Year End Update by Hari Singh

• Showers should be completed this weekend.


• Pull-up system should be assembled this weekend.


• Effective January 5, we will have 27 WOD classes per week.


• New, additional Manhattan Instructors in 2009: Justin (Sunday); Kevin "Torch" (Monday, 7:30 PM); Greg (Wednesday, 7:30 PM); Dan Def (Thursday, 7:30 PM).


• Black Box 2009 Challenge begins January 1, 2009.


• If you wish to do the New Year's Day WOD at BB 2.0, please post to comments. I will consider opening the Box from 1-3pm if there is sufficient demand. (Monitor the blog to be sure.)


• We're deciding whether to use Rest Days to make up WOD's from the previous cycle or to stay with unique CFNYC programming. (Please post thoughts to comments. Also see yesterday's responses.)


• Effective January 1, 2009, monthly membership will be $160. Six-month membership will be $800 ($133 per month--still six months for the price of five).


• Current members may purchase one (or more) six-month blocks at the current $750 rate now through January 31, 2009.

46 members have purchased 52 six-month memberships, allowing us to cover the significant costs of the build out and purchase of equipment. Thank you to the following people:12-month commitment: Arthur B., Brad H., Justin W., Kurt, Michelle, Scott N. 6-month commitment: Alex F., Anthony H., Audrey, Aram, Ari, Ben S., Brian K., Brian G., Brett, Cathy S., Chad, Chadron, Chris G., Chris O., Dave A, Dave B., David W., Denise, Dexter, Ed D., Felix, Finbar, Gabe, Gennady, Gerrit, Jessica, Joseph K., Josh R., Kevin T., Kirk, Kenny L., Lucas, Mike B., Paul B., Ricky G. Roger B., Schalk, Tony L., Tripp, Wendell D.

What are your goals for the New Year? Please post to comments.

Wednesday 081231

"Fight Gone Bad!"

Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20" box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of "rotate", the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Add your points and post them to comments.

Compare to 081111.

Squats and milk, bitches (hilarious--be sure not to miss the CFBK reference)
It's that time of year: natural remedies for cold/flu season
Neurological efficiency vs. neurological recruitment
A tale of two studies
Fantastical ways to lose weight in the new year

NEW DAYS/TIMES for FREE BEGINNERS' CLASSES!
Tues/Thurs 10am with Jacinto (classes begin week of January 5th)
Wed 7pm with Josh (classes begin January 7th)
Sat 10am with Josh (already ongoing)
Sun 10am with Justin (already ongoing)

UPCOMING ELEMENTS WORKSHOPS
Mon/Thurs 8pm with Court (Jan 5-29)--SOLD OUT!
Tue/Fri 7pm with Allison (Jan 6-30)--SOLD OUT!
Wed (8pm)/Sat (noon) with Josh (Jan 7-31) (close to selling out)
Mon/Thurs 7pm with Court (Jan 12-Feb 5)

Tuesday 081230

While it's a rest day on the main site, we never rest in the quest to teach you to move with power and grace. So come on down to the Box and find out what your coach is throwing your way today.

Major progress on the showers in the past week. Plumbers are hooking up the water this morning and things should be done very, very soon!

Beyond the whiteboard
Calling all women
Weak in the knees
Lessons for other smokers in Obama's efforts to quit
115 years on a high-fat diet
Bodybuilder extensively explains difference between bodybuilding, weightlifting (via)

Pull-up contraption begins being installed today so soon enough we'll have a lot more room for pullups than just this:

NEW DAYS/TIMES for FREE BEGINNERS' CLASSES!
Tues/Thurs 10am with Jacinto (classes begin week of January 5th)
Wed 7pm with Josh (classes begin January 7th)
Sat 10am with Josh (already ongoing)
Sun 10am with Justin (already ongoing)

UPCOMING ELEMENTS WORKSHOPS
Mon/Thurs 8pm with Court (Jan 5-29)--SOLD OUT!
Tue/Fri 7pm with Allison (Jan 6-30)--SOLD OUT!
Wed (8pm)/Sat (noon) with Josh (Jan 7-31) (close to selling out)
Mon/Thurs 7pm with Court (Jan 12-Feb 5)

Monday 081229

Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps

Post loads to comments.

Compare to 081029.

A few shorts months ago, Brian R. left the Black Box to go Marines OCS. They made him do stuff like this:


And when he was done with training, he looked like this (that's him second from the left, in case you don't recognize him without the mud and with the uniform):

He's now visiting New York for 2 weeks and working out with us while in town. I asked him about the rigors of the PT they put him through at Marines OCS as compared to CrossFit training and here's what he had to say: "While a lot of the other Candidates were complaining about the difficulty of the PT at OCS, I was wishing it was more challenging! It was pretty easy compared to Crossfit. The workouts there were much longer then any crossfit WOD (PT usually lasted over 2 hours), but even so, I never got smoked nearly as bad as I did during Fight Gone Bad or the Filthy Fifty."

Robb Wolf on "Building the gymnastic body"
Leptin resistance and sugar
Your opportunities will multiply when you choose to see them.

NEW DAYS/TIMES for FREE BEGINNERS' CLASSES!
Tues/Thurs 10am with Jacinto (classes begin week of January 5th)
Wed 7pm with Josh (classes begin January 7th)
Sat 10am with Josh (already ongoing)
Sun 10am with Justin (already ongoing)

UPCOMING ELEMENTS WORKSHOPS
Mon/Thurs 8pm with Court (Jan 5-29)--SOLD OUT!
Tue/Fri 7pm with Allison (Jan 6-30)--SOLD OUT!
Wed (8pm)/Sat (noon) with Josh (Jan 7-31)
Mon/Thurs 7pm with Court (Jan 12-Feb 5)

Sunday 081228
"Michael"

Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 081103.

Saturday 081227
Complete as many rounds as possible 20 minutes of:
95 pound Thruster, 5 reps
95 pound Hang Powercleans, 7 reps
95 pound Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 10 reps

Post rounds completed to comments.

Compare to 081020.

NEW DAYS/TIMES for FREE BEGINNERS' CLASSES!
Tues/Thurs 10am with Jacinto (classes begin week of January 5th)
Wed 7pm with Josh (classes begin January 7th)
Sat 10am with Josh (already ongoing)
Sun 10am with Justin (already ongoing)

UPCOMING ELEMENTS WORKSHOPS
Mon/Thurs 8pm with Court (Jan 5-29)--SOLD OUT!
Tue/Fri 7pm with Allison (Jan 6-30)--SOLD OUT!
Wed (8pm)/Sat (noon) with Josh (Jan 7-31)
Mon/Thurs 7pm with Court (Jan 12-Feb 5)

Catherine Imes: Back to basics
The Fifth Night of Hanukkah: Brisket Bourguignon (recipe)
Jacques Torres on the Bûche de Noël
The fundamentals
Shouting groceries

Friday 081226
"Angie"

For time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats

Post time to comments.

Compare to 0801030.

Please note that we are doing a make-up of yesterday's workout for those who couldn't make it into the Box yesterday as today is an official Rest Day on the main site.

Please find our holiday schedule info for today and next week here.

Don't starve a cold of exercise
4 fallacies of evolutionary psychology
A few of my favorite (CrossFit) things (scroll down)
When are we doing one of these at the Black Box? (video, via)

Michelle split jerks heavy as Audrey watches.

Thursday 081225
"Angie"

For time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats

Post time to comments.

Compare to 0801030.

Hari has offered to open the Box today from 1-3pm if there is sufficient interest in doing today's workout. Based on the comments that followed his, it sounds like there is indeed interest. If you haven't yet responded in comments but would like to do the WOD between 1 and 3pm today, please post that in the comments to this post to help Hari gauge the level of interest.

In addition, if you were planning on coming in tomorrow but not today, please note that tomorrow's workout will also be "Angie," as we'll be using the rest day to make this workout up.

To see the rest of our holiday schedule for this week and next, please click here.

Black Box 2009 Challenge
Measuring Work Capacity Over a 365-Day Time Domain

Preliminary Concept (please post thoughts to comments)

Assuming there are no surprise changes to the schedule, in 2009 there will be 274 official CrossFit Workouts of the Day (WODs). The challenge is to maximize both the number of WODs done at or near the time they are prescribed and the number done as prescribed ("RX'd").

For those interested in participating, the rules are as follows:

• To be counted, the WOD must be done during the 3-day cycle in which it is prescribed or on the Rest Day immediately following the cycle.
• The athlete may take credit for a maximum of two WODs on any given day (except during the two days of the 2009 CrossFit Games).
• All WODs prescribed on either one of the two days of the CrossFit Games count as the "official" WOD for that day, and all WODs must be completed to get (single) WOD credit for that day's WOD.
• Each day spent at any CrossFit certification can be counted as an acceptable substitution for a single WOD.
• The athlete's results should be posted on the Black Box website with the time, weights, reps, and substitutions (if any).
• There is no scaling for distance on runs or rows. You can walk some or all of a 10K if that's the prescribed distance for the WOD, but you cannot use a 5K run as a scaled version of a 10K run.
• All other normal scaling or substitutions are acceptable when determining whether the WOD is to be counted.
• The athlete will keep score of his or her cumulative results by using the following format with each post: (total WODs to date, total WODs to date done as RX'd).
• The athlete can then refer to his or her most recent post to update his or her cumulative results.
• For example, on January 1, 2009 (the second day of a three-day cycle), if the athlete does the WOD as RX'd, he or she will use the notation (1,1) in his or her post.
• If the athlete above then skips the January 2 WOD, he or she can make it up on the January 3 Rest Day, but if it is not done then, it cannot be counted.

A perfect score for 2009 will be (274, 274).
An impressive will be (200-plus, 100-plus).

Level 1 cert at CrossFit Montclair (New Jersey) Feb 7-8
Chinese food on Christmas (video)
10 active ways to celebrate the holidays
Coconut milk egg nog recipe
Resolutions?
Everything tastes better with bacon. Even this blog.

When are you allowed to eat cookies? When they're Black Box cookies--that's when. (Thanks to Cookie Fetish NYC for the yumminess.)

For our holiday schedule, please click here.

Wednesday 081224

Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5 reps

Post loads to comments.

Compare to 080930.

The non-negotiability of perfection
Where the (New York) porterhouse ages gracefully
Doode, where's my quads?!
Einstein von Smartypants
A second opinion: you've been poisoned by your doctor
A highly evolved propensity for deceit

Shower build-out

"And you will know them by their shoulders"--can you identify these crossfitters? If so, post their names in the comments.

Holiday Schedule

• Wednesday, Christmas Eve we will maintain a regular schedule, with the exception of the 7:00 PM WOD, which will be canceled.


• Thursday, Christmas Day we will be closed.


• Friday through Sunday (December 26-28) we will maintain a regular schedule.


• Friday, December 26, is an official Rest Day, so we'll take the opportunity to make up the official WOD from Christmas Day.


• Next Wednesday, New Year's Eve we will maintain a regular schedule, with the exception of the 7:00 PM WOD, which will be canceled.


• Next Thursday, New Year's Day, we will be closed.


• Next Friday through Sunday (January 2-4) we will maintain a regular schedule.

Starting Monday, January 5

• We will increase from 24 Classes per week (22 WOD and 2 Beginners') to 32 Classes per week (27 WOD and 5 Beginners')


• Weekday Evening WOD's will shift from 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:30 PM.


• Weekday Free Beginners' Classes will be offered at 10:00 AM on Tuesday and Thursday.


• Weekend Free Beginners' Classes will continue to be offered at 10:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday.


• Weeknight Beginners' Class will be added on Wednesday at 7:00 PM

On or Before Monday, January 5

• The new pull-up system will be installed.


• The showers will be fully operational.

Tuesday 081223

"Eva"

Five rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
2 pood Kettlebell swing, 30 reps
30 Pull-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 080224.

Time after time (via)
Winter squash gratin
Overhead isometric work for form and posture
Dan John on new techniques

Brian K. lies prostrate after completing all "12 days of CrossFit":

Monday 081222

Rest Day on the main site. Today's workout at the discretion of each instructor.

Post workout/time/score to comments.

Maybe we should call Court "Santa" instead? (New equipment from York Barbell includes GHDs, barbells, and benches.)

Do something new every three years (via)
The many uses of almond meal
80/20 powerlifting and how to add 110+ pounds to your lifts

Congratulations to Kevin P., Kevin W., Jeff, Craig, Zach, Brian D., Tripp, and Juan for their 2nd place finish overall and win in the group workout at CF Hoboken's Winter Challenge.

Group shot of the competitors and spectators at CF Hoboken's Winter
Challenge. See Juan's entire photoset here.


Sunday 081221

"Cindy"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

OR

"Mary"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 One legged squats, alternating
15 Pull-ups

Post your choice of girls and rounds completed to comments.

Compare to 080515.

Capacity at random tasks (video)
Muscling away cancer
Despite toxins, breast milk is still best

Kevin P. knows where it's at:

Saturday 081220

Four rounds, each for time of:
800 meter run

Rest as needed between efforts.

Post times for each round to comments.

Compare to 080507.

We can't run these in the Box but I'm sure there will be a great substitute WOD.

Friday 081219

For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Post time to comments.

Compare to 081018.

It's not about how much you can do, but how much of what you can do, you do...
Words of wisdom from Ironmaven
Crossfitter holiday gift list (via)
Sure-fire ways to boost taste and health
Vegetable oil and weight gain
How does the brain learn

Congratulations to CFBK coach and all-around bad-ass crossfitter Erica, who just graduated from nursing school. (Photo courtesy of CFV.)


And let's all of us wish our very best to Team CFNYC who will be proudly representing the Black Box at CF Hoboken's Winter Challenge on Saturday. Clockwise, from top left: Kevin P., Kevin W., Tripp (alternate), Zach, Juan (alternate), Jeff, Craig, and Brian D. Go get 'em, boys!

Thursday 081218

Rest Day on the main site. Come on down to find out what the WOD will be.

ELEMENTS WORKSHOPS 2009: Tue/Fri 7pm with Allison / Wed (8pm)/Sat (noon) with Josh

Full-body (image) training
Why fruit juice sucks
The new butcher on the (Brooklyn) block
The shameless carnivore
Healthy holiday gifts
Gift subscriptions to Spezzatino
The case against flu shots
Blaming desire
Being present
Hot and sour

Two new rowers to replace the old ones

Zach gets under the bar on a heavy split jerk. The whole set of photos from that evening's WOD can be found here.

2009 Elements Workshops available now! Sign up now to guarantee your spot:

January 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 (Tues/Fri at 7-8pm) with Allison Bojarski
January 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31 (Wed 8-9pm, Sat noon-1pm) with Joshua Newman

Wednesday 081217

Complete as many rounds in twenty minutes as you can of:
Run 400 meters
15 L-Pull-ups
15 Hip Extensions

Post rounds completed to comments.

CrossFit: The Movie (the trailer)
The Tracey Anderson lie
Ladies in the house?
Know your enemy
Melissa Byers on strength and crossfit success: part 1, part 2
Rotation is bad?
Stand up for your health
Josh tells you how to cook a steak
"Everything's amazing, nobody's happy" (video) (via)

Box jumps at the free beginners' class. Click here to pre-register for a free class.

Have you seen Brooklyn lately? Jeff and Deverell hit the WOD last night.

Tuesday 081216

Split Jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post loads to comments.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the party, but most especially Michelle (LOTS of booze), Brian D. (decoration help), and Audrey (so much homemade food). I couldn't have done it without you guys. We had a lot of fun and it was great to see people both old and new to CrossFit NYC.

Heather Keenan: On the road to the 2009 CrossFit Games (video)
At 85, more peaks to conquer and adventures to seek
Eat your organs
Josh on "beginner's mind"
DChap on "clock whores"
A conditioning lesson from a birthing book
Respect the pinkie!

More Santa than you can handle: Bad Sam and Moon went straight from Santacon to our party.

No Tabata shots this year, but shotgunning beers did happen: from left, Grace, O.T., and Jim:

Monday 081215
Five rounds for time of:
275 pound Deadlift, 5 reps
10 Burpees

Post time to comments.

Update from Hari Singh

We are working through some owner / management issues.

For the last few months, Mike has been working in a non-management role, concentrating exclusively on personal training.

Given the much higher costs associated with the new space and its build-out, we have implemented a private-training fee structure that is applicable to all owners, managers, trainers, and trainees.

We welcome and encourage approved trainers to take advantage of the resources at the Black Box.

Trainees at the Black Box do not need to be members, so long as they and their trainers each pay the $10 per hour fee.

Mike certainly falls into the category of approved trainers.

At this time, Mike has decided to train elsewhere.

We respect Mike as a trainer, and we respect his decision.

We respect Mike's clients, and they are welcome at the Black Box, whether as members or trainees (or both).

Some of the equipment (rowers, kettlebells, AbMats) that we had been using belongs to Mike.

Mike has decided to remove that equipment.

We have already ordered replacement equipment.

For the next week or so, we may be missing a few pieces of equipment that may be central to some workouts of the day (WODs).

We have already ordered: 7 additional Olympic Bars, 2 10K (22 lb) bars, sufficient bumper plates for all bars, 2 high-quality GHD's, 2 benches, replacement kettlebells, AbMats, etc.

We will soon have sufficient equipment to run two concurrent classes.

The pull-up system is being built. We expect it to be installed within 10 to 14 days. It will be sufficient to handle two simultaneous WOD classes.

We have informed HQ that by February we will be prepared to start hosting Certs.

We will try to schedule certs and/or other seminars for those weekends on which Saturday is an official Rest Day. This will minimize interference with WOD classes.

We will keep you informed of HQ's response.

Our hope is for Black Box members never to have to leave Manhattan to attend any Cert, unless they so desire.

We expect to start work on four individual shower rooms this Monday.

The shower project is a bit more complicated than we had expected, because the building has no hot water. (Small electric heaters provide limited hot water for the bathroom sinks.)

We will need to install a gas boiler, a non-trivial task that requires inspections and signoffs from the City.

We are still expect to have showers on line by New Year's, but we now recognize that we may end up a bit behind schedule.

Please claim any personal property that is currently back by the fire exit. This is not a storage area, but a final staging point before we throw things away. Soon this space will be a changing room.

Effective January, we will be offering a weeknight and one or more weekday beginners' classes.

We've already sold out the first Elements Workshop of the new year!

Effective Monday, January 5, we will switch from two weeknight WOD's (6:00 and 7:00) to three (6:00, 6:30, 7:30).

As of today, we have commitment for 39 (out of our goal of 50) 6-month memberships:

12 Months: Arthur B., Brad H., Justin W., Kurt, Michelle, Scott N.

6 Months: Alex F., Anthony H., Audrey, Ari, Ben S.,Brian K., Brian G., Brett, Chad, Chadron, Chris G., Dave A., David W., Denise, Dexter, Felix, Gabe K., Gerrit, Jessica, Kevin T., Kirk, Kenny L., Mike B., Paul B., Tony L., Tripp, Wendell D.

Saturday 081213

Run 10 K

Post time to comments.

Compare to 080710.

Justin's covering for Josh today for both the 10am beginners' class and the 11am workout of the day class. While we won't be running a 10K in the Box, Justin will be sure to bring the pain in some other fashion I'm sure. So come on down and be surprised.

Don't forget the party is tonight at 7pm.

Obama's secretary of food?
A 73-year-old gives basketball another shot
Feeding America: The historic American cookbook project
BMack on shoe technology (video)

Friday 081212

Three rounds for time of:
24" Box jump, 50 reps
185 pound Deadlift, 21 reps
30 Pull-ups

Post time to comments.

Bad cholesterol or bad science?
The simple life
Jean Couch on posture: article, video (via)
"It's all about performance.... Hot dirty nasty performance."
Cooked books: all things culinary at the NYPL (via)
Oprah's plight
The Mic'd Instructor: Dumbbells

Luke S. (left) and Alex F., who train both here at the Black Box and out at our Brooklyn location, pictured track racing at the Kissena Park Velodrome in Queens.

Thursday 081211

"Nasty Girls"

3 rounds for time of:
50 Squats
7 Muscle-ups
135 pound Hang power cleans, 10 reps

Post time to comments.

Compare to 080829.

Facebook invite for our party this Saturday. Please RSVP there or here (i.e., in the comments).
Women surfers shaking things up
Beyond vegetarianism
Cholesterol and health
Top 20 ingredients of lust and desire
A chili recipe
"You think cooking from your CSA is hard? Try to do that with 1500 pounds of meat"
Yes, you can order a Christmas goose
Breakfast for dinner

Travis shows us how scrubs can double as workout pants:

Wednesday 081210

Rest Day on the main site, so it's coach's choice at each class to decide what to do for the workout. (For those looking to make up a recently missed WOD, it will be at your individual instructor's discretion, as always.) But here's a suggestion from one of the members of our CFNYC team that's going represent us at CF Hoboken's Winter Challenge on December 20th. Any guesses as to who might have created this WOD? If so, please post to comments.

50 reps for time:

Lying supine on your back, with your arm extended overhead with a medball in hand, sit up and throw the medball. Immediately stand up and sprint after the medball, grab it, and run the length of Black Box 2.0 and repeat until desired reps are met. Use whatever med-ball weight you desire.

Facebook invitation to Saturday's party at BB2.0 (I re-set the invite to "open" status so that anyone with an FB profile can read it & RSVP--you can also RSVP here in the comments & let us know what you're bringing with you food or beverage-wise, so that we can plan accordingly)

Lorette Luzajic: "I'm a natural-born killer" / "Life after bread"
Upping the ante
May the force be with you
Don't sell women short (and the original article to which it responds)
Choose your own adventure!
Self-experimentation and strength training
Obama may have pullups, but he still needs to quit smoking
RIP, Miggs

Zach works the ring push-ups while a certain someone does his best Hulk impression in the background...

Celebrate Black Box 2.0! Celebrate the Holidays!
Tabata shots, paleo cookies, and pull-ups

Time: This Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 7:00pm-midnight
Location: CrossFit NYC: The Black Box
Street: 25 W. 26th St., third floor (between B'way & 6th Ave.)

All friends of the Black Box (past, present and future) are welcome to join us as we not only wish everyone happy holidays but celebrate the opening of our gorgeous new digs.

Won't you join us?

Please RSVP (here in the comments or via the Facebook invitation--if I missed you, drop me a line) and let us know if you can bring any treats, whether food or beverage.

Tabata shots at last year's party:

Tuesday 081209

"Annie"

50-40-30-20 and10 rep rounds of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 080217.

You're working out regularly, and you feel great. So why is your waistline expanding?
Growth hormone as a fountain of youth
Grapefruit and avocado salad!
What are good sources of protein? (intro)
Troubleshooting the scapular pushup

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already read yesterday's blog post detailing new rules at the gym, please take a moment now to do so. Any questions/concerns you have may be voiced in the comments on this post or by emailing Hari. Thank you.

Monday 081208

Clean and Jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post loads to comments.

Compare to 081122.

2009 Elements Workshops now available for sign up!
January 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29 (Mon/Thurs at 8-9pm) with Court Wing (only 3 slots left!)
January 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 (Tues/Fri at 7-8pm) with Allison Bojarski (this is our first 7pm Elements Workshop in a long time)

Elite fitness for women (via)
CrossFit and safety (video)
I'm the best fighter in the world. I'm the ugliest fighter in the world. Can't nobody hurt me. (via)
Autism health
Comparing Indian and Persian exercise traditions
If you don't have a map, you're going to get lost

Pray tell, have you ever seen a more beautiful floor?

Black Box 2.0: big enough to sprint in! (from Sunday's free beginners' class)

Black Box 2.0 Rules (Updated December 7, 2008)

The wooden floor area on the west (main elevator side) side of the gym is reserved for visitors and for members waiting for their Workout of the Day (WOD) class or Elements Workshop to begin. No gym equipment should be placed in this area. All personal belongings (coats, gym bags, etc.) should be left in this area.

Only the following people should step off the wooden area and onto the mats:

• Black Box instructors


• Members and drop-in visitors who have paid and signed into a WOD class or Elements Workshop currently in session


• Beginners who have signed into a beginners' class currently in session


• CrossFit Level 2 trainers and their clients who have paid and signed into an area not currently scheduled for a class or workshop


• CrossFit Level 1 trainers (without clients) who have paid and signed into an area not currently scheduled for a class or workshop

During the hours that there are not two classes (either 2 WOD classes or a WOD class and an Elements Workshop) in session, we will allow approved Level 2 trainers to train clients and approved Level 1 trainers to train alone.

As of December 1, 2008, there will be a $10 per hour fee for:

• All Level 2 Instructors either training clients or training alone


• All clients of Level 2 Instructors


• All Level 1 Instructors training alone

Sunday 081207
Complete as many rounds in twenty minutes as you can of:
15 Pull-ups
15 Ring push-ups
15 Back Extensions
15 GHD Sit-ups

Post rounds completed to comments.

The rich satisfaction of a decadent ingredient
My favorite dessert
Labor envy
The fructose index is the new glycemic index

Black Box 2.0 with flooring all in place:

Or so the expression goes.

When I asked Josh what to post for today's WOD (since it's a Rest Day on the main site and therefore his choice of workout), he suggested the above quote as subject line for the post because we're still getting the last of the flooring into place, and he wants to create a workout that involves making sure that flooring is fully locked down so that upon completing said WOD, you might fully collapse into a puddle of sweat-angel.

So, if you want more specifics, you're out of luck. Just head on down to our gorgeous new digs and get some. Remember, free beginners' class at 10am, regular WOD class at 11am. (Ring the buzzer for "Mendez Boxing" and go up to the 3rd floor.)

CrossFit: Intro to intensity (video)
Kentucky woman loses 60 pounds in 3 months doing CrossFit (video)
Flipping the switch
You gotta believe!
¡Ay, lechón!
The umami of breast milk
Health-club employee stops going to work after two weeks (via)
Bacon lovers' gift guide!

A sea of (weighed-down) lungers tackles Thursday's WOD:

Friday 081205

For time:
100 squats
2 muscle-ups
80 squats
4 muscle-ups
60 squats
6 muscle-ups
40 squats
8 muscle-ups
20 squats
10 muscle-ups

Post time to comments.

SAVE THE DATE: We will be having a party at the new Black Box 2.0 location on Saturday, December 13th. All friends of CrossFit NYC and CFBK are welcome to join in. Details to come!

FRIENDLY REMINDER: Please be conscientious about disposing your used water bottles (empty and crushed to save space/weight), band-aids, athletic tape, notecards, etc., at the end of your workout. Thank you.

CrossFit Hoboken Winter Challenge Updates:
Affiliates are limited to one team of 6 athletes
Teams must RSVP by Dec. 9th or lose their slot
Athletes are encouraged to donate $5 each for the trophies and food that went into setting up the event.
Click here for more info.

Jon S. rocks our new mini-pullup bar during "Fran" on Wednesday.

Study says hourglass women aren't the strongest, most competitive, or best equipped to deal with stress (via)
"Functional" fitness and saving a pregnant cow's life (via)
Foodies make a pitch to Obama
Prosciutto-asparagus rolls
Mark's Daily Apple on "cowpooling"
Watching out for melamine contamination in the food supply
Bacon recipes galore!
If you're not sick of turkey: the dry-brine turkey recipe
How NOT to eat emotionally

Thursday 081204

Five rounds for time of:
50 pound dumbbell, walking lunge, 10 alternating steps
50 pound dumbbell, swing, 15 reps

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Note: There was some confusion on the main site as to the specifics of this WOD. Coach Glassman clarified by commenting the following: "10 steps total. 1 dumbbell for lunging. Same single dumbbell for swinging. Carry for lunging as comfortable/able."

Are you CrossFit enough?
In favor of going austere in your workouts
The great milk debate
Pay the price (and we're not talking money)
Trading Wall Street for a fitness career
Sports may be child's play but genetic testing is not (and Ross Enamait's take on the issue)
Solace in pads in a fight for life

Luke F. mid-"Fran" on Wednesday as Chad and I look on. As you can see from this photo, the flooring is beautiful but still in the process of being assembled. Thanks to all those who have helped in the slow, tedious task of properly laying it and putting it together (especially Tagg, who stayed a couple hours after class today helping).

Wednesday 081203

"Fran"

Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Thruster
Pull-ups

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Compare to 080915.

Our small pull-up bar (pictures to come) got installed today and the full-sized pull-up rig will be on site very soon as well. What's great about "Fran" is that it's such a short workout that we can easily run heats to accommodate everyone.

Thanks to everyone on Tuesday who helped with getting the brand-spanking-new (and heavy as sh*t) interlocking 4' x 6' horse-stall mats from the sidewalk of 26th St. up into Black Box 2.0 and put down into place. I want to extend really big thanks to Josh, Jacinto, Tripp, Alex, and our contractors for all their hard work in getting the flooring up into the Box. It was no mean feat, even with an elevator. Alex commented that dealing with those mats was kind of like trying to wrestle an alligator, and I wouldn't disagree with his assessment.

I'll do my best to get more pictures of the progression of Black Box 2.0--it really is started to look gorgeous up in there!

Strength standards for women
Our very own sister gym, CrossFit Brooklyn, gets some love
A caring family cook is just as capable as a skilled chef at turning that first bite into a blissful moment--Marcella Hazan on the distinction between "chef" and "cook" (via)
You find something you want to read (perhaps here on this blog), but you don't have time now: Instapaper!
CrossFit drama: Rippetoe vs. (Greg) Everett
Weight training--like fasting--promotes autophagy?
Strong is why we are here
A unified theory of movement
A year in reading, 2008 (via)

Black Box 2.0 on move-in day--pre-flooring and pre-paint job but already gorgeous. For more pics, check the entire photoset.

Tuesday 081202

It's a Rest Day on the main site but there's always a workout to be had at the Black Box. We're leaving the choice of workout at the discretion of each instructor today. We'll be working around current limitations (getting flooring installed today, waiting on pull-up bars) but there are still plenty of ways for us to kick your butt! Come on down and get some!

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Community of Veterans, an exclusive online community for veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq (and check their PSA on YouTube)
"Health halo" can hide the calories
Turkey Day aftermath
Arrogant, abusive, disruptive--and a doctor
Training legionnaires to fight (and eat rodents)
This is how we exercise in Milwaukee
Eva T is back with a 2009 calendar
Nourishing my child
Did the original Olympians smoke and wear jogging suits? (via)

Happy birthday, Chris O!

Monday 081201

Shoulder Press 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

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Black Box 2.0 Opens Today at 7:00 AM

First off, thanks to all those helped with the move on Saturday: Kurt, Jessica, Martin, Lt. Gabe, Dan Def, Ralisa, Hari, and Allison. We appreciate everyone's help. Thank you!

A few details relevant to our first week:

• We are located at 25 W. 26th St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, on the third floor.
• The front door to the building itself is always locked.
• We are not yet able to buzz people in through the front door.
• For now, ring Mendez Boxing (which is clearly marked on the buzzer list), and they will buzz you in.
• We don't yet have a plan for handling running, but we will soon.
• We will start the week about 75% operational.
• The walls are painted in the colors of our logo.
• The bottom of the yellow band of wall color is nine feet from the floor.
• Only do handstands against the gray wall surfaces (not near the windows!).
• We will probably remove some of the electrical outlets in the gray areas to facilitate handstands.
• The check-in/reception area is almost completed.
• Always check in as soon as you step off the elevator. For now, that involves signing into the sign-in book. In the near future, it will involve a computerized check-in.
• Please don't make us chase you down to check in.
• New flooring is scheduled for delivery today and will be installed during the week.
• Do not put weights on the bare wooden floor.
• We hope to have a temporary pull-up system by the end of the week.
• The current schedule will remain in effect until further notice.
• We expect to finish the week 90% operational.
• We hope to have a permanent pull-up system by the middle of December.
• We will start working on the showers this week.
• We hope to have the showers done by the end of December.
• We'll expect to finish December 100% operational.
• We still need commitments for 18 more 6-month memberships.
• We expect to raise our rates on January 1, 2009.

After the move, Kurt and Martin enjoy some well-deserved Texas barbeque across the street from Black Box 2.0 at Hill Country Barbeque (sure to become a post-WOD favorite):

Black Box 2.0 shapes up:

See the entire photoset of the move day here.

Happy belated birthday, Juan! (actual birthday was yesterday)
Endurance exercise may cause abnormal blood-test results
Pat Sherwood on "the idiot suit" (video)
Motivation is overrated
Jen C. of Potomac CrossFit points us towards some inspirational videos
In search of the ever-elusive healthy snack
Effect of time of day and partial sleep deprivation on short-term, high-power output