Congratulations to “The Warrior” Jacinto B on earning his ticket to the 2012 CrossFit Games.  Jacinto is a former CFSBK coach, friend of the program, Active Recovery attendee and hero to all. Jacinto will be competing in the Masters (60+) age division, this will be his third trip to the Games.

The Open Is Over!

Congratulations to all who participated in the 2012 CrossFit Open.  The workouts proved to be difficult and many showed admirable resolve in the face of intimidating movements, loads and rep schemes over the last 5 weeks. Our in house Open Champions are as follows:

Key: Name, Total Reps over all 5 workouts, (rank in the North East)

Men’s Division
1. Joe O’Neill: 876 Total Reps (r: 213)
2. Michael Mishik: 854 Total Reps (r: 257)
3. McDowell Myers: 839 Total Reps (r: 269)
4. Christian Reiss: 792 Total Reps (r: 525)
5. Dan Betz: 741 Total Reps (r: 646)

Women’s Division*
1. Melissa Loranger: 784 Total Reps (r: 149)
2. Ellie Myers: 753 Total Reps (r: 214)
3. Jessica Fox: 748 Total Reps (r: 279)
4. Kate Denny: 725 Total Reps (r:246)
5. Christine Denahan: 691 Total Reps (r: 462)
6. Kiki Proctor: 687 Total Reps (r: 367)

Masters 45-49 Division
1. Daniel Baldini: 453 Total Reps (r: 987)

Masters 50-54 Division
1. Robert Semmens: 619 Total Reps (r:96)

Team CrossFit South Brooklyn:
Ranked 58 out of 168 teams in the North East Region
Ranked 633 out of 1,774 teams Globally

*Scoring Note
Official CrossFit Open ranking is based on regional placement in each workout, not total reps. Because we’re comparing our in-house athletes, the order above is based on total reps. There are 6 spots included in the women’s divsion since Kiki’s Regional rank is within top 5 in our gym.

Top 3 Women World Wide
1. Kristan Clever 1,200 Total Reps
2. Julie Foucher 1,182 Total Reps
3. Annie Thorisdottir 1,159 Total Reps

Top 3 Men World Wide
1. Rich Froning 1,240 Total Reps
2. Sean Thomson 1,156 Total Reps
3. Kenneth Leverich 1,102 Total Reps

If you participated in the Open, please answer the following 3 Questions:
1. What did you get out of competing in the Open?
2. What did you think of the workouts?
3. Do you plan on participating next year?

______________________
5 Down CrossFit Games
Camille Leblanc-Bazinet sets a world record 173 Reps on 12.5 CrossFit Games

1 Power Clean, every minute, on the minute for 15 minutes.

Add weight at the 6th and 11th rep as appropriate.

Post loads to comments.

For Time:
Row 1K
Run 800m

Post time to comments.

“A few weeks ago I went to Norway to ski across the Hardanger Plateau and the fjords. Eight of us started in white-out conditions.  Winds were fierce.  Snow was terrible.  Navigation was often limited to map and compass.  Blonde Norwegian girls were nowhere to be found.  Six out of eight skiers quit before the end of the trip.  Only two of us finished.  Both of us CrossFit.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.” -Joe M

Remember to Take Your Shoes Home this week! All shoes left by the end of the weekend will be stuffed in a duffel bag and thrown into the gowanus. For more information, see yesterday’s post.

Grain-Free/Sugar Free Cooking Class #1

This Saturday, March 31st the Paleo NYC meetup group will be attending a Grain-Free/Sugar Free cooking class at 3:00pm.  The event will take place at Carol’s Place on 25th st between 6th and 7th ave in Manhattan. For more information and to register, click here. There are currently 13 people attending.

A Crossfit Shoe Primer
By Coach Noah

If you’ve been Crossfitting for a little while, odds are you’ve noticed that most of our athletes tend to sport some footwear that many would consider unconventional, old-school, or just plain weird.  While you can Crossfit in any pair of shoes, some types of shoes will optimize your ability to get in good positions, protect your body, and ultimately perform better.  Since among our coaches I own the dubious honor of being the resident shoe-ho, I will be your tour guide through the always controversial world of Crossfit footwear.  3, 2, 1, GO(d I am lame)!

Training Shoes

For most of the population, one pair of shoes should suffice to get us through 99% of Crossfit workouts.  These don’t have to be incredibly expensive, and may in fact be cheaper than the over-engineered running shoes currently on the market.  Rather than give you specifics about one shoe over another, following a few general rules should get you into something appropriate:
A (relatively) flat and (relatively) non-compressible sole:  Most of the activities we perform require the ability to “feel” the floor.  Many athletes have trouble keeping their heels down when they squat or shifting their weight forward when they swing a kettlebell simply because their shoes are so built up and cushioned that they simply have no concept of their foot’s relationship to the floor.  Look for a shoe with a sole that is flat and low, without any zany cutouts or hollows.  Ideally, the shoe will be close to “zero drop” a term which means that the heel and toe of the shoe are of the same height.  The sole should also be made of relatively firm rubber.  Some shoes, in their quest for greater cushioning have embraced such plush materials that you may as well be squatting wearing a pair of sweet potatoes on your feet, which while delicious, is not ideal.

Lightweight aka the Single Digit Rule: An easy rule I’ve come to embrace is that any show I wear to work out in should weigh under 10 ounces.  Many weigh under 8, and there are some under 6 and even a few under 4.  The lighter the better, although I personally question whether your feet know the difference between 4.6 and 5.3 ounces.  Mine certainly don’t, but they, like their owner, are stupid.
Rad colors:  This is a personal sentiment, but c’mon folks, this isn’t black tie footwear we’re talking about. 

Most of these shoes fall into the “racing” or “performance” running shoe category.  Manufacturers use these terms to signify that when trying to run fast (like, say, for a race), people will want light shoes that don’t make their feet act stupid.  Since we are Crossfitters, and are ALWAYS RACING, we can just wear them all the time.

Weightlifting Shoes

Dedicated weightlifting shoes take the concept of a firm sole to the next level, using either ultra hard
synthetic (EVA or similar) or real-honest-to-paleo-god wood(!) for maximum stability and to better transmit force from the lifter to the floor.  These are purpose specific shoes, which violate the “no heel” rule above- most weightlifting shoes have a heel of about ½ to 1inch high, to allow for more ankle flexion at the bottom of squats, which helps mobility/positioning under heavy load.  Consider:

Pros:
Incredibly stable
Aids in mobility and positioning at the bottom of squats and in force transmission
Can “add” weight to your lifts (somewhat illusory/placebo, but whatever)

Cons
Most are expensive
Extremely purpose specific.  If you wear them to a bar, people will laugh at you.  Ask me how I know this.
Look like they were designed by a team consisting of my grandpa, Frankenstein, and a Hell’s Angel (except for the super sexy Nike Romaleos, which cost approximately the GDP of Belarus.)

Some other quick thoughts

LSD Shoes: No, these are not shoes to wear while attempting the Dark Side of The Moon/Wizard of Oz mashup- I’m referring to Long Slow Distance.  If you are planning to run substantial distance, or are training for a long race and logging significant miles, you may want to invest in some purpose specific running shoes.  Especially if you have not practiced (or suck at) minimalist/POSE/Chi running, you may want to avoid super-minimal shoes.  While a super-efficient runner may get away with a length of tractor tire duct taped around his foot, most of us could benefit from a little bit of cushioning in our shoes.  There are plenty of models out that split the difference between the conventional Staypuft Marshmallow Man meets Cadillac Biarritz shoe and dipping your feet in candle wax before your marathon.  Ease into it.

Chuck Taylors: Worn by the everyone from Wilt Chamberlain to Kurt Cobain to toddlers everywhere, Chucks are in many ways the perfect Crossfit shoe.  They’re flat, non-compressible, fairly light, and cheap.  Plus, you can wear them in the “real” world, which cuts down on WOD to “first beer of the weekend” transition time on Friday.  The only real downside is that they are a bit clunky to run in, and don’t make you feel like a ninja.

Vibram Five Fingers: I’m going to take some flack for this, so I will be gentle, but I don’t particularly care for VFF’s (yes, in the name of science, I do own a pair.)  VFFs arose from well-intentioned folk who wanted a more minimalist training shoe when there weren’t many options out there.  Now there are plenty of shoes that blend minimal/lightweight design and the benefits of modern technology.  Five Fingers are offer poor stability during lifting, and are inadequately padded for box jumps, double unders, and sprints.  I do think Five Fingers can be useful for training runs or to practice minimalist running, as they do offer great ground feedback, but as I mentioned earlier, that feedback comes at a price.  If you can run fast in Five Fingers, you can run faster in real sneakers, trust me. 

Ok!  Enough about shoes already!  You get the drift- light, flat, not squishy.  Cheap and colorful are pluses.  If you have any other questions, want my thoughts on Shoe A vs. Shoe B, have specific training goals or injury history to consider, or just want to talk about feet, email me at noah(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com

What Shoes do you train in and why?
________________
CrossFit and Kenya CrossFit
Report: Some People Wake Up When It’s Still Dark Outside (for our 6am Crew)
Caffeine and Performance Robb Wolf
Abs Mark Rippetoe

Spend 15 minutes working on Front Levers.

The emphasis of today’s training is learning how to create a ridig body.  The application of this is invaluble to a variety of differnent exercises.

Post exerience to comments.

For Time:
Row 500m
then,
21-15-9 Reps of:
Kettllebell Swings
Push-Ups
Double Unders

Post time and Rx to comments.

Coach Laurel Works Front Levers

Our resident author Martha So will be part of a literary panel on Black Women and fiction at NYU on this Wednesday the 28th. Martha and several other authors will be discussing emerging views on race, gender, politics and identity in modern literature. 

Congratulations to Dave Sc who PR’d his 5K with a 21:32 at the Red Hook Crit 5K last night!

CFSBK Spring Cleaning: Shoes

Over the next few weeks CFSBK will be doing a little spring cleaning. Starting tomorrow we’re asking all our members to take the shoes they store at the gym home. There are plenty of unclaimed and abandoned shoes taking up valuable space and we want to know which they are. You’ll be able to bring your shoes back on Thursday, April 5th. Unclaimed shoes will be donated.

_________________
Fast Twitch Versus Slow Switch TTMJ
Chad Vaughn Overhad Squats 335×5 CrossFit
“Lead and Rear Straights” with George Ryan CrossFit Striking

Perform as Many Reps as Possible in 7 Minutes of the following rep scheme:
3 Barbell Thrusters
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
6 Barbell Thrusters
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
9 Barbell Thrusters
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
12 Barbell Thrusters
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
15 Barbell Thrusters
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
18 Barbell Thrusters
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
21 Barbell Thrusters
21 Chest to bar Pull-ups…
This is a timed workout. If you complete the round of 21, go on to 24. If you complete 24, go on to 27, etc.

Rx’d loading for the Thrusters is 100lbs for men, 65lbs for women.

Gymnastics WOD breakdown of 12.5
Mobility WOD breakdown of 12.5

Post Rx and total reps to comments.
compare to 4.26.11

CFSBK Funny Woman Radhika V leaves today for India to perform her one-woman comedy show ‘Unladylike: The Pitfalls of Propriety’ in Mumbai and New Delhi.  Good luck, RAD!!
Photo Credit: Katarina Kojic

Happy belated Birthdays to Lana Z 3/17, Luca L 3/18, Dan E 3/21 and Happy For Realzies birthday today to Jackie Z!

Keep em Coming!

We’re totally crushing on all you guys. Thanks for sending us information on all the great things you’re up to.  Got something of note? Let us know! We want to hear about your promotions, events, personal victories, discoveries, media campaigns, small government coup d’états and birthdays! Send awesomeness to David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com. 

How have you enjoyed the beautiful weather so far?
__________________________
Focus Group about hydration needs for athletes at Sheep’s Station
7 Most Common Power Clean Technique Mistakes Eric Cressey
Ack! My elbows hurt Mobility WOD
Hey! Give me more Elbow love!
Ack! My wrists hurt when I Overhead Squat Mobility WOD

Thrusters and Pull-Ups AGAIN?

WOD 12.5 Announced

Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes of the rep scheme below:
3 Barbell Thrusters
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
6 Barbell Thrusters
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
9 Barbell Thrusters
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
12 Barbell Thrusters
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
15 Barbell Thrusters
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
18 Barbell Thrusters
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
21 Barbell Thrusters
21 Chest to bar Pull-ups…
This is a timed workout. If you complete the round of 21, go on to 24. If you complete 24, go on to 27, etc.

If you competed in this workout last year, any helpful advice on first timers? What is your plan for this year?

Tips for 12.5
Neal Maddox does 12.5 (146 Reps)
Kristen Clever and Jason Khalipa Do 12.5  (137 and 155 Respectively)
________________________
10 Stubborn Exercise Myths that Won’t Die, Debunked by Science Lifehacker
Why Not Train Through Pain Begin2Dig
Bad WOD? CrossFit Merge

70%x3
80%x3
90%x3+

If you’re following a linear progression add 1-5lbs as appropriate.

Post loads to comments.

For Time:
30 Ball Slams
30 Box Jumps, Games Standard
1/3 Mile Run
30 Burpees
30 Pull Ups

There is no Rx for the Ball Slam or Box Jump today. Choose an Rx that will allow you to keep moving without needing to take much rest.  24″ is the cap on box height. The pull-ups should be scaled such that you can finish in 3-5 sets. If you’ve got pull-ups but 30 is too many, you can scale to 10, 15 or 20 reps. Ring Rows are another alternative.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Billy K Gets a Under the Bar

Congratulations to Andrew M who PR’d his Marathon this week with a 3:28:32 time!

Congratulations to Tom S who was recently appointed to the NYC Environmental Control Board as the Business Community Representative!

Attention Nerds*!

Specifically literary type nerds.. For their second go-around, the CFSBK Book Club has chosen “The Sense of Ending” by J. Barnes for their second read.  If you’d like to join in, simply pick up the book and get reading.  The club will be meeting at a bar or coffee shop to discuss the book on April 29th. To get on the email list for this and future events, please email Peggy at pjeanlouis1(at)gmail(dot)com

Book Description from Amazon
This intense new novel follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he has never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance, one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony Webster thought he’d left all this behind as he built a life for himself, and by now his marriage and family and career have fallen into an amicable divorce and retirement. But he is then presented with a mysterious legacy that obliges him to reconsider a variety of things he thought he’d understood all along, and to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.
 
A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single sitting, with stunning psychological and emotional depth and sophistication, The Sense of an Ending is a brilliant new chapter in Julian Barnes’s oeuvre.

*CFSBK is using “Nerd” as a term of endearment. In fact, most of CFSBK’s staff is part or whole Nerd!

Cleaning Service Needed

CFSBK recently lost both of our cleaning people.  If you’re a fellow business owner and can recommend a cleaning service or person that can deal with some heavy duty (and light) commercial cleaning please contact David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn(dot)com.  We usually do two deep-cleans, one on the weekend and the other mid week as well as 2-3 lighter cleans every other day.  Help keep David’s anal retentive need for cleanliness in check! We provide fair wages y hablamos Español.

_______________________
Pulled Hamstring TTMJ
New Book: Drop The Fat Act Precision Nutrition
Coach Glassman visits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital CrossFit

70%x3
80%x3
90%x3+

If you’re following a linear progression add 2.5-5lbs as appropriate.

Post loads to comments.

As Many Rounds As Possible In 10 Minutes Of:
5 Man-makers
25 Double Unders

At the top of the push-up position in Man-Makers, take extra time to properly set up your shoulder position and keep yoru midline tight.  With these, slower is harder, slower is better!

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Ryan P Returns!

We Want To Hear From You!

If you’ve got something you think would be appropriate for the blog let us know! We think our members are amazing and want to know what kinds of things you guys are working on inside and outside the gym.  Today we’re talking about a fundraiser for charity via Kim M, yesterday we highlighted Murat’s new coffee shop and a few days earlier we showcased some of the amazing photography of Josh D from his recent trip to Burma. If you’d got something you think might be appropriate for the blog, send it to David(at)CrossFitSouthBrooklyn(dot)com.

“Regularly Learn And Play New Sports”

The end to Greg Glassman’s “World Class Fitness in 100 Words” says it all. Are you interested in advancing your fitness? If so, join the CFSBK Softball team!  Dan H. has already recruited about 22 people for a CFSBK softball team as part of the YMCA Adult Co-ed League. Games are usually held once a week around 7pm at the Red Hook fields.  A small league fee of $40-50 per person will be expected to participate for the season. ALL levels are welcome.  If you’re interested or have any other questions, please contact dh3 at dhalioua(at)gmail(dot)com

World Class Fitness in 100 Words:
Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.
~Greg Glassman

Help the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and Get a Hot Date

On Thursday, April 19th at the Hudson Terrace, from 6 – 10 p.m CFSBKer Kim M’s friend will be hosting a date auction to raise funds for the LLS.  This is a great opportunity to help find cancer research, meet new people, potentially go on a date and even get a goodie bag (Who doesn’t love goodie bags?!).  To find out more information about the event as a guest or volunteer yourself for as a potential date, contact Kim at kim.millervt(at)yahoo(dot)com

__________________
Rich Froning: Games Prep and Training CF Games
Chuck Carswell on the Games Evolution CF Games
CrossFit’s Top Athletes do: 9-6-3 Thruster (165#), Muscle-Up
Photo Gallery, Ocean’s Soul National Geographic

Suns Out, Guns Out

Masters Love

Here’s an update on our favorite CrossFit Masters athletes.  Jacinto and Bob are local legends with incredible athletic backgrounds.  Both of these guys are going strong and killing it in the Open, great job fellas!

Jacinto Bonilla
Age: 72
Current Standing: 22nd out of 83 Ranked Athletes
WOD 12.1 (7 Min Burpees) 80 Reps
WOD 12.2 (Snatch Ladder) 87 Reps, 30@45lbs, 30@75lbs, 27@100lbs
WOD 12.3 (BJ/PP/T2B) 210 Reps, 5 Rounds + 15,12,3
WOD 12.4 (WB/DU/MU) 179 Reps, 150 WB, 20 DU

Bob Semmens
Age: 54
Current Standing: 98th out of 665 Ranked Athletes
WOD 12.1 (7 Min Burpees) 93 Reps
WOD 12.2 (Snatch Ladder) 60 Reps, 30@75lbs, 30@135lbs
WOD 12.3 (BJ/PP/T2B) 226 Reps, 6 Rounds + 10
WOD 12.4 (WB/DU/MU) 162 Reps, 150 WB, 12 DU

Murat’s New Coffee Shop

CFSBKer Murat U is opening up a Coffee shop on the east side of Flatbush and 6th ave. This will be Murat’s second coffee shop in addition to Prospect Perk Cafe located on Sterling Place.  CFSBK wishes the best of luck to Murat on his new venture and we encourage everyone to get their caffeine fix at “Hungry Ghost” when it opens up.  To read the F#$cked in Park Slope preview, click here.

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Paleo NYC is hosting a Grain and Sugar Free Cooking Class on March 31st
True Sportsmanship
Robert Anton Wilson Explains Quantum Mechanics

Work Up To A Heavy Single, Each Arm

Post loads to comments.
compare to 1.8.12 and 10.22.11

3 Rounds Not For Time of:
400m Run
15 Thrusters, 65/45
10 Strict Knees to Elbows

Dan works hard at 12.4

Congratulations to our very own CrossFitting Cross Word Puzzler Extrodinare, Stella Z for taking 9th place in the American CrossWord Puzzle Tournament!

Last Chance To Get Really Strong!

Today and tomorrow are the last days to sign up for a Strength Cycle. We’ve got one spot in Cycle A that just opened up again, first come first serve!  There is also room in all the other cycles for interested athletes.  If you’re on the fence… this is your nudge!

Upcoming 3x Per Week Cycles (1 Slot Left!)
Cycle A  (Novice Program)
3/19/12 – 5/11/12
Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm
and Fridays from 6:00-7:30pm
Register Here

Cycle B (Intermediate/Advanced) (5 Slots Left!)
3/20/12 – 5/13/12
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30pm
and
Sunday from 10:00-11:30am
Register Here

Upcoming 2x Per Week Cycles (3 Slots Left!)
Cycle C (Morning)
3/19/12 – 5/9/12
Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00am
Register Here

Continuing Education (6 Slots Left!)
3/20/12-5/10/12
If anyone is confused as to which cycle they belong in, they can contact Jeremy to discuss placement.
Register Here

Again Faster Jump Ropes!

Did you miss out on our last bulk order of these sweet and fast jump ropes?  Well Joy did and she’s had enough of being tripped up by a light, slow rope.  She’s looking for 10 other folks to join in on a bulk order of the Again Faster Revolution rope.  Including shipping costs, the ropes would run just over $24 each.  If you’re interested, please contact Joy at jmele72(at)hotmail(dot)com.

___________________
Like Theres No Tomorrow Wimp
Kid’s got Flips and Jumps Wimp
Intense Moutain Bike Downhill Head Cam Wimp
Yo-Yo Ma and Lil Buck Duet Wimp
Cognitive Effects of 48 Hours of Isolation Wimp

65%x5
75%x5
85%x5

If you’re following a linear progression add 5-10lbs as appropriate and do 3×5 work sets.

Post loads to comments.
compare to 2.26.12 and 1.8.12

Chi B looks to the heavens for solace

Join One of Our Upcoming Strength Cycles

Join Coach Jeremy for his Strength Cycle and spend the 8 weeks building your squat, press, deadlift, bench press and power clean.  There’s strong and then there is Strength Cycle strong.

Upcoming 3x Per Week Cycles
Cycle A  (Novice Program)
3/19/12 – 5/11/12
Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm
and Fridays from 6:00-7:30pm

Cycle B (Intermediate/Advanced)
3/20/12 – 5/13/12
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30pm
and
Sunday from 10:00-11:30am

Upcoming 2x Per Week Cycles
Cycle C (Morning)
3/19/12 – 5/9/12
Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00am

Continuing Education
3/20/12-5/10/12
If anyone is confused as to which cycle they belong in, they can contact Jeremy to discuss placement.

Cost
3x Per Week Cycles:
$300 paid upon registration and then another $300 at the halfway point

2xW Cycles:
$200 paid upon registration and then another $200 at the halfway point

Class Sizes
Space is limited to 8 participants

Class Length
One hour and thirty minutes

You can register for all cycles HERE.

Email Jeremy(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com with any questions.

_______________________
CrossFit Cribs: CrossFit Vengeance
Coach Glassman discusses the new CrossFit for Hope fundraiser (formerly FGB), coming June 9th
Pursuit of Excellence with Greg Glassman
On Being a Trainer with Greg Glassman