75%x5x3
Focus on your rack position and balance in the bottom of the squat. Consider this a pre-exposure to work out any issues you’ve got before we start the next cycle.

4 Rounds NFR of:
1:00 Push Press 75/55/35
1:00 Row Calories
1:00 Rest

3,335lbs of Bumpers waiting to be picked up and put back down

Sumo Deadlift High Pull Practice

If you haven’t gotten a chance to try out the SDHP this week and are competing in FGB, join David at Open Gym on Friday night (6:30p-7:00) to work out the movement and pressure test your capacity in it.  Please email David at David(AT)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com to RSVP. Please put SDHP as the subject heading. If there are lots of folks we may run a couple sessions.

In the meantime, Check out this SDHP specific Mobility WOD to try on

A Message From Marilyn:

“As President of the Brooklyn Community Foundation, I send this heartfelt thanks for the tremendously inspiring work that members of the CrossFit South Brooklyn community, and extended family and friends, are doing on behalf of people across Brooklyn of all walks of life, backgrounds, and need.  The funds you raise will help the Foundation elevate the quality of life for all people in Brooklyn through grants to organizations working at the front lines of education, human services, workforce development, environment, social justice, and arts and culture.  Rest assured, we are not sitting idly by watching you fundraise, but using Fight Gone Bad to galvanize our base to join in on the fundraising so we can keep the tally moving ever upward.  Thank you, dear friends, for your sweat, effort, and love of Brooklyn.” 

Marilyn Gelber
President, Brooklyn Community Foundation

And then an added Bonus message from Alex V:
Also, in the spirit of CrossFit South Brooklyn’s efforts, our Board Chair is personally ready to do a 2 for 1 challenge if we get over $25,000.  This would mean anything we raise over $25k, he will personally put in $2. Lets  THANK YOU!  (At Blogging time, CFSBK is currently at: $23,670!! Can we crack 25K by Saturday???)

Team 1K Club:
The Porkchop Express $3,656
Buns Of Steel $2,125
Avi’s Calves $2,005
1.21 GIGAWODS  $1,970
DROMulans  $1,555
17 Minutes In Heaven $1,319
Make Like Champion! $1,102
4 Too Many $1,067

Individual 300 Club:
Kristen Hoesl $2,236
Peter Mattis $1,380
Asta Fivgas $1,300
Janelle Rooks $920
Mike Mishik $880
David Turnbull $752
Emily Ashton $710
Tom Shpetner $709
David Osorio $700
Christian Reiss $550
Robyn O’brien $545
Lauren Borducci $525
Jay Reingold $500
Chris Artis $452
Dan Halioua $440
Julie Barnard $390
Marian Lai $340
Sarah Marquez $330
Zubin Tiku $325
Rebecca Carbalho $325
Gina Gatto $320
Yoshi Stone $305
Avi Soroka $300

The CFSBK Movie Club Reminder

“Remember how much fun it was back in middle school when you and your pals would giddily invade the local multiplex on a Friday night to catch whatever schlock the most recent teen heartthrob (Freddie Prinze, Jr. FTW!) was turning out that week?  There’s just something special about sitting in a dark room with friends and watching attractive people pretend to be other attractive people.  We may get older, we may develop taste, but movies will always be awesome.
 
It is with that in mind that we submit, for your consideration, CFSBK Movie Club.  Each month, the group will vote for an upcoming film; we will organize a field trip to see said film in the theater; and then we will retire to a nearby bar to discuss.  Kind of like Book Club, if the books were made of moving pictures.

To get the ball rolling, we will be seeing “Cloud Atlas” (as a tie-in with the Book Club) sometime in November.  After that, it’s up to you (so choose wisely).

If you’re interested, email gina.gatto(AT)gmail.com to be added to the listserv.

_____________________
Back To Basics CrossFit KOA
Should You Go Paleo? Men’s Health

Thibault does some vacation Pressing

Fight Gone Bad Schedule

Below is the schedule for Fight Gone Bad this Saturday.  Please check the heat schedule to find your WOD time AS WELL as your judging time. Captains should collect $20 from each competitor to pick up their shirts and register that the entire team is in house. Directly after your heat each team should head outside for the team portrait, the weirder the better.  At 1:30p we’ll be announcing the winners (in the categories listed below) and handing out prizes from our sponsors. If you’re in an early heat, it would be awesome for you to come back for the awards ceremony and group picture! Also.. if you know you are top three in a category, please be there for the awards ceremony! It’s no fun saying your name to a crowded room while you’re home sleeping on the couch!

8:30am Gym Opens
9:00-1:20 Fight Gone Bad Heats
1:30 Awards Ceremonies
2:00 After Party at Die Koelner Bierhalle

Awards:
Top 3 Rx’d Male and Female Competitors
Top 3 Team score totals (mixed Rx’d and Scaled)
Top 3 Individual Fundraisers
Top 3 Team Fundraisers

Our Current Sponsors:
The Hungry Ghost, The Left Bank, The Owl Farm, Mission Dolores, The Hess Collection, O+M Co, Brooklyn Boulders, Ho’ Brah Tacos, Afro Brutality, Inka Hodes, lululemon athletica Brooklyn

Would you like to be a Fight Gone Bad 2012 Sponsor? We’re looking for local business to donate prizes for our awards.  If you’d like to donate, please contact David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com

Fundraising Report
The gym is currently at: $19,738 raised for charity! When you add in the personal donations the board members will be matching for every dollar over 10K, this puts us at a grand total of: $29,476!!!!

Stay tuned tomorrow for an update on the individual and team fundraising leaderboards!

The Brooklyn Community Foundation Series:

Bushwick Housing Independence Project

If you HAD to leave the United States tomorrow and could live anywhere else in the world, where would you go?
_______________________
Don’t forget to follow crossfitsouthbrooklyn on instagram!

Spend 15 Minutes working on Power Clean Technique

4 Rounds NFT of:
16 Overhead Lunges
16 Push-Ups
16 Hollow Rocks

Josh Warms Up Before The Snatch Event

Great job to Whitney E, Coach Josh and Coach Fox on their performances this weekend at the Beast of The East!

Massage at CFSBK!

Inka has been part of the SBK community for nearly two years.  As an athlete, bodyworker, and regular to CrossFit workouts, she understands first hand repetitive movement patterns and the stress they can put on the body. This familiarity allowed her to learn a wide variety of treatment techniques to help prevent overuse injuries. She strongly believes that the mind and the body are connected and that regular exercise and bodywork is a key component to maintaining one’s health.  

Inka is offering sports massage geared towards breaking down adhesions, relieving trigger points, unadhering myofascial restrictions, and increasing range of motion. Techniques include Myofascial Release and Trigger Point Therapy. 

___________________
AbandonedPorn (Not Porn..)

3 Rounds NFT of:
20 Wall Ball Shots 20/14/10  10’/8′
20 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 75/55/35
Run 270m with a sandbag

Break up the SDHPs into sets of 5.

Did you know that when we demo movements, people often assume a crossed arm stance. I’ve noticed this trend for several years now. What does it mean?!

• There is No Teaser Class or Comp Class today.

• Heat Assignments for Fight Gone Bad will go up Monday

Fight Gone Bad Scaling Options

A: Mens Rx’d
B: Women’s Rx’d
C: Additional Scale

Box Jump: Demo Video
A/B: 20″, C: 16″, D: 12″
SDHP: Demo Video
A: 75lbs, B: 55lbs, C: 35lbs
Wall Ball: Demo Video
A: 20lb/10′, B: 14lb/10′, C: 10lb and/or 8′ or 10′ target
Rowing: Rowing Strategy For Fight Gone Bad from Concept2
No Scales
Push Press: Demo Video
A: 75lbs, B: 55lbs, C: 35lbs

If anyone has orthopedic conditions please let us know ahead of time and we can scale movements altogether too. email David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com and we’ll let you know how to modify a movement.

3 Rounds For Time of:
Run 400m
21 Kettlebell Swings 24k/16k
12 Kipping Pull-Ups

Post time and Rx to comments.
compare to 8.22.11

Sadie says, “COME TO THE BABY MUSTER TODAY!“

• We’ve got about 10 families RSVP’d for the Baby Muster starting at 1:15pm today.  The age range goes from fetus to about 5 years old, all families and children are welcome!  Erica will be bringing some fruit and seltzer, feel free to bring some snacks and blankets if you’d like.

• Fight Gone Bad is 1 week away and we’re currently at $17,827, which is actually $25,654 when you count the $$ the BCF board directors are matching us on their “1 to 1 Challenge”  Please send and resend those emails out, talk to friends at work, tell you family and get your team organized and ready! Back Off Week will be focusing on FGB Prep.

Raffle for Janelle R, FGB and Apple Seeds

My company (Apple Seeds) is offering a membership raffle to sponsor my Fight Gone Bad fundraising efforts.  We are raffling off two memberships (one at our Chelsea location and one at our UWS location) and tickets just are $5 each and can be purchased by calling our front desk at 212.792.7590, they also made a special page for me here!

About Apple Seeds:

We live in New York City and we love it.
Raising our kids here is no problem. Well…almost no problem. It can be a slight problem in the dead of winter. It can also be a problem on a rainy day. Come to think of it, it can be a problem on a hot, humid one as well. Two days in a row confined to an apartment and we all go a little stir crazy.

We wanted a place to go for a change of scenery. We wanted a space that offers classes and allows our kids to run around and play with others. We also wanted a space where we can see some friendly adult faces. And…we wanted it in our neighborhood.  So we created apple seeds.

apple seeds operates all-in-one play spaces for families with children newborn to five. We are located in New York City, Mumbai, India and Dubai, UAE with a location opening in Mexico City, Mexico. We have incredibly unique indoor playgrounds designed by well-known children’s museum designers, over 100 classes a week – from music classes like songs for seeds, to art, cooking, science, construction, ballet, tap, movement, gym, soccer and language. We host weekday and weekend birthday parties, playdates and corporate events. We have an award winning day camp, a kids’ hair salon, a toy and bookstore and a healthy snack bar. We strive every moment of every day to be a safe, clean, fun place for our community to gather, socialize and play.

_________________
These Brooklynites Are Exercising Their Giving Muscles Brooklyn Community Foundation

A typical workout description on the old white board

•  The CFSBK Baby Army Muster is tomorrow!!! Get stoked!
• There is NO Active Recovery, Comp Class or Teaser this weekend.

Beasts of The Southern Brooklyn

Best of luck to Coaches Fox and Josh as well as Whitney E an Jacinto B this weekend at “Beast of The East“. BOTE is a three day event offering 8 different types of competition.  Coach Fox will be lifting in an Olympic Weightlifting meet, Coach Josh and Whitney will be competing in CrossFit individual event while Jacinto will be bringing the storm at the Masters division.  Everyone has been working hard for this weekend and we can’t wait to see it pay off.  Coaches David and Jess along with Teresa B will be the sea (pond?) of black supporting our athletes. To stay in the loop, check out our instagram (crossfitsouthbrooklyn) or Flickr account which will be getting regular updates from the event.

Triple Canopy

CFSBK’s Poet Laureate Strikes Again

Here is something new. I guess it goes in the column of “what its like being a CrossFit athlete”.   I struggled alot over the title. Then, caught the Eastwood film “The Outlaw Josey Wales” about a week ago. The title is taken from the Chief’s monologue. It seemed perfect. -Dr. Mike

“Endeavor to Persevere” 

It comes down to this.

Constant learning.

Limitless possibilities

            for bending the curve

of the body

around numerous obstacles

large and small.

Feeling like a snake

            with a lithe, supple, tightening grip,

or a pretzel

            unceremoniously bent around

some rigid object of desire.

No matter what, always the pain.

In the end, make it your friend.

The pain of knowing

the pain

will start again

when you come back.

The pain that creeps up on you

            at odd moments the next day,

as you lean over just a little too far

at the water cooler,

or when you pick up the dog,

or that breaks thru your silent musings

            on the bus to work.

Ah, but how sweet those moments

            of unadulterated victory,

when we surpass everyone’s expectations,

            including our own.

This understanding in our heads

comes along with those

new muscle cells. Twin children

born of this gargantuan effort

of body and mind.

We need to feed them both.

____________________
Samatha Briggs Talks About The CrossFit USA vs. EUROPE Invitational

For Time:
Row 2000m

Post time to comments.
compare to 5.20.12

Related Links:
Olympian Nick Peterson reviews his 2K strategy
Olympian Erin Cafaro talks about how to warm-up on the erg
MWOD: Better Compression for Faster Rowing
MWOD: Better Rowing

Underneath The Hoodie: Margie Lempert

Vital Stats:
Height: 5’ 1” and a lil’ bit
Weight: 140 pounds
Born: September 4, 1977, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Skoolin’: Smith College, Psychology Major, but…basically Theater.
Favorite Way to Eat an Egg: Fried duck eggs in bacon grease (!!!)

In 1984, a small indie film took the world by storm.  Hatched in the academic, “Jewy”, suburb of Cheltenham, PA, “An Actress At Seven” was written and directed by its precocious child star, Margie Lempert, a captivating wunderkind of (you guessed it) seven years old, who chose that year to elbow her way into cinematic relevancy.  Buoyed by strong supporting performances from her neighborhood friends and a elegiac, focused, and winning performance by her grandfather (respectfully described as a “More Jewy Mr. Miyagi,” referencing fellow 1984 Oscar nominee Pat Morita)  “An Actress at Seven” was Lempert’s first major film production.  After a promising career as a young actress, involvement in several prestigious collegiate theater programs, and jobs at Roundabout Theater Company and the New York Foundation for the Arts, Lempert has seemingly fallen off the map.  Rumors have circulated about her becoming involved with an underground movement centered around carnivorous barbell routines, raw milk, and breast toughening seminars.  

It’s true, mostly.  Long before the first Tough Titsday or group class WOD performed to a soundtrack of Simon and Garfunkel, Margie was a fledgling thespian, growing up in suburban Pennsylvania.  An only child, from a young age Margie would record herself telling stories.  Whether they were of her own creation, or a recording of the entire script of her pre-K school play (naturally playing all of the roles,) Margie was a born storyteller.  In Cheltenham, a smart, racially mixed suburb, these stories were great entertainment for an only child, but quickly developed into something more.  In the summers, Margie began attending an arts camp, concentrating in theater, and began taking acting classes when she was ten, continuing through high school.  In high school, Margie would always act in the fall play, but skip the spring musical, since she didn’t like to sing.  Like everything in high school, the drama program was shot through with politics and jockeying for status, which Margie largely ignored.  This led to her often being cast as wacky, quirky characters, but rarely the ingenue, despite her peers widely accepting that she was a very good performer.

Margie was a late bloomer in high school, somewhat lackadaisical academically, prone to procrastination, and not yet secure in her self.  This began to change when she had the opportunity to attend the Alexander Muss High School in Israel during her Junior year.  Margie spent 8 weeks participating in a program for American high school students.  Living in a dorm, and attending classes on site while still responsible for her coursework from back home, Margie had her first taste of the intensity and independence of a college environment.  School came alive for her there, aided by spending half of every day visiting the historical sites and landmarks they were studying.  Margie returned to the US inspired, albeit with some very strong culture shock.

Margie left for Smith College better prepared for the pace and rigors of college life, but didn’t anticipate some of the unique issues attending a women’s college would bring.  Freshman year was tough, and Margie seriously considered transferring, but upon returning for her Sophomore year, she found a more comfortable niche in campus, and finally felt like she had a “place” within the greater student body.  This was aided, no surprise, by a heavy involvement in the theater scene.  While Margie enjoyed her collegiate acting opportunities, her real passion was for organizing and developing theater with her peers. She was heavily involved in the leadership of the Student Theater Committee and a member of the “Sikos,” a campus improv group.  

Margie’s first inkling that a life on stage might not be for her came during her Junior year at a semester long program at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.  Despite being located on beautiful oceanfront property, a trip to Russia and London, and high level instruction, the program was a crucible of critique, self-obsession, and interpersonal drama.  In what seems like a scene from a movie, the program was capped with each student going alone into a room.  Inside, all of the program’s instructors sat around a table, and proceeded to deconstruct the students strengths and weaknesses while the student sat mutely and embraced their shortcomings.  While extremely powerful, the whole experience was also “somewhat horrible,” and changed Margie’s sense of self in regards to theater specifically, and life more generally.

Returning to school, Margie began focusing more energy into directing theater, as her prior experiences had turned her off the fishbowl world of being an actor.  The behind the scenes work agreed with her more, and upon graduation she left for New York City, and a job at the Roundabout Theater Company.  During this time Margie was directing as well, but began to get even more involved in the administration side of theater, and started to work in production, stage, and company management.  After an amazing but stressful turn as the company manager with a troupe travelling to Romania, Margie landed at the New York Foundation for the Arts, where she worked for eight years.  

It’s in this eight year period where the heroine of this story began to think about exercise, healthy lifestyle, and making changes to a diet that was self-described as “notorious.”  Make no mistake, this was not an overnight change, but a slow march towards self-realization, with many bumps and twists along the way.  Even after Margie began to think that exercise should be something she should try it was “a year or two” before she set foot in a gym.  Every night, Margie would set an alarm, ostensibly to wake herself up in the morning and propel her towards the gym.  Every morning Margie would turn her alarm off and simply not go.  For the sake of narrative, it would be convenient to say that one day trumpets blared, angels sang, and the ghost of Jack LaLanne kicked Margie in the ass, but it didn’t happen that way.  On this one particular day, she just went.  

Slope Fitness was Margie’s new arena, and after getting her feet wet Margie became a fixture, firmly ensconced on the treadmills and hogging 10 lb dumbbells 5-6 days a week.  Margie created programs for herself, culled mainly from magazines, but sensed that there was more out there in the world of fitness that she was missing.  

As her interest in fitness grew, and her interest in theater waned, Margie began to approach food in ways she never had before.  Always a bit on the chubby side, Margie’s classic diet consisted mainly of a mix of pizza, chicken sandwiches, muffins, chinese food, and french fries.  Chicken sandwiches in particular were Margie’s calling card, and became a bit of an inside joke among her friends.  What else would someone who had never eaten fish, ate no red meat, and was basically “half a vegetarian” turn to for sustenance?  Slowly though,
as she read more and worked out harder, Margie began to expand her culinary repertoire.  If it all began when she realized she liked broccoli (!!!), the piece de resistance was a meal at Nobu, the chic Tribeca mecca of sushi fusion.  Margie had a meal of foods she had never had before- rock shrimp, lobster, cod, and more.  The meal poked the final holes in Margie’s definition of herself as a picky eater, and she began to harness an adventurous and “cavalier” spirit in regards to trying new foods.  

Still, Margie was looking for someone who could answer her larger fitness questions, and like most searches, this story involves some few dead ends.  Margie met a trainer, a woman with a background in competitive bodybuilding, who agreed to help her improve her body composition.  Starting by having Margie go into the bathroom at Slope Fitness, take her clothes off and pose, the trainer put Margie on a diet restricted to 1100 calories a day.  This began a tailspin of sorts of disordered eating, issues with body image and self-confidence, and a general case of someone getting their “head all fucked up” by someone who should have known better (and saw Margie only once!).

Reeling from this experience, but committed to finding a fitness and diet lifestyle that worked for her, Margie was at Slope Fitness one day when another trainer sidled up to her.  Maybe he recognized a diamond in the rough, a student in search of a teacher, or maybe he just wanted someone to torture.  He taught Margie the elements of an air squat- weight in the heels, proper depth, a flat back.  Soon thereafter, he had her do something he called Tabata Squats.  They continued to train together, although for a while Margie didn’t realize that what she was doing was called Crossfit.  Slowly it became more clear that there was a distinct method to this madness, and after the trainer left town, Margie dabbled in Main Site workouts, then finally made her way to Crossfit NYC.  Through the (well-muscled) grapevine, Margie heard that there was “some guy in Park Slope” and promptly began to investigate.  

It had only been a month after David had found CFSBK a home at the Brooklyn Lyceum when Margie and he began to exchange emails.  Soon they met, and Margie was surprised to find David to be “small, and nice.”  Margie quickly became a regular- one of the few consistent females.  Margie began to hang out with some of the other “believers” – namely Alumnus Coach Extraordinaire Shane Williams, and some guy named Jeremy.  They all grew close, with each other, with David, and with the community that became the CFSBK we know today.  Margie began to take on some coaching responsibilities, and also acted as an ambassador, making her Crossfit Hajj to California (with Shane and then David) to meet and train with the likes Robb Wolf, Adrian Bozman, Jason Khalipa (reportedly a total bro) and Pat Barber, in an impromptu guest workout in Tony Budding’s infamous shed.  Later, Margie also did media coverage for the International Powerlifting Federation’s World Championships in India and South Africa, contributing commentary and interviews of the athletes and board members.  More importantly, she got to watch a LOT of people from all over the world lift a LOT of heavy weight.

As Margie progressed more and more as a coach and athlete, lifting weights and physical culture spurred an iconic evolution. Margie describes the transformation from a cigarette smoking, chicken sandwich annihilating, theater junkie to a strong and fit athlete, coach, and role model as “a path to self-possession.” As she began to understand more about her body, her physical capabilities, and her community, Margie also began to think more deeply about food quality, yearning for a deeper understanding of where her food came from, and how it was made. She began to visit local farms and thought briefly of farming herself. She dismissed that idea quickly when she realized that she was more interested in animal husbandry (probably because thats where they keep the deliciousness). Margie left NYFA as she became more deeply integrated with the gym, and after a year of “sitting around” had a revelation that she absolutely had to go to school. A year later, and she’s a happy resident of the greatest college town on earth, Madison, Wisconsin, once again chasing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how the world works, and how to work with the world.

____________________
CFSBK is now on Instagram! find us at crossfitsouthbrooklyn
Happy Birthday to the best Coach and Admin in the world, JESSICA M. FOX!!!!! <3

For time:
21 Back Squats
30 Burpees
15 Back Squats
20 Burpees
9 Back Squats
10 Burpees

There is a 15 minute cap on this workout.  Choose a weight that will allow you to complete the first round of squats in 3-4 sets, the second in 2-3 and the last in 2-3. The weight should feel heavy, but something you aren’t really intimidated by. We rarely do Back Squats in a timed environment, pace this so that you always leave 3 reps “in the tank” before racking the bar to rest.  The Back Squat is not a movement you want to grind out under duress. Know thyself

Potential Weight Options
Rx+ 225/145
185/125
155/105
135/95
115/75
95/65
Post load and time to comments.

Hannah Weaver (right) ran her 1st 5K with me this am with a time of 35:28. The plan had been to run the first mile then walk the second and run the third. We walked for about 90 seconds after the first mile then H decided she wasn’t slowing down again. By mile 2 she was definitely my pacer and we passed a number of legitimate runners. She cruised up the big hill! I definitely would have been slower if she hadn’t pushed me! Picture below–H got the adult medal!
Sadie (left) rocked the peewee race.
So very proud!
-Jess G

News and Notes:

• There is NO Active Recovery, Comp Class or No Teaser  this weekend.
• We just passed 15K raised for charity! Go Team CrossFit South Brooklyn!!
• CFSBK has started a Movie Club! See the 10.18 Post for more details
• On October 27th CrossFit Virtuosity is hosting the Trick-or-Treat Team Throwdown. More information here. Interested? Post to comments!

Baby Muster This Weekend

CFSBK parents! You’re awesome! Your kids are cute! We should hang out more often.

Come join us for a CFSBK Baby Army Muster and Picnic on Saturday, October 13th at 1:15pm

Let’s all get to know each other better and watch our cute little ones roll/toddle/run around on gym mats. And, of course, plot baby army world domination.

Babies and children, parents and parents-to-be, friends and pets welcome. We’ll have some fresh fruit for everyone, and you’re welcome to bring some snacks to share if you like.

RSVP to organizer extraordinaire Erica N at erica.nofi(AT)gmail.com

___________________
“Squat To Love, Live To Squat” How Anthony Bainbridge took his squat from 425 to 495 at a bodyweight of 165 pounds in 61 days CrossFit Community
Fighting For Greatness CrossFit Community
The Virtuosity Series: The Hollow Hold

Teresa’s Pirouettes

12 Days Until Fight Gone Bad

Under two weeks until the big day and Team SBK has raised $14,561 for charity! This is 146% of our original goal!  As mentioned in Saturday’s post the board of directors at the BCF have thrown their hats in for a 1 to 1 Challenge and are going to provide $1 for every dollar we raise over 10K. This puts our Actual total to $19,122

As amazing as this is, we still have some folks who have not started their fundraising.  We aren’t asking for any minimum amount raised, but we would like to see everyone make an effort to raise something.  If you have 5 minutes (you do!) available today, draft that email you’ve been putting on the back burner.  It takes so little to help those who are making such a big difference in the community we live in… for example:

Brooklyn College Foundation Inc.

Rowing a 2000m Race 

By: Nick Peterson

Introduction

Here are some recommendations for the 2K on the erg – what rowers call an “erg test.” Of course, there is no magic bullet. When I first started this I thought I could just write, “Go as hard as you can. That’s it.” And while that’s actually true, I think there are some important things for people who are unfamiliar with this distance to keep in mind. The goal is to remain consistent and calm throughout your piece.

Consistent Pacing

Why Be Consistent?

This is a test of endurance. So going out like gangbusters at the beginning will not bring your score down. You wouldn’t start a marathon with an all-out sprint for as long as you can go; if you did, you’d hit a wall, then look up and remember that you have another 25.8 miles to go. The same is true here, even though it’s a much shorter distance.

This is not a piece that you can approach with a “just go out hard, and then hang on” mentality; to do so is called to “fly and die” – a term used in the rowing world and I’m sure in other endurance racing sports. Think of this as running as fast as you can for this distance, a mile and a quarter, while carrying a weight. Or, better yet, doing seven or eight minutes of deadlift high pulls, with 30 reps per minute – or 210-240 deadlift high pulls for time. No breaks. You can’t do 30 reps in 45 seconds, then pause for 15 seconds, than go again for 45 seconds. Just a steady 30 reps throughout each minute. If you do this, you have to be consistent and relaxed, and settle into a good breathing pattern.

Splits & Rating

All rowing pieces are broken down into 250m and 500m increments; your goal is to look back at your “splits” – your time per 500m – and see very little variation among the different 500s. (You have the option to display splits on your erg, along with calories and watts; rowers use the 500m splits.) Your first and last 500s will naturally be a little faster than the middle two 500s, but otherwise there should be no glaring differences.

If you’ve pulled a 2K test in the past, a good thing to do on your next 2K is to shoot for the exact same score, but to do so with consistency. For example, if you pulled an 8:20 the last time you did it, that’s 2:05 splits (2′ 5″ per 500m), on average. So the next time you pull a 2K just sit on 2:05 splits the whole time. If that feels too easy, then go for 2:04. But be conservative.

Also, your rating, or stroke rate, should be largely the same throughout. The rating is generally 28-34 per minute for the body of the piece. I always tended to be around 30-32.

2K PLAY BY PLAY

I’d like to lay out the 2K sequentially, in order, starting with the warm-up. Keep in mind, though, that throughout the test you must focus on breathing, good posture, relaxation, and LENGTH. Do not ever shorten up your stroke. Ever. This is all especially true when you are really hurting.

Warm-Up

Do a gentle warm-up, at least 10 minutes. I liked starting at 3:00 splits and knocking down the split by 10s every 300m until I got to 2:00 or 1:50. Very easy. Take a break to stretch or go to the bathroom. Then do a few harder pieces. I always liked doing a few 20s (in rowing speak, this means “20-stroke pieces” – so a 10 is a 10-stroke piece, a 30 is a 30-stroke piece; beyond that you start using meters or minutes for measuring pieces). After the 20s, I liked doing one or two minute-long pieces at race pace. If you do this, rein it in – don’t get caught up in the excitement and go harder than your target pace. After this, do one or two 10s at your sprint pace – what you will do at the beginning and end of the piece. Again, don’t go crazy

“Paddle” – i.e., row lightly – for a few more minutes just to flush things out.

Throughout the warm-up stay long and relaxed.

You can take another break if you want. You are now ready to start.

Start

For the erg, you can do your start in two or three strokes. At the start, sit at half or three-quarters slide – not at full slide (more rowing terminology, sorry – the “slide” references have to do with how far up the rail your seat is; so “half-slide” means your seat is about halfway, and “full slide” means your seat is all the way up). Keep your back a little more vertical than you normally do when rowing. Focus on being relaxed. Take a few deep breaths, then squeeze to the finish – go hard, but don’t jump. Just lean back. Once you’re done with that first stroke, don’t waste any time getting back up to the catch for another short stroke (again, not full slide), which is much quicker – instead of a squeeze, you now want to kick it. For the third stroke, you can establish length.

Take 10 really hard strokes at a pretty high stroke rate – 36-40. Then immediately settle into your rhythm. You’ll feel great at this point, but once you get to about 400m your energy systems will switch over from anaerobic to aerobic, making for the first mental obstacle of the piece. So just relax and get into your groove. Establish your breathing pattern, and make sure you are long.

Again, do not go nuts at the beginning. This is a long piece, and you have to think of each stroke as a brick; you’re building your piece, brick by brick, and you have to be patient. If you go too hard at the beginning, your time won’t be better in the long run – you’ll hit a wall and you’ll have a hard time digging yourself out later. (Sorry about the mixed metaphors.)

400m or 500m In

Take a “power 10” – literally, 10 more powerful strokes that help you get over a hump – just to kick down the split a little, and use the 10 as a chance to focus on being quick and light. Focus in on your legs doing the work during the 10, and keep your arms and shoulders relaxed at the catch and during the recovery. The 10 takes you over the first hump. (In rowing, the way to deal with difficult moments is to go a little harder.) Your rating may go up a little on its own. After the 10, settle back into your rhythm, and make sure you’re long.

The middle 600 – between around 700m and 1300m in – is about the hardest part of the piece. My second 500 was always my slowest of the whole piece, when I realized, “okay, uh, this is happening”; part of my third 500 always had the worst splits, but the end of the third 500 was, for me, when I started to tighten the screws, so that segment always ended up being faster than the second 500.

1000m

This is where you kick its teeth in. Take a power 20 – really aggressive, but again, not inconsistent with the rest of the piece. In other words, if you’re at a 32 throughout the piece, don’t go to a 40 here; at most, your rating will jump one or two beats. (I guess I shouldn’t stress this too much, because the reality is that you won’t be able to go crazy anyway.) The 20 at the 1000 helps you get through this. Kind of.

The third 500 is really hard for most, but some also actually like it because you’re past the halfway mark and just taking it home. In a rowing race, this segment can really determine the result.

Once you’re done with your power 20, just check in again on your length and breathing.

500m to Go

Take another power 10.

400m to Go

Squeeze your split down a bit more. This is the calm before the storm. Don’t let the splits float up – keep it down.

250m to Go

Kitchen sink time. Just go for broke. You can put up with anything for 21-25 strokes. If you’re a fast-twitch athlete, you’ll love this. You should jack the rating as high as you need to – I always had a low rating in general, and I’d be at a 40 or higher at this point.

CONCLUSION

There are various games you can play in your head to help you get through the piece – you’re used to this from all the other training you do. I found myself counting much more than necessary, just to help me through. For instance, from 750m to go until the end, I counted pretty much every stroke. I tricked myself into thinking that each stroke would be 10m, and always felt a little better knowing that each stroke was actually a little more than 10m. (Yeah, it can get that stupid.) I think this is a personal thing, and while I’m happy to share other thoughts on little mind games you can play, I think it’s better for you to develop them on your own. But the best thing you can do throughout the piece is maintain length and make sure you’re breathing sufficiently.

Some videos to check out

Here’s Xeno Muller (’96 gold/’00 silver in the single, the one-man event), and Rob Waddell rowing in a double.
’00 gold in the single and apparently the best VO2 max of any athlete ever tested, according to Wikipedia

Incidentally, Waddell is the world-record holder on the erg: 5:36.6 or something like that. That’s INSANE. My best was 5:51.8, perfectly respectable internationally. But 5:36 is phenomenal. I raced against Xeno in college.

Here’s Xeno, with Rob Waddell to his right, on ergs
They’re using RowPerfect gizmos, which keep the entire erg on tracks so as to roughly simulate the feel of a boat.

Here’s a guy that Xeno is coaching in the single
He looks really good – simple, direct drive. Don’t know who he is

For Time:
Run 400m
21 Deadlifts
Run 400m
15 Deadlifts
Run 400m
9 Deadlifts

Weight Options
Rx+: 255/175
Rx: 225/155
A: 185/135
B: 155/115
C: 135/95
D: 115/75

Post load and time to comments.

Congrats to Zach H who ran a 44:12 10K yesterday and took 2nd place in his age group!! (Male, 20-24)

Announcing The CFSBK Movie Club

“Remember how much fun it was back in middle school when you and your pals would giddily invade the local multiplex on a Friday night to catch whatever schlock the most recent teen heartthrob (Freddie Prinze, Jr. FTW!) was turning out that week?  There’s just something special about sitting in a dark room with friends and watching attractive people pretend to be other attractive people.  We may get older, we may develop taste, but movies will always be awesome.
 
It is with that in mind that we submit, for your consideration, CFSBK Movie Club.  Each month, the group will vote for an upcoming film; we will organize a field trip to see said film in the theater; and then we will retire to a nearby bar to discuss.  Kind of like Book Club, if the books were made of moving pictures.

To get the ball rolling, we will be seeing “Cloud Atlas” (as a tie-in with the Book Club) sometime in November.  After that, it’s up to you (so choose wisely).

If you’re interested, email gina.gatto(AT)gmail.com to be added to the listserv.

Cool Equipment

Do you know about the following pieces of equipment? Cool stuff!

The Dynamic Indoor Rower
The Dynamic Indoor Rower offers the closest simulation to rowing on the water and was developed to meet the specific training needs of the competitive rowing athlete. Unlike the Model D and E Indoor Rowers, the footrest on the Dynamic is free to move and there’s minimal movement of body mass throughout the stroke. The Dynamic demands similar concentration and body control to that needed when rowing in a boat, making it an excellent sport-specific training and coaching tool. –Concept2

See Video

The Reverse Hyper
The Rogue Reverse Hyper® 5,356,359 and 6,491,607b2 decompresses the spine and has no vertical compression on the spine at all. This simple device allows for dynamic strength development in the concentric phase, while serving as a rehabilitation mechanism in the eccentric phase by gently stretching and depressurizing the spine and creating, in essence, an internal pumping mechanism, filling the spinal column with spinal fluid and the low back muscles with blood. Anyone who has injured their back knows that the pressure needs to be relieved and circulation restored to the injured area in order to rehabilitate. This can be used 3 to 4 times a week for therapeutic work but have also had clients that used every day with light weight to get tightness out of lower back area. -Rogue Fitness

See Video 1, Video 2

The Airdyne
Ask any college athlete about the worst workout their coach put them through and it probably involved an Airdyne. There are even horror stories of coaches who took off the seat to make it even more miserable. -Rogue Fitness
The airdyne is similar to the concept 2 Erg in that it works off a flywheel and variable resistance. A nice feature of the airdyne is that since it’s a LOW skill activity, you can go absolutely batshit without worrying about a rapid decrease in technique.

See Video

Honorable Mentions
The Strength Axle
Cargo Nets
Yokes
Parallel Bars