Workout of the Day
Thankful For All of You
REMINDER: Please note our Thanksgiving holiday schedule (click here).
Thanksgiving Day WOD
First and foremost, a HUGE CONGRATS to the dozens of you who hit new strict press 1-rep max PRs on Wednesday! With over 80% of the athletes who came in achieving new max lifts it was a fun day in the gym.
If you've been at Arena Ready for a few years you know our Thanksgiving WOD tradition - the hero workout known as the "Lumberjack 20." The holiday classes are a fun time to see gym friends, hit a tough workout together in big groups, and do the WOD to honor the fallen soldiers from Lumberjack CrossFit.
Please be sure to sign-up for class, and if you know you can't make it please cancel ASAP so someone else can take your spot. We kindly ask that you don't double-book, and try your best not to late cancel or no-show (yes, we can see who does all of these things) - if you're on the waitlist then we consider you in, so get yourself signed-up either way! Help us make it possible for everyone to get their workout in, and for everyone to have a great experience.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
We're all set up and ready for you Turkey Day exercisers!
With that out of the way, what are we thankful for? Hopefully that's obvious.....
Thankful For You
In our world it seems much is taken for granted, many people don't have enough, families are frequently torn apart, and fitness and health become afterthoughts.
We are so thankful that this is our job, that you are our friends, and that CrossFit has become a part of our lives.
We hope that this workout makes you hungry enough to thoroughly enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. We hope that the people you work out with make you happy. And most of all we hope that there are things you can be thankful for today.
WOD for 11-24-16:
For Time:
20 Deadlifts @ 275/185 lbs
400m Run
20 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
400m Run
20 Overhead Squats @ 115/75 lbs
400m Run
20 Burpees
400m Run
20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
400m Run
20 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
400m Run
20 Dumbbell Squat Cleans @ 45/35 lbs (per side)
400m Run
(Compare to 11-26-15, 11-27-14, 11-28-13, and 11-22-12)
The 2017 CrossFit Games Move to Madison!
WOD for 11-23-16:
Strict Press:
Find your new 1RM
-then-
"100m Partner Penalty Race to 2K"
In Teams of Two For Time:
Partner A attempts to row EXACTLY 100m.
For every meter over or under 100, Partner A immediately performs a "penalty" of 1 burpee box jump (24/20 in).
Once the penalty reps are completed (or if there is no penalty) Partner A tags Partner B who then attempts to row EXACTLY 100m.
Time is called when the rower reaches 2000m (or over), and the final penalty reps are completed (if applicable).
21 Thanksgiving (and Other) Food-Related Musings
REMINDER: Please note our Thanksgiving holiday schedule (click here).
Several people have asked me about this blog post from last year, given the recent discussions surrounding Thanksgiving foods. So here it is in its original & un-changed form, complete with "2015 domoic acid crab season crisis" reference and all... Bon Appétit!
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Arena Ready.
That's code for "my wife is going to kill me for posting this many negative opinions." Enjoy!
Last week at the gym many of us talked about some Thanksgiving meal likes and dislikes, and it got me to thinking... eh, who are we kidding, I think (and talk) about food all the time, as you all know. Growing up in San Francisco, and being from a multi-cultural family, Thanksgiving at our house usually meant (among other things, including the standard Turkey Day fare) Dungeness crab. Like, almost literally, a ton of Dungeness crab - as in my Filipino mother wheels-in two coolers full, like we're prepping to hibernate for the winter and have to stuff ourselves like Mr. Creosote (don't click on that bad boy unless you like Monty Python, lest you be offended... or worse, lose your own lunch).
Sadly this year, due to the toxic algae bloom that has made Bay Area headlines for weeks, there will be no Dungeness on the table for me to fatten-up on before Jon Snow comes back to life and Winter arrives. The absence of my favorite seasonal food prompted me to jot down some current thoughts on culinary opinions (i.e. realities) in the "world according to moi."
Some may read this and think, man this guy is a jackass. In some cases I would not disagree. But as many of you at Arena Ready know, I state these with tongue firmly in cheek and will happily debate any or all of them with you, particularly if it's during our holiday party on December 3rd over some drinks and delicious bites, and while we laugh at it all in good humor.
Funny thing is, I'm not a picky eater whatsoever. My dear wife will tell you that I'd eat (or at least try) just about anything - she likes to say that if we were on Survivor, The Amazing Race, or Fear Factor together she'd want me there specifically to clean house on the challenges that involve eating bugs and cow brains, etc. I enjoy haute cuisine and street food, healthy fare and crappy processed garbage (not that I eat much of the latter), and everything in-between.
"So why so many strong opinions?" you may ask. I don't know exactly. Maybe I just like the heated & humorous conversation it starts with you all in the gym. I like spending my time coaching and hanging out with you guys and gals, and I really like when you argue with me over asinine stuff that I ramble on about. So, without further ado (like my eggcorn avoidance there, Margaret?), here you go...
1) If you're from the East Coast and want to argue with me about how much better Blue crab tastes than Dungeness crab, but you eat said Blue crab caked in Old Bay Seasoning, then how in the world do you even know what that Blue crab tastes like?
[I'll admit, that was an aggressive start.]
2) Non-dairy ice cream and sweet potato fries are to real ice cream and white potato fries in the same way that regular athletic shoes are to weightlifting shoes. The former are just fine and get the job done fairly well, but then you have the latter and think to yourself OMG WHAT THE HELL HAVE I BEEN DOING WITH MY LIFE?!
3a) Goat cheese is on the list of what I like to call "societal pressure edibles." By my approximation, nearly half of the people that claim to like/love goat cheese are simply faking it. But the risk of falling out of favor with a set of strategic acquaintances or aspirational friends is far too high to play the honesty card. It's cool, I get it.
3b) Goat cheese tastes like cellophane dipped in someone's post-workout B.O. (side note: this is why I have no friends).
4) Persimmons taste like soap.
5) I know grass-fed beef is supposed to be better for me, but holy crap sometimes it tastes like it's rancid.
6a) If we're at Patxi's together eating pizza, and you ask the server for a side of ranch dressing, I will not judge you. In fact, I will likely tell him/her to make it two, please.
6b) I order the gluten-free crust at Patxi's because it actually tastes better, not because I'm trying to be a hipster with self-diagnosed celiac disease.
7) If you're an adult male working in the Financial District, and you find yourself lining up to get a FroYo at one of those trendy, high-end yogurt places, be aware that when you hand the cashier your frequent customer punchcard an invisible little fairy simultaneously (and very gently) removes your man card from the back pocket of your dress slacks.
8) If you eat Skittles fast enough they get spicy.
9) Enough with the Scriracha already.
10) I like every single ingredient in a Bloody Mary but I don't like Bloody Marys.
11) Excessive and/or creative use of rosemary can render a perfectly delicious dish completely inedible.
12) People like to state, "If you order a steak well done it's like saying 'please give me the worst piece of meat you have, my good man.'" Similarly, if you order "spicy tuna" anything it's like asking for the leftover bits of crappy maguro drenched in Sriracha (see also #9 above).
13) If you're super aggressive about telling people how spicy you like your food (usually accompanied by antagonizing others at the table about how lame/bland/weak they are because they're not also floating their chicken in Frank's RedHot), I'd like you to know ,"We got it, Hoss. Message received. Loud and clear." Just like your MMA t-shirts and your kick-ass lifted truck... trust me, we all noticed. Please stop yelling at the table, I'm right here next to you and you can speak in a normal inside voice. I'm pretty sure everyone in the restaurant knows you're here and no one's gonna mess with you.
14) Pickles are the edible universal bond that unites us all. Every cuisine has their version and applications. If someone doesn't like pickles they're like someone who doesn't like dogs (or deadlifts)... not to be trusted.
15) If you like catfish then you like the taste of mud in your mouth. Unless you only like it when it's fried. Then, yes, of course it's delicious.
16) I'm happy that many folks have recently pledged their love for bacon and doughnuts. Like, REALLY pledged their love. Incessantly. On social media. On t-shirts. At their gym. Hey, I'm not arguing with you, both of those things are delicious... but man, they've been around forever, so let's chill out a little on the daily dramatic professions of Instagram adoration, as if these are new discoveries in culinary science. Many of us have been eating both of these items all our lives and were quite aware of how good they were the entire time... so welcome to the party, I guess.
16) I don't know a single person who doesn't like a refreshing slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. Scratch that, Coach Alyssa hates watermelon (WTF?).
17) If you're at an ethnic restaurant (and it's not of your own ethnicity) and you insist on speaking to the servers in their native language, but they continue to speak back to you in English, then let's never hang out.
18) If you order anything "Benedict" at a restaurant then I consider you either a very trusting person or a really big risk taker - both are qualities that I aspire to myself, so either is a compliment really (a compliment rooted in jealousy that I cannot do the same). Because while I agree that Hollandaise sauce is delicious, I have no faith whatsoever that any restaurant can keep Hollandaise at the correct temperature and ensure that it's not a petri dish of hectic kitchen bacteria.
19) I can't accept food or snacks if you hand it to me with your bare hands. Don't take it personally. I know, I have problems. But I've been too traumatized by the overwhelming majority of humanity that seems to think the soap and water in a restroom are just there for interior design, like a vase and nonfunctioning fireplace of sorts.
20) When someone tells me they've never been on a vacation cruise before and they're wondering what it's like, I ask them if they've ever eaten at The Olive Garden. If they say yes, I tell them "Imagine eating at The Olive Garden every day for seven days in a row. With complete strangers. And they're all dressed up in weirdly fancy suits like the handlers on the Westminster National Dog Show. And you have to smile and pretend like you're enjoying the Chef's previously frozen sodium cheesy Chicken Alfredo like the guy next to you who's asking for thirds. Yeah, it's pretty much like that."
[And finally, let's end on a positive note to tie it all back to fitness.]
21) Think of fitness as food.
WOD for 11-22-16:
Front Squat:
4x8
Across
If possible, add to your working weight from last week 11-14-16.
-then-
Four 2-Minute Cycles For MAX REPS:
15/12 Calorie Row
200m Sprint
MAX REPS Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
(REST 2 Minutes)
This is two minutes of work followed by two minutes of rest, repeated four times. Your score is the total number of wall ball reps completed.
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
Please note that we will be open every day during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with a specific holiday schedule of classes for Thursday and Friday (and mostly business as usual for Saturday and Sunday):
Thanksgiving Holiday Class Schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 23rd:
Normal Class Schedule
Thursday, Nov. 24th (Thanksgiving Day):
Holiday WOD Classes at 8:00am, 9:00am, and 10:00am
Gladiators Class at 11:00am (in place of Saturday's Gladiators Class)
Friday, Nov. 25th (Black Friday):
CrossFit Classes at 8:00am, 9:00am, and 10:00am
Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 26th & 27th:
Normal Class Schedule (except for Gladiators Class moved to Thanksgiving Day)
Please let us know if you have any questions. To those of you traveling for the holiday week we wish you safe travels and a Happy Thanksgiving!
WOD for 11-21-15:
Alternating Every 90 Seconds For 5 Rounds (15 Minutes):
MINUTE 1: 2 Power Snatches + 2 Overhead Squats
MINUTE 2: 200m Run OR Row
Climb in weight to a top set for the barbell complex, with no misses.
Climb in pace on the run/row during each round.
-then-
"Isabel"
For Time:
30 Power Snatches @ 135/95 lbs
Keep in mind that loading should produce a finish time somewhere in the 2 to 5 minute range for most (but not all) athletes - scale accordingly if needed. If you tell me your Isabel time is 10 minutes then congratulations you didn't do Isabel.
(Compare to 04-13-15, 03-13-15, 10-30-14, and 06-12-13)
Letting Beauty Speak For Itself
"To recognize and accept the body's gifts and shortcomings, and impose discipline over them, is for many where beauty begins. And then beauty is no longer fleeting, but becoming."
Has becoming fitter, stronger, and more capable of demanding physical (and mental) tasks influenced your idea of beauty?
WOD for 11-19-16:
IN TEAMS OF THREE ATHLETES...
AMRAP 20 Minutes:
Athlete A and B Complete the Triplet (reps are shared, with only one working at a time):
15 Toes-to-Bar
12 Hang Squat Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
9 Push Jerks
Athlete C Completes:
500m Row
One athlete must always be rowing and must always switch after 500m. The team's score is rounds & reps completed of the triplet.
Arena Ready Representing Drop-In Style
We love seeing our athletes dropping-in to local CrossFit affiliates during their travels for business or pleasure. Recently Jyot visited CF Hell's Kitchen in NYC, #Infarkle went to see the good folks at CrossFit Inferno (obviously) in San Luis Obispo, and Charles got his workout on at CrossFit TT in Burlington, VT, while helping his brother's campaign (his brother is now the Lieutenant Governor of Vermont!).
Keep the pictures coming, and great job keeping your fitness a priority while on the road!
WOD for 11-18-16:
Deadlift:
3x8
Across
Add to your working weight from last week 11-10-16.
-then-
3 Rounds For Time:
200m Run w/Medicine Ball @ 20/14 lbs
25m Burpee Broad Jumps
200m Run w/Medicine Ball @ 20/14 lbs
25m Walking Lunges w/Medicine Ball
Any support position for the medicine ball is allowed on the run and walking lunges EXCEPT for resting it on top of your head.
#TBT to Burpees & Spear Throwing
Throwback Thursday (aka "TBT") to that time almost three years ago when Arena Ready sent teams up to Sacramento to compete in both the Rx and Scaled divisions of the SacTown Throwdown competition, which (believe it or not) had an event that included burpees and spear throwing.
Check out how little Elodie is!
Tyler and and Handsome Mike have moved away from the city (and Tyler & Katie were recently married - hooray!), but otherwise this team could be fit for a reunion pic on a Sweaty Saturday. Maybe when Tyler and/or Mike drop-in?
WOD For 11-17-16:
2 Power Snatches + 1 Squat Snatch:
4 Sets of (2+1)
Climbing
-then-
AMRAP 17 Minutes:
17 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
17 Power Snatches @ 75/55 lbs
17 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
17 Push Presses @ 75/55 lbs
17 Calorie Row
Biathlon You Say?
Well, not quite that sort of biathlon. Or this one for that matter... but pretty close.
WOD for 11-16-16:
Strict Press (Cycle 3, Week 3):
***Using your Cycle 3 "Base" weight...
75% x 5
85% x 3
95% x 1+ (Max Effort, i.e. as many reps as you can safely make)
***See this post from two weeks ago (click here) for how to calculate your current Cycle 3 "Base" weight.
-then-
"Mini Muscle-up Biathlon"
For Time:
400m Run
12 Muscle-ups
400m Run
9 Muscle-ups
400m Run
6 Muscle-ups
You must run a "penalty" lap of 200m every time you break a set of muscle-ups.
Variety is the Spice of Life
Lately I've been pondering the various symptoms associated with nutritional deficiencies. At the extreme end, scurvy, spina bifida, and rickets are well known conditions associated with nutritional deficiencies, but it turns out a huge number of maladies can be treated and/or prevented by merely consuming sufficient quantities of all the various things our bodies need.
Athletes in particular have a higher requirement for most nutrients, given our higher muscle mass, higher activity level, and higher calorie consumption relative to the general population, leaving us more susceptible to deficiencies if we eat "normal" amounts of various foods. Athletes are also likely to resort to a routine in an attempt to systematize an effective macronutrient balance. Routine can be a tremendously useful tool, but it can also end up being a path to performance-inhibiting deficiencies.
Without getting too complex, protein is made up of amino acids, fats are made up of fatty acids, and carbohydrates contain a variety of sugars. These subcomponents of the macronutrients are similar to micronutrients (vitamins and minerals the body requires in small amounts), and not all protein, carbohydrate and fat sources contain the same breakdown of essential amino acids, fatty acids or micronutrients. With this in mind, it's possible to see how a diet consisting almost entirely of chicken, whey protein, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and almonds could become an issue, even if the macronutrient breakdown is "perfect" since you wouldn't be consuming the abundance of micronutrients available in eggs (K2), brazil nuts (selenium), red meat (iron and B12), cauliflower (practically everything useful), and oranges (vitamin C), just to name a few great food sources of micronutrients.
There are definitely those out there who build a routine around their macros and aim to cover their micronutrient bases by supplementing with a multivitamin. The potential issue here, especially for those who take a multivitamin in addition to other sports-related supplements like recovery drinks or pre-workouts, is a risk of toxicity, especially in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. For athletes who operate in this realm, be sure to examine the labels for each of your supplements, and aggregate each vitamin to make sure your total daily intake isn't approaching the upper limits (ULs) set by the FDA.
As an athlete, it's important to be educated about the sources (in my opinion, unprocessed food sources are preferable) of the essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids required to optimize health and athletic performance. Especially if you're a creature of habit, it's a good idea to thoughtfully review your daily intake for possible nutrient deficiencies, or overdose if you're a supplement user. To this end, I think it's fun (because I geek out on this stuff) to Google "food sources of ____" and double check that I regularly consume an adequate amount of the key sources of that particular nutrient. I also sometimes Google "symptoms of Vitamin ___ deficiency" or "symptoms of Vitamin ____ overdose" mostly out of curiosity. As always, if you're concerned that you're suffering from a nutrient deficiency or toxicity, or may have a health condition that isn't yet diagnosed, it's crucial to consult your doctor!
Next week I'll post regarding my own habits, and how I generally think about a week of meals to try to ensure that I'm hitting my macros without neglecting my "micros".
WOD for 11-15-16:
Every 2 Minutes For 6 Rounds:
3 Power Cleans + 1 Split Jerk
Climbing
-then-
For Time:
BUY-IN: 100 Double Unders
Then, 21-15-9 of...
Russian Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
BUY-OUT: 400m Run
Monday Evening Yoga
"Yo, are you going to leave before yoga class?"
"Namaste."
A friendly REMINDER that Yoga Class is FREE for all Arena Ready members and is held on-going on Monday evenings (from 7-8pm).
Dani, whom many of you have worked out with here at Arena Ready, teaches 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.
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 11-14-16:
Front Squat:
4x8
Across
Add to your working weight from 11-08-16. Remember, this is four SETS of eight REPS all across at the SAME weight. Not sure what to add? Keep it simple - if you used less than 200 lbs last week then add 5 lbs. If you used more than 200 lbs then add 10 lbs.
-then-
"Speed Limit"
A) AMRAP 5 Minutes:
20 Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs
30 AbMat Sit-ups
Rest 2 Minutes, Then...
B) AMRAP 5 Minutes:
10 Plate Burpees @ 45/35 lbs
20 Air Squats
The plate burpee movement standard is:
-chest touches the plate on the floor
-plate above head with arms straight at standing/full extension
-plate returned back to the floor (can only be dropped from BELOW THE KNEE!)
(Compare to 11-16-15)
MeiLin McDonald: Never Give Up
WOD for 11-12-16:
"Loco Moco"
With a Partner For Time:
BUY-IN: 800m Run TOGETHER
Then, BOTH Athletes Complete...
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Hang Power Cleans @ 155/110 lbs
Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
BUY-OUT: 800m Run SPLIT
***Both partners must run together for the 800m buy-in, and the round of 10 Hang Power Cleans cannot start until both partners are in the door.
***Both partners must complete the 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 sequence, with one partner working at a time to complete a full round before the other partner starts their full round (e.g. Partner A performs 10 HPCs and 10 BBJs, then Partner B performs 10 HPCs and 10 BBJs).
***The 800m buy-out can be split in any fashion the team desires, and time is called when a total of 800m has been completed.
2016 CrossFit Liftoff: Two Champs at Arena Ready
It's not quite official just yet (video reviews and final score validations still pending) but it appears likely that TWO OF THE WORLDWIDE WINNERS OF THE 2016 CROSSFIT LIFTOFF ARE FROM ARENA READY!!!
Cassie is currently sitting in 1st overall in her weight class, and also scored 14th in the world in the "pound-for-pound" category. Her performance included a lifetime PR on the clean & jerk, a 322-rep performance on Saturday's "Event 3" WOD (that's 1 full round + 25 pull-ups + 47 calories on the rower), and a HUGE lifetime PR snatch of 182 pounds at 129 pounds bodyweight (that's 141% of bodyweight, folks!).
Coach Sarah is also sitting in 1st overall in her weight class, and perhaps more impressively is in 3rd overall among all classes worldwide. Her Liftoff performance included a 313-rep score on "Event 3" and a lifetime PR clean & jerk (complete with power clean for flair) of 265 pounds.
Additionally, each athlete who had been following our Barbell Club programming over the last training cycle hit lifetime PRs and/or "current era" PRs in their competition and/or training lifts - a BIG CONGRATS to Bex, Elliott, and Steven for crushing it with the barbell this past weekend. A shout out to Mike S. as well for becoming the newest member of the 300-pound clean & 400-pound squat clubs, and to Tony for a "current era" snatch PR (and near lifetime PR!) and a "no no no" squat at 475 pounds (no belt, no sleeves, no weightlifting shoes).
Great work everyone! We're so proud of your effort, and thrilled to be able to say that Arena Ready is the HOME OF TWO CROSSFIT LIFTOFF WORLDWIDE CHAMPS! Here's a quick look at Cassie's and Sarah's lifetime PRs:
And for all the keyboard coaches out there who have already weighed in on these lifts: 1) Thank you for your wisdom, we'd be so lost without you; B) Yes, you are correct, these max lifts are far from perfect (imagine that!) - we'll keep drilling their PVC technique so that these ladies don't spontaneously explode; 4) Yes, believe it or not, a power clean IS legal in weightlifting (not that this is a weightlifting meet); and finally d3) Yes, Sarah's belt is not legal by IWF or USAW standards - it's the belt CFHQ gave her for winning the Liftoff last year, so for some strange reason we thought it would be fun for her to wear it again... got it, TOTALLY ILLEGAL.
WOD for 11-09-16:
Bar Muscle-up:
Skills & Drills
-then-
"Pleasant Girls"
3 Rounds For Time:
50 Air Squats
7 Bar Muscle-ups
10 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
(Compare to 10-26-15)