Workout of the Day
Coach Lisa's Letter To Drop-Ins
Last Fall Lisa shared an open "Letter to Drop-ins" via her Stilettos to Snatches blog. Check out the post in its entirely below (thanks so much for sharing, Lisa!):
As someone who has dropped in to many gyms in California, the United States, and internationally, CrossFit gyms are always uniquely special. Each gym has their own personality, culture, and set of core members. It’s something I’ve always loved about CrossFit, especially as I got around to visiting gyms while abroad on vacation. I’ve touched on what to do and how to be when visiting, but what about when you’re visiting my gym? For today’s Fitness Friday post, I’d like to write you a brief letter on what you can expect when coming to my gym, Arena Ready. This Fitness Friday post was inspired by Joe, a recent drop-in from Southern California. After spending a few minutes with him after class, it inspired me to think about what to expect when dropping in to my gym.
Dear Arena Ready Visitor,
First of all, thank you so much for choosing to come to my gym. There are a number of well-known CrossFit gyms in San Francisco and the Bay Area to choose from, and I’m honored you chose my gym. We’re not all over Instagram or Facebook, we don’t play host or showcase our gym through social media, and we don’t advertise. So thank you for finding us, or thank you to the person who directed you to us.
Whether you’re here for a few days or a few hours, there are a handful of things you can expect when you’re at Arena Ready. Our community is small, but we are indeed, quite mighty. From doctors to company presidents to stay-at-home moms to independent business owners, we’re a mixed bag of personalities. That being said, there are a few things you can rely on whether you’re at our 6AM class or our 7PM class:
THE POWER OF SHE
It’s funny, but “SHE” and “she” are real things at Arena Ready. The first SHE, is Sarah Hopping Estrella. You’ve probably seen her as part of your due diligence. You know, the NPGL's San Francisco Fire powerhouse, 6x CFG Regional Athlete, and 7x National USAW medalist. Sarah, however, is also a coach. She’s someone who wants to help each member improve their capacity. Sarah will also give you feedback and make sure you move well. And then there’s the other “she.” If you’re in any of our classes, the female athletes are the workhorses. No disrespect to my male friends, but the female contingency at Arena Ready really kicks ass.
THE Q.O.D.
The question of the day that’s asked before class. It is probably the one thing I rely on to get me going early in the morning. Each class has a question of the day. If you happen to have Rob Estrella as your coach, you’ll get some AWESOME questions. It’s a great ice breaker, and it helps you get to know who we are. Like I said, we have a bunch of personalities, The Q.O.D. helps showcase our quirky stories, restaurant suggestions, or how many shoes we own.
HELPFUL HANDS
Finally, we want to help. We want to make sure you don’t run up the hill for our warm-up, that you know there’s another side to the gym to grab equipment from, where to do your handstand push-ups against the wall, and where you can buy your snacks from. We also want you to know that you’re welcome here, and will offer your high fives, fist bumps, or hugs after a workout. We’ll cheer for you until you finish the workout, and afterwards, we’ll both lament how hard those chest-to-bar pull-ups got or how heavy those squats were.
So after all of that, I again want to thank you for choosing my gym. You won’t find some of the typical CrossFit clichés at Arena Ready. Most of us keep our shirts on during workouts and avoid celebrating finding “Pukie” after a workout. But we do care about our guests, and want you to feel part of our little family when walk in. If you’re at the 6AM class on the weekdays, I know it seems like we’re not all awake, but we’re trying! If you have any plans to visit San Francisco, please contact me directly. I’m happy to answer any questions about my gym or CrossFit too.
-Lisa G (Stilettos to Snatches)
WOD For 10-07-17:
"Loco Moco v2.0"
With a Partner For Time:
BUY-IN: 800m Run TOGETHER
Then, BOTH Athletes Complete...
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Hang Squat Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
BUY-OUT: 800m Run SPLIT, RELAY STYLE
***Both partners must run together for the 800m buy-in, and the round of 10 Hang Squat Cleans cannot start until both partners are in the door.
***Both partners must complete the 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 sequence, with one partner working at a time to complete a full round before the other partner starts their full round (e.g. Partner A performs 10 HSCs and 10 BBJs, then Partner B performs 10 HSCs and 10 BBJs).
***The 800m buy-out can be split in any fashion the team desires with only one partner running at a time, and time is called when a total of 800m has been completed.
Heavy Friday
Happy Friday, friends! Time to get after some HEAVY back squats!
WOD For 10-06-17:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 7:00
7 Minutes For QUALITY:
30/25 Calorie Row OR 25/20 Calorie Assault Bike
30 Box Jumps @ pick height
30 Wall Balls @ pick load to 10/9 ft
This is FOR QUALITY not for AMRAP or time (but continue back to the start if you complete one full round), so move with a purpose & prioritize movement integrity in order to prepare/warm the entire body for 3x3 back squats.
B) From 10:00 - 37:00
Back Squat (Week 7, Day 2):
3x3 @ 95%
Across
C) At 40:00
For TIME:
30/25 Calorie Row OR 25/20 Calorie Assault Bike
30 Box Jumps @ pick height
30 Wall Balls @ pick load to 10/9 ft
Start fast, go fast in the middle, finish fast.
Shake & Fold
The other day someone in class made reference to Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and so naturally I was "Shaking and Baking" people all day thereafter:
"It rhymes. They're both verbs."
Coincidentally it was also the regular date when we order (among other supplies) paper towels for the gym. Who says owning a CrossFit affiliate isn't glamorous?
"Shake and Bake" reminded of "Shake and Fold" which (starting a few years ago) actually changed my behavior when using paper towels, so I figured this was a great day to re-share the concept. It's pretty cool when such a simple thing, when performed daily, can make a huge impact on the grander scheme of things.
Shake & Fold!
WOD For 10-05-17:
For Time:
21-15-9
Power Cleans @ 185/135 lbs
Deficit Handstand Push-ups @ 4/2 in
Midweek Inspiration
In CrossFit we're surrounded by sources of inspiration - fellow athletes who push us to be better, a community that supports our constant quest for improvement, coaches who guide us to be stronger and faster. Inspiration can just as readily come from non-fitness related sources as well, and in today's case we wanted to share a little gem from journalist and author, Hunter S. Thompson.
From a recent post titled "Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose":
In April of 1958, a 22 year-old Hunter S. Thompson wrote a letter on the meaning of life when asked by a friend for advice. What makes his response all the more profound is the fact that at the time, the world had no idea that he would become one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Therefore his beliefs about purpose were hypothetical—they were statements of faith.
But if it’s true that our beliefs really do become our reality, then there’s no better example of a life fully realised than the one of Hunter S. Thompson. Let his perspective inspire you...
Click here for the full article courtesy of yourfriendshouse.com.
Tuesday's WOD was intentionally lower intensity and Wednesday's workout is much the opposite. This four-round sprint interval variation of the classic benchmark "Helen" may make some athletes think "I'll scale up and make it harder with a heavier KB and some chest-to-bar pull-ups"... but that would defeat the purpose of the stimulus for most. To paraphrase Pat Sherwood, "intensity is unpleasant" -- but it's supremely effective when applied correctly. In today's age of CrossFit most experienced athletes are doing these KB swings and pull-ups unbroken without issue, so the only way to go faster in this workout is simple: run harder than you want to. That, friends, is intensity.
WOD For 10-04-17:
4 Rounds, Go Every 5 Minutes:
400m Run
21 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs
12 Pull-ups
(Workout courtesy of CrossFit Linchpin)
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15 Between Efforts)
Unbroken Double Unders
Just in case any of you wondered what 1,434 unbroken double unders in ten minutes looks like:
Sometimes people ask us "why do we do double unders anyway?" While the movement may seem silly to a casual observer, it's safe to say that this one single movement checks at least five of the ten recognized fitness domain boxes (items 6-10 anyone?), which is pretty powerful stuff for something as (seemingly) simple as jumping rope:
- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Endurance
- Stamina
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Power
- Speed
- Coordination
- Agility
- Balance
- Accuracy
And when you're doing 1,434 unbroken reps I think it's also safe to say that items 1 and 2 are in play as well, heh.
WOD For 10-03-17:
Back Squat (Week 7, Day 1):
10 Minutes to Build to Your 80% Working Weight
-then-
Alternating Every 2 Minutes For 6 Rounds (24 Minutes):
Interval 1:
15/12 Calorie Row
30 Unbroken Double Unders
Interval 2:
2 Back Squats @ 80%
October Yoga Classes
Dani held her first Sunday morning October yoga session yesterday, and will be teaching Sunday morning yoga classes for the remainder of the month on the following dates:
Sunday 10/8 at 9am
Sunday 10/15 at 9am
Sunday 10/22 at 9am
Sunday 10/29 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 10-02-17:
AMRAP 15 Minutes With a Partner:
12 Push Presses @ 95/65 lbs
9 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
6 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Only one partner working at a time. Partner A completes one full round of 12-9-6, then Partner B completes one full round - continue in this fashion until 15 minutes expires.
-then-
Tabata:
AbMat Sit-ups
The Tabata interval is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, and is repeated for eight rounds. Your score is your lowest rep round of the eight.
Good Luck Coach Hillary & The Flying Squirrel!
Good luck to Coach Hillary and Kate "The Flying Squirrel" on Saturday at the PWA Hassle Free American Record Breaker weightlifting meet! These two will be competing with some of the country's top weightlifters, including 2016 Olympian Morgan King! If you're in the area or want to drive up and watch some big lifts, the competition will be held in conjunction with the Caffeine & Kilos Invitational:
Sacramaento Asian Sports Foundation
9040 Hightech Ct.
Elk Grove, CA 95758
Go get 'em Hill & Kate!
WOD For 09-30-17:
With a Partner For Time:
BUY-IN: 800m Run TOGETHER
Then, 5 Rounds of:
40 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
20 Power Snatches @ 115/75 lbs
BUY-OUT: 800m Run RELAY STYLE
Wall Ball and Power Snatch reps are shared with only one athlete working at a time (these reps may be split anyhow and do NOT have to be shared evenly).
Scaling For Athletes
One of the things we loved about starting our own gym was introducing levels of scaling into our everyday programming. As we envisioned it, and as we now operate, each day athletes can select from four levels: Black, Red, Grey and White, and athletes can race each other within these levels as well as push to achieve new levels.
As we program, we're envisioning a room full of athletes completing a workout that is similarly taxing to each, while accommodating a wide variety of strength, skill, fitness and familiarity with the movements prescribed for the day. The goal is for each to complete the workout in the intended time domain with the best technique they were capable of on that day.
Sometimes it's necessary to reduce the weight or the complexity of a skill within a workout performed for time because an athlete is unable to complete the movement under stress. Handstand walking is an example of this for me - right now I can do reasonably well at handstand walking when my heart rate is low and my arms are fresh. Once I'm breathing hard and my arms are tired though, there's a good chance I'm going to fall on my face. Literally. When we scale, we factor in the aggregate complexity of the workout, taking into consideration the effect each movement has on the others.
In the above two cases, scaling is relatively straightforward. For each movement within the workout, do you think you can complete the workout at the level you've selected with good technique within the time cap? If not, reduce the weight or simplify the movement using the prescribed scaling options as your guide. If yes, go for it. If by chance you guess wrong, that's why we have time caps and coaches to tell you to take weight off.
At other times, it's necessary to reduce the weight or the range of motion because the athlete is working around some form of injury. We are firm believers that it's important to get off the couch when possible, even when a bit dinged up, but also feel strongly that it's necessary to scale movements to avoid further damage. We always start class by asking the participants to tell the coach if they need to adjust the workout beyond what's written on the board - this is to accommodate the special circumstances that usual scaling can't address - a limitation on doing overhead movements, squatting below parallel, front racking the bar, etc. We're always happy to give suggestions in this case, but it's pretty important that you come prepared because as coaches we don't know exactly what you're trying to avoid.
If you think the volume is too high for your current fitness level, ask how to reduce the volume.
If you can't go through a certain range of motion tell the coach and ask if it's possible to modify the movement to avoid that range (e.g. squatting above parallel).
If you can't do a movement at all, like snatching, ideally suggest another similar movement - a clean or deadlift for example - that you haven't done within the past few days that you'd like to sub.
In the above cases, the coach then has enough information to quickly give you a good suggestion. If you simply say "what should I do today?" the coach has to start at the top of a flowchart with tons of stages: Are you injured? yes/noIf not injured: why do you want to modify the workout? If injured: Does it hurt when you do the movement? Does it hurt after you do the movement? Does it hurt if you reduce the weight? Have you seen a doctor? The list goes on and on. For your benefit, and for the benefit of your classmates, if you think you need to make a major change to the workout, please come prepared to tell your coach exactly what you're trying to avoid, and what you think you should do instead.
Any questions about the above? Give us a shout and let us know!
WOD For 09-29-17:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 15:00
Split With a Partner, 3 Rounds For QUALITY:
30 Calorie Row OR Assault Bike
20 Toes-to-Bar
20 Burpees
30 Overhead Squats w/Empty Barbell
One athlete working at a time. This is FOR QUALITY not for time, so move with a purpose but prioritize movement integrity in order to prepare/warm the entire body for 4x4 back squats.
B) From 18:00 - 48:00
Back Squat (Week 6, Day 2):
4x4 @ 90%
Across
10 Things I Learned In My CrossFit Class
A little Thursday perspective, courtesy of Lisbeth Darsh:
"10 Things I Learned In My CrossFit Class"
10. If you drop an empty barbell, a kitten does not die. But the gym owner sees blazing technicolor red. (Don’t drop that empty BB.)
9. Working harder is okay, but working smarter is what you really want to do.
8. You’re probably taking more breaks than you need.
7. What you lift is more important than what you wear.
6. The last person to finish is usually pissed that they’re finishing last.
5. People who don’t like deadlifts are like people who don’t like dogs: probably not to be trusted.
4. If anyone in your class says, “This workout doesn’t look too bad” you are all so screwed. Death is near.
3. The “bro” ratio in your class is a likely equivalent to the douchiness level of your gym. Shop accordingly.
2. If anybody tells you to “harden the f*** up” you are more than justified in telling them to “shut the f*** up.”
1. What’s in your heart is infinitely more important than what’s on your barbell.
WOD For 09-28-17:
"The Test Drive"
Alternating EMOM For 3 Rounds (12 Minutes):
1) 150-200-250m Row (increase distance & pace with each round)
2) 5 Hang Power Cleans (increase load with each round)
3) 25 Double Unders
4) Add/Change Weight + Stretch
-then-
"The Purchase"
3 Rounds For Time:
500m Row
12 Hang Power Cleans @ 185/135 lbs
50 Double Unders
Sit Up Straight!
In the gym we're constantly trying to get athletes to maintain good positions, whether it be during weightlifting, bodyweight/gymnastics movements, or even mono-structural conditioning elements (running, rowing, jumping, etc). The cues you hear of "chest up" or "chest out" or "set yourself big and proud" are really just tools we use to get athletes in better positions to move external objects or their own body through space. And really, posture is just a proper-sounding word for position.
Good posture in the gym hopefully leads to an increased awareness around better general posture in one's daily life outside of the gym. The folks at TedEd made this little video about the benefits of good posture - check it out:
WOD For 09-27-17:
2 Rounds For Time:
600m Run
30 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
30 Hand Release Push-ups
60 Walking Lunges
-then-
Tabata:
Medicine Ball Russian Twists (pick load)
Weekly Forecast: Sunny With A High Chance of Man Feet
A warm week ahead brings with it one of the most requested annual blog posts...
It's that time of year again in San Francisco - the stretch of a handful of weeks during which I try my best not to look down too much in public, for fear of seeing some gnarly man feet resembling hairy talons clinched to a pair of Rainbows. Thank goodness the forecast looks to be showing some cooling trends starting on Thursday/Friday, since Tuesday's reading on the SF Weather Advisory System is: HIGH.
San Franciscans can empathize.
I was at Whole Foods the other day being generally snobby and buying some nutritious fuel for a certain high powered athlete and her ruggedly handsome trophy husband. The troubling amount of man feet I was forced to look at made me so nauseous I could barely locate the $7 coconut water my dear athlete loves so much.
Dear SF (grown, adult, gainfully employed, not in college anymore) men - really?! Can we please retire the flip-flops as acceptable urban footwear, or at least reduce them to beach/pool/tropical vacation/public shower duty as they were intended? I mean, really... it's not like it's 100 degrees out there. I get it, it's nice out. How about a nice canvas sneaker, or loafer, or boat shoe? Anything. Please. And no, man sandals (AKA "mandals") are not okay and I don't care if they're Dolce & Gabbana - this isn't Europe, regardless of whether or not you insist on telling me "ciao" when we leave each other's presence, or sign-off all your emails with "cheers." You don't see me trying to kiss your wife goodbye on both cheeks, so cut it out with the Italian designer leather excuse for wearing what is, in effect, a high end flip flop. The linen man-pri pants should probably stay on the rack at Loehman's as well. THAT'S WHY THEIR MEN'S STORE CLOSED, DUDE. Or, let's make a deal, just clip your toenails like you've seen your feet in the last month - then maybe I won't feel like I'm losing my $11 kale chips the wrong way (Editor's note when re-reading this: I don't actually eat kale chips but it seemed fitting at the time for dramatic effect).
OK, end of grumpy old man rant (almost). I'm officially a curmudgeon. What can I say, I'm not a fan of the man feet. If cargo shorts are the Nickelback of men's clothing then flip flops are the Dave Matthews Band - we're not late for Chem Lab and neither of us has a Scarface poster on our wall anymore. So take a few minutes and put some shoes on, big dawg, so we can hang out and I won't have to pretend I don't know you.
Ladies, on the other hand, keep it up. You look fabulous, especially when it's warm outside - just make sure to hit those heels with some moisturizer, ain't nobody got time for ashy. Don't let the calloused hands fool you.
WOD For 09-26-17:
Back Squat:
6x2@80% (Week 6, Day 1)
Across
-then-
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
Minute 1) 20 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Minute 2) 10 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Score this EMOM similar to a Tabata workout - your score is the lowest rep round for each of the two movements. Start at 20 WB and 10 BBJ reps and attempt to hold the number (or as high of a number as possible) for the five total rounds.
The Jello Jog
Last Spring someone asked me why we named this WOD "The Jello Jog" - I chuckled and said "just wait until you see what everyone looks like when you're running those 400s."
They didn't find it as funny as I did when the workout was over.
Hope you all had a great weekend!
WOD For 09-25-17:
Push Press:
10 Minutes To Establish a Heavy Triple (NOT 3RM)
No rack, barbell is cleaned rom the floor.
-then-
"The Jello Jog"
For Time:
40 Push Presses @ 95/65 lbs
400m Run
10 Burpee Ring Muscle-ups
400m Run
40 Push Presses
Push presses means there should be no re-bend of the legs when receiving the bar overhead - those are called jerks. If you find yourself struggling to actually push press the barbell, particularly if you have a hard time with re-bending your legs, then scale accordingly so that you can do the written movement. Yes, it's harder to push press in this workout - that's the point. Enjoy!
(Compare to 04-04-16)