Workout of the Day
Evans Avenue Parking
A big CONGRATS to the athletes who got their first ever STRICT muscle-up on Wednesday during class - James O., Diego, and Seiji. Nice work, gents! We also had a handful of athletes who are SO close, and could get over the rings and through the transition with the tiniest little spot - Chris E., David G, and Bianca, to name a few. Keep working at it folks... the strength, stability, and mobility gains are paying off, and your positional awareness is getting better in the transitions!
Wednesday classes had me talking about the Evans Avenue parking option at the gym, since Wednesday 12pm and 4pm classes can be the toughest times during the week to find parking immediately next to the gym (thanks mostly to street cleaning up the hill). One option that's usually a great alternative (whether it be Wednesday or not) is parking on Evans Avenue, just off of Cesar Chavez.
Evans Avenue puts you just 1,000 feet or so away from the gym (through two crosswalks), and there's almost always plenty of free parking available - check out a visual orientation by clicking here:
WOD for 02-09-17:
Pause Back Squat:
3-3-3-3-3
Climbing as technique allows. Pause is 3 seconds in the bottom.
-then-
AMRAP 9 Minutes:
30 Dumbbell or Kettlebell Walking Lunges @ 35/25 lbs (per side)
25 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
20 Medicine Ball Sit-up & Throw @ 20/14 lbs
Deadlifts, HSPUs, and MUs, Oh My!
Since it's Open season, the deadlifts and HSPUs in Wednesday's WOD remind me of that time in 2016 when we saw 55 reps of each in "Open Workout 16.4." Thankfully some of us got it together enough afterwards to take this happy photo under Jenny's careful direction...
We're just over two weeks out from the announcement of the first Open workout, so the propaganda will continue until registration numbers improve (LOL). DO IT!
WOD for 02-08-17:
Strict Muscle-up:
Skills & Drills
-then-
For Time:
21 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
21 Handstand Push-ups
3 Strict Muscle-ups
15 Deadlifts
15 Handstand Push-ups
3 Strict Muscle-ups
9 Deadlifts
9 Handstand Push-ups
3 Strict Muscle-ups
A Better Firefighter: Tamara Holmes
Are you in the Open?
Our friend, fellow affiliate owner, and Oakland Firefighter, Tamara Holmes, is. She's participating in the Open to lead by example for her athletes of all levels, to stay in shape (and ready for anything) for her job, and to see how she stacks up with other firefighters and masters athletes around the world. She knows she's not winning the CrossFit Games but she's kicking ass in life, getting fitter while doing so, and wants everyone around her to do the same.
Well done, Tamara!
Sign-up to participate in the Open at Arena Ready with your friends and gym buddies:
Be sure when registering to select Arena Ready CrossFit as BOTH your affiliate AND team!
WOD for 02-07-17:
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (24 Total Minutes):
1) 12 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
2) 50 Double Unders
3) 18/15 Calorie Row
4) 12 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
5) Rest
If the C2B pull-ups, dubs, and hang power snatches are easy for you then perform all 5 rounds unbroken.
Deadlift PRs Abound!
Following the prior week's insane number of front squat PRs, last week saw an even higher number of deadlift 1-rep max PRs - I think we counted nearly four dozen lifetime bests! It's always an exciting day in the gym when heavy deadlift singles and/or 1RMs are on the board, as it's usually the biggest lift in the repertoire for nearly every athlete... and something about standing up a bunch of heavy weights just feels AWESOME.
Congratulations to all of the athletes who set new PRs! Your hard work during our last strength cycle(s) paid off in spades!
The blue notations in the lefthand margin note every PR!
WOD for 02-06-17:
Thruster:
15 Minutes to Establish a Heavy Triple
-then-
"The Air Force WOD"
For Time:
20 Thrusters @ 95/65 lbs
20 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
20 Push Jerks
20 Overhead Squats
20 Front Squats
Perform 4 burpees at the top of every minute, including the first (at 3-2-1 GO!).
(Compare to 02-22-16, 04-10-15, 07-09-14, and 02-03-14)
Arena Ready: In The Open
It's that time of year again - the 2017 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open begins on February 23th and registration is live!
Experienced CrossFitters at Arena Ready know what lies ahead (well, sort of ;-p), while newer athletes/members will likely be curious what all the hubbub is about these next couple of weeks (and months). We will post more detail (and many reminders) about "The Open" in the coming weeks, as well as some flashback moments from several awesome and inspiring performances over the last few years during The Open at AR.
For the time being, particularly for the newcomers, we'll leave you with the cool little video below - it highlights a couple of new athletes looking forward to participating in their first Open this year. The level of positive self-discovery one tends to encounter in the encouraging, inclusive, and competitive environment that is The Open is something most athletes never forget (or regret).
In the last two years OVER HALF of Arena Ready's members registered and participated in The Open - a participation level much higher than just about any gym we are aware of... so this year we are looking forward to the same enthusiasm and participation from our athletes. The Open workouts are inclusive, will have an option for scaled AND masters athletes (AKA older athletes), and will challenge you to tackle your weaknesses and push hard on your strengths. And few things can beat the unbelievable energy and camaraderie that transpires over the course of The Open workouts hosted at AR.
"But I'm still pretty new to CrossFit, and I'm so far from being considered a 'high level' CrossFitter... should I participate in The Open?" Assuming you are healthy (free of major injury) and training fairly consistently (at least 3x per week on average), then the answer is likely YES! We always like to use the example of entering a 5K or 10K running race as an analogy - nearly everyone who enters a 5K or 10K (or even a marathon for that matter) knows they probably won't win, but they participate and compete anyway. Why? Because it gives them an opportunity to train for something and get better, to compete with and support friends new and old, and to learn a lot about what you're actually capable of... often times it's more than you think.
More details to come but if you have immediate questions please speak with a coach at the gym! When you register please make sure to SELECT ARENA READY AS BOTH YOUR AFFILIATE AND TEAM.
So what are you waiting for? Are you IN THE OPEN?
WOD for 02-04-17:
In Teams of Three, For Time:
A) 30 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft (EACH ATHLETE COMPLETES 3 ROUNDS)
B) Max Reps Toes-to-Bar
C) Max Reps Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
Athlete A completes 30 wall balls while Athlete B performs max reps of toes-to-bar and Athlete C completes max reps of hang power cleans. Once Athlete A is done with 30 reps of wall balls everyone rotates as such:
A > B, B > C, C > A
Continue until ALL THREE ATHLETES HAVE COMPLETED 3 ROUNDS OF 30 WALL BALLS, at which point time is called.
The team must continuously count the total reps of toes-to-bar and hang power cleans through the entire workout. Each rep of toes-to-bar and hang power cleans counts as one second SUBTRACTED from the team's time to complete the workout - this "adjusted" time is the team's official score.
So... go fast, do lots of reps, and be good at math. Easy, right?
(I'm not sure I'm even going to attempt to put this one into BTWB for scoring... LOL)
BA AR Women Part 2: Coaches Esterina & Sarah
Coach Esterina Completes Her Level 2!
Part 2 of 2 on our badass Arena Ready ("BA AR") women from this past weekend - starting with Coach Esterina completing her CrossFit Level 2 Trainer Course at the original "Ranch" in Aromas, CA. Here she is with the HQ Staff, including our friend, Katie Hogan (pictured below on the far right), as well as CrossFit legend, Annie Sakamoto (2nd from the right). Esterina sharpened her skills with some of the most seasoned CrossFit trainers during the weekend, and we're proud of her efforts to continue to expand her coaching knowledge.
Congratulations, Esterina!
Coach Sarah Finishes 4th Overall at The Fittest Games!
Coach Sarah took to the competition floor this past weekend in Austin, Texas, at one of the most competitive events in the country - the "Pro Division" at the 10th Annual Fittest Games ("TFG10"). In a field of CrossFit Games athletes, NPGL/GRID athletes, and top-tier Regionals athletes, Sarah was able to produce consistent & steady performances throughout the weekend's 6 challenging WODs, and finished in 4th place overall - just one point shy of the podium! It was a solid outing, especially considering the objective to "train through" the event and use the weekend as an opportunity to workout at "game speed" among some of the fittest in the US (and, of course, to visit her brother & his wife, along with their newborn baby and 2-year toddler LOL).
Congrats, Sarah, on a solid weekend of competitive exercise - and thanks for representing Arena Ready on the big/national stage!
WOD for 02-03-17:
"Tabata Frittata"
Tabata:
Row for Calories
Ring Dips
One-Arm Dumbbell Power Snatches (alternating) @ 55/45 lbs
Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
(Rest 1 Minute Between Movements)
This workout lasts for 19 total minutes (including rest minutes). The Tabata interval is 0:20 seconds of work followed by 0:10 of rest, repeated eight times (for a total of four minutes). We will NOT alternate the movements, but will complete ALL EIGHT intervals for a given movement before moving on to the next movement. There is one minute of rest between movements. Your score if the LOWEST rep round for each of the four movements.
BA AR Women Part 1: Coach Alyssa
Part 1 of 2 on our badass Arena Ready women from this past weekend - Coach Alyssa and her amazing "comeback" performance at the 2017 NorCal Masters Competition. After a more than a year away from any competitive fitness events, battling back against injury and fighting to work her way back into CrossFit, Alyssa entered the competition which draws some of the fittest masters athletes from around the state (and beyond). With a steady, hard-fought performance throughout the weekend she was able to finish in 24th place overall among a talented field of athletes - and if there were bonus points for technical proficiency in movement we think she would have been near the top for sure. :-)
A huge congratulations to Alyssa for her incredible achievement, and for showing us once again how tough she really is (not that any of us forgot... 2014 CF Open Thruster/Burpee WOD, anyone?). You rock, Coach Alyssa, and we're all so very proud of you!
(Photos courtesy of TJ's Gym & NorCal Masters)
Much like the Front Squat progression that concluded last week, we'll test the deadlift on Thursday. For those who have made the deadlift strength cycle sessions consistently you've likely set yourself up for a new 1-rep max. For those who haven't, please keep in mind that a 1-rep max may not be the end goal for the session - a healthy back is far more important than just about any PR (including the ones you haven't really "earned").
The weights will be there tomorrow... will you?
WOD for 02-02-17:
Deadlift:
Establish Your New 1-Rep Max
-then-
AMRAP 9 Minutes:
21 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs
15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
9 Pistols (per side, alternating)
The pistols are alternating sides for 9 reps per leg, or 18 total reps per round. Before you ask - it just looks better to write 21-15-9 than to write 21-15-18.
Write Your Own Open Story
WOD for 02-01-17:
Power Clean + 3 Push Presses:
5 Sets of (1+3)
Climbing
-then-
"Wilma"
FOUR 2-Minute Cycles for MAX REPS of Box Jumps:
200m Run
13 Push Presses @ 135/95 lbs (no rack)
MAX REPS Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
This is 2 minutes of work then 2 minutes of rest, repeated for 4 cycles. Your score is the total number of box jumps completed across all 4 cycles. If your knees re-bend and/or your feet leave the floor during the push presses that's called a "jerk" - it's a wonderful movement but it's not what we're doing today.
Arena Ready: In the Open
More to come on the badass ladies of Arena Ready and their accomplishments this past weekend, I promise. For now, I was reminded by the awesome AR members who are signing-up for the Open that we're just over three weeks away from the start of the 2017 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open.
We'll post some additional information about the Open - and why it's such a big part of Arena Ready every year (and why you should all sign-up and do it!) - this week, so keep your eyes out for that. For now, if you're about to sign-up (or already have) please make sure to select Arena Ready CrossFit as BOTH your affiliate AND team when registering yourself on the Games site. There are many of you who are (as of this writing) already registered under Arena Ready as your affiliate but NOT as your team - so make sure to log-in and also select us as your team!
You can sign-up here: https://games.crossfit.com/
Carol Burrell is in the Open. Are you?
WOD for 01-31-17:
Alternating Every 90 Seconds For 6 Rounds (18 Minutes):
1) 3 Back Squats, climbing
2) 100m Double Kettlebell Farmer Walk, pick load
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 Seconds (Rest 1:00 Between Sets)
Add to 01-18-17 if possible.
Congrats Coaches Alyssa & Sarah!
Coaches Liz, Alyssa (who crushed it in competition), and Hillary at the 2017 NorCal Masters Competition this weekend at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond
Coach Sarah at the Fittest Games this weekend in Austin (photo courtesy of Lisa Mayes Owens)
WOD for 01-30-17:
For Time:
40/30 Calorie Row
40 Toes-to-Bar
40 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 95/65 lbs
40 Thrusters
40 Lateral Bar Burpees
Experienced CrossFitters could easily "game" this WOD and map out a reps/sets and work/rest strategy that produces a respectable and predictable time. Or you could go out with a max set of each movement following a fairly fast row and then let the cards fall where they may - you might surprise yourself. Or not. But it's fun to try sometimes.
Good Luck Coach Alyssa & Coach Sarah!
Alyssa repping out some overhead squats
Alyssa at the 2017 NorCal Masters Competition
A reminder that Coach Alyssa would love your support at the 2017 NorCal Masters Competition this Saturday and Sunday at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, CA - she'll be throwing down with some of the fittest masters athletes on the West Coast!
NorCal Masters Competition Location:
Craneway Pavillion
1498 Harbour Way S
Richmond, CA 94804
Alyssa's Scheduled SATURDAY Heat Times:
WOD 1 - 10:01am
WOD 1 - 12:51pm
WOD 3 - 1:53pm
WOD 4 - 3:32pm
*She'll be in "Heat #8" for all workouts.
*Athletes will be placed in heats for SUNDAY competition based on the standings after Saturday's WODs
Head over to the private Arena Ready Facebook group to connect with other AR folks who will be making their way over to cheer on Alyssa. GO ALYSSA GO!!!
Sarah shaking out the travel while testing the D-Ball + Assault Bike WOD for this weekend's competition. The venue looks great!
Sarah at the 10th Annual Fittest Games (TFG10)
Sarah and I are in Austin, TX, as she prepares to compete on Saturday and Sunday at the Fittest Games competition. She'll be competing in the "Pro Division" with some of the fittest athletes in the country, including several CrossFit Games and NPGL/GRID athletes.
In previous years the Fittest Games was streamed live on Floelite.com but sadly it appears that it may not be streamed this year. For updates (and to check out the WODs/events and heat times for Sarah) you can visit the Fittest Games site here, their Facebook page here, and their Instagram feed here.
I'll also do my best to keep the Arena Ready pages & groups updated as the weekend's events unfold. GO SARAH GO!!!
WOD for 01-28-17:
"Triple Tag Team Dream"
AMRAP 20 Minutes:
Athletes A and B Complete...
12 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
9 Front Squats
6 Push Jerks
Athlete C Completes...
400m Run
One person working at a time on the 12-9-6 triplet - reps do NOT have to split evenly. There must always be one person running and that person must always switch after 400m. The team's score is rounds + reps completed of the 12-9-6 triplet.
Today Is The Day
There are seven days in the week, and "Someday" isn't one of them.
WOD for 01-27-17:
"Debut"
AMRAP 18 Minutes:
18 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
18 Pull-ups
18 Push Presses @ 75/55 lbs (no rack)
18 AbMat Sit-ups
18 Calorie Row