REMINDER about our upcoming holiday schedule for July 4th & 5th (click for details).

Here's a great Wednesday QoD, and a favorite from the past: "What popular movie that people always talk about/reference/quote have you NEVER seen?"

In years past this QoD really sparked some discussion and friendly exasperation - particularly in the private Arena Ready Facebook group, where the 2017 thread on the topic had well over 150 comments/replies.  As it turns out some of you HAVE NEVER SEEN THE MOVIE TOP GUN AND HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!  I mean, Coach Lisa even streamed the movie at her wedding reception - yeah, that's right, she streamed it on the walls of Foreign Cinema for all of her wonderful guests to enjoy as modern cinematic art while they celebrated her big day.  BECAUSE IT'S TOP FREAKING GUN.

July 3rd is, rather conveniently, one Tom Cruise's 57th birthday - or so the Operating Thetans would have us believe. And so, for every class on Wednesday, we'll be listening to Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins on the gym speakers and playing this clip on loop in the background:

You're welcome.  

And Happy Birthday, Tom.  May your sequel be fruitful and your Operating Thetan level be 8 (AKA OT VIII) soon enough.  

As for Wednesday's WOD it doesn't get more simple than this - and often the simple movement combos are the most challenging.  As a compliment to Monday's meaty HSPU and hip-hinge AMRAP and Thursday's upcoming hero WOD, it will be interesting on Wednesday to see if any athletes can hold 33+ and 8+, respectively, on this alternating double trouble Tabata (particularly after some heavy back squat triples)... 

WOD FOR 07-03-19:

Every 2 Minutes For 7 Rounds (14 Minutes):

3 Back Squats

Start at a challenging weight and either make small increases each round (or every few rounds) OR stay at a weight for multiple rounds.

If possible add to your loading from last week 06-26-19.

-then-

Alternating Double Tabata:

Double Unders

Burpees

Unlike Monday's hollow rocks, score this by the LOWEST rep round for both of the movements.

(Compare to 07-03-18, 04-12-13) 

It was quite a rush to be back out in the arena alongside current firebreathers and a few old friends as well this past weekend at the Northern California Classic in Sacramento!

As Rob said yesterday, Coach Kim was amazing. The first night she won an event with burpees and deadlifts working up to 155 lbs, and a few minutes later followed that up with an event win involving rope climbs and berm runs. Saturday morning she woke up and won a 5k, then won a chipper involving her first ever experience with an Assault bike, conquered her double under nemesis, threw in a few box jumps for good measure, then did 30 toes to rings (never having done them before) and still had time to complete 6 muscle ups, finally getting to show off a skill she’s spent a lot of time perfecting.

Having won four out of the first four events, she was sitting pretty in the lead as she went into the second half of the weekend, but stayed calm and collected to approach each event with the same level of grace, grit and determination we all have the fortune to witness day in and day out. She closed out Saturday by nearly tying her clean PR (despite being required to take a 10 pound jump to get there), and finished in 5th place. Sunday morning she woke up to a chipper involving a heavy sandbag and kettlebell carry, sandbags over the shoulder, burpee wall climbs well above her head (she was pleased she could reach!), and finishing with handstand walk. Despite none of this particularly being in her wheelhouse she stayed calm, did what she could, and managed to tie for second. Then, she had the opportunity to face a goat paired with a strength in the form of “Death By” 14 pound wall balls to a 10 foot target, and pull-ups. She did the wall balls in strong sets, and the pull-ups unbroken and managed to get through 15 wall balls in the round of 15, finishing 3rd. In the final event, she sprinted 36 calories on the assault bike, and did 16 dumbbell snatches all in 2:33 which i found incredibly impressive. Again finished in 3, but the placing was practically irrelevant given the complete grit she showed.

She tied for 2 in points, and although they announced her as the third place finisher we’re pretty sure she finished 2nd based on a tie break of more top finishes than the woman she tied with. But either way, a podium finish and quite a few victories in a field including a woman who will be competing at the Games this summer for the third time.

Guys - you train with a superhero day in and day out. We’re lucky to have her in our community. She may be mini, but she’s a force to be reckoned with, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.

As for me… it was an honor to be back out there on the floor as a member of the Northern California Original Elite Team. I’ve spent so much of my life out there, or training to be out there, so to be able to be back in an elite field, on a team of incredibly talented, humble and kind athletes (Katie Hogan, Troy Stinson and Dusty Sulon), alongside OG friends like CrossFit 209 was really special. As the parents out there know, it’s quite an ordeal to even just train consistently with a little one (particularly one who makes a habit of partying all night), and it’s been an adventure to figure out how fast to try to make a come back given the transition my body has been through. Thank you to all of you who’ve asked me about the training, who’ve encouraged me to get back out there, and who’ve given me votes of confidence. Competing is part of my soul, and being able to do it again was a great joy.

As for my performance, I’ll give you the brief highlights from my perspective:

• Event 1 - I’m not very fast at synchro burpees, but I can still deadlift 225 pretty fast!

• Event 2 - I can still legless rope climb, and so can Katie! But man running stairs is tiring.

• Event 3 - My muscle memory still thinks I can run a 5k kind of fast. My side ache disagreed.

• Event 4 - My team was so good at muscle ups they did 100 before I had time to finish the 4th leg of the chipper part of the workout (as I was carefully saving my energy to contribute to the muscle ups). Turns out 30 squishy box jump overs for time is a great way to make your legs burn. A lot.

• Event 5 - I SQUAT CLEANED 225 and so did Katie! We both cleared the ladder! I haven’t even front squatted 225 recently, so that was a pretty cool moment of digging into my athlete soul and pulling out a performance my team needed from me.

• Event 6 - I handstand walked nearly 150 feet kinda fast!!!!!!!

• Event 7 - I did a lot of static hanging without dropping off the bar early or even getting angry at anyone. And I HATE static hanging. HATE.

• Event 8 - We crushed! Dusty predicted for our team, despite 32 70 & 100 pound dumbbell snatches this workout would come down to our time to complete 170 Assault bike calories. So, we sprinted so hard on the Assault bike and managed to finish 3 overall, our top finish of the weekend. Leaderboard says 1, but that’s a bit of a typo.

We finished in 6 place overall. Not bad considering three of us became masters somehow since the last time we competed, we’re all parents, and we’re training mostly just to not suck at life. And wow, the level of the field and the caliber of the competition was amazing. Anyone wanting to do a fun competition should definitely consider this one next year (but bring sunscreen!)

WOD for 07-02-2019:

Hang Power Snatch:
3-3-3-3-3

-then-

For Time (12 Min Cap):

21-15-9

Wall Ball @ 20/14 lbs. to 10/9 ft.
Front Rack Lunge @ 75/55 lbs.
Hang Power Snatch @ 75/55 lbs.

We’re just back from a LONG weekend of fitness in the SWELTERING HEAT, so more thoughts coming in tomorrow’s post… but for now, a HUGE CONGRATS to Coach Kim for her 2nd place podium finish at the 2019 NorCal Classic! With four event wins over three days of competition she made a few of the fittest masters athletes around chase her down like the fire-breather we all know her to be — great freakin’ job, Kim!

REMINDER about our upcoming holiday schedule for July 4th & 5th (click for details).

WOD For 07-01-19:

AMRAP 17 Minutes:

17/13 Calorie Row, Ski, or Assault Bike

17 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in

17 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs

17 Handstand Push-ups

I sometimes get the question from folks doing the workouts from afar with different equipment - "Do I do 17/13 calories on an AirDyne Bike as well?"  The answer is no, if you're using an AirDyne then do 26/20 calories instead (if you're ever unsure you can always multiply by 1.5 and then round up).

If you cannot do 17 handstand push-ups in 3 sets or less then consider scaling HSPU reps to 13 per round.

-then-

Tabata:

Hollow Rocks

Today we will score this by TOTAL reps (not your lowest rep round).

Good luck to Coach Kim and Coach Sarah this weekend at the 3-day NorCal Classic Competition in Sacramento! Click here for some of the details and stay tuned to the private Arena Ready Facebook group for updates on the events throughout the weekend.

ALSO, please note our upcoming holiday schedule for the 4th of July and weekend thereafter:

Monday through Wednesday (July 1st - 3rd):

Normal Class Schedule

Thursday (July 4th):

Holiday WOD Classes at 9:15am and 10:30am

Friday (July 5th):

Gym Closed — PG&E and Cahill Construction will be shutting off the power the entire day due to the work in the area to connect the new adjacent building to the power grid.

Saturday & Sunday (July 6th - 7th):

Normal Class Schedule

With that out of the way, how ‘bout an action-packed Sweaty Saturday Team WOD classic?!

WOD FOR 06-29-18:

In Teams of THREE Against a 24-Minute Clock:

A) First Complete...

3000m Row (MUST switch every 500m)

200 Med Ball Sit-ups @ 20/14 lbs

100 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups

One athlete rowing while the other two athletes share the sit-ups & pull-ups with only one person working at a time -- sit-up & pull-up reps do not have to be evenly split and the two movements may be intermixed and partitioned in any fashion. The team must switch who is rowing at every 500m increment.  

B) Then AMRAP of...

3 Power Cleans @ 185/125 lbs

6 Lateral Bar Burpees

9 Med Ball Squats @ 20/14 lbs

One athlete working at a time to complete a FULL round before switching.  The team's score is Rounds + Reps completed of the AMRAP.

Tomorrow Coach Kim and Coach Sarah will head to Sacramento to compete in the Women’s 50-54 and Elite Team Categories at the Northern California Classic competition. This will be the inaugural year for the event, but it’s looking like it’s going to be a big production!

Aside from an 8am 5k Saturday morning, no events have been announced yet, but we see some walls, ropes and big dumbbells in the instagram stories people are posting, so it should be an adventure! At least a couple things our athletes like!

You can find out nearly everything you’d need to know from the event website here. Kim is in Heat 17. Sarah’s team name is “Northern California Originals” and she’s paired up with Katie Hogan, Troy Stinson and Dusty Sulon. They’re heat 26.

We’ll try to keep you updated on Facebook, and if we get information about a live feed we’ll post that as well. Please wish them luck!

WOD For 06-28-19:

Every 90 Seconds For 20 Rounds (30 Minutes):

Squat Clean + Front Squat + Jerk

*Use FOUR Weights:

ROUNDS 1-5: Light (50-60% of 1RM C&J)

ROUNDS 6-10: Moderate (60-70%)

ROUNDS 11-15: Moderate-Heavy (70-80%)

ROUNDS 16-20: Heavy BUT NOT Max (80-90%)

I hear there was some blog-inspired racing on Wednesday, despite some alleged cherry picking from those who aren’t Karen’s biggest fan. Nice job blog readers!

On Thursday you’ll have a “guest” coach at 12, 4, and 5pm. A throwback, if you will. Be kind to him!

WOD for 06-27-19:

“AR’s Aerobic Animal”

5 Rounds for Time:
400m Row or Ski (or 25/17 cal bike)
30 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs.
20M Handstand Walk

Will anyone beat Coach LGB’s gym record of 8:52?

WOD for 06-26-19:

Every 2 Mintutes for 7 Rounds:
3 Back Squat, Climbing as technique allows

-then-

AR’s Cool Karen (10 Min Cap):
150 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs. to 10/9’ Target*

*Complete 20 Double Unders at the Top of Each Minute, and every minute thereafter

WOD for 06-25-19:

Alternating EMOM 6 Rounds:
Snatch Pull + Hang Power Snatch + Power Snatch
Gymnastics Complex**

*Climbing, as technique allows
** Round 1: 3-6 Kip Swings, Round 2: 3-6 Kipping Pull-Ups, Round 3: 3-6 Kipping Chest-to- Bar, Round 4: 3 Bar Muscle Up

-then-

3 Rounds for Time:
7 Bar Muscle Up
14 Power Snatch @ 115/80 lbs.
21/16 Calorie Row

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.

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.

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)

(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