Play Time!

Ragnar Relay Part Deux, "The Adirondacks"

Do you enjoy running?  Do you enjoy testing your endurance (both physical and mental?)  Have a penchant for staying up all night?  If you answered yes to any of these questions.. Ragnar Relay should already be on your bucket list.

When: Sept 28-29, 2012
Where: Near Lake Placid/upstate/etc - NY

More Race information
Runner leg info
Runner distances

Adirondacks is going to be a beautiful course and quite challenging (check out the elevation changes on the course map).  You'll also notice it's a longer race (overall) than Cape Cod. 

Early registration closes June 20th!

Contact: Asta Fivgas at astafivgas(AT)gmail.com

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Mobility, Pregnancy, and the Hypermobile Mobility WOD
Torque and Trunk Stability Part 1: How to Stand Mobility WOD
Pushing Into Muscle: Are We Really Doing What We Really Think We're Doing? Massage St. Louis

Lots of speed every rep, minimal transition time between sets with your partner(s).

Post loads to comments.
compare to 5.9.12

21-15-9 Reps For Time of:
Power Clean 135/95
Pull-Up

Post time and Rx to comments.

How many Pull-Ups Can Joe O Do?

Happy Belated Birthdays, Rickke M and Allen G!
Happy Birthday, Nate R!

Join the CFSBK Pub Quiz Team

Got lots of facts swimming around your brain? Like to eat and drink with other interesting people? Stella Z is organizing the CFSBK Pub Quiz team to dessimate the ever popular Pacific Standard Triva Night. Peep the Deets:

Date: Sunday, May 20
Time: Paleo dinner 6 PM, pub quiz 8 PM
Location: Paleo dinner at Stella's apartment (email for address), pub quiz at Pacific Standard, 82 4th Avenue, Brooklyn
Dinner info: Main course and side dishes provided by Stella; others are welcome to bring apps, drinks, and/or desserts as the mood strikes.
How to RSVP: Send an email to stellavision (at) gmail and you'll be added to the Evite.

New Strength Cycle Dates!

Upcoming 3x Per Week Cycles
Cycle A  (Novice Program)
5/21/12 - 7/13/12
Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm
and
Fridays from 6:00-7:30pm

Cycle B  (Intermediate/Advanced)
5/22/12 - 7/15/12
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30pm
and
Sunday from 10:00-11:30am

Upcoming 2x Per Week Cycles
Cycle C (Morning)
5/21/12 - 7/11/12
Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00am

Continuing Education
5/22/12 - 7/12/12
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6PM

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

Register Here!

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The Fascial Knock on Distance Running for Pitchers Eric Cressey
City Unveils Locations of Bike-Share Stations NY Times
39 Ways to Not be Like Everyone Else Renegade Strength and Conditioning
Knowing Sucks Scrawny To Brawny

Why Are We Discouraging Failing?

     You may have noticed that we've been strongly discouraging people from failing on their lifts this cycle.  The rational behind this is two fold.  Firstly, when you fail, it means you've tested your absolute limit. You've gone to the horizon of your capacity and fallen over the edge. In the context of Testing new rep maxes, this is okay and a necessary part of strength training.  However every day is not a test and we don't want you to max out to failure with any regularity. Our day in, day out workouts should be considered Training and an opportunity to go a little bit heavier than your previous efforts without reaching your absolute limits.  Training to failure too often can be taxing on the central nervous system and actually slow down your progress. If you focus on going "a little heavier than last time" you keep pushing the ceiling of your potential a little big higher instead of busting right through it and having no where to go but back down.
     The second major reason we want to make failing a rarity is for the psychological stress and negative expectations it can put on you.  If you've trained yourself to think, "okay when things get hard I've got an easy escape route in bailing" you learn to give up more often and associate missed reps as a regular part of your routine.  They don't become significant, they don't become a wake up call on where you're at.. they just become the norm.  This can subtly undermine a lot of your self expectations and the mindset you bring into your lifts. 
     All that being said, we don't want you to avoid lifting heavy and training hard. Once your technique is in order, you're expected to grind through lifts.  Maximal Effort Method training is a staple of our programming and one of the best ways to get strong. It should feel difficult, it should feel heavy and you should expect to fight for it. Just like in real life, you don't start fights you don't think you can win, especially on a regular basis, all that does is screw with your confidence and send you limping home.  A skilled athlete doesn't need to miss reps to know where their potential for the day is.  They have an innate sense of what they're capable of and when to call it quits.  Any missed lifts moving forward should be considered learning experiences on your physical capacity, psychological outlook, technique and always put into the context of the intended training stimulus for that day.
   
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God's Workout NY Times
Michele Letendre's Strict Muscle Ups
Amanda Allen Works Modified Ring Handstand Push-Ups

Rest about 1 minutes between sets.

Post loads to comments.

Perform Four Intervals of the Following Work
As many Rounds As Possible In 2 Minutes of:
30 Overhead Squats 65/45
30 Double-Unders

Rest 2:00

Start each round where you left off on the previous one. Post total rounds/reps and Rx to comments.

High Hang Snatch to Overhead Squat

Here is a video demonstration of the proper execution of the High Hang Snatch to Overhead Squat from Warm-Up 1. You'll notice there are two versions, a beginner version with a Muscle Snatch To Overhead squat and the normal version.  We've made this distinction so that beginners can use this as an opportunity to ingrain proper arm mechanics, something many people struggle with when Snatching. 

High Hang: Start with an upright torso and a slight knee bend. This position is similar to the "dip" on a push press. The bar should only travel only an inch or two down and we'd like you to pause for a moment before opening your hip and taking the bar overhead.  At this point, with your arms straight, the bar should sit in your hip crease. Adjust your grip if it's not.
Take the time to properly set this up, don't just drop into it unless you're really familiar with it.

Muscle Snatch (Beginner Version): After you extend your hip, shrug  your shoulders, raise your elbows and then unfurl your wrists overhead.  Think of your arms like a whip that takes the bar overhead in one swift motion. Keep it close to your body!

Power Snatch (Advanced Version): If you're attempting this version you've got a basic understanding of how to elevate the bar. All we're adding now is the pull-under and catch.  Keep the entire movement smooth and quick.  Establish a good receiving position overhead before standing up.

Overhead Squat: If you did the muscle snatch, adjust your feet before starting your squat. If you did the Power Snatch, your feet should have split into your strength stance.  Get stable and slowly lower yourself down.  Take your time with this and go as low as you can keeping a good position.

By taking the time to learn the positions and bar path, snatching in workouts and for weight can become a less complicated process. With proper intention and technique you can get the most out of your training.

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Rich Froning on the Double Under/Snatch Ladder CrossFit Games
Canada East, Event 6, Top Women's Heat CrossFit Games

Kate B and Sadie Do Step-Ups During Fight Gone Bad 5

Happy Mother's Day!

CFSBK would like to acknowledge all our amazing CrossFit Moms who are setting positive examples for their children and communities about how to stay fit while raising a family.

Today's assistance work is to give your mom a big hug and a kiss!
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Paula Deen Sponsors .05K Walk For Diabetes Research
Nation's Moms Invent New Recreational Drug To Worry About
The Ecstasy of Accomplishment Gawker
Training With Pain, It's Such A Happy Thing Cathletics

Welcome CrossFit North East Regional Judges

We've got a handful of judges from the North East Regional coming to CFSBK today to practice their judging skills with David.  Our judges have been going to affiliates for the past few weekend in order to help them get prepared for the big show happening at the end of the month.  David is the Competition Director for the North East Region this year as he has been for the previous 3.

Book Club Reminder

This Month's CFSBK Book Club book will be.... "A Visit From The Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan.

Jennifer Egan’s spellbinding interlocking narratives circle the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Although Bennie and Sasha never discover each other’s pasts, the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs, over many years, in locales as varied as New York, San Francisco, Naples, and Africa.

Go ahead and start reading, everyone! The discussion meet up will be on Sunday, June 3 at 5pm

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Hospital Food So Fresh, Even The Healthy Come To Dine NPR
It's a gas: dinosaur flatulence may have warmed Earth Yahoo News
Bans on School Junk Food Pay Off in California NY Times

Volunteer Request

As some of you know, David is working hard on the CrossFit North East Regional which is being held at the end of this month.  This Sunday CFSBK will be hosting a small handful of volunteers who will be judging at the Regional this year to help them devleop their eye and skills.  We're looking for 2-5 people from the gym to volunteer as Demos so that they can test their eye against a couple of people.  You won't be asked to do 225lb hang cleans, but you should have a basic handle on most movements we do and not have significant range of motion limitations.  Please contact CFJudgesNorthEast@gmail.com if you'd like to offer your time and services. The North East Regional appreciates it!

When: This Saturday from 1pm-2:30pm

Good Luck Ragnarians!

Today marks Day 1 for both of CFSBK's Ragnar Relay team's 2 day, 1 night, 200 mile race.  We've got a boatload of folks competing and wish them the best of luck over the next two arduous days. Below is the race description and team rosters.  Both teams have the SAME start time... who will finish first?!

Race Description
Ragnar is the overnight running relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport. A team is made up of 6-12 individuals; each individual runs 3 legs. The legs of the race vary in difficulty and distance, from 3-8 miles, allowing elite and novice runners to run together. Over 2 days and 1 night, teams run across 200 miles of the country’s most scenic terrain. Pair that with crazy costumes, inside jokes, a great finish line party and unforgettable stories. Some call it a slumber party without sleep, pillows or deodorant. We call it Ragnar.  Both teams will race on May 11-12

Team 1: CFSBK: Skull & Borg

Asta Fivgas
Dan Reshef
Keith Walter
Sarah La Rosa
Christine Denahan
Stella Zawistowski
Jennifer Stopka
Joe O'Sullivan
Hana Akselrod
Hannah Lederman
Lauren Steele
Andrew Harrington

Team 2: Bacon Fueled, Tequila Driven

Jess Fox
Chris Fox
Katie Mohrhauser
Ron Weissbard
Gina Cole
Rick Yule
Dan Halioua
Dan Langevin
Noah Abbott
McDowell Myers
Ellie Myers
Paul Roberts

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In Sitting Still, a Bench Press for the Brain NY Times
The Ethicist Contest Winner: Give Thanks for MeatNY Times
Don't Tell Me About Your Diet Gawker

Memorial Day Murph!

Mark your calendars! Memorial Day Murph is happening on Monday, May 28th. As always, we'll be doing "Murph" and then finishing off with some Beers and BBQ! What's "Murph" you ask?

For Time:
Run 1 Mile
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Squats
Run 1 Mile

Partition the Pull-ups, Push-Ups and Squats however you'd like. If you've got a 20lb vest or body armor, wear it. As always, scaling options will be provided.

Appropriate scaling

by Coach Fox
originally posted on 8.13.10

We all know that CrossFit is infinitely scalable. We have CF Kids who do scaled down versions of what our regular classes look like. You tell your Mom and your Grandma that yes; they too, can walk into their local CF affiliate and get some. In Foundations at CFSBK or at a Level 1 cert, your coach lectured you that CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movement, executed at (relatively) high intensity. Remember that adjective: relatively. After CrossFitting for a while you may feel like you should do every WOD Rx’d…not so.
 
What high intensity means for all of us is different. Sometimes the difference is scaled via time/perceived effort. For example: 2 athletes complete Fran as Rx’d. Athlete A finishes in 3:00 flat, while athlete B finishes in 6:59. One took more than 2x as long as the other. Did they both get a dose of CrossFit? For sure. Let’s assume that athlete B scaled back intensity and paced the workout more and didn’t redline because he didn’t sleep well the night before and was feeling sluggish. That sounds like smart scaling to me. Here’s another scenario. Athlete A is the same, but athlete B finishes the workout in just under 12:00. He breaks the movements up into 3 or 4 at a time from start, and his movement is a mess from the 10th thruster on, missing ROM on a few of the pull-ups along the way. He was well rested and just really wanted to do his first Rx’d Fran. Here athlete B gets a very different workout. It became more a matter of slogging through to the finish instead of sprinting to the end, and the metabolic effect of the WOD was lost. Some scaling on weight or reps may have gotten him the intended effect of the infamous 21-15-9 of thrusters and pull-ups. If his thrusters were the limiting factor using a 75lb barbell may have been appropriate. If pull-ups were the time suck then maybe going 12-9-6 on that portion would have made the difference.
 
Just this week you were challenged to find your max weight for a “4 minute Grace”.  This was a great active lesson on scaling that I hope you got. Sure, sometimes it can be good just to go at a WOD Rx’d for the sake of completing it as such. There can be some real mental/emotional benefit to that. The majority of the time though, when it comes to met-cons, especially the short/intense kind, try and find where your intensity level needs to be for the intended effect of the workout. Then focus on getting stronger and the Rx’d weight will come. A good estimate for high rep barbell work is to use around 65% of your max. So if your max clean and jerk were 150lbs, then 95-100 lbs would probably get you a good dose of Grace. If you’re not sure where or when to scale, just ask one of the coaches as CFSBK. That’s what we’re here for. Cheers to good training.

Congratulations to all the Strength Cyclers who hit PR's yesterday.  Post results to comments!
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Donny Shankle push pressing 140kg (308 lbs) youtube
Matt Chan does a 2000m Row, 50 Pistols and 30 225# Hang Cleans in 12:04 CrossFit Games

Lots of speed every rep, minimal transition time between sets with your partner(s).

Post loads to comments.
compare to 5.2.12

3 Rounds For Time of:
270 Meter Run
15 Thrusters 65/45
15 Kettlebell Swings Swings 53/35

Post time and Rx to comments.

Underneath the Hoodie: Jeremy Fisher

By Margie Lempert

Height: 5’7”
Weight: 185
DOB: 5/6/77
Born: Allentown, PA
Grew up: Atlantic Beach, Long Island
Place of Higher Learning: New York University, Psychology

Do me a favor. Put on your headphones. Now, click here (skip the ad) and settle into the story of Jeremy Fisher. Trust me, it’ll make the whole experience more... epic.

In third grade, Scholastic Reader had a listing for Gods, Demigods & Demons: An Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology. He forced his mom to order it, and it quickly became his essential text. It was the perfect book: no stories to wade through in order to extract facts, he could just know things.

The Encyclopedia eventually led the way to the full blown myths, as well an early fascination with World War II. He read about weaponry and equipment and personal narratives and strategy and planning. He fell in love with Alexander the Great and the Persian Wars. Myths and heroes, guns and knives - this is what decorated his interior life and occupied most of his time, not that anyone knew. His ardent reading relieved him of the need to deal with people, from whom he always felt apart. The oldest of four boys within an impressively large extended family, Jeremy was at once the one in the charge, and the one who couldn’t be persuaded to look up from his book.

When Jeremy was about 3, his grandfather ran over him with a lawnmower. The accident laid him up in the hospital for 6 weeks with a broken femur. That’s a long time to be secluded from others, especially at such a young age, and his resulting imaginary life may have its genesis in the event.

Lest you think little Jeremy was pure geek, I’ll tell you the other story of his youth: you see, at the same time he found his Encyclopedia, he also found the wrestling mat. He took to it quickly and developed a very aggressive style which relied on the unconventional use of his legs. He wanted to break his opponent’s will, and to him that was best done through pain. An angry kid, the mat presented an acceptable place for him to hurt people. It also taught him how to walk away from the anger when the match was over, perhaps saving him from a more troubled adolescence. In the wrestling room, Jeremy was on top, but he did not derive a lot of social confidence from his abilities.

High school was spent making weight, playing D&D with his buddies and working on the beach in the summers (he grew up between the bay and the ocean). He was an erratic student: a great test taker with a naturally good aptitude for school, but no real desire to excel at what didn’t interest him. Ironically, he was best at science and often got along poorly with his english teachers. In the middle of high school, he started running track to keep in shape and that’s where he met he first serious girlfriend, who he stayed with through most of college.

NYU. A partial scholarship and the lure of the City trumped his other thought of joining the Navy as a pilot. He intended to wrestle there, but at some point towards the beginning, he suddenly found he just wasn’t that interested in it anymore. He wasn’t crazy about the coach, and there was all this other college stuff to explore. It was a good thing because, at his girlfriend’s prodding, eventually he joined track and ended up meeting his most long lasting friends. As a Div III school, the team was never very good, but Jeremy was able to keep it in perspective. After all, losing a wrestling match usually meant you got hurt, whereas losing a race just meant you ran slower than the other guy.

College was a mixed bag emotionally and left him a little bewildered. After 9/11, Jeremy once again began thinking about the military, so he enrolled in Officer Cadet School on an aviator contract. Part way through training, he injured his back and was sent home. It was a hard incident to get over. He took a job in his Dad’s company doing interior construction jobs for big box stores. He was on the road, working nights and getting more and more out of shape. When he left that company to work for RSI, he finally started to find his way back to the gym.

He started with the basic Men’s Journal deal, but knew enough to recognize that it wasn’t super effective. Good intuition about bullshit programs and an impressive ability to search the web led him to Rippetoe and others like him. He decided it was time to get strong. Within one year he was pulling in the low 400s, benching around 300 and squatting in the low to mid 300s.

When he first found Crossfit.com, the workouts seemed fun, but he was dubious about its lack of consistent lifting. Nevertheless, he started figuring out how to incorporate WODs into his lifting regimen. In 2007, he decided he would follow mainsite in addition to his lifts. He was back at his Dad’s company, still working odd hours and often lifting in the middle of the night after a shift ended.  And then he heard about CFSBK. David had just moved indoors when Jeremy decided to check it out. His first class consisted of him and some hungover guy from out of town, but with a promise from David that the next class would be deadlifting, he returned. It was a little strange to be with people again, but also nice to express his competitiveness in the company of others.

Jeremy went down the CrossFit rabbit hole full force and even took himself to the 2008 Games where he placed 32 out of over 130 male competitors. It was a different thing back then: scrappier, but with unexpected and inspiring performances of athleticism. When he returned to Regionals in 2009, he saw the writing on the wall: CrossFit was changing and the competition had already outpaced him.

In 2008, the financial crisis virtually shut down construction and his Dad’s company had to drastically reduce staff. Jeremy’s layoff was rough, but it also prompted his path to coaching and piloting his first Strength Cycle. He had originally envisioned it as a strength biased CF class, but David pushed him to make it exclusively about lifting. It brought him full circle and he was happy to be back with the bar full time.

Of course, Jeremy is still an obsessive reader and consumer of information. He’s prone to late nights of video games, comic books and internet surfing. It’s impossible to tear him away from anything with the printed word or zombies and guns. One of his most compelling subject matters is atheism. A fervent believer in the untruth of religion, Jeremy arrived at his beliefs through science and evolution. He has always been fascinated by how things work, and, for him, evolution is the most elegant explanation of animal behavior and function. He started reading Richard Dawkins in his mid-20’s and quickly picked up Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchins, Jared Diamond and others. Nature documentaries, especially those featuring predators, captivate him and he retains a shocking amount of information about what he sees.

And then there’s me. Or rather Jeremy and me. Let’s just say, he knew early, was persistent, and I’m the better for it.

So, now you know the story of the hulking guy on the platform (who is roughly 50 lbs bigger than his high school incarnation). He’s not so scary, is he? But don’t tell him you know that.

Parting Shots:
Favorite Comics: Punisher; Walking Dead; anything by Garth Ennis
Favorite Books: Gates of Fire; Blind Watchmaker; World War Z
Favorite Video Games: Assassins Creed; Shadows of the Colossus; Grand Theft Auto
Favorite Music: Johnny Cash; NIN; Nirvana
Favorite Lift: Squat

Most admires:
Mark Rippetoe for his clarity and foundation
Jim Wendler for his awesomeness
Andy Baker for his programmatic wisdom

Upcoming Strength Goals: Squat 450; Press 225; Bench 350; Deadlift 525

Secret Talents:
He’s a manny in the making. Always been great with kids and loves to be with them
He knows the meaning of all the Beatles songs
He knows about shit you don’t think anyone does (except maybe Malcolm)

Favorite way to eat eggs:
Mixed with flour, sugar, baking soda, chocolate chips and baked.

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Good Luck Strength Cyclers on your Total today!

Happy Birthday, Micheline G!

CrossFit Total Tomorrow!

Coach Jeremy's Strength Cycle will CrossFit Total tomorrow from 6-9:30pm. Watch these strong guys and gals test their 1RM's after 8 hard weeks of pushing and pulling steel.  Spectators are welcome and encouraged!

Ken's Ring Strength Series Returns

Join guest Gymnastics Coach Ken H. as he takes you through 4 weeks of gymnastics strength training with an emphasis on developing a rudimentary ring routine.  Each class will include a proper warm-up, stretching and then use both isometric and dynamic strength exercises to develop: core strength while learning transitions on the rings, levers, muscle-ups and planches.  Students will also have strength and flexibility assignments to do on the outside of class. Space is limited so sign up today!

Ken's Gymnastics Ring Series (Advanced)
Sundays from 1pm - 2pm
5/13/12 - 6/10/12
(no class Sunday 5/27/12)
$60 paid in full
By Invitation Only-Email Ken at hallerk(at)gmail(dot)com for more information.

Ken's Gymnastics Ring Series (Beginner)
Sundays from 2pm-3pm
5/13/12 - 6/10/12
(no class Sunday 5/27/12)
Register Here!

Price:
$60 for 4 Weeks

Cap:
6 Participants

Physical Requirements:
1 Strict Pull-Up, Women
3 Strict Pull-Ups, Men
5 Push-Ups, Women
10 Push-Ups, Men

Ken Haller's Bio
Ken was a nationally competitive gymnast in Newton, MA and at the University of Michigan. After graduating, Ken coached for eight years at Capital Gymnastics in Northern Virginia where he coached regional and national champions. His students have gone on to be NCAA champions and members of Cirque du Soliel. In searching for an activity to replace gymnastics, Ken filled the void with rock climbing and yoga for the past ten years and recently found CrossFit to round out his training.

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Burpee Smoked Elbows? Epicondylitis-ness? Voodoo it. Mobility WOD
Banish Your Elbow Bench, Dip, Pull Up Pain, You Don’t Really Play Golf or Tennis Do You? Mobility WOD
The Myth Of The Dumb Jock Gawker
Mixing Weight Training and Aerobics NY Times
I Want To Look Good Naked In The Cave
Mosquitoes Don't Even Need To Bite Us, Study Shows