Inaugural Community Day Was a Success!

Thanks to those who turned out for a fun community day, in particular our new friends from Vuori and BodySpec (and of course let’s include Flo as well!)

For anyone who missed out on the action, Vuori will be offering an AR promotion in store this week on Union St, so head over and give our secret handshake if you like the idea of some new gear! We’re also scheming about a cool collaboration with them, so stay tuned!

BodySpec sold out which was great, so if you missed out on that you can find them throughout San Francisco on their calendar here. Please just be sure to select an event which is open to the public.

If you got a BodySpec scan done and want to discuss your results, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a coach!

And PS… we should definitely schedule more Ski Erg Biathlons for those of you who missed out.

WOD for 06-24-19:

Power Clean + Front Squat + Push Press + Push Jerk
1-1-1-1-1
Climbing, as technique allows

-then-

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
4 Curtis P Complex @ 95/65 lbs.
8 Burpee Box Jump @ 24/20 in.

AR Community Day: This Sunday!

REMINDER: This Sunday we’ll be hosting a pop-up with everyone’s new favorite fitness brand Vuori, along with the BodySpec truck to perform DXA body composition scans on site.

We’ll be holding Open Gym from 9-11am as usual, and will be open to people working out longer, or even showing up later if desired. The gym will be open until 1pm to accommodate the BodySpec schedule and to allow for hanging out.

I make no promises, but rumor has it Rob may finally be bringing Nerf guns for a biathlon.

We’ll even have coffee and treats.

Hope to see you there!

Note: Vuori is actually awesome. Preview their stuff here (and on Rob practically every day).

BodySpec is a mobile DXA scanner which gives you the best-available-for-the-price measurements of body fat, muscle mass, and even bone density. If you are curious about the progress you’re making in the gym from a body composition standpoint, this is a tool besides scale weight and physical appearance to give you a better understanding of the progress you’re making. If you’re interested in scheduling a scan, a few spaces are still available here.

(For those who wonder about such things, we don’t get a commission for hosting BodySpec. We just genuinely think it’s can be a useful tool, and want to make it available from time to time. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.)

Happy weekend, friends!

WOD FOR 06-22-19:

With a Partner For Time:

BUY-IN: 800m Run (switch every 200m)

Then, 5 Rounds of…

30 Pull-ups

20 Hang Power cleans @ 155/105 lbs

BUY-OUT: 800m Run (switch every 200m)

*Only one person working at a time on the pull-ups & HPCs, switch whenever you like.

Fight Gone Bad

It doesn’t get much more “classic CrossFit” than this… Fight Gone Bad.

Those of us who have done this workout several times over the years likely remember the first experience with it quire vividly. Those who will be experiencing it for the first time on Friday are in for a treat…

Happy Fight Gone Bad Friday, friends!

WOD For 06-21-19:

“Fight Gone Bad”

3 Rounds For Max Reps (1:00 Minute Per Movement):

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

Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 75/55 lbs

Box Jumps @ 20/20 in (yes, it’s 20 in for both men & women)

Push Presses @ 75/55 lbs

Row Calories

(Rest 1:00 Between Rounds)

Compare to 10-12-15, 08-09-14, 04-19-14

(Workout courtesy of CrossFit.com)

A Love Note from Coach Rob

(Please note: although effectively we’ve been without water for longer than we would have liked, now the dispenser is all the way gone, hopefully to be replaced ASAP. Definitely bring a full water bottle in the interim, and we hope to be back to meeting your hydration requirements ASAP!)

I can’t tell you how happy I am knowing you’ll be back in my life soon. I’m so sorry I strayed from you. Honestly, I don’t even know what got into me when we broke up (actually I do, it was a stupid bet I lost during the 2018 Open).

Once the novelty of her “sparkle” wore off I realized how much I missed you... your talent, your reliability, the way you listen to me when I call because something is wrong (unlike what’s her name who doesn’t even reply at all for an entire month). 

I let her wear your signs but it never felt right... she just let them fade in the sun. She didn’t know the history, didn’t appreciate how much they meant. I understand if you never forgive me for that, but maybe Yami can find it in her heart to make you new ones. Better ones. Who knows. What I DO know is that life here hasn’t been the same without you, and my fitness (and hydration) is a mess. 

Well, she’s gone now... all moved out and took her things with her. 

I really hope you like our new place. xoxo

💙❤️

WOD for 06-19-19:

Alternating EMOM for Three Rounds:
8 Goblet Squat
8 Single Arm Overhead Reverse Lunge
8 Single Arm Strict Press
80 ft. Single Arm Overhead Carry

-then-

Front Squat
4-4-4-4
Climbing, as technique allows

-then-

Tabata Air Squat

AR Community Day

This Sunday we’ll be hosting a pop-up with everyone’s new favorite fitness brand Vuori, along with the BodySpec truck to perform DXA body composition scans on site.

We’ll be holding Open Gym from 9-11am as usual, and will be open to people working out longer, or even showing up later if desired. The gym will be open until 1pm to accommodate the BodySpec schedule and to allow for hanging out.

I make no promises, but rumor has it Rob may finally be bringing Nerf guns for a biathlon.

We’ll even have coffee and treats.

Hope to see you there!

Note: Vuori is actually awesome. Preview their stuff here (and on Rob practically every day).

BodySpec is a mobile DXA scanner which gives you the best-available-for-the-price measurements of body fat, muscle mass, and even bone density. If you are curious about the progress you’re making in the gym from a body composition standpoint, this is a tool besides scale weight and physical appearance to give you a better understanding of the progress you’re making. If you’re interested in scheduling a scan, a few spaces are still available here.

(For those who wonder about such things, we don’t get a commission for hosting BodySpec. We just genuinely think it’s can be a useful tool, and want to make it available from time to time. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.)

WOD for 06-19-19:

3 Rounds for Quality:
16 Double KB/Single Leg Deadlift
Pull-Up Complex
16 Russian KB Twist

-then-

For Time (11 Min Cap):
Run 400m Buy In, then:

21-15-9
Russian KB Swing @ 70/53 lbs.
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Up

100 Double Under Buy Out

"Jeremy & His Little Brother"

Such a cute, harmless name for a WOD. How bad could it be, I mean really?

WOD For 06-18-19:

1 Snatch + 2 Overhead Squats:

9 Minutes to Build to a Top Set (Not a Max)

*Both power and full/squat snatches are allowed

-then-

“Jeremy & His Little Brother”

A) At 0:00

For Time (7 Minute Cap):

21-15-9

Overhead Squats @ 95/65 lbs

Burpees

B) At 10:00

For Time (7 Minute Cap):

21-15-9

Pistols (alternate)

Lateral Bar Burpees

T2B: An Artistic Perspective

Leave it to Jenny to make toes-to-bar look so artistic…

WOD For 06-17-19:

Alternating EMOM For 6 Rounds (12 Minutes):

1) 1 Power Clean + 2 Hang Power Cleans + 1 Split Jerk

2) 3 to 6 Reps of Toes-to-Bar Progression:

-Kip Swings

-Knees Above Hips

-Knees to Elbows

-Feet Above Hips

-Feet Above Chest

-Toes-to-Bar

*Barbell complex climbs ONLY as technique allows

**For the Toes-to-Bar Progression start at the first movement and progress to the next movement in the following round OR stay at the movement you can safely perform & repeat that for multiple rounds

-then-

3 Rounds For Time:

30 Calorie Row

20 Toes-to-Bar

10 Single Dumbbell Shoulder-to-Overhead @ 50/35 lbs

*Switch sides on the dumbbell S2OH whenever you like.

Saturday Partner Hero WOD "Scotty"

Saturday’s partner workout is inspired by the “Hero” WOD “Scotty” which CrossFit.com originally posted in June of 2017.

To read about this workout in honor of Scott “Scotty” Deem of the San Antonio Fire Department click here to view CrossFit.com’s original post.

WOD For 06-15-19:

“Partner Scotty”

With a Partner AMRAP 22 Minutes:

5 Deadlifts @ 315/225 lbs

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

17 Lateral Bar Burpees

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

*The deadlift weight must NOT exceed 75% of your current 1-rep max. That means AT LEAST a 420/300 lbs 1-rep max if you’re doing the math at home for the Rx weights. Don’t be an idiot — scale appropriately & move well so that you can do more work faster (and come “back” the next day for even more).

(Workout inspired by the hero WOD “Scotty” courtesy of CrossFit.com)

A Plug for the "How I Built This" Podcast

For anyone who hasn’t listened to it before, I’d highly recommend listening to the “How I Built This” podcast with Guy Raz. Not that this has anything in particular to do with fitness, CrossFit, health, or anything along those lines. In fact, quite often the guests on the show describe periods of time in their lives that were surely filled with long hours, lots of stress, little sleep, and few workouts.

In particular, I’ve enjoyed the episodes with the founders of AllBirds, Chez Panisse, Lululemon, Soul Cycle, and Southwest Airlines.

The reason I like listening to it, besides sheer curiosity, (the new All Birds episode aside) is how frequently the stories of what seems like an overnight success to the mainstream actually took a really long time, even multiple decades.

I think this long-term view is really useful when it comes to thinking about timelines for success - very seldom does someone actually achieve success in any kind of a truly fast manner. People who are successful quickly are occasionally uniquely gifted or lucky, but in my experience, far more often they have spent their time accumulating transferable skills in another field or discipline. Perhaps they have built an established network, or a knowledge of “the system”, or a skill set that hasn’t yet been applied in a particular industry. In fitness, perhaps someone has previously built a lot of strength, discipline, endurance, body control, or skill.

Also, it’s useful when assessing my own progress. So often the founders interviewed on the show talk about really dark days when they feared or actually faced massive failure, bankruptcy, or humiliation, and often on a very public stage. My embarrassment when I fail to handstand walk as well as I’d like, or when I miss a lift I think I should have made, or when I simply can’t do something at all pales in comparison to anything they describe, and yet, as I listen, I find cyber camaraderie in the determination required to overcome obstacles.

Anyway, it’s a good listen. If you haven’t yet, I’d pick an episode about a company you like and try it during your next commute (or maybe during a solo WOD, ehem, LGB?

WOD for 06-14-19:

With a Partner, 1400M Rowling, For Time

-then-

7 Rounds for Completion:
3 Ring Dips [Weighted]
OH Dumbbell Lunge/Lunge/OHS w/ Each Hand [Choose Weight]
10 Plank Hold KB Drag [Choose Weight]

Thursday 3 On / 1 Off

Enjoy, friends!

WOD For 06-13-19:

3 Rounds For Quality:

8 KB Sumo Deadlift*** @ pick loading

***SuperSet Each Deadlift Set w/the Following Pull-up Complex:

Round 1: Max Hollow Body Hang

Round 2: Max Hold at Top of Pull-up

Round 3: FOUR Strict Pull-ups, SLOW eccentric (down) & concentric (up)

-then-

5 Rounds of 3:00 Work / 1:00 Rest For MAX CALORIES:

6 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

9 Dumbbell Box Step-Overs @ 50/35 lbs (each hand) with 24/20 in box

12 AbMat Sit-ups

MAX CALORIE Row (Ski or Assault Bike Optional)

Score = total number of calories completed at the end of 5 rounds.

The Arena Ready Moratorium: A Reminder

Coach Seiji’s last classes with us will be Wednesday evening’s 6pm & 7pm sessions — please come in to the gym if you can, take his class, and say goodbye to one of the best humans we know.

On that note, since both Seiji (with all his smarts and smooth talking) and Steven (with all his PhD street cred and science jibber jabber) seem to have conveniently forgotten about one important concept at Arena Ready, we’ll re-post it here for everyone as a reminder — please read and heed…

Let's take a little break from all the CrossFit Games hubbub to discuss a new mandate that has been instituted as my response to some member/coach behavior which I deem completely unacceptable - moving away from San Francisco, and thus leaving Arena Ready.

It PAINS me when awesome people move away from the city and have to leave Arena Ready as a result.  A few of the old-schoolers who had been members from the beginning have moved away for new jobs, to start at a new school, or to start/grow their family in a new surrounding, and every time one of them left it literally felt like a family member (or members) moving away.  So much so that I stopped writing about it when it naturally continued to happen, since it just made me sad to acknowledge the reality that some of the amazing people we care about will inevitably find a life for themselves somewhere other than San Francisco.  Think about the handful of REALLY cool people that you're sad are no longer at Arena Ready because they moved away from SF (but, of course, you're also happy for them as they've continued to pursue their dreams in new endeavors - whatever those nonsense "life changing" endeavors may be).

Well, I'm sick of it.  Yeah that's right, I'm fed up with you people.  I realize that the only way we can take on new members is essentially when a person (or two) moves away from San Francisco thus leaving a membership spot vacant... and cold... and heartbroken.  But how do you think I feel when someone I actually like and care about LEAVES ME AND I'M FORCED TO TRY AND MEET NEW PEOPLE?  And, of course, I then have to also hope that these new people will not ask me why we don't do 40 minutes of man makers, how come we snatch and clean so much ("Isn't that dangerous?"), what I have against Turkish get-ups for time, or say "Hey can I tally my rounds in chalk on the floor so I don't forget where I am?"  For the love all that is sacred, no.  NO, you cannot write on the gym floor like some hopscotch tournament for adults, and I blame (insert person's name who moved away from SF here) for putting me in the middle of this torturous conversation.  

Stop being so damn selfish with your fancy new jobs, and prestigious grad schools, and opulent houses bigger than 400 square feet so your children (or future children, or dog, or cat) can turn around inside the living room without knocking over the Apple TV.  Maybe you should pause for just a moment, get outside of your self-serving way of thinking, and remember how fragile I really am.  Stop being so self-centered AND THINK OF WHAT I NEED FOR JUST A SECOND OKAY?!  My control issues and aversion to crowds should clue you in on the fact that you simply cannot up and leave this relationship that we've so successfully and deliberately established within the safe and tidy confines of Arena Ready.  Not until I say so.  Which, if you continue to be a cool person, is basically never.   

There are a handful of current members who are in the queue to be the newest offenders of my plea for San Francisco-Arena Ready solidarity.  You know who you are.  Plotting.  Planning.  Searching for a new place to stay when you move.  Thinking foolishly to yourself, "I'm not too worried, I'm sure there will be good ethnic food and decent coffee in (insert crappy new city of residence here)."  No, there won't be.  You know I never lie about food and I'm not starting now - so if not for the helpless people at Arena Ready whom you'll leave behind heartbroken, I implore you to cancel your pending move for the sake of your own taste buds and penchant for finely crafted caffeinated beverages.   

OR, because now you simply CANNOT move.  I won't allow it.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I am instituting a moratorium on any Arena Ready members moving outside of the city limits, and this goes into effect immediately.  Moves to Daly City will be considered for approval on a case-by-case basis in light of its easy proximity to Arena Ready and its abundant options of post-workout chain restaurant recovery meals.  

Recently one of our own at AR notified me that they'll be starting graduate school at a very impressive institution of higher learning in the fall.  Said institution is not located in San Francisco proper.  Hogwash.  Here was my response, word for word (names have been changed for anonymity and comedic CrossFit effect):

Hi Grace

Thanks for sending the picture - it's awesome.  We enjoyed meeting your friend Isabel and hope that she liked her drop-in experience at AR - it would be fun to have her as a part of the gym, so thanks for introducing her to us!

I do have some bad news for you regarding your upcoming move... I've recently instituted a strict moratorium on Arena Ready members moving away, so it's essentially no longer allowed.  You see, I can no longer handle people we like and care about leaving us, and then having to replace them with people I do not (yet) know... Isabel, of course, is an exception as she seems like a lovely person - and your endorsement of her carries weight at Arena Ready.  But you, unfortunately, are not an exception to said moratorium.  So, in short, I'm sorry but you're not allowed to move.

Regardless, a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS is in order as we're thrilled to hear about your acceptance into the program at Stanford.  Obviously Sarah (and I by proximity) have a soft spot for Stanford in our hearts, so it's cool that you're pursuing a new path in that direction.  That said, I'm sure the school will be sad to hear that you've declined to attend their program due to your CrossFit coaches disallowing your move out of the city.

Fear not, I'm sure that more team workouts at Arena Ready will do a swell job in replacing the lessons that could otherwise be learned via group projects with your potential cohort at Stanford GSB.  Plus, networking at AR really can't be beat by a bunch of smarty pants people living in Palo Alto of all places... I mean really.  As for the actual business school learnings - I think the thesis at Arena Ready is really the same universal lesson to be learned at any graduate school worth its salt... The Journey Is All There Is.  Well, that and "never skip leg day" (where were you this morning anyway?!).

Best,

Rob

Seriously... cut it out, people. 

Oh, and my apologies for the liberal use of CAPS LOCK in this post.  But hey, I WAS ACTUALLY SCREAMING AT YOU.

WOD For 06-12-19:

From The Floor (no rack):

Push Press 3x3 “across”

Push Jerk 3x3 “across”

*This is three work sets of three reps for each movement (complete all push press sets first then move on to push jerks).

*Build to your first work set in 3-4 warm-up sets -- once the loading feels challenging that's your "first set" of the 3x3 with SAME WEIGHT ACROSS.

-then-

“Grace”

For Time:

30 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95 lbs

Compare to 04-13-15, 06-14-14, and 07-27-13 (yes, it’s been over 4 years since we last did the simple, classic version of “Grace”).

(Workout courtesy of CrossFit.com)

SF Forecast: Sunny With a High Chance of Man Feet

You had to know it was coming out of the archive…

It's that time of year again in San Francisco - the stretch of a handful of days during which I try my best not to look down too much in public, for fear of seeing some gnarly man feet resembling hairy talons clinched to a pair of Rainbows.  Thank goodness the forecast looks to be showing some cooling trends starting on Tuesday, since Monday's reading on the SF Weather Advisory System was: SEVERE.

San Franciscans can empathize.

I was at Whole Foods the other day being generally snobby and buying some nutritious fuel for a certain high powered athlete and her ruggedly handsome trophy husband.  The troubling amount of man feet I was forced to look at made me so nauseous I could barely locate the $7 kombucha my dear athlete loves so much.

Dear SF (grown, adult, gainfully employed, not in college anymore) men - really?!  Can we please retire the flip-flops as acceptable urban footwear, or at least reduce them to beach/pool/tropical vacation/public shower duty as they were intended?  I mean, really... it's not like it's 100 degrees out there (Editor’s Note: OK, this time it actually was).  I get it, it's nice out.  How about a nice canvas sneaker, or loafer, or boat shoe? Anything. Please.  And no, man sandals (AKA "mandals") are not okay and I don't care if they're Dolce & Gabbana - this isn't Europe, regardless of whether or not you insist on telling me "ciao" when we leave each other's presence, or sign-off all your emails with "cheers."  You don't see me trying to kiss your wife goodbye on both cheeks, so cut it out with the Italian designer leather excuse for wearing what is, in effect, a high end flip flop.  The linen man-pri pants should probably stay on the rack at Loehman's as well.  THAT'S WHY THEIR MEN'S STORE CLOSED, DUDE.  Or, let's make a deal, just clip your toenails like you've seen your feet in the last month - then maybe I won't feel like I'm losing my $11 kale chips the wrong way (Editor's note when re-reading this: I don't actually eat kale chips but it seemed fitting at the time for dramatic effect).

OK, end of grumpy old man rant (almost).  I'm officially a curmudgeon.  What can I say, I'm not a fan of the man feet.  If cargo shorts are the Nickelback of men's clothing then flip flops are the Dave Matthews Band - we're not late for Chem Lab and neither of us has a Scarface poster on our wall anymore.  So take a few minutes and put some shoes on, big dawg, so we can hang out and I won't have to pretend I don't know you.

Ladies, on the other hand, keep it up.  You look fabulous, especially when it's warm outside - just make sure to hit those heels with some moisturizer, ain't nobody got time for ashy.  Don't let the calloused hands fool you. 

WOD For 06-11-19:

Tempo Back Squat:

3-3-3-3 @ 31X1

*If you’re new to tempo lifting then I’ve included an explanation below to help guide you.

-then-

On a Running Clock Set For 12 Minutes:

1 Minute of Double Unders

1 Minute of Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs (alternate)

2 Minutes of Double Unders

2 Minutes of Dumbbell Snatches

3 Minutes of Double Unders

3 Minutes of Dumbbell Snatches

Record reps for each set.

(Workout courtesy of CrossFit.com)

***Tempo lifting may be a new concept to some, and since we'll be using tempo back squats in Tuesday's class here's some basic info on the practice courtesy of a blog post excerpt from the good folks at Invictus:

Tempo prescriptions come in a series of four numbers representing the times in which it should take to complete four stages of the lift.  In a workout, the tempo prescription will follow the assigned number of reps, such as:

Front Squat x 2-3 reps @ 30X0

The First Number – The first number refers to the lowering (eccentric) phase of the lift.  Using our front squat example, the 3 will represent the amount of time (in seconds) that it should take you to descend to the bottom of the squat.  (The first number always refers to the lowering/eccentric phase, even if the movement begins with the ascending/concentric phase, such as in a pull-up.)

The Second Number – The second number refers to the amount of time spent in the bottom position of the lift – the point in which the lift transitions from lowering to ascending.  In our front squat example, the prescribed 0 means that the athlete should reach the bottom position and immediately begin their ascent.  If, however, the prescription was 32X0, the athlete would be expected to pause for 2 seconds at the bottom position.

The Third Number – The third number refers to ascending (concentric) phase of the lift – the amount of time it takes you to get to the top of the lift.  Yes, I am aware that X is not a number.  The X signifies that the athlete should EXPLODE the weight up as quickly as possible.  In many cases, this will not be very fast, but it is the intent that counts – try to accelerate the weight as fast as you can.  If the third number is a 2, it should take the athlete 2 seconds to get the lift to the top regardless of whether they are capable of moving it faster.

The Fourth Number – The fourth number refers to how long you should pause at the top of the lift.  Take, for example, a weighted pull-up prescription of 20X2, the athlete would be expected to hold his or her chin over the bar for two seconds before beginning to come down.

Counting – It seems silly to even mention how to count seconds, but I have heard many clients audibly count to 4 in less than one second while under a heavy load.  So, to ensure that your 4 second count and mine are the same, use “one thousands,” as in: 1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand, 4-one thousand.