Workout of the Day
Arena Ready at The 2016 LifeWorx Throwdown
This Saturday a team of three from Arena Ready will compete at the 2016 Lifeworx Throwdown in San Jose. Team "The Natural Flaming Squirrels" is comprised of Zach "The Natural", Coach Jon "Inferno", and Kate "The Flying Squirrel" - they came up with the creative team name all by themselves (insert humorous comment of your choice here). But seriously, these three athletes make a formidable team, and they will have Coach Sparkle on site to keep them in line and to make sure they stick with the game plan (after she conducts Camp Sparkle during AR's 8am Saturday class first, of course - no 9am Camp Sparkle this week, parents).
If you're available this Saturday our team would love your support - heat times and event location are included below:
Heat Times:
9:05am, 11:03am, 1:15pm
Location:
CrossFit Lifeworx
14388 Union Avenue
San Jose, CA 95124
Good luck you three (+ Coach Sparks)! Get after it, kick ass, and have some fun!
WOD for 08-18-16:
For Time:
4 Rounds of "Cindy"
1 Round of "DT"
3 Rounds of "Cindy"
1 Round of "DT"
2 Rounds of "Cindy"
1 Round of "DT"
1 Round of "Cindy"
1 Round of "DT"
1 Round of "Cindy" is:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air Squats
1 Round of "DT" is:
12 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
9 Hang Power Cleans
6 Push Jerks
SF Fire vs LA Reign LIVE: Thursday, Aug 18th 3pm PT
The 2016 NPGL Season starts on Wednesday with two matches, and then Coach Sarah and the San Francisco Fire take on the Los Angeles Reign in their opening match on Thursday, Aug 18th at 3pm PT. Matches will be aired in primetime (after being edited and made fancy) on NBC Sports Network starting in September HOWEVER you can watch all the matches LIVE via GRID TV (click here). For all the details on how to watch the matches click here to get the scoop from the NPGL.
The Gridmaster offered a prediction for Thursday's SF vs LA match and you can read the entire article here - an excerpt is included below:
LA’s Monique Williams is the 2015 MVP. Alongside her is the 2016 NPGL Draft No. 1 pick Kelly Wild, veterans Sheila Barden and Tonia Osborne, and some new, hungry rookies. Watch for both Williams and Wild to run rampant in all four quadrants of the GRID. Rob Blackwell will handle much of the leadership within the men’s squad as the most experienced member of that team, but Shane de Freitas, a world-class gymnast from Barbados, will undoubtedly be a standout in the Echoes with handstand push-ups, muscle-ups, and in the body-weight elements required in Jack and Jill .
For San Fran, I expect Sarah (Hopping) Estrella to be a major force through this entire match. Although the weights are light as compared to other matches, Estrella is strong and I expect her to handle perhaps two quadrants of the Mirror, and much of the barbell work in Quadrant 4 of the Echoes and the Triad. This should not detract from the other very strong women on this team, but without a doubt, Hopping will be clutch.
For the men, Eric Cardona will execute lightning fast handstand push-ups on both Echoes, which will be put LA’s de Freitas to the test, (see ”Races to Watch”) and Tyler Cummings will be a factor in the Triads picking up reps for his teammates if needed, especially on the rope climbs.
Adam Cantrell, a second-year Fire athlete, should be dominant in this match. He is the perfect size and speed for Pike’s Peak — with its relatively light weights and Cantrell’s shorter levers, he will be all over Quadrant 4 cycling the bar like a boss.
- Gridmaster Previews: San Francisco at LA Reign
Time to get excited for some fast-paced GRID action!
WOD for 08-17-16:
On a Running Clock...
A) At 0:00
For Time:
800m Run OR Row
60 Walking Lunges
40 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Kettlebell Goblet Squats @ 53/35 lbs
B) From 14:00 - 34:00
Back Squat:
5-5-5-5-5
Climbing
Add to you top set from 08-12-15
Aug 22nd Yoga Rescheduled to Aug 28th
We had another great yoga class on Monday night with Dani, so we wanted to notify you all well in advance that our Monday evening, Aug 22nd yoga class will be re-scheduled for Sunday morning, Aug 28th at 10am. Hopefully this will allow some folks who normally cannot attend yoga on Monday nights to give it a whirl on a Sunday morning... perhaps even after Open Gym!
As always, let us know if you have any questions - and thanks for your attention.
WOD for 08-16-16:
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes);
MINUTE 1: 12 Alternating 1-Arm Dumbbell Power Snatches, pick load
MINUTE 2: 6-12 Strict Ring Dips, pick reps
-then-
4 Rounds For Time:
21 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
15 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
9 Burpees
Finding a Common Bond
I love this guy's enthusiasm. Plus - wait for it (at about 3:57) - he knows what's up...
Did anyone notice we didn't run at all last week? Huh.
WOD for 08-16-16:
Strict Press:
5x3
Across
-then-
4 Rounds, Go Every 4 Minutes:
400m Run
25 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Score by your SLOWEST time for any given round.
Keep Showing Up
Keep showing up. It's a refrain that runs through so many of the stories we hear at the Olympics - the commentators had a lot to say about unfinished business for Ali Raisman and Michael Phelps. Michelle Carter just won gold in the Shot Put after finishing 15th in 2008 and 5th in 2012. This evening I was especially struck by the back story for Anthony Ervin, a 2000 gold medalist who went through a rough patch, then experienced a disappointing race in 2012 and made it back to earn another gold at 35 years old.
The funny thing is that they wouldn't have had these experiences if they had given up, and you can bet they fought through an awful lot of doubt, discouragement, and difficulty in the four years leading up to these successes. It's easy to watch the end result - the accomplishment - and get duped by the apparent simplicity - the ease with which they prove they are the best at what they do.
The truth is, they kept showing up. I obviously haven't spoken with any of them, but I know something about unfinished business. If I had to guess, they knew they could be better, and that they still had a desire to explore the limits of their capacity. Maybe part of them also knew they might never again be this good at anything else they will ever pursue. They ultimately kept believing that their efforts were worth it, even with an uncertain outcome.
What does this have to do with us? Keep showing up.
We all go through really dark times, in which we don't understand why we're experiencing what we are, or feel inadequate, or fear failing. We all set goals without knowing if we're equipped to actually reach them, or whether we'll have the opportunity to experience success. Sometimes we all worry that we will never even be okay again. Honestly (and not to belittle life's bigger struggles) this can sometimes happen within the course of a single 12 minute WOD.
I recently read an article written by Allison Schmitt about her journey back to the Olympics - fighting through a deep depression, and the loss of her cousin. It made me want to post to this group, our Arena Ready family, to tell everyone how much I'm glad that you show up every day. You face the difficult workouts, you face the difficult in your life, you support each other through your struggles, and you get better. Sometimes you can't see the victory that's coming, but you also know that sometimes it takes a full 16 years to earn a second gold. I really firmly believe that no matter how dark it is, no matter how little you think you'll make it through, you always will. You are Arena Ready: Fully prepared for ALL of life's obstacles.
(Where are the heart emoticons when you need them?)
WOD for 08-13-16:
In Teams of Three Athletes...
For Time:
100 Calorie Row
100 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
80 Calorie Row
80 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
60 Calorie Row
60 Front Squats @ 155/105 lbs
40 Calorie Row
40 Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs
20 Calorie Row
20 Clusters (AKA "Squat Clean Thrusters") @ 155/105 lbs
Only one athlete working at a time. Reps may be partitioned in any fashion and do NOT have to be split evenly.
Camp Sparkle Saturdays
Parents working out on Saturday mornings at the 8am or 9am class can take advantage of "Camp Sparkle" AKA Coach Lindsay's kiddo supervision. Check out the Arena Ready private Facebook group (click here to request to be added) and search "Camp Sparkle" to pull up the threads with relevant details (contact info, how & when to reserve for your little one, etc.). You can also post any questions you might have in the comments section.
Happy Friday, athletes!
WOD for 08-12-16:
On a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 12:00
Snatch Balance + Overhead Squat:
5 Sets of (1+1)
Climbing ONLY as technique allows
B) From 12:00 - 27:00
Back Squat:
15 Minutes For a Heavy Set of 5
Add to your top set from 08-02-16 and 07-22-16
C) At 30:00, For Time
"Annie"
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
AbMat Sit-ups
(Compare to 10-24-14)
Every Time You Don't Hook Grip...
...a clean or a snatch, a little piece of me dies inside. Seriously.
The other day a fairly experienced athlete at the gym (who shall remain nameless) said to me something to the effect of, "Huh, we don't really cover the hook grip that much. Plus it hurts my thumbs, so I don't really do it anymore (insert chuckle here)." I almost started crying.
I pointed out to said athlete that we've posted about the kook grip many times over the years, including THIS RECENT POST HERE, that we coach it (in varying degrees) in nearly every class that includes snatches or cleans, and that I've actually seen him/her hook gripping the bar previously... on multiple occasions. Said athlete then looked at me with sadface and pleaded, "Well, yeah sometimes I do it, but it still hurts. But, like, what about my thumbs?"
WHAT ABOUT MY DYING SOUL?!
Kidding. Sort of. But seriously folks, I know the hook grip can be uncomfortable but it really does help, and it becomes quite essential when snatching or cleaning with any weight (or rep scheme) of significance. I realize that some athletes have small hands, but before you start feeling too sorry for your small hands and little thumbs consider this:
That little guy weighs 123 pounds and there he is snatching 289 pounds. I'd be willing to bet his hands are much smaller than any other gentleman in our gym, but trust me he did not lift that weight without a hook grip, and that barbell has the same 28mm diameter as the "red bars" we use.
As mentioned in the linked post above you can tape your thumbs to help with the initial discomfort, and we can show you how (that linked post has a video showing how most of us do it) - we provide free tape at the gym so use it (but please don't abuse it)! You can also stretch your thumbs to help adjust to the position required in the hook grip - come to class on Thursday and we'll show you a little stretch that might do the trick over time.
Still not convinced? Ok, have fun with the hang power cleans on this one then...
WOD for 08-11-16:
Alternating Every 90 Seconds For 4 Rounds (12 Total Minutes):
100m Kettlebell Farmer's Walk, HAP (pick load)
40m Bear Crawl
HAP = "heavy as possible." Yes, the farmer's walk should be unbroken.
-then-
For Time:
15-12-9
Hang Power Cleans @ 165/115 lbs
Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Olympic Coverage & Female Athletes
Anyone who has spent some time at Arena Ready knows that we have some pretty badass women in our community - strong, fast, fit, successful, intelligent, you name it. They're everywhere! They're also annoyingly humble and do a fairly poor job (IMMO in my man opinion, or "manpinion" if you will) of pointing out said badassery & legit status to others. So while I would love to take full credit for every example of their impressive fitness achievements, and then mansplain their significance to anyone willing to listen, I try my best to actually give credit where credit is due.
(I hope everyone can sense my tongue firmly in cheek when reading the last couple of statements, save for the part about giving credit where it's due... you never know, since serious to sarcastic then back to serious is a risky blog undertaking)
While watching coverage of the Olympics this week, and marveling at many of the performances by both male and female athletes alike, I found some of the commentary surrounding female athletes surprising - some of it laughable, some of it offensive, some of it perhaps taken out of (intended) context, but much of it just plain perplexing. More than a few times I found myself thinking, "did they just really say that?!" It made Hoda Kotb's frequently awkward (yet often harmless) commentary during the opening ceremonies seem almost refreshing by comparison:
"Every four years someone gets to say it, and now it's my turn... CHECK OUT Djibouti!!!"
Yes, Hoda, thank you. Check it out indeed. It's OK, I squat semi-regularly.
Anyhoo, New York Magazine posted a recent article on the topic of commentary around female athletes at the Rio Olympics, and you can read it here ("The Media's Olympic Overage Reminds Us Just How Taxing It Is To Be a Female Athlete") - below is an excerpt:
The Summer Olympics — that series of sporting events that whips spectators into a patriotic frenzy every four years — started just four days ago, but several media outlets have already reminded us exactly how taxing it is to be a female athlete.
The first offense came from NBC commentator Dan Hicks. When Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszú won a gold medal and broke a world record in the 400-meter individual medley, the camera panned to her husband, who was watching in the stands as Hicks said, "and there's the man responsible." Hicks later apologized for his phrasing and, "wished he'd said things differently," but not before Twitter could drag him...
What are your thoughts on it all? We'd love to hear about it in the gym.
WOD for 08-10-16:
On a 30-Minute Running Clock, Split With a Partner...
A) From 0:00 - 24:00
BUY-IN: 2000m Row, then...
AMRAP in Remaining Time of:
24 Toes-to-Bar
48 Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs
400m Run
Only one athlete working at a time. Reps/work are shared and can be split in any manner the team sees fit. Score is the team's total rounds + reps completed of the triplet. If time expires while on the run, credit the partial run based on the last 50-meter marker passed.
B) From 24:00 - 28:00
Rest 4 Minutes
C) From 28:00 - 30:00
AMRAP 2 Minutes w/Partner:
Medicine Ball (or Bumper Plate) Russian Twists, pick load
Only one athlete working at a time. Scale intelligently if you are new to these - nobody sees your summer abs if you can't sit-up to get out of bed in the morning.
GRID TV: 2016 Season Live
The 2016 NPGL season is drawing near, and those of you who came out to watch the San Francisco Fire's matches in-person last year to cheer on Coach Sarah know how exciting the sport of GRID can be!
For the upcoming 2016 season the NPGL is flying all the teams and athletes to Utah for training camps, regular season matches, and playoffs during the months of August and September. They have partnered with Nike to be the league's official footwear and apparel sponsor, and while the matches will be recorded, edited, and broadcast at a later date on NBC (a la American Ninja Warrior), fans can watch all of the action LIVE on GRID TV. All 15 matches of the 2016 season will be streamed live and be made available for archived replay - click here for more details, including a discount for the first 500 subscribers.
Get excited GRID fans!
Some of the Arena Ready contingent at last year's NPGL season opener. Sarah and the San Francisco Fire beat the Phoenix Rise in thrilling fashion!
WOD for 08-09-16:
On A Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 16:00
2 Front Squats + 1 Split Jerk:
5 Sets of (2+1)
Climbing as technique allows
B) From 16:00 - 31:00
Front Squat:
15 Minutes For a Heavy Single
C) From 34:00 - 40:00
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:00 Between Sets)
Add to 07-12-16 and 07-22-16 if possible
Monday Motivation: Be The Egg
The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's not about the circumstance, but rather what you're made of.
-Unknown
WOD for 08-08-16:
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
Strict Handstand Push-ups
-REST 5 MINUTES THEN-
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
Power Cleans @ 155/105 lbs
Pistols, alternating
(Compare both AMRAPs to 10-08-15)
Lavinia's Weekday Warriors Fitness Program
The community at Arena Ready has always been so supportive of Coach Lavinia's amazing efforts with her Weekday Warriors Fitness Program at James Denman Middle School (where she is also a P.E. teacher). She's at it once again, helping to give her kids access to quality fitness programs by raising money to purchase equipment for the after-school club, and she would love any support you can give. They will be hosting a "Bubbles For Barbells" raffle at Triple Voodoo Brewery on Sunday, August 21st from 1-4pm, and prizes include FitBit wearables, golf at the Olympic Club, and a weekend stay at a San Francisco B&B!
You can click here for more info on the raffle or to contact Lavinia regarding donating to the program and/or offering raffle prizes you may want to contribute.
Thanks, all, for your attention and happy weekend!
WOD for 08-06-16:
In Teams of Two Athletes...
SIX 2-Minute Cycles (EACH Athlete) for Max Row Calories (24 Total Minutes):
200m Sprint
20-18-16-14-12-10 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Max Calorie Row
(Rest 2 Minutes)
Only one athlete working at a time. Each athlete completes six cycles for a team total of twelve cycles. Athlete 1 completes one full 2-minute cycle then rests 2 minutes while Athlete 2 completes one full cycle, etc. Athletes alternate until both have completed six cycles (24 minutes). Wall ball reps start at 20 for cycle one and then decrease by 2 every cycle. The team's score is total number of calories rowed.
Happy Happy Day
Happy Birthday, Sarah! Thanks for all that you do to make Arena Ready possible. The gym is a special place for all of us, and it's your unique vision that has guided our awesome little community over these last several years.
I think I speak for everyone at AR when I say that we hope this year brings you health, happiness, and lots of PRs!
WOD for 08-05-16:
2 Hang Power Cleans + 2 Hang Squat Cleans:
5 Sets of (2+2)
Climbing as technique allows
-then-
For Time:
21 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
21 Lateral Bar Burpees
100 Double Unders
15 Hang Power Cleans
15 Lateral Bar Burpees
75 Double Unders
9 Hang Power Cleans
9 Lateral Bar Burpees
50 Double Unders