Fitness:Low Bar Back Squat 3×5
Continue your linear progression by adding 5lbs to your previous exposure weight

Performance: High Bar Pause Squat 85%x2x8
Rest about a minute, no more than 2 minutes between sets. Use 2 spotters if you’re not 100% confident you’ll be able to stand back up.

Post loads to comments
BSQ e6/6 compare to 3.25.13
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15 Minutes Not For Rounds of:
20 Pistols or Lunges, alternating legs (10ea)
15 Hollow Rocks
3 “Nose and Toes” handstand holds (5-10 seconds at top)

S2OH’s ALL DAY

Graphic Design for Food?

Paleo foods chef Jesa H is in the market for upgrading her business and looking for someone in NYC or Brooklyn area that is savvy with website, social media and graphic design that might be up for a trade for her services. She is interested in bartering paleo food delivered to your door step for these services. To get in touch with her, please contact goodiegoodssnacks(AT)gmail.com

Claim Your Clothes!

Our L&F bin has runneth over. Please check out the following pictures of abandoned clothes, these clothes, this stuff, glove and hats, speciality shoes and of course… waterbottles. Please claim these asap. We’ll be donating them on Friday of next week.

Read: CrossFit Offers and Exercise In Corporate Teamwork Too NYT
and/or Watch: CrossFit At Work CrossFit
What are some ways your office/work could incentivise effective wellness programs? Post proposals to comments. Include how you think it would help and what the main obstacle in implentation would be.
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The Child, The Tablet and The Developing Mind NYT
Rory McKernan Goes Head-to-Head with Adrian Bozman on 13.4 CrossFit Games

5 Rounds for time of:
400m Run
10 Deadlifts, 225/155
10 Burpees

Post time and Rx to comments.

Ellie JM 13.2’in it

Training vs. Testing

by Coach Noah
Originally Posted 8/1/12

All last week attempted One Rep Maxes (1RMs) here at CFSBK.  People moved some impressive weight, beat old PRs, and gained insight about their training and their performance.  Going forward into Crush Week, now that many of us have some experience exploring the outer margins of our strength, let us discuss what testing is, as opposed to training, and where both of these concepts fit our development as Crossfitters.

Training

When we train a skill or movement, we perform with a direct and focused outcome.  At CFSBK we mainly use a “linear progression” model for our strength training, which allows us to slowly and steadily increase our strength and avoid plateaus.  We mix this with conditioning and muscular endurance training that is designed to complement our strength training while drawing from a deeper pool of movements and time domains.  Our training is never random- our coaches spend a good deal of time and energy to make sure that each movement we do in the gym makes us stronger, more mobile, and works to address weaknesses and imbalances.  At CFSBK we train submaximally 90% or more of the time- basically if it is a workout without a “Girl” or “Hero” name or a One Rep Max test, consider it training, and handle yourself accordingly, as described below.

Good training is generally submaximal, which means we use loads or rep schemes that are lower than our absolute ability.  Training submaximally is great for a number of reasons.  It allows us to train with proper technique, avoid injury, and recover better.  Training submaximally also lets us “own our exercise” and perform our reps with good speed, authority, and confidence.  

Your own training should draw on these concepts.  Your training should be submaximal, with an eye on the larger outcome your training session will have on your general fitness.  During training, failure should be nearly non-existent (I will discuss this further at the end of the article) and we should reflect about what today’s work means to our greater plans both before and after our training session.  We should leave each training session feeling that we accomplished our goals and are moving forward with our bigger plan.

Testing

Testing is the rare and exotic unicorn in direct opposition to the common utilitarian draft horse of training.   Compared to training, testing is rare.  At CFSBK we have programmed crush weeks, during which we will program more “named” workouts, or generally tougher workouts that are related to the training cycle we have just completed, with an eye on testing how effective our training has been.  Unlike training, where we have a full understanding and direction for our daily toil, a day of testing can be a bit of a wild card.  Coach Jeremy has referred to it as a “performance,” and just like on the stage, sometimes during a test we bring the house down, and some days we fall flat.  Part of the value of training lies in this mystery and our reaction to it.

Why train so frequently and test so rarely?  Testing taxes your body and has little progressive effect on your system.  Moving extremely heavy load or at breakneck speed can lead to diminished accuracy in technique, technical misses, and is extremely taxing on our CNS.  Incessant testing leads to poor recovery and less adaptive stress on our system.  Adaptive stress fuels growth, so the more we test, the less we grow.

Why test at all then?  Tests are necessary for benchmarking our progress, identifying weaknesses, and gaining experience and confidence in performance under pressure.  The very reason the “girls” and “heroes” are referred to as “benchmark” workouts is that we should only perform them every so often as a yardstick for our strength and conditioning gains.  Don’t be the guy who does Fran every friday.  That said, every so often you should pick a workout and say “I’m gonna really get after this” and lay it all out there.  It’s best to make sure it’s a workout we do semi-regularly so you will have some comparative data, and it’s good to pick a workout that incorporates movements you have been working on during your training so that you can reward your hard work with progress.

Failing and Bailing

This conversation is a long time coming, and an attempt to clean up some lax training habits and psychology that have become a bit too hardwired at the gym.  The difference between training, where we very rarely fail, and testing, where we very well may fail, necessitates a discussion of when, why, and how failing/bailing should occur.

During training we should virtually never fail.  We should be working submaximally, with a plan, and in control of the weight.  Part of our plan is a plan to succeed.  If we do fail it should be a technical fail- lost balance in a squat, hitting ourselves in the chin during a press- a mistake.  Repeated failure during a training phase is a not-so-subtle message from our CNS that we are training too hard and need to back off or deload entirely.  During a 6-8 week training phase you should be able to count your missed reps on one hand, with fingers to spare.

During a test, we may very well fail as we brush up against the ceiling of our strength, conditioning, and skill.  This could be as simple as not being able to stand a squat back up after taking it down, or can be biting off more than we can chew in a WOD and realizing that we either won’t be able to complete it at all, or at least not before the next equinox.  These failures will inform our training going forward, as they set concrete benchmarks about what where we currently stand.  A missed lift or slow metcon shouldn’t be a cause for frustration, demonstrative shouting, or thrown weight belts, but as useful data that will inform our next training cycle.

Bailing is a luxury that weightlifters went without for many years.  Bumper plates are an invention of Olympic Weightlifting, where technical misses occur fairly often due to the high skill demand of the movements.  Powerlifters for years toiled away in “iron gyms,” without the ability to bail every time they got stuck in the hole.  This week we had everyone get spotted during 1RM attempts, and asked that they hang in there and finish their lifts, even if it had to be with the aid of the spotter.  Fighting through a rep is a learned skill, and often the feeling of “oh no, this will never go up” can one second later become “I’ve got it” with the application of a little tenacity.  The converse is true- people can become so comfortable bailing the bar that the second their squat feels less than stellar they toss if off their shoulders.  While there are some WODs and specific workouts where a (CONTROLLED) bail is ok (Grace for example) these bails usually happen at the TOP of a lift so the athlete doesn’t tire out or have to fight through a suboptimal position. Learn to fight out a rep, finish what you start, and don’t get comfortable with the idea of bailing the bar.

The Takeaway

The best athletes have a larger view of their training, and don’t simply walk into the gym each day without a plan, throw some weight on the bar, and see what they can do.  Careful plan
ning, listening to your coaches and your own body for feedback, and picking your times to test a lift or skill will all lead to greater success, faster recovery, and less injuries.

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The Forgotten Lift by Bill Starr Crossfit Journal
Is Powerlifting Undergoing a Resurrection? Starting Strength
42 Things I learned leading up to 2013 Talk To Me Johnnie

Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes following the rep scheme below:
135/95 pound Clean and jerk, 3 reps
3 Toes-to-bar
135/95 pound Clean and jerk, 6 reps
6 Toes-to-bar
135/95 pound Clean and jerk, 9 reps
9 Toes-to-bar
135/95 pound Clean and jerk, 12 reps
12 Toes-to-bar
135/95 pound Clean and jerk, 15 reps
15 Toes-to-bar
135/95 pound Clean and jerk, 18 reps
18 Toes-to-bar…

To see the full workout description and rules, click here.

Lindsey Overhead

• Due to the wrestling mat being treated for repair, we will not be hosting Active Recovery today. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Veggie CSA Deadline: April 15

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Muscles, Movements, CrossFit, and Zombies Deane Barker
Annie Thoridottir Sidelined by Back Injury CrossFit

Paleo Potluck Kids

• Due to a repair treatment we’re doing on the wrestling mat, we won’t have it available tomorrow for classes and won’t be holding A/R at 11.

Scheduling Reminder

Below are a few scheduling reminders for upcoming events in March and April. Please mark your calendars.

• Sunday, March 31st (Easter): We will be operating a normal schedule
• Saturday, April 6th: We will only be holding 8 and 9am classes since we’ll be hosting the final CrossFit invitational Open competition from 11am on. Several gyms will be sending their best to compete in 13.5 at CFSBK. All are welcome to spectate!
• Friday, April 12th, Saturday, April 13th and Sunday, April 14th: Friday night Open Gym and weekend classes will be cancelled as we host world renown strength coach Mark Rippetoe and staff for the Starting Strength Seminar. 

Interested in a Veggie CSA Share?

Earlier this week we posted that Andy from Sol Flower Farm would be at the gym this Saturday to answer questions about the program and meet folks. Unfortunatly Andy can no longer make it. If you’re interested, check out the Veggie information at the CSA Share Page.

Claim Your Clothes!

Our L&F bin has runneth over. Please check out the following pictures of abandoned clothes, these clothes, this stuff, glove and hats, speciality shoes and of course… waterbottles. Please claim these asap. We’ll be donating them on Friday of next week.
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Check out this beautiful video of Chad Vaughn Snatching 285lbs
13.4 Strategy and Tips Outlaw
Strategy and Gaming for 13.4 MobilityWOD

Fitness: 3×5
Add 5lbs to you previous exposure’s weight

Performance: 85%x2x6
Rest 60-90 secs between reps.

Post loads to comments.
FSQ e5/6 compare to 3.21.13
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For Time:
30 Kettlebell Swings, 72/53
400m Run
20 Toes to Bars

Sub 20 Knees to Elbows or 50 Sit-Ups for T2B.
Can you be part of the sub 4 minte club?

Post time and Rx to comments.

Farewell and good luck to Krishnan V who will be Austin-bound towards the end of the month.

Open WOD 13.4 Announced!

Post thoughts to comments.
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Becoming an All-Terrain Human NYT
Do you hate trees and love southern aggression? Watch this video!

Fitness: 3×8 Sets Across
Add 5lbs to last week’s exposure.

Performance: Heavy 3
Work up to a heavy set of 3. Try to beat last week’s heavy 5 by 5-10lbs.

Post loads to comments.
BP e5/6 compare to 3.0.13
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Fitness:
4 Rounds NFT of:
10 Renegade Row (no push up)
10 Shoulder Taps
:30ea Side Plank

Goal is to perform a round of the triplet with good technique and without resting. Rest a minute or two between rounds.

Performance:
4 Rounds NFT of:
8 Close Grip Bench Press, heavy
8 Renegade Row (no push up), heavy
:30ea Side Plank

How many CFSBKers can you recognize in this picture?

Whitney H Teaching Yoga

Front Desk staff extraordinaire Whitney H will be substitute teaching some Yoga classes 2 blocks away at Bend and Bloom. Do you practice Yoga? Maybe just curious? Check it out!

Saturday 3/30, 1:45-3:15pm, Open Flow
Sunday 3/31, 9:00am-10:00am, Express
Wednesday 4/3, 7:30pm-8:30pm, Express
Sunday 4/7, 9:00am-10:00am, Express

Check out this video about an “Invisble” Bicycle Helment. Would you wear it? Post to comments.

The yet unnamed mascot for the “Christian Fox Center for Kids Who Can’t Do Pull-ups Good and Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too” (post name suggestions to comments)

Lindsey S and some other 8am’ers have been working on Chris Fox’s Pull-Up program and decided to make it an official gym club out of it. All you need is to be working your pull-ups before/after class (whenever, really) and BOOM! you’re in like sin! Rumor has it a shirt is in the works.

Scheduling News and Notes

Below are a few scheduling reminders for upcoming events in March and April. Please mark your calendars.

• Sunday, March 31st (Easter): We will be operating a normal schedule
• Saturday, April 6th: We will only be holding 8 and 9am classes since we’ll be hosting the final CrossFit invitational Open competition from 11am on. Several gyms will be sending their best to compete in 13.5 at CFSBK. All are welcome to spectate!
• Friday, April 12th, Saturday, April 13th and Sunday, April 14th: Friday night Open Gym and weekend classes will be cancelled as we host world renown strength coach Mark Rippetoe and staff for the Starting Strength Seminar. 

Veggie CSA Registration is Now Open!

How much?
The share costs $670 if you pay by check, and $20 more if you pay via PayPal.

Fitness:Low Bar Back Squat 3×5
Continue your linear progression by adding 5lbs to your previous exposure weight

Performance: High Bar Pause Squat 80%x2x8
Rest about a minute, no more than 2 minutes between sets.

Post loads to comments
BSQ e5/6 compare to 3.18.13
________________

4 Rounds, each for time of:
Row 250m/200m
10 Push Presses 115/75

Rest about double your work time between rounds. Go hard.

Post times to comments.

What it takes to be #1 in the World
Samantha Briggs: 323 Total Reps (Thats 53 Reps into the 2nd Round!)

Write 13.4 and 13.5

There are only two workouts left in the 2013 CrossFit Open. Based on the workouts and movements we’ve seen, program what you think the next two workouts will be. Below are the exercises and time domains we’ve already been exposed to:

Movements
Burpees
Snatches (progressive)
Push Press (light)
Deadlifts (light)
Box Jumps
Wall Ball
Double Unders
Muscle-Ups

Time Domains
17 Minutes
10 Minutes
12 Minutes

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The Twinkee Diet CNN
Train Like an Animal Podcast with Glen Pendlay

12 Minutes to work up to a heavy-ish load on the following complex:
First Pull (to knee, pause 2 seconds)
Hang Power Clean (knee)
FSQ
Split Jerk

If you’re feeling beat up from 13.3 then take it easy.

“Half Jerry”
For time:
1/2 Mile Run
1000m Row
1/2 Mile Run

D.O. always keeps the bar close.  Welcome back Captain!

Gym Equipment Etiquette Reminders

While not at all comprehensive, these pointers can help your rack up credibility points at the gym.

Plyo Box Storage: For years we’ve told you, “DON’T STACK THE BOXES!!!” because they get wedged on top of each other and end up stuck together… well we take it back! Josh M put some carpet material on the inside of each box (thanks Josh!) so now you CAN stack them without fear of a coach reprimanding you. We’ve also painted some numbers on the boxes.  When you put them back, please organize them with the red numbers facing forward.
**The only exception is with the 12″ (a.k.a. kids) boxes.  Please don’t stack these as they are near impossible to unstick.

White Boards: We often do workouts that require you to track rounds or reps on the fly.  To make your life a little easier we cut up some whiteboards into little tablets for personalized use (Thanks DMak!).  Two points of etiquette with these. 1. Please erase your board after you’re done with it. 2. If the workout requires you to track rounds (as opposed to reps) please write a bunch of dashes on the board and use your finger to track completed rounds.  Keeping the marker uncapped during the workouts dries them out.

Erg (Rower) Handles: When you’re done with an erg, please put the handle all the way back in the window.  We know it seems intuitive to house them in the little dock that concept 2 provided but if you leave them there too long it weakens the spring that provides recoil on the handle.  The small dock is only for rest periods or partner transitions.

Bumpers: When you’re breaking down your barbells make sure to put them back in an orderly stack. If you’re the first person back to a low set of bumpers and the PVC holder is down, put it back so all the remaining bumps can be stacked properly. Also- whenever classes are large and we’re running low on weight, try to use the largest bumpers available.  For example, if you’re squatting 165, your bar should have a pair of 45s and a pair of 15s on it. Not 25s, then a bunch of 10s and change.

Bailing: Bailing is a necessary part of lifting heavy and metcons but don’t go crazy with it.  People can get a little bail-friendly and drop weight they could have just as easily put down under control.  Excessive dropping puts wear on the bumpers AND the bars. You’ve no doubt noticed the bumpers with big cracks and no metal inserts in them.  Why is that? Too much bailing! Also- it should go without saying but NEVER bail an empty bar, these will quickly destroy the finest barbells.

Drinking Cups: We’re more than happy to provide community cups for those folks who don’t have or forgot their water bottle.  However, it peeves us when folks leave their dirty cups on the counter for someone else to wash.  Sorry guys and gals, we’re not your mom.  Please remember to wash your cup (with soap and water please!) after use and put it back in the drying rack for others to use. 

Protein Shakes: We’re glad that so many of you are prioritizing your pre/post workout nutrition.  If you make a mess and spill your protein/bcaa’s/crack juice on our counter, please make sure to wipe it up! 

3 cheers to a clean gym and happy coaches!

What did you want to be when you grew up?  Are you anywhere near that today?
_________________
10 Ways To Be The Person You Wanted to Be When You Grew Up tinybuddha.com
RIP Joe Weider LA Times

12 minute AMRAP of:
150 Wall balls
90 Double-unders
30 Muscle-ups

Today’s workout…Wall balls!

Scheduling Reminder–No Active Recovery Class today!

Volunteer Request for CF Level 1 Certified

Mayhem in the Meadowlands 2013 is looking for Volunteers!

The WODs are almost set, equipment is being secured, the special guests are ready, Katie Hogan is prepared to keep us all in line with a smile, and Slippery When Wet is prepared to entertain us.  Hopefully you are all getting ready to bring your best on the turf at MetLife Stadium on 4/21/13.

We can use some help.  A competition of this size needs a ton of judges.  They’re looking for Level 1 Trainers that can volunteer as judges on 4/21.  In return we will feed them, give them a shirt and provide two free spectator tickets per judge. 

We look forward to seeing you on the turf at MetLife Stadium on 4/21. 

Thanks,
Your Mayhem Team
If interested, send an email to steve(at)mayheminthemeadowlands.com

How do you mentally prepare for a hard workout?  Do you talk to yourself before, during and/or after the workout?
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No Bullsh*it the Voices in Your Head Elite FTS
And you thought 13.2 sucked… Crossfit SP, Brazil