For time:
Row 1000m
50 Thrusters, 45lbs
30 Pull-Ups

Have you done "Jackie" several times and are pleased with your time? Consider scaling up by increasing the thruster weight to 65lbs and substituting 10 Muscle-Ups for the pull-ups.

Post time and Rx to comments.
compare to 12.27.09

Ben G attempts 225 at our last CrossFit Total

Happy Belated birthday, Dan H!

The movements for this cycle are as follows:
Squat variant: Overhead squat, 8 exposures, Saturdays and Wednesdays
Pull: Deadlift, 4 exposures, Mondays
Upper body Exercise: Dips, 4 Exposures, Thursdays

Expect some variety in programming beyond a straight linear progression on the Overhead Squat.  Deadlifts are all from dead starts, rounded back deadlifts are missed lifts. Dips will be on the bar.

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Overhead squatting Safely CrossFit
Deadlift Introduction CrossFit
Exploring Ring dips CrossFit

1-1-1-1-1
Find a heavy single

Post loads to comments.
compare to 5.1.10

For Time:
10 Wall Ball Shots 10'
Run 130m
8 Wall Ball Shots 10'
Run 130m
6 Wall Ball Shots 10'
Run 130m
4 Wall Ball Shots 10'
Run 130m
2 Wall Ball Shots 10'
Run 130m

Men's competition weight for Wall Ball is 20lbs while women's is 14lbs. Scale so that you can hit the 10' target.

Post Rx and time to comments.
compare to 5.22.10

Gabrus sets up for a Zercher

We've cleaned out the boiler room, please check the signs in the gym and claim your belongings. We want to get rid of any unclaimed shoes/clothes so that things don't get overcrowded.

Sincerely, "the management"

Lemuel sets up for a Farmer's Carry

CFSBK's coaches have been working with Ben W to train members of his wrestling team during the off season.  Last Wednesday they took a field trip to Quist Industries for some Strong Man 101. To check out the photo set, click here.

Robb Wolf talks about his upcoming book.  Check out Robb's Paleolithic Solution Seminar at CFSBK on 9/4/10.  Click here for more information and to sign up!

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What did you have for breakfast today?

4 Rounds NFT of:
20 Kettlebell Swings
10 High Box Jumps
10 Push-ups or Ring Push-Ups
5 Strict Pull-Ups or L-Pull-ups

Post Rx to comments.

The basic Kettlbell Swing.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Our resident aerialist, Freddy J

Happy Birthday, Rick M!

CFSBK is at $6,316 raised for charity and in 5th place overall for affiliates.  If you haven't raised any money yet, make it your goal to talk to, call or at least email the 3 people closest to you and see if you can get $10-20 in donations from them.

If you haven't signed up.. do so here!
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New day, new Mobility WOD!

Stroke-Rate Pyramid
3 min. at 18-20 S/M
2 min. at
24-26 S/M
1 min. at 28-32 S/M
2 min. at 24-26 S/M
3 min. at
18-20 S/M

*Full pressure for
11 min. – The intention of this workout is to feel what full pressure
feels like at
the different ratings. As you come back down in stroke rate for the
last 5 min., be sure to mirror the same splits you had for the first 5
min.
Remember: This is full pressure for 11 min., so
pace yourself accordingly.

Post total meters and experience to comments.
compare to 6.7.10

3 Attempts at Max Zercher hold
A 116 lb Keg
B 95 lb Keg
C 50 lb Keg

Ken sets a new CFSBK Handstand record at 1:12

As you know, Malcolm and Laurel's wedding is coming up very shortly. It's going to be a fantastic night and they are super excited to celebrate with you all. I've been having fun helping them to plan and execute the festivities and I am in need of your help! We've got to turn the gym into a badass but beautiful space to party in, so I am looking for 7-10 volunteers who are willing to hang lights, move jerk blocks, relocate barbells, make ice runs and pick up ice cream.

Most of the set up will take place from 2pm to 8pm the day of the wedding, Sept. 5, though we may need to do some preliminary stuff either fri the 3rd or sat the 4th.

If you are interested and able to help out, that would be incredibly wonderful! Please email me with your availability at margie (at) crossfitsouthbrooklyn (dot) come before Wed Sept 1.

Thanks!!
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Check out Kelly Starrett's new Mobility WOD blog! Good for what ales ya!

Set Your Back! (But Whats My Back?)
by Christian Fox

Your spine has 24 vertebrae divided into 3 segments; 7 cervical (your neck), 12 thoracic (mid/upper-back), and 5 lumbar (low-back). Below this is your sacrum, which are actually 5 fused vertebrae, and below that is your coccyx (or tailbone). On the posterior side of your spine, there are facet joints that facilitate movement of the segments. In between the vertebrae you have discs housing a gel-like substance that act as shock absorbers between segments. Now importantly, just behind the discs and just in front of the facet joints lays your spinal canal. The spinal canal is where your spinal cord and all your nerves are housed. Every nerve in your body comes from some point in that spinal canal, ergo, it’s pretty freaking important. Wrapping around the spine are also ligaments, tendons, and muscles that work to both mobilize and protect your spine, and blood vessels that nourish all of this tissue.
 
            Hopefully having this info and picture in your mind can help to clarify a few things about both strengthening your back and preventing injury. Any insult to the tissue around the spine can be painful. Muscle strains are the most common. These guys are well suited to move your spine into a safe position and keep it there under load. However, once the position is compromised, those same muscles are not that good at getting back there. So if you set your back well on a dead lift but then lose it on the way up, your spinal erectors may very well be barking at you for a few days as a reminder. Similarly, if you lack the flexibility to even start in a good position for the dead lift, you are also at risk for strain. If you strain your back, ice can help for the first 24-48 hrs, and ice and heat after that. Most strains are not serious.
          
            The position your spinal cord wants you to maintain while under load follows the natural curve in your spine and provides the most room for the nerves inside. That position is: a strong arch at the lumbar, a slight arch at the thoracic, and a slight natural arch at the cervical. *(While the thoracic can be slightly rounded (or flexed) in standing posture, an arched (or extended) spine up top will have all the spinal erectors working together and result in a better arch down low). The discs of your spine are put at risk of bulging or tearing when the spine is flexed under load (a rounded back on a dead lift), or worse, flexed and rotated. If a disc bulges or ruptures, the gel from inside it can put pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in the spinal column, resulting in sometimes debilitating pain. Once a disc is ruptured it will NEVER be the same. Good posture, in the gym and out, are paramount to minimizing pain in this case.
 
            The flip side of rounding your back can also be problematic. Over arching, or hyper-extending, your back can cause the cartilage in your facet joints to wear away. This can cause or exacerbate spinal arthritis (spondylosis). Worst-case scenario here is that bones spurs occur and either press against the spinal cord or fuse with other vertebrae. Neither sounds good.
 
            Get into and maintain a good position for your lifts. If you can’t, then don’t load weight on the bar until you can. Perform exercises like static back extensions to strengthen your spinal muscles so you can keep that back set. Work on mobility consistently, and limit ROM as needed until you can maintain a set back throughout a full ROM. Remember to always practice good posture in and out of the gym.

 

The bad and the beautiful

If you've gotten better at setting your back, what methods have helped?
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Robb Wolf Interview on T-Nation

65%x5x3

Post load to comments.
Suggested Back Off Week

4-5 Rounds NFT of:
10 Toes to Bars
10 Hip Extensions
5 Forward Rolls

So goes the old saying, "The couple that lifts logs overhead on the beach, stays together"

Fight Gone Bad Team 6:
1. Ben W
2. Becca S
3. Jess F
4. Samir C
5. Sean B

Fight Gone Bad Team 7:
1. AJ
2. Ashley F
3. Ryan P
4. David M
5. Collette K

Fight Gone Bad Team 8:
1. Chris F
2. Brian Z
3. Katie M
4. Nick K
5. Joe W

This clears our all our current registered athletes for teams (except David).  Can we register at least 2 more full teams before FGB on September 25th??  If you're interested please register today!  We also still need at least 3 more athletes for the Fight Gone Belated team.

CFSBK Fight Gone Bad Registration and team page

Five rounds for total reps of:

135 pound Thruster, 15 seconds

Rest 45 Seconds

50 pound Weighted pull-up, 15 seconds

Rest 45 Seconds

Burpees, 15 seconds

Rest 45 seconds

Post total reps for all five rounds to comments.
compare to 4.13.08

WOD Demo

Handstand Practice!

Fight Gone Bad Team 4 is:
1. Dan R
2. David McG
3. Matt U
4. Bethany B
5. Robin R

Fight Gone Bad Team 5 is:
1. Charmel R
2. Chris A
3. Mindy S
4. Sameer P
5. Erica N

To see registered athletes, teams and info on FGB, click here.
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5 Things you can do to Double you Fight Gone Bad fund raising total

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.

Post all 9 lifts and your CrossFit Total to comments.
compare to 1.02.10

Due to the length this WOD takes to run, we have an augmented schedule today.  Please show up to one of these three times:

CrossFit Total 1: 8:00am-9:30am
CrossFit Total 2: 9:30am-11:00am
CrossFit Total 3: 11:00am-12:30pm

Kate B does a rowing interval

Team 3 for Fight Gone Bad is:
1. Shawn S
2. Scott L
3. Asta F
4. Brian S
5. Jessica B

Good luck, Team 3!!

29 men and only 14 women have signed up for Fight Gone Bad 5.  We need more ladies!! To see the full roster and teams announced so far, click here!

These 40lb Dumbbells are our oldest piece of equipment.  I acquired them my freshman year of college from a friend's brother who said they were too heavy to curl with.

Our next Fight Gone Bad team is:

Team 2:
Melissa L, Scott
J, Paul S, Noah A, Kate B

also, there has been a change to our first team due to a scheduling conflict.  Team 1 is now: Stefanee R, Dave Mak, Josh
M, Juliana A, Dan McC

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We'll be running an augmented Group Class schedule for tomorrow's CrossFit Total.  This benchmark takes a bit longer to run than a traditional WOD and we don't want to rush everyone.  Please show up at one of the following times for your Total.

CrossFit Total 1: 8:00am-9:30am
CrossFit Total 2: 9:30am-11am
CrossFit Total 3: 11am-12:30pm

What's the CrossFit Total? Watch This or Read This

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Learning the Skill of Barefoot Running Terra Plana