Hardcore!

Angel's hands after way too many pullups!

We have all been there before! Sometimes you know ahead of time that a certain workout is going to rip your hands up. Other times, it happens and you don't even notice until after the workout is over. Getting to the point where your hands never rip is ideal, yet, it seems like there are so many factors that make it difficult. The texture and thickness of your bars, how much chalk you use, how big your calluses are, how often you do pullups, how many times your hands have ripped in the past!

What is the best way to heal after a bad tear? What do you think about the Super Glue method?

Workout:
5 rounds of:

30 box jumps
30 pullups

Post time to comments.

GRAND OPENING AT OUR NEW LOCATION!

CrossFit Santa Cruz is holding its Grand Opening at its new location next Saturday, April 5th. We will have an Introduction to CrossFit at 9:00 am, a free workout at 10:00 am, and a BBQ and Open House from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Bring your friends and family. We look forward to seeing you there!

New Location:
207 McPherson Street, Suite B
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-239-7003

Workout:
21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, and 3 reps of:

Kettlebell Swing x GHD Situp

Men use 24kg. and women use 16kg. kettlebells. Ensure full range of motion and alternate hands to ground on the GHD.

Check out our new internet payment options under the Schedule and Fees link. For your convenience, you can now pay for 10 Drop-In classes all together, to be used anytime!

Squats in Progress

The UCSC Women's Waterpolo Team practicing thier squats at CrossFit Santa Cruz.

The perfect air squat takes tremendous amounts of time and practice. Yet, having a good air squat is essential to CrossFit. Any flaws that you may have in your basic squat will be magnified in all weighted squats. Therefore, practicing the basic air squat will make you more efficient, stronger and faster in everything you do!

Team picture!

The UCSC Water Polo Team has two more home games on April 6th at 1pm (against CSUEB) and April 19th (against Santa Clara) also at 1pm. They are training hard to win Division Three Nationals this year so come out and support them!

Workout:
Five rounds of:

50 meter swim (any stroke)
50 wallballs (guys use a 20 pound medicine ball, women use a 14 pound medicine ball)

Complete this Workout with a partner. Take turns and watch each other carefully during the swims! This one gets a little crazy!

CROSSFIT SANTA CRUZ HAS ADDED AN ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM TO OUR WEBSITE (LISTED UNDER THE SCHEDULE AND FEES LINK) FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND EMAIL malleejs@gmail.com WITH QUESTIONS. IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN BEGIN USING THIS FEATURE IMMEDIATELY TO PAY FOR NEXT MONTH'S CLASSES.

Shoulder Flexibility

Heather Mac works on her shoulder flexibility as she rotates her body through her arms and back down to the ground. Maintaining control and knowing when to let go of the rings is key to not injuring yourself while doing this!

Workout:

5 Rounds of:

Run 400 meters
Deadlift 15 reps

Men use 225 pounds, ladies use 135 pounds. Post times to comments.

CROSSFIT SANTA CRUZ HAS ADDED AN ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM TO OUR WEBSITE (LISTED UNDER THE SCHEDULE AND FEES LINK) FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND EMAIL malleejs@gmail.com WITH QUESTIONS. IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN BEGIN USING THIS FEATURE IMMEDIATELY TO PAY FOR NEXT MONTH'S CLASSES.

Amy!

Amy rides her bike to CrossFit!

Hollis helps Amy move away from using the wall to stabilize her during her handstand holds.

For those of us who live on the Westside of Santa Cruz, how great is it that we can ride our bikes to CrossFit now?! To those of you who drive across town to support us, THANK YOU!!!!

Workout:

21 thrusters
21 handstand push ups
15 thrusters
15 handstand push ups
9 thrusters
9 handstand push ups

Men use 95 pounds, ladies use 65 pounds. Post times to comments.

CROSSFIT SANTA CRUZ HAS ADDED AN ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM TO OUR WEBSITE (LISTED UNDER THE SCHEDULE AND FEES LINK) FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND EMAIL malleejs@gmail.com WITH QUESTIONS. IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN BEGIN USING THIS FEATURE IMMEDIATELY TO PAY FOR NEXT MONTH'S CLASSES.

Ring Work

Chris slowly moves his left hand away from his body as he maintains the bottom of the ring push up, keeping his body tight.

Patrick works his midline stabilization as he inverts on the rings.

The ability to move your own body weight in a controlled manner can be challenging on the rings. It demands strength, flexibility, coordination, and midline stabilization. Chris and Patrick are new this month to CrossFit. While working on the rings is a different kind of athletic feat then they are used to, they are quickly learning that fitness as defined by CrossFit is inclusive of many different exercises and challenges.

Good work guys and welcome to CrossFit Santa Cruz!

Workout:

Backsquat 21 reps
10 ring push ups
Row 500 meters

Backsquat 15 reps
10 ring push ups
Row 750 meters

Backsquat 9 reps
10 ring push ups
Row 1000 meters

Men use 185 pounds, ladies use 95 pounds. Post times to comments.

Practice Makes Perfect

Learning the Medicine Ball Clean and Jerk at this weekend's Level One Certification at CrossFit One World in Union City.

As CrossFit Trainers, we demand of our athletes first, good technique and second, the ability to perform that technique consistently before we increase the intensity. Complex and dynamic movements like the Clean and Jerk also require a sound grasp of the mechanics before significant amounts of weight are attempted. The best way to consistently perform a movement correctly is to practice that movement repetitively; to move past “thinking” about each segment in the teaching progression and to “feel” the correct form. After consistent technique is accomplished with a Med Ball, a wooden dowel and then finally a barbell can be used.

Workout: Skill Practice

50 Med Ball Clean and Jerks (ladies use 14 pound Med Balls, men use 20 pounds)
50 Clean and Jerks with a wooden dowel or empty barbell

DO NOT be tempted to use a mirror to check your form. You can even close your eyes to practice perfect technique, feeling every part of the movement until doing it right becomes second nature.

Focused

The focus and determination on Angel's face is obvious during this recent Filthy Fifty at CrossFit Santa Cruz.

Angel catching her breath afterwards.

Angel and her husband Andrew moved to Santa Cruz a few months back and are now fully committed to CrossFitting. It is always a pleasure to work with Angel and watch her put 100 percent into everything we throw at her! Thanks for being a part of our CrossFit Santa Cruz community Angel and Andrew!

Workout: "Filthy Fifty"

50 Box Jumps
50 jumping Pullups
50 Kettle Bell Swings
50 Lunges
50 knees to Elbows
50 Push Press
50 Back Extensions
50 Wall Balls
50 Burpees
50 Double Unders

WE WILL BE HOLDING OUR 10 AM CLASS AS USUAL ON EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 23rd. SEE YOU THERE!

CrossFit and Traveling

Buford (left), part owner of CrossFit Flathead in Montana, with athlete, Corey (right), who just completed Fight Gone Bad.

As a CrossFitter, one of my favorite things to do is visit other CrossFits wherever I travel. Not only am I able to maintain my CrossFit workout schedule, but I always meet amazing people and get to see how other gyms operate. The most impressive thing that I've found at every CrossFit gym that I’ve visited across the United States as well as at the few I’ve visited in other countries, is the strong sense of community. Each gym has its own community that welcomes me as if I were one of them. Thank you to all the gyms I have had the pleasure of visiting. And for all of you out there who want to come visit us at CrossFit Santa Cruz, you are welcome here anytime!

Workout:

8 rounds of:
400 meter sprint

Here are the rules: Run an all out 400 meter sprint on your first attempt. Note the time and how it felt. Rest exactly 1 minute between rounds and complete 7 more. Try to stay within 15 seconds of your first round 400 meter time. Who can run their first round sub 1:20 and stay below 1:35 for the remaining 7 rounds? This is tough! Be honest on your 1:00 of rest. No more and NO LESS!

WE WILL BE HOLDING OUR 10 AM CLASS AS USUAL ON EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 23rd. SEE YOU THERE!

Continued Education

An Olympic Weight Lifting Certification taught by Burgener.

If you haven't already gone to one of the specialized certifications that are offered through CrossFit, it is highly recommended. Focusing for one or two days solely on Jumping Rope, Running, Swinging a Kettle Bell or Oly Lifting can be an invaluable experience. Working to master these movements will effect your overall performance immensely. Go to the CrossFit HQ main site for more info on specialized certifications.

Workout:

1/2 Tabata of the following (meaning, 4 rounds of 20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest, only moving on to the next exercise after all 4 rounds of the first are completed):
pullup
pushup
situp
squat

Rest exactly 1 minute

Run 1 mile for time

Rest exactly 1 minute

Repeat the 1/2 Tabata workout from above

Go "all out" on the Tabata intervals as you only have to hold the score for 4 rounds, rather than the usual 8. Your lowest score for any round is still your overall score for that Tabata effort.

Who can run a sub 7 mile and match their first and second efforts of Tabata scores?

WE WILL BE HOLDING OUR 10 AM CLASS AS USUAL ON EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 23rd. SEE YOU THERE!