Workout of the Day
The House That Hopping Built: 2016 Edition
Last year around this time I wrote a blog post titled "The House That Hopping Built" which briefly chronicled Sarah's CrossFit Games Open/Regional competition history, and the tough road she endured getting to the 2015 California Regional. This year so much has changed, and yet so much still remains the same. Rather than attempt to recount the history for those who might be interested (we do have a small and enthusiastic contingent of new-ish Arena Ready members who were not a part of the gym at this time last year), I thought it best to update/annotate the post from last year to include some new thoughts and still provide the chronological events that led up to this day.
My apologies in advance for the length of this post. To paraphrase Blaise Pascal, if I had more time I would have written less...
Sarah's road to the 2016 Regionals once again traveled through The Open, but also through some very different and difficult life challenges that neither of us could have ever seen coming. As some of you may know, Sarah has been back-and-forth to Colorado over the last few months with her dad in-and-out of the hospital - and, as you can imagine, it's made for some extremely difficult times for her and for her family. And yet here she is, on the eve of the 2016 CrossFit Games California "Super" Regional, ready to fight with every last ounce in her being to test herself against some of the best in the world. Lindy Barber, a multiple-time CrossFit Games competitor, articulated it all so well this week:
Earning a spot to the @crossfitgames is about so much more than being good at fitness. It's about overcoming adversity, beating the odds, fighting for something bigger than yourself. It's an extremely emotionally charged weekend, that is fueled by the "whys" of each athlete. We are all putting all of our energy into one focus: for our larger purpose. @crossfit is about so much more than just fitness. It makes us better people. We are all inspired by our own individual "why"
-Lindy Barber
Our own individual why. I love that.
2015
In 2015, following an entire year away from competitive CrossFit, Sarah somehow found a way to claw through the 2015 Open and secure a spot to Regionals despite a tighter qualifying window than ever before, a painfully dislocated rib that continued to hamper her training, and the newly added five-day-per-week second job she had taken on (complete with a daily 2.5 hour round trip commute to boot). How she juggled that combined with helping me run the gym and coach classes - and then somehow fit any semblance of high intensity training of her own into her schedule - I truly have no idea. I marveled at her intense drive, her passion for life and those she deeply cares about (including her Arena Ready family), her commitment to excellence in everything she does, and her refusal to accept any of her responsibilities or obligations as excuses for not being the best she can be in any given moment.
The highlight of the 2015 Regional, apart from the 40+ Arena Ready crazies who made their way down to the competition to assemble what was likely the loudest little cheering section in the building, was her world-record setting win in Event 5 (check out a quick glimpse of that moment at 0:50 in the video below):
2014
Sarah spent all of 2014 away from the sport of CrossFit, and dedicated herself to Olympic weightlifting in an attempt to make the Pam Am and World Team for the United States. And although the grueling year presented her with a ton of adversity (including a broken femur prior to Nationals), she ended up just one snatch shy of the former goal. By the close of 2014 she had been fortunate enough to train at the Olympic Training Center multiple times under the guidance of one of the greatest coaches alive, set new personal records in her lifts and her competition total, and finished second in the American Championships in December, bringing home three silver medals.
Sarah at the 2014 USAW American Championships, with background cameos by both yours truly and Coach Hillary (Photo courtesy of hookgrip)
As she moved on from her year of dedicated weightlifting and back into CrossFit, she had gained a new perspective on the sport and community she loves so much, and missed so dearly. For the first time in a VERY long time she was looking forward to actually having fun competing - trying her best and laying it all on the line without the intense pressure or anxiety of years past. She had missed being out on the competition floor with all of the friends she's made along the way during her competitive CrossFit journey - and I'd be lying if I said she wasn't also amped-up to leave it all out there on behalf of her dear friends, training partners, and fellow competitors, Coach Liz and Coach Amy (since, for the first time in a several years, they were not out there competing with her this time).
The official 2013 Regionals "Smile Like Sarah. Eat Like Liz" tank top
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
At the 2010 Southwest Regional Sarah finished 23rd (including two top-8 event finishes), just three months after she started doing CrossFit (Julian and I actually had to coax her into even entering the Sectional pre-qualifier because she felt like she didn't know what she was doing yet!). In 2011 Sarah had to skip the CrossFit Games season entirely after breaking and then surgically repairing her elbow following a freak accident at the track. That was not a fun year, as the healing and rehab process took much longer than we both expected - but it did light a fire under her to come back even stronger and fitter for 2012 and beyond.
In 2012 she made a big splash at the NorCal Regional, winning two events outright and finishing second in another. She entered the final event of the weekend in 4th place (one spot away from making the Games World Final), and eventually placed 6th overall after realizing mid-workout that she was mathematically eliminated from the podium... and was happier turning around during the workout to slow down and face her crowd of supporters so she could smile and say thank you after each muscle-up. What a nerd! But what can I say, that's her style - and those of you who know her well can grasp how happy it made her to do that, particularly during that exact moment.
Here's Sarah in 2012, setting what would be the "CrossFit Games world record" in Event 5 (the double under/snatch ladder):
In 2013, Arena Ready had been open for about 7 months prior to the NorCal Regional and I think Sarah had slept exactly zero full nights during those trying times of our gym's early existence. But somehow she entered the competition stronger and fitter than she had ever been, and went on to once again win two events outright, including the final event (Event 7, the rope climb/squat clean) in dramatic fashion. When the official scores were entered, and the points tallied, Sarah finished 4th overall, just one point (and as it turns out, just one rep and literally one second) from the podium and a ticket to the Games World Final.
Sarah points and thanks her AR family in the crowd after the final event in 2013
The Arena Ready cheering section at the 2013 Regional (I think they started the wave like 11 times during the final day of competition)
Back to 2016
And now here we are again, on the eve of game day 2016, and Sarah is so grateful for another opportunity to compete and represent Arena Ready and all of our amazing people. Sometimes she doesn't get the chance to say it as often as she'd like to, either because she's exhausted from the million things she does every day, or because she's engrossed in conversation with our members/friends/coaches whom she adores and is so happy to see at the gym, or because I've ordered her to start warming up already so that she can finally train in the hopes of us eventually making it home to eat dinner before her state of sleepy overtakes her state of hunger (we actually argue over why I think she still needs to eat before she goes to bed, and that it doesn't matter that she feels too sleepy to do so). But what I do know is that she feels it every day - a huge sense of pride that we have such an incredible group of people we get to call our AR family, and an overwhelming feeling of love for the individuals that come together every day to create the "home" she helped build on Connecticut Street.
In many ways Arena Ready is The House That Hopping Built. She would never say that herself, and in fact she'd probably adamantly disagree with me on that point. But I know better - I have far more time on my hands than she does to reflect, and certainly more energy (thanks to having two less jobs) to reach rational conclusions. Her determination over the last four years to make our little place in the world a great one is so strong that I think we may have actually done just that. And all the while she's somehow had enough physical energy, mental fortitude, and unrelenting drive to excel individually in the name of Arena Ready collectively.
I couldn't be prouder of my wife, and I'm excited to be along for the ride. And perhaps even more excited that all of you get to come along too - either in person cheering from the stands, or at home screaming at your laptop.
Go get 'em, Sarah. I love you.
(Photo, along with the two above it, courtesy of... who else... the amazing Jenny AKA oh happy dawn photography)
Remember that if you're not here with us in Del Mar to cheer in person, you can stream all the action live (events will also be archived) on the CrossFit Games website - click here for all the details.
Sarah's Day 1 (Friday) event heat times are scheduled at 12:10pm and 2:25pm Pacific Time.
WOD for 05-13-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 13:00
With a Partner For Quality:
600m Run TOGETHER
Then Split...
600m Row
50 Wall Balls @ pick load
40 Kettlebell Swings @ pick load
30 Burpees
Both partners run together completing 600m. Then partners split the remaining movement reps evenly, with only one partner working at a time. This is FOR QUALITY not for time, so move with a purpose (i.e. don't lollygag or you won't be done by 13:00) but prioritize movement integrity in order to prepare/warm the entire body for 5x5 back squats.
B) From 13:00 - 50:00
Back Squat (Week 5, Day 2):
5x5 @ 85%
Across
How To Watch The 2016 Regionals
A reminder that the 2016 CrossFit Games California "Super" Regional will stream live (and will also be archived) on the CrossFit Games website this weekend from Friday through Sunday - click here for full details on how to stream the competition.
As we posted earlier this week, Coach Sarah's Day 1 (Friday) scheduled heat times for Events 1 and 2 are 12:10pm and 2:25pm PT, respectively. Heats for Days 2 and 3 of the competition will be re-ordered based on standings, so we'll be sure to update you here on the blog regarding heat times as the weekend progresses.
Meanwhile here's a little Throwback Thursday gem from last year's Regional (click here for the video) - Sarah being interviewed after winning Event 5 and setting the worldwide record. #ThugLife
WOD for 05-12-16:
With a Partner For Time:
BUY-IN: 1000m Run
Then, 3 Rounds of...
20 Ring Dips
30 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
40 AbMat Sit-ups
BUY-OUT: 1000m Run
Only one partner working at a time. The runs and movement reps are split in any fashion partners wish (does not have to be exactly even).
The Arena Ready Moratorium
Let's take a little break from all the CrossFit Games Regionals hubbub to discuss a new mandate that has been instituted as my response to some member behavior which I deem completely unacceptable - moving away from San Francisco, and thus leaving Arena Ready.
It PAINS me when awesome people move away from the city and have to leave Arena Ready as a result. A few of the old-schoolers who had been members from the beginning have moved away for new jobs, to start at a new school, or to start/grow their family in a new surrounding, and every time one of them left it literally felt like a family member (or members) moving away. So much so that I stopped writing about it when it naturally continued to happen, since it just made me sad to acknowledge the reality that some of the amazing people we care about will inevitably find a life for themselves somewhere other than San Francisco. Think about the handful of REALLY cool people that you're sad are no longer at Arena Ready because they moved away from SF (but, of course, you're also happy for them as they've continued to pursue their dreams in new endeavors - whatever those nonsense "life changing" endeavors may be).
Well, I'm sick of it. Yeah that's right, I'm fed up with you people. I realize that the only way we can take on new members is essentially when a person (or two) moves away from San Francisco thus leaving a membership spot vacant... and cold... and heartbroken. But how do you think I feel when someone I actually like and care about LEAVES ME AND I'M FORCED TO TRY AND MEET NEW PEOPLE? And, of course, I then have to also hope that these new people will not ask me why we don't do 40 minutes of man makers, how come we snatch and clean so much ("Isn't that dangerous?"), what I have against Turkish get-ups for time, or say "Hey can I tally my rounds in chalk on the floor so I don't forget where I am?" For the love all that is sacred, no. NO, you cannot write on the gym floor like some hopscotch tournament for adults, and I blame (insert person's name who moved away from SF here) for putting me in the middle of this torturous conversation.
Stop being so damn selfish with your fancy new jobs, and prestigious grad schools, and opulent houses bigger than 400 square feet so your children (or future children, or dog, or cat) can turn around inside the living room without knocking over the Apple TV. Maybe you should pause for just a moment, get outside of your self-serving way of thinking, and remember how fragile I really am. Stop being so self-centered AND THINK OF WHAT I NEED FOR JUST A SECOND OKAY?! My OCD and aversion to crowds should clue you in on the fact that you simply cannot up and leave this relationship that we've so successfully and deliberately established within the safe and tidy confines of Arena Ready. Not until I say so. Which, if you continue to be a cool person, is basically never.
There are a handful of current members who are in the queue to be the newest offenders of my plea for San Francisco-Arena Ready solidarity. You know who you are. Plotting. Planning. Searching for a new place to stay when you move. Thinking foolishly to yourself, "I'm not too worried, I'm sure there will be good ethnic food and decent coffee in (insert crappy new city of residence here)." No, there won't be. You know I never lie about food and I'm not starting now - so if not for the helpless people at Arena Ready whom you'll leave behind heartbroken, I implore you to cancel your pending move for the sake of your own taste buds and penchant for finely crafted caffeinated beverages.
OR, because now you simply CANNOT move. I won't allow it. Yes, you read that correctly. I am instituting a moratorium on any Arena Ready members moving outside of the city limits, and this goes into effect immediately. Moves to Daly City will be considered for approval on a case-by-case basis in light of its easy proximity to Arena Ready and its abundant options of post-workout chain restaurant recovery meals.
Recently one of our own at AR notified me that they'll be starting graduate school at a very impressive institution of higher learning in the fall. Said institution is not located in San Francisco proper. Hogwash. Here was my response, word for word (names have been changed for anonymity and comedic CrossFit effect):
Hi Grace
Thanks for sending the picture - it's awesome. We enjoyed meeting your friend Isabel and hope that she liked her drop-in experience at AR - it would be fun to have her as a part of the gym, so thanks for introducing her to us!
I do have some bad news for you regarding your upcoming move... I've recently instituted a strict moratorium on Arena Ready members moving away, so it's essentially no longer allowed. You see, I can no longer handle people we like and care about leaving us, and then having to replace them with people I do not (yet) know... Isabel, of course, is an exception as she seems like a lovely person - and your endorsement of her carries weight at Arena Ready. But you, unfortunately, are not an exception to said moratorium. So, in short, I'm sorry but you're not allowed to move.
Regardless, a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS is in order as we're thrilled to hear about your acceptance into the program at Stanford. Obviously Sarah (and I by proximity) have a soft spot for Stanford in our hearts, so it's cool that you're pursuing a new path in that direction. That said, I'm sure the school will be sad to hear that you've declined to attend their program due to your CrossFit coaches disallowing your move out of the city.
Fear not, I'm sure that more team workouts at Arena Ready will do a swell job in replacing the lessons that could otherwise be learned via group projects with your potential cohort at Stanford GSB. Plus, networking at AR really can't be beat by a bunch of smarty pants people living in Palo Alto of all places... I mean really. As for the actual business school learnings - I think the thesis at Arena Ready is really the same universal lesson to be learned at any graduate school worth its salt... The Journey Is All There Is. Well, that and "never skip leg day" (where were you this morning anyway?!).
Best,
Rob
Seriously... cut it out, people.
Oh, and my apologies for the liberal use of CAPS LOCK in this post. But hey, I ACTUALLY WAS SCREAMING AT YOU.
WOD for 05-11-16:
Skill Focus:
Handstand Push-up
-then-
3 Rounds for MAX REPS:
Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Russian Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
Handstand Push-ups
Row for Calories
There is 0:40 (forty seconds) of work per movement with 0:20 of rest/transition time between movements. There is 1:20 of rest between rounds. Your score is the total reps completed across all 3 rounds.
Streaming Regionals This Weekend + Day 1 (Friday) Heat Times
The 2016 CrossFit Games California Super Regional will stream live on the CrossFit Games website this Friday through Sunday (May 13-15). Coach Sarah's Day 1 heat times are listed below so that you can plan on watching the live stream if you're not able to make the trip down to Del Mar with the AR crazies who will be cheering in the stands.
Sarah's Day 1 Heat Times: Friday, May 13th
Event 1 - 12:10pm (Individual Women Heat 1)
Event 2 - 2:25pm (Individual Women Heat 1)
The heats for Day 2 and Day 3 will be re-ordered based on standings at the end of each competition day, so we'll update you during the weekend so you know Sarah's heat times for Events 3 through 7 (Sat-Sun).
Only a few days away - get excited!
WOD for 05-10-16:
2 Front Squats + 1 Split Jerk:
5 Sets of (2+1)
Climbing to a moderate top set (NOT max)
-then-
Back Squat (Week 5, Day 1):
6x2 @ 80%
Across
Happy (Belated) Mother's Day!
We hope all the Arena Ready mothers (and really, all moms out there) had a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday. Thank you for all you do!
WOD for 05-09-16:
Every 90 Seconds for 3 Rounds:
3 Power Snatches, Climbing
Every 90 Seconds for 3 Rounds:
2 Power Snatches, Climbing
Every 90 Seconds for 3 Rounds:
1 Power Snatch, Climbing
-then-
For Time:
100 Air Squats
30 Power Snatches @ 135/95 lbs
100 Air Squats
Class Schedule During Regionals
Thanks to our awesome coaching staff there will be very few changes to the class schedule next week/weekend during The CrossFit Games Regional competition in Del Mar. Even though most of the coaches will be in attendance at Regionals (along with 40 or so of our members making the trip down to cheer on Sarah), we'll be able to keep a relatively normal schedule with a handful of coaches holding down the fort!
The only changes to next week/weekend's class schedule are as follows:
Friday, May 13: 6pm Barbell Class Cancelled
Saturday, May 14th: 11am Gladiators Class Cancelled
Sunday, May 15th: 9am Barbell Class Cancelled
Monday, May 16th: 7pm Barbell Class ADDED (make-up class for Friday/Sunday)
WOD for 05-07-16:
WITH A PARTNER, For Time:
BUY-IN TOGETHER: 1000m Run
Then Split The Following...
100 Toes-to-Bar
50 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
100 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
50 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
All movements (EXCEPT for the run which is TOGETHER) may be split/shared/partitioned in any fashion by the team, with one athlete working at a time. The toes-to-bar cannot start until both athletes have completed the run.
Lost & Found: Last Call
LAST CALL for the gym's Lost & Found bin and Water Bottle Graveyard! We'll be donating all contents after this weekend, so take a final look if you think you might be missing something.
I can't say the words "last call" out loud (or in my head) without wanting to flash the lights on and off, and watch some giant doorman shoo people out of the building. And, of course, this song plays in my head:
Happy Friday! I hope you weren't out until last call on Thursday night because here comes our friend, Mr. 6x6...
WOD for 05-06-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 15:00
"Partner Baseline"
For Quality:
1000m Row
80 Air Squats
60 AbMat Sit-ups
40 Push-ups
20 Pull-ups
Partners split the reps evenly, with only one partner working at a time. This is FOR QUALITY not for time, so move with a purpose (i.e. don't lollygag or you won't be done by 15:00) but prioritize movement to prepare/warm the entire body for 6x6 back squats.
B) From 15:00 - 50:00
Back Squat (Week 4, Day 2):
6x6 @ 80%
Across
Regionals Day 3 Events Announced!
OK folks, the Day 3 Events for the 2016 CrossFit Games Regionals have been announced and we now know what the entire weekend of competition holds for Coach Sarah and all of the other top CrossFitters who begin the Regionals phase of the Games Season. Check out all the workout details here (we've also pasted the Events snapshot below) and then watch the CrossFit Games Update Show coverage of Events 6 and 7 that were announced on Wednesday (also included below).
The countdown is on, just over a week away! GO SARAH GO!!!
WOD for 05-05-16:
Alternating EMOM for 4 Rounds (8 Minutes):
EVENS: 10- 14 Handstand Shoulder Taps
ODDS: 7 Hollow-ups + 7 Arch-ups
-then-
For Time:
12 Muscle-ups
200m Run
21 Handstand Push-ups
200m Run
9 Muscle-ups
200m Run
15 Handstand Push-ups
200m Run
6 Muscle-ups
200m Run
9 Handstand Push-ups
Regionals Day 2 Events Announced!
Day 2 Events for the 2016 CrossFit Games Regionals have been announced and it's shaping up to be a fun and exciting weekend of competition! Check out all the workout details here as we await what Day 3 of the competition will bring.
You can also watch the CrossFit Games Update Show coverage of the 5 events that have been announced thus far (videos included below) - cool stuff for any CF Games fans... and fans of Coach Sarah who will tackle these workouts in just over a week!
WOD for 05-04-16:
7 Rounds, Start Every 3 Minutes:
18/15 Calorie Row
30 Double Unders
5 Power Cleans @ 185/125 lbs
If you cannot finish the prescribed work within the 3-minute interval, you must finish the round you are on, take the next round OFF, and then start again on the following round by dropping the row to the next lowest calorie scaling tier: 18/15 > 15/12 > 12/10.
Burpees & Spear Throwing + Regionals Day 1 Events Announced!
I was double-checking the last dates we performed "Part B" of Tuesday's workout below and it pulled up a throwback post and picture that I couldn't resist sharing again.
Here's a throwback to that time 3+ years ago when Arena Ready sent teams up to Sacramento to compete in both the Rx and Scaled divisions of the SacTown Throwdown competition, which (believe it or not) had an event that included burpees and spear throwing. No joke.
Handsome Mike apparently was a ninja at throwing spears (who knew?!). Awesome to see that everyone in this picture, except for Tyler and Mike who both moved (boo moving), is still a big part of the Arena Ready family.
Check out how little Elodie is!
The 2016 CrossFit Games Regional Day 1 Events for the individuals have been announced (check out the workout details here)... the last time there was a heavy snatch event at Regionals it worked out pretty well for Sarah, so we're hoping for another great event to start the competition off right! Go Sarah!
WOD for 05-03-16:
On a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 8:00
Squat Snatch + Overhead Squat:
8 Minutes to Build to a Moderate Weight (Not Max)
The goal is simply to work up to something heavier than to be used in Part B, focusing on speed in the snatch and overall movement quality.
(From 8:00 - 10:00: Rest 2 Minutes & Re-Set Barbells)
B) From 10:00 - 16:00
"NorCal Sectional Event 1"
Against a 6-minute Clock:
800m Run, then
Max Rep Overhead Squats @ 115/75 lbs
(Compare to 02-05-15 and 04-08-13)
(From 16:00 - 18:00: Rest 2 Minutes & Re-Set/Rack Barbells)
C) From 18:00 - 38:00
Back Squat (Week 4, Day 1)
6x2 @ 80%
Across
Motivation Monday: Obsessed
Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.
WOD for 05-02-16:
8-8-8
Climbing, For Quality
Descent MUST be slower than the ascent. It does not have to be a "slow" movement overall, but the relative tempo on the way down has to be slower than on the way up. You must be able control the bar all the way back down to the traps/shoulders.
-then-
AMRAP 8 Minutes:
8 KB Goblet Squats @ 53/35 lbs
8 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
8 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Triple Tag Team & The Ultimate Warrior
I can't write the words "Tag Team" in the workout below and not think about the golden era of WWF (now "WWE") nonsense I used to watch as a kid. One day a while ago at the gym I asked everyone in class what their "entrance song" would be if they could choose one that played every time they walked into Arena Ready... you know, if they walked in like a crazed wrestler hopped-up on pre-workout about to suplex somebody.
Hands down, the king of entrances when I was young was the Ultimate Warrior. His energy was off the charts and I remember thinking how pumped I would get when he ran out for a match - it was like coffee couldn't start its day until being drunk by the Ultimate Warrior first.
So perhaps, even as ridiculous as it looks now when watching it as an adult, this video may provide you some energy for your Saturday Tag Team DT workout. Just make sure not to attempt any of the moves seen below with your teammates or the barbell. Safety first. Thanks in advance.
WOD for 04-30-16:
IN TEAMS OF THREE ATHLETES...
"TTTDT" ("Triple Tag Team DT")
AMRAP 20 Minutes:
12 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
9 Hang Power Cleans
6 Push Jerks
*400m Run*
Athletes 1 and 2 start on the barbell triplet, with only one person working at a time.
*Athlete 3 starts outside and runs 400m before switching with a teammate. One teammate must always be running, and must always switch after 400m.
The team's score is total rounds + reps of the triplet completed.