CrossFit Santa Cruz

Bar work

Kai working the bar

The pull up can be simply defined and easily measured. Arms locked out at the bottom, chin over the bar. There are multiple ways of doing this, the strict pull up, the more efficient gymnastics kip, and even more recently used, the butterfly kip. Learning multiple ways of achieving the simple requirements of locked arms and chin height, can be a great tool in improving our fitness.

Can you kip in the three ways described above? How would you describe your kip?
Have you ever heard of the frog kip?

Workout: The Asster Blasster
1 mile bike sprint; level 20
85 pound DB Deadlift; 21 reps
35 pound DB walking lunge; 21 steps
35 pound BD Thruster; 21 reps
.75 mile bike sprint; level 20
85 pound DB Deadlift; 15 reps
35 pound DB walking lunge; 15 steps
35 pound BD Thruster; 15 reps
.5 mile bike sprint; level 20
85 pound DB Deadlift; 9 reps
35 pound DB walking lunge; 9 steps
35 pound BD Thruster; 9 reps
This workout was originally given by Brenden Gilliam
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Burpee Challange: 49 Burpees.

Conquering Lion

Jacob

This week marks the end of August. Coming this September we are going to start hosting Community Night. Have you ever wanted to show your family or friends what CrossFit is all about? Now is your chance. Every Thursday night in September we will allow anyone and everyone to join us for either our 5, 6, or 7pm classes. NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.

These classes will run just as any other class. All workouts will be scaled for ability, even the most seasoned athletes will be challenged.

Workout:
5 rounds of
95 pound Shoulder Press, max reps
Rope ascent, max reps
Rest 3 minutes
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Burpee Challange: 48 Burpees Today

Quality before quantity

Annabell striving for completion

The end points of a movement are a prime concern. Chin over the bar, hips below the knee, active shoulders. Cheating range of motion for the sake of speed, does not serve us well. Some have argued that the little details don't matter, that intensity is everything. CFSC believes in virtuosity. Maximum Intensity is only achievable through quality movement.

Read this article and post thoughts to comments.

Workout: Partner Up
Athlete A: Run 400 meters then tag athlete B
Athlete B: 15 Thrusters then tag athlete A
Athlete A: 15 Pull Ups then tag athlete B
Athlete B: 400 meter run then tag athlete A
continue for twenty minutes
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Burpee Challenge: 47 Burpees

Don't Try This At Home Kids

Colin, our resident gymnast

In the philosophy of CrossFit, there is no final destination. A true CrossFitter never 'arrives' at a level of fitness. CrossFit is a continuous and unending journey that we embark on. No matter what we achieve, there is always MORE to strive for. More weight, more reps, faster times, harder skills... It is a lesson in patience and in perseverance to anyone who is willing to show up. We set attainable goals and work towards achieving them to measure our progress. With discipline (showing up), practice and patience, something that seemed so far from doable at one time can become an achievable goal. Maybe a kipping pull-up is your achievable goal... or a muscle up. Do you have a muscle up? How about linking two or several muscle ups together? Got that? Maybe you should work towards a backwards roll to support or a handstand on the rings. There is always something more...

What's your next goal?

Workout: "Rowing Nelen"
Row 500
15 Overhead squat (95lbs)
Row 500
21 KBS (1 pood)
15 Pull ups
Row 500
15 Overhead squat (95 lbs)
Row 500

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Burpee Challenge: 46 Burpees

Mimicry

Peter going for ten.

At CFSC we encourage our athletes to watch and learn from each other.

What do you see in Peter's squat? What would you like to emulate?

Workout:

7 rounds for time of:
20 squats
15 jumping pull ups
10 Lunges
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Burpee Challange: 45 Burpees

The Mental Game

Jesse making his way through "Murph"

There is much discussion about the role our minds play in driving our performance. Maybe you've heard the advice, "Go to your happy place," but we all know there are rarely "happy" thoughts in the middle of a WOD. Our minds can help us cope with the stress and pain that our bodies are going through. Some of us like to focus on the pain. Most try to to avoid recognizing the pain by "going to a happy place," or "zoning out." These are the times when it is difficult to focus on the task at hand and we can lose track of our reps or rounds, especially in a workout like 'Cindy,' 'Murph' or 'Angie.' Does this ever happen to you?

What do you do to help yourself keep track of reps? What happens to you in the middle of Fran when you can't quite feel your arms anymore? How about when you lose your count in the middle of Cindy?

Workout:

Run 400 meters
Run Backwards 400 meters
50 Hip extension
50 GHD Sit ups
200 Meter Lunge
200 Meter Run
50 Hip Extension
50 GHD Sit ups
Run 400 meters
Run Backwards 400 meters
50 Hip Extension
50 GHD Sit ups
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Burpee Challange: 44 Buprees today.

Meat is Good

Fresh Roast Pig

Protein is an essential part of our diet. Meat is the best possible way to get protein. We want our athletes to eat lean grass fed meat. Getting fresh quality meat is not as simple as walking in to your grocery store and grabbing what ever is there. Try and go to a market with a butcher. Find out where and when they got their meat. We are looking for local, preferably grass fed meat.

Where do you get your meat?

-H

Workout:

Pull up; one minute
Rest
Burpee; five minutes
Rest
Pull up; one minute
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Burpee Challenge: 43 Burpees today

They Got Hitched

The Buddings

Congratulations to Jamie and Tony who were married on August 22nd, 2008. Two wonderful people, kind and generous, strong in body and in mind, have found each other and vowed to share their love together. They have both been an integral part of our CrossFit community and we are delighted to share in their happiness.

We love you Jamie and Troy... er... I mean Tony!

-H

Workout:
50 double unders
21 Back squats; bodyweight
50 double unders
15 Back squats; bodyweight
50 double unders
9 Back squats; bodyweight
50 double unders

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Burpee Challenge: 42 Burpees today

Extend Yourself

Amy at the top

What do you look like at the top of a wall ball? Are your heels pressed firmly into the ground? Are your legs fully extended, are your hips fully extended, are your arms fully extended? We coach our athletes to drive through the heels to reach full extension. We don't like to see our athletes get forward onto the toes. What about follow through? Do you end up getting on your toes? To maximize our productive application of force we must stay in contact with the ground for as long as possible. So if you get on your toes before you have extended your legs, hips and arms you are losing power. If you look like Amy does in the photo above, give yourself a pat on the back, and keep up the good work.

-H

Workout:
5 rounds for time of:
30 Wall Ball Shots
30 GHD Sit ups
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Burpee Challenge: 41 burpees today.

Recovery from Rest

Pat regaining his focus

With summer comes long days, bright sun, and vacations. Pat has returned from a trip to Alaska. The first workout back after a vacation is always memorable. Staying fit on vacation is possible. Eva Twardokens has a great website for finding that travel workout, with little or no equipment needed. Below check out a sample Eva T workout.

Workout: "Pregnant Lady Workout"

20 rounds for time of:
5 Pull Ups
5 Push Ups
15 Squats
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Burpee Challenge: 40 burpees today.

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