65%x5
75%x5
85%x5+

*If you made all your reps plus some extra on the rep outs last cycle add 2.5-5 lbs to your press training max.

Post load and rep out to comments.
Compare to 1.5.12

then,

5 Rounds for time of:
10 1 Arm DB Clean and Push Press/arm
30 DB Swings
*Use the same DB for both movements.

Post load and RX to comments.

Dave P. Jerks 150kg (330lbs) for a Double

Congratulations to SBK Friend Jacinto Bonilla!

Jacinto B. took first place in the 60+ years-old category at the Northeast Masters Tournament hosted by CrossFit Norwalk.  For a full rundown of the WODs check out the results page here!

Help Lana Z. Raise Money for her latest Design Project and A Great Cause

Here’s a letter we got from CFSBK and creator of Brooklyn Paleo about her upcoming project “Art Not Arrests”:

“I’m writing to ask that each of you consider donating toward my latest design project, if you are able. After a series of shootings in my neighborhood last summer, my friend and I were inspired to do a design project that would help raise awareness for ways to help stop gun violence in Brooklyn. This is what we came up with! 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lana/art-not-arrests-garden-installation?ref=users  

Please give it a read over and watch our adorable video to learn more! If you can spare some cash we would greatly greatly greatly appreciate it. There are wonderful rewards to be had!! Including super bad ass hoodies. I know how you guys like hoodies!

 
P.S. I am willing to do burpees for donations made my CFSBK people… if that’s what inspires you.”

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*If you made all your reps plus a few extra on the rep-outs then increase your squat training max by 5-10 lbs

Post loads and reps to comments.
Compare to 1.3.12

then,

8 20 Second Rounds for reps of:
Power Cleans
Rest 40s
*Cleans should be heavy. Your goal is 4 to 6 reps per round.

Post loads and reps to comments.

Kate Denny Man-Makin’

Moving forward on the Wendler 5/3/1 cycle

By Chris Fox

If you made all your reps plus some on the rep out sets:
…you will increase your maxes by 10 lbs on the squat and dead, and 5 lbs on the press. This will not change your work weights too much, you will attempt to match or beat the previous weeks rep out volume.

If you hit the required minimum but no extra:
…you will stay at the same maxes and attempt to go above the minimum on the rep out sets.

If you missed on the rep out sets:
…Was it a technique fail? Then stay at the same weights and work it out
…Was it just too heavy? (maybe you used maxes that you currently don not own?) Lower your maxes and attempt to go above minimum on the rep out sets.

Noah’s Kipping Pull-up Workshop is Saturday!

 Join Coach Noah Saturday, January 28th at 1pm for an entire hour dedicated toward mastering the kipping pull-up.  The buy-in is 3 Strict Pull-ups for guys and 1 Strict Pull-ups for ladies.  Contact Noah at noah(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com to RSVP.

___________________

Based on the advice above, are you increasing, holding or decreaseing your training max? How many reps do you think you can hit tonight?
___________________

CrossFit Football for CrossFit Talk To Me Johnnie
Brown Fat’s Busy Slimming You Down NY Times
No Obesity Link to Junk Food in Schools NY Times

Josh M. and Marcos both think they got the ‘Big Piece of Chicken’

Congratulations to Sarah LR on getting her first four strict Handstand Push-ups!

Fish Oil is Back! 

We just got a new shipment of Fish Oil!  Get yours next time you’re in the gym!

Coach Noah’s Skill Session: Kipping Pull-up Class This Saturday

Got strict pull-ups?  Then it’s time to get the kipping under your belt.  Have a kipping pull-up but look more like an MC Hammer on crack(humpty) on the bar than a world-class gymnast?!  Join Coach Noah Saturday, January 28th at 1pm for an entire hour dedicated toward mastering the kipping pull-up.  The buy-in is 3 Strict Pull-ups for guys and 1 Strict Pull-ups for dolls.  Contact Noah at noah(AT)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com to get in where you fit in.

SBK Ladies Competing at CF Queens’ “Hail to the Queen” Comp this Weekend

Our friends at CrossFit Queens are hosting their second annual “Hail to the Queen” competition.  This is a great opportunity for women of all levels to come out and test their prowess against/with other local CrossFit ladies.  This competition is 4 events designed to find the fittest woman in all the land.  You can check out the event’s promo trailer HERE (See if you can spot the SBKers!).  We’re have a kick-ass crew of ladies representing us at this event they are:

TEAM SBK:
Jess F (Check out her Athlete Profile Here!)
Stella Z
Lana Z
Asta F
Sarah LR
Mellisa L
Christine D
Ellie JM
Marian L
Katie Mo
Kate D

We wish all these ladies luck this weekend!
___________________

History of the CrossFit Games CrossFit
Livestock Industry Wins Supreme Court Appeal CNN
Nation Impressed by Feats of Very Strong Little Boy The Onion

Spend 20 minutes on handstand practice

then,

Spend 10 minutes working on double unders

then,

spend the remainder of class foam rolling and/or stretching

Post handstand progressions/consecutive double unders and reflections to comments.

Please sir, can I have some more!

Teaser Class Moves to 10AM!

Our free weekly Teaser class is now moving to 10AM on Sunday mornings.  This is the perfect way to come experience what we do for yourself.  If you’re interested in attending this Sunday’s class please RSVP to cfsbkinfo(at)gmail(com). 

Active Recovery is at 11am this Weekend 

David’s Saturday active recovery class will be held at 11AM this weekend.  Come an hour early to mobilize your business!

___________________ 

How are you feeling after the first three weeks of the new cycle?  Do you have a strategy/approach for your upcoming rep outs? 
___________________

Handstand to Forward Roll Progression Gymnastics WOD
Handstand Against the Wall Progressions Part 1 and Part 2 Gymnastics WOD
The Evidence for a Vegan Diet The Atlantic
The Weighting Game Robb Wolf

You’ve been set up with one of CrossFit’s finest ladies! Come on down to see which girl you’ll be entertaining this morning!

Gracias!

Thanks to everyone who came out last night for our first 2012 Paleo Potluck. There were some amazing dishes and deserts on display last night.  We had a blast seeing everyone in their “normal” clothes getting a chance to connect with their fellow SBKers.  Our next Potluck is early March after the challenge. See you then!

Meet the CrossFit Girls

Below is a little cheat sheet with all the CrossFit Girls listed out for you. Each name that is hyperlinked leads to a video of that workout.

How many of these workouts have you done? Which is your favorite and least favorite?

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85%x3
95%x1

Post loads to comments.
compare to 1.13.12

3 Rounds for Time:
50 Double Unders
40 Squats
30 Unanchored Sit-Ups

Post time to comments.

Strong and Scholarly, “The Professor” Samir C works out in Puerto Rico
“We (Samir and Noor) were at Flamenco Beach on Culebra and in the mornings I would go do 10 rounds of: 10 push-ups, sprint 40-50 yards, run into the water for a dip, repeat. Great fun. Pity it couldn’t last.”

The Paleo Potluck Hath Arrived

Who: We’ve gotten over 100 RSVP’s for today’s Potluck so… most of you!  If you’d like to see what everyone is bringing, click here.
When: Tonight! from 6pm to about 9pm
What: A gym wide potluck to celebrate the Paleo Challenge and the CFSBK Community.  Our friends, Jerry and Christine from Herondale Farm and Andy from Sol Flower Farm will be coming too! Additionally, the 4th “Paleo Challenge email” will be delivered via old fashioned 3-D reality by David.  You can also expect all variety of goof balls, funny bones, hijinks and good times with your fellow SBKers.

Anything Else?

Dogs: If you were thinking of taking any 4 legged family members to the potluck tomorrow please keep the following things in mind. We’ve got about 100 People RSVP’d and there will be a lot of food so if your dog whines/begs for food or gets nervous around a lot of people or other dogs please keep them at home and bring them the leftovers.  Also- they will have to be chained to the stairs the entire time.
Serving Spoons: Please bring an appropriate serving spoon/utensil for your dish if it needs one!
Alchohol: We’ve got a couple folks bringing Tequila or making Norcal Margaritas. If you didn’t plan a meal, it’s A-ok to bring “the sauce”… it’s okay to bring some even if you are bringing a meal.  (just not if part of your plan was to Not drink..)
Food Heating:  If your food needs to stay warm/hot please bring something to keep it a servable temperature. Crockpots are a potential option. If it’s okay to sit out then don’t stress it.
Contest! We’re going to do a secret ballot for top 3 favorite dishes at the potluck. Come hunrgy and ready to taste a lot of dishes!

___________________
The Point Cathletics
Do you know, Brian ‘the Living Legend’ Drescher?
See Brian compete
See Brian Snatch
See Brian Sing

Choose 1 of the follwing RWODS to perform today:

1. Meditate for 10 minutes. Get comfortable somewhere, make sure there are no distractions (put your phone on airplane mode and set an alarm) and focus on your breathing.  Don’t come into it with any expectations, just do it. Extra points for doubling up to 20 minutes.
2. Read an article about something you know nothing about.  Work what you learned into a conversation later in the day.  Extra points if the reading material is non-digital.
3. Clean up a part of your house or workspace that has become cluttered or dirty. If applicable, throw out things you don’t need.

Post experience to comments.

Rob N on Front Squats

Some Potluck Logistics

Dogs
If you were thinking of taking any 4 legged family members to the potluck tomorrow please keep the following things in mind. We’ve got about 100 People RSVP’d and there will be a lot of food so if your dog whines/begs for food or gets nervous around a lot of people or other dogs please keep them at home and bring them the leftovers.  Also- they will have to be chained to the stairs the entire time.

Serving Spoons
Please bring an appropriate serving spoon/utensil for your dish if it needs one!

Alchohol
We’ve got a couple folks bringing Tequila or making Norcal Margaritas. If you didn’t plan a meal, it’s A-ok to bring “the sauce”.

Food Heating
If your food needs to stay warm/hot please bring something to keep it a servable temperature. Crockpots are a potential option. If it’s okay to sit out then don’t stress it.

Contest!
We’re going to do a secret ballot for top 3 favorite dishes at the potluck. Come hunrgy and ready to taste a lot of dishes!

_________________
Inquiring minds would like to know,how to give yourself a raging case of cancer? Malignant Humor
Feb 11th CrossFit Tri State Throwdown Promo Albany CrossFit
“Evil Wheels” Explained CrossFit Football
Whole Foods Caves to Monsanto PR Watch
Coffee and Guns TTMJ

75%x5
85%x3
95%x1+

Post loads and reps to comments.
compare to 1.12.12

3 Team Partner WOD:
75 Reps Shoulder to Overhead, 165/115
100 Reps Power Clean, 165/115
125 Push-Ups

This workout is done chipper style with only one partner working at a time. The sets can be partitioned out as desired.

Post partners, Rx and time to comments.

Craig C Squats 405×2 For Yesterday’s Rep Out

Dude, Where’s My 1RM?
By Coach Jeremy 

Everyone has had the experience:  it’s the 2nd attempt of a Crossfit total or your working up to a new 1RM on singles day, you load up the bar with a weight equal to you your existing 1RM, you get psyched up, unrack the bar, go into the hole, and……nothing.  It doesn’t come back up.  Why?  Did you get weaker?  Are you doing something wrong?  Why can’t you do what you’ve already done?

Think of a 1RM not so much as a measure of strength capacity but as an act of strength performance.  Veteran lifters will speak of owning a weight versus hitting a weight.  Owning a weight means that you can get under a bar just about anytime you want and move that weight (assuming a proper warm-up and having not done back-to-back hero WOD’s that week).  Hitting a weight is a much less reproducible feat.  It means that on a day where you felt good, were well rested, timed your eating properly, had your weight belt sitting just right, heavenly bodies were aligned properly, and you managed not to fuck anything up,  you were able to squeeze out a higher weight than ever before. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a weight that you have only hit isn’t something that you can just do on command.  It’s an act of strength and will; repeating it doesn’t just happen.  No sprinter expects to hit a PR every time they run a given distance, not in competition and especially not in training.  There is no reason to just assume that every time you get under a barbell you’re going to PR.

We should also consider that not every one’s best event in lifting is the 1RM.  Consider again, sprinting.  All sprinters are fast, that’s why they are sprinters.  However sprinters have different specialties, some are better in a 60m dash, others are better at the quarter mile.  If we took a random group of sprinters and tested their best times at a series of distances, say 60m, 100m, 200m, and 400m, we would probably find that the rankings would look very similar across the events: the faster runners would tend to do well at all of them.  However, you would also expect to see some shuffling of rankings based upon the individual strengths of the sprinters.  Some are better at accelerating, some run the turns well, some finish well, etc. To bring this back to lifting, imagine a group of powerlifters from the same weight class.  If you tested their 1RM, 3RM, and 5RM squat you would see something very similar:  The strongest lifters would tend to be at the the top of each ranking, however you would also see some move up or down the leader board as the reps changed based upon their individual characteristics.  This is relevant to us because the better you are at an event, the 3RM versus the 1RM for instance, the more likely you are able to reproduce your best effort.  We should test our strength at 3RM’s and 5RM’s for precisely the same reason that Track and Field tests more than just the 100m dash as a measure of speed.

Weighlifting, Powerlifting and Crossfit Total’s are all tests of 1RM. This isn’t because 1RM’s are magical, it’s just that they are easier to quantify, they are the highest weights (and everyone wants to see big weights), so they lend themselves to being tested. All this being said there is certainly nothing wrong with going after 1RM’s and when game day comes, you want to break some records. Set yourself up for success by working hard at a good program, resting up in the days leading to the event and getting your head inside your lift when you get under the bar.  Once the day’s lifting is over, let it go.  A sprinter isn’t suddenly slow on the day they don’t PR; you’re not weak on the day you don’t either.  Allow for the fact that not everyday you try to PR is going to be the perfect day to demonstrate that amount of strength.

Did you play any sports as a kid?  Whether you did or did not, how do you think it affected you?

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Muscle Spotlight: Psoas CrossFit South Bay
CrossFit, Living the Dream
The 27 Rules of Conquering The Gym Wall Street Journal
Mark Rippetoe, Fixing The Squat: Hip Drive
How to get a better rack CrossFit Invictus

75%x5
85%x3
95%x1+

Post loads and reps to comments

3 Rounds NFT:
8-10 Front Squats
15 Pull-ups

Front squats will be power cleaned off the deck. Choose a weight that will allow you to hit each rep range in one set. You can move up in weight if you hit 10.  Use this as an opportunity to work your kipping pull-up rythem.  If you can, do each set unbroken.

Post loads and reps to comments.

Dave E gets over the bar

Jacinto On Mainsite!

Check out local legend Jacinto Bonilla working out with Team Again Faster at Mike’s Gym in California. Here Jacinto and Coach Mike Burgener talk about the Split Snatch.  Jacinto is a former CFSBK coach, CrossFit Games level masters competitor and one of the nicest people you could ever spend some time with.

Got Kids?

So you’re a parent who wants to go out, but you cringe at the thought of paying $50 (if you’re lucky) for a babysitter. Thankfully, there’s the Park Slope Babysitting Coop, a group of families in the area who babysit for one another using a point system – this saves you cash and allows greater flexibility and availability compared to a one-on-one exchange between two families. The group’s members live in Park Slope and surrounding neighborhoods, but it does not have geographical boundaries.

Interested in joining? Our very own CFSBK is hosting the Babysitting Coop’s next bi-annual get-together on Saturday, January 21st, from 2:30 to 4:30. The purpose of these get-togethers is for the parents to meet each other and each others’ kids. Email Coach Nick at nick[at]crossfitsouthbrooklyn[dot]com if you plan to come.

Coach Margie Squats!

We’ve added a few new pictures to the banner rotation. Enjoy!

Potluck on the Horizon

The CFSBK Paleo Potluck is this Saturday at 6:00pm!  As of right now about 75 folks have RSVP’d and from the looks of it we’ll have some great dishes (and tequila) to sample all night.  This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow SBK’ers in a casual setting and learn some tastey new dishes you can add to your own rotation.  If you’d like to come and haven’t RSVP’d yet please do so on the Event Page today. Tomorrow is the unofficial deadline to rsvp since we’ll need to get an accurate headcount for tables, cutlery etc. 

Got Meat? Got Veggies? Need Variety? Add Sauce…

By Christian Fox

            You’ve dutifully prepare some meals at home. But now, you’re getting tired or bored. It happens all the time. Folks set out full steam ahead with every intention of cooking more healthy meals at home, but in a week or two it becomes either too much work, or too monotonous. I’ve said before that a big key to actually cooking at home is pre-prep, that way it’s as easy as possible to throw a meal together on a Wednesday night after a long day at work, and the gym, and the dozen other things that you have going on in your life. Having a pre-roasted piece of meat can be a lifesaver here, as can having a quick cooking protein like filleted fish, lean pork chops, lean steaks, and the like. Problem is that just good old salt and pepper can start to seem like punishment after a while to some. Having a few pre-made sauces in your fridge or freezer to call upon can add variety to the same meat and veg throughout the week. Try these…

Aji’ – Kind of a Columbian salsa. This stuff is like crack. It takes any meat or fish to another level, and also works as an amazing dip, best scooped with some tostones. Super easy to make.

In a food processor or a blender:

• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 small Red Onion, rough chopped
• 1-2 Chiles, rough chopped, depending on how much heat you like (Serrano or Jalepeno work well)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, rough chopped
• 1-2 medium Carrots, rough chopped (carrots bring both sweetness and texture)
• ½ Bunch Cilantro, rough stems removed
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 cup White Vinegar (or cider vinegar to keep it mas Paleo)
  

Add ½ of the vinegar first to help chop the veg, and then the other ½ to mix

This makes about a quart of deliciousness. The vinegar helps it keep well, but you can also freeze half for next month.

Basic Marinara – Everyone should know how to make this staple. It’s a template that can serve as the base for other sauces as well. The later addition of herbs, spices, or veg, can take this in any direction you want to go.

• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-6 cloves Garlic, chopped (really depends on your taste, I love a lot of it)
• 1 Spanish Onion, chopped
• *Optional – 1 Carrot, shredded (adds sweetness)
• 2 35 oz cans peeled Tomatoes (best is San Marzano D.O.P. certified. It really makes a difference especially if you’re using the sauce as-is)
• 2 tsp Dried Basil (or chopped fresh if you’ve got it, added at the end of cooking)
• 1 tsp Red Chile flakes
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 2 tsp Black Pepper

– Saute the onion in EVOO over medium heat in a medium saucepan until translucent.

– Add the garlic (and carrot if using) and sauté till fragrant

– Add the dried basil and chile flakes and stir a few seconds to bring out their oils

– Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands into the saucepan (Alternately you can dump them in and use a spoon or potato masher to crush them, but where’s the fun in that?)

– Add the salt and pepper and bring to a hard simmer, then reduce to low. Simmer on low for 15 minutes, or longer depending on desired richness of sauce.

This sauce can be doubled or tripled and kept frozen for some time. Use it as-is on meats, stirred into greens, mixed into sautéed mushrooms or squash as a ragout, or just top your morning omelette with it. Add cumin, cilantro, and some chipotle en adobo and it’s a Mexican sauce. Add curry powder and mix it in with pan-roasted cauliflower with cumin seeds for an Indian side dish. Throw a pint of it in the blender with a cup of coconut milk and desired spices and herbs for a pink sauce rich in flavor and healthy fats. Heck, fry up a pound of ground beef with a Tbsp or 2 of chili powder; add a pint of this sauce and viola, chili.

Cook! Enjoy!

List all the meals from yesterday. Include whether you made them or purchased them and a short reflection on each one.
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Reducing Muscle Pain and Injury with Nutrition and Supplementation Dr. John Berardi
All About Fish Oil Precision Nutrition
More Vegetables Evolving Chocolate-Sauce-Filled Centers As Evolutionary Imperative