Workout of the Day
Short-Term Pain & Long-Term Gain
"The secret to success is simpler than you might realize. The single factor that separates the ultra successful from everyone else is that successful people endure short-term pain (even seek it out) for long-term gain, while unsuccessful people give-in to short-term pleasure (even seek it out) and experience long term pain."
-Ben Bergeron
Where do you fall in this spectrum? In your training? In your career? In your life/relationships?
WOD for 07-07-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
Minute 1: 8-12 Pistols, alternating
Minute 2: 30-Second Tuck Sit
-then-
"Mighty Mini Nightmare"
IN TEAMS OF TWO...
AMRAP 18 Minutes:
18 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
15/12 Calorie Row
Only one athlete working at a time. Athlete A completes one full round and then switches so that Athlete B can complete one full round. Score is the team's total rounds + reps completed.
10 Years of CrossFit
Pat Sherwood was the "Flowmaster" at our CrossFit Level 1 Seminar nearly seven years ago when Sarah and I decided to become CrossFit trainers. The Flowmaster is in charge of running the weekend-long course, leading some of the most important lectures and managing the rest of the HQ staff on hand as they guide the attendees through hands-on training instruction and classroom lectures. Sarah went on to work for the HQ Seminar Staff with Pat for a few years, traveling around the world spreading the good will of CrossFit to eager wannabe trainers and gym owners. Pat was a great mentor and is a friend - and as one of the "OG" CrossFitters his perspective and observations are always insightful, entertaining, and helpful.
Last year, Pat shared his thoughts on CrossFit after having his 10-year anniversary since doing his very first WOD:
"Aug. 18, 2015, marked my 10-year anniversary since doing my very first CrossFit workout. This last decade has taught me a lot. Looking back, I did a lot of things right, and even more things wrong. In sharing my observations and lessons learned, perhaps I can help some people as they progress toward their 10-year anniversary.
10. Take training seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously. Have more fun. When you are new, every day seems like it's raining PRs. That will eventually slow down. Always strive to improve, but learn to enjoy going to the gym, working hard and going home … regardless of how the workout went.
9. Read the CrossFit Journal from the very first article, which was published in April of 2002. There is a wealth of information buried in those old articles.
8. Eating healthy is important, but please don't be the weirdo that turns down cake and ice cream at a birthday party because it does not fit your diet.
7. The first time someone told me about CrossFit, I thought it sounded ridiculous. This was due to my ignorance of what CrossFit's methodologies truly were. I was closed minded and thought I knew everything. If you encounter people like that (like I was), be patient. CrossFit is fun and effective; there is no denying that. Most of us thick-headed know-it-all types will eventually come around if you give us enough time and some sound information. (See No. 9.)
6. When it comes to getting fit, you can't beat the classics: couplets, triplets, chippers, EMOMs, heavy lifting, gymnastics, running, etc. I've been very lucky to interview and spend a lot of time with the fittest people in our community. I will let the cat out of the bag: There is no secret training. Don't cherry-pick workouts. Work your weaknesses. Train with variance. You will improve.
5. Get out of the gym. Working out is awesome! CrossFit is awesome! It's safe to say that I'm a CrossFit fanatic. That being said, if 10 minutes after meeting you we are still talking about your back squat, I'm secretly bored to tears. Seek balance in your life. Go for a hike. Learn to play a new sport. Go use your fitness. Enjoy life.
4. Crawl. Walk. Run. Master the basics. These days people see the CrossFit Games and they want top-level lifts and times immediately. That's not the way it works. Those men and women have put in years of work to be able to do what they do. You will have to do the same. Don't be in a rush to advance. Do not blow off the fundamentals only to develop bad habits you will one day need to break.
3. Support other communities. If someone does not do CrossFit because they choose to only Olympic lift, power lift, run, do pilates, yoga or something else … WHO CARES? Obviously, I'm biased and think CrossFit would better prepare them for a long, healthy life, but at least they are not sitting on the couch stuffing their face with sugar.
2. Be humble. If you walk around with an attitude because you have fast times or big lifts, well, there's no other way to put it … you're a douche bag. Also, one day you will not be the strongest or the fastest. Someone will be better than you, and then you will be left with nothing and surrounded by people you did not treat with kindness.
1. Help others on their journey. Remember when you first picked up a barbell or tried a muscle-up? Remember when you could not kip or even do a single pull-up? Remember when proper nutrition seemed overwhelming and confusing? Do you remember the person who did not look down on you for being inexperienced, but rather genuinely cared and helped you? Be that person.
I look forward to the next 10 years."
—Pat Sherwood, CrossFit HQ
WOD for 07-06-16:
Front Squat:
4-4-4-4-4-4
Climbing
-then-
For Time:
500m Row
400m Run
30 Burpees
20 Double Kettlebell Front Squats @ 53/35 lbs (each side)
10 Muscle-ups
Independence Day WOD
Thanks to everyone who came in on Monday for a 4th of July hero WOD, "Hotshots 19." We had a great time coaching such an energetic and determined group, and as always it was a fun time with friends and fitness at its best.
Thanks once again to Jeff B for snapping some great shots of the workout and our amazing athletes!
WOD for 07-05-16:
Behind-the-Neck Strict Press:
5-5-5
For Quality
-then-
Push Jerk:
3-3-2-2-1-1
-then-
AMRAP 3 Minutes:
9 Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs
9 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
REST 3 Minutes, THEN...
AMRAP 3 Minutes:
9 Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs
9 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
July 4th: Hotshots 19
Please make sure to cancel ASAP if you're not able to make it in for the "Hotshots 19" hero WOD on Monday (and had previously signed-up), so that someone can take your spot. If you're waitlisted and want to work out then come on in and we'll do our best to accommodate everyone.
We wish everyone safe and happy 4th of July!
WOD for 07-04-16:
6 Rounds For Time:
30 Air Squats
19 Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
7 Strict Pull-ups
400m Run
(Compare to 07-04-14)
Training For Life
"You can sit back and do nothing, feel sorry, waiting for something to happen. Or you can make it happen. Where you have some control over how it all happens...
... The excellence of how you do things is the measurement of a good life. And it's a life where it's up to you to make it better, to make it meaningful."
-Jim Whistnaut, CrossFitter (80 years of age)
WOD FOR 07-02-16:
In Teams of Three Athletes...
AMRAP 17 Minutes:
Athletes A and B Share & Complete (only one working at a time):
7 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
7 Overhead Squats
7 Lateral Bar Burpees
Athlete C Completes:
500m Row
There must always be one athlete rowing, and the athlete must always switch after 500m. The team's score is rounds & reps completed of the triplet.
Stress and Living on the Roof
A post from my (Rob) favorite nutrition coach (for the original article click here)...
All of my clients, and I believe nearly all people, would love to build a beautifully balanced life, to eat perfectly Paleo meals and be free from cravings for salt, sugar or alcohol. They'd like to sleep eight or more hours per night and wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. They'd like to work out consistently except for their perfectly coordinated rest days, with always flawless technique. There would be no need for stress management, because each day would represent an oasis of fresh, colorful fruit and veggies, plenty of clear, cold water, clear mind, full heart, and joyous exercise. Chris Kresser defines these four elements: nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management, as the "four pillars of health," and I tend to agree with him.
Many of my clients have limited ability to focus on these four pillars because they have created a world in which they feel like they are fighting for survival - trying to make ever more money to support lifestyles ever more extravagant in cities which are ever more expensive. Fear of not having enough - money, time, accolades - drives us to enter survival mode. If you feel like you are fighting for survival, eating nutritious food, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly can't be among your top priorities. In survival mode, all you care about is living to fight another day.
When we exist in survival mode, our bodies respond with cortisol and adrenaline, potentially fueled by caffeine. We are constantly ready to fight - no time for sleep- we stay up late and wake up early. We go from email to phone call to meeting to flight to traffic to bills. No time for nutritious meals - we forget to eat until we're starving, and then we eat whatever quick and easy calorie bomb will get us through. No time for exercise - we sit in a screen-induced trance, forgetting to even move for hours on end, slouching further into our chairs, and sagging into our standing desks, wondering why our atrophying bodies hurt everywhere. No time for stress management - we can't even breathe, much less breathe deeply, and we can't imagine finding time to go outside or play with dogs and children with no agenda. Every single moment feels urgent, critical, and time-sensitive.
If you are existing in survival mode, there are two things to evaluate: what do I really need/want, and am I doing what I need to be doing/can do to get there? Through evaluating your priorities, you can sift through the things that are meaningful - the things that bring you joy or fulfillment, and/or the things that are necessary to ensure the survival of your family - and make choices to ensure that the things taking your time or money, are also bringing you joy or fulfillment, and contributing to your survival.
Once we've fixed the foundation, and are no longer feeling threatened, we can then focus more effectively on building health. These four critical elements enable us to thrive, and the absence of any or all of these components will lead to feeling gross in the short-term, and being sick in the long term.
The foundation relates to basic survival.
The pillars relate to optimal health.
Then we can focus on the future.
Too many people confuse the roof and the foundation. You can't fight for the roof in survival mode as though your life depends on it, without crumbling in the pillars. You can't realistically talk about the luxury of fulfillment or achieving lofty goals if you're unsure whether you will actually live to see the day that you experience them.
Your life plan should absolutely ensure your foundation is solid - that you have enough money to keep a roof over your head, food on your table, and time to enjoy the people you love. If you're truly stressed because of flaws in your foundation, pay close attention to that - manage your income, your lifestyle, and your expectations so they're in sync.
If you've established that you're striving for goals that represent luxuries versus necessities,slow down, stop stressing, and focus on building the pillars. Learn about nutrition - food quality and quantity, meal prep and cooking. Get enough sleep - turn off the lights, put down the phone. Exercise regularly - find a routine you like and stick to it consistently. Manage stress, but only to recognize when it's overtaking you, and decide whether it's your foundation that's stressing you, or your roof. If it's the roof, take a step back, do more deep breathing, and realize that you're only one person, and Rome wasn't built in a day.
WOD for 07-01-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
Minute 1: 3 Deadlifts, climbing to your working weight for the AMRAP
Minute 2: 3 Pull-ups + 2 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups + 1 Bar Muscle-up
-then-
AMRAP 10 Minutes:
3 Deadlifts @ 315/225 lbs
1 Round of "Cindy"
1 Round of 'Cindy" is:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-up
15 Air Squats
We Talkin' About Practice
Wednesday's "for quality" good mornings and clean pull + power clean technique session reminded me of a post from last winter. As I watched most athletes actually do the two exercises for quality and with position, technique, and balance in mind I thought to myself "yup, that's gonna transfer over eventually." By contrast, the few who loaded up and struggled through the exercises (even as my facial expression and Randy Jackson impression of "that wasn't your best, Dawg... it was a little pitchy, Dawg" articulated my feelings on the performance) likely spent time re-enforcing existing bad habits (sadly).
Of course there's a time and place to load it up, go heavy, and push the limits. But when we're tying to develop movement patterns and fix technique, that has to be done at sub-maximal loads. Through practice.
Number of times AI says the word "practice" in this video... twenty-five.
John Welbourn once told me, "when the bullets start flying EVERYONE drops to their level of training."
Another way of saying this is "when the clock starts running or the weights get heavy, the body gets tired, and the fight or flight response kicks in, every athlete starts moving the way they always move... in training... in warm-ups... in PRACTICE... in everyday life." No one ever starts "rising to the occasion" and miraculously looking perfect, as if all they ever needed to move well was simply the pressure of intensity and/or heavier loads.
In thousands of hours of coaching I can tell you that this is one of the truest concepts of training. We see it all the time, day after day. The athlete who moves well in warm-ups, and has put the work in on doing just that, generally moves well in workouts, in strength sessions, and in competition (even if that "competition" is simply life). The lifter who looks sharp and precise with the empty bar usually looks pretty damn good with heavy loads. Alternatively, the guy or gal who consistently goes through the motions and lazily moves their body until things get heavy or hard usually has a tough time holding position when things become just that... heavy or hard. Sometimes said athlete thinks, "well the people who look good in warm-ups and with low weights are just lucky... they're born that way and they're just really flexible/mobile/short/tall/etc." In some cases there can be truth in that statement, but in most I would argue that those people have worked really damn hard to be able to put their bodies in the right positions. But since fixing movement with little or no load isn't glamorous, and can be crushing to the athlete's ego and patience, most who aren't good at it chalk it up to "I'm just not built that way, and I need some more weight to make it look and feel better." Not true. You "need some more weight" to make it look passable... until of course the weight is heavy enough, or the workout hard enough, that passable can no longer complete the task. Then he/she usually enters one of two territories - Miss-ville (the land of a thousand misses) OR Snap City (sometimes referred to as Sketch City or "holy crap I hope no one was watching that"). Very strong athletes who are also very limited in their mobility can likely identify with that situation (although they're not the only ones in this boat) - it feels hard with little to no weight, then it feels fine with moderate loading, then it just gets frustratingly impossible at heavier loads which are still well under his/her perceived maximum potential.
I don't think Dr. Dave or Charles (two of our members at Arena Ready) would ever consider themselves in the same mobility/flexibility/position sphere as Kate F.Sq. - in fact I think both would freely admit that certain elements of position are extremely challenging for them, and have been for some time. But both of them have worked hard to get better posturally and positionally over the last couple of years, and as a coach who has had the pleasure of watching their progress I can say that their efforts have made a huge difference - in their lifts, in their workouts, and in their general day-to-day movement (some might call that "daily life").
Here's Dr. Dave with a PR deadlift at 315 lbs:
Here's Charles with a PR at 305 lbs:
Perfect? No. Pretty damn good though? Yes. And a hell of a lot better than it was 12, 18, 24 months ago. You might watch that and say "well those guys had a lot left in the tank for more!"... and I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you. But on that day, for that lift, the bar was MUCH heavier than either of them had ever lifted in their lives before (i.e. "the bullets were definitely flying"), and yet that's what it looked like (pretty damn good) in the above videos. In a few weeks or months when the bar is even heavier I would be willing to bet it will look about the same, if not slightly better, and with a few more plates on each side - and many will still think "damn, those guys had a lot left in the tank for more!"
And perhaps, on that day to come, I'll still agree that in fact they did. But the next day Charles will be playing with his kids or going for a run, and Dave will be in the ER treating patients and not at home treating his own tweaked back.
So yeah. We talkin' about practice.
And just for fun, here's Kate F.Sq. with a PR of 255 lbs at roughly 105 lbs bodyweight:
WOD for 06-30-16:
Back Squat:
12 minutes to build to your working weight
-then-
On a Running Clock...
At the 0:00, 4:00, 8:00, 12:00, 16:00, 20:00 Mark:
4 Back Squats
Across
At the 2:00, 6:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, 22:00 Mark:
200m Medicine Ball Carry
Pick loading
4th of July Holiday Schedule
We'll be open on the 4th of July (Monday), and will run a holiday class schedule for a traditional "Hero" WOD. Classes will be slightly longer to accommodate a bigger group if needed, and we'll have class start times at 9:00am and 10:15am. Please sign-up for class in advance as usual (and make sure to cancel ASAP if you're not able to to make it, so someone can take your spot!).
Thank you, and please let us know if you have any questions.
WOD for 06-29-16:
Barbell Good Morning:
8-8-8
For Quality
-then-
Clean Pull + Power Clean:
5 Sets of (1+1)
Climbing to 80% of 1RM power clean (not a max set). Prioritize position and finishing your leg drive in the 2nd pull.
-then-
5 Rounds of Row Intervals:
1:00 Max Calories
1:30 Rest
Score by total calories across all 5 rounds.
Finding Your Swolemate
#Infarkle
Some time ago Lisa G posted her blog "Finding Your Swolemate" - it's a great read, and fun to hear her perspective on the community of athletes at Arena Ready whom she considers her partners in crime. The full article can be found here, and below is an excerpt:
I’m lucky in that I have my husband, who has been my biggest supporter and fan throughout all my endeavors. I don’t like to get overly mushy, but Greg’s definitely my soulmate. He gets me, and occasionally knows more about me than I do about myself. I am absolutely a lucky girl to have such a person in my life. That being said, Greg and I have always agreed that me and my lifting/CrossFitting is separate from his exercise regime. So, while I’m truly fortunate to have him, I’m even more lucky to have more than one “swolemate” or training partner at my gym. Finding one swolemate isn’t easy, and having a whole team of them is something that has certainly taken a lot of time. But I rely on each and everyone of my swolemates to get me through my training. If I were to do a breakdown of where I spend the most time that isn’t my office, it’s at the gym. I’m a creature of habit too, and most of us crazies who workout at 6AM are just as passionate about making sure exercise is a priority as I am (because let’s be honest…waking up to lift heavy things requires some serious dedication).
The most awesome part about having more than one swolemate is that each person gives me inspiration or motivation in different ways. And just to be clear, I have both girl and guy swolemates. So to capture the reasons why having a swolemate at the gym is better than suffering solo, I thought I’d put together a few reasons why having a swolemate makes exercise much more palatable and fun!
Gary, Lisa, Kim, and Coach Laura
WOD for 06-28-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
Minute 1: 12 Unbroken Handstand Push-ups
Minute 2: 36 Unbroken Double Unders
-then-
4 Rounds For Time:
200m Run
12 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
12 Toes-to-Bar
Arena Ready at The Track & Ballpark!
Track Day Saturday
On Saturday morning forty of our Arena Ready athletes made their way out to the track for a morning workout in the sun with friends new & old. It was a blast getting outside the gym and enjoying some exercise in the sunshine among trees, grass, and a beautiful track. Thanks to everyone who came out (what a big, energetic group!) and made it a fantastic kickoff for the weekend!
A big shout out to Jeff B for snapping some awesome photos of our athletes attacking the Sweaty Saturday WOD - a few of his pics are included below (as well as in the banner of this post):
Ballpark Sunday
On Sunday another big group of Arena Ready folks headed out to AT&T Park to watch the Giants beat the Phillies under sunny San Francisco skies:
If you're a member at Arena Ready but aren't in our private Arena Ready Facebook group (where a lot of the news and organizing of these types of events are posted) then make sure to click on the link and request to be added!
WOD for 06-27-16:
"Partner Death By Barbell"
10 Rounds For Time, Split Evenly:
15 Deadlifts @ 135/95 lbs
12 Hang Power Cleans
9 Front Squats
6 Push Jerks
One athlete working at a time. Partner A completes one full round and then Partner B completes one full round, etc. Each athlete will complete 5 rounds for a team total of 10 rounds.
(Compare to 10-05-13)
Saturday Outdoor WOD & Class Cancellations
So as it turns out the Friday through Sunday No Parking restriction and accompanying street construction on Connecticut Street (which started immediately after the 7am class ended on Friday morning) have made it a bit too noisy and disruptive to comfortably run workouts at Arena Ready, so we have cancelled ALL of our Saturday and Sunday morning classes. Instead (and by popular demand from many of you who have been requesting the return of an "AR Outside" workout anyway) we'll be organizing an outdoor WOD for Saturday morning starting at 9am. If you'd like to join us please sign-up online (or through the Arena Ready app or Mindbody Connect app) so we know how many to expect, and then meet us near the SF State Track ten minutes before 9am on Saturday morning. We'll meet on the ground floor of the parking garage at the end of State Drive (off of Lake Merced Blvd) - use "796 State Drive" as your Google Maps navigation address:
We will walk down to the track together from the parking garage at 9am sharp - this is my way of saying "you will carry a kettlebell with you down to the track as the first part of your warm-up, and as a preview of your not-so-cool cool down." Wear your running shoes and bring a water bottle (they have a drinking fountain on the track).
We apologize for the changes/cancellations and thank you for your understanding. Everything should be back to normal (parking included) on Monday morning for our 6am and 7am classes. Meantime, come out and play on Saturday - it will be fun to take our fitness outside of the gym!
WOD for 06-25-16:
Sign-up for the "Outdoor WOD" and come join us to find out what we have in store for you!
Be Smart, Move Well, Get Healthy
CrossFit defines itself as "constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity." Functional movements are exercises which can move large loads long distances quickly, or generate a high power output. High intensity relates to high power output, the idea is that the more weight you move, and the quicker you do it, the more effective that workout will be in getting you results relating to better fitness, better body composition, more strength, etc. Over time, varying the exercises, reps, time domains, workout styles, etc. in a thoughtful, strategic manner will help to broaden your fitness horizons and prepare you for an incredibly wide variety of physical demands.
The definition of fitness, per CrossFit, is "work capacity across broad time and modal domains." This means the ability to move weighted things, including the body, using a wide variety of techniques against gravity for short, medium, long, and even very long time intervals. CrossFit takes fitness one step farther and defines health as "fitness across all the years of our lives." The goal, then, is to improve work capacity by reducing the number of areas in which we struggle, to be able to do the same workouts faster or with more weight, and in general to be able to move ever more quickly no matter the task at hand, even as we age.
Injury is a glaring impediment to these goals. If we are injured, our ability to move weight with the injured body part goes to nothing, and our work capacity in that particular domain becomes zero. Our fitness is reduced partially, or even completely, depending on the severity of the injury. Injuries aggregated over a lifetime can lead to being pretty near incapacitated if not properly treated and rehabilitated, and even if properly treated can lead to some pretty serious stuff over time.
Partially with injury in mind, CrossFit also teaches a progression from Mechanics - learning the proper technique for a movement; to Consistency - performing the movement correctly every time, and working out consistently; and finally to Intensity - working to increase power output by going faster and/or adding more weight. When our coaches at Arena Ready suggest slowing down, reducing the external load, reducing the reps, or any other means of making the workout easier, it's typically because we see a fault in the athlete's mechanics, or in their consistency - the movement is different each time, or the athlete hasn't worked out much recently. Inconsistent workouts don't mean an athlete shouldn't come back to the gym, but if it's been awhile it's critical to come back cautiously knowing that some capacity for moving heavy weight and/or doing lots of reps will be temporarily lost. It's also very difficult to know how much is too much if you haven't done the movement recently.
Our primary goal for our athletes is to lay a foundation for a healthy lifestyle - we want our athletes to know how to and be able to move safely, effectively, and efficiently no matter whether they're in the gym, carrying heavy boxes, playing other sports, or anything else their lives demand. We want to introduce CrossFit at a rate which enables them to learn the movements safely, and build work capacity while also building range of motion, and kinesthetic awareness. It's a difficult task as a trainer to hold an eager athlete back, but please trust that our interest is in keeping you healthy long enough to get fit.
So often people get injured because they pushed themselves against their instincts - they added weight even though they weren't sure how to do the movement, they worked out when they knew they should rest, they kept going for extra reps even though they could feel their form failing. Our trainers can tell when your form is breaking down, but we can only do so much to advise you to concentrate on your movement, do each rep as well as you can, back off when you need to, and generally leave a little on the table in the interest of being able to do this tomorrow, next week, and for years to come. Please listen when we advise you to back off, and even better, please listen to your instincts. It's important to build into things slowly. One pull-up shouldn't become 20 right away, just as a snatch doesn't go from 135 to 200 overnight. Build slowly, keep track of your progress, know where you're at, and improve your work capacity across all the years of your life.
Be smart, move well, and get healthy... and some day you may even be able to levitate.
WOD for 06-24-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
Minute 1: 3 Push Presses, Climbing
Minute 2: 10 One-Arm Kettlebell Hang Snatches (alternate after 5 reps), For Quality (pick loading)
-then-
3 Rounds For Max Reps:
1 Minute of Dumbbell Burpee Over Box @ 24/20 in (pick loading)
1 Minute of REST
1 Minute of One-Arm Kettlebell Hang Snatches @ 53/35 lbs (alternate R/L every 5 reps)
1 Minute of REST