Workout of the Day
EMOM Wednesday: Hold The Door!
Back to our squat 4s with a bump in volume over last week’s 6 sets. And our shortest met-con of the week thus far begs the question “Who can hold 24 and 12 for all 5 rounds???!!!”
Come in to the gym and let’s see…
WOD For 10-17-18:
Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):
4 Back Squats
*Climbing is allowed.
*If possible add to your top set from last week 10-09-18.
-then-
Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):
1) 24 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
2) 12 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in (facing box not required)
*This workout is scored much like a "Tabata" WOD.
*For Rx start at 24 WB and 12 BBJ reps and attempt to hold that rep count (or as high/close to it as possible) for the five rounds.
*Your score is the lowest rep round for each of the two movements.
"Finishing" The Extension: Snatches on Snatches
You may have noticed over the last four weeks that we’ve been covering some snatch technique complexes that feel related to one another but not exactly identical. We started off working from different starting positions to develop some awareness around posture and position, then began to segment the snatch by basically forcing you to do the pieces of the full lift and then put them all together — we did this first from the hang, and then from the floor, and then from the hang again.
On Tuesday we’ll incorporate the “snatch pull” which can feel awkward to some mainly due to the finish position at the top of the movement where we basically maintain pressure through the floor with the legs while exhibiting full hip, knee, and ankle extension. We aim to keep the bar close to the body (with shoulders elevated, elbows moving up and out) and the balance point of our system straight up and down (no falling back, no getting pulled forward, no re-bending of the legs). While this may not exactly “feel” like what you do in an actual snatch (where, in general, we start pulling under once the bar has left the hips and continues to elevate) it does re-enforce the proper habit of CONTINUING TO PUSH THROUGH THE FLOOR to reach full extension… or to “finish” as some weightlifting coaches like to mysteriously say at seemingly every chance they get.
By almost exaggerating this “finish” via making you hold it for a beat at the top the thought is that you’ll carry-over this complete “finish” to the power snatch and then to the full snatch. This is why high level weightlifters can be seen doing pulls (whether they be snatch pulls or clean pulls) as a regular part of their training — they are re-enforcing the very same feeling of “finishing at the top” without pulling under to complete the lift.
WOD For 10-16-18:
Snatch Pull + Power Snatch + Squat Snatch:
10 Minutes to Build to a Top Set (not a max)
-then-
FIVE Cycles of 1:30 Work / 1:30 Rest For MAX REPS:
10 Handstand Push-ups
50 Double Unders
MAX REPS Power Snatches @ 115/75 lbs
Monday AMRAP: No Barbell?!
It’s not possible that they would plan TWO days of consecutively programmed non-barbell workouts, is it?
Oh it is. And how’s this for a sweaty start to the week?
Hope you all had a great weekend.
WOD For 10-15-18:
AMRAP 18 Mintes:
18/14 Calorie Row, Ski, or Assault Bike
18 Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs
18 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs
18 Toes-to-Bar
Sweaty Saturday Partner Combo
All this fitness and not a barbell in sight…
Happy weekend, all!
WOD For 10-13-18:
With a Partner For Total Time:
A) With BOTH Partners Working Simultaneously (switch however you like):
2000m Row
… while completing…
10 Rounds of “Cindy”
THEN (only when both pieces of Part A are complete)…
B) With Only ONE Partner Working at a Time (switch however you like):
50 Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs (alternate sides)
10 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
40 Dumbbell Snatches
10 Burpee Box Jumps
30 Dumbbell Snatches
10 Burpee Box Jumps
20 Dumbbell Snatches
10 Burpee Box Jumps
10 Dumbbell Snatches
10 Burpee Box Jumps
Friday Running Clock: Clean & Jerks For Days
Happy Friday, friends!
WOD For 10-12-18:
On a Running Clock…
A) At 0:00
“Partner Baseline”
For Quality:
1000m Row
80 Air Squats
60 AbMt Sit-ups
40 Push-ups
20 STRICT Pull-ups
One person working at a time, split the reps evenly. Not for time but move with a purpose.
B) From 12:00 - 27:00
Clean & Jerk:
15 Minutes to Establish a Heavy Single For Today
Both power and full/squat cleans are allowed. Any style of jerk is allowed as well.
C) From 30:00 - 33:00
AMReps in 3 Minutes:
Power Clean & Push Jerk @ 45-55% of your heavy single from Part B (you choose)
Hummus
Today I received one of those scam emails that we get every few weeks or so - this one was the classic “Do you do personal training, I need it for my 13 family members, do you accept credit card payments, blah blah blah…”
And it made me think of this video. I ALMOST replied.
WOD For 10-11-18:
Every 2 Minutes For 6 Rounds:
2 Hang Power Snatches + 1 Overhead Squat + 1 Hang Squat Snatch
Climb only as your technique allows.
-then-
“2018 Wodapalooza Qualifier WOD 1”
For Time:
150 Double Unders
60 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
30 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
150 Double Unders
Country Wednesdays
I feel like the once popular Arena Ready tradition has gone by the wayside, but deserves consideration for a strong comeback.
I can think of some warm-up movements to go with it as well…
That video never gets old.
WOD For 10-10-18:
For Time:
1000m Run
30 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
30 Lateral Bar Burpees
20 Hang Power Cleans @ 165/115 lbs
20 Lateral Bar Burpees
10 Hang Power Cleans @ 185/125 lbs
10 Lateral Bar Burpees
Use one barbell and change your own weights. And yes, collars (AKA clips) are required for all reps.
The "October Open Gym Challenge"
First, congratulations to our winners from the September Open Gym Challenge - Kim and Kate! This team of #MightyMinis proved that strategy, teamwork, and tenacity was more important than athlete size, raw strength numbers, or an excessive level of trash talking LOL. With the top score of 16,380 pounds lifted “The Fittest Optometrist in SF” and “The Flying Squirrel” bested respectable scores from — among others — Milgram & Stein (who submitted a questionable video validating their remote workout performance from what is being dubbed “Arena Ready East” AKA the gym in Mike’s new house) and Hillary “The Deadlift Champ” & Steven (winners of the August Open Gym Challenge).
Congrats Kim and Kate! They will be receiving a prize pack once I actually go pick-up the prize packs (I swear, I will soon).
As for the “October Open Gym Challenge” we have a single modality benchmark for y’all, and a test of fitness that many folks are already familiar with either from previous experience or from stories of joy from other athletes who have done it. Here you go…
“The October Open Gym Challenge”
For Time:
2000m Row
1) There will be 4 “divisions” and thus 4 potential winners:
Lightweight Female (129 lbs and under)
Female (130 lbs and up)
Lightweight Male (159 lbs and under)
Male (160 lbs and up)
2) Don’t cut weight for the challenge (this is Sarah talking LOL)
3) If you’re close to the cut-off on bodyweight we can weigh you at the gym for an official ruling (but only if you want to be eligible to win)
I feel like Hillary is about to start fielding a bunch of questions from members haha. Get in here on a Sunday and get after it on a 2K!
The underground (figuratively speaking but maybe also literally speaking) gym being
dubbed as “Arena Ready East”
WOD For 10-09-18:
Every 2 Minutes For 6 Rounds:
4 Back Squats
Climbing is allowed.
If possible add to your top set from last week 10-03-18.
-then-
3 Rounds For Max Reps (0:45 Sec Per Movement / 0:15 Rest Between Movements):
Double KB Front Squats @ 53/35 lbs (each side)
Toes-to-Bar
Row For Calories
(Rest 1:15 Between Rounds)
Monday: Pull, Push, Jump
This one’s light, but it may not be as fast as you make initially think… have fun!
WOD For 10-08-18:
For Time:
21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Deadlifts @ 185/125 lbs
Hand Release Push-ups
Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
If your feet/toes come off the ground on the push-ups you’re basically kipping and you probably look like a fish flopping on the deck of a boat. Take some pride in your push-ups and cut it out.
Oh and for the competitors… everyone can break the deads at regular intervals and game themselves toward a predictable and respectable time. But can you hold on to this light weight unbroken and let the chips fall where they may? And no, that doesn’t mean deadlift like a dog pooping - take care of your back, friends!
The A, B, C, Ds of Sweaty Saturday...
Happy weekend, friends!
WOD For 10-06-18:
With a Partner Against a 25-Minute Clock:
A) 800m Run TOGETHER
B) 50 Walking Lunges EACH (one partner must always be holding the team’s wall ball)
C) Split the Following (with only one partner working at a time):
100 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
150 KB Swings @ 53/35 lbs
200 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 109 ft
D) MAX CALORIE Row (only one partner rowing at a time, share the same rower)
*Score = total calories rowed
*If you don’t make it to Part D then note your total reps completed of Part C
*Parts B and C can be started immediately by the faster partner, but Part D cannot start until all wall ball reps have been completed
HELP ME HELP YOU: CLASS SIGN-UPS IN ADVANCE
“If everyone did what I’m about to do would the system work?”
For most of you this blog post does not apply, and for that overwhelming majority of folks I encourage you to simply scroll down to the bottom and check the WOD for Friday's classes. Oh, and thank you for doing what you do. I'm talking about the small percentage of folks who regularly don't sign-up for class ahead of time - and I'm here to say, quite frankly, you're killing me, Smalls.
I get it, life happens and you're busy... and signing-up for CrossFit class ahead of time is one of the last things on your mind. Your job is crazy demanding - yes but that's the case for everyone else here too (and the other 95% of the people in the gym still signed-up in advance). You have a kid and you just can't get around to it (well, half of the people in this class have kids too and they're signed-up days ahead of time). I travel every week and my schedule is all over the place (yeah but the thing is there's at least 3 or 4 people in this class right now who travel more than you do, and they've all pre-registered for class). What I'm trying to say is that your situation is not as much of a special exemption as you might think it is, and I'm simply asking you to please try and find the strength within you to open a different app, or browser tab, once within your day and click on the little button that makes my life (and the experience of other athletes at your gym) a whole lot easier. I think we can all agree that's doable.
I know seems like a pain but believe it or not it's largely for your benefit and not mine (more on that below). And to we try to make it as easy as possible for you with three basic options:
Sign-up through our website
Bookmark the Schedule page and add it to your phone’s home screen (3 clicks and you’re signed-up for class)
Sign-up through the free "Mindbody" app on your mobile device
Open registration for classes starts one week in advance of the class date & time! So if you're trying to schedule your week in advance then sign-up for the days and class times you plan on attending over the next seven days, and simply cancel ASAP if you realize later that you can't make it for whatever reason. We don't charge you or penalize you for cancelling - believe it or not many gyms charge a cancellation fee (and a no show fee), but we don't - it's not intended to be a source of stress or a revenue stream for us, we're simply trying to create and maintain a culture of accountability, integrity, and respect... and a gym environment that provides consistent and attentive high-level coaching. Some of those things can become challenging during classes when the minority of folks who don't respect the general system throw things for a loop.
Don't like signing-up in advance and think it's dumb? There are plenty of gyms that don't make you do it, and I would encourage you to try dropping-in to a class during a peak time and see if you like the sort of class structure that system (or lack thereof) creates. You may experience something very different than what you're accustomed to - many of the complaints I hear from our members about their experience when dropping-in somewhere else is likely due to the programming and logistics restraints that particular gym has to work around due to the "free-for-all" nature of having everyone just show up, leaving the coaches and staff scrambling to "make it work" and somehow preserve the intended stimulus of the day's training (usually not something that's possible when the group is simply too large, or if a chunk of that group was simply not expected during that hour).
When you don't sign up in advance you leave the coach who is leading the class to guess who is not accounted for in the group. You throw a wrench into our logistical class plan and possibly affect the set-up and execution of the workouts, thus altering the experience for everyone else in the class. Because we intentionally keep a capped overall membership AND cap each individual class - and generally have more intimate classes than most other CrossFit gyms - class overflow is not usually an issue. But every now and then it's a real pain, and if you have an aloof attitude about it it makes me feel like you basically don't give a shit about other people in the gym. And that makes me sad because I hope it's not actually true.
If for some reason you are not signed-up for a class PLEASE TELL THE COACH WHEN YOU ARRIVE so we can add you to the roster if there is space in the class, and then start planning any accommodations we may need to make. If it's a one-off sort of thing and you're usually on top of it when it comes to signing-up it's totally cool - don't sweat it and don't be shy about telling us you're not signed-up, we understand that it's not your usual mode of operation. In some VERY RARE cases we may need to ask you to wait until the next class.
If for some reason the Mindbody system does not allow you to sign-up for class then please let us know that as well. It may mean your account needs attention (expired membership, billing issue, system glitch, etc.) and we want to help resolve the matter as soon as possible. If, however, you tried to sign-up for class moments before it started and are not able to it's likely because the registration window closed - sort of like walking into a restaurant at 4:59pm and telling the host or hostess, "Um yeah, I tried to make a reservation for 5:00pm and it wouldn't let me." I think we can all agree that a reservation not occurring in actual advance is, in fact, not a reservation (this concludes the Seinfeld-esque portion of the blog post).
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. If you have feedback please don't hesitate to send it over to us. But either way please make sure you're doing your part to make the system work, and that you're not simply taking advantage of the fact that 95% of the other members contribute to a working structure that you can't be bothered to care about using.
Thank you for your attention, I appreciate it.
WOD For 10-05-18:
EMOM For 20 Rounds (20 Minutes):
5 Burpees
1 Clean
*Start at approximately 70% of your 1RM and then work up HAP (“Heavy As Possible”) with good technique
*Both power and full (AKA “squat”) cleans are allowed
(Workout courtesy of HyperFit)
Unilateral Thursday: Recovery, Skill, Speed
Now you see what I meant about Wednesday not being “easy” — if you did it right, even if you stayed lighter with the loading, that WOD crept up and taxed the system in a different and interesting way.
Following three barbell focused training days, the last two of which were of medium-longer time domains, our Thursday program includes two pieces that involve unilateral, non-barbell movement patterns.
We’ll start with a “For Quality” piece to serve as a system primer, recovery flush, and extended warm-up (through stability and activation) and then a we’ll attack a higher skill AMRAP with a shorter, faster time domain.
Don’t fret, the barbell comes back on Friday— but first, DUs, MUs, and TGUs (among other things).
WOD For 10-04-18:
2 Rounds For QUALITY:
400m Run
10 Kettlebell Turkish Get-ups @ pick load (5 R / 5 L)
10 Single Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlifts @ pick load (5 R / 5 L)
This is "For Quality of Movement" (not time or max weight) so choose your loading accordingly.
-then-
AMRAP 8 Minutes:
40 Double Unders
10 Single Dumbbell Hang Clean-to-Overhead @ 50/35 lbs (5 R / 5 L)
4 Ring Muscle-ups
Can you hold a fast pace and get 5+ rounds?