Workout of the Day
August Yoga Classes: A Friendly Reminder
REMINDER that Dani will be teaching yoga classes in August on the following dates (starting this weekend!):
Sunday 8/13 at 9am
Monday 8/14 at 7pm
Monday 8/21 at 7pm
Sunday 8/27 at 9am
For what to expect during one of Dani's yoga classes click here to read a previous post. Remember that yoga is available to all Arena Ready members 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 08-11-17:
AMRep 16 Minutes With a Partner:
PARTNER A
12 Dumbbell Bench Presses @ 50/35 lbs (each side)
6 Strict Pull-ups
60 Double Unders
PARTNER B
25/20 Calorie Row OR 20/15 Calorie Assault Bike
Partner A completes AMRep of the 12-6-60 triplet while Partner B rows or bikes, then athletes switch. The team's score is total reps completed of the triplet PLUS total calories rowed and/or biked.
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:00 Between Efforts)
Add to last week 08-02-17 if possible.
Throwback Thursday
#TBT to Coaches Liz, Sarah, and Amy in the rope climb/squat clean event at the 2013 Regionals:
WOD For 08-09-17:
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
1) 3 Back Squats, climbing
2) 30-45 Second Double Kettlebell Front Rack Hold, pick load
-then-
3 Rounds For Time:
21 Walking Lunges
15 Burpees
9 Double Kettlebell Front Rack Squats @ 53/35 lbs (per side)
Is a Fast Mile More Impressive Than a Slow Marathon?
I recently read an "Outside" magazine article titled "A Fast Mile Is More Impressive Than a Slow Marathon" and it made me think... what do YOU all think?
There are parts of the piece that I agree with and others that I don't - but it's a fun and interesting debate to ponder nonetheless. So give it a quick read and let me know your thoughts - here's the article in its entirety:
A Fast Mile Is More Impressive Than a Slow Marathon
There's something a little gimmicky about celebrating distance purely for distance's sake
Last year, speaking to Outside, ultrarunner Rickey Gates made the following observation while reflecting on Mount Marathon, the brief but notoriously brutal mountain race in Seward, Alaska: “There’s a great fascination with ultras being harder than other races,” Gates said, “but the mile is every bit as difficult as 100 miles if you apply yourself to it.”
Coming from a guy who is currently wrapping up a 4,000-mile run across the country, the notion that four laps around a track can potentially pose a serious challenge might seem a little surprising. The mile is every bit as difficult as 100 miles? How can that be the case? Only a sliver of the global running population will ever experience the rigors of racing Western States or Leadville. The mile run, on the other hand, is firmly ensconced as an enduringly unpopular fixture in high school gym classes from Miami to Anchorage.
When the goal is merely to finish, it’s logical to assume that the longer the race, the more formidable the task. There are exceptions, of course. Mount Marathon is “only” a 5K, but every year runners struggle to complete the precipitous 3,000-foot ascent/descent in one piece. In 2012, someone disappeared.
But while surviving an ultra (or, for that matter, a boring old “regular” marathon) can be a gratifying item to cross off your bucket list, it shouldn’t obscure the fact that, as Gates notes, on the hierarchy of running achievement, longer doesn’t automatically mean more difficult. Another way of putting this is that it’s less about what you run and more about how you run.
In high school, I had a running mentor of sorts who insisted that the 800 meters (two laps around a track) was the toughest track and field event. His rationale was that the half-mile is essentially “a two-lap sprint,” requiring an almost all-out effort from the gun. The 1,500 meters was long enough that you could relax and find a groove. In the 400 meters, meanwhile, you had the psychological edge of knowing the race was just one lap. But the 800 was vicious. Two minutes of pure agony.
It’s a contentious claim, to be sure—for one thing, nobody can truly sprint for two laps—but at the time it helped me appreciate the way each event carries its own distinct challenges if one is willing to “apply oneself.” It may be a symptom of distance-running snobbery, but I’ll always find it more impressive when someone tries to run their fastest possible mile than when someone putters through an ultra and then expects adulation because they managed not to die.
(This is not to suggest that the only “right” way to run a race is so you’re semicomatose by the end. I have no beef with anyone who’d prefer to stop every mile for a selfie. If your idea of a good time is running 26.2 miles in Star Wars cosplay, may the force be with you.)
There’s a tendency among certain nonrunners to assume that anyone who pursues the sport competitively aspires to take part in ever-longer events. The underlying assumption here is that race distance, rather than effort, is the ultimate validation of athletic prowess. This is as untrue for amateurs as it is for professionals. I know dedicated 5K runners who have zero interest in the marathon but could qualify for Boston in their sleep. Some of these athletes have PRs that are so fast that it fills me with a combination of rage and despair, yet they still get asked if they think “they could do a marathon,” as if that would be a career-defining moment.
Call it the bias of a former track runner, but I’ve always believed there’s something vacuous and a little gimmicky about celebrating distance purely for distance’s sake. It’s the same thing that annoys me about one-upmanship in obstacle-course racing: the idea that the only way to “push the envelope” is by tacking on more miles or adding a larger vat of electrified manure for contestants to plunge into.
Again, this is not to disparage those who might find enlightenment in the church of Tough Mudder or by running 5,649 laps around a half-mile city block. But if you want to test the limits of what you’re capable of, a good old-fashioned 5K can be a just as effective (and probably more affordable) as a more ostensibly “extreme” alternative.
You just have to apply yourself.
-Martin Fritz Huber (Outside)
WOD For 08-09-17:
5-5-5
For Quality
-then-
3-3-3
For Quality
-then-
EMOM 14 Minutes:
MINUTES 1-4:
3 Clean & Jerks, Moderate (~65-70% of 1RM)
MINUTE 5:
REST
MINUTES 6-9:
2 Clean & Jerks, Moderately Heavy (~75-80%)
MINUTE 10:
REST
MINUTES 11-14:
1 Clean & Jerk, Heavy (~85-90%)
Use the same weight across for all four triples, then all four doubles, and then all four singles, changing the weight only during the rest minutes. The goal is make all 12 sets with no misses, so remember that "heavy" does not mean "max." Percentages shown are of a 1-rep max, and are simply rough guidelines. Power or full clean is allowed and push/power or split jerk is allowed (athlete's choice today). Touch-and-go for the triples and doubles is not required.
(Compare to 07-14-16 and 01-29-16)
Lost & Found: Come And Get It!
It's about that time... the gym's Lost & Found has reached a near overflow, and quite random (LOL) status. Gym clothes, shoes, wrist wraps, lifting straps, Tupperware, books, opened but apparently undesired packages, bags of donated clothes/small appliances/baby stuff, water & shaker bottles, and kitchen utensils are some of the items that are currently looking for their owners. I think there might be a kitchen sink in there somewhere too...
We will consolidate the items in the Lost & Found bin (or next to it) this week so that potential owners can claim their stuff - anything left over next week will be donated to charity.
Thanks for your attention!
WOD For 08-08-17:
6 Rounds, Start Every 3 Minutes:
3 Strict Ring Muscle-ups
6 Deadlifts @ 255/175 lbs
9 Box Jumps @ 30/24 lbs
15/12 Calorie Row Sprint
Want to dial up the intensity? Row faster.
The Fittest On Earth
Mat Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey were crowned "The Fittest on Earth" on Sunday after the culmination of an exciting competition at the 2017 CrossFit Games.
The final day of competition included a few entertaining, well-programmed workouts that I think the Arena Ready community can appreciate. Among the final day's events were a "2223 Interval" workout with a repeating gymnastics and mono-structural buy-in, followed by max reps on the barbell (sound familiar? LOL) - and then a sprint-like final of HSPU, KB deadlifts, and overhead walking lunges titled "The Fibonacci Final." I'm going to bet that most of the nerds of Arena Ready (and I use the term "nerds" affectionately since I'd like to consider myself in that category) didn't have to Google "Fibonacci" to figure out why the 5, 8, 13-rep workout was named as such.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
WOD For 08-07-17:
AMRAP 17 Minutes:
20/17 Calorie Row
20 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
20 Medicine Ball Sit-ups @ 20/14 lbs
10 Power Snatches @ 135/95 lbs
Happy Happy Day, Sarah!
Happy Birthday, Sarah! Thanks for all that you do to make Arena Ready possible. The gym is a special place for all of us, and it's your unique vision that has guided our awesome little community over these last five years.
I (and all of us at Arena Ready) hope this year brings you health and happiness!
WOD for 08-05-17:
In Teams of THREE ATHLETES, AMRAP 25 Minutes:
BUY-IN:
150 Calorie Row (split anyhow, share the same rower)
while completing
10 Rounds of "Cindy" (split anyhow, only one athlete working at a time)
-then-
In the Remaining Time, AMRAP of:
25 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
25 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
25 Front Squats @ 135/95 lbs (no rack)
To complete the "buy-in" one athlete rows while the other two athletes perform "Cindy" (with only one working at a time), and athletes may switch whenever they like. The AMRAP movements cannot start until both the row and "Cindy" rounds are completed. Reps for all of the AMRAP movements may be split anyhow (with only one athlete working at a time), and do not have to be shared equally.
1 Round of "Cindy" is:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air Squats
August Yoga Classes
Dani will be teaching yoga classes in August on the following dates:
Sunday 8/13 at 9am
Monday 8/14 at 7pm
Monday 8/21 at 7pm
Sunday 8/27 at 9am
For what to expect during one of Dani's yoga classes click here to read a previous post. Remember that yoga is available to all Arena Ready members 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 08-04-17:
Back Squat:
1-3-1-5-1-7
The goal is three heavy singles, each followed by a “down set” of multiple (and ascending) repetitions. The athlete should build to their first single with 3-4 warm-up sets, and then once the first single is taken there should be no “in-between” or “test” sets during the SIX total work sets. Since this type of session requires the athlete to “go by feel” some will inevitably ask for advice on loading - here is a rough idea of what a typical progression might look like for someone who squats approximately 250 lbs as a 1RM (keeping in mind that athletes will vary!):
Empty Bar + Three to Four Warm-up Sets, then…
1 @ 225 lbs
3 @ 205 lbs
1 @ 235 lbs
5 @ 200 lbs
1 @ 240 lbs
7 @ 195 lbs
Keep your rest strict at approx 1:30 - 2:00 between sets. There is no “rule” about the singles going up or down in weight, and the same goes for the sets of 3, 5, and 7 (they can go slightly up, go slightly down, or stay the same) - it all depends on the individual athlete and how they feel today. Take what’s there today, come back tomorrow.
(Compare to 09-14-16)
-then-
"The BEEFY Baseline"
For Time:
500m Row
40 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
30 Toes-to-Bar
20 Hand Release Push-ups
10 Bar Muscle-ups
The 2017 CrossFit Games Are Here!
The 2017 CrossFit Games are underway in Madison, WI, and the "fittest on earth" will be battling it out all week in some of the most grueling events ever seen in competition. Thanks to a new TV deal with CBS, portions of the competition will be aired on CBS Sports Network in the months of October and November following the competition (very cool).
Meantime fans can stream all the action live this week on the CrossFit Games website as well as on CBS Sports Digital via CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App.
For more info on how to watch click the link here and check out the video below:
WOD For 08-03-17:
4 Cycles Of AMRAP 3 Minutes:
5 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/110 lbs
5 Push Jerks
10 Lateral Bar Burpees
(Rest 1 Minute Between Cycles)
This is 3 minutes of work followed by 1 minute or rest, repeated 4 times. Score this workout continuously as one running score of rounds + reps completed (i.e. at the start of each cycle pick-up exactly where you left off in the last cycle).
... Rest 3 Minutes, Then...
Hang Power Clean + Jerk:
7 Minutes to Establish a Heavy Single (not necessarily a 1RM)
In the words of Pat Sherwood: "It is common for many athletes to do a heavy lift and then a workout. This permits them to lift heavy while they are fresh & allows for a convenient excuse if the workout time is slower than they would have liked. However, life will often demand strength of us after we are already tired from a previous task."
The rest period prior to this heavy effort is short, and the time window to complete the task is also short. Thus the goal is a heavy single for today, NOT necessarily a 1RM. Prioritize moving well, take smart jumps in weight that are within your capabilities, learn from what you can build to in weight with limited time and rest, and come back to train another day.
WCTIBW?
Everyone's favorite Arena Ready gym game and QoD add-on "WCTIBW?!" just took it to a whole new level thanks to Jason E and his thoughtful contributions to the community. On Monday evening Bret debuted his latest tank-top as designed by the ever-creative and entrepreneurial Jason himself. Feast your eyes on this:
Needless to say no one got that QoD correct (well, except for Jason), but everyone did agree that this was mind blowing and would rate it 10/10. If you missed out on the fun don't worry, Jason has provided the opportunity for you to buy WCTIBW apparel and home decor by clicking this link - as he put it, "you may not need it, you may even question why it exists, but you know you want it... get your WCTIBW tank-tops, hoodies, leggings, clocks stickers, and coffee mugs!"
Jason even left a handful of free sample stickers at the gym (see below) so that early adopters can emblazon their water bottle or laptop with the question many of us ask ourselves nearly every day: WHAT COLOR TANK-TOP IS BRET WEARING?!
Oh and PS - to the person who untangled and straightened the legacy jump ropes in AR North while we were away... THANK YOU. You're an angel from CrossFit heaven, and may your double unders forever be fast, relaxed, and unbroken.
WOD For 08-02-17:
AMRAP 8 Minutes*:
Deadlifts @ 255/175 lbs
Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Pistols (alternating legs)
*Rep scheme is 2-2-2, 4-4-4, 6-6-6, 8-8-8, etc... (reps for all movements increase by 2 every round) until time expires.
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:00 Between Efforts)
Add to last week 07-26-17 if possible.
Tuesday "Snatch Complex"
Happy August, everyone!
WOD For 08-01-17:
Snatch Pull + Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch:
5 sets of (1+1+1)
Climbing as technique allows
-then-
4 Rounds For Time:
21/17 Calorie Row
15 Handstand Push-ups
9 Hang Power Snatches @ 115/80 lbs
Monday "Muscle-ups" (oh, and maybe some thrusters too)
Sarah and I are looking forward to being back and seeing everyone starting Monday evening!
WOD For 07-31-17:
Alternating EMOM For 4 Rounds (8 Minutes):
Minute 1) 10-14 Handstand Shoulder Taps
Minute 2) 7 Hollow-ups + 7 Arch Ups
-then-
6 Rounds, Start Every 3 Minutes:
15 Thrusters @ 95/65 lbs
50 Double Unders
5 Ring Muscle-ups
"Sweaty Saturday Team Special" and Coach Lisa on Being Better Than Yesterday
Coach Lisa wrote another great piece on her blog (as part of her on-going Fitness Friday series) titled "Better Than Yesterday" - check it out on her site by clicking the link (we've also included it below).
Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and perspective, Lisa! it's inspiring to hear about how you've dealt with the comeback from serious injuries (sustained prior to your AR days, thankfully) and less serious set-backs alike. Hopefully these lessons can help other athletes looking to come back fitter and better, little by little, each day.
FITNESS FRIDAY: BETTER THAN YESTERDAY
For today’s Fitness Friday, I’m talking about injury recovery (again). We all know that injuries suck. They beat us up both physically and mentally, and we work hard to overcome them. I’ve had a number of both large and small injuries, and each time the hurdles get higher. One of the things I beat myself up over while I’m recovering is comparing my current progress against my pre-injury levels and numbers. As I was recovering from back surgery, I would get down on myself. I’d get depressed if I couldn’t hit the same numbers before my procedure.
It sounds crazy right? If it were any one of my athletes in class, I’d tell them they’re crazy for wanting to make that comparison. But when it comes to myself, it’s so easy to forget. I recently was front squatting and was a little down on myself for not reaching the weight I wanted. I sort of beat myself up for it, and spent time thinking about what went wrong. What I took away from it was that I should be really proud of what I did.
I’ve had to hurdle this ankle injury that’s lingered on since the Open. And even today, I can’t say that it’s completely 100% healed. Over the last few months, there were a few weeks where I could hardly walk on it. And even after being able to walk, I could barely do an air squat. So to front squat a weight that hovered around my one rep max that was sent earlier this year is pretty damn impressive.
THAT “A-HA” MOMENT
The same goes for my friends who recently had shoulder surgeries. Two of my friends were disappointed they were unable to do high volume handstand push-ups or pressed a weight significantly less than what they had done before. As they started to go down the path of being sad, I said , “Say it with me out loud, ‘You had surgery where they cut you open and had to structurally fix you.'” Their reaction was, “Oh, well when you put it that way, I guess that’s pretty good!” Exactly!
The point is, we’re working on being better than yesterday. Past PRs, things that we were able to do once are great things to aim for. But if we’re coming back from something that physically challenges us, getting better than yesterday is really the first step forward. Getting caught up in the ghosts of our past isn’t worth revisiting. In some cases, the habits or steps we took to reach those PRs may have ultimately led to the injury that was sustained. So for this weekend, hopefully you’re able to put your best foot forward and be better than yesterday. Happy Fitness Friday!
WOD FOR 07-29-17:
In Teams of THREE Athletes...
AMRAP 30 Minutes:
12 Calorie Row
12 Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
12 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
12 Lateral Bar Burpees
Only one athlete working at a time. Each athlete sprints through ONE FULL ROUND then switches to the next teammate. The next athlete may start the row once the previous athlete completes his/her final lateral bar burpee (tagging hands is not required).
And yes, we will of course scale loading and reps to maintain the intended stimulus for ALL levels. Another way of saying this is "if you choose to go heavier and/or Rx on reps but are not capable of sprinting through the four movements at a fast pace with good technique, then you will look like the struggle bus that everyone else is waiting on."
Enjoy!
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