Workout of the Day
Coach Sarah Takes Home Silver & Bronze
Sarah took the competition platform on Sunday at the 2016 USA Weightlifting American Open in Orlando, winning both Silver (Clean & Jerk) and Bronze (Total) in the newest IWF class (-90kg)! It was an exciting session to say the least, and the messages of support from all of you who were watching the live stream and cheering her on were so amazing.
The last lift of the session saw Sarah calling for an increase following a majority-decision "no lift" on her 2nd clean & jerk attempt. Rather than repeating the same weight and potentially locking-up 2nd place overall in the Total (and 1st in the Clean & Jerk), Sarah shot me a look and asked for the increase... "let's go for it" she said without hesitation. So I called the jump to 119kg/262lbs - a successful lift at that weight meant two gold medals & an overall win in the Total, and we didn't travel across the country to settle for 2nd place. After an easy clean, the jerk was just not quite there... driven plenty high but just a little out of position, Sarah was forced to drop the bar and end the session with a signature smile and wave of appreciation for the crowd and referees.
While we fell just short of the win I am so proud of her effort, courage, and fight. I'll take her "we came to win" attitude every time. And the great news is Arena Ready still has some new hardware to add to its weightlifting trophy case!
Thanks to all of you for screaming your heads off from 3,000 miles away!
WOD for 12-14-16:
Every 3 Minutes For 7 Rounds (21 Minutes):
3 "Touch-and-Go" Power Snatches, climbing
7 Burpee Box Jumps @ 30/24 in
21/15 Calorie Row
Climb in weight to a top set as your technique allows - "touch-and-go" means no dropping or re-setting/pausing at the floor. Be steady and explosive on the burpee box jumps, paying attention not to eat it (facing the box is not required). Don't dog the row.
Reebok Comes to Arena Ready on Tuesday!
The good folks at Reebok are coming to Arena Ready on Tuesday (Dec 13th) and will be in the house during the 4, 5, 6, and 7pm classes! They will have some swag bags for our members and will have the new Nano 6.0 shoe on hand for folks to try on and even wear during the workout.
Come on by to see if you like the new Nano and give them a little spin with some running and thrusters! Not to worry, it's not too many of either...
WOD for 12-13-16:
With a Partner on a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 20:00
Front Squat:
4x6
Across
If possible, add to your working weight from 12-06-16.
B) From 20:00 - 23:00
Rest 3 Minutes & Re-Set For AMRAP
C) From 23:00 - 33:00
AMRAP 10 Minutes:
BUY-IN: Run 600m TOGETHER
Then, In Remaining Time, AMRAP of...
25 Thrusters @ 95/65 lbs
25 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Both athletes must run 600m, and the thruster reps may start as soon as the FIRST runner is back in the gym. Partners share the AMRAP couplet reps with only one working at a time. Reps do not have to be split evenly.
Four Years Later: Dear 26-Year Old Lisa
Lisa G write a great blog post a few days ago that we wanted to share as well (if you don't already follow her blog Stilettos to Snatches you should check it out here). Thanks so much for sharing your story, Lisa, and for being an inspiration to so many of us in the gym. Your determination, positive attitude, and consistent hard work are all so impressive, and the way you treat adversity as opportunity is something we can all learn from. You rock.
Today’s post marks four years since my back surgery. It’s hard to think that time has gone by that fast. Not only that, but a lot’s happened in four years. By now you’ve probably heard of my story. How I herniated a disc in lower back, swore off CrossFit, then rejoined and recovered to my current state.
One of my favorite ways to pass time at work is reading The Player’s Tribune. It’s owned by pro athletes, and the content is written (in theory) by pro athletes. One of the best series is called “Letters to My Younger Self.” It’s exactly that, and I thought I’d write one to my four year ago younger self for today’s Fitness Friday post.
DEAR 26-YEAR OLD LISA,
I need you to hear me out on this. You’re going to be OK.
I’m almost certain that you won’t listen to this piece of advice, but you need to hear it again. You’ve done all that you could up until this point to fend off surgery. You had 3 cortisone injections and 5 months of physical therapy. You did what you could.
As they prepare you for surgery, you won’t be able to help but to burst into tears. Here you are, a 26-year old, getting split open in the lower back. You’ll freak out and the doctors will need to calm you down with a sedative. Everything starts to go black, and the last thing you’ll remember is telling a nurse that you want to go on vacation to Hong Kong.
YOU’LL WAKE UP, AND I HATE TO SPOIL SURPRISES, BUT YOU AREN’T PARALYZED BELOW THE WAIST LIKE YOU HAD THOUGHT.
In fact, you’ll be able to feel all your toes! A few hours later, you’ll even be able to take a zombie walk through Whole Foods and order a sandwich you won’t remember eating. But let’s fast forward things, shall we? Remember how you swore off going back to CrossFit? You said you’d never touch barbell again.
But I’m about to drop a bombshell on you.
You’ll participate in the CrossFit Open the following year, and you’ll do a few local competitions a few years after that. And you’ll come perilously close to qualifying for a national tournament in weightlifting. Not only that, but you’ll be in better shape at 30 than at 26. And all of those PRs you thought you’d never get back, well, those go up too. Each year that goes by, you’ll think, “Damn. I feel good!” That being said, you’ll need some grounding on your progress.
FIRST, THERE WILL STILL BE SETBACKS. JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE FIXING YOU RIGHT NOW, DOESN’T GIVE YOU A HALL PASS TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE.
There will be a few scary moments, and more times where you push a little too hard. You’ll have to get a few more cortisone shots, but you bounce back. But you’ll never forget the sensation of what it felt like when you initially got hurt. In a strange way, it keeps you sane and safe.
YOU’LL JOIN A GYM THAT TRULY CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
The gym you’ll join will have many old faces. But you’ll have more access to coaches with more knowledge and are better communicators. In fact, the gym you’ll join is the sole reason why you give CrossFit a second chance. You may not believe me right now, but the gym will reinvigorate your faith in CrossFit’s ability to offer good coaching and a safe environment.
So, before you tell your future husband that you’re forever broken, remember two things.
When you wake up from surgery, hug Greg. Say thank you for the Christmas tree he bought you while you were in surgery, for volunteering to give you a sponge bath to protect your sutures, and his general willingness to deal with all of your complexities.
And remember to be grateful that you’re able to be fixed; that you’re able to start your path to recovery. Your best years are still ahead of you and your health will be better than what your twenties brought you.
And of course, never forget that hard work will always be the answer.
Sincerely,
Lisa
WOD for 12-12-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 10:00
Strict Press:
4-4-4-4-4
Climbing
B) From 10:00 - 25:00
Push Press:
3-3-3-3
Climbing
C) From 25:00 - 40:00
Push Jerk:
2-2-2
Climbing
There is NO requirement for the bar to continue climbing from movement to movement, so drop the loading if needed between movements - however, if you can safely complete this WOD as twelve continuously climbing sets then have at it!
The USAW American Open Championships: Sarah Competes on Sunday
The 2016 USA Weightlifting American Open Championships is underway in Orlando, FL, and many of the country's best weightlifters are taking the competition platform to battle it out for some national-level hardware. Sarah and I will be in Orlando, and she'll be competing on Sunday, December 11th, so hopefully some of you can watch on the live stream and cheer for some big Arena Ready lifts!
Here is the link to live stream - Sarah's session is scheduled to start at 12:00pm Pacific Time (Sunday, Dec 11th) on the Blue Platform:
http://www.teamusa.org/usa-weightlifting/LIVE
WOD for 12-10-16:
With a Partner on a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 15:00
Hang Power Clean:
Both athletes establish a heavy double
Athletes use the same barbell. If possible, add to your top set from 11-25-16.
B) From 15:00 - 20:00
Rest 5 Minutes & Re-Set For AMRAP
C) From 20:00 - 35:00
AMRAP 15 Minutes:
50 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
40 Calorie Row
30 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/105 lbs
Partners share the reps with only one working at a time. Reps do not have to be split evenly.
James & Tony At Franniversary
Congrats to James M. and Tony M. for teaming up together and competing in the 5th Annual Franniversary competition hosted by CrossFit Oakdale last weekend. The dynamic duo faced a host of challenging WODs which were primarily twists on classic CrossFit "named" workouts (e.g. Fran, Diane, DT, etc), and when the dust had settled the pairing from Arena Ready finished 8th overall in a very talented field of athletes. A great finish considering this was James' first ever competition!
Thanks to Diana and Chad for making the trip out to Oakdale to cheer on our team, and to veteran Franniversary competitors, Coaches Lindsay and Jon (better known as #Infarkle), for keeping the boys in line and on task. Great work everyone and congrats on a successful day of fitness competition!
WOD for 12-09-16:
"Sous Chef"
FIVE 3-Minute Cycles For Max Rounds:
3 Power Snatches @ 115/80 lbs
6 Lateral Bar Burpees
9 Air Squats
(Rest 1 Minute)
This is 3 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest, repeated five times. Score this continuously by keeping one running count of total rounds (i.e. "pick up where you left off").
Thursday WOD
WOD for 12-08-16:
Deadlift:
3x6
Across
Add to your 8-rep working weight from 11-26-16.
-then-
Every 3 Minutes For 5 Rounds:
20/15 Calorie Row
20 AbMat Sit-ups
40 Unbroken Double Unders
To do this workout as prescribed the double unders must be unbroken within the 3-minute round. For example, if the athlete misses after 37 consecutive double unders he/she must re-start at 0 and complete 40 unbroken before the 3-minute round is over - otherwise, it's considered a scaled workout.
Wednesday WOD
WOD for 12-07-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) At 0:00
For Time:
400m Row
30 Ground-to-Overhead @ 95/65 lbs
20 Handstand Push-ups
10 Muscle-ups
B) At 13:00
For Time:
400m Row
30 Ground-to-Overhead @ 95/65 lbs
20 Handstand Push-ups
10 Muscle-ups
Remembering Cash
We may not have much to say on the blog in the coming days (WODs will still be posted), as we feel a little speechless and like nothing we could say is all that important. There are some goings-on that we want to touch on eventually (the Holiday Party re-cap, Franniversary re-cap, and other gym news) but for now we're still trying to process the tragic loss. In that vein, I wanted to share a few memories I have of Cash.
I remember the first time Cash came into our gym. Sarah and I were excited. Leisa had been a member at Arena Ready for some time at that point, and of course we were already such big fans of everything she brought to our community. Sunny was also starting to come in and work out regularly which was super cool, and we had this grateful feeling when they told us that Cash wanted to get started doing CrossFit in order to get in shape for the tour that their band, Them Are Us Too, was preparing for - it honestly felt like an honor.
In walks Cash - a little quiet, very sweet in nature, strikingly beautiful, graceful, and very naturally athletic. Cash listened attentively, tried really hard, and made things that frustrated even veteran CrossFitters look fairly easy. That was just sort of how she moved through the space - kind of effortlessly, with a fluidity and smooth cadence that we as coaches so rarely see in people's movement (especially in those new to strength training and CrossFit).
It made sense that Cash was an artist, and such a gifted one at that - she had that indescribable thing that just made those of us around her want to know more... more of what she said... more of what she thought... at least that was very true for me. I basically thought Cash was the coolest of cool. I used to joke in class and say things out loud like, "hey, when you become an even bigger rock star please don't forget me" and "if you ever need a celebrity trainer while on tour you know where to find me." Cash would smile and I would hope that she actually thought it was funny, and hope that she knew I was joking (well, only sort of) - since I assume that the music she (and they) created was about the art and not the fame that might come of it.
The tour soon came and was a big success based on everything we heard. In keeping up with Cash from afar through Leisa and Sunny we always heard such pride in their voices as they described her experiences, adventures, and new goals. There are no words to describe how sad we are, how much we are mourning for Leisa and Sunny, and how unfair it seems that such a cool person has been lost so young.
Please bear with us as we process this alongside all of you. Please continue to keep Leisa and Sunny in your thoughts and prayers, and for those of you fortunate to have been in class with Cash in her brief stint as a CrossFitter, please join us in remembering a really cool human.
WOD for 12-06-16:
Front Squat:
4x6
Across
Add to your 8-rep working weight from 11-22-16.
-then-
For Time:
21-15-9
Front Squats @ 135/95 lbs (no rack)
Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
Very Sad News
We are brokenhearted to share that Cash Askew, Leisa and Sunny's child, was among the victims of the Oakland fire on Friday night. Cash was an incredibly beautiful person, one we were fortunate to get to know a little bit at Arena Ready as she prepped to go on tour with her band, Them Are Us Too. Their family is a very special part of our Arena Ready community, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they process this deeply tragic loss.
We know that fundraising efforts are underway, and that their friends have set up a meal train. To preserve their privacy, we'll be posting these links to the private Arena Ready Facebook group, along with anything else we learn our community can do to help.
We wanted to share this article to honor her memory.
WOD for 12-05-16:
For Time:
400m Run
40 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs
40 Walking Lunges
400m Run
40 Push-ups
40 AbMat Sit-ups
400m Run
40 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
40 Burpees
400m Run
(Compare to 01-25-15)
AR Holiday Party Tonight, Dec 3rd!
Partaaay
We're looking forward to seeing you all tonight, Saturday Dec 3rd, for our annual Arena Ready Holiday Party! We plan on getting started around 4:00pm, hopefully allowing those who have other parties or obligations to be able to attend prior to their engagements. We'll probably wind things down around 8:00pm.
Potluck: Paleo or Not!
By popular demand we're continuing the tradition of making the party a potluck-style shindig, so feel free to bring a dish/treat/drinks to share. Healthy options are of course appreciated but by no means required. We have a potluck sheet at the gym if you want to take a peak before or after Saturday morning class in order to see what others may be bringing.
Bring The Fam!
Our holiday parties, like many of our events, are generally family friendly - so bring your loved ones (including little ones) if so desired. See you on Saturday night!
WOD for 12-03-16:
AMRAP 22 Minutes, With a Partner:
100 Calorie Row
80 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
60 Toes-to-Bar
80 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 95/65 lbs
1000m Run
Reps are shared with only one partner working at a time. Reps can be divided in any fashion and do not have to be split evenly.
Sunday Yoga Class Switcheroos: Dec 4th & Dec 18th
REMINDER: Our annual Holiday Party is this Saturday, December 3rd, from 4-8pm (click for more info)!
A couple of our upcoming Monday evening Yoga classes this month are rescheduled to Sunday mornings, so hopefully many of you who wouldn't otherwise be able to make it in for Yoga can take advantage of the schedule swap!
This Monday's (Dec 5th) class is rescheduled for Sunday, Dec 4th, at 9am.
Next Monday's (Dec 12th) class is rescheduled for Sunday, Dec 18th, at 9am.
Let us know if you have any questions, and get yourself over to yoga class for one, or both, of these Sunday opportunities. Your body will thank you!
WOD for 12-02-16:
30 Rounds or Time:
5 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
3 Handstand Push-ups
1 Power Clean @ 225/155 lbs
Good Luck Tony & James!
REMINDER: Our annual Holiday Party is this Saturday, December 3rd, from 4-8pm (click for more info)!
Good luck to Tony and James who will be competing together at the 5th Annual Franniversary competition this Saturday, December 3rd, in Oakdale! Made famous in previous years by our very own Team #Infarkle (AKA Coach Lindsay "Sparkle" and Coach Jon "Inferno), the Franniversary competition hosted by CrossFit Oakdale is a super fun and popular event, with workouts based on some creative interpretations of classic CrossFit "named" WODs (e.g. Fran, Isabel, Diane, etc.).
Tony and James should be a formidable team, and they would love any support from their Arena Ready friends willing make the trip to cheer them on (and then drive back to AR for the Holiday Party, of course). If you want to coordinate carpooling to make the trip to Oakdale feel free to ping folks in the Arena Ready private Facebook group.
Go get 'em, boys!
WOD for 12-01-16:
3-Position Power Snatch (Floor, Knee, High Hang):
5 Sets of (1+1+1)
Climbing
-then-
A) AMRAP 3 Minutes:
7 Power Snatches @ 75/55 lbs
35 Double Unders
B) AMRAP 3 Minutes:
7 Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
28 Double Unders
C) AMRAP 3 Minutes:
7 Power Snatches @ 115/75 lbs
21 Double Unders
Rest 3 minutes between AMRAPs. Score each AMRAP individually.