Workout of the Day
Throwback Thursday: Open 15.3 at Arena Ready
#TBT to that awesome video Brian C. made in the Spring of 2015 of Open workout 15.3 at Arena Ready. Still one of my favorites of all time...
WOD For 10-03-19:
Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds:
3 Back Squats
Start at a moderate weight and climb as desired, or stay at a challenging weight across multiple sets (no misses, this is not a max out session)
-then-
AMRAP 8 Minutes:
24 Russian KB Swings @ 70/35 lbs
18 Single Dumbbell Overhead Walking Lunges @ 50/35 lbs (switch sides after 9 reps)
12 Toes-to-Bar
Mid-Week Swolemate Special
If you’re not coming over to do karate in my garage then maybe you should come to the gym and we can do this, which is basically… like… the same thing.
WOD For 10-02-19:
WITH A PARTNER, ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) 0:00 - 10:00
3 Power Snatches + 1 Overhead Squat:
10 minutes for both partners to build to a top set (NOT amax) using the same barbell
*Touch-and-go is not required but is encouraged for as long as safely possible in order to prep for the lighter reps in Part B
B) 12:00 - 31:00
FOUR Cycles of 4:00 Work / 1 Minute Rest For Total Rounds:
5 Power Snatches @ 115/80 lbs
5 Lateral Bar Burpees
25 Double Unders
*Each partners completes ONE FULL ROUND of 5-5-25 then switch
*Re-start each cycle exactly where you left off (i.e. score this continuously with one grand total of rounds + reps for all 5 cycles)
Lost & Found
The gym’s Lost & Found is full of things that many of you must love and are sad they are missing from your life. I’ll tell you what’s not sad… me when we donate what’s left over in the Lost & Found to charity. I’m like the King of KonMari and if Marie Kondo left her first pair of weightlifting shoes here I’d have them out on the street faster than you can say “vertical fold” because, quite frankly, her weightlifting technique doesn’t spark any joy in my heart. Let’s be honest her cleans suck.
So please check the Lost & Found before we send the items away on Oct 13th (it’s the light blue bin next to the metal desk… oh and check all the cubbies too, since I’m going to donate that stuff also). Thanks!
WOD For 10-01-19:
5 Rounds For Time:
15/12 Calorie Row, Ski, or Assault Bike
20 Single Dumbbell Shoulder-to-Overhead @ 50/35 lbs (switch sides every 5 reps)
15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Light & Long > Heavy & Fast
There’s your Saturday-to-Monday combo… both ends of the spectrum in the span of two programmed days. And if you think 205/145 isn’t “heavy” for you in this WOD, then I’ll ask you again if you still feel that way after you’ve done 12+ rounds (this is another way of saying “if you’re in the singe digit range for total score then it’s plenty heavy”).
Hope you all had a great weekend.
WOD For 09-30-19:
Every 90 Seconds For 7 Rounds:
3 Deadlifts + 2 Hang Power Cleans + 1 Front Squat
Climb to a top set that’s heavier than what you will use below
-then-
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
4 Box Jumps @ 30/24 in
3 Deadlifts @ 205/145 lbs
2 Hang Power Cleans
1 Front Squat
Oooh, that’s going to sting.
The Open: What We Measure We Improve
Looking back at "Open 16.3" at Arena Ready:
(and, no, keyboard coaching police, that’s not how we teach bar muscle-ups at this gym… but thank you for your service — you may go back to arguing with people at dinner parties now)
I told you I was gonna starting bringing it. Just sign-up for the Open already!
Speaking (sorry not sorry) of the Open - are you registered? Click here to read the main details of how we'll run the Open at Arena Ready, and then head over to the CrossFit Games page to register (please select Arena Ready as your affiliate when registering).
James Clear - entrepreneur, weightlifter, and travel photographer - once wrote a blog post on the value of measuring important areas of our life. It's a quick read and an important message that resonates with those of us who follow CrossFit as an observable, repeatable, and measurable training & fitness program - and who use The Open as a measure of exactly how far we've come, and how far we still have to go. The concept can extend beyond your training, and into other areas of your life which you deem important.
The blog post is published here, and is included below in its entirety:
Imagine this…
Someone walks into the gym, warms up, does a little bit of this exercise, does a little bit of that exercise, bounces around to a few machines, maybe hops on the treadmill, finishes their workout, and leaves the gym.
This isn’t a critique of their workout. In fact, it’s quite possible that they got a nice workout in. So, what is notable about this situation?
They didn’t measure anything. They didn’t track their workout. They didn’t count reps or weight or time or speed or any other metric. And so, they have no basis for knowing if they are making progress or not. Not tracking your progress is one of the six major mistakes I see people make in the gym.
But here’s the thing: We all have areas of life that we say are important to us, but that we aren’t measuring.
What We Measure, We Improve
Count something. Regardless of what one ultimately does in medicine—or outside of medicine, for that matter—one should be a scientist in this world. In the simplest terms, this means one should count something. … It doesn’t really matter what you count. You don’t need a research grant. The only requirement is that what you count should be interesting to you.
—Atul Gawande, Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance
The things we measure are the things we improve. It is only through numbers and clear tracking that we have any idea if we are getting better or worse.
When I measured how many pushups I did, I got stronger.
When I tracked my reading habit of 20 pages per day, I read more books.
When I recorded my values, I began living with more integrity.
Our lives are shaped by how we choose to spend our time and energy each day. Measuring can help us spend that time in better ways, more consistently.
It’s Not About the Result, It’s About Awareness
The trick is to realize that counting, measuring, and tracking is not about the result. It’s about the system, not the goal.
Measure from a place of curiosity. Measure to discover, to find out, to understand.
Measure from a place of self-awareness. Measure to get to know yourself better.
Measure to see if you are showing up. Measure to see if you’re actually spending time on the things that are important to you.
You Can’t Measure Everything
Critics will be quick to point out that you can’t measure everything. This is true.
Love is important, but how do you measure it?
Morality is important, but can it be quantified accurately?
Finding meaning in our lives is essential, but how do you calculate it?
Furthermore, there are some things in life that don’t need to be measured. Some people just love working out for the sake of working out. Measuring every repetition might reduce the satisfaction and make it seem more like a job. There is nothing wrong with that. (As always, take the main idea and use it in a way that is best for you.)
Measurement won’t solve everything. It is not an ultimate answer to life. However, it is a way to track something critical: are you showing up in the areas that you say are important to you?
The Idea in Practice
But even for things that can’t be quantified, measuring can be helpful. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.
You can’t measure love, but you can track different ways that you are showing up with love in your life:
Send a digital love note to your partner each day (text, email, voicemail, tweet, etc.) and use the Seinfeld Strategy to keep track of your streak.
Schedule one “Surprise Appreciation” each week where you write to a friend and thank them for something unexpected.
You can’t measure morality, but you can track if you’re thinking about it:
Write down three values that are dear to you each morning.
Keep a decision journal to track which decisions you make and whether or not they align with your ethics.
The things we measure are the things we improve. What are you measuring in your life?
-James Clear
"It's Not About The Result, It's About Awareness."
I love that part.
I know we are a group of individuals who value, among other things, the process of measuring our progress. The beauty of the awareness that comes with measuring is the discovery of what you're capable of with consistent effort applied over long periods of time.
I, of course, would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to encourage every one of you Arena Ready members to PLEASE USE Beyond The Whiteboard to record your progress. We pay for it so you don't have to. Don't know what Beyond The Whiteboard is? Well then read this old post and then email/message us so we can add you to our group.
No, the BTWB system isn't perfect and its app can sometimes be a bit difficult with some of our more creative workouts, but it is a powerful tool when used consistently (you can even see where you stand in popular workouts against the tens of thousands of other users in the world... even if privately to yourself after making your privacy settings as such). Make it a habit - get on it, and when "20.1" pops up again (after this year) you'll be able to see how much you've improved, and how far you can still progress.
WOD For 09-28-19:
With a Partner Against a 27-Minute Clock:
A) 800m Partner Med Ball Run @ 20/14 lbs
(both partners run 800m simultaneously - one partner carrying the med ball, switching/handing-off whenever you like)
B) Then, Split The Following:
(only one partner working at a time, switch whenever)
75 Toes-to-Bar
100 Med Ball Walking Lunges @ 20/14 lbs
150 KB Swings @ 53/35 lbs
200 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
C) In The Time Remaining, MAX CALORIE Row, Ski, or Assault Bike
(only one partner working at a time, use the same machine)
*Workout Score = total calories completed
*If you don't make it to Part C then note the reps completed in Part B as your score
*Part B can be started immediately by the faster runner, but Part C cannot start until all wall balls are completed
Friday Barbell Therapy: 2+1+1s
Take a breath. I won’t even mention it this time.
Our new complex for the Clean & Jerk cycle front loads the lighter rounds with some 2+1+1 sets, and then works toward single C&Js. Dial it in now, we go up next week.
Happy Friday!
WOD For 09-27-19:
Every 90 Seconds For 20 Rounds (30 Total Minutes):
USE FOUR DIFFERENT WEIGHTS...
ROUNDS 1-5: Light (50-60% of 1RM C&J)
2 Squat Cleans + Front Squat + Jerk
ROUNDS 6-10: Moderate (65-70%)
Squat Clean + Front Squat + Jerk
ROUNDS 11-15: Moderate-Plus (75-80%)
Squat Clean + Jerk
ROUNDS 16-20: Moderate-Heavy-ish (80-85%)
Squat Clean + Jerk
*Technical Consistency! Ideally 20 of 20 makes!
*If you miss during Rounds 16-20 you MUST lower the weight the next round.
*Both push/power jerks and split jerks are allowed.
FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE SATURDAYS STARTING OCT 12: THE OPEN AT ARENA READY!
Are you IN THE OPEN at Arena Ready?!
Starting on Saturday, October 12th - and for five consecutive Saturdays - our daily WOD will be the current week's CrossFit Games Worldwide Open workout (for those of you who have done The Open at AR previously you know the drill). On Saturday, October 12th we will do "Open Workout 20.1"... whatever that may be (we shall find out on Thursday, October 10th at 5pm, along with the rest of the world). Every Thursday at 5pm the Open workout will be released, and the following Saturday we will do the WOD as a gym during all Saturday morning classes.
Each Saturday class during this five-week time period will consist of multiple heats of the Open workout, and each athlete should expect to do the WOD during one of the heats and also judge a fellow athlete during another heat. You are, of course, welcome to stay for as long as you like to cheer on other athletes as they tackle the WOD, or continue to help with judging. These "Open Saturdays" are pretty energetic and are really fun days at the gym - and many AR members like to hang out for a few hours to watch, judge, and cheer for their friends. We will continue to ask you to sign-in for class, just like any other Saturday, to save your spot during that hour.
If you're not formally entered in The Open you can still do the workouts at AR, and you'll participate in heats just like those of us who are registered for the event. But if you plan on working out on Saturdays (or even on Sundays) during those five weeks anyway you may as well sign-up and officially participate in the fun!
It's fourteen days until the first workout ("20.1") is announced, and now is a great time to register for this awesome worldwide event which you'll be able to participate in with your fellow friends and members at Arena Ready. You can register for The Open through the CrossFit Games website here (registration cost is $20):
When registering yourself please be sure to select Arena Ready CrossFit as your affiliate so that your profile appears on our affiliate roster.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions.
A look back at Open 16.2 courtesy of our old friend, former AR member, and Moratorium violator, Brian Campbell
WOD For 09-26-19:
On a Running Clock…
A) At 0:00
800m Run (you pick the pace)
B) From 7:00 - 17:00
AMRAP 10 Minutes:
12 Deadlifts @ 185/135 lbs
21 Medicine Ball Sit-ups @ 20/14 lbs
12 Single Dumbbell Overhead Squats @ pick load (6 Right / 6 Left)
C) At 20:00
800m Run (you pick the pace)
*For the Single DB Overhead Squat pick a loading that you can do with good, safe technique and to full range of motion (or as close to it as possible with solid positions). Picking a weight that’s too heavy and doing the reps sloppily and/or with poor position is counter-productive — it takes a movement that is GREAT for fixing your patterns and turns it into a reinforcement of bad habits. Here’s a hint: if you have limited mobility and/or stability in your shoulders, thoracic, hips, or ankles (or all of the above) then it likely needs to be fairly light, regardless of how “strong” you are.
Date & Venue Change: Sparkle's Celebration of Life
Taking a moment from the Open announcements to update the Arena Ready community about the date & location change for Sparkle’s Celebration of Life. The new date & venue are as follows:
Sunday, October 13th From 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Centre Concord
5298 Clayton Road
Concord, CA 94521
WOD For 09-25-19:
5 Rounds For MAX REPS (Start Every 3 Minutes):
12 Dumbbell Bench Presses @ 50/35 lbs (each side)
1 Set of MAX REPS Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
(Rest during any remaining time until the next 3-minute mark)
*We consider "1 Set" of max reps C2B pull-ups as many as you can safely do without coming down from the bar (be smart, wrap your thumbs, and stop before your grip goes!)
-then-
EMOM For 10 Minutes:
12 Burpee Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in (MUST Face The Box)
*Start at 12 reps in the first minute and try to hold for all 10 minutes OR for as many minutes as possible.
*Score by your LOWEST rep round among the 10 minutes.
(e.g. 12-12-12-12-11-11-11-11-10-9 equals a score of 9)
The 2020 Open Is Coming
I left you alone until yesterday (you’re welcome) but this is now officially the start of my 2020 Open Campaign…
It's that time of year again (again?)… except it’s now going to be a different time of year moving forward. But I digress. The worldwide 2020 CrossFit Games Open begins IN JUST 16 DAYS on October 10th with the announcement of 20.1 and registration is live! This is one of the most exciting times of the year at Arena Ready, and this time will be the first “fall” Open ever at AR.
Experienced CrossFitters at Arena Ready know what lies ahead (well, sort of ;-p), while newer athletes/members will likely be curious what all the hubbub is about these next several weeks. We will post more detail (and many reminders) about "The Open" in the coming weeks, as well as some flashback moments from several awesome and inspiring performances over the last few years during The Open at AR.
For the time being, particularly for the newcomers, start by clicking here for a simple summary of what The Open is all about. The level of positive self-discovery one tends to encounter in the encouraging, inclusive, and competitive environment that is The Open is something most athletes never forget (or regret).
In the last five years OVER HALF of Arena Ready's members registered and participated in The Open - a participation level much higher than just about any gym we are aware of... so this year we are looking forward to the same enthusiasm and participation from our athletes. The Open workouts are inclusive, will have an option for scaled AND masters athletes (AKA older athletes), and will challenge you to tackle your weaknesses and push hard on your strengths. And few things can beat the unbelievable energy and camaraderie that transpires over the course of The Open workouts hosted at AR.
"But I'm still pretty new to CrossFit, and I'm so far from being considered a 'high level' CrossFitter... should I participate in The Open?" Assuming you are healthy (i.e. injury free) and training fairly consistently (at least 3x per week on average), then the answer is likely YES! We always like to use the example of entering a 5K or 10K running race as an analogy - nearly everyone who enters a 5K or 10K (or even a marathon for that matter) knows they probably won't win, but they participate and compete anyway. Why? Because it gives them an opportunity to train for something and get better, to compete with and support friends new and old, and to learn a lot about what you're actually capable of... often times it's more than you think.
More details to come but if you have immediate questions please speak with a coach at the gym! When you register please make sure to SELECT ARENA READY AS YOUR AFFILIATE.
So what are you waiting for? Are you IN THE OPEN?
A look back at Open 16.1 at Arena Ready nearly four years ago (video courtesy of Brian Campbell)
WOD For 09-24-19:
With a Partner For Time:
2500m Row
250 Double Unders
Back Squat a Total of 9,000 lbs (FM Pairs = 8,000 lbs / FF Pairs = 7,000 lbs)
1500m Row
150 Double Unders
Back Squat a Total of 7,000 lbs (FM Pairs = 6,300 lbs / FF Pairs = 5,500 lbs)
500m Row
50 Double Unders
Back Squat a Total of 5,000 lbs (FM Pairs = 4,500 lbs / FF Pairs = 4,000 lbs)
*Only one person working at a time, switch whenever you like.
*Partners must use the same barbell & squat rack for back squats, but may choose the loading & rep count, and may change the weights as needed between sets, rounds, and/or partners (i.e. you choose how your teams gets to 9, 7, and 5 thousand pounds respectively).
The Lillehammer 2020 CrossFit Games Open
I remember 1994 like it was yesterday. With a freshly minted driver’s license I had moved on from Drakkar Noir to Cool Water as my wannabe teen heartthrob cologne of choice, I had the full Keenan Ivory Wayans “In Living Color” wardrobe complete with Cross Color jeans and silk/rayon button down shirts, and I was still holding out hope that my height would catch-up with my arms and I’d be 6’5” before senior year of high school so I could go play basketball at Michigan after the Fab Five departed.
I’ll pause here for your laughter. Go ahead, take your time.
Also in 1994, it felt like the Winter Olympics literally JUST happened… and then… seemingly out of nowhere… we had a Winter Olympics AGAIN. People were still celebrating Midori Ito and Alberto Tomba, and I think Bonnie Blair was still on some of the Wheaties boxes — and then we were supposed to do it all over again?!
Welp, the 2020 CrossFit Games Open starts in less than 3 weeks at Arena Ready.
It’s like 1994 all over again. Except we all make better choices now, or thankfully at least I do.
More coming, stay tuned!
WOD For 09-23-19:
3-Position Squat Snatch (Hang Above Knees, Hang Below Knees, Floor):
12 Minutes to Build to a Top Set
-then-
For Time:
21-15-9
Overhead Squats @ 95/65 lbs
Hang Power Cleans
Deficit Handstand Push-ups @ 4/2 in
Thank You, Dani!
We owe a giant THANK YOU and a debt of gratitude to Dani for her work as our General Manager over the last couple of years. While she will no longer serve as our GM, Dani will continue to be an integral part of our Arena Ready community as an athlete, a coach, and an ambassador — so her positive, mindful presence will still be a contributing force for this family of enthusiastic exercisers.
Dani’s work was instrumental in our move from Connecticut Street to our current home at 3250 Cesar Chavez, and she worked tirelessly to help get the facility up & running as a better, badder, cooler place than it was before the transition to AR 3.0. It takes a lot of effort behind the scenes to make the experience here what it is, and for the last couple of years we have Dani to thank for much of what we benefitted from in the environment at Arena Ready.
We wish her nothing but the best in her endeavors to teach the young, aspiring writers of the world, and to continue to lead a positive movement practice while wearing one of her many “hats” as a well-establish yoga instructor in San Francisco. And we’re grateful that she’ll be continuing on as coach here at Arena Ready, particularly because few people see & understand movement & body control as well as Dani does.
So, when you see her the next time in class — either as your classmate or your coach — please give her a high five, or a hug, or shoot her a smile, and THANK her for all that she’s done for this amazing community… and for all that she continues to do to make AR unlike any other place in the fitness world.
Happy Weekend, Team! How about a little more MATH on a Saturday for all you math-letes out there?
WOD For 09-21-19:
In Teams of THREE Athletes…
AMReps in 25 Minutes:
Athletes A & B Complete…
20 Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs (must alternate sides)
15 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
20 Dumbbell Hang Cleans to Overhead @ 50/35 lbs (switch sides whenever)
15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Athlete C Completes…
30/25 Calorie Row
*One athlete MUST always be rowing, and MUST always switch after 30/25 calories.
*Reps for the other movements may be split in any fashion (does not have to be equal) with only one athlete working at a time.
*Every calorie on the rower equals one rep added to the team's score. Score for the workout is the sum of the DB/BJ/C2B reps PLUS the total calories rowed.
Friday: (You Guessed It) Barbell Therapy
It’s week 3 of this current complex and week 6 overall for our clean & jerk progression, and here’s yet another opportunity to dial in that technique and move some weight. If your legs are feeling the effects of Tuesday’s wall balls and/or Thursday’s lunges then perhaps you’ll stay with the same weights as you did in your last session — otherwise, if you’re feeling good and the bar is moving fast then a slight tick up in loading may be feasible.
Be an athlete. Listen to what your body is telling you, and take what’s there for today. Move well. Get the reps in and sharpen your movement patterns. Focus on making every set look the same, from light to heavy.
Happy Friday, barbell friends.
WOD For 09-20-19:
Every 90 Seconds For 20 Rounds (30 Minutes):
Power Clean + Front Squat + Squat Clean + Jerk
*Use FOUR Weights:
ROUNDS 1-5: Light (50% of 1RM C&J)
ROUNDS 6-10: Moderate (60-65%)
ROUNDS 11-15: Moderate (70-75%)
ROUNDS 16-20: Moderate-Heavy-ish (80-85%)
*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.