Workout of the Day
Labor Day Weekend
We'll be open every day during the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, with a normal class schedule on Saturday and Sunday, and a holiday class schedule on Monday, September 5th. Classes on Monday will be run at 9:00am and 10:15am, with a Gladiators session at 11:30am - and you can expect a challenging "Hero WOD" on the board when you arrive at the gym (if you remember what we did last year on Labor Day then you know what's coming!).
Since these holiday WODs usually draw a big, enthusiastic group please be sure to sign-up for class ahead of time and (perhaps more importantly) MAKE SURE TO CANCEL YOUR RESERVATION ASAP IF YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT MAKE IT. Don't be that person who late cancels or no shows to a full class, potentially leaving others out of a workout (yes, we can see who cancels at the last minute). We understand that life happens and that sometimes you cannot predict what might get in the way of making it to the gym... we're simply asking that you be mindful of - and considerate toward - your fellow athletes (thankfully that's generally not an issue around these parts, but a little reminder in anticipation of a busy holiday WOD can't hurt).
Thank you for your attention and cooperation!
WOD for 09-01-16:
Deadlift:
3-3-3
Climbing
-then-
For Time:
600m Run
30 Deadlifts @ 205/145 lbs
60 AbMat Sit-ups
30 Deadlifts
600m Run
What Am I Going To Do With All This Fitness?!
One of the coolest parts of helping people increase their level of fitness is seeing how they apply that fitness outside of the gym. After all, the idea is to train hard inside the walls of Arena Ready in order to be... well... Arena Ready - prepared for whatever life may throw at you, or perhaps for whatever you seek out in life. Our members certainly seek out some pretty cool stuff - much of it comprised of things that I would never really dream about doing - and it gives us a huge sense of pride when we hear about how their increased work capacity allowed them to basically kick ass out in the big bad world.
One such example is David G - this gentleman has been dedicated to his training at AR since day 1, and his progress is nothing short of impressive. In the 13 or so months since he's started CrossFit we have witnessed huge gains in his strength, flexibility, speed, power, endurance, balance, and stamina among other things. And some of the feedback he's been kind enough to provide us this year has made us incredibly happy to have been a part of his fitness journey.
He sent us this awesome message at the start of the year:
I just wanted to drop you guys a quick note and say thank you for everything you've done for me over the last 5 months. A few months ago I thought CrossFit was basically a competitive "bro cult" and that a clean was something I had to do to my apartment -- last week I did "The Chief" with an awesome group of people and not a "bro" in sight. I think I mentioned to you guys that I'm a pretty avid skier. Yesterday I had a really big day in the backcountry (~10 miles of skinning and several thousand vertical of climbing) -- no way would I have been able to do it without the past few months of training at Arena Ready. This is by far the strongest skiing I've done since back in my race days. My cleans might not be perfect, but the effect of practice is definitely showing! I really appreciate all the coaching, encouragement, and the general environment you guys create and foster. Thank you guys so much for everything you do.
And this is perhaps an even cooler note he sent us just this week, after he spent the better part of a month in Patagonia:
WOD FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS...
For Quality/As Many Rounds As Possible:Skin, bootpack, ice axe to the top of a mountain, and ski down.
Fitness provided by Arena Ready. That squat program/assault bike/all your secret fitness sauce paid off in dividends. Couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks a million for facilitating the trip of a lifetime!! Bummed to be leaving Patagonia/South America, but super excited to get back to AR.
-David
Thanks so much for sharing, David, and for letting us be a part of your lifetime journey of fitness.
WOD for 08-31-16:
Tabata: Double Unders
(Rest 1 Minute)
Tabata: Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
The Tabata interval is 20 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest repeated for 8 rounds. This is NOT an alternating Tabata, so you will complete all 8 rounds of the double unders, rest 1 minute, and then complete all 8 rounds of the chest-to-bar pull-ups. Your score is the lowest round for each of the two movements.
-REST 5 Minutes, then-
"Mini Fortitude"
Alternating EMOM For 10 Rounds (20 Minutes):
MINUTE 1: 15 Calorie Row
MINUTE 2: 15 Burpees
Start with 15 reps for both movements and progress for as long as possible. If you drop to 14 reps for one of the movements then attempt to hold 14 for that movement for the remainder of the workout. If you drop to 12 then attempt to hold 12 for that movement for the remainder of the workout, etc.
Ivan
THIS is CrossFit.
Every time CrossFit HQ posts another part of Ivan's story I can't help but feel grateful for what we get to do.
WOD for 08-30-16:
On A Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 15:00
Strict Press:
3-3-2-2-1-1-1
Establish a heavy single for today OR current 1RM.
B) From 15:00 - 32:00
Front Squat:
3-3-2-2-1-1-1
Establish a heavy single for today. If possible add to 08-09-16.
C) From 34:00 - 40:00
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:00 Between Sets)
If possible add to 07-12-16, 07-22-16, and 08-09-16.
SF Fire Win & Advance To Playoffs; Yoga Class Jumpin'; Kim "Eye Chart" Shirts Representin'
San Francisco Fire: Bring on The Western Conference Final!
Saturday night's "win or go home" match between the San Francisco Fire and the Miami Surge was dead even after 8 of 11 races - and then Coach Sarah and the Fire turned it on to shut-out the Surge in races 9, 10, and 11, securing a 20-12 win in emphatic fashion. In winning this regular-season finale the Fire earned a spot in the playoffs and will face the Phoenix Rise once again in the Western Conference Final (taking place on Saturday, September 3rd at 3pm PT).
Check out the NPGL's match re-cap (click here for the full article) - an excerpt is posted below:
“Before the match, I just pulled the players together and had them look around, and told everybody, ‘Only one team gets to move on,’ and they had to go out there and fight for each other, for the opportunity to play again.” said Adam Wells, interim head coach of the Fire.
As has been the case in previous play of the Amazon match format, Partner Forward was an ebb and flow of lead-trading. Both teams moved fairly smoothly through the first three quadrants, but Miami had a several rep advantage as the teams moved into the fourth quadrant.
As both Marco Coppola for Miami and Cam Pernich for San Francisco got their dumbbell ground-to-overhead reps out of the way, it literally came down to a side-by-side dash across the finish line between the Surge’s Brooke Haas and San Francisco’s Sarah Hopping-Estrella. Haas had trouble with the first rep and the 75-lb dumbbells dropped back to her shoulders. By the time she reset, Hopping-Estrella had split jerked the first rep and was starting her second. Haas somehow recovered, and both athletes crossed the line in a photo finish. Only a review of the tape allowed the refs to determine that in fact it was Miami who had broken the plane first.
“Of course you’re disappointed because you want to win,” Hopping-Estrella said, “but at the same time I thought we executed pretty well. Everybody tried hard and as a team, we continued to just take it one race at a time.”
The Mirror was more in line with Fire’s execution strategy. Rookie Ashley Gatewood showed tremendous effort in Quadrant 2, hitting a set of 10 jerks at 175 lb, and that smooth effort and the Fire’s quick transitions allowed San Francisco to get into Quadrant 4 first. Meanwhile, Miami struggled in Quadrant 2, with Reid Fitzgerald split jerking — a little slower movement in this race. Miami trailed San Francisco by nearly a full quadrant by the time the Fire started their reps in the fourth. Pernich and Hopping-Estrella demolished the final 10 reps for an easy San Francisco win. Miami beat the cap but the score was 3-3...
-Pat McCarty (NPGL)
Yoga Class
Sunday morning's yoga (make-up) class was jumpin'! Well, not literally - I mean, there was some jumpin' going on downstairs in Open Gym and Barbell Class, but the yoga group was holding their own and was definitely out in force. If you've never tried a yoga class with Dani then you should certainly give it a go - check out the details here if you'd like more info, and then sign-up for class. Yoga classes are free for Arena Ready members and the next class is Monday night at 7pm!
Kim Tom "Eye Chart" Granite Games Shirts Still Available
As expected the Kim Tom "Eye Chart" Granite Games shirts are a hit, and several members have already been spotted wearing their "Mini Mighty" swag to the gym and while running around town. There are still sizes left, so if you missed out - and would like to support Kim's trip to the 2016 Kill Cliff Granite Games - be sure to grab one at the gym (all proceeds from the $25 shirts go to cover travel expenses for our resident Mini's mission to kick ass in Minnesota in 2 weeks!).
The Webbs, as always, know what's up. Not to mention this family has great salad.
(For you slang-challenged folks, "salad" is "hair")
Adorable Baby Iris sporting her Kim T "Eye Chart" with pride. See what they did there?
WOD for 08-29-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
MINUTE 1: 8-12 Pistols, alternating
MINUTE 2: 2 Power Cleans, climbing
-then-
5 Rounds For Time:
12 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
9 Toes-to-Bar
6 Power Cleans @ 185/125 lbs
SF Fire vs MIA Surge: Saturday, Aug 27 6pm PT
On Saturday evening Coach Sarah and the San Francisco Fire take on the Miami Surge in their regular season finale, with the winner earning a spot in the 2016 NPGL playoffs (and the loser going home for the year). The match will air live at 6pm PT on GRID TV, and then will re-air via network broadcast on NBC Sports Network in September. For more details on how to watch all of the 2016 GRID matches check out the details here on the NPGL website.
Go SF Fire! GO SARAH!!!
WOD for 08-27-16:
In Teams of THREE Athletes, On a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 15:00
AMRAP 15 Minutes:
Athletes A & B share and complete the triplet (only one working at a time)...
5 Power Snatches @ 115/80 lbs
10 Overhead Squats
15 Lateral Bar Burpees
Athlete C completes...
400m Run
There must always be one athlete running and the athlete must always switch after 400m. The team's score is rounds + reps completed of the triplet.
B) From 15:00 - 18:00
Rest 3 Minutes
This is forced rest. Back squat warm-up reps and/or loading the bar are not allowed during this 3 minutes.
C) From 18:00 - 30:00
Back Squat:
12 Minutes For All Three Athetes to Establish a Heavy Triple
From a rack, starting with an empty bar at the 18-minute mark. Record each athlete's top set for the day (not necessarily a 3RM).
The 2016 Kim Tom "Eye Chart" Granite Games Shirt
As many of you already know, our very own Kim qualified for the 2016 Kill Cliff Granite Games and will be competing in Minnesota with some of the fittest athletes in the world. The Granite Games will take place from September 9th - 11th in St. Cloud (at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center) and Kim will be on the competition floor with hundreds of the top CrossFitters from around the globe, including former CrossFit Games champions, Masters Champions, and perennial Masters Qualifier contenders.
It goes without saying that we are so proud of Kim, and are in awe of her dedication, competitive spirit, and determination to constantly improve herself both as an athlete and as a person. Her presence in the gym and in our community is an inspiration to us all, and I know that I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to coach her, watch her perform, and enjoy her friendship.
And what trip to The Granite Games would be complete without a commemorative shirt in honor of "the fittest optometrist in San Francisco" and her MINI MIGHTY spirit?! Thus, the Kim Tom Eye Chart Shirt was born. We'll have a limited supply of these shirts (men's tees and women's sleeveless) available in the gym for purchase on a first come first serve basis. The price is $25 and all of the proceeds will go to help cover travel expenses for Kim's trip to the Granite Games.
I'll have the shirts with me on Saturday morning, so get in on it this weekend when you come in for your Arena Ready Sweaty Saturday team WOD!
GO KIM GO!!!
Actual shirts look cooler in person than in the mock-ups!
WOD for 08-26-16:
"Rowling":
10 Frames (to 100m) For Lowest Possible Score
Rowling is a rowing game that uses a similar format to that of bowling. Each athlete will row 10 “frames” to 100m - the goal for each frame is to stop the counter as close to 100m as possible. If, when the counter stops, it reads 102m, your score for that frame is 2 (the score would be the same if the counter read 98m). If the counter stops at 100m exactly, your score for the frame is 0 and would be equivalent to a strike in bowling (best possible frame score). The goal is to have the lowest score for each frame and the lowest accumulated score for the game.
Much like a strike in the 10th frame in bowling, if you row 100m exactly in the 10th frame then you get another frame to row - and if you row 100m again you get a third (and final) attempt. Any 100m rows in the 10th frame REPLACE a frame of your choice from frames 1-9 (thus lowering your total score).
Half pulls and quarter pulls on the rower are allowed if desired, but stopping the stroke or chain completely constitutes the end of the frame (i.e. you cannot intentionally stop and re-start the stroke or chain in an effort to slow the meter counter to your advantage). There is no required speed at which you must row, but let's be grown-ass men and women and row fast - there's no glory in winning if you rowed like a wimp.
-then-
AMRAP 12 Minutes:
400m Run
30 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Double Kettlebell Front Rack Walking Lunges @ 35/26 lbs (per side)
If time expires on the run you are credited with the last 50m marker you passed.
NC Fit Blood Drive September 24
Many of you know, or know of Jason Khalipa, 2008 CrossFit Games Champion, founder of NC Fit, friend of Arena Ready, and father of Ava Khalipa, who was diagnosed with Leukemia at age four earlier this year.
Jason has organized a nationwide blood drive on September 24th to support Ava's fight, and to support children everywhere battling cancer. He's invited our gym to participate at their NC Fit Santa Clara location (near the San Jose airport). I've made an appointment to donate at 2pm. If you'd like to join, please let us know so we can coordinate.
Ava's fight against Leukemia, and Jason's efforts to help her win and simultaneously bring awareness to childhood cancer has made a deep impression on me personally, and I'm hoping the Arena Ready family will band together to support him in this effort. You can find more information and sign up to give blood at www.nc.fit/ava.
WOD for 08-25-16:
5 Rounds NOT For Time (For Quality & Load):
3 Thrusters (climb in loading with each round)
5-7 Strict Pull-ups OR Ring Rows
5 Burpees OR 100m Row (increase pace with each round)
Climb to a top set on the thrusters, and end with your fastest set of burpees or row. Get your heart rate up, your breathing going, and break a sweat if you can. Then enjoy what's next...
-then-
"The Bergeron Beep Test"
EMOM For As Long As Possible:
7 Thrusters @ 75/55 lbs
7 Pull-ups
7 Burpees
(Compare to 10-28-14; Gladiators also compare to 03-14-15)
Fire vs Rise Western Rivalry Match Decided By Inches
It was a hard fought match that went down to the wire, but Coach Sarah and the San Francisco Fire fell to a tough Phoenix Rise team 18-16 in week 2 of the 2016 NPGL season. The match literally came down to a matter of inches as the teams, tied 15-15 going into the final relay (AKA Race 11), sprinted to the finish line with Phoenix's Danny Nichols crossing the finish line just inches ahead of San Francisco's Cam Pernich. You can read the NPGL's match re-cap here, and we've pasted a portion of the article below:
Two teams with a 1-0 record met Tuesday night to try to position themselves for a postseason berth. An almost classic rivalry dating back to the first season of GRID, the Phoenix Rise faced off against the San Francisco Fire in a battle for Western Conference domination. The teams did not disappoint, with victory coming down to the final element in the final race — an 18-16 win in favor of the Rise...
... The match got underway with a pair of Fire wins. A fault set Phoenix behind early in Quadrant 1 of Race 1. Danny Nichols and Jessica Phillips made up time and brought the race to dead even but left one rep on the table as Nichols left the hash box to cross the finish line before Phillips had finished her final rep. This gave San Francisco the win and the point.
Race 2, the Mirror, was a back-and-forth pitched battle through 40 thrusters for the finish line. Phoenix had some trouble in Quadrant 1 but the Fire’s Tyler Cummings was faulted in Quadrant 3, allowing Phoenix to move into Quadrant 4 first but the victory was not to be. Blaine McConnell got nine reps in but was unable to hit the 10th rep without a reset, which allowed the Fire to capitalize on the slow-down and finish first. At the end of two races, the score was 4-2 San Francisco.
“We’ve been up multiple times in the first two races and we’ve had teams come back,” said Phoenix Head Coach Mike Lee. “So I just told these guys, ‘We’re in it now, so let’s get started.’ We knew the Echoes were good races for us and we knew we had some opportunities to gain some points.”
In the Women’s Echoes, the Phoenix women roared back with a win in Race 3. Entering Quadrant 4 with a dead-even number of reps, Laura Poling, Hagiya and Phillips destroyed the snatches at the end to give Phoenix the win. However, an official challenge regarding Sarah Hopping Estrella’s rope climbs led to a replay of the final two elements of Race 3, and again, the crowd watched a near rep-for-rep replay of the race. Once again, Poling, cheered on by Phillips, banged through the reps so quickly that San Francisco couldn't keep pace and once again, the Rise woman hit the finish zone first....
-Pat McCarty (NPGL)
The Fire will take on the Miami Surge on Saturday for their regular season finale, with the winner moving on to the Western Conference playoffs. You can read details on how to watch the archived SF Fire vs PHX Rise match on GRID TV and the network re-broadcast on NBC Sports Network in September by clicking here.
Time to bounce back SF Fire!
WOD for 08-24-16:
6 Rounds, Start Every 3 Minutes:
3 Strict Muscle-ups
6 Deadlifts @ 245/175 lbs
9 Box Jumps @ 30/24 lbs
100m Sprint
Want to dial up the intensity? Run faster.
SF Fire vs PHX Rise: LIVE Tuesday at 6pm PT
The 2016 NPGL Season started off with a bang last week as Coach Sarah and the San Francisco Fire defeated the LA Reign in the season opener. On Tuesday night the season continues with one of the most heated rivalries in GRID, as the Fire take on the Phoenix Rise (the team that knocked San Francisco out of the playoffs last year) in a Western Conference showdown.
The match will be streamed LIVE on GRID TV on Tuesday evening, Aug 23rd at 6pm PT, and then will be rebroadcast in primetime (after being edited and made fancy a la American Ninja Warrior) on NBC Sports Network starting in September. For all the details on how to watch the season's matches, including this one, click here to get the scoop from the NPGL.
As usual, the Gridmaster offered a prediction for Tuesday's SF vs PHX match and you can read the entire article here - most of the coverage is included below:
Overview
Two 1-0 teams are facing off in the Western Conference second match of the season: the Phoenix Rise, who tipped over the Miami Surge last week and the San Francisco Fire, who toppled the LA Reign. These two teams have a rivalry that goes back to the semifinals in 2014, and we expect a massive push-pull all through the match.
Key Players
Ashley Gatewood, the rookie from San Francisco, made herself a valuable commodity right away in Week 1, with high-speed reps that brought the Fire back against LA in Race 1. Gatewood showed remarkable calm for a rookie and will be be a major asset to this team throughout the season.
On the men’s side, Gerald Sasser performed masterfully in all quadrants of the GRID against LA. Sasser unleashed big sets of butterfly muscle-ups in addition to moving the bar in Quadrant 4 a number of times. Sasser is a seasoned veteran with San Francisco and will be a big force against Phoenix.
For Phoenix, the story in their first match was Blaine McConnell. McConnell has stepped up in a big way while Danny Nichols has been working back up to full strength following some minor knee surgery in the offseason. McConnell turned in a near-perfect match against Miami in every single quadrant of the GRID. He brought the power during the Ladder, hit muscle-ups, rope climbs and Quadrant 4 barbells.
On the women’s side, both Bjork Odinsdottir and Valerie Calhoun will contribute quite a bit up and down the GRID on body-weight elements, and Jamie Hagiya and Jessica Phillips are both lined up to close. Add Emily Loeffler to that mix and the Rise women are among the tightest closing team in the league.
Races to Watch
Without a doubt, the Mirror will start the fireworks. Partner Forward, Race 1, can go either way and these two teams are so good that it simply will be a matter of who is faster. But the Mirror, with heavy thrusters, will bring both teams to the brink of exhaustion early. Although this race will be quick, the power output required is major. Both teams have strong athletes and understand transitions, so the winner is the team that makes every quadrant unbroken without a failed rep. This race will be exciting.
I like Phoenix to win all three points on the Ladder. This team leans heavy, and both the women and the men — including some of the men you wouldn't necessarily expect to move a ton of weight — will. While the Fire have Adam Cantrell, Cam Pernich and Ian Daniel, the Phoenix women should push the overall total, as well as the women’s total, into the Rise column for a sweep here.
Jack and Jill leans a bit toward San Francisco — deficit handstand push-ups into 10” deficit handstand push-ups into freestanding handstand push-ups favors the team that has body-weight dynamos. When you watch the Fire’s Jolaine Undershute, Courtney Walker, and Eric Cardona — especially on the final element — the speed is hard to beat. On the Phoenix side, Calhoun, Odinsdottir and Marcus Filly will run hard to keep up. Calhoun is also fast, and the lead could trade hands a few times, but Cardona will head for the 10 freestanding handstand push-ups and will be hard to beat.
The nine burpees to 10-foot rings in Race 11 will be Bryan Miller’s domain. Quite frankly, I am not sure the Fire have an athlete who can match speed with Miller. Once Miller hits those rings, Danny Nichols will trot out and clean up the nine clean and jerks for the win.
Prediction
San Francisco shellacked LA but may be experiencing a false sense of security. They were not challenged in that match, and Phoenix is firing on all cylinders. I predict the Rise will clinch a postseason match with a win, putting San Francisco in a must-win situation against Miami later in the week.
-Gridmaster (NPGL)
Will Sarah and the San Francisco Fire be able to avenge their 2015 playoff loss to Phoenix? We'll find out on Tuesday night!
WOD for 08-23-16:
Strict Press:
5x3
Across
Repeat your loading from 08-15-16 or add 2-4%
-then-
For Time:
30-20-10
Calorie Row
Handstand Push-ups
Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
The Natural Flaming Squirrels at The 2016 Lifeworx Throwdown
"The Natural Flying Squirrels" took the competition floor on Saturday at the 2016 Lifeworx Throwdown in San Jose, and did what they do best - kicked some ass, moved well, had a blast, and picked up various heavy things quickly. If they ever invented a Sinclair Total equivalent at fitness competitions then these three may have registered pretty high on the chart, as they accomplished some pretty cool stuff while most likely being the lightest/smallest team in the field. One highlight caught on video was Kate's finish on the clean/front squat ladder (175 lbs for 1 squat clean + 2 front squats)!
Thanks to all who made it out to cheer on our team, including Lindsay H, James, and Coach Cody. And a big thank you to Coach Sparkle for not only running "Camp Sparkle" at Arena Ready bright and early on Saturday morning, but then making her way down to the competition to make sure the team had everything they needed, and looked stylish while competitively exercising (which, let's be honest, is half the battle anyway).
Great work, Team! Next time around I vote for "Natural Squirrel Fighters" or maybe even "Squirrel Nut Zippers" as a team name. Just sayin'.
REMINDER that Monday evening's 7:00pm Yoga Class is re-scheduled for Sunday, August 28th at 10:00am.
WOD for 08-22-16:
Every 90 Seconds For 10 Rounds (15 Minutes):
Power Clean + Squat Clean + Front Squat
Climbing
-then-
3 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
10 Front Squats @ Bodyweight (no rack)
(Compare to 10-29-14)
Randy & Amie: Good Luck But Not Goodbye
Weekend Events Reminders
Randy & Amie
Sadly, two more violators of the Arena Ready Moratorium are preparing to depart San Francisco for their new adventures in life - a new home, new baby, new surroundings. Randy and Amie have been such a big part of the AR community for several years, and while we are selfishly sad to see them go, we are also excited for all the new experiences that are about to become a reality for their family.
We've loved having you two (three!) as a part of our community and we wish you all the best. As with anyone who has become family here at Arena Ready, we require that you come in and say hello every time you're in the city - and if I hear otherwise then everyone gets burpees and country music.
Some parting words from our friend Randy, in case you missed it on the Arena Ready private Facebook group:
Hey Arena Ready peeps... before we leave, I wanted to post a huge THANK YOU to Rob, Sarah and all the AR coaches! When I first started at Arena Ready, I didn’t think to take a "before" photo, so I found one I think that’s pretty close to when I first started. It’s definitely the worst picture I could find of an unhealthy me in the last 4 years, just over a year before starting AR. I truly believe without Rob and Sarah’s programming/coaching and all of the AR coaches' watchful eyes and support, I wouldn’t have made it the last 2.5 years. And for the times when my zeal exceeded my abilities or just general wear and tear, thank you Taylor and Sal for putting me back together! I am extremely grateful for the journey I’ve been on with this community. I don’t plan to disappear completely and I hope it’s not long before I can drop in, but you’re all welcome to visit if you’re passing through Sacramento, need a pit stop or just want to say hello.
Thank you all so much for an amazing experience!
BTW the group shot, of course is by OHD’s Jenny Morgan, and is my fav from this year’s open. This set of poses was supposed to be "Blue Steel" but pretty sure I’m also seeing Le Tigre, Ferrari and Rob pulling off Magnum! “Glorious!” :p
Cheers!
-Randy
Amie's due date WOD with some of the 7am crew!
And a farewell (for now) to Randy and Amie - or a drop of the mic, as it were - wouldn't be complete if we didn't all say it one more time... ladies and gentlemen give it up for Arena Ready's own MISTER RANDY WATSON!!!
WOD for 08-20-16:
In Teams of Three Athletes...
For Total Time:
BUY-IN: 1000m Run, Starting TOGETHER
2 Rounds With "Waterfall" Start:
400m Row
30 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
20 Toes-to-Bar
10 Curtis P Complexes @ 95/65 lbs
BUY-OUT: 100 Lateral Burpees Over Barbell SPLIT
The Curtis P Complex is: Power Clean + Lunge Right + Lunge Left + Push Press
All three athletes start the BUY-IN run TOGETHER and all three athletes must complete 1000m. The "waterfall" start can begin with the first athlete to complete the run starting the row immediately (he/she does NOT have to wait for the other two athletes to complete the run). An athlete cannot start on a movement station until the teammate before him/her has cleared that station (e.g. Athlete 2 cannot start the wall balls until Athlete 1 has completed the wall balls, and Athlete 3 cannot start the row until Athlete 2 has completed the row). Teams cannot start the BUY-OUT until all three athletes have completed 2 full rounds - and the burpees over the barbell are shared and can be SPLIT in any fashion, with only one athlete working at a time.
SF Fire Defeat LA Reign 21-14
On Thursday, Coach Sarah and the San Francisco Fire defeated their Western Conference foe, the LA Reign, by a score of 21-14 in the Fire's 2016 NPGL season opener. You can read the match re-cap here, watch the archived broadcast on GRID TV, and view the network broadcast on NBC Sports Network in September. A few excepts of the match re-cap are included below:
Before they even stepped foot on the GRID on Thursday night, the San Francisco Fire’s rookies knew: they were going to mess up and no one was going to bat an eye about it.
“We were all rookies once,” San Francisco veteran Sarah Hopping Estrella said of the message before the Fire’s first match.
But when the dust settled on the Fire’s 21-14 win over the Los Angeles Reign, you’d be hard-pressed to find too much to quibble about. San Francisco came out firing, winning five of the first six races, and looked incredibly poised under the pressure of their first National Pro GRID League match this season.
“We had some pregame jitters,” Fire Head Coach Ben Wise said of his club, which ended its season last year with a semifinal loss to Phoenix. “People maybe moved too fast even, or didn’t follow the transition. A couple kettlebell handoffs, not starting the muscle-ups right away. But, for the most part, I think the hard work by everyone here paid off big-time.”
The Reign let a key Fire miscue slip away in Race 2, as San Francisco dropped the bar on their hang cleans in Quadrant 3, forcing them to run back to the start. LA was the first to get to its final 10 reps, but San Francisco out-cycled them to narrowly take the race win.
“I love our team,” Estrella said. “I think the rookies came in really hungry, really prepared. Training camp was great- they brought everyone in and feels like we are a team already. Those who have been back are excited to be back, excited to be a part of it and excited to be part of this opportunity. I’m so glad to be on this team.
“It feels like our team is even more well-rounded than last year.”
-Brittany Ghiroli (NPGL)
It's back to the practice GRID for the Fire on Friday, as they have little time to celebrate their season-opening victory knowing that a showdown with their heated rival, the Phoenix Rise (the team that defeated them in the playoffs last year), is just around the corner: Tuesday, Aug 23rd at 6pm PT.
Go Fire!
WOD for 08-20-16:
3-Position Power Snatch (high hang, knees, floor):
5 Sets of (1+1+1)
Climbing as technique allows
-then-
A) Against a 6-Minute Clock:
40 Calorie Row
40 Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
Max Reps Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
-REST 3 MINUTES THEN-
B) Against a 4-Minute Clock:
20 Calorie Row
20 Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
Max Reps Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs