Vanquish Newsletter June 9, 2026

Steve Jarecki • June 9, 2026

“Every setback is just data for the next attempt.”

Achilles Cycle – Week 2: Game On

Week 2 of the Achilles Cycle is here, and we’re turning up the energy with a World Cup-inspired theme. This week is all about bringing intensity, variety, and a competitive edge into each class—challenging you across every aspect of fitness.


You’ll see a wide range of workouts designed to test different energy systems. From short, fast sprints to longer aerobic efforts, from lifting heavier loads to building stamina over time, each day has a purpose. The goal isn’t just to “win” the workout—it’s to prepare your body to perform well across the board.


What to Expect This Week:

  • Monday: Upper body strength paired with a higher-skill conditioning piece that challenges coordination and control under fatigue.
  • Tuesday: Front squat volume combined with a leg-focused conditioning workout inspired by the CrossFit Open.
  • Wednesday: A lower-intensity strength stamina day focused on building strong, sustainable positions.
  • Thursday: A longer aerobic workout featuring the Echo Bike, running, and burpee box jump overs.
  • Friday: Snatch complex work followed by a fast-paced couplet that rewards consistency under load.
  • Saturday: A partner workout inspired by the Hero workout “Gaza,” emphasizing teamwork, pacing, and communication.
  • Sunday: A 40-minute EMOM focused on sustained effort and consistency.


Let’s bring the energy, support each other, and have some fun with the competitive spirit this week.


THE VANQUISH GAUNTLET IS COMING πŸ’₯

Grab a partner and get ready to throw down in our in-house summer competition.


Details:
• πŸ“… Date: July 25
• ⏰ Time: 8:00 AM start
• πŸ‘―‍♀️ Teams: Partner competition
• πŸ”₯ Workouts: Released as we get closer


Expect high energy, great vibes, and a chance to test your fitness alongside your community.


Lock in your partner and sign up today.

Stronger at Any Age

A recent study on strength training in older adults reinforces something we believe deeply: it’s never too late to get stronger.

While older individuals may not build strength at the exact same rate as younger athletes, they still make meaningful progress—and a lot of that progress comes from the nervous system. Improvements in coordination, muscle recruitment, and overall efficiency allow the body to use existing strength more effectively.


In simple terms, getting stronger isn’t just about building more muscle. It’s also about your brain and body learning to work together better—and that ability can improve at any age.


This is why we don’t subscribe to the idea that weakness is just a normal part of aging, or that people should take it easy simply because they’re older. The research tells a different story. With the right coaching, progressive loading, and appropriate challenges, the body adapts and responds.

Strength is something you can build and maintain for life—and we’re here to help you do exactly that.


Don’t Train Around It—Fix It and Keep Moving

That nagging shoulder. Those cranky knees. Tight hips that just won’t loosen up.


Sound familiar?


Good news—you don’t have to just “deal with it.”


At Innovate Sports Medicine, Lara (your on-site Athletic Trainer + Gym Manager) will figure out what’s actually going on, treat the issue, and give you a clear, simple plan so you can keep training instead of sitting out.


This isn’t about quick patches or guessing games. It’s about real answers, smart treatment, and keeping you in the gym doing what you love.

If something’s been bothering you, now’s the time to handle it πŸ’ͺ

ο»Ώ

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA

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“You can’t be afraid of failure. You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed.” - Geno Auriemma β€ŠHercules Week 4: Familiarity With a Twist This week might feel a little familiar — and that’s intentional. You’ll see workouts that borrow from past experiences, with a few twists along the way. Repetition builds recognition, and recognition builds confidence under fatigue. Expect muscular endurance, midline work, mixed-modal conditioning, grip challenges, and plenty of opportunities to practice pacing and repeatable effort. Monday — Echo: Speed deadlifts followed by pull-ups and Echo Bike intervals. Tuesday — Jamais Vu: Front and back squat work followed by a descending ladder of kettlebell thrusters and burpees. Wednesday — Doppelganger: Two 12-minute pieces featuring running, rowing, GHD/V-ups, kettlebell swings, sit-ups, and dumbbell snatches. Thursday — Identity Crisis: Push press and push jerk work followed by bench press, double unders, and farmers carries. Friday — 9/11: A 2001m row buy-in followed by nine rounds of eleven reps. A workout built around remembrance and resilience. Saturday — Familiar Stranger: A two-person waterfall workout featuring running, hang power snatches, and back-rack step-ups. Sunday — Double Take: A 30-minute strength EMOM featuring bench press, sandbags, rows, carries, and planks. The Challenge Pick your number. Then hold yourself to it. This week isn’t about going out too hot. It’s about knowing what you can sustain, sticking to the plan, and owning the result. Set the plan. Trust the plan. Own the score. β€ŠπŸš§ Brookfield Road Construction Update Starting September 3, Brookfield Road will be closed to through traffic for approximately 2.5 weeks. Vanquish will remain accessible, but you’ll need to approach the gym from the south during this phase of construction. Please follow posted detour signs and flaggers and allow a few extra minutes for possible delays. Thanks for your patience! β€ŠWhat’s On Our Watchlist? The Dynasty: UConn Huskies . Apple TV’s The Dynasty: UConn Huskies takes a look at one of the most successful programs in women’s college basketball. But what stood out to us wasn’t just the championships. It was the standards. UConn didn’t become UConn because they discovered a secret training method. They built a culture where excellence was expected , and then passed that expectation from one group of athletes to the next. Geno Auriemma’s coaching style is demanding and, at times, confrontational. But the bigger lesson isn’t that everyone needs to coach like Geno. In fact, coaches like UCLA’s Cori Close show that you can have incredibly high standards while leading in a very different way. The important part is not lowering the standard just because the approach changes. Listen to players like Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, and Paige Bueckers talk about their experiences, and you hear the same theme: they weren’t looking for comfort. They wanted to find out how good they could become. That’s something we can all take from. At Vanquish, we believe training should challenge you, support you, and help you become better than you were yesterday. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s showing up, doing the work, and continuing to raise the standard. Great cultures don’t happen by accident. They’re built one workout, one rep, and one expectation at a time. STOP TRAINING AROUND PAIN. FIX IT. ο»Ώ That shoulder that won’t quiet down. Knees that hate squats. Hips that feel locked no matter how much you stretch. You don’t have to work around it anymore. At Innovate Sports Medicine, Lara (your on-site Athletic Trainer + Gym Manager) will pinpoint the real issue, treat it, and give you a clear plan to keep training—without guessing or sitting on the sidelines. No band-aids. No fluff. Just real answers and real progress. If it’s been bothering you, it’s time to handle it. πŸ’ͺ MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. πŸ’₯
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“You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.” - Dolly Parton β€ŠπŸ§  Hercules Week 3: The Mandela Effect Things may look familiar this week… but don’t trust your memory. Week 3 is all about The Mandela Effect —when we collectively remember something that never actually happened. Each workout takes something recognizable and adds a twist, flips the script, or sends you in a different direction. Expect power snatches, toes-to-bar, burpees, wall balls, double-unders, strict handstand push-ups, deadlifts, bench press, back squats, running, and plenty of barbell work. The big focus this week? Pacing and execution. A workout may look familiar, but the demands are different, so don’t let your memory dictate your pace. Coaches will help you spot the difference during the whiteboard brief. Listen for what’s changed, understand the intended stimulus, and attack the workout that’s actually in front of you—not the one you think you remember. 🧠πŸ’ͺ β€ŠπŸš§ Brookfield Road Construction Update Starting September 3 , Brookfield Road will be closed to through traffic for approximately 2.5 weeks. Vanquish will remain accessible , but you’ll need to approach the gym from the south during this phase of construction. Please follow posted detour signs and flaggers and allow a few extra minutes for possible delays. Thanks for your patience! β€ŠπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Labor Day Schedule We’re keeping things simple this Labor Day! There will be no regularly scheduled classes , but we’ll have one all-levels class at 8:00 AM for anyone looking to get their holiday workout in. Open Gym will remain available 24/7 as usual, so you can train on your own schedule. Enjoy the holiday! πŸ’ͺ β€Š STOP TRAINING AROUND PAIN. FIX IT. That shoulder that won’t quiet down. Knees that hate squats. Hips that feel locked no matter how much you stretch. You don’t have to work around it anymore. At Innovate Sports Medicine, Lara (your on-site Athletic Trainer + Gym Manager) will pinpoint the real issue, treat it, and give you a clear plan to keep training—without guessing or sitting on the sidelines. No band-aids. No fluff. Just real answers and real progress. If it’s been bothering you, it’s time to handle it. πŸ’ͺ MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA ο»Ώ β€Š Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. πŸ’₯
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