From the Vault: Charlotte K planks with a little help from Linus

• There is no 8:30pm group class or Active Recovery tonight. All other classes are on as normally scheduled. Tomorrow we’ll be hosting group classes at 9 and 10am only.
• Don’t forget to RSVP for the Look Feel Perform Better info session this Sunday at 5pm.  We will review the challenge in and field questions about it. The info session is not mandetory for the challenge and information will also be available on the site.
• Thank you to everyone who donated to our Winter Coat Drive! Were able to send out a few large containers of coats to those in need of warmer clothing.

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Top 3 Great Discoveries of 2013 SciShow
All You Can Feel Recreational Drug reactions exposed to film
Top 10 CrossFit Articles of 2013 Breaking Muscle

Fitness: 3×5 Across
Should be getting a bit heavier but you still get all 15 reps.

Performance: 2×5, 1xMax Reps <10
Add 2.5-5lbs from last week. The lower your reps get on the rep out, the less aggressive of a jump you should take.

Post loads to comments.
Bench Press e3/6
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In about 5 attempts/20 Minutes, work up to a best complex of:
5 Power Cleans
5 Thrusters
5 Romanian Deadlifts

Post loads to comments.

The old skull and bones
This flag originally hung in my (DO) dorm room in college. I thought it would cool at my gym and held onto it. It was the original inspiration for all our skull and cross bones iconography. It’s still hanging at the top of the far column at the gym.

Holiday Schedule and Programming Notes

Tuesday the 24th (Christmas Eve): No Active Recovery, no 8:30pm class. Otherwise normal.
Wednesday the 25th (Christmas): Only 9am and 10am Group Classes
Thursday the 26th: Normal Schedule

Tuesday the 31st (New Years Eve): No 7:30 or 8:30pm Classes. Otherwise normal schedule
Wednesday the 1st (New Years Day): No 6a,7a,8a or 10a Classes. We’ll still have a noon class PLUS an extra 1pm Group class and then a normal evening schedule.

Programming Switch
We will be performing Wednesdays Snatches and Squats on Thursday this week to accomodate the holiday.  Christmas day will have a seperate WOD.

Inside The Affiliate: New Article

Coach DO has a new blog entry on Inside The Affiliate. ITA is a free, open source blog for the CrossFit community dedicated to sharing what we’ve learned running an affiliate for six years. If you like it, please share it with your CrossFit friends on Facebook and help spread the word!

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Where will you be this holiday week?

As Many Rounds as Possible in 15 Minutes of:
25 Kettlebell Swings, 53/35
15 Kipping Pull-Ups
10 Push Press, 115/75

Post rounds and Rx to comments.
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5 Rounds NFT of:
Row 1:00
10e Reverse Lunges
15 Plate OH or DB weighted Sit-Ups

Barbell Warm-Ups

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Dan Bailey Does today’s CrossFit.com workout
Ilya Ilin Snatches 420lbs

Fitness: Clean Segment Deadlift + Hang Power Clean + FSQ + Power Jerk

Performance: Clean Segment Deadlift + Hang Squat Clean + Power Jerk
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Front Squat

Fitness:3×3 Across
Add 5lbs from last weeks front squats.

Performance: Work up to a Heavy 3
Try to beat last week’s numbers by 5-15lbs.

Post loads to comments.
C&J/FSQ e2/6

Jaclyn’s Ultimate Box of Fitness

Holiday Schedule

Tuesday the 24th (Christmas Eve): No Active Recovery, no 8:30pm class. Otherwise normal.
Wednesday the 25th (Christmas): Only 9am and 10am Group Classes
Thursday the 26th: Normal Schedule

Tuesday the 31st (New Years Eve): No 7:30 or 8:30pm Classes. Otherwise normal schedule
Wednesday the 1st (New Years Day): No 6a,7a,8a or 10a Classes. We’ll still have a noon class PLUS an extra 1pm Group class and then a normal evening schedule.
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Klokov + Ilyin + Polovnikov Weightlifting Seminars – What did you learn? ATG

Devi A Front Squats

• Happy Birthday, Leslie B!
• CFSBK is interested in possibly offering a CrossFit Kids program. If you’ve got children between 5 and 17 who might be interested in the program, please let fill out our online survey.  Thanks!

Look Feel Perform Better Info Session

Looking forward to the 2014 Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge? Coach Fox will be holding an info session on Sunday the 29th at 5pm. The LFPB is an annual jumpstart we do every year to help folks align their nutrition and lifestyle goals with the support of the CFSBK staff and community. If you’re going, please RSVP in the comments section of the event page so we can plan accordingly.
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Albert Azaryan: Lord of the Rings

5 Rounds, each for time of:
4 Deadlifts, 315/205
40 Double Unders
12 Toes-to-Bars

Each round has a 5 minute window to be completed. The work portion should take 90-120 seconds with the remaining time used as recovery.

Post Rx and fastest and slowest rounds to comments.

Behind The Desk: Danae

Here is the next installment in our new series called Behind the Desk, about our beloved and much appreciated Front Desk staff. These CrossFitters take care of the important duties of checking in our members, handling walk-ins, tidying up after classes, and so many other things that it would take forever to list them. They are the glue that holds this gym together!

Full name: Danae Mcleod

Where were you born and where did you grow up: St. Louis

First album that you loved: Paula Abdul’s Straight Up

What are you up to when you’re not at 597 Degraw Street: Finishing a philosophy dissertation, applying for teaching jobs, walking Kai, working on IJFAB

“Ask me about that time I…”: Was stranded on an island for 9 days.

Earth is about to implode but aliens on a previously undiscovered planet named Euripides want to preserve one artifact from humans. What would you offer them? A library

Favorite shade of blue: Yves

Favorite lift: Clean

Heavy Thoughts

Adding to another ongoing series on the blog, here is our next installment of “Heavy Thoughts” where we highlight and describe some of the mental aspects of lifting. In previous posts we discussed having a ritual and cultivating confidence. Today, lets talk a little about visualization.

Visualization is simply a mental rehearsal of what you’re about to attempt. Many studies have show the efficacy of this practice and countless successful athletes will attest to the importance of being able to “feel or see” an event in their minds eye before attempting it.  As described in our confidence article, while the action may seem somewhat intangible, it is still a skill which needs to be practiced in order to be of any real utility.  If you’re not already visualising your lifts, here are some tools to get you started.

1. Get into the habit of replaying the physical sensations of each lift AFTER they occur. The best time to summarize what just happened is immediately after you execute movement so try to “feel” it again, making note of anything that seemed to stick out. Try to create a physical memory of movement basics. Where was your weight? What kind of tempo did you feel through the movement? Did you feel braced and engaged? How did the weight feel? Walk yourself through it again in your head and try to recreate or slightly augment that sensation before your next attempt.  Learning to review what just happened is the best way to start developing the internal resources to properly visualize.

2. Start practicing! Visualisation takes time and a specific kind of mindfulness that doesn’t necessarily come easily to most folks. Set an intention to practice visualizing your lifts during your warm-ups and especially before work attempts.  In essence, you want to try and experience the lift in the most idealized way possible before you start. There won’t be an internal dialogue to guide you through, simply perform the act in your mind.  If you’re aware of a movement fault you’re working on, correct it in your head then attempt to recreate a similar sensation when you actually go to lift. This also doesn’t need to be limited to the gym, you can do this right now.  Pick a lift, close your eyes and feel yourself doing 3 reps of it in “real time” in your head. You’ll note that you might want to rush through it, take your time to feel it. 

3. Practice visualization from different perspectives. Some people prefer to simply close their eyes, “tune out” of reality and to experience the movement from a first person perspective in their heads. Others might benefit from seeing themselves perform the movement outside of themselves, noting key elements they’re focusing on. Another way would be to not only see it but feel it as well, by miming the lift physically while maintaining a careful presense of mind. Finally, you might even consider focusing on the sensation of executing a perfect lift, seeing yourself stand up with the heavy barbell as if it wasn’t a big deal. This final method ties into our previous article about developing and using confidence as a training tool.

Play around with this and let us know how it works out for you. What you definitely don’t want to do is allow non productive thought streams to seep into your training time.  Performing a lift, then immediately focusing on a conversation with your partner, checking the time, looking around the room at something interesting or just zoning out can actually be detriments to your training.

Do you practice visualization techniques, either in CrossFit or other endeavors?
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Imagery in Sports and Physical Performance
Olympic Athlete Nick Symmonds talks visualization
The Importance of Sports Psychology

Fitness:  Snatch Segment Deadlift (1″ off floor, Knee, Mid Hang) + Mid Hang Power Snatch + OHS
Try to catch the power snatch in a quarter squat, stabalize the load then proceed into the rest of the overhead squat. Only recover the bar after the power snatch if you need to adjust your feet or position. Only go as deep as you can organize properly in the overhead squat.

Performance: Snatch Segment Deadlift (1″ off floor, Knee, Mid Hang) + Mid Hang Snatch
The first part of this complex can develop awarness of balance and tension during the initial pull off the floor. Focus on speed under the bar for the mid hang snatch.
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Back Squat

Fitness: 3×5 Across
Leave room to grow, today’s reps should feel like there is weight on the bar but you’re moving perfectly and not grinding. Reset 1-3 exposures from the last cycle if you need to reset.

Performance: Work up to a heavy 5
Try to beat last week’s heavy 5 by 5 to 15 lbs.

Post loads to comments.
Snatch/BSQ e2/6
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Not For Time:
50 V-Ups
50 Dumbbell Push Press
100 Dumbbell Lunges (50ea)

Break up however desired, Rest as little as necessary between sets.

Post Rx and breakdown to comments.

Rickke M’s Front Squats

• CFSBK will be collecting winter coats at the front desk until Christmas. If you haven’t heard, there is a massive shortage this year and all coats are appreciated. Thanks!

CrossFit Kids Survey

CFSBK is interested in possibly offering a CrossFit Kids program. If you’ve got children between 5 and 17 who might be interested in the program, please let fill out our online survey.  Thanks!

Underwater portraits by Samanta French
What is your all time favorite body of water you’ve experienced.
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How to make better decisions (Hint: Get sleep) WNYC

Last week Rob U (pictured left) called out to the CFSBK community to help teach kids to code at ps/ms 282 in Park Slope. Alex, Jim, Asha and Dan answered the call! So cool!

Holiday Schedule

Tuesday the 24th (Christmas Eve): No Active Recovery, no 8:30pm class. Otherwise normal.
Wednesday the 25th (Christmas): Only 9am and 10am Group Classes
Thursday the 26th: Normal Schedule

Tuesday the 31st (New Years Eve): No 7:30 or 8:30pm Classes. Otherwise normal schedule
Wednesday the 1st (New Years Day): No 6a,7a,8a or 10a Classes. We’ll still have a noon class PLUS an extra 1pm Group class and then a normal evening schedule.

So Close To a Pull-Up..

Are you “So Close” to a pull-up? Do you feel like it’s within reach but has still eluded you despite your most sincere efforts? Below are three things I think will help folks who are close to pulling body weight get over the bar.

Start with Chin-Ups
Chin-ups are easier than pull-ups and you’re more likely to get your first chin-up sooner than your first pull-up so it’s a pretty good place to start. In my experience once a couple chins have been developed the pull-up magically shows up a lot faster. That being said, both versions are totally legit and huge milestones for anyone who didn’t have them before.  Chins are also easier for people to organize well. The upper arm is already rotated into a more stable position and the last few inches over the bar usually involve less neck craning and wiggling. Once you can do about 3-5 chin-ups you’ll be a Lot closer (if not already there) to the pull-up. When performing chin-ups, keep your hands just inside shoulder width and imagine pulling the bar down to your chest, not pulling yourself up to it. That cue usually helps people fire the upper back and pull the elbows posteriorly during the ascent, both good things.

Keep The Reps Low
If you’re struggling to get your first pull-up, your muscles experience the effort as a near maximal exertion.  You’re going for something that you’ll only be able to do 1 rep of (right now), so when we train to develop our first pull-up a lot of our reps should look and feel pretty similar.  Several doubles or singles with just enough resistance to clear the bar is better than high volume sets of 5 or 10 with much more assistance. If you were a 1 rep max obsessed lifter, you wouldn’t spend all your time doing sets of 5 and 10, you’d perform submax singles, doubles and triples more often to get your body ready for the effort.  Here are two examples of productive training sessions:

7 sets of 1 rep with ample rest
5 sets of 2-3 reps with ample rest

“Ample Rest” could be anywhere from a minute to three minutes depending on how much you require to get another successful rep. Because this is going to be a strain, make sure to warm-up with some ring rows and more heavily assisted pull-ups. 2-3 sets of 5 reps should be sufficient.

When you’re scaling workouts, use the lowest volume option possible. 20 Kipping pull-ups as Rxd on the workout might be 5 chin-ups for you. That component of the workout won’t have anywhere near the same conditioning effect but depending on your goals that might be okay.

That being said, a little volume isn’t a bad thing. Just remember that if you want to get a pull-up you’ve got to train in a way that feels similar to your goal.

Resistance Matters
While the big jump-stretch bands can be a valuble tool in this process, they shouldn’t the only or even the majority of assistance you use. In my opinion, having a good spotter is ideal. Someone who knows how to give you just enough help to make you finish the rep without any jerky movement, uneven assistance or too much pushing. You’ve got good hands on you if you never get “stuck” anywhere in the rep but still work really hard at the most difficult positions (the very top and the first few inches at the bottom). The range of motion should be smooth and you should be able maintain good organization throughout. Another option is using a band just below what you can do on your own and having a partner gently push you through the finish. Depending on the size, height and strength of everyone involved, sometimes this is a more practical solution and can lead to better spotting. If you’re working with someone who is not a coach or giving you too much/too little/weird help, tell them what you feel and work together to make it better. One major problem with bands alone is that at the top of a rep you’re getting the least help since the band tension decreases as you ascend.  If you’re flying solo, choose a band that helps you get all the way over the bar, not just enough so that when you reach your chin can barely make it over the bar. That’s a no rep.

Hopefully these three tips can help you find some success with getting your first pull-up. Make your goal to not only do it, but do it well. If you train smart in the beginning and pay attention to your neck and shoulder positions you’ll develop a solid foundation to build off of. If you make your emphasis simply getting any sliver of your chin over the bar, things will be a lot slower and less awesome for you.  To see exactly what I’m talking about, watch this MobilityWOD: Stop The Pull-Up Chicken Necking People

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Women, Body Image, and the Media: A New Emphasis
Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are TED
Pregnant Weightlifter Stirs Debate NYT
NSA mass phone surveillance programme ‘unconstitutional’ BBC

Fitness: 3×5 Across
Should still be moving quick today. You’ll be adding weight for 5 more weeks

Performance: 2×5, 1xMax Reps <10
Start cycle at 70% of 1RM. Add 2.5-5lbs each week.

Post loads to comments.
Bench Press e2/6
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16 Minute On The Minute Mash-Up
Even Minutes: :30 Max reps Burpees
Odd Minutes: :30 Max reps Kettlebell Swings

Post total Burpees and Kettlebell Swings to comments.

Congratulations to yesterday’s Strength Cycles on their performance at the CrossFit Total
Check out Becca W‘s leaderboard topping Squat at 280lbs here!

• Congrats to Luca and Elisa on their engagement!
• Looking forward to the 2014 Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge? Coach Fox will be holding an info session on Sunday the 29th at 5pm.

Inside The Affiliate: New Article

Coach DO has a new blog entry on “Inside The Affiliate” about how we run lifting segments. ITA is a free, open source blog for the CrossFit community dedicated to sharing what we’ve learned running an affiliate for six years. If you like it, please share it with your CrossFit friends on Facebook and help spread the word!

Finish this sentence: “I wish the path to elite fitness was actually….”
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The Neuroscience of Internet Addiction
27 Surreal Places To Visit Before You Die
California Strength: Train Hard

Fitness:

6 Total Rounds each for time of:
500m Row
25 Wall Ball Shots 20lb,10’/14lb,9′

Performance:

6 Total Rounds for time of:
500m Row
5 Muscle-Ups
25 Air Squats
3 Muscle-Ups

Partners will alternate per round until each person completes 3 full rounds. Be aware of how long each round takes you, try to stay consistent or drop time each interval.

Post total time, partner and Rx to comments.

Mare L, Mike F, Coach Jess, Coach Fox, Alan L, Coach Mcdowell and Ellie JM after yesterday’s CrossFit Hoboken Winter Challenge

CrossFit Total Today!

Come see Coach Jeremy’s Strength Cyclers perform a CrossFit Total today at 1:30pm.  This cummulates the past 8 weeks of training as each lifter attemps 1RMs in the Back Squat, Press and Deadlift.  Gym records may be broken today!
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Cigarettes, Roids and Switching Regions with Dan Bailey CrossFit
Epke Zonderland Wins Artistic Men’s Horizontal Bar Gold