CrossFit NYC: The Black Box

Noice.

Congrats Court!! I meant to tell you that I checked out Crossfit Philly over the holidays and Jason sends a big hello to you.

Congratulations, Court!

yay court!

Now that it's official can I post what I really think of you? :)

Congrats, bro! You're the (fifth) best!

congrats court! love ya man!

Not that I know what RKC is, but it looks like I just got trained by a master. It was my first Elements today.

When I announced my intent to join CrossFit, my boss looked at this website and started making odds around the office on how long I'd last.

I thought about hedging my Elements fee by taking a bet against myself (I wasn't allowed to participate). But after today, with such a great group of people, I think there's little chance I'd quit. Look forward to getting into shape with you guys.

Nice work Court!!!! I hope my review was of some use...

I will be returning to the box on Monday, Im coming on straight up Vader style so beware!!!

On the kipping discussion from before, I do the weird frog kick at the bottom as well and I don't know why, just kind of happened that way. I've been trying to less kick and more swing, but I think it has something to do with my right shoulder being all wonky and not wanting to swing as much. I guess I get more power from the kick.

who is that sexy bitch?

Morgan, I believe that is your sexy bitch.

Very Cool. Well-Deserved honor.

The force is strong within you Court! Congratulations!

Joseph Blaire
I want to see these wrist wraps in person.

congratulations Court.Looking good.

tabata somethng else-first time rx'd 244-thx hari for the tips did 5 pushups all 8 sets, 10 situps las t one 11, 14 quats-next time 6 pushups 11 situps and 16 squats

pullups sad-3,2,2,11111need help!

Maura u rocked! 300 folks-wath out for her!

Greg-265 with a head cold and a missing sleeve-looking fine!

Tabata something else:
Pull: 12,12,8,8,7,7,7,7= 68
Push: 11,10,8,8,8,7,5,6= 63
Sit: 11,11,11,10,10,10,10,9= 82
Squat: 17,17,17,16,17,16,17,19= 136

Total: 349

Jeff got the same total score with different splits, and Hari got a steady 344. Brian rocked the Box with 400 something. Strong effort from everyone this morning.

It's good to be back!

(8x6), (8x10), (8x11), (8x16) = (48, 80, 88, 128) = 344 (PR)

Congrats on the kettlebell placing Court.

Wish I could've been there with you guys this morning but I couldn't get my lazy ass out of bed. I did this at my school's gym while having everyone stare at me incredulously.

Pull-ups: 22,18,10,10,8,9,8,8=93
Push-ups: 21,14,9,9,7,7,11,6=84
Sit-ups: 15,15,13,12,12,12,12,13= 104
Squats: 18,16,15,16,16,15,16,17= 129

total: 410

I was fighting back the urge to vomit the entire time and I thought that I was doing absolutely horrible until I finally totaled it up at the end. I'm lucky that me school has new students and managers working at the gym this year because nobody said anything to me this time. It's probably a good thing I didn't vomit too; as if they need one more thing to kick me out for. See you guys Monday

On a side note, has anybody seen kevin lately?

Wow guys my internet was down since yesterday! Marisela--great job on PU! U rock, new tat and new PU for the New Year!
Michelle--awesome on the DL and SP PRs!
Everyone else, great work--too many to list!

Kevin was at the Box the other day. He did the MU WOD and Power Cleans. Impressive as always.

Hope you guys had fun this mornin'. House guests kept me from doing this at the Box.

PullUps: 10,10,10,10,8,6,5,5
PushUps: 15,15,15,15,15,20,20,15
SitUps: 20,20,20,20,20,20,17,15
Squats: 20,20,20,20,20,20,20,20

506 (pr)

good times.

http://www.topendsports.com/fitness/technique-squat.htm

Great link on why squats are king. Best line:

"This is one exercise that can benefit almost every muscle in your body if you do them correctly and safely. So good, in fact, that you MUST do them. I don't care if you're a power lifter, bodybuilder, or a ballerina. You gotta do them!"

4 mile run
37:00

The more I think about it, the less impressive the idea of ring squats sounds, at least in relation to handstand push ups. The most challenging part would be the fact that your feet face forward, thus the rings straps need to be twisted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QgaCSaiUPw
Video of Albany CF Wod with JRock

As rxd
Ring pull ups 8 8 7 6 6 4 4 4= 47
Push ups 15 15 15 12 12 10 10 10= 99
Sit ups 12x8= 96
Squats 15x8= 120
Total 362 PR for me.

be sure to watch til the end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdd31Q9PqA

AllisonNYC, writes (#31) on the today’s main site,

"I was asking about the pull-ups for 2 days on the Black Box page but got almost no feedback. I figured I'd ask here since everyone is so helpful. Either way I started a thread on the message boards."

It might be helpful to us at Black Box when we are trying to be helpful to you, if you phrased your questions in the form of questions rather than statements. Here is what you wrote yesterday:

"Speaking of kipping... I got the annie frog kip.
I'm only going to use the thicker bar from now on. I think it's easier on my skin because it doesn't bunch up as much. I also think going up in down instead of swinging is easier on my hands."

Today, on the main site, you ask (#4),

“Got some questions about kipping styles. I've only seen 3 - the swinging one, the more up and down style like Annies and the crazy sort of backwards kip like OPT and AFT.

It seems like most people do the swing and that's how I learned. Why is that the most common kind of kip? The two other kinds look like they can be faster. “

You are now asking a physics question. The fastest way to move anything is in a straight line. The reason we kip is because it allows us to convert horizontal momentum (as we swing forward and backward) into vertical momentum. This momentum takes some of the load off our arms (although as you have noticed, it causes friction at the point of conversion from horizontal motion to vertical, our hands).

If your goal is to do a maximum number of pull-ups, then kipping is the way to go. However, if you are looking to do less than your maximum as quickly as possible, then you want to minimize your kipping since it wastes time to move forward and backward. (It’s like zigzagging rather than running straight.)

If you’re trying to do Fran when you are capable of doing a maximum of, say, 18 pull-ups, then you will need to kip, if you want to minimize your time. If you are like Annie or OPT and can do about 50 pull-ups, then you have the upper body strength to eliminate the kip and thereby minimize your time during Fran.

(My guess is that they both kip during Murph when 100 pull-ups make endurance more of an issue then speed.)

AllisonNYC, writes (#31) on the today’s main site,

"I was asking about the pull-ups for 2 days on the Black Box page but got almost no feedback. I figured I'd ask here since everyone is so helpful. Either way I started a thread on the message boards."

It might be helpful to us at Black Box when we are trying to be helpful to you, if you phrased your questions in the form of questions rather than statements. Here is what you wrote yesterday:

"Speaking of kipping... I got the annie frog kip.
I'm only going to use the thicker bar from now on. I think it's easier on my skin because it doesn't bunch up as much. I also think going up in down instead of swinging is easier on my hands."

Today, on the main site, you ask (#4),

“Got some questions about kipping styles. I've only seen 3 - the swinging one, the more up and down style like Annies and the crazy sort of backwards kip like OPT and AFT.

It seems like most people do the swing and that's how I learned. Why is that the most common kind of kip? The two other kinds look like they can be faster. “

You are now asking a physics question. The fastest way to move anything is in a straight line. The reason we kip is because it allows us to convert horizontal momentum (as we swing forward and backward) into vertical momentum. This momentum takes some of the load off our arms (although as you have noticed, it causes friction at the point of conversion from horizontal motion to vertical, our hands).

If your goal is to do a maximum number of pull-ups, then kipping is the way to go. However, if you are looking to do less than your maximum as quickly as possible, then you want to minimize your kipping since it wastes time to move forward and backward. (It’s like zigzagging rather than running straight.)

If you’re trying to do Fran when you are capable of doing a maximum of, say, 18 pull-ups, then you will need to kip, if you want to minimize your time. If you are like Annie or OPT and can do about 50 pull-ups, then you have the upper body strength to eliminate the kip and thereby minimize your time during Fran.

(My guess is that they both kip during Murph when 100 pull-ups make endurance more of an issue then speed.)

Ok Hari. You're right I'm wrong and the next time I try to start a conversation about something I'll make sure to put a few question marks at the end.

My point was that Annie, OPT and AFT ALL kip. Their kipping styles are different. None of them are doing dead hang pull-ups in any videos

Here are examples of the 3 kipping styles that I posted along with what you took from my post:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyXTguBCpv8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uryt3n9q1q4&feature=related

I'm not sure this is true:
"If your goal is to do a maximum number of pull-ups, then kipping is the way to go. However, if you are looking to do less than your maximum as quickly as possible, then you want to minimize your kipping since it wastes time to move forward and backward"

My previous pull-up PR was 17 with the regular swing.
My new PR is 18 with more of the Up Down motion.

So I did more than my maximum with less of a kip. Why did that happen??

Why not kip up and down??? Why does everyone kip back and fourth?????

It makes sense that going back and fourth wastes time but there must be some reason that it's the way kipping is taught to us. What are the benefits of kipping front to back instead of up and down???????

If I have a choice I want to chose the most efficient style.

The style Annie teaches is much different from her personal style.

Apart from kipping practice, any insider tips on what's happening in 1/2 an hour?

I'm on the phone with Mike.. he says you're going to stength work, skill work and a short fast chipper....

He says it will be a fun day

About kipping, when I did my level 2 cert @CFSD in Aug, Annie, EvaT, Robbie and others all stressed that while they might teaching kipping in a particular way--everyone eventually finds the style that works best for them as there are numerous ways to skin a cat!

Totally lame showing in that metcon work. Gas still wasn't quite back in the tank. Nose was at least clear but the occasional cough still summoned a chunk of lung-butter for which I could not offset with the proverbial muffin due to the recent dietary restriction on grain product consumption. I'm posting the numbers here now so that NearFutureMoon will be even more eager to blow this away when he attempts this again.

Pull: 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 4 = 51
Push: 8, 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5 = 51
Sit: 5, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8 (First was due to looking for space, putting feet in bells. Later boost at the end came when I seemed to fall back into the situp groove) = 56
Squat: 10, 9, 9, 9, 7, 9, 9, 11 (Slight coughing fit in 5) = 73

Total: 231

Meanwhile, on the plus side...

Maura - I am eager to join your "300 Club" in this WOD so I can get my big red cape too!

Hari gave me some great instruction and drills on getting to MU country. Thanks much! Soon....soon...

Finally, thanks to Carlos for inspiring my idea for "Ring Squats". And big thanks to Jeff for being [insert one of the many adjectives used at the time here] enough to help put my idea (and developing the requisite safety accessories) into reality. I humbly donate to the Black Box my share of the proceeds generated by any sales of the inevitable t-shirt featuring Dan's photos of Jeff in mid-squat, full-harness and priceless facial expression.

AllisonNYC, writes,

"My previous pull-up PR was 17 with the regular swing. My new PR is 18 with more of the Up Down motion. So I did more than my maximum with less of a kip. Why did that happen??"

It may be for multiple reasons, possibly: (1) you were moving your head higher over the bar when you kipped than your are now; (2) you are simply getting stronger and would have gone up in your kipping pull-ups as well, were you still doing them; (3) you had a limiting factor of your grip when kipping that does not hold you back as much going up and down.

"Why not kip up and down??? Why does everyone kip back and fourth????? It makes sense that going back and fourth wastes time but there must be some reason that it's the way kipping is taught to us. What are the benefits of kipping front to back instead of up and down???????"

Most people kip forward and backward because it is easier to generate momentum horizontally than vertically. Think of high jumpers who start out by running (horizontally) towards the bar, rather than standing at the bar and hoping up and down before going (vertically) over it.

When you are fully extended at the bottom of a traditional kipping pull-up and forward of the bar, if you suddenly stop trying, you will naturally swing like a pendulum. On the other hand, if you kip straight up and down, at the bottom, if you stop trying, you will simply remain motionless (i.e., you will have no momentum to coast on).

A2
I think I've done several different kinds of kips. I started out with the big swing, picked up some sort of frog kicky thing and then yesterday during the Tabata pull ups, I noticed I was doing something different like a ripple sort of movement maybe sort of like what AFT is doing. I haven't really put enough thought into which style I should develop more since I just end up doing whatever feels natural during the middle of a WOD.

More often than not, I'm breaking up my pull up sets into subsets of less than 10. For short bursts, I go with the frog kick since it seems to get my over the bar faster and I can finish my subset and get off the bar (and start resting) faster too. On the other hand, I think I'd have a harder time using the frog kick (at least the way I do it) for a single sustained larger set. The kick can get you over the bar quickly and with little effort, but on the way down, you lose that momentum if you come down straight without swinging, and you end up using your energy slowing and controlling your descent and then reversing direction. I think the swing would be better at recycling your downward momentum. Perhaps kicking is analogous to sprinting and swinging is more for longer duration.

In summary, Hari practically eats and breathes pull ups and he clearly does a swing. I, on the other hand, try to avoid the bar like it's radioactive, and I usually do it froggy style.

Moon
Sales of the t-shirts are expected to get underway once Dan Def and I come to an agreement regarding my celebrity rights.

Today Sunday with Coach P:

Some humbling skill work (note to self: need to buy some skillz)

WOD: 1000 m row, 30 thrusters (45lb bar), 30 pull-ups.

7:46

Thrusters and pull-ups were slow as hell (over 4 minutes in total).

Hey brendan, good stuff on the wods man! Did you go through Elements? Or come from another affiliate?top tier work either way though.

A_NYC I think everyone finds a slightly different kip based on strength and fatigue. I like a quick hip snap when I'm fresh bit need a more deliberate slow swing when fatigued. The frog kick just feels weird to me.

FUn skills work with Coach P. Warmed up with 300 SUs and 1 round CFWU. Worked handstand holds with various leg positions (straddle, split fwd/back) at wall. Then it was Lsits on rings and skin the cats. Then we did MBC--breaking it down and at the end doing 2rndsx10. On to KB work. Balanceing btwn 2 24"boxes and squatting lowering the KB in the middle to work stretch into deep squat. On to KB farmer walks r/l, then KB overhead walk (waiter walk?) r/l. Then it was clean 2 kb same size and do 2x10 FS. I think that was all the skill work. COach P then announced our WOD.
10 GHD situps
1000m row
30 thrusters (wmn--31# bar/guys 45# bar)
30 PUs
for time

Unfortunately when the WOD was announced we had already been there an hour and I had to go as I had other plans.

Did some foam rolling and sauna later at home!

What's MBC?

Pull-up practice. Too much of it before..

Tabata Something Else:
Pull-ups: 6, 8, 9, 7, 5, 5, 5, 4 = 49
Push-ups: 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 5, 5 = 53
Sit-ups: 11, 10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12 = 91
Squats: 18, 18, 16, 15, 13, 14, 13, 15 = 122

Total: 315

Wouldn't have made it without Keith stepping on my feet for the sit-ups, timing me, keeping my score and telling me to keep moving. Thanks.

Felt like I was going to toss my cookies during the squats because of the sit-ups. I hit my head on the floor a few times during the sit-ups too :/

Thanks for the pull-up info. Funny thing is when I got on the bar for the tabata my kip of any kind went out the window. I think I got too excited and must have been over thinking it. Oh well.. I learned from the whole thing. :)

I'd figure I'd throw in my $.02 about kipping.

Everyone has their own style and I think the reason that the "push away at the top, full swing kip" is because it's the easiest to pick up. From there the crossfitter can adjust their own style to what works best for them. I, personally, end up using a narrower grip and a full straight leg swing. Annie is much different with her wide grip and frog kick.
Also, it is not to say that because Annie can greatly humble me in pull-ups that her method is the best across the board. For instance, Greg Amundson uses his kipping under hadn grip and can knock out 100 pullups in just about 3:30. Amazing.

Basically, it's what works for you. The trasitional kip seems to work for everyone once they're learning but after that initial phase its then up to you to find out what works best.

I hate typos...

TV Alert - American Gladiators just started (9 pm, NBC).

Jeff
MBC=Medicine Ball Cleans!!

Hey thanks, brett. I didn't go through elements but have been xfitting by myself since last June at a "globo-gym", as marisela would say.