Back Squat 1-1-1
Press 1-1-1
Deadlift 1-1-1

This is a CrossFit style powerlifting meet in which you have three attempts to find a 1 rep max in each lift listed. Your CrossFit Total is the sum the highest successful lift in each section. For a detailed explanation on the event and standards for each movement, please read Mark Rippetoe’s CFT overview here.  To see how you rank, check out these strength standards.


The CFSBK Competition Team at the 2011 Winter Challenge

Congratulations to Melissa L. and Teresa B on getting their first muscle-up at the CF Hoboken Winter Challenge! Damian M, Josh G, Marco and Chris A on getting their first muscle-ups during yesterday’s workshop!  Here’s to many more!

Happy belated birthday to Ian and Martin!

CF Total Schedule

We are not running our usual group class schedule today due to the Total.  Instead come to 1 of the 3 following slots

Block 1: 9AM-10:30AM
Block 2: 10:30AM-12PM
Block 3: 12PM-1:30PM

Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your slot to complete whatever DIY warm-up you’d like so that we can promptly start with the movement standards and warm-up sets right at the designated time. In the interest of efficiency please come in with an idea of where you’d like to open each lift and what warm-up weights you intend to use to get there.  For advice on how to approach the total please review Coach Fox’s article on Preparing to 1 Rep.

**Teaser, Strength, and Foundations are at their regularly scheduled times.**

Coach Nick’s Rowing Workshop at 1PM

Coach Nick’s Rowing Workshop on the the Recovery is today at 1pm.  This is a great way to dial in one of the most elusive concepts in rowing to maximize your efficiency during WODs or if you have an interest in participating in next year’s Crash-Bs!  For more info on the 2012 Crash-Bs contact Nick at Nick(at)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com.

Herondale Meat CSA still open!

There is still time to sign up for the next cycle of monthly meat deliveries from Herondale Farm! Each month, you’ll receive 15lbs of a variety of cuts from beef, pork and lamb – everything from porterhouse steaks to bone-in leg of lamb to english style bangers. Deliveries happen the first Wednesday of each month and run from January – May.

Total cost is $750, payable in installments, or $695 if you pay up front.

Questions? Email margie(at)crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com, or info(at)herdonalefarm.com
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Daniel Tolbert: The Real Reason For Brains TED

AMRAP 20 Minutes
300m Row
30 KB Swings
This is a partner WOD! 1 Partner works at a time. Partners alternate complete rounds.

*If you are coming in to Total tomorrow then take it easy today and be sure to spend some time on a foam roller. Get your plan ready for tomorrow!

Post KB load and completed rounds to comments.

Sarah Leaves the Nest

Happy Birthday Martha S.!

Good Luck Team CFSBK!

Our competitive team is heading to CF Hoboken today to their annual Winter Challenge.  Join us in wishing them luck as they compete in not one, not two but FOUR WODs!  For full details on the challenge check this link!  Give ’em hell guys! 

Our 2011 Winter Challenge Team is:

Team CrossFit South Brooklyn
Jaclyn Z
Rickke M
Mike M
Teresa B
Kiki P
Melissa L
Jessica F
Kate D
Chris F
Josh M

Join Coach Nick’s Sunday Rowing Workshop

If you’re interested in attending Sunday’s Rowing Workshop with Coach Nick and learning to dial in your recovery on the erg and learning more about competing in CRASH-Bs please RSVP to Nick(at)Crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com

The workshop is free to all and starts at 1pm!

Noah’s Muscle-Up Workshop is Today!

Filled to the brim with athletes looking to master the muscle-up Noah’s Workshop will meet at 1:30p today.  Enjoy folks!  Be on the look out for Noah’s next skills class!

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Please remember to read Coach Fox’s article “Preparing to 1 Rep Max” and Coach Margie’s “Getting Ready to Squat” in preparation for tomorrow’s CrossFit Total!
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The Bamboo Bar with Shane & Laura Phelps-Sweatt CrossFit
7 Essential Skills You Didn’t Learn in College Wired

Congratulations Stella Z. on her strict pull-ups!

CrossFit Total this Sunday!

This Sunday we’ll be running a CrossFit Total!  The Total is a CrossFit style Powerlifting meet in which each athlete will have 3 attempts to find a 1-rep max in the Squat, Press and Deadlift.
Instead of regular classes we’ll be running three 90-minute waves:

Block 1: 9:00AM-10:30AM
Block 2: 10:30PM-12PM
Block 3: 12:00PM-1:30PM

Please arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the wave you’d like to attend to do your own warm-up as we will start warming up with barbells almost immediately at the start of the wave.  In the interest of efficiency please come in with an idea of where you’d like to open each lift and what warm-up weights you intened to use to get there.  You can use this 1RM calculator to help give you an idea of what to shoot for.  Just make sure to add a few pounds since we’ve been doing 3×5 instead of 1×5. 

Novice athletes will do 3RMs instead of 1RM

Preparing to 1 Rep Max
By Coach Fox

        “What are you hoping to hit for the CrossFit Total?”. When your mate asks you this question you may exaggerate a bit but when it comes time to get under a bar you’d better have a plan. Here’s how.

1- Take it easy in the gym or rest completely for a day or two prior to doing a CFT. If you were going to total on a Saturday it would be a good idea to work at 70% or so effort on Thursday, rest completely on Friday (maybe some light mobility work or active recovery type stuff) and go for it on Saturday. Make sure your nutrition is in line with your goals. Do you want to perform well on the total? Do you think that boozing it up the night before and eating offensive (for you) foods will help, or hinder, that performance? If you take your training seriously and want to better yourself then act like it.

2- Have goals. Know what numbers you’d like to hit. You can take numbers that you’ve been working at recently and extrapolate 1RMs using a nifty 1 Rep Max Calculator. Preferably you will have some rep maxes in the 2-5 rep range since the further away you get from that the less reliable the predictions become. If you haven’t been training long and don’t yet have any 2-5 rep max then use the CF Total to establish those and wait until next time around to do 1RMs. There is still so much learning to do on the lifts and hence no sense hitting 1RMs with such little experience, ego be damned.

3- Have a plan. Map out your warm ups. Today is not the day to be doing a metric ton of warm up reps. Let’s take a hypothetical lifter with a previous 1RM of 355 hoping to establish a new 1RM on the squat of 365lbs, his or her time under the bar should look something like this.

45×5, 135×5, 185×5, 225×3, 275×3, 315×1, then

1st attempt – 335
2nd attempt – 355
3rd attempt – Set a new 1RM at 365

Establishing a new 1RM of 185 with a previous best of 177.5 might look like this.

45×5, 75×5, 105×5, 125×3, 145×1

1st attempt – 165
2nd attempt – 177.5
3rd attempt – 185

This is obviously subject to change depending on how the warm ups feel and how the 1st two attempts go. Maybe you have more in you than you and the 1RM calculator thought you did, but maybe you don’t. As Rip says “Don’t be pig-headed. If your first attempt tells you that you need to lower your second, do so, without a misplaced sense of diminished self-worth. It’s a test, and it’s designed to measure what’s there, not create something that’s not. That’s what training is for.” There is a world of difference between training and testing, but that is an entirely different topic. Just remember that today is a test day.

4- Realize that the press is a finicky lift. Gains made are often small and hard won. To go from a 1RM of 85 to 87 represents a 2.5% increase. If you have been training long enough you may (read should) be thankful for this type of increase. My point is to say that you should not be greedy with the press. Instead be frugal and take small rewards. Also, don’t overdo the warm ups as this lift fatigues quickly. Usings the example above of hoping to set a new 1RM of 87, here’s a possible warm up scheme.

33×5, 53×3, 63×2, 73×1, 77×1

1st attempt – 81
2nd attempt – 85
3rd attempt – 87

5- The deadlift will be largely warmed up by the squat and will not need a lot of warm up reps on it’s own. Here’s an example of the above 365 squatter hoping to establish a new 1RM of 405 with a previous best of 395

 135×5, 225×3, 315×1, 365×1

1st attempt – 385
2nd attempt – 405
3rd attempt – Go for it, it’s the last rep of the day!

6- You need to rest between attempts (possibly 3-5 minutes) and if you are doing the CrossFit Total in a group class, you also have time constraints. During the warm ups is not the time to dilly-dally and wonder what you should load on the bar next. Having a plan allows you and your rack mates to move smoothly through the warm ups and into the reps and allows time to rest between attempts. If you don’t have a plan you will also cost your rack mates valuable time…don’t be that guy or gal.

The CrossFit Total should be a fun day where you get to move some heavy weight around but that doesn’t mean don’t take it serious, too. Approach each lift with intent, unrack each squat from the uprights with authority and readiness, set up with a BIG BREATH for all your att

empts today. And if you don’t 1RM but gave your all, then celebrate that as well and live to lift another day. You’re a TFBA for showing up regardless.

Fight Gone Bad T-Shirts and Hoodies are (Still) Here!

If you raised $150 or over $500 for FGB6 and haven’t picked up your shirt or hoodie please make sure you do next time you are in the gym!
________________

What are are your opening numbers for the CF Total? Even if you aren’t participating in this weekend’s total what is your perceived 1RM and how would you approach finding 1RMs in the three lifts?
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Probably the Craziest Man in the World Youtube
Nicole and Zac do the CrossFit Total CrossFit
“DogFit” CrossFit

AMRAP in 15 Minutes of:
9 Deadlifts 155/100
12 Push Ups
15 Box Jumps 24″/20″
This WOD was part of the 2011 CF Games Sectionals. 

Post Rounds and RX to comments.

Coach Fox Pulls 467.5

Again Faster Revolution Jump Rope Order

Coach Josh is organizing a bulk order of the Again Faster Revolution Rope.  He needs five more interested players to make it happen.  The cost per rope is 23.67/person down from $34.42.  If you’re interested please contact JoshuaM86(AT)gmail.com to get in on the order by Sunday December 11th! 

Cal Strength Weightlifting Clinic at CFSBK!

We’re always trying to bring the best educational opportunities to SBK for our members and staff.  We’re proud to announce that Glenn Pendlay and his crew from California Strength will be leading a full-day seminar on the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk.  This is an amazing opportunity to learn from some of the best!  The seminar will be Saturday, June 16th 2012 and will be $200. 

This seminar will include roughly 6 hours of practical instruction on the snatch and the clean and jerk. The seminar will cover the California Strength system for learning and teaching the Olympic lifts. This seminar is relevant to people interested in learning the lifts, coaches teaching the lifts, and trainers who are teaching the lifts. Everyone who attends the seminar will lift weights, so please bring appropriate attire and lifting shoes if you have them.

EXTRA features for this seminar: Along with instruction, California Strength will be bringing members of the California Strength Olympic weightlifting team to demonstrate and assist. Current members include Spencer Moorman, Donny Shankle, Jon North, Rob Blackwell, and Kevin Cornell.

All sign-ups will receive a 10% discount code to the California Strength online store.

Register HERE!

Muscle-up Workshop almost Full!

Coach Noah’s Muscle-up workshop is almost full there are two slots left.  The class will be this Saturday at 1:30pm. Remember the sign-in sheet is in the community area.  For full details click here.
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RSA Animate: The Secret Powers of Time Youtube
How Exercise Benefits the Brain NY Times
CRAZY Cravings: How do Pizza, Cookies, etc. know your name? Robb Wolf

3×1

Athletes will use ~70% of your projected 1RM for the Total

then,

Rack walk out at 105% of your predicted 1RM.
Rack the bar on your back, walk it out, and hold for 3-5 seconds once stabilized. Walk it back in and rack it. Know that you are strong enough to squat it.

Please use this 1RM Calculator to calculate your percentages.  Add a few lbs to the calculation since we’ve been doing 3×5, not 1×5
Please review this video about racking the weight.

Post loads and predicted 1RMs to comments. 

AMRAP 10 Minutes:
15 Snatch 95/65
10 Knees to Elbow

Post rounds and RX to comments. 

Coach Margie Squats 192.5 (PR)!!

CF Hoboken Winter Challenge is this Weekend! 

CFSBK will be sending athletes to compete once again in the CrossFit Hoboken Winter Challenge.  Good luck team, SBK!

Team CrossFit South Brooklyn
Jaclyn Z
Rickke M
Mike M
Teresa B
Rolando M
Kiki P
Melissa L
Jessica F
Noah A
Kate D
Chris F
Josh M

Best of luck to our competitive team!  Check out the 4 WODs they’ll be competing at HERE!

Rowing and Muscle-up Workshops this Weekend

Coaches Nick and Noah are hosting workshops to help you develop your skills on the erg and on the rings.  There is a sign-up sheet for Noah’s Muscle-up Workshop on the community board at the gym.  The class is Saturday 12/10 at 1:30pm and costs $10.  There is a buy-in for participation of 3 unbroken chest to bar pull-ups and 3 ring dips.

Nick’s rowing workshop will focus on the Recovery stroke.  Join Nick to find out how to improve your recovery for a more effective and efficient stroke.  Nick’s class is Sunday 12/11 at 1pm.  Contact Nick nick [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn [dot] com if you’re interested in participating!

Want to Climb Kilamanjaro AND Help Kids Get an Education?

Child Education International is hosting a week long climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro to help raise funds for schools in Asia and Africa.  The trip is scheduled for February 2012.  If you’re interested in finding out more information check HERE.
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2011 CrossFit Games “Sail” Youtube
How to Build a Garage Gym Rogue Style CrossFit

Box Jumping for Joy

Happy Birthday Max K! 

CF Total on Sunday!

We are not running our usual group class schedule on Sunday, December 11th so we can hold a CrossFit Total!  The Total is a CrossFit style Powerlifting meet in which each athlete will have 3 attempts to find a 1-rep max in the Squat, Press and Deadlift.  Instead of coming to one of our regular classes you will come in for one of the 3 following slots:

Block 1: 9:00AM-10:30AM
Block 2: 10:30PM-12PM
Block 3: 12:00PM-1:30PM

Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your slot to complete whatever DIY warm-up you’d like so that we can promptly start with the movement standards and warm-up sets right at the designated time. In the interest of efficiency please come in with an idea of where you’d like to open each lift and what warm-up weights you intened to use to get there.  You can use this 1RM calculator to help give you an idea of what to shoot for.  Just make sure to add a few pounds since we’ve been doing 3×5 instead of 1×5.

Yeah buddyyyyyy!!!

Skills Class: The Muscle Up

If you’ve been coming to the gym a lot, I bet you’ve noticed those round things hanging from the ceiling.  Aside from making very mediocre frisbees, the rings can be used for one of the most coveted and elusive Crossfit movements- The Muscle Up.  Combining all of the hardest parts of a pullup, a ring dip, and a barroom headbutt, the Muscle Up is a skill that can take a long time to learn on your own, but with careful practice and coaching can realistically be achieved in a fairly short time period.  Our own Coach Noah, born to the unholy union of a chainsmoking Russian gymnastics coach and his lovely Chimpanzee bride Jenny Bananas, will be running a Skills Class devoted to learning, practicing, and developing the Muscle Up this Saturday the 10th at 1:30 PM.  Space is limited to 8 participants, and those interested should sign up at the gym (there will be a sign up sheet on the Bulletin Board.)  There is a $10 fee for the class and a strict buy in of 3 Unbroken Chest To Bar Pullups and 3 Ring Dips.

Rowing Workshops with Coach Nick!

Coach Nick will lead three rowing workshops over the next several weeks, each with a different technical focus, and all ending with a workout. The first workshop will be this Sunday, December 11th at 1pm. The one-hour session will drill the part of the stroke that bedevils CrossFitters the most: the recovery. Find out why a good recovery is important to proper setup at the catch – and therefore for an effective stroke – and how to get on the road to an efficient rowing style.

Also, Nick will train a group of CFSBK athletes for CRASH-Bs, the premier indoor rowing event. CRASH-Bs will be held on Sunday, February 19th, in Boston. If you’re interested joining this group, shoot Nick an email at nick [at] crossfitsouthbrooklyn [dot] com. Registration isn’t open yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

You do not have to go to CRASH-Bs to participate in the rowing workshops.
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Would you be interested in a Saturday 1PM class? 

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Coach Fox’s Chicken Recipe at Brooklyn Paleo Brooklyn Paleo
45 Most Powerful Photos of 2011 BuzzFeed
Turn Your Wheat Belly Into a Flat Belly Innovation for Endurance

6 Rounds For Time:
3 Power Cleans 135/95
6 Front Squats 135/95
9 Pull-ups

Post time and RX to comments.

High Art
(photo by Bina A)

 Happy Belated Birthday Matt K and Happy Birthday to Melissa L!

King of Prussia Powerlifting Results!

Congratulations to all the lifters who competed in the Powerlifting Meet this weekend! There were some awesome PRs and we look forward to hearing your tales from the weekend!  

Jeremy Fisher
Squat: No Rep
Bench: 303
Dead: 455

Margie Lempert
Squat: 192.5
Bench: 115
Dead: 246

Chris Fox
Squat: 368.5
Bench: 236.5
Dead: 467.5

Sarah Haskins
Squat: 170.9
Bench: 110
Dead: 192

Jess Bailey
Squat: No rep
Bench: 110
Deadlift: 242

Jon Gabrus
Squat: 430
Bench: 308
Dead: 440

David Byrd
Squat: 540
Bench: 260
Dead: 562

Incredible work by everyone over the past months and on the day! 

Samir C. Has A Posse Blog

Here’s a little blurb from the man himself:

“In a perhaps rather transparently desperate attempt to not do any academic writing, I have started a new blog: www.samirchopra.com. I expect this to contain all my non-cricket related ramblings. I started this last month and am still trying to get the hang of it all.

Be Part of the First Foundations of 2012!

January AM Foundations
1/3/12 – 1/26/12
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:15am
Register Here!

January PM Foundations
1/3/12 – 1/26/12
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00-9:15pm
Register Here!

January Late Morning Foundations + Learn the Ropes Course at BKB
1/9/12 – 2/1/11
Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-10:15am
Register Here! 

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Food We Eat May Control Our Genes Scientific American
Lost in Madrid Talk to Me Johnnie
Count the CFSBKers in this Video CrossFit

For Time:
750m Row
21 Dumbbell Thrusters
21 Box Jumps
500m Row
15 Dumbbell Thrusters
15 Box Jumps
250m Row
9 Dumbbell Thrusters
9 Box Jumps

Post time and Rx to comments.

New Rogue R3 Racks, Barbells, Slam Balls and Dynamax Balls

Big thanks to Coach Josh for helping install these awesome new racks!

Updates From The Powerlifting Meet

If you’d like to read some updates and check out pictures from this weekend’s powerlifting meet, Check out Sarah H’s twitter account.  Otherwise, if you competed yesterday… How’d you do?!

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Facing Your Fears (Bonus Points: How many CFSBKers can you spot in this video?) CrossFit
The Business Power Of Fun Jonathan Fields
How Exercise Benefits the Brain NY Times
Training While Pregnant 70s Big

3×3 or 3-3-3

This is our final exposure of Front Squats for this cycle.  Novice and Intermediate lifters should add 2.5-10lbs from their previous exposure.  Advanced lifters can take three attempts at a 3RM. Happy Lifting!

Post loads to comments.
(e5/5) compare to 11.26.11

Tabata Mash Up:
Kettlebell Swings
Push-Ups

Alternate :20 of work and :10 of rest between both movements for 16 total rounds.

Post total reps per movement and Rx to comments.

Kahrin B Squattin her face off!

Leaderboard Props

Congrats to the following SBK’ers on their gym record performances:
Ellie June M: 5K Run, 22:25
Joe O: 1 Mile Run, 5:18.32
Craig C: 1RM Pull-Up, 125lbs

Good Luck Lifters!

CFSBK will be sending 7 lifters to compete at the USAPL Northeastern Regional Championships this weekend.  Each athlete will have 3 attempts to establish a 1RM Back Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift.  Below are their projected lifts/openers (in lbs) for the weekend. Please keep us updated!!

Lifters:
Jeremy Fisher
Squat: 385 / 407 / 418
Bench: 275 / 297 / 308
Dead: 451 / 485 / 507

Margie Lempert
Squat 181.5 / 192.5 / 198
Bench 110 / 115.5 / 121
Dead 220 / 231  / 236.5

Chris Fox
Squat: 355 / 385 / 395
Bench: 250 / 260 / 270
Dead: 440 / 460 / 475

Sarah Haskins
Squat: 160 / 170 / 176
Bench: 110 / 115 / 121
Dead: 182 / 193 / 204

Jess Bailey
Squat: 214
Bench: 99
Deadlift: 242

John Gabrus
Squat: 395
Bench: 305
Dead: 405

David Byrd
Squat: 500
Bench: 225
Dead: 530

Super-friends also competing:

Paulie S
Squat: 463 / 484 / 506
Bench: 292 / 303 / 308
Dead: 550 / 578 / 605

and Gillian M!

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Addressing Weaknesses in Training and Life Robertson Training Systems
Dazed and Confused Talk To Me Johnnie
Prepping For Your First Powerlifting Meet Starting Strength
Pigeon Toed Lifters CrossFit
Roaming “Diane” with CrossFit Verve CrossFit

Coach Laurel Helps McKensey S Work Inversions

Fight Gone Bad Hoodies and Shirts Are In!

The second shipment of FGB shirts and hoodies arrived yesterday.  Please find your name on the list and cross it off when you pick up your stuff. If you can’t find your stuff please contact David (at) CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com and I’ll help you get it sorted.

The Sophomore Slump

by Noah Abbott

It’s inevitable. At some time during this great journey that is Crossfit, things are going to get tough.  Your strength numbers stop shooting up, and your metcon times stop plummeting down.  At a certain point what Mark Rippetoe calls the “Beginner Effect” wears off, and you are now faced with the daunting prospect that each gain, each skill mastered, and each second shaved will be done so at the cost of a considerable investment of time, focus, and will.  

Often, concurrent with this realization, you will look around and think “why isn’t this happening to anyone else!”  The guy you share a squat rack with has added 40 pounds to his squat this exposure, while you’ve risked an aneurysm to add 15!  The girl you did foundations with just hit 100 consecutive double unders, and you approach the jump rope like its an anaconda looking to wrap you up and eat you!  You thought you were great at this stuff, and all of a sudden it feels like you barely deserve to wear the ol’ skull and crossbones and call yourself a CFSBKer.

For many, this phenomenon occurs somewhere between 6 and 18 months into an athlete’s development, although it can certainly happen sooner or later, depending on your previous training history.  Often times this double edged revelation- That a) shit is gonna be hard, and b)that on the giant Crossfit spectrum your abilities rate closer to Jason Schwartzman’s than Jason Khalipa’s- results in a drop of motivation, general malaise, and sometimes a loss of CrossFaith.

Congratulations!  You are now a Crossfit Sophopmore, and experiencing your first Sophomore Slump!  At this time it may be meritorious to examine the roots of the word Sophomore.  Although commonly used to refer to the second year of high school or college instruction, it derives its name from the greek sophisma, which means “acquired skill, clever device, method” which was further derived from sophos, meaning “wise or skilled.”  Previously you made gains randomly, almost accidentally, and every lift or metcon was a PR.  Now, as a Sophomore, you must practice sophisma and train methodically and with greater perspective to ensure continued success.

Redefine Goals and Timeframes

At the start of your Crossfit career, goals were short-term challenges and triumphs.  Kicking up to a handstand, one (or ten, or twenty) push-ups or pull-ups, squatting to depth- these were things that you could identify, work on for a relatively short amount of time, and achieve.  For further development as a Sophomore, a redefinition of goals is necessary.  

Previously, we planned forward to achieving a goal.  “I want to squat 200 pounds by the end of the month.”  Looking forward, I challenge you to plan backwards.  Identify your goal, figure out how many training days you can allot per week or month to work on it, and set a long enough timeframe that you will be able to keep progressing slowly and steadily towards success.  Make sure to start submaximally (using weight/reps/etc lower than your current max) to make sure you have room to grow.  The more you can delay hitting the ceiling of your current ability, the more room your ability will have to grow. By starting low, aiming high, and giving themselves ample time to grow Smart Sophomores avoid Ceilings (I think I just made up a new saying!).

Perspective

Even with perfect planning, great focus, and sustained intensity, some movements,workouts, or even time/weight modalities (Grace vs Murph) will always seem to crush us.  Mobility, diet, sleep, injury history- all of these things blend into potent cocktails that besiege the fledgling (and intermediate, and expert) Crossfitter.   Instead of getting frustrated why not try and re-frame the problem:

First, embrace every exposure to them as an opportunity to practice perfectly and gather experience and insight about a difficult adversary.  Relish in attacking your weaknesses, and try your best to attend days when those weaknesses are programmed, or program them yourself during open gym days.

Second, actively try to maintain perspective about what Crossfit means in your life and your personal reasons for why you keep showing up to a funky old warehouse to get sweaty.  Aside from the infinitesimal percentage of elite, competitive Crossfit athletes, most of us come to the gym for reasons that all fall under the umbrella of “Improving Quality of Life.”  Increasing work capacity, being able to participate in new and challenging activities, looking better naked- all of these are broad, life-oriented goals that we work towards every single time we come to the gym, whether its a day when we hit a PR or where we bail on every set.  

Last, remember what a great privilege it is that you have a life that allows you to spend a nice chunk of time each week picking up heavy stuff, running, jumping, and making yourself Mas Sexy (and I mean that in the broadest sense of the Spanglish malaproprism).  There are a vast number of people out there too overworked, underpaid, untrained, ignorant or otherwise unable to do the things we take for granted.  Your worst day at the gym is better than a day sitting on the couch mainlining Pringles.

Just Show Up

Which brings me to my last point and word of advice during slumps, Sophomoric or otherwise.  JUST SHOW UP.  Every day you are in the gym working is a day you are improving, even when it doesn’t feel that way.  Tangible increases in strength or speed are important, but so are intangible gains in familiarity with movements and a greater understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.  Broadening your knowledge and confidence is just as worthwhile an endeavor as broadening your back and thighs.  Sometimes you will surprise yourself with gains you make when you feel like you are standing still.  Plus, your friends want to see you, sweat with you, and laugh with you, and, if you don’t show up, your coaches will have nothing to do but compare deadlift scars and throw chalk at each other.

A Long Crossfit Road

Hopefully after reading this, some of you will feel rejuvenated, and apply these humble tools to break out of the funk you are currently in.  Although this article deals with the concept of a Sophomore Slump, rest assured there are Junior Slumps, Senior Slumps, and a wealth of postgraduate, doctoral, and extracurricular opportunities in Slump Science as well.  Now you have the weapons to fight back.   Redefine your goals and adjust your timeframes to allow steady progress towards said goals. Strive to maintain perspective and always reflect on what Crossfit means to you, why you do it.   Most importantly, even when it’s tough, find value in simply stepping into the ring.   So equipped, all of these Slumps will be just small road bumps on a long road.  Trust me, one day you’ll look back at this stuff, and laugh.