Workout of the Day
Holiday Party a Hit!!!
Thanks to the amazing group who came out on Saturday to our 6th Annual Arena Ready Holiday Party. What a blast! Thanks also to Vivian for capturing a few awesome moments, especially during everyone's favorite awkward party game...
WOD For 12-18-17:
Hang Power Clean + Thruster:
15 Minutes to Establish a Top Set
-then-
Using 50% of your top set from above...
For Time:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Hang Power Cleans
Thrusters
Perform 4 lateral bar burpees every time you drop the bar. Back-racking the barbell is not allowed.
(Compare to 01-23-17 and 03-22-15)
Happy Weekend: AR Holiday Party + Track Day!
Holiday Party: Saturday, Dec 16th 4:30pm - 8:00pm
A friendly reminder that the 6th Annual Arena Ready Holiday Party will be this Saturday, December 16th, We plan on getting started around 4:30pm, hopefully allowing those who have other parties or obligations later that evening to attend. We'll probably wind things down around 8:00pm. Due to the popularity of the party over the years we'll be hosting it downstairs this time to provide more space for us to spread out and celebrate.
Back by popular demand we will continue the tradition of making the party a potluck-style shindig, so feel free to bring a dish/treat/drinks to share. Healthy options are of course appreciated but by no means required.
Our holiday parties, like many of our events, are generally family friendly - so bring your loved ones (including little ones) if so desired. That said, we may or may not be revisiting some popular games to test our functional fitness...
Sunday Track Workout With Coach Kim
Missed the last Track Session with Coach Kim and want to get your aerobic capacity work on?! Get down to the track on Sunday afternoon at 1pm with some of your AR buddies and run off some of that Holiday Party gluttony, haha.
Check Kim's weekly post in the private Arena Ready Facebook group here for details, or message one of us coaches and we can get you the details!
WOD For 12-16-17:
"Sid & Nancy v2.0"
5 Rounds For Time, With a Partner:
600m Run (TOGETHER)
30 Overhead Squats @ 95/65 lbs (SHARED)
Both athletes must run together and overhead squats cannot start until both athletes have completed the preceding run. One athlete working at a time on the OHS, and reps do NOT have to be split evenly.
Thursday (Crickets)
We always joke about the programmed days that keep people away from the gym, and I think everyone can agree that 5x500m Row Intervals is solidly in that mix (as evidenced by the unusually low attendance on Thursday... except you 6am!).
So, what happens when I've had a rough trip out & back to the East Coast (snow + crutches = no bueno) and I'm sick and crabby? I put rowing back into the programming the next day. Happy Holidays and keep the change ya' fit animals.
Reminder: AR Holiday Party on Sat, December 16th (click for more details)!
WOD For 12-15-17:
Deadlift (Cycle 1, Week 3):
Using 90% of your top lift from 11-25-17 or 02-02-17 as your "base" weight...
75% x 5
85% x 3
95% x 1+ (AKA "Max Effort" or "as many reps as you can safely perform")
For example, if you lifted 200 lbs on 11-25-17 then use 90% of that (180 lbs) as your "base" weight:
75% x 180 lbs = 135 lbs x 5 reps
85% x 180 lbs = 153 lbs x 3 reps
95% x 180 lbs = 171 lbs x 1+ reps ("Max Effort" or "as many as you can safely perform")
-then-
AMRAP 12 Minutes:
18/13 Calorie Row
18 Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
18 Alternating One-Arm Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs
18 Toes-to-Bar
Rowing Technique: The Pick Drill
Reminder: AR Holiday Party on Sat, December 16th (click for more details)!
WOD For 12-14-17:
Row Technique:
Skills & Drills
-then-
Row Intervals:
5 x 500m
Start every 5 minutes.
Each interval is for time.
Note your delta between the fastest and slowest intervals.
(Compare to 07-20-17)
-then-
Hollow Body Static Holds:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15 Between efforts)
Two Sick Estrellas...
Sorry everyone! Two sick Estrellas gets you one very short blog. But, have no fear... you still get the workout of the day, and you'll be in good hands with Coaches Esterina, Alyssa, Tony and Kate on Wednesday!
On that note, since it's flu season and all...if you're sick, might be sick, or know someone who is probably sick, please be conscientious - stay away from the gym for sure if you have a fever, and if you think it's ok (for others, not just for you) to work out, still be sure to use the gym wipes on all of your equipment and wash your hands regularly. Soap and gym wipes are two things we genuinely love buying!
See you soon hopefully!
Reminder: AR Holiday Party on Sat, December 16th (click for more details)!
WOD FOR 12-12-17:
Hang Squat Clean:
5-5-5-5-5
-then-
For Time (10 min cap):
21-15-9 Hang Squat Clean (135/95)
100-75-50 Double Under
Weight should feel medium, and lighter than in part one.
Track Days With Coach Kim
A few athletes after their track day WOD with Coach Kim on Sunday:
Check the private Arena Ready Facebook group for more info on future track days with Kim -- I know a bigger group is interested in these workouts so we're looking forward to growing the group and getting some aerobic capacity work in on the track!
Reminder: AR Holiday Party on Sat, December 16th (click for more details)!
WOD FOR 12-12-17:
Strict Press (Cycle 1, Week 2):
Using 90% of your top lift from 11-29-17 or 11-23-17 as your "base" weight...
70% x 3
80% x 3
90% x 3+ (AKA "Max Effort" or "as many reps as you can safely perform")
For example, if you lifted 100 lbs on 11-29-17 then use 90% of that (90 lbs) as your "base" weight:
70% x 90 lbs = 63 lbs x 3 reps
80% x 90 lbs = 72 lbs x 3 reps
90% x 90 lbs = 81 lbs x 3+ reps ("Max Effort" or "as many as you can safely perform")
-then-
AMRAP 8 Minutes:
200m Run
16 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
8 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Facing the box is NOT required. Step-ups ARE considered scaling. Start fast and try to hold the pace.
-then-
Weighted Plank:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15 Between Efforts)
AR Holiday Party: Saturday, December 16th!
Holiday Party: Saturday, Dec 16th
A friendly reminder that the 6th Annual Arena Ready Holiday Party will be this Saturday, December 16th, We plan on getting started around 4:30pm, hopefully allowing those who have other parties or obligations later that evening to attend. We'll probably wind things down around 8:00pm. Due to the popularity of the party over the years we'll be hosting it downstairs this time to provide more space for us to spread out and celebrate.
Potluck: Paleo or Not!
Back by popular demand we will continue the tradition of making the party a potluck-style shindig, so feel free to bring a dish/treat/drinks to share. Healthy options are of course appreciated but by no means required.
Bring The Fam!
Our holiday parties, like many of our events, are generally family friendly - so bring your loved ones (including little ones) if so desired. That said, we may or may not be revisiting some popular games to test our functional fitness...
Wear a sturdy belt and choose your partner wisely, my friends.
Turn the SOUND UP for full effect at the end
WOD For 12-11-17:
"That Was a Spicy Meat-a-ball-AHH!"
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (25 Minutes):
MIN 1) 15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
MIN 2) 15 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
MIN 3) 21 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
MIN 4) 21/15 Calorie Row
MIN 5) REST
Score this workout similar to a Tabata. Start with the prescribed rep scheme and hold for as long as possible. Record your LOWEST rep round for each of the four movements, with the best possible score being 15-15-21-21/15 (meaning you held the prescribed reps throughout all 5 rounds of the workout).
Sweaty Saturday Holiday WODs: "Zach's Eight Crazy Nights"
Every year around the holidays at Arena Ready we do several traditional WODs (of our own tradition, that is) which include our AR version of a "Twelve Days of CrossFit" workout around Christmas Eve... and, of course, "The Chief" around New Year's Eve. So those of you who have joined the gym in the last year may get to experience your first shot at those challenging WODs over the next few Saturdays.
Two years ago, Zach - who has been an athlete at AR for over five years - asked me, "Hey, why isn't there an 'Eight Crazy Nights' workout too?!" I didn't really have a good answer for him other than, "Hmmm, good point. There should definitely be one. And it should have some of your ninja movements in it, and some of the stuff you hate too."
And thus, Zach's Eight Crazy Nights was born. Too bad Adam Sandler's not here to serenade us through the WOD, although I'm sure we could arrange for is infamous Chanukah Song to play on loop for the entire duration of each Saturday class. You know you'd sing along for at least the first time through, don't lie... just let it happen...
Zach knocking out one of his many ninja skills - double unders (which are, sadly for him, not in this workout)
WOD For 12-09-17:
"Zach's Eight Crazy Nights"
For Time*:
1) 200m Run
2) 12m Bear Crawl (40ft down + 40ft back)
3) Ring Muscle-ups
4) Push Jerks @ 155/105 lbs
5) Front Squats @ 155/105 lbs
6) Hang Power Cleans @ 155/105 lbs
7) Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
8) Thrusters @ 155/105 lbs
*This workout is performed in the same fashion as the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (except there are eight nights, instead of twelve days). The numbers 1 through 8 represent repetitions of that specific movement. Start with 1, then perform 2-1, then 3-2-1, then 4-3-2-1, etc. until reaching 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
(Compare to 12-17-16 and 12-05-15)
Deadlift 5-3-1: Week Two
Friday deadlifts continue into week two of the current cycle. Happy Friday, friends!
WOD For 12-08-17:
Deadlift (Week 2):
Using 90% of your top lift from 11-25-17 or 02-02-17 as your "base" weight...
70% x 3
80% x 3
90% x 3+ (AKA "Max Effort" or "as many reps as you can safely perform")
For example, if you lifted 200 lbs on 11-25-17 then use 90% of that (180 lbs) as your "base" weight:
65% x 180 lbs = 126 lbs x 3 reps
75% x 180 lbs = 144 lbs x 3 reps
85% x 180 lbs = 162 lbs x 3+ reps ("Max Effort" or "as many as you can safely perform")
-then-
Alternating Double Tabata:
Double Unders
Russian Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
This is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of 16 intervals (8 total minutes). We will alternate movements each interval (DU, KBS, DU, KBS, etc...) completing 8 intervals per movement.
Your score is you lowest rep interval for each of the two movements.
-then-
Weighted Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15)
Back To Basics: The Wall Ball
Many of you know how I feel about sloppy push-ups (if you don't, feel free to read my mini-rant here), and that same attitude applies, in large part, to the wall ball as well. The basic squat is the foundation of so much of human movement, and the wall ball is one of the most utilized versions of a squat in many CrossFit settings. Generally speaking, if you squat well in one version of a squat then you likely squat well in most or all of the others. Recently, however, a strange and anomalous epidemic has swept through our gym: OTHERWISE GOOD SQUATTERS NOT GOING BELOW PARALLEL ON WALL BALLS.
What, pray tell me, is going on?! Walk into any class when we're back squatting, front squatting, or hell, even snatching or cleaning, and most would say "Damn, that's a pretty good group of squatters and barbell movers right there!" Walk into any class recently with wall balls programmed and you might think "Huh, maybe they're supposed to be above parallel today? Like, you know, maybe it's a thing... a weird thing that Rob wrote into the programming."
No. No, I did not.
Somewhere along the way we lost our wall ball way. And now my spirited battle against floppy fish push-ups will have to start including half-rep wall balls as well... at least for the time being that is. I like to give folks the benefit of the doubt and assume that they're trying to go below -- so often I will ask "Hey, Jon Snow, are you allowed to squat below parallel?" Or in more detailed terms "Are you indeed the King of The North, and if so, are you currently working around something physical which dictates that you should not be going all the way down?"
So if you're cleared to squat below parallel and you're not doing it, please start. Like now. And if a coach tells you you're not below parallel please believe them -- they're not doing the workout, they can see straight, and their job is to tell you what they observe and help you correct it if needed. This is usually indicated by the the simple term "Go a little lower (fill in your name here)!" Generally this means "Hey your position looks great except now do the full movement."
I don't want to be a jerk and start subtracting reps from people mid-WOD (I have been known to do that in the past), but I do believe that intent does not equal achievement. And as I sit here with a surgically repaired left hip and about to start a rehab process (so that I can finally squat heavy below parallel, or back squat at all, for the first time in seven years) I say to you with much love DON'T MAKE ME KICK YOU WITH MY GOOD LEG FOR NOT USING YOUR PERFECTLY GOOD (TWO) HIPS TO GET BELOW PARALLEL.
xoxo,
Crabby Pants
(Next up in the cranky queue: "Please Try Signing Up For Class More Than 5 Minutes Before It Starts AKA The Rule of Universalizability")
WOD For 12-07-17:
Alternating EMOM For 4 Rounds (8 Minutes):
1) 80ft Single-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Carry @ pick load
2) 30 Seconds Wall Ball Bottom Position Static Hold @ pick load
This is for QUALITY.
The overhead carry should be done at a weight where you can hold the correct position and walk fairly slowly 40ft down & back (alternate sides with each round). Here's a hint: if you have limited overhead mobility this will be hard, so check your ego and choose a lighter KB so you can actually start to effect change.
-then-
"Rosemary v2.0"
FIVE 90-Second Cycles For MAX REPS of Burpees:
21-18-15-12-9 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
15/11 Calorie Row
MAX REPS Burpees Over the Rower
(Rest 90 Seconds Between Cycles)
Wall Ball reps start at 21 in the first cycle and decrease by 3 reps every cycle -- do them unbroken. Sprint the row. Your score is the total number of burpees over the rower completed.
Pro Tip: Re-set and/or turn on the rower monitor just before you start each cycle, so you don't waste time in transitions.
Wednesday Hang Power Snatches
Happy Hump Day, friends!
WOD For 12-06-17:
Hang Power Snatch:
3-3-3-3-3
Climbing as technique allows
-then-
5 Rounds For Time:
7 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
7 Toes-to-Bar
14 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Press 5-3-1
Similar to our Friday deadlifts following a "Wendler 5-3-1" progression, we'll be including a Strict Press 5-3-1 to help build some bigger numbers in the overhead press. Remember to use current era numbers when making your percentage calculations, be consistent with the program, and trust in the process (even if it feels "too easy" to start). If you do all three then you'll have some bigger numbers to come!
WOD For 12-05-17:
Strict Press (Week 1):
Using 90% of your top lift from 11-29-17 or 11-23-17 as your "base" weight...
65% x 5
75% x 5
85% x 5+ (AKA "Max Effort" or "as many reps as you can safely perform")
For example, if you lifted 100 lbs on 11-29-17 then use 90% of that (90 lbs) as your "base" weight:
65% x 90 lbs = 59 lbs x 5 reps
75% x 90 lbs = 68 lbs x 5 reps
85% x 90 lbs = 77 lbs x 5+ reps ("Max Effort" or "as many as you can safely perform")
-then-
AMRAP 13 Minutes:
400m Run
20 AbMat Sit-ups
10 Back Squats @ 225/155 lbs
Use a rack for the back squats. If you can't do the first set of squats without re-racking the bar then it's too heavy for the intended stimulus.