Press: 5-5-5
Work up to a heavy set of 5 reps. No failing.

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Erg Repeats:
4 x 500m Row
Rest about 4 minutes between attempts.

Post loads and times to comments.

Our mighty Subway Series winners! 

CONGRATULATIONS to CFSBK’s Competition Team at the Subway Series!

Alex B. and Coaches MeLo, McDowell, and Jess—CFSBK’s Competition Team yesterday—took FIRST PLACE at the second event in the 2014 Subway Series at CrossFit Queens. Below is the WOD they completed for their victory:

“Grannie Gone Mad”  

Pair of men and pair of women each complete the following simultaneously:

In 9 Minutes:
10 C&J, 135/95
10 C&J, 155/115
10 C&J, 185/135
AMRAP C&J, 205/145

After each set of 10 C&J, pair must complete 40 double unders and 20 toes-to-bar before moving on to their next 10 C&J (including during AMRAP).  

If you are interested in competing in either of the final two Subway Series events, please contact Coach MeLo (Melissa [at] CrossfitSouthBrooklyn). Do it!!!

News and Notes 

• There’s a new post over on Coach David’s blog Inside the Affiliate, all about Coach Jeremy and Strength Cycle at CFSBK. It’s called “Why You Need a Dedicated Strength Training Program.” Check it out!
• Happy birthday, Greg A.!

_____________________  
CrossFit Flirting: Talk Burpee to Me New York Times
Drugs and the Evolution of Bodybuilding The Atlantic
What Is The Speed of Dark? Vsauce
Dave Castro talks with Julie Foucher, Rich Froning, Sam Briggs, and Jason Khalipa about participating in the first-ever CrossFit Team Series. 

Fitness: Clean + Knee Hang Clean + Jerk (1+1+1)
Work up to a heavy single on the complex.

Performance: Clean + 2 Jerks (1+2)
Work up to a heavy single on the complex. Press outs are considered missed lifts

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Partner WOD
In teams of 3 with one partner working at a time:
AMRAP 4 Minutes each
Thruster 95/65
Pull Up
Box Jump 24/20
Kettlebell Swing 72/53

Post loads and rounds to comments.

Highlights from Day 5 of the 2014 Commonwealth Games

The 2014 Subway Series Resumes with its Second Week! 

Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throwdown: the 2014 Subway Series! The second competition continues this morning at 9:00am at Crossfit Queens. All are invited to spectate, so come cheer on your fellow South Brooklynites as they compete against 12 other local gyms.

_____________________ 
A More Pseudonymous Internet The Atlantic
What Fish Does to Your Brain The Atlantic

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add 5 pounds to Wednesday. If you didn’t squat on Wednesday then start a bit below your last 3 x 5 weight. 

Performance: 80%x1, 85%x1, 90%x1, 85%x1, 80%x1

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For Time:
Row 1000m
100 Double Unders
Run 1000m 

Post loads and time to comments.

The 2014 CrossFit Games highlight reel is live! Get ready for some chills…

Bend, Stretch, and Mobilize Today

• Yoga for Athletes with Coach Whitney at 10am.
• Active Recovery at 11am and 12pm with Coach David.

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W.H.O. Declares Ebola in West Africa a Health Emergency New York Times
Email Is Ruining Us: A Brilliant Solution The Atlantic

Have you met Coach JB yet? Check out our interview with her!

Last Chance to Paddleboard with CFSBK

Where:  On the Hudson River, launching from Croton Point Park in Westchester County  
When:  2-4pm, Saturday, Aug 16
Cost:  $99 per person, cost drops to $89 per person with 6+ participants
Sign-up: Email Mare at mare@crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com TODAY! It’s your last chance!
More information: Check out our event page!

Write a Haiku

Today’s Rest Day WOD is to write a CrossFit Haiku—now an annual CFSBK tradition! Nothing like a fun little project to get the creative juices flowing. What’s a haiku, you might ask? A haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry characterized by three simple lines. The first line contains five syllables, the second contains seven, and the last again contains five. Think about the images, emotions, and experiences you have at the gym and see if you can’t write your own. Below are three examples courtesy of Mobility WOD:

Psoas unfolding
Like the lotus blossom
I just vomited

Way of the painball
There are no days off
Leopard is supple

My leg is aflame
A sliding tunnel of meat
I shall punish thee

Post your CrossFit Haiku to comments.
Compare to 6.12.2012 and 7.28.2011

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NJ Bears Wandering Around Upright Like They’re Cartoon Characters Gothamist
Growth Happens At Our Limits: Embrace it. Nerd Fitness
Is Your Relationship Making You Fat? US News & World Report
8 Life Lessons I Learned From My Near-Death Experience MindBodyGreen

Fitness: 2 Behind-the-Neck Snatch Push Press + 2 Overhead Squats
Work up to a moderate load on the complex.

Performance: Snatch Balance
Work up to a moderate 3 Rep Snatch Balance.

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5 Rounds Not for Time:
5 Hang Muscle Snatch 
5 OH Reverse Lunges, Left
5 OH Reverse Lunges, Right
130m Run

Post loads to comments.

Eight dogs (and their owners!) were trained last Saturday at CFSBK

• Happy birthday, Sidney M.! 

We Will Miss You, Miranda B.! 

_________________  
Stress and Cravings: Why Changing Your Food Isn’t Enough Paleof(x)
The 1 Question to Ask to Identify a Narcissist Science of Us
You Asked: Why Are People Addicted to CrossFit and Other Brutal Workouts? TIME
About This Feud Between O-Lifting and CrossFit Performance Menu

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Start below your last exposure to leave room to grow. 

Performance: 1 x 20
Start at about 55% of your 1 Rep Max.

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In 12 minutes:
5 Wall Ball 20/10, 14/9
5 Knees to Elbows
10 Wall Ball
10 Knees to Elbows
15 Wall Ball
15 Knees to Elbows
20 Wall Ball
20 Knees to Elbows
25 Wall Ball
25 Knees to Elbows
etc…
If you can’t perform K2E as Rx’d then sub V-Ups.

Post loads and rounds to comments.

Coach Jeremy with KR. 

News and Notes

• The Meat/Fish/Veg/Flower/Egg CSA pickup is TODAY, from 6-8:30 PM. Eggs will also be for sale, $6/dozen. Please bring small bills for the eggs and your own bags to carry your goodies home. Questions or issues? Email Michele at mignyc [at] gmail.com. Want to sign up for any of our CSA programs? See this page.
• Zach H. wants you to know about another competition happening September 13-14, called the Pump Games. It’s a two-day event in New Jersey and Zach and a few others are already signed up. The price bumps up tomorrow, so check it out today! If you want to coordinate with him, email him at z.hodge [at] live.com.

Subway Series is Back On This Sunday

We’re looking for a few more CFSBK members to join one of our 3-person open teams at the second Subway Series competition this Sunday, August 10th at Crossfit Queens. The workout has been named “Grannie Gone Mad” and is a variant of the benchmark Crossfit “Girls” workouts, Grace and Annie.  

The full workout details and movement standards have been released here: Subway Series Event #2: Open Team WOD. The event will begin at 8:30am and is expected to run until 12pm. Registration is $99 per team, or $33 per person. 

Registration for the event closes at noon on Thursday, so if you are interested in competing, please email Coach MeLo ASAP: Melissa [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com

Get on the Water This Summer with CFSBK

What: Stand-up paddleboard lesson and tour
Where:  On the Hudson River, launching from Croton Point Park in Westchester County  
When:  2-4pm, Saturday, Aug 16
$99 per person, cost drops to $89 per person with 6+ participants
Sign-up: email Mare at mare@crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com by Friday, August 8

This two-hour lesson and guided tour is geared toward first-timers and beginners starting in a protected bay area so that everyone has an opportunity to get their “sea legs.” After folks are feeling comfortable on their boards, we head out for paddle.

For more information, head to our event page!

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Why I Kicked an Athlete Out Of My Box Alyssa Royse
How Foam Rolling Relieves the Pain of Working a Desk Breaking Muscle
What Makes Us Fat: Is It Eating Too Much Or Moving Too Little? NPR
Russell Berger and Mark Rippetoe Respond to ESPN about CrossFit Outside the Lines 

Jen focused in her front-rack position

A Letter to New CrossFitters: Good Training Habits 

The original version of this article appeared on David’s blog, Inside the Affiliate. 

Below is a short article we ask all our new members to read when they graduate from our Foundations program. At CFSBK, we believe it’s important to guide our members’ training perspectives early on. The sooner we can get folks thinking about how to make proactive, intelligent training decisions, the more likely they’ll optimize their time under our roof.

While it’s our responsibility as coaches to teach movement, program wisely, and generally take care of folks, it’s your job as an athlete to listen to your body, track your workouts, and maintain a mature perspective about why you’re doing CrossFit in the first place. For some athletes, this may be completely intuitive, but most folks walking through our doors will need to be taught even the most basic components of serious physical training. Many people pursue CrossFit because they want to lose some weight or a friend does it and it sounds fun—not necessarily because they’ve suddenly decided to eat, sleep, and breath CrossFit. (The obsession part happens organically, after they’ve been exposed to its benefits.)

With that in mind, the commercial fitness industry’s claims of quick fixes and supposed “secrets” to success may have influenced peoples’ perspectives and expectations when they arrive at our gym, and it behooves us to disabuse them of such false messaging. Messages such as the one below are part of a larger dialogue that CFSBK is constantly facilitating, with the aim of giving our members the most accurate and honest advice about what it takes to adopt a healthy lifestyle. 

Hopefully, all of you have already read this article. But a good refresher never hurt anyone…

Good Training Habits

While it’s our responsibility as coaches to teach you movement, program intelligently, and keep you safe, it’s your responsibility as athletes to develop good training habits. Here is an overview of three great habits that will significantly enrich your training experience.

1. Be Proactive With Your Movement Prep
Everyone needs to do a little personalized maintenance on their bodies. Even 10 minutes of DIY movement prep before class can go a long way in keeping you fit and pain free. After you’ve signed in and changed, take advantage of the time you’ve got and start moving. 

Warm-up
Row an easy 300-500m on the erg. Get your heart rate up a little and try to get a light sweat going. We recommend holding 20 strokes per minute and rehearsing good form. 

Stretch/Foam Roll
Many of us know where our tightest areas are—they’re the ones that make it difficult to squat below parallel or press a barbell overhead. Spend a few minutes mobilizing and doing some soft tissue work (foam roller/LAX ball, etc.) on your “problem areas.” If you don’t know where to begin, ask a coach what you should be prioritizing and we’ll help you out. We also regularly refer our members to out Active Recovery classes and MobilityWOD.com. This is great resource for folks who need simple, effective strategies to help them move better. 

2. Log All of Your Workouts
Training without logging is like driving without a road map. You don’t know where you’ve been or where you’re going. Taking notes on each training session helps you track your progress and helps us make informed decisions about how to assist you in choosing weights and scaling movements. Each day should list some quantitative and qualitative notes about your training session. Here is an example:

Warm-Up:
3 rounds NFT
5 Snatch PP (22lb bar)
5 OHS
5 Muscle Snatches
10 Push-ups on knees 

Move up to yellow bar

AMRAP 15 minutes:
Row 350m
12 Overhead Squats, 45lbs
4 Rounds + 320m 

Kept rows at about 2:23 splits, felt hard but doable. Don’t shift forward during overhead squats…. Mid foot!

You can track your workouts in a journal or online. As coaches, we LOVE to read the details of your workout in the Comments section of CFSBK’s blog. It gives us a deeper perspective into your training and the programming in general. 

3. Start Slow and Maintain Perspective
We take our training seriously at CrossFit South Brooklyn and with that comes with a good deal of responsibility. Our movement pool uses serious strength and conditioning exercises in order to develop broad, inclusive fitness. If we don’t treat these movements and workouts with respect, training plateaus and injuries are sure to follow. The best way to ensure your success and training longevity with us is by starting slowly and developing a rock-solid technical base. In fact, the first few months you start CrossFit, intensity should not be a significant concern. The movements are potent enough that just consistently performing them will create a favorable adaptation. After you feel really comfortable with most of our exercises and have a working knowledge of your weights, only then should you start ramping up the intensity. 

Training with a lifelong perspective is incredibly important. Remember that you’re here to build yourself up, not break yourself down. Scaling workouts properly, listening to your body and checking your ego at the door will allow you to work out successfully for years to come. Most importantly, have fun with this stuff and enjoy the process.

Coach Fox wrote an article a few weeks ago that expands on many of these themes, called “Tips on How to be Prepared and Get the Most Out of Group Classes.” Check it out!

• This is the second day of the first week of our new cycle. If you want to see what else is on tap, check out the Current Programming Cycle link in the left sidebar. 

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For the Love of CrossFit: Everyone’s All in It Together at the Games Sports Illustrated
Coach Greg Glassman “Simplifies” the Deadlift Hella Life
Paleo Post-Workout Nutrition Stupid Easy Paleo
Artist Turns Breast Cancer Into Cause for Humorous, Boob–Themed Art Show The Cut

Training Cycle Template

Training Cycle Dates: M 8/4 – Su 9/14
Crush Week: M 9/15 – Su 9/21
Back Off/Transition Week: M 9/22 – Su 9/28 

Monday: Press Variant (Press/Push Press/Bench Press) + WOD/NFT 

Wednesday: Back Squat + WOD/NFT 

Thursday: Snatch Variant + WOD/NFT 

Saturday: Back Squat + WOD/NFT 

Sunday: Clean and Jerk Variant + WOD/NFT 

This cycle will be slightly less linear than the previous one. It will not include two-lift days, and will include more conditioning and Not-for-Time (NFT) assistance work. Performance will be alternating between a volume day (20 reps) and an intensity day (percentage-based singles) on the squat.

Competitions/Events:

Subway Series | Long Island City: August 3 
Subway Series | CrossFit Queens: August 10
Subway Series | CrossFit Virtuosity: August 17
Subway Series | CrossFit South Brooklyn: August 24

Work up to a heavy 5 rep on the bench press.
Use spotters. No failing. 

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EMOM 15 Minutes:
1) 25 Kettlebell Swings 53/35
2) 15 Burpees to a 45# bumper
3) Rest
On the start of the first minute, perform 25 kettlebell swings, then rest until the second minute. At the start of the second minute, perform 15 burpees, then rest through the third minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles. 

Post loads to comments.

Our fearless Subway Series competitors yesterday at CrossFit Long Island City!

News and Notes

• CONGRATS to everyone who competed this weekend, from our Subway Series badasses, to our gentlemen in the USAPL New Jersey State Powerlifting Championship, to Pavel M. who PR-ed his NYC Triathalon time from last year by 22 minutes, in large part due to Michael O.‘s Endurance Program. 
• There’s a new bundle of Lost and Found belongings, including some interestingly-shaded towels and an Elizabethan dog collar. Could today be your lucky day? Click on Photo 1 and Photo 2 to find out! 
• Men’s Fitness interviewed our very own Samir C. about his CrossFit experience. Check it out: CrossFit Confessions: “I reject the militaristic aspects of CrossFit.”
• Happy birthday, David G.!

Wanna Flex on the Beach?

So You Like Watching Soccer… What About Playing?

Coach Noah is organizing a crew of CFSBKers to play in another late summer/fall soccer league. There will be a fun kick-around session this Saturday (8/9) at 3pm to get a sense of interest level and discuss potential leagues to join. Email Noah [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com for more details if you’re interested. 

In case you missed it, THIS happened last year when CFSBK’s soccer team, the Fighting Tacos, banded together. They didn’t have a great record (think 0-8-1), but perhaps you will be the force that changes that and elevates them to something approaching Germany’s status. 

QOD: What’s on your bucket list for the remaining weeks of summer?

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Why Would Anyone Want to Work Out Until They Puke? The Atlantic
Stop Failing Lifts CrossFit Invictus 
The CrossFit Case for Equal Pay The Huffington Post
What Do You See When You Look in the Mirror? The Atlantic

Hang Clean + Jerk: 1-1-1
Work up to a few singles of a moderately heavy (<90%) hang clean (from the knee) + jerk  (1+1)

18 Minutes Not for Rounds:
400m Run or Row
2 Clean and Jerks at 100% of today’s weight on the complex

Post loads to comments.

Madhu the Man Beast, cleaning like a boss

Let the 2014 Subway Series Begin! 

Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throwdown: the 2014 Subway Series! The four-part event kicks off TODAY at 9:00am at Crossfit Long Island City. All are invited to spectate, so come cheer on your fellow South Brooklynites as they compete against 12 other local gyms.

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Taking on the CrossFit Games: Sneak Peek ABCNews
In Defense of the Kipping Pull Up Breaking Muscle
Why We Unfriend The Atlantic