerk

• Want to try something other than group class today? Check out Yoga for Athletes at 10am, Active Recovery at 11am, or Open Gym from 2-4pm!
• ACTIVE RECOVERY ON SATURDAYS AT NOON IS CANCELLED INDEFINITELY. This class has had consistently low attendance for a while, and we’re nixing it. Check out Active Recovery at 11am on Saturday or Sunday to get your weekend mobility fix.
• Cruise Director Mare L. is having a farewell party at Threes Brewing (who graciously offers all CFSBK members Happy Hour pricing 24/7), from 1pm after class until around 4pm tomorrow. She would love for any and all to join her!

_____________________ 
Here’s How You Can Help the Refugees Flooding Into Europe Fast Company 
7 Super Fit Women (Ages 66 to 97) Who Will Inspire You to Get Off Your Butt Now Mind Body Green 

Please Join Us in Bidding Farewel to Our Beloved Cruise Director Mare L.

A Note from Coach David
We’re so fortunate to have some pretty incredible people come through CFSBK and Mare is no exception. Mare has been a staple of the community for years now, she was May 2013’s Athlete of the Month, and when she came on as our Cruise Director to help create fun events, everyone won. She applied her neurotic attention to detail, professionalism, and most importantly, genuine motivation to everything she did.

With Mare’s assistance, we were able to put on a bunch of great events like stand-up paddleboarding, meditation classes, bike repair classes, movie nights, ice-skating, hiking… This list goes on (and goes on below!). Needless to say, we’re sorry to see her and Jun head to Seattle, but are excited for her their new adventure. We wish them well and can’t thank Mare enough for all the memorable and meaningful experiences she helped facilitate for the community.

A Note from Mare L.
I came to CrossFit South Brooklyn five years ago as I was facing a new reality—my body was slowing down as it inched ever more closer towards 40, I found myself single when everyone else wasn’t (or so it seemed), and my father had passed away, suddenly and mysteriously. I was simply looking for variety and something to distract me from my overwhelming grief, but little did I know that entering through the CFSBK gate would be so meaningful in navigating these new waters. 

CFSBK’s dynamic group of coaches and thoughtful programming have not only gifted me with a new definition of fitness and strength, but also a sense of empowerment that I never had felt before. I felt confident with my new muscles, especially the round posterior that formed from my formerly Flat Asian Ass, and I proudly added a photo of my Tough Titsday squat to my online dating profile. I am also so appreciative of the TFBA (Total Fucking Badass), yet un-intimidating community David has fostered—one that refreshed my Brooklyn roots with honest friendships and lots of laughs. I feel honored to have had the opportunity to be CFSBK’s Cruise Director for the last year and a half and play a role in David’s never-ending quest in cultivating this special hub. CFSBK is truly unique and I will miss you all!                 

Huge thanks to Mare L. who planned and actively organized almost all of these events last year: 

Pre-2014 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge potluck
Ice skating
Photo portraits with Bekka P.
Mario Kart tourney
C.R.A.S.H.-B.’s road trip
Post-2014 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge potluck
Snowshoe trip
UFC Fight Night
Meditation workshops
Bike repair class
Fish cooking class
Clothing and book swap
Brooklyn Half Marathon post-race party
Movie night
CrossFit Regionals viewings
Memorial Day “Murph”
Foraging class in Prospect Park
Dog adoption event
Dog training class
Standup paddleboarding trip
Co-WOD with Crow Hill CrossFit
Climbing classes at Brooklyn Boulders
Roller skating adventure
Fight Gone Bad 2014
The Brooklyn Community Foundation Get Down event 

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Tribute in Light Captures Grief and Joy of 9/11 Anniversary The New York Times 

Mare is having a farewell party at Threes Brewing (who graciously offers all CFSBK members Happy Hour pricing 24/7), from 1pm after class until around 4pm tomorrow. She would love for any and all to join her!

Snatch: 5 attempts between 80-90% of your best recent snatch
Not a 1RM day. Goal is zero misses. If you have a tendency to recover by walking forward then sit in the catch for a few seconds before standing. 

Exposure 5/8
Post loads to comments.
_____________________ 

5 Rounds Not For Time, or 20 minutes:
5 each side, Contra-lateral Overhead Reverse Dumbbell Lunges, as heavy as possible 
10 Supine Ring Rows (or as challenging as possible) 
25 Hollow Rocks 

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Look at all the side-splitting fun you could stand to lose by not participating in Fight Gone Bad! REGISTER NOW | Photos from last year’s event by Dan R., Asta F., and Susan P.

PSYCH! You Still Have Time to Join the FGB Madness! 

There are still a spots left for Fight Gone Bad, so we’re extending the deadline for you to register. We only keep repping this out because it’s bascially the coolest day of the year at CFSBK, and we don’t want you to miss out. Read more here, sign up here. 

Check out some comments from last year’s participants…

FGB was amazing. It’s amazing to have discovered a healthy, dedicated, and compassionate community. I’m so impressed by the amount the gym raised that will go directly to our own community and the neighborhoods that need the investment the most. I’d recommend this gym to anyone in a heartbeat. —Allie B.

FGB was a ton of fun. I did better than I was expecting to (246 reps) and the camaraderie and good vibes in the gym throughout the day was great to experience. Well done and thanks for putting together such a great event! –Shawn

(my first) FGB was SO fun!! so many good vibes! thanks to everyone for making it such! despite in going in such the first heat in a relatively empty gym, so happy to have had some cheerleaders (including my awesome judge, kate r.) and my awesome team! did it RX’d despite my looming cold and woke up not feeling so hot! happy to be resting right now!!! –Cam

Rowing turned out to be my biggest FGB improvement this year over last with a round of CRASH-B’s under my belt. … Seriously, it was a very fun day — congrats to all of my Badger teammates, Hayley, Jun, Noah, Josh and Sarah, you guys were all fantastic! And thanks to everyone who made it such a success again this year! –Amanda Mc.

FGB was awesome. I’m so happy I’m feeling healthy and was able to participate this year. I’m very impressed with everyone’s performance yesterday, so many big PRs! It’s nice to have a benchmark like this every year to see how far we’ve come. I even surprised myself. –Coach K Harpz

FGB was a blast as always. It’s really cool to be in the middle of everyone while there’s a great energy flowing around. Thanks to my fellow Vatos for throwing down with me. –Coach Fox

My first and it was a lot of fun. Definitely an intense workout. I loved the gathering of the entire CFSBK community and it’s nice to see lots of new faces I don’t know because we work out at opposite ends of the day. Thanks to everyone involved for the great organization. I’m looking forwarding to seeing my score tomorrow. The one surprise of the day was figuring out at the end that Fox was in costume. –Elliott

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Spitfire Athlete Pro: Strength Training App for Women 

Did you participate in Fight Gone Bad 2015? If you’ve competed in a previous FGB, tell us about your experience!

Performance:
High Intensity
Back Squat 85-70% x 3 x 2
Front Squat 85-70% x 3 x 2
Add a few pounds to your last high intensity day.

Exposure 8/16 

Fitness:
Front Squat 3 x 5
Add a few pounds to your 3 x 8 exposure last week. 
Exposure 5/8

Post loads to comments.
_____________________ 

AMRAP 15 Minutes:
30 Russian Kettlebell Swings 72/53
200m Run
10 Handstand Push-Ups

Scale the HSPU to 1 or 2 AbMats, or scale some volume as necessary. The intention is to do the 10 reps in one or two sets. Sub 3 Wall Walks with a :05 Hold at the top if you can not perform the handstand push up.

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Kathleen R. from CrossFit Virtuosity at our Subway Series event | Photo by Ewan B.

CFSBK Kids Club Night: Saturday, September 26^th from 6pm-9pm

Want a night off for yourself and your kids? Sign up for our first CFSBK Kids night out! Your kid will engage in fun movement activities and games, eat pizza, and watch a movie.

What:  We’ve organized a night of CrossFit kids physical activities and games. We’ll all share a pizza dinner and then watch a movie on the CFSBK big screen. 

When: Saturday, September 26^th from 6 PM -9 PM

Who: Kids ages 3-12, parents can stay if they want or go out on the town. 

Cost: $50 per child with a 40% discount for additional siblings. Dinner will be provided. Late pickups will result in a $25 fee. 

RSVP Required. Email cfsbkfrontdesk [at] gmail.com. This event is capped at 15 children so RSVP soon!

Join the 2015 Fight Gone Bad Fun! 

There are still spots open for Fight Gone Bad. Learn more here, and register here. 

We are open for any and all donations for prizes. If you own or work at a business that wants to provide some sort of prize (no matter how small!) for our top performers (for the WOD and fundraising) please email David [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. 

Since 2008, CrossFit South Brooklyn has conducted a yearly fundraiser in the form of a workout called Fight Gone Bad. Last year, we raised over $40,000 for the Brooklyn Community Foundation (BCF), a local organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in Brooklyn by strengthening communities through local giving, grantmaking, and community service. This year, we’ll be partnering with BCF again and hope to surpass last year’s donation numbers. 

What are you waiting for? 

_____________________ 
Man Suddenly Regretting Asking To Be Taken Seriously By Peers 

Melody S. (now Melody W.) got married on Sunday, September 6th in Philadelphia. Here she is above with CFSBK members Jennifer G. and KLove, who are “pressing” Melody’s husband Mike (who trains muay thai down the street). Melody reports: “The wedding was awesome. We had a strongman and a fire breather and a magical carnival themed wedding in Philadelphia. It was the best day ever.” Melody and Mike are back in Brooklyn for a couple of weeks before they head to Bali and Singapore for the honeymoon of awesomeness. 

• Bye bye, birthdays on the blog: With 750 members and counting, we’re doing away with giving birthday shout-outs on the blog. If you have other exciting news to report, such as Melody’s news above, send it to Managing Editor Kate R., at Katharine [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com.  
• There are still spots open for Fight Gone Bad 2015! Learn more here, and register here. 

Three Ways to Spice Up Your Tuesday CFSBK Life

• Active Recovery at 6:30pm. This class is designed to give your muscles and mind a rest. For an hour you’ll be guided through a combination of soft tissue work, mobility techniques, and general restorative movement. Want to learn more? We wrote a detailed article about this class on Coach David’s blog, Inside The Affililiate, called “Running an Active Recovery Class.”
• Pilates with KH at 7:30pm. Have you ever been told by a coach or PT that you have a weak core? Are you not sure what “keep your ribcage down” means? Do you suffer from a tweaky lower back after lifting heavy weights? Help is on the way! Learn more about KH in our interview with her, called “‘Mad Abs, Yo!’ How Pilates Complements CrossFit, and Getting to Know Kristin H.“ 
• AntiGravity at 7:30pm (and Sundays at 2pm). The class focuses on the gymnastics skill and strength components that are most commonly demanded in CrossFit workouts, using a variety of skill exercises, progressions, weighted and strict practice, and other techniques to teach, develop, and perfect your bodyweight movements. 

_____________________ 
How Does Twitter Use You? The Los Angeles Review of Books
Inside CrossFit Games Training Camp: Team NORCAL CrossFit 

Bench Press

Performance: Medium Intensity: 75-80% x 5 x 4
Add a few pounds to last week’s medium intensity exposure.  

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add two to five pounds to last week’s exposure. 
Exposure 5/8
_____________________ 

Deadlift

Fitness and Performance: Work up to one heavy set of 5 using perfect form.
Heavier than last week’s set of 5. Dead start, no touch-and-go. 

Exposure 5/8
Post loads to comments.
_____________________ 

3 Rounds For Time: 
12 Burpee Box Jumps 24/10″
15 Deadlifts 225/135

Post time and Rx to comments.

Another great shot from Ewan B. at the last Subway Series event

Schedule Changes

The following classes will be offered as a modified schedule today:

• 8am
• 9am
• 10am
• 12pm

Join the 2015 Fight Gone Bad Fun! 

There are still spots open for Fight Gone Bad. Learn more here, and register here. 

We are open for any and all donations for prizes. If you own or work at a business that wants to provide some sort of prize (no matter how small!) for our top performers (for the WOD and fundraising) please email David [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. 

Since 2008, CrossFit South Brooklyn has conducted a yearly fundraiser in the form of a workout called Fight Gone Bad. Last year, we raised over $40,000 for the Brooklyn Community Foundation (BCF), a local organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in Brooklyn by strengthening communities through local giving, grantmaking, and community service. This year, we’ll be partnering with BCF again and hope to surpass last year’s donation numbers. 

What are you waiting for? 

_____________________ 
When Labor Day Meant Something The Atlantic 

Fitness
Back Squat: 3 x 8
Heavier than last week. 
Exposure 4/8 

Performance
Medium Intensity
Back Squat: 75-80% x 5 x 2
Front Squat 75-80% x 5 x 2
Add a few pounds to your last High Intensity day. 
Exposure 7/16 

Post loads to comments.
_____________________ 

Partner WOD
In teams of 2 with one partner working at a time, complete the following for time:
200 Wall Ball 20/10, 14/9
50 Ring Muscle-Ups

Sub for the muscle-up is 1 burpee + 2 pull-ups/ring rows (50 burpees and 100 pull-ups for the team). The burpee and pull-ups/ring rows must be performed as 1+2 at a time, i.e., you can not perform 10 burpees then 20 pull-ups/ring rows to equal 10 muscle-up. 

Post time and Rx to comments.

Kristin C. crushing all things athletic on her honeymoon: handstands on Taketomi island, kayaking in the Irimote river, and a major bike climb in the Arashiyama bamboo forest in Kyoto. Kristin reports: “Japan is incredible—an adventure seeker’s paradise. The food ain’t too shabby either! Special thanks to Coach Whit for the all the strength training this past year!”

Schedule Changes

• AntiGravity is CANCELLED today.
• Kids Club at 9am is CANCELLED today. 
• CrossFit Preschool is CANCELLED today. 
• The following classes will be offered as a modified schedule tomorrow for Labor Day (9/7):
  
  • 8:00am
  • 9:00am
  • 10:00am
  • 12:00pm

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Keeping It Real: Runners Share Self-Portraits Runner’s World