Vanquish Newsletter May 12, 2026

Steve Jarecki • May 12, 2026

Vanquish Newsletter

“You have to show up for yourself every single day.”

— Alex Morgan

Medusa Cycle – Week 9: Game On ⚡️

Week 9 is here, and it brings a fun Pokémon-inspired theme with it—but don’t be fooled, this is where things get real. This week is designed to showcase everything you’ve been building over the past nine weeks. You’ll see a blend of heavy barbell work, aerobic conditioning, gymnastics, and accessory training—all coming together to challenge every energy system.


The goal? Put your fitness to the test. Lean into the intensity, stay sharp with your technique (especially when fatigue sets in), and trust the work you’ve been putting in. This is your time to show what you’re capable of.


Here’s what to expect:

  • Monday: Kick things off with a hang snatch complex, followed by a high-intensity workout that tests your barbell cycling under fatigue.
  • Tuesday: Upper body strength with bench press, paired with a Murph-style workout that rewards smart pacing and muscular endurance.
  • Wednesday: A classic—Annie—combined with deadlift work to build power and efficiency.
  • Thursday: A longer aerobic day with running, carries, and holds to keep you moving while allowing for active recovery.
  • Friday: Back to the barbell with squats and a challenging interval workout on the rower.
  • Saturday: Partner day! Expect rope climbs, teamwork, and a longer AMRAP that tests stamina and coordination.
  • Sunday: Finish strong with step-ups and a cycling interval focused on leg endurance and posterior chain strength.


This week is about effort and execution. Bring the energy, support your community, and embrace the challenge. Let’s see what you’ve built. 💪

🇺🇸 MURPH IS COMING — CLAIM YOUR HEAT 🇺🇸

One of the biggest, most electric days of the year at Vanquish is almost here—and now it’s time to lock in your spot. Grab your crew, sign up in Wodify, and get ready to throw down.


📅 5/25
⏰ Heats at 7, 8, and 9am (reserve your spot in Wodify now)
👧 Kids Heat at 10am


🔥 All levels welcome — Murph is meant to be shared. Scale as needed and show up ready to give your best.


👨‍👩‍👧 Parents: Sign your kids up using the link and be sure to complete the waiver (included in the form).


🥗 Potluck to follow — bring something, hang out, and celebrate with the community


Big energy. Big effort. Big community.
Let’s pack the house 💪

The Recovery Mantra We Live By

If you’ve spent any time around our coaching team, you’ve probably heard this from our in-house Athletic Trainer and Head Coach, Lara:


“Injury doesn’t—and shouldn’t—stop training.”


It’s not just something we say. It’s how we coach, how we modify, and how we keep you moving forward no matter what life throws at you.

Injuries happen. That’s part of being an athlete. But hitting pause on everything? That’s not the approach here. Instead, we shift the question from “Can I train?” to “What CAN I train?”


Tweaked your knee? We’re building upper body strength.
Dealing with a shoulder issue? Your legs are still ready to work.
Limited movement? We find a way—because there’s almost always something you can do.


This mindset isn’t just about maintaining fitness—it’s about staying connected. To your routine. To your progress. To your people. Showing up, even in a modified way, keeps momentum on your side and supports your mental game just as much as your physical one.


Research backs this up: injuries don’t just affect the body—they impact your mindset, your motivation, and your overall well-being. Staying active (in the right way) plays a huge role in recovery on all fronts.


You’re not meant to be sidelined—you’re meant to be supported. Through smart training, intentional modifications, and guidance every step of the way.


So next time something feels off, don’t count yourself out.
Show up. Adjust. Keep going.


Because progress doesn’t stop—it just adapts. 💪


  Fix What’s Holding You Back

Got a nagging shoulder, cranky knees, or tight hips?


At Innovate Sports Medicine, Lara (your on-site Athletic Trainer + Gym Manager) will assess what’s going on, treat it, and give you a simple plan to keep training—not sit out.


No quick fixes. Just real solutions that keep you moving.


If something’s been bugging you, let’s take care of it 💪


MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA

Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. 💥

Lime-green kettlebell icon above a thin horizontal line on a white background
Rows of black dumbbells on a gym rack, close-up view.
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“You can’t be afraid of failure. You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed.” - Geno Auriemma  Hercules 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.  🚧 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!  What’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.  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. 💪 MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. 💥
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“You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.” - Dolly Parton  🧠 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. 🧠💪  🚧 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!  🇺🇸 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! 💪   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. 💪 MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA    Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. 💥
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