Workout of the Day
The "Curtis P. Partner Mile"
Happy weekend, friends!
WOD For 10-28-17:
"The Curtis P. Partner Mile"
With a Partner For Time:
BUY-IN: 800m Run (TOGETHER)
then
60 Curtis P. Complexes @ 95/65 lbs (SPLIT)
*4 Burpees at the Top of Every Minute (TOGETHER)
then
BUY-OUT: 800m Run (TOGETHER)
1 Curtis P Complex = Power Clean + Lunge (Right) + Lunge (Left) + Push Press
Partners must run both 800s together (i.e. both partners will each complete a total of 1600m running). The Curtis P Complexes cannot start until both partners have completed the first 800m run.
The 60 Curtis P Complex reps are split, and can be shared/partitioned between partners in any fashion. 4 burpees must be completed by both partners at the top of every minute while completing the Curtis P Complex reps.
Time is recorded when both partners have completed the second 800m run.
(Compare to 02-20-16 and 08-22-15)
Happy Sunshine Friday!
This week's weather reminded us of one of our favorite pictures from a sunny & warm SF day many years ago. A bunch of Arena Ready folks took our workout outside to Ocean Beach, and afterwards JP and (a then very little) Elodie worked on some handstand walking:
WOD For 10-27-17:
4 Rounds of:
1 MINUTE: Max Reps Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
30 Seconds Rest
1 MINUTE: Max Reps Medicine Ball Sit-ups
30 Seconds Rest
1 MINUTE: Max Calorie Row OR Assault Bike
30 Seconds Rest
Score this WOD like "Tabata" -- your score is the LOWEST rep round for each of the three movements. Don't dog it in the 1st round or you'll regret starting too slow when you realize in rounds 3 and 4 that you could have started a little faster.
Brian Shaw: A World Record Deadlift + Lululemon
Here's Brian Shaw deadlifting 1,128 pounds:
Here's Brian Shaw trying on lululemon at the mall (enjoy):
WOD For 10-26-17:
AMRAP 3 Minutes:
3 Deadlifts @ 315/225 lbs
15 Double Unders
AMRAP 3 Minutes:
3 Deadlifts @ 275/185 lbs
25 Double Unders
AMRAP 3 Minutes:
3 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
35 Double Unders
Rest 3 minutes between AMRAPs. Change the weight during your rest periods.
(Compare to 09-29-16)
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15)
A Spin on "Nasty Girls"
Wednesday's WOD is a variation on one of the most old school CrossFit workouts out there: "Nasty Girls." This version swaps the hang power cleans for power snatches, keeping the loading the same (and thus increasing the complexity and time domain a bit for most athletes).
The old timers out there may remember the iconic video of some of CrossFit's original female badasses doing "Nasty Girls" in the original Santa Cruz gym where it all started. If you haven't seen it you should check it out - it's still cool to watch and admire their performances, but it's also to fun to revel in how far CrossFit has come in a relatively short amount of time!
WOD For 10-25-17:
3 Rounds For Time:
50 Air Squats
7 Ring Muscle-ups
10 Power Snatches @ 135/95 lbs
Blog Post Glitch Fixed!
Sorry about the blog post glitch today, folks...
WOD For 10-24-17:
Strict Press:
3-3-3-3-3
Warm-up to a challenging weight and call that your first work set. Take small jumps in loading thereafter or use the same weight for multiple sets - you decide today.
-then-
AMRAP 9 Minutes:
200m Run
12 Toes-to-Bar
24 Overhead Walking Lunges with a Plate @ 45/35 lbs
Congratulations Kathy!
A HUGE congratulations to Kathy for her amazing performance this past Saturday at the PWA's 2017 Max's Gym Open! Kathy took the competition platform for the first time in two years and set meet PRs like a complete BOSS. In the 53kg class she went 4 for 6 on her lifts, snatching 34kg and clean & jerking 44kg - this total qualified Kathy for the USAW Masters National Championships, IWF Masters Pan American Championships, and IWF Masters World Championships!!! YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY!
Big thanks to our seasoned team of coaches who helped Kathy on her awesome day of lifting: Coach Hillary and Coach Sarah who have competed in and coached athletes through so many weightlifting meets, from local level to national level; and Coach Liz who knows the demands of competition better than just about anyone else (and is usually the most prepared person in the room).
We couldn't be more proud of Kathy and her well deserved day on the platform - GREAT WORK, KATHY!
WOD For 10-23-17:
With a Partner For Time:
60 Calorie Row
60 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
50 Calorie Row
50 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/105 lbs
40 Calorie Row
40 Front Squats @ 155/105 lbs
30 Calorie Row
30 Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs
20 Calorie Row
20 Clusters (AKA "Squat Clean Thrusters") @ 155/105 lbs
Only one athlete working at a time. Reps may be partitioned in any fashion and do NOT have to be split evenly. Partners must tag each other in/out for every transition.
(Compare to 03-06-17)
Crowd Favorite Sweaty Saturday
It'a an old crowd favorite for this weekend's Sweaty Saturday Partner WOD, so come on in and attack this fun one with an Arena Ready #swolemate.
Happy weekend, everyone!
WOD For 10-21-17:
"Partner Kelly"
With a Partner, 5 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
30 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
30 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Reps are shared, with only one person working at a time. Partners may split the reps in any fashion, and reps do not have to split evenly.
(Compare to 12-19-16, 09-05-15, 12-13-14, and 05-24-14)
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:00)
Two Hundred Pounds is Always Two Hundred Pounds
"The Iron" is one of my favorite pieces from Rollins - the full article can be found here if you're interested in reading it, but here are a few excerpts that I enjoy:
It took me years to fully appreciate the value of the lessons I have learned from the Iron. I used to think that it was my adversary, that I was trying to lift that which does not want to be lifted. I was wrong. When the Iron doesn't want to come off the mat, it's the kindest thing it can do for you. If it flew up and went through the ceiling, it wouldn't teach you anything. That's the way the Iron talks to you. It tells you that the material you work with is that which you will come to resemble. That which you work against will always work against you.
It wasn't until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can't be as bad as that workout.
I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness. But when dealing with the Iron, one must be careful to interpret the pain correctly. Most injuries involving the Iron come from ego. I once spent a few weeks lifting weight that my body wasn't ready for and spent a few months not picking up anything heavier than a fork. Try to lift what you're not prepared to and the Iron will teach you a little lesson in restraint and self-control.
I have never met a truly strong person who didn't have self-respect. I think a lot of inwardly and outwardly directed contempt passes itself off as self-respect: the idea of raising yourself by stepping on someone's shoulders instead of doing it yourself. When I see guys working out for cosmetic reasons, I see vanity exposing them in the worst way, as cartoon characters, billboards for imbalance and insecurity. Strength reveals itself through character...
...Muscle mass does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity. Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart...
...Learning about what you're made of is always time well spent, and I have found no better teacher. The Iron had taught me how to live. Life is capable of driving you out of your mind. The way it all comes down these days, it's some kind of miracle if you're not insane. People have become separated from their bodies. They are no longer whole.
I see them move from their offices to their cars and on to their suburban homes. They stress out constantly, they lose sleep, they eat badly. And they behave badly. Their egos run wild; they become motivated by that which will eventually give them a massive stroke. They need the Iron Mind.
Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind
The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it's impossible to turn back.
The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you're a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds.
-Henry Rollins
Catalyst Athletics interviewed Henry Rollins in 2011, and those of you who are familiar with "The Iron" and some of Rollins' other work may find the interview an interesting quick read (check it out here).
WOD For 10-20-17:
2 Hang Power Snatches + 2 Overhead Squats:
12 Minutes to Build to a Top Set
-then-
Against a 12-Minute Clock:
BUY-IN: 800m Run
Then, in the remaining time AMRAP of...
4 Strict Pull-ups
8 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
12 Overhead Squats
Row Pro: Meters Versus Calories
With two WODs this week including the concept of "rowing for calories" I thought it appropriate to re-share this article from the CrossFit Journal titled "Row Pro: Meters Vs. Calories" (click here for the entire free article).
Too lazy to read that much material? Then read this quick blog from Shane Farmer of Invictus/Dark Horse Rowing which briefly covers some of the same principles. Here's an excerpt:
The first question to answer is whether or not we row differently for calories versus other units. And the answer is no.
The most important part of rowing is that you are efficient and that you are able to connect to the machine. Speed comes from your ability to connect to the machine and not from any gimmick or change in technique. What you should strive for is to optimize your connection to the machine which will allow you to apply as much force, acceleration, and distance as possible...
... When the monitor is measuring for calories what it is actually measuring is calories per hour which correlates to power output which is measured in Watts.
Watts and calories per hour are related in a linear fashion meaning they move together. So when you row for calories you are rowing for power output.
If you wanted to move twice as fast as you were currently rowing, it would require eight times as much energy when rowing for watts or calories. This isn’t meant to scare you but to help you understand the relationship of what is required to go faster.
What this means is that to go that much faster there is an exponential increase in output needed, which reduces both time and the distance necessary to accomplish the required calories.
This concept also works in reverse though. So if you row too slowly, you are punished with an exponentially increasing amount of time and distance.
I like to simplify it all and think of it this way - when rowing for calories you're rewarded exponentially for going faster
WOD For 10-19-17:
In Teams of THREE Athletes, 8 Rounds For Time:
20/15 Calorie Row
10 Burpees
All three athletes must complete eight full rounds (for a total sum of 24 rounds), with only one person working at a time. This is a "you go, then I go, then she goes" format. Each round is a sprint.
The Capybara
Some of you are sick of me talking about it, so I'll just leave this right here for your viewing pleasure. Apparently some folks have these creatures AS PETS!
WOD For 10-18-17:
Power Clean + 3 Push Jerks:
10 Minutes To Build To a Top Set
-then-
5 Rounds For Total Time:
40 Double Unders
12 Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs (no rack)
(REST 1:00 BETWEEN ROUNDS)
There is 1 minute of FORCED rest between rounds, and athletes are responsible for timing their own rest/re-start times.
Overcoming Doubt
Our Tuesday WOD at Arena Ready is a CrossFit.com main site workout, which reminded me of an old blog post I wrote a few years ago...
Fred Frey, 70 Years Young (Photo courtesy of CrossFit.com)
CrossFit posts pictures to their main site every day - some of them I really like, some of them I really dislike, and most are somewhere in between. A while back they posted the picture above of 70-year old Fred Frey performing a box jump, and it made me smile.
I can't tell you how many newbies we've worked with - from all ages, and with varying degrees of athletic and/or fitness background - who've had doubts about what they can accomplish in their training. Some folks who start out at AR haven't lifted a weight, ever. Some have never done a pull-up or push-up, or even come close to either. We often see the doubt in their eyes, and the tentative nature in their movement, when they're attempting something they either: a) haven't done before; b) haven't done in a while; or c) feel they'll never be able to do.
A simple box jump is something many individuals new to CrossFit must work through in order to overcome self doubt, hesitation, and even fear. And often those who are tentative about the movement seem embarrassed that they cannot wrap their head around jumping onto something that looks so harmless. How can such a simple task instill so much unsure energy, or cause one to be downright terrified? We tell these folks that it's not uncommon to feel that way (because it's not, trust me) - that many people who are starting out have reservations, and sometimes a fear, of jumping onto the box. Because for many newcomers, it's been a long time since they've explosively jumped up onto anything. Or perhaps, in some cases, they've spent many years of their life doing things they thought were getting them fit, but at the same time these same things were taking away from any explosive power they once possessed.
We're still talking about box jumps, right?
And it's an explosive movement indeed, the box jump. It requires strength, balance, coordination, power, speed, and agility - and sometimes experienced athletes take for granted how much goes into getting on top of that box, let alone doing it dozens of times throughout an intense workout. But we don't, because we see the doubt nearly every week - and we understand that it takes some courage, and some dedication, to overcome that doubt. For something as simple as a box jump.
But hey, how you do one thing is how you do everything - so it's not surprising when we see individuals who overcome the box jump apply the same process (read: success) to other movements in their training - and even to other parts of their life outside the gym. Overcoming doubt as a process of improvement and self-discovery, whether it be jumping onto a damn box or jumping into a new life endeavor, is pretty fucking cool.
So yeah, I liked this picture.
Sorry, dear, for the swearing.
WOD For 10-17-17:
For Time:
60 Pistols (alternating)
50 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
40 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
30 Deadlifts @ 185/125 lbs
20 Power Cleans
10 Front Squats
(Workout courtesy of CrossFit.com)
40+ Back Squat PRs!
Congratulations to the dozens of athletes who set new 1-Rep Max PRs on their back squat this past weekend. Starting with Friday classes we had over 40 new PRs and saw an overwhelming majority of members hitting new, BIG numbers -- several others added their PRs at Open Gym on Sunday morning, and remotely during their travels.
Great work everyone, and kudos to those of you who followed it up by coming in on Saturday for that seemingly simple, yet soul-crushing partner WOD! Monday classes will see a break from the barbell for a day, and then we're back to it on Tuesday with several barbell movements rolled into a CFHQ Mainsite chipper WOD.
Hope you had a great weekend!
WOD For 10-16-17:
4 Rounds For Time:
21/15 Calorie Row
18 Hand Release Push-ups
15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
12 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15 Between Efforts)