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.

The burpee challange has picked up steam check the affiliate site.

Guest Star

Jonji=Beast

Brother to one of the fittest guys around, Jonji is a stud all is own. While he is on summer break from UC Davis, we have the chance to see more of him around the gym. He is a great athlete and a determined young man, as the photo above illustrates. When he returns to college he will be a certified CrossFit trainer. He along with Kristy and Angel are scheduled to take the CrossFit Certification I seminar in September.

-H

Workout:
1 mile run
135 pound Back Squat, 75 reps
1 mile run
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Burpee Challenge: 39 burpees today

Working for it

UCSC men's water polo team.

CrossFit Santa Cruz is proud to share that the UCSC men's and women's water polo teams have been re-instated for another year. These fine gentlemen pictured above have proved their resolve and steadfastnesses. They did not bow to the pressure of what seemed to be insurmountable odds. Instead, they persevered to win the day by raising over $60,000 in 48 hours and showing the UCSC administration that they meant business. We are proud of what they have done. More importantly we are glad to have them be a part of our community. Our community honors honesty, hard work, determination and the willingness to fight for what we believe in. These student/athletes are a testament to the optimism of their generation.
Congratulations boys on getting yourselves another year. YOU DESERVE IT.

Workout: Team Play

30 Press
20 Push Press
10 Push Jerk
Rest 1 min
30 Back Squat
20 Front Squat
10 Overhead Squat
Rest 1 min
30 Deadlifts
20 Sumo Deadlift High pulls
10 Cleans

Rules: All team members must stay together. Pick two members of the team to pace and count reps. If an athlete needs to rest, all athletes must rest. If any one athlete gets out of sequence, all athletes perform 50 burpees. Weight is scaled for ability. Recommended 95 pounds for men, 65 pounds for women.

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Burpee Challenge: 38 burpees today

Keeping it Fun

Russ knows how to make learning fun

Learning new skills in life is rarely easy. Even less so as we get older. We often forgo learning something new for fear of failure or embarrassment. Our recent gymnastics adventure has revealed that with the right attitude, learning new skills can be fun... especially when you forget your ego and let yourself look silly in front of friends.

-H

Workout:
95 pound Overhead Squat, 30 reps
135 pound thruster, 10 reps
50 Pull ups
135 pound Thruster, 10 reps
95 pound Overhead Squat, 30 reps
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Burpee Challange: 37 Burpees today.

Field Trip

Coach D working her cast off

A few of us went to Roger Harrell's place and worked some gymnastics. Basic body control is not as easy as it looks in the olympics. Flexibility above all seemed to be our downfall, so expect to see more stretching and body movement drills around the gym.

-H

Workout:
3 rounds for time of:
Lunge 100 meters
Hanstand walk 100 feet
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Burpee Challange: 36 Burpees today.

Welcome Back

Meagan is back for a limited time. What better way to spend a summer break, than come to CFSC and practice your weightlifitng. Notice in the picture, the bar is actually off the ground. Great snap shot of the bar coming of the ground in good position.

-H

Workout:
Three rounds for time of:
50 Squats
200 meter run
95 pound Power Snatch, 15 reps
200 meter run
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Burpee Challange: 35 Burpees today.
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There will be no class this Sunday 10am- 8-17