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?
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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

Annie and Lindsey, Rep for Rep

Happy Birthday Jenna J. and Janelle B.!  Happy Belated B-day Dan E.

MEET THE FARMER and VEGETABLE CSA REGISTRATION KICK OFF!

This Saturday morning starting at 9:30, farmer Andy Symanowicz from Sol Flower Farm will be in the house at CFSBK.  Stop by to ask questions or sign up for the 2013 vegetable CSA, which begins delivery in June.  If you miss him Saturday, he will also be at Union Pool the following day, Sunday March 24, starting at 3 pm.

Questions? Email Michele at mignyc (at) gmail dot com.

Coming up…CF Open WOD 13.3!

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

Today’s links provide advice for how best to prepare for and tackle 13.3.  What’s your strategy going into this WOD?  If you did it last year, is there anything you’d change in your approach and/or tips for first timers?
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CF Open 13.3 Prep, Tips, Strategy, and Survival Tips, Deja Vu MobilityWod
13.3 Strategy & Tips The Outlaw Way

Fitness: 3×5
Perform your fourth exposure to Front Squats. Bar speed should remain quick and your positions should be perfect.

Performance: 80%x2x6
Rest 60-90 secs between reps.

Post loads to comments.
FSQ e4/6 compare to 3.14.13

Tabata Mash Up
Alternating Tabata rounds for reps of:
KB Swing
Box Jump
*Score is lowest rep round for each movement
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In one of the most exciting moments of the Open so far, Willie gets 135 overhead!

Introducing BNCHMRK

-Dan Betz

What’s your method of tracking your workout metrics and accomplishments?
_____________________
6 Tips for People who Stand All Day Eric Cressey

Fitness: 3×8 Sets Across
LP Add 2-5lbs to last week.

AMRAP 6 min
30 Double Unders
10 HR Push Ups
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Performance: Heavy 5
Work up to a top set of 5 reps. Try and go heavier than last weeks 5

AMRAP 6 min
30 Double Unders
10 Bench Press @ 70% of today’s work.
MUST USE SPOTTERS, NO EXCEPTIONS!

Post loads to comments.
BP e4/6 compare to 3.14.13
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Res takes a crack at 13.2

Dave F, Andrew M and Benson do some Rest Day Active Recovery

Prospect Park Women’s Softball League

Call ladies of all skill levels!  Starting tomorrow and this weekend, PPWSL will be holding tryouts for ladies who’d like to join the women’s softball league.  The league is known as a learning league and makes sure that each team has players of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced.  Games are held on weeknights at Prospect Park beginning in Spring and the season wraps up in early September. 

Coach Jess has been with the league for the past 4 years so feel free to contact her at jessica(at)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com with any questions. 

More details on the tryouts can be found here.

We know it’s mighty cold outside, so let’s think about Summer!  What warm weather activities are you most looking forward to this Summer?

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What CFSBK looked like August 2010

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

Performance: High Bar Pause Squat 75%x2x8
Rest about a minute, no more than 2 minutes between sets.

Post loads to comments
BSQ e4/6 compare to 3.11.13
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Partners alternate rounds for 10 total rounds for time of:
5 Strict Toes to Bar or 21 Sit Ups
7 Heavy Dumbbell Thrusters

Post Rx and time to comments.

The Competition Floor

Appropriate scaling

by Coach Fox

We all know that CrossFit is infinitely scalable. We have CF Kids who do scaled down versions of what our regular classes look like. You tell your Mom and your Grandma that yes; they too, can walk into their local CF affiliate and get some. In Foundations at CFSBK or at a Level 1 cert, your coach lectured you that CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movement, executed at (relatively) high intensity. Remember that adjective: relatively. After CrossFitting for a while you may feel like you should do every WOD Rx’d…not so.
 
What high intensity means for all of us is different. Sometimes the difference is scaled via time/perceived effort. For example: 2 athletes complete Fran as Rx’d. Athlete A finishes in 3:00 flat, while athlete B finishes in 6:59. One took more than 2x as long as the other. Did they both get a dose of CrossFit? For sure. Let’s assume that athlete B scaled back intensity and paced the workout more and didn’t redline because he didn’t sleep well the night before and was feeling sluggish. That sounds like smart scaling to me. Here’s another scenario. Athlete A is the same, but athlete B finishes the workout in just under 12:00. He breaks the movements up into 3 or 4 at a time from start, and his movement is a mess from the 10th thruster on, missing ROM on a few of the pull-ups along the way. He was well rested and just really wanted to do his first Rx’d Fran. Here athlete B gets a very different workout. It became more a matter of slogging through to the finish instead of sprinting to the end, and the metabolic effect of the WOD was lost. Some scaling on weight or reps may have gotten him the intended effect of the infamous 21-15-9 of thrusters and pull-ups. If his thrusters were the limiting factor using a 75lb barbell may have been appropriate. If pull-ups were the time suck then maybe going 12-9-6 on that portion would have made the difference.
 
Just this week you were challenged to find your max weight for a “4 minute Grace”.  This was a great active lesson on scaling that I hope you got. Sure, sometimes it can be good just to go at a WOD Rx’d for the sake of completing it as such. There can be some real mental/emotional benefit to that. The majority of the time though, when it comes to met-cons, especially the short/intense kind, try and find where your intensity level needs to be for the intended effect of the workout. Then focus on getting stronger and the Rx’d weight will come. A good estimate for high rep barbell work is to use around 65% of your max. So if your max clean and jerk were 150lbs, then 95-100 lbs would probably get you a good dose of Grace. If you’re not sure where or when to scale, just ask one of the coaches as CFSBK. That’s what we’re here for. Cheers to good training.

What is the greatest sporting event you’ve ever witnessed? (You don’t have to had been there or seen it live)
_____________________
Analyzing the Squat Starting Strength
Application TTMJ

Spend 12 Minutes working up to a heavy load on the following complex:
1/2 Pull
Hang Power Clean
Front Squat
Split Jerk

Post loads to comments.
C&J e3/6
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For Time:
20 Kipping Pull-Ups
800m Run
20 Kipping Pull-Ups
400m Run
20 Kipping Pull-Ups

Post time and Rx to comments.

Sam Goes Overhead During 13.1

Hit it and Quit It

The Open schedule gives us 5 days to complete each workout.  Some people notoriously attempt the workouts 2 (or more!) times in that window to try and get a better score each time. In our opinion, unless you’re on the chopping block for making it to regionals it’s best to “hit it and quit it”.  First off, lets put the Open into perspective. For most of us mere mortals this is an annual benchmark where we can see how we do versus our friends in the gym and strangers across the globe. It’s cool to see where you’re at but in terms of actual placement, the stakes are pretty low.  If you’re sitting at 1,511th place in the North East (where I’m at) re-doing the workout and moving up to say, 1,432th place does little more than to stroke your own ego… sort of I guess. While each workout IS a test, they shouldn’t interfere with your training program to the point that you’re actually not as productive in your long term goals because you spent 5 weeks doing a bunch of the same workouts over and over again. Additionally, going into the Open with the mentality that you might re-do the workouts will only weaken your initial attempt at it. Take the time to plan your strategy, watch other folks do it to inform your perspective and then give it everything you’ve got one time.  Don’t give yourself the easy out of a “re-do” just because you can. It makes about as much sense as doing “Fran” Monday day and then seeing if you can shave 3 seconds off your time on Wednesday. Maybe you can, but it doesn’t really mean that you’re any fitter necessarily, maybe you just were a little better at how you worked your transitions or broke up your reps.

The Open is awesome and one of my favorite times of the year. I love seeing everyone come together to compete and see how their training over the last year has paid off.  Have fun with it, hit each workout hard and move one to the following week.

What are your thoughts on re-doing Open workouts?
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Interview: Coach Greg Glassman

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
115/75 pound Shoulder to overhead, 5 reps
115/75 pound Deadlift, 10 reps
15 Box jumps, 24″/20″ box

If you’re not registered for the Open, here are today’s scaling options:
115, 95, 75, 55, 35 lb barbells.
Step Ups are also considered Rx’d

Post total reps to comments.

Happy Birthday, Lauren B!

• Active Recovery is on as normall scheduled today at 11:00am

Becoming A Supple Lepoard

The long anticipated book from Kelly Starrett, “Becoming a Supple Leopard” is finally going on sale April 22nd. Tons of you guys have pre-ordered through CFSBK and will be able to pick up and pay for your book once they arrive. We’ll email out to everyone when we get them in. The gym also ordered a surplus of copies to sell to folks that didn’t make the pre-order date. If you can’t wait untl then, check out this 50 page sneak preview over at All Things Gym

Clean and Jerk Camp Today

Spend the day learning the theory and practice of the Clean and Jerk with Starting Strength Coaches Josh Wells and Shelley Hancock. We will start with a brief lecture about the difference between the standard model and the straight Bar Path model.  Then we will move to the practical session were participants with learn or re-learn the movement with the more efficient bar path and set up. Everyone will have plenty of time under the bar to practice this method while receiving coaching throughout their warm-ups and work sets. Through the entire process, attendees will learn the standards of a properly executed movement and how it should look and feel when it is performed correctly. After the practical session, we will return for a discussion of programming and how to identify and correct common technical problems. The camp will wrap up with a question and answer session. Whether you are just starting out with strength training, struggling with the basics of the lift, or looking to polish your technique and understanding of these movements, you will come away with valuable insights and experience to benefit your training. Attendance will be capped at ten to allow for individualized instruction.

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The Reverse Muscle-Up Beast Skills

Lindsey Valenzuela Enters the Competition Floor
Check out her stats below:

13.2 and Leaderboards

The second workout for the 2013 Open season is upon us. A 10 minute AMRAP triplet of medium/light weight barbell movements and Box Jumps. What are your thoughts and strategy going into this workout? Did seeing Lindsey and Annie hit this workout on Wednesday influence your approach?

Also, the CFSBK leaderboards for the open can be found on the left side of this page. Check them out!

As Many Rounds As Possible In 10 Minutes of:
5 Shoulder to Overhead 115/75
10 Deadlifts 115/75
15 Box Jumps 24″/20″

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13.2 Standards and explination
Mobility WOD 13.2 Prep and Strategy
Outlaw 13.2 Strategy and Tips