Workout of the Day
Jenny Captures Open 18.1
Perhaps more anticipated every year at Arena Ready is not necessarily the Open workouts themselves, but rather Jenny's amazing photos capturing the spirit of the Open and of our awesome people. Just as she has every year, Jenny manages to document the range of emotions, the tenacity of our athletes, the support of our community, and the beauty of this common bond that brings us all together -- challenging ourselves to be just a little better every day.
Here's the link to Jenny's Open 18.1 gallery. Thank you as always, Jenny (AKA Oh Happy Dawn Photography) for all that you do!
WOD For 02-28-18:
Hang Power Clean:
3-3-3-3-3
Climbing
-then-
3 Rounds For Time:
15 Pistols (alternating)
15 Handstand Push-ups
15 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
Thank You For a Great 18.1!
With the first Open workout of 2018 in the books we're looking forward to four more to follow! The energy in the gym on Saturday morning (and Thursday night and Sunday morning) was fantastic -- thanks to everyone who participated whether it be competing, judging, cheering, coaching, or some combination of it all.
Hopefully Monday's light/moderate overhead squats helped to open up those tight 18.1 toes-to-bar pecs, and the sprint couplet gave you a dose of that short domain intensity that the sprinters among us love. Since Saturdays for the next month will be the current week's Open workout, we're going to pepper-in some partner and team WODs throughout the weekdays to keep that fun element in play.
On that note, here we go...
WOD For 02-27-18:
With a Partner Against an 18-Minute Clock:
BUY-IN:
1000m Run TOGETHER
1000m Row SPLIT
... Then, in the remaining time AMRAP (only one person working at a time)...
30 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
90 Double Unders
*Both teammates must complete a 1000m run and the first athlete in the door may start the row immediately (share the same rower). The AMRAP of deadlifts and double unders is shared, with only one athlete working at a time -- reps do NOT have to be split evenly.
-then-
Tabata:
Side Planks (alternate sides each interval for 4 intervals each side)
18.1 Scores Due By 5pm Monday
Reminder to SUBMIT YOUR 18.1 score to the CrossFit Games website by Monday at 5pm. We cannot submit your score for you so if you're reading this just do it now so you don't forget!
Just a small portion of our Open 18.1 athletes from Saturday!
After getting pretty aerobic on Saturday for 18.1 how about a little back squat strength work (building on last Monday's session) and a quick & dirty sprint met-con to start the week?
WOD For 02-26-18:
Back Squat:
15 Minutes To Establish a Heavy Set of Eight, then...
Two Drop Sets:
1x8 @ 85% of your top set
1x8 @ 80% of your top set
-then-
For Time:
21-15-9
Overhead Squats @ 115/75 lbs (no rack)
Lateral Bar Burpees
(Compare to 05-16-13)
Open 18.1 Thoughts & Strategy
Open Athletes - if you haven't already, please watch the 18.1 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 (both Rx and scaled) prior to every athlete and judge starting their workout/heat.
You'll also need to enter your score on the CrossFit Games website before the submission deadline at 5pm on Monday. You can still register for the Open up until the 18.1 submission deadline, so if you do the workout this weekend and decide to enter afterwards make sure to have someone judge you so you have an official score.
As we've covered previously in this post here, we'll be running the Open Workout ("18.1") during rolling heats in all of our Saturday morning classes. 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).
For those new to Arena Ready please note that these Saturday morning classes will be very different from our usual protocol. The warm-up will be self-directed and written on the board in AR North for you to follow. 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. Among other things, you're going to want to get your shoulders & lats nice and warm, your dumbbell mechanics dialed-in, and your hamstrings primed (i.e. mobilized) to make it easier to get your feet to the bar.
18.1 is a great 20-minute AMRAP triplet designed to keep just about everyone moving for the entirety of the workout, both in the Rx and scaled versions (relatively small rep sets for each movement, relatively light loading, and not terribly complex in skill requirements). Strategy is not all that complicated -- you mostly need to know your strengths and weaknesses among the three movements, keep the transitions between movements disciplined and quick, and pick a rep scheme and row pacing that suits your capacity.
Toes-to-Bar
Are you a toes-to-bar ninja and have lots of capacity with the movement? Then go unbroken from the start to limit accumulating rest periods (very costly for higher level competitors), and try to hang on (pun intended) to an unbroken scheme for as long as possible. If you feel the grip starting to strain at some point then one break in the set is the way to go (think 5-3 or 4-4), keeping your rest periods "strict" (e.g. count to three and jump back up immediately).
Are you decent at toes-to-bar but don't consider the movement a strength of yours? Then break up the sets of 8 from the start with a rep scheme appropriate for your capacity (5-3 or 4-4 if you're pretty darn good, 3-3-2 if you know you're going to fade a little, or 2-2-2-2 if you know you need to be methodical about it from the beginning). The breaking of the set will feel silly in the first round but trust the strategy -- it will pay dividends in the second half of the workout. Don't forget that the toes-to-bar will be the "grippiest" part of this grippy workout for most people, so quick breaks here are much smarter than breaking on the dumbbell.
Those of you who need to do the toes-to-bar in singles already know who you are. Don't be shy about it, just keep chipping away with those singles and stay focused (it's a 20 minute workout so you're going to rack up a bunch of rounds when it's all over... don't get discouraged early!). If you can do even 1 rep of toes-to-bar safely we recommend you spend as much time as you need to getting that 1 rep, or first several, at Rx -- and if at some point it's clear that no additional reps are going to happen (or that you've had enough valiant attempts at that first one to no avail) you can continue on with the scaled movement (hanging knee raise above hips) to continue progressing through the workout. Your Rx score would, of course, simply be recorded as the rep count at the point that you stopped doing full toes-to-bar -- but remember that just 1 rep at Rx beats even the highest scaled score in the world... so stick with it for as long as you're able!
Single Dumbbell Hang Clean & Jerk
First off, make sure you STAND THE DUMBBELL UP TO FULL EXTENSION with a quick pause at the top (i.e. standing to your full height) before you initiate the first hang clean -- otherwise that first clean is technically not from the hang. This movement will take a little practice simply to develop a bit of familiarity, so get in early and use a lighter dumbbell to dial-in the pattern and feel of the movement.
Don't think of this as a "clean" per se -- you should be doing the "clean" portion much like you would a (one-arm) kettlebell swing at the bottom... that is, DB between your legs & reaching behind you (chest comes forward), hinging at the hip to load the hamstrings, and driving the DB initially with the hips & legs as much as possible. Then it resembles a "hammer curl" to the shoulder -- but remember that most of the work must be done with the legs & hips, and not from the arm curl, otherwise your biceps are going to get smoked really quickly.
To get the dumbbell overhead you can technically use any shoulder-to-overhead movement you like (honestly, I'm not sure why the terminology they used is "jerk"), but the choice is pretty simple. If the weight is light to moderate for you, and you have good mobility and stability overhead, then use a push press. If it's a little heavy for you and/or you're a bit sketchy overhead, then use a re-dip to push jerk the DB overhead -- and make sure to stand up all the way with full lockout to complete the rep. Either way this requires a shoulder-width stance for most people, which means you should do the "clean" with more of a squat stance to make the transition overhead more efficient (i.e. no need to move your feet at all during consecutive reps).
Unless this weight is heavy for you, or mobility and/or fatigue is causing a potential movement safety issue, then try to do as many of these DB reps unbroken as possible. The "cost" on the grip is not as great here as it is on the toes-to-bar -- plus breaking the reps on the DB means you're going to have to put it all the way back down and pick it all the way back up again (causing lots of rest periods that you probably don't actually need if this weight is light for you). You're essentially creating an eccentric lowering and then a deadlift every time you set the DB down. If you do need a break and/or you're not comfortable with a mid-air switch of hands, then the place to get your quick break is to place the DB back on the ground when switching from one side to the other after 5 reps.
If you know you're going to need breaks to safely move through the workout, then remember the same idea we mention above for toes-to-bar -- this AMRAP is 20 minutes long and you're going to rack up some rounds no matter what. So keep chipping away patiently, be smart, move well, and do what you gotta do!
Row (Yay!)
For many of us we'll spend half of this workout on the rower, give or take. Which means that knowing your max sustainable rowing pace is key if you're going to get a good score relative to your individual capability (being fit and having a terrible strategy on pacing can render you a score much lower than you deserve). If you watched Sam Briggs and Kristen Holte do 18.1 at the big announcement you saw Holte go out hot because she knew she couldn't hang with Briggs on the rower -- so she essentially tried to get ahead and then hold on as best she could. Since both athletes are incredibly fit & strong the toes-to-bar and DB movements would basically be unbroken for both of them the entire way -- leaving no option to gain ground other than in transitions and on the rower. In the end the better, more efficient rower (Briggs) caught up and eventually passed the early leader by holding basically the same pace from first round until final round. And not because she was a bigger or stronger athlete on the rower -- she simply rowed better, with better technique (thus less suffering) and better pacing.
Now most of us are not competing at a Regional/Masters Qualifier/Games level, so while the Briggs-Holte example is not exactly analogous to us the main idea remains the same -- your row pace and ability to hold that pace (or even increase it in the last quarter of the workout) will have a big impact on your score, almost regardless of your capability on the other two movements.
So what pace do you use? Well hopefully you've paid attention to the Cal/Hour number on the monitor during any one of the hundreds of row for calories workouts you've done at Arena Ready. That's the BIG number in the middle of the screen -- you know, the one that's constantly changing, and often going down as you get more tired. Here's a nice chart that gives you the pacing lowdown:
I'll make it easy for you since we coaches basically know everyone's relative capacity on the rower (and on the other two movements). Highly competitive "Black level" AR athletes will be gunning for 10 total rounds or more. The "Red level" may generally be in the 7 to 8 round range, give or take one or two. The "Gray level" may likely be in that 5 to 7 round range, give or take, with Rx or Scaled dependent on the individual's proficiency with toes-to-bar. The "White level" athletes will likely span the range of 5 to 8 rounds if doing Scaled, with the exception of those who are determined to fight (safely) for an Rx score.
So take that approximate number of rounds and pretend we are doing a WOD at Arena Ready where you have to row 14/12 calories within a minute, and for that many rounds. Based on the table above, and knowing you'll have two other movements in the WOD (like we usually do in those types of workouts at our gym), what pace can you hold? How much time within this theoretical minute would you have as "rest" after finishing the 14/12 calorie row? That period could become your transition time back to toes-to-bar (or even starting the toes-to-bar for the fast people). We've done literally dozens of workouts like that -- maybe not for 8 or 10 rounds, but certainly for 5 or 6. That should give you a good idea of where to start when game planning for your pace.
And to answer the two common questions:
Yes, if you know how to sprint start on the rower I think you should do it (if you don't know what that is or how to do it then now is not the time to start by trying it for the first time in 18.1).
You should use the same setting on the flywheel that you always use when we row for calories. If you have no idea what that is then put it on 5.
The Universal MUSTS for EVERYONE Doing the Workout
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) If even just ONE rep (or several) can be performed safely at Rx 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). 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.
3) 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?
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 02-24-18:
"Open 18.1"
AMRAP 20 Minutes:
8 Toes-to-Bar
10 Single Dumbbell Hang Clean & Jerk @ 50/35 lbs (5 Right THEN 5 Left, or vice versa)
14/12 Calorie Row
*The 18.1 Scaled Workout follows the same sequence but uses hanging knee raises in place of toes-to-bar and 35/20 pound dumbbells.
Why I Love the Open
When I started CrossFit back in 2010 it wasn't about competing at all (and the Open didn't even exist yet). I had recently retired from my career as a hammer thrower, had spent a year getting skinny fat by eating crap and running long distances (which I got better at, but didn't enjoy much), and I basically realized that if I didn't start doing something a little more functional I was going to lose capacity to do even regular things pretty quickly.
In the years since, CrossFit has formed the basis for a wide variety of opportunities in my life, many of which we've been able to live together through the formation of Arena Ready. I've certainly spent an awful lot of energy training and competing, and to those who may not know me as well it might seem that's what it's been about at the core, but especially this year I've had the opportunity to reflect, and I can honestly say that while I do enjoy competing, and striving to make the next level, that's not really what it's been about in prior years, nor will it be my focus this year.
I do the Open to see what I'm capable of, to test my weaknesses, and to enjoy my strengths. I enjoy laying it all out there to see where I fall short (or even literally faceplant if we're talking HSPUs). I enjoy the motivation that I feel for months or even years after a good competition - I still remember finding a second wind to run faster when Brittany Williamson was about to pass me on the final lap of a workout at Femme Fit back in 2010, and I draw on that second wind frequently when I think I "can't go any faster". My interest in getting better at the things I'm not very good at, or to endure things I don't like very much, benefits me in all areas of my life, not just in the gym, and I enjoy developing self-awareness of how much I care about achieving my goals, getting better at being me, and generally persevering even when things don't come easily. Years and years later, I still find this fun.
I also do the Open because I really think it's fun to hang out at the gym with my friends. I enjoy cheering for everyone, and hoping that they are able to perform in line with their expectations. I like strategizing pacing, and it's funny when people accidentally go out too fast and have to live with that for more minutes than they'd like. I LOVE watching people get firsts in the Open because it provides that tiny extra push that enables them to want success more than they fear failure. It's really cool to reflect on everyone's time lapses - to see how far they've come while also appreciating the opportunity they have to continue growing, if they so choose. It's just sort of a magical time of year.
Finally, one year I didn't really do the Open. I entered, but I had decided I wasn't doing it to be my best self, I wasn't trying to see what I could accomplish, and mostly because my heart was a little broken from falling a single point short of qualifying for the Games in the year prior I didn't really want to put myself out there again. That year I learned that it never was actually about the end result. It's about the journey, and it's a journey that I love, [almost] entirely independent of where I fall on the leaderboard. Putting myself out there is fun.
This CrossFit season has obviously been a means to keep my body healthy as I work on an entirely different mission. I've been torn about competing in the Open because there are a lot of things I can't (or shouldn't) do. I'm a little self-conscious about actually recording on the internet how different my best is right now (given the constraints of being 36 weeks pregnant) and putting legitimate, "where I'm at today" scores on the internet for people to see, only to feel like I "should" be capable of more. But you know what? That's no different from anyone else, ever, in the history of the Open (and I've done it every year, so I know). Just like everyone else, I need to be mindful of my body, my current training volume and capacity, and the appropriate level of intensity for me where I'm at right now. I have the opportunity to compete alongside my friends, to record this benchmarked moment in time, and to become a little more self-aware. Sure, I probably won't be able to do even a whole workout as prescribed, I may not be able to get even a single rep of one of the scaled workouts, and I'm likely to have to skip a workout or two at the end, but between now and then, I get to be out there doing something I actually love alongside my AR family.
The Open is pretty cool.
The first workout of the 2018 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open ("18.1") 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 above (which covers only the Rx workout, and not the scaled version) - thanks!
It's not too late to register for the 2018 Open! Join in on the fun and register here on the CrossFit Games website (make sure to select Arena Ready as BOTH your affiliate and your team). You'll be able to register up until the online score submission deadline for 18.1 on Monday at 5pm (i.e. you can come in and do the workout this weekend and then register & enter your score afterward, as long as that's before Monday at 5pm).
WOD For 02-23-18:
Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squat:
5-5-5-5-5 (per side)
-then-
4 Rounds For Time:
200m Run with Medicine Ball @ 20/14 lbs
20 Medicine Ball Walking Lunges @ 20/14 lbs
20 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
20 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
You may support/hold the medicine ball in any fashion during the run and lunges, except on top of your head or by holding the laces/tabs.
Happy Open Eve!
Any guesses on what Thursday evening's 5pm announcement of Open workout 18.1 will be?! Come to the gym and watch the live announcement with us -- some of our AR athletes will even be doing (and/or test driving) the workout at 7pm that evening.
It's not too late to register for the 2018 Open! Join in on the fun and register here on the CrossFit Games website (make sure to select Arena Ready as BOTH your affiliate and your team). This Saturday will be the first of five "AR Open Saturdays" at the gym (click here for details), and you'll be able to register up until the online score submission deadline for 18.1 on Monday at 5pm.
Still on the fence? Read this and then just do it already.
The preview frame below of 16.5 at Arena Ready reminds me to to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Coach Walker for passing his CrossFit Level 2 Trainer Exam after taking the course last weekend. I would be remiss if I didn't also give props to our newest Level 1 Trainers who have been shadowing/co-coaching/assisting for some time and are now also leading a few classes (with great feedback from our members to boot!): nice work Brooklyn Mike, Flying Squirrel, and LGB!!! It's been fun having them -- as well as Lisa Mini Rex, Mighty Mini Kim, James, Catherine, and Nevada -- in the coaching fold as we approach the 2018 Open and what appears to be an exciting year ahead at AR!
How about a little complimentary prehab strength work and a shakeout gasser to get us primed for 18.1?
WOD For 02-22-18:
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
Looking Back: Open 16.3 at Arena Ready
WOD For 02-21-18:
2-Position Hang Power Snatch ("Mid" Hang Above Knees, "Low" Hang Below Knees):
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 02-22-17, 06-23-16, 06-12-15, and 12-01-13)
Looking Back: Open 16.2 at Arena Ready
Are you registered to tackle 18.1 with us later this week? If not read this and this, and then get yourself registered for the 2018 Open with your Arena Ready friends!
All Saturday morning classes for the next five weeks will be the current week's Open WOD (18.1 through 18.5). Can't do the workout on Saturday? Then come in on Thursday evenings at 7pm ("The OPEN" class) OR get after it during Open Gym on Sundays. If you're traveling for work or play during the Open then find a local CrossFit affiliate near your destination (click here for the worldwide CrossFit affiliate finder map) to complete the Open workout while away from home. There are 14,000 CrossFit affiliates worldwide so there's always somewhere that will welcome you to do the Open WOD with them (in fact, you will see a few visitors at AR doing the Open).
Please make make sure to select Arena Ready as BOTH your affiliate and team when registering (many of you have selected AR as your affiliate but NOT your team, so please go back and add yourself to our team).
Get on it, it's going to be a fun ride!
How about an AR crowd favorite WOD to get things going up on a Tuesday?!
WOD For 02-20-18:
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 02-21-17, 02-06-16 @ 135/95, 11-29-14, 06-10-13, 01-24-13, 10-11-12)
The 2018 Open: What We Measure We Improve
Looking back at "Open 16.1" at Arena Ready:
Speaking (sorry not sorry) of the Open - are you registered? Click 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.
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 "18.1" 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 02-19-18:
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:
30-20-10
Unbroken Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
21-15-9
Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in (facing box not required)
Why I'm Doing The 2018 Open
The 2018 CrossFit Games Worldwide Open officially starts on Thursday with the 5pm announcement of the first of five workouts ("18.1"). For a number of reasons -- not the least of which being the incredible environment at Arena Ready every year around this time -- 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.
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 as we approach the 18.1 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 year will be very different for me than any other year -- I'm two 2.5 months post hip surgery, I took on an exciting new career challenge that has enriched my mental focus, and Sarah and I are expecting our first child sometime around 18.4, give or take (18.4b perhaps?). So while I will be severely limited by what I CANNOT do (i.e. I'm not actually allowed to), I'll be motivated to find out what it is I CAN do in light of what life has thrown at me (and blessed me with) since the close of last season.
This will be my EIGTH 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 nine 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 last year’s change to 35. THANKS A LOT CROSSFIT… WHERE WAS THAT FIVE 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 get the ol' hip healthy, complete my physical therapy with patience and dedication, and then step-up my training big time. But for right now I'm cool with my athletic competition career taking back seat to my ongoing rehab, honing my coaching craft, continuing my sales career, and of course prioritizing my impending daddy duties . As my ability to teach and understand fitness has improved immensely, my ability to compete (or even just hang) with the big boys in CrossFit has declined proportionally (haha). But hey, I'm 40 years old and up until a few months ago could still run a sub-6 minute mile, deadlift 2.5x my bodyweight, and play for days (assuming the activity or sport was 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). And even as I'm in limbo with PT and rehab in the short and medium term, I want to celebrate what I know I'm still capable of, 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 (even if this year it's not that much). 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. A better husband. A better father. Sarah and Baby Girl are 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 Big Tony for once when all is said and done (ain't gonna happen). And even though Grant has long since moved and recently added child #2 to his family -- and (much like Grant) Walker has continued to stay fitter than I would sometimes like even during fatherhood -- I still have plenty of friends at Arena Ready to chase. My current state of rehabbing a hip also puts me in a fun situation where I'll be trying to essentially chase everyone who's entered, and that should be interesting as I attempt to strategize my way through the workouts in a fashion that maximizes my score but also keeps me safe. We have a long list of men and women who work their asses off and (even when I'm healthy) 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 blow me out of the water. 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 I'm somewhat sidelined and 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 smoke 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, 18.1.
Get ready for a lot of this VOICE in your earhole, people. IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR.
WOD For 02-17-18:
In Teams Of TWO Athletes, For Time:
40 Calorie Row
40 Curtis P Complexes @ 95/65 lbs
40 Calorie Row
50 Ground-to-Overhead
40 Calorie Row
60 Hang Squat Cleans
40 Calorie Row
1 Curtis P Complex = Power Clean + Lunge Left + Lunge Right + Push Press
All movement reps are shared with only one athlete working at a time. Reps can be partitioned in any fashion and do NOT have to split evenly.
(Compare to 08-26-17)
Looking Back: Arena Ready Open 15.4
WOD for 02-17-18:
"Diane"
For Time:
21-15-9
Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs.
Handstand Push-ups
(Compare to 06-13-16, 02-13-15, 03-03-14, and 09-03-13)
-then-
Tabata:
Hollow Rocks
Looking Back: Arena Ready Open 15.3
WOD for 02-15-18:
For Time:
Row 1000m
50 Alternating Pistols
100 Double Under
50 Hang Power Snatch @ 95/65 lbs.
Run 1000m