Amanda

In many ways I believe "Amanda" is one of the most elegant, effective CrossFit workouts ever conceived.  It's so simple - a harmless looking, low-volume couplet composed of two movements, each rooted in completely different athletic domains (gymnastics and weightlifting).  The level of strength, power, speed, flexibility, agility, coordination, balance, and cardio-respiratory endurance required to be able to perform this WOD as prescribed (at "Rx" or "Black" level) in a reasonable amount of time is in and of itself a true test of broad, well-rounded fitness - and a testament to a fairly high level of athleticism.

If you can do this workout as written I'm going to guess you're pretty darn fit by just about any measure.  You can probably run a decently fast mile (assuming you wanted to do such a thing to yourself), you can probably lift a decent amount of weight (in just about any lift) with fairly solid technique, and you can probably move your own bodyweight around in some fairly athletic ways.  I'm going to also guess that you can participate in just about any sport or activity you choose to focus on with proficiency and confidence.

If you're working on being able to perform "Amanda" as written then you're not alone - the majority of CrossFitters around the world are right there with you.  It may be a matter of skill and/or technique holding you back, in which case slowing down (and/or lowering the loads) to focus on the pieces of the movements can eventually lead to success and a first step toward mastery.  If it's a matter of lacking "fuel in the engine" then dedicated and consistent training with constantly varied, functional movements at high intensity will eventually increase your work capacity to the level required.  If it's a matter of strength, stability, and/or mobility then time spent training under appropriate loading, in the correct positions, with proper balance and technique, will lead you to sustainable, long-term strength gains which enable more complex movements under load.

Fitness is a lifetime pursuit.  A low trajectory toward a distant horizon.  If you're capable of a sub-5 minute "Amanda" then fantastic, keep on slaying those WODs and training for competition.  If you have a sub-12 minute "Amanda" then awesome, keep on pushing for that gym leaderboard and have fun competing with the experienced Rx crew in your community.  If you're still working hard on the pieces for a complete "Amanda" then HELL YES, keep on training every aspect of your fitness and have fun during the journey... and if you're feeling like you're still so far away from ever being able to do "Amanda" as written, take a moment to remember how far you've come, how cool it is to know that there's still so far left to go, and that when you're outside the walls of the gym it's not a stretch to bet that you're probably the fittest person in the room. 

WOD For 06-28-18:

2 Snatch (High) Pulls + 1 Power Snatch + 1 Squat Snatch:

12 minutes to build to a top set

-then-

"Amanda"

For Time:

9-7-5

Ring Muscle-ups

Squat Snatches @ 135/95 lbs

(Compare to 11-16-17, 02-05-16, 08-13-15, 04-05-14, and 08-15-13)

(Workout courtesy of CrossFit.com in tribute to Amanda Miller)

Basics

Back in college, my coach used to encourage us to spend hours on footwork. This was substantially less glamorous than throwing the hammer, or power cleaning, or doing sprints, or really anything else we possibly could have spent time doing. It was boring, tedious, and not at all my favorite.

But, it was absolutely critical to throwing the hammer well, and the more time I spent focusing on doing it to the very best of my ability, the better I got at the more fun stuff.

So often in CrossFit, it's fun to focus on the complex lifts, or the muscle ups, or the times on the board, but similar to footwork in the hammer, we fail ourselves if we overlook the basics that will pay dividends in the long run.

The athletes who are best, particularly over the long run, are those who understand the boring (but critical) nuances of a hip hinge with a neutral spine, who distribute their weight evenly in their feet, and who hold a neutral rib cage while pressing overhead. They are those who train themselves to stop on a dime when they're kipping, and make sure to recognize when fatigue is setting in and their form is breaking down.

I hated working on footwork, but I'm so thankful that my coach made me do it, and that he impressed upon me the importance of the basics. Developing an appreciation for how valuable that time actually was has served me well in CrossFit of course, but also in regular life. Rob is a fan of the saying "how you do one thing is how you do everything" and I think that's true. Those who are meticulous in their technique from the first to the last rep, those who take the warm up seriously, those who treat even "for time" workouts as "for time with the best quality possible" are also those least likely to cut corners in their everyday lives.

Not a rant, just food for thought.

Don't worry, Rob will be back tomorrow so the blog will be funny and contain pictures!

WOD for 06-27-18:

"The AR Aerobic Animal"

5 Rounds for Time:
400m Row or Ski (or 25/17 Cal Bike)
30 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs.
20m Handstand Walk

Getting closer...

Huge thanks to Kathy, Kim and Kate for spending your Sunday afternoon helping me paint (and a belated thank you to Tony for hanging the white board and foam roller holder)! Getting closer to the finished vision. Any bets on how many more times we'll relocate the barbells?

WOD for 06-26-18:

Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds:
2 Back Squats
*if possible (and wise) add to your loading from last week 06-19-18.

-then-

"AR's Kool Karen"
For Time (Strict 10 Minute Cap):
150 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs. to 10/9 ft.**

** Complete 20 Double Unders every minute, on the minute, including at 0:00

Monday Motivation

"It never gets easier.  you just get better."

Hope you all had a great weekend.  You'll see some patterns building with the barbell again this week as we continue the current "micro-cycle" of strength and weightlifting complexes.  And, of course, some nice doses of conditioning (short, medium, and long pieces) peppered in as we always do.  Enjoy.

Let's get after it this week!

WOD For 06-25-18:

1 Power Clean + 3 Push Presses:

12 minutes to build to a top set

If possible, add to your top set from last week 06-18-18.

-then-

3 Rounds For Max Reps (1 Minute Per Movement):

Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs (alternate sides)

Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in

Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs

(REST 1:00)

This workout is eleven minutes long, including rest minutes between rounds. There is no built-in transition time between the three movements, so hustle accordingly.  You are not required to face the box.  

Sweaty Saturday Special: Pride, Fun, Fitness, Math

Because who at Arena Ready doesn't like a little math with their workouts?  No I mean really, does anyone at AR actually not like math?

Happy weekend, all!

WOD For 06-23-18:

In Teams of THREE Athletes, As Many REPS As Possible in 22 Minutes:

Athletes A and B Complete the Triplet of:

30 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft

15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

15 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs

-while-

Athlete C Completes:

30/24 Calorie Row

*One athlete MUST always be rowing, and MUST always switch after 30/24 calories. Reps for the triplet may be split in any fashion (does not have to be equal) with only one person working at a time.

*Every calorie on the rower equals one rep added to the team's triplet total. Score is the grand total of calories rowed PLUS triplet reps completed.

Friday Barbell Therapy

You may have noticed the increase in barbell complex frequency recently as we continue building with several drills and movement combinations.  For Friday classes we re-visit the format we used last Thursday with a snatch complex, but this time for a variation on the clean & jerk.  The percentages are a bit lighter than the snatch version from last week since the 90-second intervals remain and the C&J complex will be heavier than the snatches, and more taxing in general - that 90-seconds will feel fast when the bar starts getting heavier.

Let's get get the weekend started right with some Friday Barbell Therapy!    

WOD For 06-22-18:

Every 90 Seconds For 20 Rounds (30 Minutes):

Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat + Jerk

*Use FOUR Weights:

ROUNDS 1-5: Light (40-50% of 1RM C&J)

ROUNDS 6-10: Moderate (50-60%)

ROUNDS 11-15: Moderate (60-70%)

ROUNDS 16-20: Moderate-Heavy-ish (70-80%)

*Technical Consistency! Ideally 20 of 20 made rounds, no misses!

*If you miss during Rounds 16-20 you MUST lower the weight the next round.

*Any style of jerk is allowed.

AR Pride Shirts For a Cause

The new Arena Ready "Pride" shirts arrived on Wednesday and some of you have already snagged one, or even a few styles.  There are FIVE different "styles" of shirts if we're going off of the shirt manufacturer's descriptors: the Unisex T-shirt, the Unisex Baseball Tee, the Men's Tank Top, the Women's Muscle Shirt, and the Women's Tank Top. 

There are a lot of shirts for sale as we knew these would be popular but I would still try to get in to the gym ASAP to purchase one since nothing was done on a pre-order basis.  The shirts are currently all sorted by style and by size, alongside our latest AR "Athlete in The Arena" shirts - please help by keeping everything folded and organized so that everyone has an easy time finding the right items. 

You may purchase the shirts on the iPad register at the gym - kindly choose the "Pride" shirts vs. the regular shirts during checkout - ask a coach if you have any questions.  It's important that your purchases be made/processed correctly as the proceeds for the sale of every AR Pride shirt will be donated to the "Bay Area Girls Rock Camp" in Cash Askew's memory.

From the "Bay Area Girls Rock Camp" website (which played a major role in Cash's life):

Bay Area Girls Rock Camp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers young people through music, promoting an environment that fosters self-confidence, creativity and teamwork. Although our camp centers the experiences of young women, we are committed to gender justice and creating an inclusive environment that supports a wide range of marginalized gender identities and expressions.

BAGRC challenges gender stereotypes, encourages collaboration and tolerance among peers, and provides a comfortable space for people of all backgrounds to express themselves. Through music lessons, workshops, group activities, and performances, rock campers acquire skills that help guide them throughout their lives.

WOD For 06-21-18:

2 Snatch (High) Pulls + 2 Power Snatches:

12 minutes to build to a top set (NOT a max)

Climb only as your technique allows. Doing this incorrectly at progressively heavier weight simply helps to reinforce your bad habits in the snatch.

For the snatch high pulls focus on a vertical leg drive and tall finish by continuing to push through the floor at the top. The bar should stay close to the torso, with elbows up & out.  At the top you should not be falling or leaning back, leaning forward over the bar, leaving the ground with your feet, or re-bending your legs. 

For the power snatch focus on replicating the same tall, vertical leg drive and close proximity of the bar immediately after contact with the hips - but then add the active pull under to receive the bar overhead.

-then-

2 Rounds For Time:

20 Power Snatches @ 115/80 lbs

50 Double Unders

20 Toes-to-Bar

50 Double Unders

AR House Rules: Weightlifting Shoe Cabinet 2.0

Some of you have already started to enjoy the fruits of Sarah's furniture assembly labor in the form of the new weightlifting shoe cabinet at Arena Ready.  The little blue boxes are for AR members who have weightlifting shoes (which ideally see some regular action) and would like to leave them at the gym.  Instead of charging folks for the boxes and/or storage term we simply ask that you help us keep the cabinet clean, tidy, and odor free.

Here are the simple rules for the little blue cubby boxes and their fresh new cabinet home:

1) Write your first & last name clearly on the box with a Sharpie. If I don't know who it belongs to I'll donate or throw out the contents. Requests to bring in your own (non-matching) box will be politely declined.

2) The box should close completely and maintain it's original dimensions and shape. I'll donate or throw away anything not physically inside the box or causing the box to protrude like your next door neighbor's annoying crabapple tree. 

3) If I identify anything smelly coming from your box (insert juvenile/asinine chuckle here) I'll throw away everything inside of it. I reserve the right to not have to tell you beforehand since the stench should have been your warning, and perhaps at that point you need a wake-up call or intervention anyway - for more on the topic, including solutions to personal odor problems, click here and read this.

4) Please no contraband or anything alive inside the box (see #3 above for anyone who thinks it would be funny to leave a bottle of kombucha in their cubby).

5) If you're tall use one of the higher shelves. If you're short use a lower shelf. If you're just plain ol' average height then remember that I care about you and that you have other special, unique qualities despite your middle-of-the-road stature. You know, just try to keep in mind the concept of other people.

6) If in doubt, always default to the simple question: "If everyone did what I'm about to do, would the system work?" I'll give you a hint - if you're asking yourself that question the answer is probably "no." So take the rest of that stuff with you when you leave, homeslice, because we love you but we don't necessarily love your gear all over the place.

As a matter of fact, let's go ahead and make Rule #6 apply to the ENTIRE gym in general, and not just the weightlifting shoe cabinet.  Please take your stuff home with you, folks - clothes, shoes, workout accessories, dog toys, personal grooming products, water bottles, bicycle parts, small kitchen appliances, children's toys, random home gym equipment castaways that you think "maybe somebody could use someday", unwanted baby hand-me-downs, Tupperware... ok you get the point.  And yes, those are all things that get left at the gym more regularly than you'd think.

We endeavor to organize official clothing swaps (and other types of gear/stuff/goods swaps) at the gym with specific instructions and timelines so that our community can take advantage of the generosity and thoughtful contributions of its members.  So let's kindly try to reserve bulk exchanges to when we're able to mobilize a concerted effort and specific community event.   

Here's to a tidy and organized fitness experience!   

Look how pretty organization can be!

WOD For 06-20-18:

With a Partner For Total Time (including penalties*):

5000m Row

Switch every 250m, exactly.

PENALTIES:

*For every meter over 250 when the counter stops, there is a 2-rep Wall Ball penalty (e.g. if the counter stops at 256m the team owes 12 Wall Balls). 

*For every meter under 250 the team owes the difference plus 5 AbMat Sit-ups (e.g. if the counter stops at 247m the team owes 8 AbMat Sit-ups). 

The penalties accumulate and must be performed at the end of the 5000m row.  The team's time includes the time required to complete the penalty reps, which can be divided/shared in any fashion with ONLY ONE person working at a time.

(Compare to 03-11-16)

Color-Coded Barbell Storage

You may notice that the new vertical barbell storage racks have been color coded so as to help keep things in order.  It turns out that Sarah may actually be even more OCD than me when it comes to some things!  I wanted to make a PSA video about gently lowering the barbells into place when replacing them in the new storage racks but alas the recent days have gotten away from me, and a written reminder will have to do.  So, like all things in the gym, please treat the bars like your own when putting them away in these new holders.  Thank you.

But, on a related note, there's always this gem from Coach Hillary about NOT dropping the empty barbells on the floor when unloading them (or ever really, unless you're in danger for some reason during an empty barbell lift... which would be weird for about 99% of you).  

I basically do everything Hillary tells me to do, and I suggest you do the same.  Or feel the wrath.  

WOD For 06-19-18:

Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):

3 Back Squats

Quickly warm-up to a working weight prior to the first round, then either climb in small jumps or stay at a challenging weight across several (or all) of the seven rounds.

-then-

AMRAP 7 Minutes:

7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

14 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs

21 Air Squats

Congrats Level 1 Trainers!

Congrats to four of our Arena Ready members who took their Level 1 trainer course this past weekend at Pacific Strength.  Angela, Megan, Brian "B-Dom" D., and Jason E. all went through the trainer course and represented AR as their usual awesome selves.  For Jason it was his second time taking the Level 1 (he was renewing his credential), as he took his first Level 1 course nearly five years ago (and Coach Sarah was one of the CrossFit HQ Head Trainers teaching that seminar!).

It's pretty cool to think about just how many AR members also have their Level 1 trainer credential - we probably have 30+ in our little crew which is quite the percentage of our gym's presence.  Our community benefits immensely from how many amazing individuals actually care about CrossFit (as it's intended to be done), health, fitness, and helping others around them.

Gotta LOVE those four Arena Read shirts front and (sorta) center/right-ish!    

Last week we did a very similar complex on a 12-minute clock but with push jerks - this week it's push presses.  Focus on driving the barbell with the legs and then finishing overhead by pressing, and NOT re-bending underneath the bar (squeeze your glutes and quads until the bar has reached full lockout overhead). 

Enjoy!

WOD For 06-18-18:

1 Power Clean + 3 Push Presses:

12 minutes to build to a top set

-then-

"Betty"

5 Rounds For Time:

12 Push Presses @ 135/95 lbs

20 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in

Push presses means 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 not 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 06-28-17, 09-09-16, 10-19-15, 04-16-15, 11-03-14, and 04-23-14)

(Workout courtesy of CrossFit.com)

Saturday On-Boarding This Weekend!

REMINDER (click for last week's post) that our free June "On-Boarding Series" for newcomers starts on Saturday with the Introduction to CrossFit class at 12:00pm.  The second class of the two-part series, Beginner's CrossFit, will be held the following Saturday (June 23rd).

Last chance to tell your friends and family to sign-up and get started at Arena Ready (click here for more details and to reserve a spot)!

Now let's officially break-in this brand new GIGANTIC pull-up rig with a proper Sweaty Saturday Partner Special, shall we?

WOD For 06-16-18:

With a Partner For Time:

60/54/48 Calorie Row, Ski, or AA Bike (MM/FM/FF Pairs)

60 Toes-to-Bar

50/45/40 Calorie Row, Ski, or AA Bike

50 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/110 lbs

40/36/32 Calorie Row, Ski, or AA Bike

40 Front Squats

30/27/24 Calorie Row, Ski, or AA Bike

30 Push Jerks

20/18/16 Calorie Row, Ski, or AA Bike

20 Squat Clean Thrusters

Only one person working at a time, switch whenever you like.  Tagging is not required.

The Bodyweight Snatch

Over the last 5+ years the relatively long list of members who have snatched their bodyweight at Arena Ready has been fairly impressive given the smaller size of our community, the low turnover of our membership (i.e. no steady flow of new athletes to artificially bolster this statistic), and the fact that we are - at our core - a CrossFit gym (and not an Olympic weightlifting facility, or a CrossFit gym that's a "wannabe" weightlifting gym).  I stopped counting when we got close to two dozen total (men & women) so I don't know what the official number is anymore.   

What's the big deal, some of you may ask?  The bodyweight snatch is a milestone for many CrossFitters, and even some Olympic-style weightlifters - a gold standard of proficiency and one of the hallmarks of the beginning of mastery.   

The snatch is (as just about all of you know) a very complex movement, and an athlete's ability to snatch relatively heavy weights can often tell a lot about said athlete's abilities in other areas of fitness.  If an athlete can snatch his/her bodyweight it likely means that he/she is pretty darn strong, powerful, flexible, coordinated, agile, fast, and has a sound sense of both balance and accuracy.  Coincidentally those are 8 of the 10 "General Physical Skills" as defined by CrossFit in their classic, 16-year old article "What Is Fitness?" and it's arguable that snatching relatively heavy weights can also help in building capacity with the other two skills they define - cardiorespiratory endurance and stamina (assuming the athlete is spending time training other modalities and domains, and not just weightlifting).  

In the case of our athletes who have hit this milestone I think the argument is pretty solid - not only can they snatch their bodyweight, but I'm pretty confident most of them can run a 6-7 minute mile (give or take, assuming they "wanted" to LOL), do multiple strict pull-ups, pick up heavier objects than most men & women, run a decent half marathon time (if for some reason they wanted to do that to themselves out of the blue), and probably embarrass more than a few people in a pick up game of their choosing.  I'd bet that nearly all (if not all) of them can do muscle-ups too. 

What does this mean for many of you?  Well, since we love to teach weightlifting at AR we have a membership base that generally likes to snatch (and clean, and jerk, and squat, etc) and appreciates spending time getting better at the movement.  But there's always some folks who just don't quite understand the point of trying to learn how to do this awkwardly dynamic movement, and who may not appreciate what it does for herself/himself when they build proficiency in such a seemingly novel pursuit - the snatch.  

I can guarantee you that the better you are at snatching the better you will be at an overwhelming majority of physical tasks in your life - carrying your kids, moving your furniture, hauling luggage in an airport or on an airplane, skiing, surfing, running, jumping, playing catch with your grandchildren, chasing your dog, telling snot-nosed bag boys at the grocery store that "No thank you, I don't need help out... these aren't actually that heavy for me."     

It'll be cool to see who will hit the bodyweight snatch milestone next.  Complexes like Friday's WOD help to build comfort, confidence, and neurological adaptations to eventually make your snatch better over time - and for most of us this type of workout is just plain fun... lifting a barbell on a Friday with some friends!

WOD For 06-15-18:

Every 90 Seconds For 20 Rounds (30 Minutes):

Power Snatch + Hang Squat Snatch + Overhead Squat

Use FOUR different weights:

Rounds 1-5: "LIGHT" (approx 40-50% of 1RM Snatch)

Rounds 6-10: "MODERATE" (60-70% of 1RM Snatch)

Rounds 11-15: "MODERATE-HEAVY" (70-80% of 1RM)

Rounds 16-20: "HEAVY-ISH" (85% of 1RM... note this is NOT a max)

The goal here is technical consistency and developing confidence (i.e. "not overthinking it") at increasing loads.  Ideally we want to see 20 out of 20 makes (no misses), with the movements looking the same in rounds 16-20 as it does in rounds 1-5.  If you miss during rounds 16-20 you MUST reduce the weight in the following round.

Beginners may modify the complex (if needed) to: 

Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch + 2 Overhead Squats