Workout of the Day
Open 17.2 is Upon Us
The second workout of the 2017 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open ("17.2") was released on Thursday evening, so if you're going to be completing the workout this weekend at Arena Ready (either during the fun craziness of our Open Heats during all Saturday classes, or during Sunday Open Gym) then please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the standards video below - thanks!
More info on 17.2 Open Saturday at Arena Ready, including logistics and basic strategy tips, in tomorrow's (Friday evening's) post.
WOD for 03-03-17:
On a Running Clock...
A) Against a 6-Minute Clock (From 0:00 - 6:00)
800m Run
then, in the remaining time, AMRAP of:
30 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
(Rest 2 Minutes)
B) Against a 5-Minute Clock (From 8:00 - 13:00)
600m Run
then, in the remaining time, AMRAP of:
30 Push-ups
20 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
(Rest 2 Minutes)
C) Against a 4-Minute Clock (From 15:00 - 19:00)
400m Run
then, in the remaining time, AMRAP of:
30 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
20 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Score each of the three AMRAPs by rounds + reps completed.
Open 17.2: Predictions?
Any guesses what CrossFit HQ and Dave Castro have in store for us this week(end) for Open Workout 17.2?
Come on by the gym and join us to watch the announcement of 17.2 at 5pm on Thursday evening - we'll be viewing the announcement of the WOD and watching Kristi Eramo and Kari Pearce (two of the Top-10 finishers at last year's CrossFit Games) battle it out live from Rogue Fitness headquarters in Columbus, Ohio!
WOD for 03-02-17:
Barbell Good Morning:
8-8-8
For Quality
-then-
Clean Pull + Power Clean:
5 Sets of (1+1)
Climbing to 80% of your power clean 1RM. Prioritize position & balance, and finishing your leg drive in the 2nd pull.
-then-
5 Rounds of:
1:00 Max Calories on the Rower
1:30 Rest
Record calories for each round as well as the total across all 5 rounds.
(Compare to 06-29-16)
17.1 Score Submission Deadline Extended
The CrossFit Games website has been experiencing some technical issues, to say the least. As such, they have extended the 17.1 score submission deadline to Wednesday at 5pm Pacific Time. If, by chance, you did Open Workout 17.1 over the weekend and have not yet submitted your score (or I've contacted you about having a score discrepancy versus what we have on record) it's not too late!
Please also double-check to make sure you're registered under Arena Ready CrossFit as YOUR TEAM and not just your affiliate (there are still 15 of you who are not on the team roster): when logged-in click on "HELLO" at the top right of the CrossFit Games website, then select "Join or Switch Team" in the red drop-down menu.
Thank you, folks.
WOD for 03-01-17:
On a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 17:00
For Time (17 Minute Cap):
1000m Run
80 Double Unders
60 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs
40 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
20 Overhead Squats @ 115/80 lbs
B) From 17:00 - 20:00
Rest
C) From 20:00 - 27:00
Seven Minutes to Establish a Hang Squat Snatch Double
The barbell must be snatch deadlifted to full extension prior to initiating the first rep from the hang, and it cannot be re-set to the floor between the two reps of your double.
Jenny Captures Open 17.1 at Arena Ready
The amazing and talented Jenny Morgan was at it once again, capturing all of the action during our "Open Saturday" at Arena Ready. You can view her incredible shots of "17.1" by clicking the link here - below are just a few images from an awesome and inspiring weekend of fitness!
WOD for 02-28-17:
AMRAP 22 Minutes With a Partner:
33 Calorie Row
33 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
33 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
33 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
33 Push Jerks
Only one athlete working at a time. Reps are shared in any fashion and do not have to split evenly.
Open 17.1: Score Submissions Due by 5pm!
What an amazing weekend of Open 17.1 performances at Arena Ready! The gym was full of energy and positive vibes as our athletes got after a sweaty couplet of dumbbell snatches and burpee box jumps. Great work, everyone - one down and four to go!
Please REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR 17.1 SCORE to the CrossFit Games website (click here) by the 5pm Monday deadline! We cannot submit your score for you, so if you're on your phone or computer reading this do it now before you forget!
There are also many of you (20 people to be exact) who are registered under Arena Ready CrossFit as your affiliate but not your team. Please also JOIN ARENA READY CROSSFIT AS YOUR TEAM (on the CrossFit Games website scroll down the upper-righthand menu under "HELLO" and then click on "JOIN OR SWITCH TEAM").
A portion of the breakdown crew following nine jam-packed Saturday morning heats. Thanks for all your help, everyone (and thanks, as always, to the amazing Jenny Morgan for documenting all of the action)!
WOD for 02-27-17:
Back Squat:
15 Minutes To Establish a Heavy Set of Eight*
then...
7 Minutes For Two Drop Sets:
1x8 @ 85% of your top set
1x8 @ 80% of your top set
*If possible, add 5-10 lbs to your top set from 02-20-17.
-then-
For Time:
BUY-IN: 400m Run
42-30-18
Walking Lunges
21-15-9
Toes-to-Bar
BUY-OUT: 400m Run
Open 17.1 Thoughts & Strategy
Open Athletes - if you haven't already, please watch the 17.1 standards video below, and read the workout details here on the CrossFit Games website. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page with movement standards and expectations prior to every athlete starting their workout/heat. Thank you.
As we've covered previously in this post here, we'll be running the Open Workout ("17.1") during rolling heats in all of our Saturday morning classes. If you're officially entered in the Open please sign-up for class in advance and plan on doing the workout and judging another athlete while in the gym (no, you do not have to be a certified judge who has taken the judges course... that is only required if you're judging an aspiring Regionals or Masters Qualifier athlete). The warm-up will be self-directed and written on the board in AR North, along with all of the equipment needed to get ready to rock. Please plan on showing up 10-15 minutes early for class if possible, so that you can sign-up for a heat time when you arrive and get yourself situated for warming-up.
17.1 brings us a movement we've not yet seen in the Open until now (but one we saw coming for a while): the one-arm dumbbell snatch. Luckily for those of us at Arena Ready it's a movement that we do often enough for most of our athletes to feel comfortable approaching this workout. And since we pull from the floor and barbell snatch a ton, many of you have the strength and mechanics required to do quite well.
Nearly all of our athletes (with the exception of a few outliers) will fall into one of a few categories...
Category 1: Dumbbell snatch 50/35 lbs?! Yeah right.
This category will likely be comprised of newer athletes, who have not yet had a lot of time with, or exposure to, snatch variations (let alone the dumbbell type). If you're officially entered in the Open and 50/35 lbs is just not going to happen safely, then scale to the 35/20 lbs listed in the scaled version of 17.1. and then seek the help of a coach or experienced athlete on site to help you confirm some good, solid reps. Once you've got that down in warm-ups you can think about moving through the workout at a bit of a "jogging" pace for about 80% of the duration, and then speeding-up a bit for the remaining 20% of the time if you feel good and are still moving well (we'll tell you if you're not).
If even just ONE rep (or several) at 50/35 lbs can be performed safely then you have the option of spending as much time as needed (up to 20 minutes!) getting as far along in the Rx workout sequence as you can with good mechanics and movement (e.g. you're being safe & smart while trying really, really, really hard to put that DB over your head). Remember that even an Rx score of 1 rep ranks higher than every Scaled score in the world, so if you can safely fight for that one good rep it may be a battle worth fighting. If you're not officially entered in the Open then ask a coach on site to help you decide on a reasonable dumbbell weight for scaling the workout appropriately - it doesn't necessarily need to be one of the exact weights listed by CrossFit HQ for the Open (the same logic applies for height of the box if not officially entered in the Open).
Category 2: I can snatch 50/35 lbs but I don't think I can finish this workout in 20 minutes.
If you're in this category (the majority of folks around the world participating in the Open will be there with you) and have been an athlete at Arena Ready for any extended period of time, you're probably somewhere in the spectrum of Gray-to-Red level scaling (depending on the day and the specific workout). If you're more on the Red-level side of things then either the snatches may feel light to you but the burpees are your nightmare, or the snatches are a little heavy for you but the burpees are your jam. Either way, for most here the goal is to get as far along in the sequence as possible before hitting the 20-minute cap, which means you need to have a pacing strategy mapped out that is reasonable and sustainable based on your current level of fitness.
If you came in to Arena Ready for class on Friday then you already have some pacing data to play with in mapping out your game plan - remember that the burpees are always 15 reps at a time, but the snatches ascend in 10-20-30-40-50 rep fashion... meaning that A) the total work is 2:1 snatches to burpees; and B) at the end of the 30-rep round of snatches you're only 40% done with the dumbbell. So you need to give yourself the opportunity to get to the round of 40 (and/or the round of 50) with enough gas in the tank to approach the snatches with solid effort and technique. Moving steady and moving well in the 40s and 50s will push you ahead of many others who are sloppy and floppy at that point because they paced incorrectly in the first half of the workout thinking they were farther along than they actually were - don't make that mistake. If you didn't come in to class on Friday then I suggest doing some abbreviated version of the pacing exercise listed in Friday's WOD blog during your warm-up on Saturday (come in a little early so you can build-in the time to do it).
Category 3: I got this, and I want to finish this damn thing under the time cap.
If you generally do workouts at Rx/Black level consistently - or you're a bit of what I like to call a "Red level sandbagger" - then you're likely in this category. The basic strategy framework listed above for Category 2 applies here too, so be honest with yourself in mapping-out a sustainable pace that will get you to your goal finishing time. Make sure to build-in some expected "slow down" time margin due to accumulated fatigue - if you do so and end up being slightly ahead of pace in the 40s and 50s (I was when I tested the workout on Thursday night) then you'll feel great about it and be able to step on the gas pedal a little toward the end of the workout. For you this workout really starts on the back half of the 40s (reps 21 - 40) and the gut check happens on that set of 50 - so set yourself up to be feeling strong and confident when you get there... play your game and hold to your pacing, remembering that there are no style points for being in the lead at the end of rep-rounds 20 and 30 on the dumbbell.
For this group the style of burpee box jump over and dumbbell snatch will matter most, since the majority of you have preferred ways of doing each of the two movements. I showed everyone in my Friday classes the way I did every BBJO rep in the workout (which feels the "easiest" and most "natural" to me over the course of 75 fatigued reps) and that may work for you as well... but maybe it won't. So test a few different ways of turning, stepping down, jumping down, popping up from the burpee, etc to see what's most comfortable for you... remember that it doesn't have to be the absolute fastest way to do them, it has to be the most easy to sustain and replicate over time for you (since wasted movement, extra steps, and generally flailing costs time and energy). For the snatch you'll need to know if you like a straighter leg, more back-intensive DB "muscle" snatch, or a "squatty-er" lower hip start-positioned DB snatch - it will depend on your strengths, your anatomical proportions, and the style of BBJO you're doing (I basically went with using my back on the snatches and my legs on the BBJO).
The universal MUSTS for ALL CATEGORIES.
1) Don't drop the dumbbell. Just don't do it. You could break your foot or toe, and you could break the dumbbell. And it just really makes things harder anyway - if you're dropping the DB and then chasing it around you not only look like a tool, but it also means you're going far past your own ability to hold any kind of sustainable pace.
2) Be smart and move well. You know what that means, I don't have to explain that one to you. The weights will be here tomorrow... will you be?
3) For the LOVE OF ALL THAT WE HAVE TAUGHT YOU ABOUT SNATCHING AND LIFTING ANYTHING HEAVY please start every rep with the object as close to your center of base as possible... in the case of the dumbbell that means in-between your feet. Don't make the mistake of pulling it from the floor with it starting in front of you. It's not a barbell. You don't have to worry about clearing your knees. So make it easier on yourself and use physics to your advantage for the 150 times you're going to pick that thing up.
4) Cheer for your fellow athletes, and be a good judge. We do things the right way at Arena Ready - with integrity and to the standards of the competition. Our movement is clean, our technique is admirable, our effort is 100%, and our members know the difference between intent and accomplishment (e.g. giving your fellow athlete a respectful but deserved no-rep when they're working their ass off but simply didn't accomplish a valid rep). The spirit of the Open is amazing - there's nothing like the energy and positive family vibe of these 5 weeks. Many of your buddies will do things they never thought possible, some will fall short of what they wanted and be frustrated for a bit, and others will have experiences on both sides. But in the end this is our community, and our AR family, and we support each other in success and in failure... knowing that we're all just trying to get better every day.
GO TIME!
WOD for 02-25-17:
"Open Workout 17.1"
For Time (With a 20 Minute Cap):
10 One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating @ 50/35 lbs
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
20 One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs
30 One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs
40 One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs
50 One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs
*The 17.1 Scaled Workout follows the same sequence but uses 35/20 pound dumbbells and 20/20 inch box (step-ups are allowed in the scaled division).
Open 17.1 Is Upon Us
The first workout of the 2017 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open ("17.1") was released on Thursday evening, so if you're going to be completing the workout this weekend at Arena Ready (either during the fun craziness of our Open Heats during all Saturday classes, or during Sunday Open Gym) then please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the standards video below - thanks!
More info on 17.1 Open Saturday at Arena Ready, including detailed logistics and strategy tips, in tomorrow (Friday) evening's post.
WOD for 02-24-17:
2 Rounds For Pacing Notes:
1 Minute of One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating @ 50/35 lbs
1 Minute of Burpee Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
1 Minute of Rest
Plan your tempo ahead of time and hold yourself to the pace - this is NOT for max reps, this is to feel smooth, efficient, rhythmic movement... and to inform yourself of a reasonable pace for 17.1 on Saturday. Read the movement standards in advance here so you can practice the way you'll play (e.g. you cannot have your "off" hand or arm touching your body on the snatches).
-then-
4 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
10 Overhead Squats @ 95/65 lbs
10 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
The Open At Arena Ready: What, When, How
The announcement of Open 17.1 will take place on Thursday at 5pm. It's not too late to register for the Open on the CrossFit Games website here (please select Arena Ready CrossFit as BOTH your affiliate AND team). If you're on the fence about signing-up then read this and this, and then decide (or speak with a coach if you have any questions). If you're curious how it will all work read this first, then see below...
1) The gym will do each of the 5 Open workouts as rolling heats during our Saturday classes, starting this Saturday, Feb 25th, and for the remaining 4 weeks/workouts that follow. This previous post has all the initial details, and we'll cover more info on the eve of each Open Saturday at Arena Ready.
2) If, for some reason, you cannot do the workout with the rest of the gym on Saturday (travel, work trip, etc.), you can do it either on Thursday evening at 7pm (starting TODAY Thursday, Feb 23rd, following the announcement) OR during Open Gym on Sunday. You would sign-up in advance just as you would for any other class. If neither of those two make-up days/times work for you then please contact Sarah & Rob so we can discuss. You could, of course, also do the workout at another CrossFit gym in the area to which you're traveling (read this blog post first if you haven't already).
3) Every week the workout is announced to the world on Thursday at 5pm and your score submission to the CrossFit Games website is due by Monday at 5pm. We'll be viewing the live-streamed announcements every week at the gym, so feel free to come by at 5pm to watch some high-level CrossFit games athletes tackle the WOD immediately after CrossFit releases the workout details.
Any guesses what 17.1 will be???
WOD for 02-23-17:
Bent-Over Barbell Row:
6-6-6-6-6
Climbing for QUALITY
-then-
For Time:
600m Run
600m Row
25 Russian Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53
400m Run
400m Row
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings
200m Run
200m Row
15 Russian Kettlebell Swings
Why I'm Doing The Open: 2017 Edition
The 2017 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open officially starts on Thursday with the 5pm announcement of the first of five workouts ("17.1"). As of this writing we have, by far, the highest number of athletes registered for the 2017 Open of any CrossFit gym in the city (more than gyms with two and three times the total members we have), so it’s going to be an awesome ride these next few weeks. As we've covered previously we will be doing the Open workouts as rolling heats during our Saturday classes over the next five weekends (just as we have done in previous years), so the energetic "Open Saturdays at Arena Ready" will be in full swing during this next month.
This year, and in previous years, we’ve shared stories of AR members and coaches (and athletes from other affiliate gyms) and their reasons why they’re doing The Open… and why exactly they want to take part in the largest global competition of fitness. I thought I'd share my thoughts as well on the (almost) eve of the 17.1 announcement.
I'm doing The Open for many reasons.
First of all I'm doing The Open because I believe in measuring things. What gets measured gets done. What doesn't get measured becomes anecdotal speculation - "I could have...", "I would have...", "I was this..." or "I was that..." blah blah blah. In those cases you'll never really know. It's kind of like Uncle Rico saying he could throw that football over those there mountains, and if only coach would have put him in they woulda' won state. I don't want to BS myself, I want to know. I want to see where I am at this point in time, what I'm able to accomplish, and what I still need to work on moving forward - I want real numbers, not talk. I understand that my scores don't define me as a person, they are simply data points which tell me how I'm doing right now - relative to others in the fitness world, relative to my friends at the gym, relative to my buddies in the broader CrossFit community, and most importantly relative to myself. Am I fitter than I was last year, three years ago, five years ago? Can I point to things/events/developments in my life that have influenced my training and fitness in positive or not so positive ways? Can I rationalize that major life events had an impact on my fitness, and am I ok with that - or do I want to change the course of things moving forward? Some years have been better than others for me, and I would say that the last few have been some of the most challenging (read: I laid a few eggs during the last several years in The Open). But every year I play anyway, because I want to look at that board and see what I'm capable of... even if I think my best is still ahead of (or behind) me. Sitting on the sidelines isn't my style, even if I can't be the star.
This will be my seventh consecutive Open (I've participated in them all), and before my first one I even participated in the Sectional qualifier competition which, at the time, was the feed-in for the Regional level. I was fortunate enough to compete on a Regional Affiliate Team twice, even though I look back now and think I still had no idea what I was doing in many ways. Thanks to The Open and Sectionals, and the workouts/events they challenged me with, I can tell you what my fitness looked like every year for the last eight years - I know what I could do well and what crushed me. I remember movements seeming impossible that now seem routine, and alternatively I remember certain workout combinations being great for me that perhaps today, for whatever reason, are harder than they should be. It's safe to say that I'm more skilled in movements now than I ever was, that I move better across the board, that I understand strategy and pacing and training better than I did, but that my engine (my ability to "go" or to hit that 2nd or 3rd gear) and strength levels have seen peaks and valleys over the years. And I'm OK with that. I'm not a CrossFit Games athlete, far from it. I'm not even anywhere near the universe of a Regional-level athlete anymore. Some days I entertain the idea of competing as a Masters athlete, and I used to think I had a little time since the Masters divisions started at 40 until this year’s change to 35. THANKS A LOT CROSSFIT… WHERE WAS THAT FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS KILLING IT AT 35???!!! Kidding, I wasn't actually killing it. But it’s fun to sometimes think I was.
If I ever want to be serious about being a competitive Masters athlete I'll need to step-up my training big time. For now I'm cool with my athletic competition career taking back seat to my coaching career, as my ability to teach and understand fitness has improved immensely even as my ability to compete (or just hang) with the big boys in CrossFit has declined proportionally. But hey, I'm still 39 years old and can run a sub-6 minute mile, deadlift 2.5x my bodyweight, and can play for days (assuming the activity or sport is not in the water) - I'm the fittest one by far in my circle of friends I grew up with (you know, normal people... non-CrossFitters, haha). I want to celebrate that, be thankful for it, and continue to make small, incremental gains for as long as I can... even as life sometimes makes that difficult.
I'm doing the Open because I love the sound of my wife's voice when she tells me, "good job, babe" as I'm lying on the floor in exhaustion after giving everything I had. I can hear the sincerity in her tone. She's the elite CrossFitter, not me, but she knows that regardless of level, or how fit I am versus how fit I once was, that this stuff is hard as hell... and she appreciates that I still do it so that I can be a better version of me. She is my reason, not my excuse.
I'm doing the Open because Arena Ready is my home, and it's also home to a lot of people I deeply care about. Just as I can hear the proud tone in my wife's voice when she's telling me I did great, I can also hear the supportive cheers and screaming of my friends who understand the pain of being uncomfortable - and who understand the growth and change that comes with putting yourself in that situation over and over again. Without challenge there is no change. This is my my crew - I've been to their weddings (and once was even honored to officiate); I've traveled near and far with them to compete, cheer, coach, and support; I've spent years with them, learning and understanding, trying to make us all better. These are the people I would call if ever I needed real help in life - and no doubt they would be there for me. This is my family. No fucking way I would ever miss this experience with them. I want them to hear my proud voice too, because I know the challenge they are undertaking. Being comfortable with uncomfortable is a noble pursuit, and I stand in their corner.
I'm doing the Open because I like to talk shit to my friends, and I like it when they return the favor. I used to flirt with the idea that JUST MAYBE every single workout would have muscle-ups and/or handstand push-ups and thus I'd somehow finish ahead of Tony for once when all is said and done (ain't gonna happen). And even though Grant has long since moved and will be submitting (ahem) questionably high scores from somewhere else (video or it didn't happen buddy), and Julian has otherwise been occupied courtesy of the NFL, and Cody is (for now) not here to to remind me that there's always someone younger and more athletic than I am - I still have plenty of friends at Arena Ready to chase. We have a long list of men and women who work their asses off and can school me in any given workout on any given day, and it’s their dedication to bettering themselves that pushes me harder, and makes we want to cheer for them to beat me. I could go on and on about the folks at AR that push me, and how much I enjoy jabbing at them in good fun, but this post is already too long and I don't want to start naming the dozens of people who should be mentioned.
Finally, I'm doing the Open because I was taught that NO MATTER WHAT YOU KEEP SHOWING UP, especially when it comes to something you love. So even though my fitness may not be where I want it to be, and even though there is a laundry list of things I still want to be better at, I'm ready to participate and do my best. I can't wait to cheer, and coach, and high five, and I feel blessed to able to experience it all in our own gym. I'm ready to try hard, not take myself too seriously, and be happy for my friends that may beat me (after I insult their shitty taste in shoes or ugly workout face, of course). I could get wrapped up in the "stress" of The Open that people sometimes create for themselves, but I've never really been that type of competitor. This is my Open, and my fitness, and my journey. And really, the journey is all there is.
Bring it on, 17.1.
Get ready for a lot of this VOICE in your earhole, people.
WOD for 02-22-17:
2-Position Hang Power Snatch ("Mid" Hang Above Knee, "Low" Hang Below Knee):
5 Sets of (1+1)
Climbing as technique allows
-then-
"Power Snatch Annie"
For Time:
5-4-3-2-1
Power Snatches @ 155/105 lbs
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
AbMat Sit-ups
(Compare to 06-23-16, 06-12-15, and 12-01-13)
"Speal vs Khalipa"
Any of you old-schoolers remember this video?
WOD for 02-21-17:
For Time:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
Clean & Jerks @ 155/105 lbs
Complete 1 round of "Cindy" after each set of clean & jerks (for a total of 10 rounds of "Cindy").
*1 Round of "Cindy" is: 5 Pull-ups / 10 Push-ups / 15 Air Squats
(Compare to 02-06-16, 11-29-14, 06-10-13, 01-24-13, 10-11-12)
AR Yoga: Get That Body Flexy For 17.1
Are you IN THE OPEN and looking forward to Open Saturdays at Arena Ready? Are you already driving yourself a little batty trying to guess what Open WOD 17.1 will be??? Perhaps you should start your week with a little time dedicated to getting more flexy (you know, supple... mobile), and maybe even a bit more mindful (slowing things down can help prep you for speeding things up, after all).
Monday evening Yoga Class at Arena Ready is available to all AR athletes as a part of your membership (there is no charge to attend!) - we simply ask that you sign-up for class in advance so that Dani knows how many to expect, and bring your own mat if you have one (we have a few to borrow if you don't). All levels of experience are welcome!
WOD for 02-20-17:
Back Squat:
15 Minutes To Establish a Heavy Set of Eight, then...
7 Minutes For Two Drop Sets:
1x8 @ 85% of your top set
1x8 @ 80% of your top set
-then-
For Time:
21-15-9
Unbroken Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
The Open: What We measure We Improve
NOTE: The gym will be closed on Sunday (Feb 19th) so that we can prep the gym for the Open which starts the following week. We have a few little tweaks to be made in anticipation of the workouts and the big group who will be doing the Open at Arena Ready.
Speaking (again, sorry not sorry) of the Open - are you registered? Click here and here to read the main details of how we'll run the Open at Arena Ready, and then head over to the CrossFit Games page to register (please select Arena Ready as BOTH your affiliate and your team).
James Clear - entrepreneur, weightlifter, and travel photographer - once wrote a blog post on the value of measuring important areas of our life. It's a quick read and an important message that resonates with those of us who follow CrossFit as an observable, repeatable, and measurable training & fitness program - and who use The Open as a measure of exactly how far we've come, and how far we still have to go. The concept can extend beyond your training, and into other areas of your life which you deem important.
The blog post is published here, and is included below in its entirety:
Imagine this…
Someone walks into the gym, warms up, does a little bit of this exercise, does a little bit of that exercise, bounces around to a few machines, maybe hops on the treadmill, finishes their workout, and leaves the gym.
This isn’t a critique of their workout. In fact, it’s quite possible that they got a nice workout in. So, what is notable about this situation?
They didn’t measure anything. They didn’t track their workout. They didn’t count reps or weight or time or speed or any other metric. And so, they have no basis for knowing if they are making progress or not. Not tracking your progress is one of the six major mistakes I see people make in the gym.
But here’s the thing: We all have areas of life that we say are important to us, but that we aren’t measuring.
What We Measure, We Improve
Count something. Regardless of what one ultimately does in medicine—or outside of medicine, for that matter—one should be a scientist in this world. In the simplest terms, this means one should count something. … It doesn’t really matter what you count. You don’t need a research grant. The only requirement is that what you count should be interesting to you.
—Atul Gawande, Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance
The things we measure are the things we improve. It is only through numbers and clear tracking that we have any idea if we are getting better or worse.
When I measured how many pushups I did, I got stronger.
When I tracked my reading habit of 20 pages per day, I read more books.
When I recorded my values, I began living with more integrity.
Our lives are shaped by how we choose to spend our time and energy each day. Measuring can help us spend that time in better ways, more consistently.
It’s Not About the Result, It’s About Awareness
The trick is to realize that counting, measuring, and tracking is not about the result. It’s about the system, not the goal.
Measure from a place of curiosity. Measure to discover, to find out, to understand.
Measure from a place of self-awareness. Measure to get to know yourself better.
Measure to see if you are showing up. Measure to see if you’re actually spending time on the things that are important to you.
You Can’t Measure Everything
Critics will be quick to point out that you can’t measure everything. This is true.
Love is important, but how do you measure it?
Morality is important, but can it be quantified accurately?
Finding meaning in our lives is essential, but how do you calculate it?
Furthermore, there are some things in life that don’t need to be measured. Some people just love working out for the sake of working out. Measuring every repetition might reduce the satisfaction and make it seem more like a job. There is nothing wrong with that. (As always, take the main idea and use it in a way that is best for you.)
Measurement won’t solve everything. It is not an ultimate answer to life. However, it is a way to track something critical: are you showing up in the areas that you say are important to you?
The Idea in Practice
But even for things that can’t be quantified, measuring can be helpful. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.
You can’t measure love, but you can track different ways that you are showing up with love in your life:
- Send a digital love note to your partner each day (text, email, voicemail, tweet, etc.) and use the Seinfeld Strategy to keep track of your streak.
Schedule one “Surprise Appreciation” each week where you write to a friend and thank them for something unexpected.
You can’t measure morality, but you can track if you’re thinking about it:
Write down three values that are dear to you each morning.
Keep a decision journal to track which decisions you make and whether or not they align with your ethics.
The things we measure are the things we improve. What are you measuring in your life?
-James Clear
"It's Not About The Result, It's About Awareness."
I love that part.
Well over half of our gym's community signed-up for the 2015 and 2016 Opens, a percentage much higher than any other CrossFit gym I know of. So I know we are a group of individuals who value, among other things, the process of measuring our progress. The beauty of the awareness that comes with measuring is the discovery of what you're capable of with consistent effort applied over long periods of time.
I, of course, would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to encourage every one of you Arena Ready members to PLEASE USE Beyond The Whiteboard to record your progress. We pay for it so you don't have to. Don't know what Beyond The Whiteboard is? Well then read this old post and then email/message us so we can add you to our group.
No, the BTWB system isn't perfect and its app can sometimes be a bit difficult with some of our more creative workouts, but it is a powerful tool when used consistently (you can even see where you stand in popular workouts against the tens of thousands of other users in the world... even if privately to yourself after making your privacy settings as such). Make it a habit - get on it, and when "17.1" pops up again (after this year) you'll be able to see how much you've improved, and how far you can still progress.
WOD for 02-18-17:
With a Partner, 2 Rounds For Time:
50 Calorie Row
50 Handstand Push-ups
50 Thrusters @ 95/65 lbs
50 Power Cleans
Only one person working at a time. Reps do NOT have to split evenly.