Workout of the Day
Drakkar Noir, Laundry, and Gym Funk: Spring 2016 Edition
As promised earlier this week, and back by popular demand (AKA too many folks with smelly knee sleeves these days, thus many of you asking me to re-share this PSA), here you go... the annual post that fights the good fight.
Anyone who grew up around the same time I did knows the magic that is Drakkar Noir. It was Cool Water before there was Cool Water. And Polo Sport? Player, please. Back in the day few things let the ladies know you were so fresh and so clean like the little black bottle from our friends at Guy Laroche, Paris.
The distinctive smell of Drakkar Noir reminds me of school dances, "running man" battles in Guess overalls, and the hottest band of 1991: Color Me Badd.
What doesn't remind me of these happy times long gone is the smell of someone's nasty gym funk. You know what I'm talking about - that ominous, heavy, musty odor that can invade your workout space the way Karl The Fog swallows the 4th of July.
We realize that sometimes folks just don't notice that their shoes/socks/shirt/wrist wraps/body are getting a little gamey, and the occasional slip-up in slight stench can happen to all of us. Life is busy, we get it. But what I would like folks to remember is that repeated offenses of stank are uncool, distracting, and downright disrespectful to other members who share the gym space with you.
THE GOLDEN RULE IS: if you sense a slight funk anywhere on your person or property, then other people can sense it TEN-FOLD. Trust me on this. If you're in the corner thinking to yourself, "oh man, my hat smells a little nasty... I wonder if people can tell." Yes. Yes, they can. And yes, they know it's coming from you.
A few helpful tips may aid some folks who simply don't realize that the battle against gym funk can be won:
1) Launder your gym clothes prior to each use. This seems like a no brainer to some, but others may feel like it's excessive, and I can understand that point of view. But I'm here to ask that you please do it for the sake of others around you who have to breathe hard and stay focused in workouts, just like you do. Sweat and moisture breed bacteria, and bacteria is best friends with funk. And yes, compression tights/gear counts as "gym clothes."
2) Wash your wrist wraps, head wear, and other accessory gear regularly. If they're made of fabric then they're likely machine washable. If they're synthetic then a simple hand washing in the sink and thorough air dry should do the trick.
3) Let your weight belt and lifting shoes breathe. Allow them to dry out when you get home or before you stash them in your gym bag for the next day or two. If you place your shoes in our lifting shoe closet, consider getting a set of shoe fresheners to leave inside them - something like these (click here) which are cheap and convenient.
4) De-funk your knee sleeves regularly. Knee sleeves are a big culprit of gym funk. They're generally made of neoproene and the material is notorious for brewing up an offensive stink like no other. If you've tried tossing them in the washing machine for a standard launder then you probably know that it doesn't work that well. There are a couple of effective methods you can use to wash your knee sleeves, and here are some tips from our friends at CrossFit Invictus and CrossFit One World:
Get Rid of the Rehband Funk!!!
5) Take a shower prior to coming in to the gym. Another way of saying this is "take a shower in-between workouts." Obviously you don't have to shower immediately before coming in to work out, but if you're having a hard time remembering which day it was you showered last then I'm here to tell you "no, it's not a good idea to just wait until after your next workout." You're an adult and two showers in one day won't kill you. But one less than needed might kill the rest of us.
Please let us know if you have any questions, we are always happy to help - especially in matters of the nose. If you think you might be a frequent offender of funk I implore you to utilize the methods described above - you have one week to figure it out, and then I'll start calling you out. I may do it creatively and from a place of love, but I'll still be calling you out.
Menu Item #27 "Hot & Spicy Knee Sleeve Stew" (Photo courtesy of CrossFit OneWorld)
OK, now that we have all that sorted, back to dance-offs, Drakkar Noir, and moves that bring me back to the golden days. Maybe I should bring back my high fade, Cross Colours jeans, and gold hoop earring:
WOD for 05-26-16:
Behind The Neck Strict Press:
6-6-6
Climbing, For Quality
-then-
Split Jerk:
3-3-2-2-1-1
-then-
AMRAP 5 Minutes:
20 Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs
200m Sprint
Holiday Schedule: Memorial Day (Monday, May 30th)
We will be open on Memorial Day (Monday, May 30th) running a holiday schedule with classes at 8am, 9am, and 10am. As we do every year, we will be joining other CrossFit affiliates and CrossFitters across the country in doing the traditional Memorial Day hero WOD, "Murph" - so plan accordingly and feel free to let us know of any questions.
Thanks for your attention!
WOD for 05-25-16:
For Time:
800m Run
40 Toes-to-Bar
40 Deadlifts @ 135/95 lbs
40 Handstand Push-ups
40 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
Weightlifting Shoe Cabinet: Spring Cleaning
The shoe cabinets intended to house weightlifting shoes (and only weightlifting shoes) for our members has become overrun with other items to the point where it's getting hard to actually get your shoes out without pulling a bunch of random stuff off the shelf with them. Sad looking jump ropes, non-weightlifting shoes, funky-smelling knee sleeves, abandoned weight belts, frumpy shoe boxes (what tha?), un-paired wrist wraps, and water bottles are just some of the random items currently in the cabinets that don't belong. Please check next time you're in the gym as we will be cleaning the cabinets out at the start of next week and donating any items that don't have homes.
And not to worry - I know some of you have asked me to re-post about nasty smelling knee sleeves (and gym funk in general), so that crowd favorite topic is also coming soon.
Thanks for your attention!
WOD for 05-24-16:
Back Squat:
12 Minutes to Work Up To Your 80% Working Weight
-then-
Alternating on a Running Clock...
On The 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 Minute Mark:
2 Back Squats @ 80% Across
One The 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22 Minute Mark:
12 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Want to up the intensity? Do the burpee box jumps faster (thus making your rest periods longer).
Weekend Competitors & Monday Night Yoga Reminder!
Take Your Yoga Pants (and Courtesy Shorts) To Yoga!
Reminder that Therapeutic Yoga starts with its first class on Monday Night at 7pm - click here for details and please make sure to sign-up in advance as you normally would. If you've ever been in CrossFit class with Dani and thought to yourself "wow, she moves really well" then you're spot on - so come to her class and let her guide you through some Therapeutic Yoga that can help you with range of motion, body awareness, and recovery. This class is FREE to Arena Ready members, so what are you waiting for? Sign-up already!
Weekend Competitors Crushing Life And Exercise!
Yeah that's right. Ten of our Arena Ready athletes competed this past weekend, with a couple of them even doubling-up for a Saturday-Sunday back-to-back performance.
On Saturday Mike S., Coach Sarah, and Kate "The Flying Squirrel" took the weightlifting platform at the PWA's "Wine Country Classic" in Napa, and all three had impressive showings. Squirrel went 57/71 for a 128kg PR competition total, inching her way ever closer to the American Open qualification. Sarah went 90/115 for a solid 205kg total, which was not a PR but was exactly what was planned for this meet - an American Open (and possible National Championship) qualifying total, following a week of recovery after competing at the CrossFit Games Regionals the prior weekend. Mike absolutely smashed his lifts by going 100/120 for a huge 220kg PR competition total, and even had 125 and 127kg easily overhead in the clean & jerk, but was called for press outs. Awesome job, lifters! And a big thank you to Coach Liz for her support and assistance, and to Coach Hillary for her always calming presence and wisdom in the craziness that is the warm-up room.
On Sunday Squirrel and Sarah joined Coach Cody, Coach Lindsay, Coach Hillary, Lindsay "LGB", Jess, Kim, and Lisa "Mini Rex" at the "Contra Costa Throwdown" for some competitive exercise, partner style. As of this writing we don't have any official results for the competition since it apparently ran quite late according to their original schedule, and the later heats were not completed - so you're all winners in my book, friends (haha)! Thanks to Sherman, Greg, Angela, Kathy, Mayra, Coach Liz, and all of the other Arena Ready supporters who came out to cheer for our teams.
Here's Coach Linds helping the elder stateswomen (masters athletes) Kim and Coach Hillary - better known as "Team Old Fashioneds" - recover in between events:
Interested in competing but don't know how or where to start? Click here for our earlier blog post which covered some initial advice on the topic!
WOD for 05-23-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
ODDS: Power Snatch + Squat Snatch + Overhead Squat, Across
EVENS: 30 Unbroken Double Unders
-then-
3 Rounds For Time:
21 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
18 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs
15 AbMat Sit-ups
12 Push-ups
Come Out And Support Your Swolemates!
Reminder to go out and support our Arena Ready athletes competing this weekend (click for details)!
Post to the private Arena Ready Facebook group to coordinate carpooling with other members.
Happy weekend, friends!
WOD for 05-21-16:
AMRAP 20 Minutes With a Partner:
400m Run TOGETHER
Then SPLIT...
21 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
15 Power Cleans @ 155/105 lbs
9 Push Jerks
The run is together, and then the 21-15-9 sequence is split with only one athlete working at a time (reps can be shared in any fashion). The chest-to-bar pull-ups cannot start until both partners have completed the run.
AR Athletes Competing This Weekend!
Saturday (May 21st): PWA Wine Country Classic
A few of the Arena Ready weightlifting team members will be taking the platform on Saturday at the Pacific Weightlifting Association's annual "Wine Country Classic" meet. Mike S, Coach Sarah, and Kate "The Flying Squirrel" will lift in attempts to set new personal competition totals and/or qualify for the 2016 USAW American Open Championships. Several of your fellow Arena Ready members, as well as a few members of the coaching staff, will be on site to cheer them on and enjoy some heavy lifting - so feel free to join us if you're so inclined!
Squirrel's session starts at 9am, Sarah's session starts at 2pm, and Mike's session starts at 4:30pm.
Here's the meet location:
CTS Fitness & Performance
1755 Industrial Way, Suite #15
Napa, CA 94558
Sunday (May 22nd): Contra Costa Throwdown
On Sunday, eight of our athletes will make their way over to the "2016 Contra Costa Throwdown - Partners Edition" for some partner fitness competition. The teams of Lindsay "LGB" + Jess D, Kim + Coach Hillary, Kate "The Flying Squirrel" + Coach Sarah, and Lisa "Mini Rex" + Coach Lindsay "Sparkle" StokMo will be paring up to attack some fun workouts in both the scaled and Rx divisions.
The workout/event details and live scoring for the competition can be found here on WODRocket (click for the link). Several Arena Ready members and supporters will be in attendance to scream their heads off for our four teams, so come by and join us for some competitive exercise!
Thanks to Coach Liz for culling the event organizer's schedule spreadsheet for the following Arena Ready teams' heat times (workout/event names in parenthesis):
9:16am Jess/LGB (Red Light/Green Light)
9:16am Kim/Hillary (Cluster)
9:40am Kate/Sarah and Lisa/Lindsay (Mirror/Rig)
10:46am Jess/LGB (Cluster)
10:46am Kim/Hill (Mirror/Rig)
11:58am Kate/Sarah and Lisa/Lindsay (Red Light/Green Light)
1:00pm Jess/LGB (Mirror/Rig)
1:06pm Kim/Hill (Red Light/Green Light)
1:24pm Kate/Sarah and Lisa/Lindsay (Cluster)
Here's the event location:
Concord High School
4200 Concord Boulevard
Concord, CA 94521
Interested in Competing?
Are you interested in competing in a weightlifting meet or a functional fitness competition? You don't have to be "elite" in order to participate and compete! Local weightlifting meets often have many newcomers to the sport entered in the competition, and several of our Arena Ready weightlifting team members lifted in a meet long before they ever thought they were "good enough" to compete. Similarly, local fitness competitions and "throwdowns" often have scaled or beginner divisions for those who are new to competition. Just like training for a 5K or a trail run, you don't have to be "a contender to win" in order to enter, train for the event, compete, have fun with some friends, and learn from your experience - weightlifting and functional fitness are no different.
Contact Coaches Rob and Sarah if you are interested and would like to know more about training for a weightlifting meet and/or functional fitness competition. Coach Lindsay (AR's official "Throwdown Competition Chair") can also assist in finding fitness competitions that have scaled or beginner divisions for those looking to get their first event under their belt!
WOD for 05-20-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 13:00
With a Partner For Quality:
600m Run TOGETHER
Then Split...
600m Row
40 Box Jumps @ pick height
40 Walking Lunges
40 PVC OR Empty Bar Overhead Squats
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 4x4 back squats.
B) From 13:00 - 50:00
Back Squat (Week 6, Day 2):
4x4 @ 90%
Across
Therapeutic Yoga: Starting Monday, May 23rd
Therapeutic Yoga is coming to Arena Ready on Monday evenings (from 7-8pm), starting Monday, May 23rd!
Dani, whom many of you have worked out with here at Arena Ready, will be teaching the 60-minute class in the lounge in AR South (main gym side). Here's Dani's description of what to expect during her Therapeutic Yoga class:
Therapeutic yoga is probably very different from what most people think of when they think of yoga. Not quite restorative, definitely not vinyasa, you can expect some stability work, standing poses, twists, and a whole lot of laying on the floor connecting to a deeper breath. I teach a slow practice, and will encourage a mind - body connection by asking you to pay attention to the more subtle aspects of the body (breath, skin, muscles, bones).
Moving in this slower way helps reveal both strengths and weaknesses you might not be able to connect with during more intense workouts. This awareness translates to every other area of life, including kicking ass in the gym. I'm a stickler for alignment, and as someone who injured myself practicing a more popular yoga style it is important to me that people practice yoga in a safe way. I play fun music, I don't chant, and I promise I'll leave your chakras alone. Besides, where else in your life to you get express permission and encouragement to slow down, breathe, and CTFO (chill the f*ck out) for an hour?
FINALLY: I often hear people say they can't do yoga because they're not flexible. Frankly, that's like saying someone shouldn't do CrossFit because they can't do a muscle up :) All bodies are welcome and this is appropriate/accessible for everyone at AR.
Class will be ongoing on Monday nights from 7-8pm, and the first class starts Monday, May 23rd. We'll take a holiday break on Memorial Day (May 30th) and return on June 6th.
I hope to see you there!
~Dani
Please sign-in just as you would for any other class, and let us know if you have any questions.
WOD for 05-19-16:
5 Rounds of:
5 Bench Press (pick load)
8 Evil Wheels OR 16 Hollow Rocks
250m Row
Rest as needed between rounds. Record loading for each bench press set and times for every 250m row interval. The goal is to maintain a pace of +/-2 seconds for every 250m interval.
(Compare to 11-19-15)
Francesco on What It Means To Be "Arena Ready"
Francesco shared some kind words about what it means to be "Arena Ready" on our private Facebook page, and they were so thoughtful that I wanted to post them here as well:
I never thought much of the name "Arena Ready". Watching Sarah compete at the regionals this past weekend, and seeing all of the support we brought for her changed that. It took three years of working out with you all to finally get what Arena Ready really means. I think it can be described as the sum of the parts below.
Athlete: Has a commitment to constant improvement and being comfortable with the uncomfortable, and most times, ugly. This provides an inherent focus and drive keeps the body moving, rep after rep, without hesitation.
Coach: The Third Eye, The Maestro, The Pacemaker. The Coach speaks louder than the pain and chaos and reminds the Athlete of not only their focus, but of their ability...that they have done this before, have been in pain before, have been challenged before, and have always figured a way out. When the Athlete's eyes go dark, the Coach's voice is there to move them forward like a marionette, or a seeing-eye dog. They know when to push, and when to hold back...the right balance to keep the Athlete in the zone without breaking down.
Team: The Team understands, because individually, they have all been there. They can feel the barbell in their hands, smell the chalk in the air, and see the sweat dripping down their faces. They know what it is like to look over and see someone else go on to the next movement and wonder if they can continue to push on. Then, they remember getting stung repeatedly by double-unders, the first time pulling themselves above a bar, and the feeling of landing a perfect split-jerk. The fire in their bellies begins to burn bright, and then they shout and cheer. They are loud and furious, not only because they want their Athlete to know they are in this together, but to let every other competitor out there know that their Athlete is special. Their Athlete is loved and supported. This electricity stirs their Athlete, and pushes them forward. The Athlete inhales, and the Team exhales. They are one.
None of these things stands alone. Being Arena Ready means you have all three, at all times. It is what makes our gym and all of its members special.
Many thanks to Rob and Sarah for creating the anti-gym, the community that we all love and can't live without. Thanks for making us all Arena Ready.
-Francesco D
Thanks so much for sharing, Francesco.
WOD for 05-18-16:
Sumo Deadlift:
8-8-8-8
Climbing
-then-
4 Rounds for Time:
400m Run
12 Toes-to-Bar
12 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
12 One-Arm Kettlebell Hang Snatch @ 53/35 lbs (6 Right/6 Left)
SAN > SFO
It was a late arrival back home tonight, so all I gots for ya' is the WOD.
Looking forward to seeing you all in the next few days. Home sweet home!
WOD for 05-17-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 12:00
Front Rack Lunge:
8-8-8-8 (total, alternating)
Climbing. Work to a moderate top set.
B) From 12:00 - 32:00
Back Squat (Week 6, Day 1):
6x2 @ 80%
Across.
C) From 35:00 - 39:00
AMRAP 4 Minutes:
12 Russian Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
8 Burpees
Regionals: It's a Wrap!
Top 10 overall in one of the deepest talent pools in all of CrossFit. BOOM!
More thoughts coming in the next few days. We're excited to get back home and see all of our wonderful Arena Ready family this week!
WOD for 05-16-16:
Power Clean + 3 Push Jerks:
10 minutes to establish a moderate top set (NOT max)
-then-
Five 2-Minute Cycles for MAX REPS:
200m Sprint
18 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
MAX REPS Shoulder-to-Overhead @ 135/95 lbs
(Rest 2 Minutes Between Cycles)
Regionals: Day 2 in The Books!
Day 2 of the 2016 CrossFit Games California "Super" Regional is in the books, and it was another grueling day of competition with some truly gut-check tests of fitness. Sarah currently stands in 13th place overall after hanging tough through the back-to-back nastiness of Events 3 & 4, and the posterior pain of Event 5!
You can watch all of the final day's action live on the CrossFit Games website (click here for full details), as well as the archived events. Sarah's Day 3 (Sunday) scheduled heat times are as follows:
Event 6 - 12:20pm (Heat 2, Lane 4)
Event 7 - TBD based on overall standings after Event 6 (sometime between 2:45pm - 3:05pm)
WOD for 05-15-16:
Open Gym!
Regionals: Day 1 in The Books!
Day 1 of the 2016 CrossFit Games California "Super" Regional is in the books, and it was an awesome day of competition down in Del Mar. With the "loudest cheering section of Day 1" (as the live stream announcers put it), Coach Sarah finds herself in 7th place overall following an exciting near-win in Event 1 and a very strong showing in Event 2, which contained some of her most challenging movements. The 7th place overall standing means she has shot up the leaderboard and will be in Saturday's top heat ("Heat 4") for Event 3/4 and Event 5, along with the other top 10 competitors.
You can watch all of the action live on the CrossFit Games website (click here for full details), as well as the archived events. Sarah's Day 2 (Saturday) scheduled heat times are as follows:
Event 3/4 - 12:55pm ("Heat 4, Lane 2")
Event 5 - 4:00pm ("Heat 4, Lane 2")
WOD for 05-14-16:
IN TEAMS OF THREE...
For Time*:
100 Calorie Row
1000m Run w/Medicine Ball @ 20/14 lbs
100 Deadlifts @ 185/135 lbs**
100 Burpees Over Rower
100 Calorie Row
*One athlete working at a time. Reps can be split in any fashion the team sees fit, and they do not have to be split evenly.
**One teammate must be holding the medicine ball overhead while the deadlift reps accumulate. The ball cannot rest on the athlete's head, and the athlete's hands can be the only body part touching the ball. Once the ball is dropped from overhead the deadlift reps must stop.