Yoga Series at Arena Ready: Starts May 14

Some exciting news from Brooke about her upcoming 6-Week Yoga Series at Arena Ready…

Word on the street is you have to be flexible to practice yoga; but that’s akin to saying you have to be strong before you can do CrossFit, which is of course untrue. I remember my first CrossFit class at Arena Ready. The coach at one point referred to everyone in class as an “athlete,” and it blew my mind a bit: I come from a very active but a very unathletic background—or so I thought. What I’ve realized in my short time at AR is that athletes and yogis actually have way more in common than I knew; both work extremely hard to attain skill in action, to expand the limits of what they thought they were capable of, and often to accomplish what they initially assumed was impossible. Many of you may already know this from having practiced yoga at AR with Dani or elsewhere.

Beginning May 14, I’ll be teaching a series of twelve classes over the course of six weeks, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:15-7:30pm. It’s hard to put into words how stoked I am for this opportunity, as I’ve mostly been nerding out to myself (and to Sal) over the past couple of years about just how much yoga and CrossFit need one another! 

While dropping into a class here and there would be perfectly acceptable, I’d like to invite you to commit to attending the entire six-week series if you can. In this way, it’s my hope that you’ll gain insight into what a regular consistent yoga practice can truly offer you—not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and energetically. We’ll also build on the classes that came before, which will make learning and practicing more fun! So, come! 

If you’re curious and want more information before the start of the series, stop by the gym on Tuesday, May 7 at 6:15pm! I’ll be there to share some more cool stuff about what yoga is, how to approach the practice in the upcoming weeks, and how a yoga practice can increase your fitness and overall well-being.

Questions you may have:

What is yoga… no, really?

It took me a long time to understand that yoga isn’t actually about perfecting postures; rather, it's about the use of yoga postures as a tool to approach and develop a relationship with the Self. 

Yoga has a unique way of inviting us to our edge, to where we're getting stuck, and to our own resistance to letting go. If we’re open to it, it can reveal to us our strengths and our weaknesses, our places of openness and the areas where we’re closed off. It can show us when we’re actually getting in our own way (and why). The practice slowly teaches us how to be with things just as they are, even if how they are is uncomfortable, even as we work toward making things more awesome. It’s a high aim, really. As we work on the postures, the postures work on us—in layers, beginning with our physical body, and from there the breath, and then the mind, and so on. And as a result we begin to feel not only more connected but also more engaged—with ourselves, in our relationships, and in our lives. Rad, huh?!

What style of yoga will it be? 

I teach alignment-focused yoga. Sometimes we’ll move by linking one pose to another (as in a flow-based yoga class), and other times we won’t link postures one after another. This is more akin to the Iyengar yoga style of practice, but I am not a traditional Iyengar Yoga teacher. Though I love a good flow practice, in general as a teacher, I prioritize optimal form over moving at a faster pace. What’s optimal for one person may be different than what’s optimal for someone else.

What do I wear to practice? 

You can wear whatever you would typically wear to a CrossFit class. If you’re wearing athletic shorts that are loose, you may feel more comfortable throughout practice if you also have on some form-fitting shorts underneath. Practice is done barefoot.

Do I need a yoga mat? 

Yes, you do. There will be mats available for purchase at the gym. You can also find yoga mats at any sporting goods store or even grocery stores like Rainbow Grocery and Whole Foods. I recommend the Hugger Mugger Tapas yoga mat, as it’s relatively inexpensive, sticky (less slipping), and not too thick. A thick fitness mat is not conducive to yoga.

Where will practice be? 

Upstairs on the top level. You can bring your shoes and belongings upstairs with you to store in the space. Please arrive a minimum of five minutes early so you have time to set up and get whatever props will be needed without feeling rushed. If you’re running late, no worries, it happens! In that case, please wait until the centering is done at the beginning of class before entering the room. 

Can I eat before practicing? 

It’s recommended that you practice on an empty stomach. When your body is working on digesting food, there is less energy available for your breath and your body during practice. That being said, if you need to eat something, do; just try to make it something really light and easily digestible, like a piece of fruit for example.

What will we be doing in class? 

Each class will include postures from a variety of different categories, but there will be a distinct focus each week. The syllabus for the six weeks is as follows:

Week 1: Breathwork (learning how to breathe for postural practice) / Standing Postures / Introduction to Inversions

Week 2: Breathwork / Standing Balancing Postures / Inversions

Week 3: Breathwork (additional breathing practices) / Hip-opening postures / Forward Folds / Inversions

Week 4: Breathwork / Hip-opening Postures / Twists / Arm-balancings

Week 5: Breathwork / Front-body Opening (quadriceps, psoas, chest) / Backbends / Inversions

Week 6: Breathwork / Sun Salutations / Linking Postures with Vinyasa / Review from Previous Weeks / Meditation

-Brooke

WOD For 05-01-19:

For Time:

4 Rounds of “Cindy”

1 Round of “DT”

3 Rounds of “Cindy”

1 Round of “DT”

2 Rounds of “Cindy”

1 Round of “DT”

1 Round of “Cindy”

1 Round of “DT”

***1 Round of “Cindy” is:

5 Pull-ups

10 Push-up

15 Air Squats

***1 Round of “DT” is:

12 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs

9 Hang Power Cleans

6 Push Jerks

(Compare to 08-29-18, 12-04-17, and 08-18-16)

Yes, the Cindy onslaught continues… this time mixed with an AR crowd favorite: “DT”. Some would say this is “ruining” DT… others might say this is ruining Cindy (gross, who ARE you people? Kim, is that you?!). But I think most will eventually say “thank goodness I did all that gradually increasing bodyweight volume” when it comes time to do “Murph” and you’re the only one among your CrossFitting friends who can shampoo their own hair and walk down the stairs like a normal adult in the days that follow.

PaleoFX

After years of wanting to attend, we were finally able to make the trek to Austin this weekend to witness PaleoFx in person! It was originally food-based, and still is, but has also expanded into covering a variety of ancestral health related topics, like hormonal balance, sleep, the effect of the digital environment, stress management, etc. In short, precisely my cup of tea!

Over the next few days I plan to summarize my favorite learnings, but in the meantime I wanted to summarize:

1. It’s important to do what you love, to know who you are, and to live in accordance with your values.

2. It’s important to eat things that are good for your body. Yes, there is some debate, even among Paleo aficionados, about what that means precisely, but making an effort to eat the most nutritious things you can, and to learn about what’s best for you specifically, certainly beats the alternative in terms of health, longevity, and often even aesthetics.

3. Managing stress is necessary to optimal health. We are wired to be able to handle a high degree of stress for a long time, but not indefinitely, and not without breaks. Take deep breaths, go outside, be present in moments that have potential to make you happy. And try to recognize and get off the roof.

4. We are in an unprecedented digital age - people and kids are in front of screens SO MUCH, and in part because the designers responsible for the apps and games we use are well studied in the function of human brains, and are accordingly doing their best to make their app the most addictive possible. To paraphrase something Chris Kresser said, “never before in history have so few people, mostly white males age 25-35 living in San Francisco, controlled so much of the media the world consumes”. Whoa.

5. Also, the sunscreen and skincare products from Third Rock Essentials are really cool (and as an expert in getting sunburned, I would know). It’s all made entirely of food-grade, reef safe, non-hormone-disrupting ingredients, and designed by a really interesting PhD Chemical Engineer who’s also a surfer. He invented the sunscreen as a passion project on the side of his normal career because two of his young surfer friends got melanoma, and he wanted to help. I’m not a scientist, but he explained that most conventional sunscreen is formulated such that the zinc oxide turns into zinc hydroxide on the skin, and doesn’t protect against UVA. His patented formula stays zinc oxide, plus it rubs in much less white than most zinc oxide sunscreens. Anyway, if you use our code TRIUMPH or click the link above you can get 20% off (and we get a commission too), but more importantly you get better sunscreen. If you buy it please let me know what you think!

The end for today. Looking forward to telling you in more detail what I learned about gut bacteria and digital detoxing!

WOD For 04-30-19:

Overhead Squat:

4-3-2-1

Front Squat:

4-3-2-1

Back Squat:

4-3-2-1

If performing this workout as Rx (Black Level) the goal is to increase the weight every set, for a total of twelve consecutive climbing work sets (i.e. the bar only goes up in weight). If that is unreasonable (be honest with yourself!) decrease the weight when starting the next movement, then climb back up again to a heavy single in four sets.

An example of performing this workout as Rx is as follows: 
Overhead Squat 4x95, 3x115, 2x135, 1x155 directly into...
Front Squat 4x165, 3x185, 2x205, 1x225 directly into...
Back Squat 4x235, 3x255, 2x275, 1x295

(Compare to 08-21-18, 02-23-16, and 04-21-15)

150 Burpees For Time?

We were on a plane Sunday evening, enjoying a very delayed flight with a 1-year old, after visiting family for some kiddo play time. Which means we haven’t seen GOT yet, and I’d like to officially ask for no spoilers please (and thank you). Lest you’d prefer Tuesday’s WOD to be changed from what is already planned to “150 burpees for time” instead.

And for those of you who would rather do that anyway regardless of what the Tuesday WOD is i say to you, “What is dead may never die… and what the hell is wrong with you?!”

WOD For 04-29-19:

4 Rounds For MAX REPS (0:45 Work Per Movement / 0:15 Rest Between Movements):

KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs

Ring Dips

Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs

Row, Ski, or Assault Bike Calories

(Rest 1:15 Between Rounds)

*This workout is 19 total minutes (including rest minutes) and your score is total reps across all 4 rounds

-then-

Weighted Plank Hold:

3 x 0:45 (Rest 1:15 Between Sets)

*If possible add to 04-17-19

Twisted Team "Jackie"

Can your team make it through THREE full rounds (or more)?

Happy weekend, partner exercisers!

WOD For 04-27-19:

With a Partner, AMRAP 25 Minutes:

1000m Row

50 Thrusters @ 45/35 lbs

30 Burpee Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

Only one person working at a time, switch whenever you like.

Friday: Deads and Sprint

A few days ago we alluded to the loading on the barbell getting heavier as the week went along, and for most of us this Friday program will be the heaviest strength piece of the week. It will also be the shortest, or “sprinty-est” (is that a word?), met-con piece this week with a 10-to-1 couplet that will push the pace and get the power output into the margins of our threshold training.

And, of course, it will play well the day before we get all Sweaty Saturday Special on ya… long and light, and teamwork delight.

But first, deads. Happy Friday, friends!

WOD For 04-26-19:

Deadlift:

5-5-5-5-5

Climbing as your technique allows. If possible, add to last week 04-16-19.

-then-

For Time:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Single Dumbbell Hang Cleans-to-Overhead @ 50/35 lbs

Box Jumps @ 24/20 in

*Switch sides on the DB whenever you like, but we recommend splitting the reps roughly equal right/left.

That's a Heavy Lift

That’s a heavy lift, so for now let’s put a pin in it. In the interim we can take a deep dive into any win-win situations that can drive this complex forward. Bonus points for synergies between movements that can leverage cross-functional muscle groups, and empower individual contributors of this community to drive that conversation. For all intents and purposes it’s neither here nor there, and at the end of the day this is the long game that we’re playing.

Wait, I completely forgot what we’re talking about. Hello? Are you lifting? If you are you’re on mute.

WOD For 04-25-19:

EMOM For 10 Minutes (Minutes 1 through 10):

Power Clean + Hang Squat Clean + 2 Front Squats

… Rest 2 Minutes, Then Removing ONE Front Squat…

EMOM For 10 Minutes (Minutes 13 through 22):

Power Clean + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat

*This should be done without re-setting/dropping to the floor between clean reps for as long as is safely possible

*Start at a light-to-moderate weight and climb as your technique allows (climbing every round is NOT required)

In Turkey They're Just Called Get-ups

Monday was a “slog” and Tuesday was a work/rest intensity burner, so for Wednesday’s program we spend a little time slowing down a bit with a few pre-hab/recovery based movements “for quality” — and then incorporate a lifting complex with slightly lower intensity conditioning.

The lifting will get heavier as we progress through the week, and then will take a turn on Saturday for our beloved Sweaty Saturday Special!

WOD For 04-24-19:

2 Rounds For Quality (NOT For Time):

6 DB or KB Turkish Get-ups @ pick load

12 Single DB or KB Overhead Walking Lunges @ pick load

400m Run

Pick weights that keep you in good positions — this is for QUALITY and not speed or loading.

-then-

Alternating EMOM For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):

MINUTE 1:

Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch + Overhead Squat

MINUTE 2:

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

7 Burpees to Jump Touch Target @ 6 in above your max reach

Climb in weight for the snatch complex only as your technique allows — and if you arrive at a weight that feels good for crisp, snappy reps then stay there and repeat for multiple rounds.

Tuesday: Skill>Load>Gasser

Skill first, then external loading, then the “gasser” (AKA the thing that brings the suck factor into the workout). Rest and repeat to find your max sustainable pace. It’s a simple recipe that can be used over and over with nearly infinite applications.

By front-loading the skill component at the start of each cycle we aim to set-up newer & beginner athletes with enough rest to practice the skill of simply jumping intentionally with proper position & cadence, to put intermediate athletes in a position to succeed with bigger sets of DU under gradual fatigue, and to challenge advanced athletes to make every round unbroken or close to it.

The swings start heavier and with more volume, but are of course, scaled in the gym to appropriate levels in order to maintain the intended stimulus & timing of transitions. Hinging counterbalances yesterday’s volume of “Cindy” squatting — and the overhead component is a nice compliment after Monday’s upper pushing & pulling (i.e. you use the same parts with USING the same parts).

And what IS the intended stimulus for Tuesday exactly? Assuming your rowing technique is safe and solid let’s call it “There’s no way I’d want to do a seventh round” — if you’re saying that at the end then you probably did it correctly…

WOD For 04-23-19:

6 Cycles of 2:00 Work / 2:00 Rest For MAX CALORIES Rowed:

40 Double Unders

15 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs

MAX CALORIE Row

*Score = total calories rowed after 6 cycles.

Cindy Targaryen, 12th of Her Name...

… Ruler of the 10 general physical skills, breaker of Donald Trump Jr.’s alleged “Murph” PR time, and mother of proper push-ups we can all be proud of…

It’s almost as if we’ve started intentionally progressing a few bodyweight movement combos in anticipation of some sort of really grueling workout in a little over a month which contains an even larger volume of said movement combos. Huh.

But every week it’s weird, they’re tied-in with different barbell movements or other external objects… and sometimes they’re mixed in format and intensity.

I think something’s going on here…

WOD For 04-22-19:

4 Rounds For Time:

3 Rounds of “Cindy”

12 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/110 lbs

***This workout contains 12 total rounds of “Cindy”

***1 Round of “Cindy” is:

5 Pull-ups

10 Push-ups

15 Air Squats

Sweaty Saturday 800-800

Happy weekend, folks.

WOD For 04-20-19:

With a Partner on A Running Clock…

A) 0:00 - 16:00 (16 Total Minutes)

BUY-IN: 800m Run

Then, in the remaining time…

Both Partners Establish a 5-Rep Back Squat (NOT a 5RM)

*Use the same rack & barbell, loading/un-loading weights between sets as needed. The first person in the door from the run can start on back squats immediately.

B) 19:00 - 35:00 (16 Total Minutes)

BUY-IN: 800m Run

Then, in the remaining time AMRAP of…

30 Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs

25 Burpees Over Dumbbell (must “face” the DB)

20 Toes-to-Bar

*Only one person working at a time, switch whenever you like. The first person in the door from the run can start the AMRAP immediately.

Friday Friday, Sprint Sprint

It’s like a sprint(ish) but twice. So does that mean I start slower the first time knowing I have to do it again?

Well, nearly anyone can pace and game plan something like this and get a perfectly respectable time which can be repeated or nearly repeated. And that’s a fine way to do this WOD if you so choose.

But sometimes you gotta go out hot and see if you can hold on (safely, of course… especially on those handstand push-ups). Sometimes we pick our spots to start fast and see what happens. Sometimes we need to go hard out of the gate and not think about what we’ll have to do immediately thereafter — and on those days we can often learn something about ourselves.

Is that “sometimes” going to be today?

Happy Friday, friends.

WOD For 04-19-19:

On a Running Clock…

A) At 0:00 For Time:

500m Row OR SKi

40 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs

30 Russian KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs

20 Handstand Push-ups

10 KB Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

B) At 13:00 For Time:

REPEAT!!!

Thursday: Power Power Power

It’s the return of the strict pull-up complex you saw last week, along with some hang power cleans for “all the fun of cleans with none of the burden of squatting or that pesky first pull” (well, only a little pulling from the floor). Hooray!

This met-con piece will be fast and furious with high power output for those with a mastery of all three movements. For those of us working on one or all three of the exercises it will be about moving well to create power and height both on the barbell and the box (aim to land above parallel on the jumps and not in a crumpled squat), and choosing a scaling option for the bar muscle-ups which challenges you but also allows a fairly constant pace of movement without too much standing around staring at the bar.

Enjoy.

WOD For 04-18-19:

Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):

1) 3 Hang Power Cleans: climbing

2) Strict Pull-up Complex: 1 Scap Pull-up + 1 Lat Activation + 1 “One-Half’ Strict Pull-up + 1 Strict Pull-up

*For the pull-up complex add 1 rep every round if possible: 1+1+1+1, 2+2+2+2, 3+3+3+3, etc...

-then-

3 Rounds For Time:

7 Hang Power Cleans @ 165/115 lbs

11 Box Jumps @ 30/24 in

7 Bar Muscle-ups