Vanquish Newsletter September 15, 2025
Steve Jarecki • September 16, 2025
Vanquish Newsletter
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
– Robert Collier
Weekly Training Overview – September 15th to 22nd
Theme of the Week: “Workout Bangers” πΆ
Week 6 of our training cycle is here, and it’s loaded with powerful barbell lifts, midline endurance work, and aerobic conditioning pieces that push the pace while staying sustainable. We’re building momentum as we head toward our final two weeks before testing — get ready to feel stronger, faster, and fitter every day.
What’s Ahead:
- Monday (9/15) – We kick off with a Power Clean progression leading into a posterior chain chipper: rowing, cleans, and box jump overs to fire up speed and explosiveness.
- Tuesday (9/16) – Push Press strength waves into an upper body density AMRAP featuring strict pull-ups, push-ups, and kettlebell swings. Expect a big pump!
- Wednesday (9/17) – Heavy back squats paired with a grip + core EMOM that cycles through toes-to-bar, lunges, bike, and double-unders.
- Thursday (9/18) – A Row + Run threshold retest (from September 2022) designed to sharpen your pacing, endurance, and mental grit.
- Friday (9/19) – Deadlifts for strength, followed by a spicy AMRAP combining posterior chain work with a wall walk + handstand push-up complex.
- Saturday (9/20) – Grab a partner for a grind-style triplet: wall balls, pull-ups, and farmers carries. Shared volume, shared sweat, shared victory.
- Sunday (9/21) – The 40:00 EMOM returns, built around machines and midline stamina for long, steady output.
Every day brings a new challenge with a clear purpose — whether it’s building strength, improving endurance, or testing skill under fatigue.
π Show up, bring the energy, and let’s crush this week together!
Did You Know? π
Your Vanquish membership includes more than just the daily class workout! In addition to our 7-day class programming, you also have access to training tracks designed to meet every goal:
- Competitor Track (5x/week) – extra work for athletes training for competitions.
- Olympic Barbell (3x/week) – snatch + clean & jerk strength + technique.
- Gymnastics + Strength (5x/week) – powerlifting + bodyweight skill progressions.
- Endurance (3x/week) – aerobic training to build stamina.
We also scale class workouts for Level 1 (beginners), Level 2 (intermediate), Masters 55+, Competitors,
and even offer Travel Options
when you’re on the road. β
All of these tracks are included and available to you—no add-ons, no extra cost.
Ask a coach which ones fit your goals!
Why We’re Big on Creatine π§ πͺ
If you’ve been around Vanquish long enough, you know we’ve been touting the benefits of creatine — and for good reason. Most people think of it only as a supplement for building strength and power, but its impact goes way beyond the barbell.
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, host of the Huberman Lab podcast, has been one of the most vocal advocates of creatine, not just for performance in the gym, but for what it can do for your brain and mindset.
In a recent deep dive,
Huberman highlighted creatine’s ability to:
- Boost mood and motivation
- Support cognitive performance
- Enhance overall brain function
So whether you’re chasing a new PR, fighting through a long day at work, or just trying to stay sharp and energized, creatine isn’t just about muscle — it’s about fueling your body and brain. π₯ This is why we’re fans, and why you’ll keep hearing us talk about it inside the gym.
Innovate Sports Medicine
The ability to work through a full range of motion pain-free is critical to maximizing your results in the gym and living a healthy, active lifestyle! Our on-site Athletic Trainer & Gym Manager, Lara, will assess and treat the aches, pains, and injuries keeping you from reaching your full potential, while guiding you through the process every step of the way.
Are you struggling with some aches and pains?
Read the October 12th newsletter on strength tests, workouts, and health insights. Join us to enhance your fitness journey today!
Focus on deload week workouts to enhance skills & reduce fatigue. Join us for a free intro to start your fitness journey!
Read the latest Vanquish Newsletter on Week 7 of Hercules training. Join us for group & personal training to enhance your fitness journey!
Read our September newsletter on empowering girls in sports & strategic training. Join us for a free intro session today!
“You can’t be afraid of failure. You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed.” - Geno Auriemma βHercules 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. βπ§ 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! βWhat’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. πͺ MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. π₯
Read about our weekly workouts, including a 9/11 tribute. Join us to embrace challenges & build your fitness plan today!
“You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.” - Dolly Parton βπ§ 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. π§ πͺ βπ§ 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! βπΊπΈ 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! πͺ β 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. πͺ MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH LARA ο»Ώ β Show up. Put in the work. Let’s go. π₯
“Train for the life you want to live.”
“Hercules didn’t become strong by accident. Neither will you.”
“There’s no crying in baseball!”
