FRA-GEE-LAY

Must be Italian!

An actual photo of Amy & Jeannie's window.  Now that is next level, folks.

WOD for 12-22-16:

Deadlift:

3x6

Across

If possible, add to your working weight from 12-15-16.

-then-

With a Partner, 2 Rounds For Time:

1,000m Row

200m Kettlebell Farmer Walk @ 70/53 lbs (per side)

1,000m Run

Work is shared, with only one person working at a time.  Partners may split the work in any fashion (does not have to split evenly).

Keep The Change...

... ya' filthy animal.

Tis the season for holiday movies and every year this topic is a hot one at Arena Ready.  So, I ask you (as I do every year), what's your favorite holiday movie?     

WOD for 12-21-16:

Alternating EMOM For 10 Rounds (20 Minutes):

MINUTE 1:

1 Snatch

MINUTE 2:

10 AbMat Sit-ups

25 Unbroken Double Unders

Warm-up to a working weight for the snatch before starting the EMOM.  Snatches can be either power OR squat (athlete's choice today) and can either stay the same weight across all 10 rounds or climb slightly every few rounds.  Either way the goal is 10 solid singles with NO MISSES, so loading should be set accordingly (i.e. this is not a max out session).   

January On-Boarding!

Arena Ready's Winter/New Year's 2017 On-Boarding for newcomers starts on Saturday, January 14th!

Most of you who are members at Arena Ready know that we only on-board a small number of new athletes every few months as membership spaces become available (usually because a couple of existing members moved for a job/school/etc).  We're lucky to have a community of members with a very high retention rate, and as such we have dozens and dozens of folks who have been with us for 2, 3, and even 4+ years (from the very beginning!).  This creates the sort of unique and welcoming atmosphere we have at the gym... a close knit family of like-minded people from all different walks of life, who support and encourage each other in the pursuit of getting better.  While we receive inquiries nearly every day from new people looking to join Arena Ready, we keep the intake & on-boarding process deliberate in order to keep our membership at a constant number - putting us in that sweet spot of knowing everyone in the gym, and being able to coach each athlete in a personal manner that ultimately leads to real progress.  

Our Winter/2017 New Year's On-Boarding process starts on Saturday, January 14th, with the "Introduction to CrossFit" class and continues the following Saturday, January 21st, with the "Beginner's CrossFit" class.  Both 90-minute classes are free, and the completion of both allows a prospective athlete to then select a membership and start taking group classes as a member at Arena Ready.  Existing members who would like to sit-in on the first half of the "Introduction to CrossFit" class are also welcome to do so, as the first 45 minutes cover the methodology of CrossFit and our specific approach to the application of that methodology at Arena Ready (a great way to get a refresher on that info if it's been a while since you've given it any thought).

Why am I telling all of you this?  Because I want you (the members of AR) to help us continue to build Arena Ready with the sort of amazing people we already have in the building.  I want your significant others, your family members, your friends, your neighbors, your loved ones - those are the folks we want to be a part of this incredible community, and those are the people who tend to stick around and really make fitness a lifestyle... because they already have you as a built-in advocate and support system.  That's not to say we don't love the complete strangers who find their way to us and eventually become big parts of the AR family - we certainly have our fair share of those stories as well.  But since so many of you ask us on a regular basis when the next on-boarding opportunity will be - because you have someone special in mind who you think might really enjoy it and benefit from the program - I wanted to post this here, with plenty of advance notice, to let everyone know.  

So send them our way and help us fill the place with the incredible people in your life.  They can register for the free classes (up to ONE WEEK PRIOR to the class date) on our website here!  Existing AR members who would like to sit-in on the first half of the "Introduction to CrossFit" class can simply show up and hang out - no need to register for the class online.

Thanks, and let us know if you have any questions!

WOD for 12-20-16:

Front Squat:

4x6

Across

Week 3 of 3.  If possible, add to your working weight from 12-13-16. 

-then-

AMRAP 9 Minutes:

BUY-IN: 27 Calorie Row

... then, in remaining time, AMRAP of...

21 Air Squats

15 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs

9 Toes-to-Bar

Holiday Class Schedule

We'll be closed on Christmas Day (Sunday, Dec 25th) and New Year's Day (Sunday, Jan 1st) but open all other days during the next two weeks, with just a few slight changes in light of the holiday season.  Please check out our holiday class schedule below, and contact us with any questions:

Monday, Dec 19th - Friday, Dec 24th (Christmas Eve):

Normal Class Schedule

 

Sunday, Dec 25h (Christmas Day):

Closed

 

Monday, Dec 26th:

Open Gym at 9:00 and 10:00am

 

Tuesday, Dec 27th - Saturday, Dec 31st (New Year's Eve):

Normal Class Schedule EXCEPT no 6:00am or 7:00pm weekday classes.

 

Sunday, Jan 1st (New Year's Day):

Closed

 

Monday, Jan 2nd:

Open Gym at 9:00am and 10:00am

 

Tuesday, Jan 3rd:

Normal Class Schedule Resumes

Also, I realize I stated last week that the Yoga class on Sunday, Dec 18th was the final Yoga session of the year, but I mis-spoke.  Monday evening's (Dec 19th) 7pm Yoga class is ON and will be the final Yoga session before the New Year - so sign-up for it and get yourself to Yoga on Monday night.  Apologies for the confusion and thanks for your attention!   

WOD for 12-19-16:

"Partner Kelly"

With a Partner, 5 Rounds For Time:

400m Run

30 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in

30 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft

Reps are shared, with only one person working at a time.  Partners may split the reps in any fashion, and reps do not have to split evenly.

(Compare to 09-05-15, 12-13-14, and 05-24-14) 

Saturday Holiday WODs: "Zach's Eight Crazy Nights"

Every year around the holidays at Arena Ready we do several traditional WODs (of our own tradition, that is) which include our AR version of a "Twelve Days of CrossFit" workout on Christmas Eve... and, of course, "The Chief" on New Year's Eve.  So those of you who have joined the gym in the last year may get to experience your first shot at those challenging WODs over the next few Saturdays.  

Last year, Zach - who has been an athlete at AR for over four years - asked me, "Hey, why isn't there an 'Eight Crazy Nights' workout too?!"  I didn't really have a good answer for him other than, "Hmmm, good point.  There should definitely be one.  And it should have some of your ninja skills in it, and some of the stuff you hate too."

And thus, Zach's Eight Crazy Nights was born.  Too bad Adam Sandler's not here to serenade us through the WOD, although I'm sure we could arrange for is infamous Hanukkah Song to play on loop for the entire duration of each Saturday class.  You know you'd sing along for at least the first time through, don't lie... just let it happen... 

Zach (left) knocking out one of his many ninja skills - double unders (which are, sadly for him, not in this workout)

WOD for Time:

"Zach's Eight Crazy Nights"

For Time*:

1) 200m Run

2) 12m Bear Crawl (40ft down & back)

3) Muscle-ups

4) Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs

5) Front Squats @ 155/105 lbs

6) Hang Power Cleans @ 155/105 lbs

7) Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs

8) Thrusters @ 155/105 lbs

*This workout is performed in the same fashion as the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (except there are eight nights, instead of twelve days).  The numbers 1 through 8 represent repetitions of that specific movement. Start with 1, then perform 2-1, then 3-2-1, then 4-3-2-1, etc. until reaching 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.

(Compare to 12-05-15)

Yoga Class: Sunday, Dec 18th at 9:00am

A reminder that our final Yoga class before the New Year is this Sunday, Dec 18th at 9:00am.  Come in this weekend and take advantage of this Sunday treat for your body & mind - a perfect complimentary session to all your strength and conditioning training.  

Bring a mat if you have one, otherwise you can borrow one of ours - and please don't forget to sign-up for class in advance.  Thanks!        

WOD for 12-16-16:

Front Rack Alternating Reverse Lunge:

8-8-8-8

For Quality

-then-

Row Sprint Intervals:

6x250m

Go every 3 minutes.

Each interval is for time.

Note your fastest interval and the delta between your slowest and fastest.

(Compare to 02-19-16, 02-09-15, and 07-18-14) 

Last Call: Weightlifting Shoe Cabinet Purge

Last call for the good ol' weightlifting shoe cabinet holiday season purge we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, so hopefully you've had a chance (or two) to double check your stuff and make sure there's no random equipment of yours being stashed away and forgotten.  

If it's just your weightlifting shoes in the cabinet (which is really the sole intention of the storage unit) then you're good to go - we're also cool with neatly kept jump ropes, and clean (AKA "funk free") belts/sleeves/wraps that are placed inside or on top of your shoes.  Anything that either A) looks like it hasn't been used in a year; OR B) stinks/looks dirty/is clearly broken or mis-matched will be removed and either discarded or donated.  Same goes for items that don't belong, such as non-weightlifting shoes, old tattered shoe boxes, water bottles, random items of clothing, etc.

Please take a final look and claim (or confirm) your stuff as needed.  We'll do our final purge this weekend.  Thanks for your attention!    

WOD for 12-15-16:

Deadlift:

3x6

Across

If possible, add to your working weight from 12-08-16.

-then-

"Terminal 2"

3 Rounds For Time:

70 Double Unders

50 Air Sqauts

30 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs

10 Strict Handstand Push-ups

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").