Becky and I are excited to introduce Graham Bradley Kellogg. Graham was born on 11/11/2013 at 3:23 am. He weighed 6lb 15oz and 18.9 inches

 

In the Zone? Cavemanning it?

by Chris Fox

    There was a time not too long ago when every CrossFitter was told on crossfit.com and at our Level 1 seminars that the most efficient way to get your nutrition in order was to follow the Zone Diet. We understood that our health and fitness were dependant on a solid nutritional approach. And so we Zoned, and it was good. Weighing and measuring made sense since it was quantifiable and repeatable, and lord knows that CrossFitters love to measure stuff! What’s your Fran time, brah!? Weighing and measuring our meals led us to fitter bodies. Excess fat was shed, lean muscle gained, and shirts would quickly come off during the WOD even in the dead of February. We were shredded and sexy beasts! If we felt like we were getting too lean or if we started to drag in energy we would up the fat blocks or up the total blocks to meet the needs of our larger, more muscular, super charged selves. It was the quantities that mattered above all else. A 12oz can of Bud, 18 peanuts, and 3 ounces of beef jerky was a healthy balanced meal! Zoning made sense and worked well…until it didn’t. We became neurotic about food. Counting raisins, macadamia nuts, and canned tuna made us crazy. We became lazy about food prep and wanted a new approach. The Paleo Diet provided it. Sure, we had to ditch our morning breakfast sandwich and forgo the beans and rice with our roasted chicken, but we could relax about how much we were eating. We were told that an “unweighed, unmeasured, Paleo gig” was all we really needed to follow. It was easy and mindless. So, we relaxed. And we ate. We convinced ourselves that bacon was an everyday kind of health food, that we could eat as much meat and vegetable and coconut milk as we wanted, and that since we gave up those devilish grains all would be ok. It became strictly about food quality over food quantity. And it was good…until it wasn’t. It was hard to eat out with friends. We obsessed over procuring local, grass-fed, artisanal, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, everything. We couldn’t enjoy a cupcake or a beer without feeling guilty so when we did we would binge the whole day, or weekend, or week, or month.  How do we deal with that?  We binge and purge in a sense and “go paleo” for brief periods of time to “get back on track”. We devour the paleo special (all 2 pounds of it) post lifting session since we earned it, or add in extra “conditioning” workouts to combat fat gain. We convince ourselves that wine and tequila are Paleo enough since they aren’t made from grains…Grok would surely drink a Nor-Cal Margarita! Red wine and 85% dark chocolate have anti-oxidants! Pass them over! Mostly what we did is eat more than we needed to. Too many calories, whether from pastured chickens or bagels, is still too many calories. A net surplus of calories will over time cause weight gain, there’s no way around that. Some of us begin to drop weight too rapidly since we can’t get enough carbs (sweet potato again?) in to fuel us properly. Sure some of us have found a happy place with eating and exercising that brings success. Bravo! But for a lot of us we constantly ask the question “What the hell should I be eating !?” Next week we’ll take a look at what’s good from both of these approaches and consider a few ways to find out what works for best for us as individuals.

Hint: If you won’t do it, it won’t work.
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When You Train and What It Might Mean About You and Your Exercise Breaking Muscle
Rich Froning and Sam Briggs at ESPN
Words of Wisdom for CrossFit Rowers CrossFit One World

Fitness: Work up to a heavy triple

Performance: Work up to a heavy triple

Post loads to comments.
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For Time:
60 Double Unders
500m Row
400m Run
30 Burpees
20 Thrusters 115/75

Post time and Rx to comments.

Charlotte K doing her Inversion skill work in Rockport, MA this past weekend

Andy Milk’s Show Tonight

Hey guys, I’ve got a show tonight with my new music project Put Together just down the road at The Rock Shop.  I’m on early at 7:30pm. Check us out!

Rope Climb Clinic SOLD OUT!

Want to relive the anxiety of 8th grade gym class? Maybe you’ve just always wanted to touch that weird brown stuff all over the ceiling. Regardless, we’re hosting 2 FREE rope climbing clinics for CFSBK members on Saturday, November 23rd at 1pm and 2pm.  This event is limited to 8 participants per session and will review rope climbing 101.

To register, email David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com, first come first serve.

Rope Climbing Demos with Annie Sakamoto
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NASA Releases First Ever Photograph of Saturn, Venus, Mars and Earth
The Innovation of Loneliness

Fitness:
Deadlift to Knee + Below the Knee Power Clean + Front Squat

Hold the catch position after the BTK Pr Clean, then finish the squat portion. Take that moment to reogranize your finish if necessary.

Performance:
Work up to a heavy single on the Below the Knee Power Clean

Front Squat

Fitness: 3×3 Across
Add 5lbs from last week

Performance: Work up to a heavy double

Post loads to comments.
CLN FSQ e 5/6
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NFT:
50 Kettlebell Swings + 2 laps around the block

Choose a heavy weight and try to perform this in 2-3 sets. Focus on a consistent and powerful swing.

Rob U + the fam during the NYC Marathon. Nice sticker usage!

Gym Etiquette

By Coach Noah

In the early days of Crossfit, long before Reebok, before Inov-8, heck, back when aspiring Firebreathers still weighed their half baloney sandwiches before consumption, Crossfitters were a prim and proper bunch.  Donning their finest finery, they silently performed their WODs, cleaned up their mess, quietly clapped for their peers, and then pedaled back home on their giant-front-wheeled bicycles to wax their mustachios.  Ah, the Golden Age of Crossfit.

I kid, I kid.  There never was such a time- Crossfit is inherently an inexact, sweaty, bloody science.  Every day we push ourselves to our limits, possibly redistribute prior meals into garbage receptacles, and generally use our time in the gym to blow off steam, aggressively pursue our own goals, and most importantly, have fun.

That being said, there is a place for some etiquette within the gym.  Rather than add a 9th class onto Foundations, where fledgling CrossNoobs learn how to balance books on their head while breaking down barbells, please bear with me for a mostly philosophical, no-nuts, no-bolts treatise on how to be a model citizen in our little exercise utopia.

Equipment and Environment

One of the biggest reasons people join Crossfit gyms is for all the wonderful toys available to punish ourselves with.  Bumper plates, rings, Prowlers- most of this equipment is rarely glimpsed in the Globo Gym world, often pushed over in a corner, collecting cobwebs.  At CFSBK, and gyms across the multiverse, owners pride themselves in keeping their equipment up to date, in working order, and constantly searching for the newest and best equipment money can buy.  

Notice I said “money.”  Crossfit equipment is freaking expensive!  With that in mind, please be a gentle custodian of the equipment you use at the gym.  Obviously, we would never bail an unloaded barbell, but our stewardship can continue further- not bailing weight unless absolutely necessary, not testing the precise tensile failure of bands, and so on.  Although our equipment can take quite a beating, it isn’t indestructible- treating it with loving care will allow it to last much longer, and free up that moolah for buying Shake Weights.

Also, please try and wipe down sweat, blood (!!!!), and any other detritus you expel during your athletic endeavors.  That’s nasty.

We normally put our equipment away after doing things to our bodies most people would deem cruel and unusual.  We’re tired, shaky, and thinking about the Bierkraft Paleo Special we are soon to devour (that’s a plug Ben, ahem, ahem.)  Please, please take a second to try and put things where they belong and make sure you return every implement you used.  Bumper plates haphazardly stacked like rims at a shady tire shop, dumbells thrown under the shelf with no care for David’s precisely charted pyramid stacking scheme, bands left hanging like lonely noodles- every time this happens a WOD Angel loses its wings.  This applies further to the larger environment of the gym- most of us spend a solid chunk of our week here.  Treat it like home, and keep it clean and tidy like its home, and it will feel like home.  Just to be clear, no, you cannot sleep under the kettlebells if you don’t pay your rent.

People

I’ve spent far too long talking about inanimate objects (although I believe that 2 Pood Kettlebells do possess the souls of demons.)  Let’s talk about the most important element at any Crossfit gym- people!  Our stalwart daily compatriots, our classmates have seen us through hard fought reps, scary bails, and triumphant PR’s.  We are a brother and sisterhood bound by the unbreakable smell of sweaty socks, and we must treat each other accordingly.   After you yell “TIME,” take a second, re-swallow your lunch, and then start your 2nd WOD- cheering others on.  You don’t have to quote epic poems of heroic struggle, read excerpts of Patton’s speeches, or attempt technical cheerleading formations.  Simple “yeahs!” “go’s!” and “Get it’s!” suffice.  If you have caused such irreparable harm to your central nervous system that you can no longer talk, just clap.  When you do a WOD, the whole gym is a team.  Cheer for your teammates, and don’t leave before every single person who started the WOD is done.  Unless you have really caused irreparable CNS damage- you might want to see a doctor about that.

Be mindful of people working out as you’re in the gym.  Don’t walk across the field of vision of someone chasing a 1RM clean or narrowly avoid someone squatting heavy while going to get a kettlebell.  This is distracting and frustrating for the lifter, and can be avoided by simply taking your time and being mindful.  The gym is a busy place, but try your best to not disrupt others as you go about getting your swell on.

Lastly, an important element of being a noble Crossfitter is to be honest about your work and effort.  Cutting corners, whether it be in partial ROM reps or shorting your rep counts, hurts your fellow gym members by distorting their data, but more importantly stunts your growth.  Remember, if you can’t remember if you’ve done 14 or 24 reps, assume its 14- you’ll only be 10 extra reps stronger at the end.  Treat each rep as an opportunity to show how good you are at the movement, perform them correctly before you perform them quickly, and don’t take a call of “missed rep” or a coach asking you to drop weight as a personal condemnation.  The members at CFSBK are better at this than almost any other gym I’ve ever seen, but it still bears repeating- be your own strictest judge, and hold yourself to the highest standard of personal virtuosity.  

In sum:

– Put your equipment away in its place after you’re done
– Cheer on fellow CrossFitters when you’re done with your own workout
– Don’t unnecessarily abuse the equipment
– Mind others space and field of vision, especially when they’re lifting heavy.
– Don’t short reps
– Practice Technique and consistency before technique
– Listen to your coaches, we’re working in your best interest.

Consider this etiquette lesson complete!  You can stop balancing the book on your head, and don’t worry about which fork goes on which side while you do your burpees.  Simply treat your equipment, facilities, and, most importantly each other, with care and kindness.  Huzzah!

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Top 10 Mistakes CrossFitters Make The Tabata Times

Little Zack drops in on Group Class

• Happy birthdays to Adele M and belated Bday to Mike W!

CSA Reminder

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Supple Leopards VS. The World: My Take On The “Knees Out” Debate DSStrength

Part A – Inversion Skill Work

4-5 Rounds NFT of:
2-4 Kick Ups to the wall or freestanding kick-ups
10 Log Roll to V-Ups

Part B – Inversion Strength Work

4-5 Rounds NFT of:

“Fitness”
1 Wall Walks – 15 second hold
8 DB Press
8 ea Renegade Row* (no push up)

“Performance”
30, 40, or 50 Handstand Push-Ups in as few sets as possible. Start each set with as many strict as possible and then move to kipping.

Post experience to comments.
Inversion e 4/6
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5 Rounds for max reps of:
:30. Burpees
:30 Rest
:30 Kipping Pull-Ups
:30 Rest
:30 Sit-ups
:30 Rest

Post total reps and Rx to comments.

Separated at birth? Lauren B and Dolce

Inside The Affiliate

As some of you might know or have heard, I’ve been working on a new blog called Inside the Affiliate (ITA), where I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned over the last six years running a CrossFit gym. In the spirit of CrossFit’s open source affiliate model, I’ll be discussing our class management principles, continuing education programs, and the lessons our coaches and I have learned since starting CFSBK. The ultimate goal of the blog is to promote strategies that help affiliates create professional, inclusive, and effective training experiences for their members. I’m hoping you’ll also be my readers, and help me spread the word by sharing the blog with anyone you know who is interested in CrossFit, especially your friends at other gyms.

Here are three articles for you to start with. Enjoy!
1. Starting Class with Introductions
2. Compensating Coaches Part 1
3. Continuing Education: Giving Coaches Tests

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A Call To Standards For Coaches, Owners and Athletes Outside The Gym

5 Rounds, each for reps of:
In 3 minutes, row 350 meters for time, then perform max reps:
Squat Clean Thruster 165/110*

Rest 3 minutes between rounds

Jerks are no-reps. Must be one motion out of the bottom of the squat. Go with a weight you can thruster, not clean and jerk.

Post total reps and Rx to comments.

Teresa B Overhead

Happy Birthday, Captain Osorio!

Dumbbell Thrusters

The Thruster is a common CrossFit exercise that requires you to squat below parallel with a load on your shoulders then thrust it overhead in one fluid movement. It’s commonly used as a potent conditioning tool and less commonly used as a strength developer. While more total weight can be moved with a barbell, mobility limitations can make it very uncomfortable for many people to rack the barbell on their shoulders.  If you have a really hard time keeping your elbows up as you descend and find the movement stressful on your wrists, Dumbbell Thrusters are probably going to be your best bet.  Dumbbells also require more shoulder stability and are excellent at developing muscle symmetry. 
A common issue with dumbbell thrusters is that as you fatigue your weaker side may begin to collapse inwards at the rack position or fail to lock out overhead. Often the dumbbell will begin to drop toward your chest during the ascent and then barely make it to lock out.  This is a clear indication that you’ve got underdeveloped external rotators in your shoulder.  To get through the workout, you’ll have to either slow down significantly or reduce the weight of your dumbbells.  Trying to gut through a collapsing rack support is ill advised as it could put excessive stress on the soft tissue in and around your shoulder. Below are a few different things you can do pre/post workout to help develop this weak link:

We recommend you do them 2-3 times per week for 3 sets of 8-20 reps. 
Joe Defranos Shoulder Health Circuit

What song/album are you currently obsessed with?
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Hand Position for the Double Under CrossFit

Fitness: High Hang Power Snatch + Below The Knee Power Snatch + OHS

Performance: Below The Knee Snatch
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Back Squat

Fitness: 3×5 Across
add 2.5-5lbs from last week’s weight.

Performance: 2×5, then 1 x max reps <10.
add 2.5-5lbs from last week’s weight.

Post loads to comments.
BSQ/Sn e4/6
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Fartlek Mile

Fartlek, which means “speed play” in Swedish combines aerobic low intensity work with more anerobic high intensity intervals.  Generally the intervals are based on feel and somewhat unstructured.  Play with this protocol for three laps around the block.

Anthony H ran the entire marathon with this expression on his face!

• Happy Birthday, Julian V!

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The Handstand Push Up: How Things Go Wrong and How to Put Them Right Breaking Muscle
Millions Raised by AIDS Walk Spent on Rent, Not HIV Services (by our own Matt K)

Jacque’s recent backpacking trip to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming

• There are only two slots left for Ken’s Gymnastics class starting this weekend. For more information check out the event page.
• Congratulations to Rickke M for winning the Herondale Farm Meat Raffle yesterday. Thanks to all who came out and talked to farmer Jerry. 
• Happy Birthday, Shane B!

The Sophomore Slump

by Noah Abbott

It’s inevitable. At some time during this great journey that is Crossfit, things are going to get tough.  Your strength numbers stop shooting up, and your metcon times stop plummeting down.  At a certain point what Mark Rippetoe calls the “Beginner Effect” wears off, and you are now faced with the daunting prospect that each gain, each skill mastered, and each second shaved will be done so at the cost of a considerable investment of time, focus, and will.  

Often, concurrent with this realization, you will look around and think “why isn’t this happening to anyone else!”  The guy you share a squat rack with has added 40 pounds to his squat this exposure, while you’ve risked an aneurysm to add 15!  The girl you did foundations with just hit 100 consecutive double unders, and you approach the jump rope like its an anaconda looking to wrap you up and eat you!  You thought you were great at this stuff, and all of a sudden it feels like you barely deserve to wear the ol’ skull and crossbones and call yourself a CFSBKer.

For many, this phenomenon occurs somewhere between 6 and 18 months into an athlete’s development, although it can certainly happen sooner or later, depending on your previous training history.  Often times this double edged revelation- That a) shit is gonna be hard, and b)that on the giant Crossfit spectrum your abilities rate closer to Jason Schwartzman’s than Jason Khalipa’s- results in a drop of motivation, general malaise, and sometimes a loss of CrossFaith.

Congratulations!  You are now a Crossfit Sophopmore, and experiencing your first Sophomore Slump!  At this time it may be meritorious to examine the roots of the word Sophomore.  Although commonly used to refer to the second year of high school or college instruction, it derives its name from the greek sophisma, which means “acquired skill, clever device, method” which was further derived from sophos, meaning “wise or skilled.”  Previously you made gains randomly, almost accidentally, and every lift or metcon was a PR.  Now, as a Sophomore, you must practice sophisma and train methodically and with greater perspective to ensure continued success.

Redefine Goals and Timeframes

At the start of your Crossfit career, goals were short-term challenges and triumphs.  Kicking up to a handstand, one (or ten, or twenty) push-ups or pull-ups, squatting to depth- these were things that you could identify, work on for a relatively short amount of time, and achieve.  For further development as a Sophomore, a redefinition of goals is necessary.  

Previously, we planned forward to achieving a goal.  “I want to squat 200 pounds by the end of the month.”  Looking forward, I challenge you to plan backwards.  Identify your goal, figure out how many training days you can allot per week or month to work on it, and set a long enough timeframe that you will be able to keep progressing slowly and steadily towards success.  Make sure to start submaximally (using weight/reps/etc lower than your current max) to make sure you have room to grow.  The more you can delay hitting the ceiling of your current ability, the more room your ability will have to grow. By starting low, aiming high, and giving themselves ample time to grow Smart Sophomores avoid Ceilings (I think I just made up a new saying!).

Perspective

Even with perfect planning, great focus, and sustained intensity, some movements,workouts, or even time/weight modalities (Grace vs Murph) will always seem to crush us.  Mobility, diet, sleep, injury history- all of these things blend into potent cocktails that besiege the fledgling (and intermediate, and expert) Crossfitter.   Instead of getting frustrated why not try and re-frame the problem:

First, embrace every exposure to them as an opportunity to practice perfectly and gather experience and insight about a difficult adversary.  Relish in attacking your weaknesses, and try your best to attend days when those weaknesses are programmed, or program them yourself during open gym days.

Second, actively try to maintain perspective about what Crossfit means in your life and your personal reasons for why you keep showing up to a funky old warehouse to get sweaty.  Aside from the infinitesimal percentage of elite, competitive Crossfit athletes, most of us come to the gym for reasons that all fall under the umbrella of “Improving Quality of Life.”  Increasing work capacity, being able to participate in new and challenging activities, looking better naked- all of these are broad, life-oriented goals that we work towards every single time we come to the gym, whether its a day when we hit a PR or where we bail on every set.  

Last, remember what a great privilege it is that you have a life that allows you to spend a nice chunk of time each week picking up heavy stuff, running, jumping, and making yourself Mas Sexy (and I mean that in the broadest sense of the Spanglish malaproprism).  There are a vast number of people out there too overworked, underpaid, untrained, ignorant or otherwise unable to do the things we take for granted.  Your worst day at the gym is better than a day sitting on the couch mainlining Pringles.

Just Show Up

Which brings me to my last point and word of advice during slumps, Sophomoric or otherwise.  JUST SHOW UP.  Every day you are in the gym working is a day you are improving, even when it doesn’t feel that way.  Tangible increases in strength or speed are important, but so are intangible gains in familiarity with movements and a greater understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.  Broadening your knowledge and confidence is just as worthwhile an endeavor as broadening your back and thighs.  Sometimes you will surprise yourself with gains you make when you feel like you are standing still.  Plus, your friends want to see you, sweat with you, and laugh with you, and, if you don’t show up, your coaches will have nothing to do but compare deadlift scars and throw chalk at each other.

A Long Crossfit Road

Hopefully after reading this, some of you will feel rejuvenated, and apply these humble tools to break out of the funk you are currently in.  Although this article deals with the concept of a Sophomore Slump, rest assured there are Junior Slumps, Senior Slumps, and a wealth of postgraduate, doctoral, and extracurricular opportunities in Slump Science as well.  Now you have the weapons to fight back.   Redefine your goals and adjust your timeframes to allow steady progress towards said goals. Strive to maintain perspective and always reflect on what Crossfit means to you, why you do it.   Most importantly, even when it’s tough, find value in simply stepping into the ring.   So equipped, all of these Slumps will be just small road bumps on a long road.  Trust me, one day you’ll look back at this stuff, and laugh.

Fitness:

3 Rounds for time of:
400m Run
15 Kettlebell Swings, heavy
15 Burpees

Performance:

3 Rounds for time of:
400m Run
15 Overhead Squats, 95/65
15 Hang Power Cleans, 95/65

Post time and Rx to comments.

It’s late in the afternoon on a day in mid September. I’m at work when I get a call from my sister Amanda, from whom I never know what to expect. – “Chuckee, I’m going to be in Lima to judge a youth entrepreneur contest. Meet me there next week! We can go to Machu Picchu!”  Yeah, just like that, totally random and  so cool. As fate would have it, my vacation lined up perfectly with her gig and I had no real plans.  A week later, I’m in Mexico City, Lima, Cuzco and finally in the Andes visiting the lost Incan city, Machu Picchu.  While it wasn’t exactly on my bucket list, the historical relevance, breathtaking views, tough hiking and delicious food (Strawberry spiced alpaca/llama!) made this one of my favorite trips ever.  It would be so fun to tackle something as challenging as this outside of the box with SBKers! – Charmel R
See a few more pics in the SBK Flickr

Sign up today for Gymnstics with Ken

Join guest Gymnastics Coach Ken H. as he takes you through 6 weeks of gymnastics strength training. This 1.5 hour long class will incorporate different facets of body weight strength training and movement. Specifically, each class will be composed of 3 to 4 distinct areas, warm-up and active mobility, rings skill work (muscle ups, levers etc), body weight strength conditioning, balance (on hands and feet) and flexibility. Students will be asked to have a goal or intention to focus on for the next 4 weeks. Students can then focus on that goal outside of class.

Dates
Saturdays from 2:00pm – 3:30pm
11/9, 11/16, 11/23, 12/7, 12/14, and 12/21
*please note that class skips 11/30

Price:
$120 for 6 Weeks

Ken Haller’s Bio
Ken was a nationally competitive gymnast in Newton, MA and at the University of Michigan. After graduating, Ken coached for eight years at Capital Gymnastics in Northern Virginia where he coached regional and national champions. His students have gone on to be NCAA champions and members of Cirque du Soliel. In searching for an activity to replace gymnastics, Ken filled the void with rock climbing and yoga for the past ten years and recently found CrossFit to round out his training.

Register Here!

Have you ever been to any preserved sites of ancient civilzations?
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See The Sunset from Space The Atlantic
Homeostasis: The Basis Of Training Cathletics

Fitness: High Hang Power Clean + Below The Knee Power Clean + FSQ

Performance: High Hang Clean + Below The Knee Clean
______________________

Front Squat

Fitness: 3×3

Performance: Heavy triple

Go heavier than the previous week. Only go as heavy as you can maintain a neutral spine and a solid rack.
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3 Rounds NFT of:
20 Kettlebell RDLs
20t Pistols or Reverse Lunges with the KB
15-30 Second L-Sit

Jen S, former Meat raffle winner!

Curious about the Meat CSA? Meet the Farmer TONIGHT!

Jerry Peele of Herondale Farm, our meat CSA partner, will be in the gym TONIGHT from 5:30-8:30 PM. He loves getting feedback from CSA folk, and will also be able to sign up new members on the spot. Come say hello when you pick up your share, and ask Jerry about the additional items available for special order (hint: it’s time to start making stock!)
His son, Jack, will also be offering tastings of Jacuterie, his brand new salami, made (of course!) from Jerry’s grass-fed meat. The salami will be offered as a separate CSA share. Get the whole story, including pricing, straight from Jack himself.
Finally, MEAT RAFFLE! Ten bucks will buy you a chance to win a 15-lb meat share – a $160 value! Twelve pounds of Herondale cuts + three Jacuterie salami. The drawing will be held at 8 PM.
See you then!
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The Art of Conversation: How to Avoid Conversational Narcissism