Wednesday: Sans Barbell

Not a barbell in sight (well not in the workout at least) but a whole lot of fitness…

WOD For 05-15-19:

For Time:

27-21-15-9

Calorie* Row, Ski, or Assault Bike

Pistols (alternate)

Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in (facing the box is NOT required)

*Calorie adjustment for female athletes is 21-16-11-6 reps.

Final Reminder: Yoga Series Starts Tuesday Evening, May 14th

A last reminder about our Yoga Series with Brooke which starts on Tuesday evening at 6:15pm. Click here for all the details — we hope to see some of your smiling faces at our first session!

WOD For 05-14-19:

On a Running Clock…

A) From 0:00 - 12:00

3 Rounds For Time:

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

15 Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs

B) From 15:00 - 30:00

Front Squat:

5-5-3-3-1-1-1

*Climbing to a heavy single as your technique allows. Use a rack.

Monday: 3-Course Menu

Hope you all had a great Mother’s Day weekend.

WOD For 05-13-19:

On a Running Clock…

A) At 0:00

800m Run

*You pick the pace

B) From 5:00 - 20:00

Power Snatch:

5-5-3-3-1-1-1

*Climbing to a heavy single as your technique allows

C) From 25:00 - 31:00

“2019 AGOQ Qualifier Workout # 5”

For Time (6 Minute Cap):

30 (Power) Snatches @ 135/95 lbs

30 Strict Handstand Push-ups

Reminder: Yoga Series Starts May 14th!

A REMINDER below from Brooke about her upcoming 6-Week (12-Class) Yoga Series at Arena Ready. Non AR members can purchase the full 12-class series for $279 and AR members receive a discounted price of $179 (click here to be directed to our Mindbody store). Dropping-in to a single class is $30.

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! 

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 05-11-19:

In Teams of THREE Athletes…

For Time:

100 Calorie Row

100 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs

80 Calorie Row

80 Hang Power Cleans

60 Calorie Row

60 Front Squats

40 Calorie Row

40 Push Jerks

20 Calorie Row

20 Squat Clean Thrusters

*One athlete working at a time, switch whenever you like — reps do NOT have to be split evenly.

(Compare to 12-19-15)

Everything You Got!

How NOT to spot the bench press.

Happy Friday, fitness friends!

WOD For 05-10-19:

Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):

3 Bench Presses

*Start at a light weight and climb every round OR stay at a challenging weight for multiple rounds.



-then-

AMRAP 9 Minutes:

60 Double Unders

30 ABMat Sit-ups

30 Walking Lunges

Thursday: Squats and a Couplet

If you EMOM this couplet of C2Bs and wall balls could you hold on and go sub-7 minutes? Maybe start a little faster than that, hold unbroken, and we see a sub-5?

Is either (or both) of the movements in the couplet a weakness for you? Then plan ahead for intentional breaks at specific points in your rep scheme, and see if you can hold that game plan through 5 rounds and step on the gas for rounds 6 and 7.

Either way have a plan and fight to execute it. If your movement is great and your technique is clean then lean in to the mental discomfort. See what happens when you push the pace as you near the end — you might surprise yourself, and you’ll definitely learn something… other than, “yep, confirmed, I hate wall balls.”

Ha!

WOD For 05-09-19:

Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):

3 Back Squats

*Start at a light weight and climb every round OR stay at a challenging weight for multiple rounds.

-then-

7 Rounds For Time:

7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

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

*Ninja at C2Bs? Then aim do every round unbroken (the wall balls too).

Wednesday Snatchy Snatch

Oh yeah, and some burpees too. But on an E2M clock, come on now that’s not that bad…

The intensity piece on Monday (AGOQ AMRAP) and the aerobic slog on Tuesday sets us up nicely for some focused time with a snatch complex during Wednesday classes. And since this is CrossFIT and not Cross(lift and)SIT we had to pepper-in some slightly lower intensity (?) conditioning and accuracy elements with the burpee jump touches.

WOD For 05-08-19:

Every 2 Minutes For 12 Rounds (24 Total Minutes):

7 Burpees to Jump Touch @ 6-inches above max reach

1 Hang Power Snatch + 1 Power Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat

*Start at approximately 60% of your 1RM snatch (or “light-moderate” if you prefer feelings over numbers) and either climb intelligently as your technique allows AND/OR stay at a challenging weight for multiple rounds — the goal is technical consistency.

*Touch-and-go is not required between the two snatches

Tuesday: Push, Jump, Hinge

Don’t worry if you didn’t get to the chest-to-bar pull-ups on Monday, we’ll have more later in the week (you were not alone). And for those with “Cindy” mash-up nightmares don’t fret… here’s a non-squatting Tuesday piece for you that will make the non-barbell, aerobic ninjas happy.

Enjoy, friends.

WOD For 05-07-19:

5 Rounds For Time:

15 Handstand Push-ups

21 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in

15/11 Calorie Row, Ski, or Assault Bike

21 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs

Yoga Series Reminders

A reminder that our 6-Week Yoga Series with Brooke starts on Tuesday, May 14th! The classes for this series will be held twice per week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:15pm - 7:30pm.

If you’re curious and want more information before the start of the series, stop by the gym tomorrow Tuesday, May 7th at 6:15pm. Brooke will be there to share some 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.

If you can’t make it on Tuesday, May 7th for Q&A then click here for Brooke’s original post which contains details about the series and how it can benefit you.

The 6-week, 12-class series is open to everyone and is $279 for non Arena Ready members. Our Arena Ready members receive a $100 discount for the series at $179. You may purchase the Yoga series here in our Mindbody store where our regular memberships and classes are also located.

Please contact us with any questions - we are so excited to get this amazing offering underway for all of you!

WOD For 05-06-19:

Alternating EMOM For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):

MINUTE 1:

2 Power Cleans + 2 Thrusters

MINUTE 2:

3 Scap Pull-ups + 3 Lat Activations

*Climb in weight on the barbell as your technique allows (no “thruster jerks” allowed)

*The scap pull-ups and lat activations should be done mindfully with straight arms and a hollow body position (these are for quality and NOT for speed)

-then-

“2019 Age Group Online Qualifier Workout 4”

AMRAP 8 Minutes:

45 Thrusters @ 95/65 lbs

45 Toes-to-Bar

45 (Power) Cleans

45 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

Want to see how your score stacks up against the fittest masters and teen athletes in the world? Check out the leaderboard on the CrossFit Games site here — all scores will be submitted by Monday evening and validated by Wednesday evening.

I Am Arena Ready: Dani’s Story

When we first started Arena Ready, we hoped it would someday be meaningful to people to say not just “I go to Arena Ready,” but “I AM Arena Ready,” i.e. fully prepared for all of life’s battles. We hoped that we would have the opportunity, through training in fitness, and the inevitable changes in mindset that this training evokes, to give people the opportunity to see their strength not just in the gym, but also in their everyday, and even in the inevitable moments of crisis.

As such, we aim to start a new series of “I am Arena Ready” — stories about our athletes, their experiences and perspective during their time at AR, and (in some cases, should they choose to share) their reflections on what it means to them to “be Arena Ready.”

Dani, our wonderful General Manager — who is also an incredibly talented writer — has graciously offered to help reach out to members who would like to share their story, and, if the athlete agrees, help capture these stories in writing.

And who better to start with than herself… her very own story about her journey thus far. We are so grateful she's agreed to share with us… thank you, Dani!

I Am Arena Ready: Dani’s Story

My boss joins a new gym and within a few months is looking so amazing I can’t help but take notice. Leisa, I ask her, what have you been doing?

CrossFit, she replies, skin even more dewy than usual, an obvious lightness and strength about her I can’t deny and that I am desperately seeking in my own life.

After waiting sort of patiently for what feels like forever but is probably about six months, I join the Intro to CrossFit class at Arena Ready. I’m nervous, self-conscious. I weigh more than I ever have before, even though I’m practicing what I *think* are healthy habits. I’ve heard plenty of weird things about CrossFit, that it’s a cult, that I won’t be able to join if I don’t eat strictly paleo, that my organs will shut down if I’m not careful. But it’s also true that all my strategies to feel better in my body are failing and I’m aching to try anything that might help. At the intro class, I do OK, better than I expected, and leave remembering how welcome Sarah and Rob made me feel more than whatever the heck the actual workout was.

My first official WOD is July 24th, 2015. Who do I think I am? I wonder to myself. I am terrified to even look at a barbell, much less touch it, do things with it. I am embarrassed, shy, self conscious to the point that I can barely talk to anyone. Those early days I keep very much to myself, in the back of 1263 Connecticut, fumbling my way on the bars, flailing my body around, gingerly gaining confidence with the barbell, even though I’m the last one out the door for a run every time and I am haunted by nightmares of burpees anytime the blog is posted after my bedtime.

I keep showing up. I’m still the slowest runner, every time, but other things start to shift. There is the time Rob walks by my setup, as I prep for a clean, and casually whispers—Oh, it’s time to put some more weight on that bar. Or, after making some changes to my diet, it hits me during a med-ball run that I have lost the equivalent of two 14 pounders and I can’t help but feel a little extra zing in my step.  Or the time during my first Open I am staring at the 20-inch box with fear and trepidation and after a few encouraging words, I jump up and land both feet flat like it ain’t no thing after spending the previous eighteen months convinced the RX height will never be possible for me.

In my life outside the gym, I’m not quite struggling, but I’m not exactly thriving, either. If I describe my life in a word, that word is “ineffective.” I can’t seem to achieve any of the things I dream about. I start and stop similar jobs over and over, thinking that this one will be different, before settling into a low-grade malaise six months in, like clockwork. I have the hardest time going the distance with anything I set my mind to, getting excited and then giving up right around the moment that thing starts to ask something of me. I look at my past and it’s full of false starts and failure. I want to change, but I don’t know how. How to be different. How to actually accomplish the things I say I want. How to stay, when things get hard.

In the gym, a different story emerges. I learn that I can do hard things. I do burpees without having to step back and forward. I deadlift near double my bodyweight. I absolutely 100% never think I’m ever going to finish under the prescribed time limit, and my insides blossom everytime I do just that. I DO DOUBLE UNDERS UNBROKEN. Slowly but surely I inch my way from white, to gray, to gray-plus, to red-minus, to red, to holy shit did I just complete that workout RX!? You people start to become my closest friends, my greatest source of joy, my truest cheerleaders. I begin to taste what is possible when I stay accountable not only to this specific path, to CrossFit, but also to all of you, and it blows my mind every time. I get curious as to how this translates to my life outside the gym walls.

Here is some of what happens: In spring 2017, I get hit head-on by a car while riding my Vespa. I am diligent with my rehabilitation, and between the expert AR coaching, chiropractic with Taylor, and bodywork with Sal, I not only continue to progress but can say I am now stronger than I’ve ever been in my life. I finally pursue an MFA in creative writing, something I always wanted to do but never thought pragmatic; this fall I start a fellowship where I will be an adjunct professor at USF teaching creative writing to undergrads. I quit drinking for good after many years of questioning my relationship to alcohol. I get the courage to leave an eight year relationship that was OK enough on the surface but not quite right underneath. I go to Spain for three weeks by myself to celebrate my 35th birthday. I take risks, I develop trust in myself, I have faith that when I fall I can get back up, I can keep going, I can see things through to the end, even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard (or when I read the WOD and I have to humble down, knowing that I will have to do every movement scaled).

I begin to view writing deadlines the same way I would a chipper. Tedious tasks become an AMRAP. Every time I PR or beat a past time or you know, FINALLY get my chin over the bar for the first damn time, the self pride I feel, have been searching for for as long as I can remember is the breeziest ever wind at my back.

If I’ve learned one thing:  It’s in the staying where the magic happens. Yes, I love the effects of training. I love getting my body stronger, I love feeling myself literally walking taller as I go about my day-to-day. I love making the impossible possible, I love the confidence I’ve gained. It’s so rewarding to meet —and even exceed—so many goals over time. But the physical effects are more like the icing on the cake for me. Because so many other things are at play here. I might get sick, or injured, I will indeed continue to age, and I know the training will have to adjust. So it’s the deeper stuff that sustains me: the physical strength that translates to an inner strength that reminds me that I *am* capable of taking care of myself no matter what—even if I don’t know how in the moment. The letting myself be seen through victory and failure, and not hiding parts of myself I think you won’t like. Of being vulnerable and strong at the same time, practicing that over and over again, staying, and doing so among people who I trust will catch me when I inevitably fall or give me shit when I accidentally throw a 15# on the 25# rack (yikes!). It’s pushing myself to keep up with all of you, of looking at new members and staying close to what it was like to be a newbie, how magical and scary that time was. It’s taking responsibility for what I can change, and leaving the rest at the door. Sure, I would give maybe a pinkie toe, or like, half an earlobe to smoke Katie Pepper or Squirrel or LGB even once in a WOD. But at the end of the day, it’s so much more than beating a score, or “winning.” It’s the slow burn of persistence, it’s dedication, humility and patience in the face of any challenge. It’s doing my absolute best every time, even if I’m cranky or blue or angry or tired. And if I can do that with all of you, and laugh after, and come back the next day only to leave it all behind again, and again, and again? I’m going to keep staying. I’m not going anywhere.

-Dani

WOD For 05-04-19:

“2019 AGOQ Workout 1: AR Team Version”

With a Partner, 6 Rounds For Time:

15 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs

35 Overhead Squats @ 75/55 lbs

90 Double Unders

*Only one athlete working at a time, switch whenever you like

*We recommend splitting the reps roughly equally

*Use 2 bars (one for deadlifts, one for OHS)… no, your team can’t use 4 bars, or even 3. If in doubt go lighter, move at a faster pace, and try to finish under the time cap.

So Then Is This "Ruining" Isabel...

… in yet another Arena Ready way?

(Don’t worry, I added 6 more snatches in there for good measure)

Happy Friday, friends!

WOD For 05-03-19:

Alternating EMOM For 5 Rounds (10 Minutes):

1) 3 Power Snatches

2) 0:30 Sec Handstand Hold

-then-

12 Rounds of 0:30 Sec Work / 0:30 Rest For MAX REPS:

3 Power Snatches @ 135/95 lbs

MAX REPS Lateral Bar Burpees

Score = total number of lateral bar burpees completed after 12 rounds.

PaleoFx Recap

So, as you know, we were in Austin over the weekend so that I (Sarah) could finally attend PaleoFx. PaleoFx, for anyone unfamiliar, is “ is the world’s premier holistic wellness event, covering health, nutrition, fitness, sustainability, self-development, spirituality, relationships, entrepreneurship, & everything in between.” They focus on these things mostly through an ancestral health lens, thus the “Paleo.”

I’d scanned the agenda prior to arriving, so I had a general idea about who the speakers and panelists would be, as well as which companies I’d find in the expo. At the same time, I wanted to go in open minded - I feel like there are so many things to admire and emulate in this world, and the health/fitness space especially, while there are also many things to, let’s say, “consider with caution.” I wanted to be free to follow the interesting and disregard the less useful.

Anyway, the first day I attended a talk by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne about the gut microbiome which was just the right mix of technical and entertaining. While there were many takeaways that I’m still, ehem, digesting, the main one is that the full diversity of our gut bacteria is optimized through exercise, sleep, hydration, stress management, and of course nutrition. Based on the information she presented, and building on what I learned in my MS program, a fully unprocessed diet, free of grains and unprocessed sugars in particular, helps to enhance our gut health, and eating a wide variety of nutrient dense fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, and a few other super foods makes a substantial difference in how well our bodies can access and absorb the vitamins and minerals contained within the cells of the foods we eat. It made me want to write a nutrition program focused on putting this knowledge into practice - prep methods, recipes, and shopping lists to enhance variety. Please let me know if you think that sounds useful!

The first panel I attended claimed it was going to be about the psychology of change, and while I felt it was more about self-actualization it was quite interesting. The main takeaway for me was the importance of clearly understanding who you are, who you want to be, and establishing daily practices which reinforce that transformation. One of the speakers mostly focused on how hard it is to perform optimally if you’re trying to fake it in your environment - using an example of an entrepreneur who lived in a penthouse with lots of windows but was afraid of heights. Another speaker described the process of aging as essentially going from doing 2% things you want to do and 98% things you have to do, to ideally working until you get to do 95% things you want to do, and only 5% things you have to do. The rest of the conversation was also interesting, but those were the two points that really stuck with me.

I already mentioned the digital detox keynote I attended, but suffice it to say that I’ve been making a concerted effort to spend less time in front of my screens since listening to it. Recognizing that they’re designed to be addictive, and treating them as such (i.e. an addiction can be broken), I’m doing my best to resist the urge to check for anything new nearly so often. The main specific tip I thought was helpful is to turn off notifications for everything that is distracting - for the speaker that meant keeping notifications only for phone calls, texts and calendar notifications. He also engages in regular screen-free time with his family, including full days and even full weeks occasionally. Seemed like a good thing to aspire to!

I already mentioned the awesome sunscreen & skincare company - Third Rock Essentials - the other companies I found there that I thought were cool:

Fringe Sport, which primarily sells home gym gear,

BodySpec - the DXA scanning truck. Want us to bring them back?

Exo bars - cricket bars. Stock ‘em or nah?

A company that I can’t remember the name of, which has recently created a brain health coffee creamer with MCT, DHA, etc. Seems like a great idea but they’re not quite to market yet. I’ll keep an eye out.

Scribe Method - they help guide authors through the self-publishing process. If you’ve been considering writing a book come let me gush about how great they are!

Happy Living - a media company of awesome people trying to make the world a happier place. I’m excited to listen to their podcast.

I’m definitely forgetting things. If you’ve been thinking about going, or want to go back with me next year let me know!

WOD For 05-02-19:

FIVE 3-Minute Cycles For MAX REPS:

30/25 Calorie Row

25 AbMat Sit-ups

MAX REPS Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in

(Rest 3 Minutes Between Cycles)

Score = total number of box jump overs after five cycles