Workout of the Day
Calling All AR Member Referrals! Dec 14th On-Boarding...
REMINDER that our December 14th on-boarding for newcomers (click for details) is in less than three days!
We're lucky to have a community of members with a very high retention rate, and as such we have dozens and dozens of folks who have been with us for 3, 4, 5, 6 and even 7+ years (from the very beginning!). This creates the sort of unique and welcoming atmosphere we have at the gym... a close knit family of like-minded people from all different walks of life, who support and encourage each other in the pursuit of getting better. While we receive inquiries nearly every day from new people looking to join Arena Ready, we keep the intake & on-boarding process deliberate in order to keep our membership at a controlled number - putting us in that sweet spot of knowing everyone in the gym, and being able to coach each athlete in a personal manner that ultimately leads to real progress.
Why am I telling all of you this? Because we want you (the members of AR) to help us continue to build Arena Ready with the sort of amazing people we already have in the building. We want your significant others, your family members, your friends, your neighbors, your loved ones - those are the folks we want to be a part of this incredible community, and those are the people who tend to stick around and really make fitness a lifestyle... because they already have you as a built-in advocate and support system. That's not to say we don't love the complete strangers who find their way to us and eventually become big parts of the AR family - we certainly have our fair share of those stories as well. But since so many of you ask us on a regular basis when the next on-boarding opportunity will be (because you have someone special in mind who you think might really enjoy it and benefit from the program) we wanted to post this here to let everyone know.
So send them our way and help us fill the place with the incredible people in your life. They can register for the free class on our website here! Existing AR members who would like to sit-in on the first half of the "Introduction to CrossFit" class can simply show up and hang out - no need to register for the class online.
Thanks, and let us know if you have any questions!
WOD For 12-11-19:
Hang Power Snatch + Overhead Squat + Squat Snatch:
Build to a Top Set Heavier Than to Be Used Below
-then-
For Time:
40 Russian KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs
30 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
20 Squat Snatches
10 Overhead Squats
Where will you plan on taking your intentional breaks in order to keep your movement quality high and your time fast? They are not mutually exclusive.
Tuesday Gymnasty Skills
A gymnasty Tuesday program builds volume and positional practice, and incorporates work/rest intervals after Monday’s sprints. Be smart about your grip with this piece, and see if you can hold a high level of accuracy with unbroken double unders as well!
WOD For 12-10-19:
Every 3 Minutes For 6 Rounds (18 Minutes):
3 Strict Pull-ups
6 Kipping Pull-ups (butterfly not allowed)
9 Toes-to-Bar
40 Unbroken Double Unders
Going unbroken on the bar/hanging movements is NOT required, but if you are a gymnastics ninja and can do so safely (without losing your grip) with solid positions & technique then have fun!
-then-
Weighted (or Unweighted) Plank Hold:
3 x 0:45 (Rest 0:15)
Monday Back-to-Back Sprints
Hope you all had an awesome weekend. Here’s to some thrusters to start the week!
WOD For 12-09-19:
Thruster:
12 Minutes to Build to a Heavy Triple
-then-
For Time:
250m Row
20 Single Dumbbell Hang Snatches @ 50/35 lbs
30 Burpees
… REST 4 MINUTES, THEN…
For Time:
250m Row
20 Thrusters @ 95/65 lbs
30 Front Rack Lunges @ 95/65 lbs
Winter On-Boarding: Saturday, December 14th
Our free "Introduction to CrossFit" on-boarding class for newcomers is next Saturday (Dec 14th) at 12:00pm. There are a handful of membership spaces available so if anyone you know has been wanting to join as a newcomer make sure to spread the word!
For more details on how & why we on-board newcomers in small groups at carefully chosen intervals throughout the year click here to read a previous On-Boarding" post which details a bit of the background on our philosophy. To lazy to read it? OK then, here's the basic scoop: we do what we do to maintain quality, an ideal coach-to-athlete ratio in every class, and a caring community composed of like-minded people who consider fitness a sustainable, long-term lifestyle.
So tell your friends and family to sign-up for this Saturday and get started at Arena Ready (click here for more details and to reserve an On-Boarding spot)!
WOD FOR 12-07-19:
With a Partner…
7 Cycles of 2:00 Work / 1 :00 Rest For MAX REPS of Wall Balls:
14 Hand-Release Push-ups TOGETHER
14 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs SPLIT
MAX REPS Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft SPLIT
*Score = total number of Wall Balls completed
*HR Push-ups are completed together simultaneously (i.e. both partners do 14 reps at the same time and deadlifts cannot start until BOTH partners have completed push-ups)
*Deadlifts and Wall Balls are split with only one partner working at a time (reps do not have to be split evenly)
(Compare to 12-01-18)
Friday: Pre-Hab, Intensity, Accessory
Let’s start the weekend right with a three-part piece and a break from all the barbell-ing we’ve done over the last four days. Here’s some pre-hab/stability work for the shoulders, a deft dose of intensity and unilateral work, and then more mid-line accessory for that winter core-of-steel you’re building.
Happy Friday, fitness friends!
WOD FOR 12-06-19:
DB or KB Turkish Get-up:
1-1-1-1-1
For Quality (1 Left then 1 Right = 1 Set)
-then-
AMRAP 10 Minutes:
50 Double Unders
20 Single DB Hang Clean-to-Overhead @ 50/35 lbs (switch sides whenever)
5 Strict Pull-ups (any grip is allowed)
-then-
Tabata:
Med Ball Russian Twists @ pick load
Score = Lowest Round
Snatch Complex + Work/Rest Interval Capacity & Skill
After Wednesday’s 20-minute, heavy(ish) slog here’s a snatch complex session followed by a work/rest piece with some skill elements blended with interval work capacity.
Enjoy!
WOD FOR 12-05-19:
Power Snatch + Hang Squat Snatch + Overhead Squat:
12 Minutes to Build to a Top Set (not a max)
-then-
4 Rounds for Total Reps of Each Movement:
40 Seconds of Toes-to-Bar
20 Seconds of Rest
40 Seconds of Overhead Squats @ 115/80 lbs
20 Seconds of Rest
40 Seconds of Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 70/53 lbs
20 Seconds of Rest
Record scores for total reps of each of the three movements.
Save The Date: Jan 4th Holiday Party
Please save the date of Saturday, January 4th for our annual Arena Ready Holiday Party. Per overwhelming request (and contrary to Rob’s desire to CRUSH EVERYONE AT PING PONG under the guise of “a holiday party”) we will continue the time honored tradition of having the event at the gym, complete with legendary members’ potluck spread, along with festive food & drink our staff will provide. An early evening start time will once again be the protocol, and more details will follow in the coming weeks.
For now, how about some Hump Day Heavy(ish) Hang Power Cleans? Never mind those two other pesky movements… focus on the fun part!
WOD FOR 12-04-19:
AMRAP 20 Minutes:
20/15 Calorie Row, Ski, or Assault Bike
10 Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
10 Hang Power Cleans @ 185/125 lbs
Baseline... Back Squat... Baseline
Monday’s KB Box Step-up Legs be damned…
WOD For 12-03-19:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) At 0:00
"Partner Baseline"
For QUALITY, Split Evenly With a Partner:
1000m Row, or 1000m Ski, or 60/40 Calorie Assault Bike
80 Air Squats
60 AbMat Sit-ups
40 Push-ups
20 Pull-ups
B) From 14:00 - 32:00
Back Squat:
5-5-5-5-5
Climbing to a Top Set
C) At 35:00
"Solo Baseline"
For TIME:
500m Row, or 500m Ski, or 30/21 Calorie Assault Bike
40 Air Squats
30 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Push-ups
10 Pull-ups
(Compare to 11-27-18, 04-25-17, 07-14-15, 01-08-15, 08-04-14, and 02-21-14)
Kathy's Pop Up Glass Boutique: Sunday, Dec 8th
Come on out to Kathy’s Pop Up Glass Boutique next Sunday, December 8th from 11:00am to 5:00pm at Eye Q (4017 24th Street in Noe Valley).
Here’s a small sampling of her amazing pieces... if you’re free and would like to stop by she would be so happy to see some Arena Ready faces (and hey, what’s that whiskey doing there!?).
WOD For 12-02-19:
Push Jerk:
3-3-3-3-3
Climbing as your technique allows
-then-
AMRAP 9 Minutes:
21 KB Snatches @ 53/35 lbs (switch after 10 reps)
15 KB Box Step-ups @ 24/20 in (alternate legs)
9 Handstand Push-ups
For the box step-ups you may support the KB in any fashion EXCEPT resting on your head, neck, or leg. We recommend a goblet hold, front rack hold, or shouldering the KB.
Happy Weekend
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
WOD For 11-30-19:
With a Partner, For Time:
A) 6 Rounds of:
10 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
10 Air Squats
B) 1000m Row
C) 6 Rounds of:
8 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
8 Overhead Squats @ 95/65 lbs
D) 1200m Run
E) 6 Rounds of:
5 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
5 Overhead Squats @ 125/95 lbs
*For sections A, C, and E partners complete one FULL round then switch (each partner does 3 rounds for each section).
*Partners also split the row and run equally in increments of their choice.
Turkey (Track) Trot With Coach Kim!
Reminder about our Thanksgiving week holiday class schedule (click here for details).
Coach Kim will be running a holiday “Hero” WOD at the track on Thanksgiving morning, Nov 28th at 9:00am. Get outside and get a tough workout in with a bunch of Arena Ready friends before you head out to your holiday festivities. Lots of scaling options will be provided and we ask that you please sign-up for the workout in advance (just as you would for a normal class) so we know who & how many to expect on-site.
The workout will take place at CCSF Track (AKA George Rush Stadium at City College of SF) and meet up time on Thursday morning is 9:00am sharp. We will run the workout come rain or shine, so please be prepared for whatever mother nature throws our way that morning. Google map 324 Havelock Street for directions to the base of the parking lot where the group will gather before heading up to the track promptly at 9:00am!
WOD For 11-28-19:
“Bert”
For Time:
50 Burpees
400m Run
100 Push-ups
400m Run
150 Walking Lunges
400m Run
200 Air Squats
400m Run
150 Walking Lunges
400m Run
100 Push-ups
400m Run
50 Burpees
Scaling options (including a partner format for those who would like to do this one #swolemate style) and a time cap will be provided to keep volume reasonable and to maintain the intended stimulus.
21 Thanksgiving (And Other) Food Related Musings
Reminder about our Thanksgiving week holiday class schedule (click here for details).
Reminder about Thursday morning’s Thanksgiving Day WOD at the Track (click here for details).
With Thanksgiving a day away people have been asking me about this blog post from years past, especially given the QoD discussions surrounding holiday season foods. So here it is in its original & un-changed form, complete with "2015 domoic acid crab season crisis" and "is Jon Snow actually dead?!" references and all... Bon Appétit!
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Arena Ready.
That's code for "my wife is going to kill me for posting this many negative opinions." Enjoy!
Last week at the gym many of us talked about some Thanksgiving meal likes and dislikes, and it got me to thinking... eh, who are we kidding, I think (and talk) about food all the time, as you all know. Growing up in San Francisco, and being from a multi-cultural family, Thanksgiving at our house usually meant (among other things, including the standard Turkey Day fare) Dungeness crab. Like, almost literally, a ton of Dungeness crab - as in my Filipino mother wheels-in two coolers full, like we're prepping to hibernate for the winter and have to stuff ourselves like Mr. Creosote (don't click on that bad boy unless you like Monty Python, lest you be offended... or worse, lose your own lunch).
Sadly this year, due to the toxic algae bloom that has made Bay Area headlines for weeks, there will be no Dungeness on the table for me to fatten-up on before Jon Snow comes back to life and Winter arrives. The absence of my favorite seasonal food prompted me to jot down some current thoughts on culinary opinions (i.e. realities) in the "world according to moi."
Some may read this and think, man this guy is a jackass. In some cases I would not disagree. But as many of you at Arena Ready know, I state these with tongue firmly in cheek and will happily debate any or all of them with you while we laugh about it in good humor.
Funny thing is, I'm not a picky eater whatsoever. My dear wife will tell you that I'd eat (or at least try) just about anything - she likes to say that if we were on Survivor, The Amazing Race, or Fear Factor together she'd want me there specifically to clean house on the challenges that involve eating bugs and cow brains, etc. I enjoy haute cuisine and street food, healthy fare and crappy processed garbage (not that I eat much of the latter), and everything in-between.
"So why so many strong opinions?" you may ask. I don't know exactly. Maybe I just like the heated & humorous conversation it starts with you all in the gym. I like spending my time coaching and hanging out with you guys and gals, and I really like when you argue with me over asinine stuff that I ramble on about. So, without further ado (like my eggcorn avoidance there, Margaret?), here you go...
1) If you're from the East Coast and want to argue with me about how much better Blue crab tastes than Dungeness crab, but you eat said Blue crab caked in Old Bay Seasoning, then how in the world do you even know what that Blue crab tastes like?
[I'll admit, that was an aggressive start.]
2) Non-dairy ice cream and sweet potato fries are to real ice cream and white potato fries in the same way that regular athletic shoes are to weightlifting shoes. The former are just fine and get the job done fairly well, but then you have the latter and think to yourself OMG WHAT THE HELL HAVE I BEEN DOING WITH MY LIFE?!
3a) Goat cheese is on the list of what I like to call "societal pressure edibles." By my approximation, nearly half of the people that claim to like/love goat cheese are simply faking it. But the risk of falling out of favor with a set of strategic acquaintances or aspirational friends is far too high to play the honesty card. It's cool, I get it.
3b) Goat cheese tastes like cellophane dipped in someone's post-workout B.O. (side note: this is why I have no friends).
4) Persimmons taste like soap.
5) I know grass-fed beef is supposed to be better for me, but holy crap sometimes it tastes like it's rancid.
6a) If we're at Patxi's together eating pizza, and you ask the server for a side of ranch dressing, I will not judge you. In fact, I will likely tell him/her to make it two, please.
6b) I order the gluten-free crust at Patxi's because it actually tastes better, not because I'm trying to be a hipster with self-diagnosed celiac disease.
7) If you're an adult male working in the Financial District, and you find yourself lining up to get a FroYo at one of those trendy, high-end yogurt places, be aware that when you hand the cashier your frequent customer punchcard an invisible little fairy simultaneously (and very gently) removes your man card from the back pocket of your dress slacks.
8) If you eat Skittles fast enough they get spicy.
9) Enough with the Scriracha already.
10) I like every single ingredient in a Bloody Mary but I don't like Bloody Marys.
11) Excessive and/or creative use of rosemary can render a perfectly delicious dish completely inedible.
12) People like to state, "If you order a steak well done it's like saying 'please give me the worst piece of meat you have, my good man.'" Similarly, if you order "spicy tuna" anything it's like asking for the leftover bits of crappy maguro drenched in Sriracha (see also #9 above).
13) If you're super aggressive about telling people how spicy you like your food (usually accompanied by antagonizing others at the table about how lame/bland/weak they are because they're not also floating their chicken in Frank's RedHot), I'd like you to know ,"We got it, Hoss. Message received. Loud and clear." Just like your MMA t-shirts and your kick-ass lifted truck... trust me, we all noticed. Please stop yelling at the table, I'm right here next to you and you can speak in a normal inside voice. I'm pretty sure everyone in the restaurant knows you're here and no one's gonna mess with you.
14) Pickles are the edible universal bond that unites us all. Every cuisine has their version and applications. If someone doesn't like pickles they're like someone who doesn't like dogs (or deadlifts)... not to be trusted.
15) If you like catfish then you like the taste of mud in your mouth. Unless you only like it when it's fried. Then, yes, of course it's delicious.
16) I'm happy that many folks have recently pledged their love for bacon and doughnuts. Like, REALLY pledged their love. Incessantly. On social media. On t-shirts. At their gym. Hey, I'm not arguing with you, both of those things are delicious... but man, they've been around forever, so let's chill out a little on the daily dramatic professions of Instagram adoration, as if these are new discoveries in culinary science. Many of us have been eating both of these items all our lives and were quite aware of how good they were the entire time... so welcome to the party, I guess.
16) I don't know a single person who doesn't like a refreshing slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. Scratch that, Coach Alyssa hates watermelon (WTF?).
17) If you're at an ethnic restaurant (and it's not of your own ethnicity) and you insist on speaking to the servers in their native language, but they continue to speak back to you in English, then let's never hang out.
18) If you order anything "Benedict" at a restaurant then I consider you either a very trusting person or a really big risk taker - both are qualities that I aspire to myself, so either is a compliment really (a compliment rooted in jealousy that I cannot do the same). Because while I agree that Hollandaise sauce is delicious, I have no faith whatsoever that any restaurant can keep Hollandaise at the correct temperature and ensure that it's not a petri dish of hectic kitchen bacteria.
19) I can't accept food or snacks if you hand it to me with your bare hands. Don't take it personally. I know, I have problems. But I've been too traumatized by the overwhelming majority of humanity that seems to think the soap and water in a restroom are just there for interior design, like a vase and nonfunctioning fireplace of sorts.
20) When someone tells me they've never been on a vacation cruise before and they're wondering what it's like, I ask them if they've ever eaten at The Olive Garden. If they say yes, I tell them "Imagine eating at The Olive Garden every day for seven days in a row. With complete strangers. And they're all dressed up in weirdly fancy suits like the handlers on the Westminster National Dog Show. And you have to smile and pretend like you're enjoying the Chef's previously frozen sodium cheesy Chicken Alfredo like the guy next to you who's asking for thirds. Yeah, it's pretty much like that."
[And finally, let's end on a positive note to tie it all back to fitness.]
21) Think of fitness as food (click for more on that topic).
WOD For 11-27-19:
Alternating EMOM For 12 Rounds (24 Minutes):
ODD MINUTE: 2 Snatches
EVEN MINUTE: 5 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
Warm-up to a moderate starting weight and then climb every 4 rounds on the snatch loading.
Prioritize explosive power and a high, stable landing position on the box jumps… NOT speeding through to complete the reps as fast as possible (it’s only 5 at a time!).
The idea here is technical consistency on the barbell with a measured and focused effort on your snatch technique… with just an “ever-so-slightly” elevated heart rate (not a crazy level of fatigue or heavy breathing) thanks to low-ish volume jumps with prioritization on explosive power.