For Time

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3-2-1

Go!  Going all out in a CrossFit workout can cost a lot. A lot metabolically, a lot physically and a lot psychologically. The thought that a person can come into the gym and do 3 days on at peak intensity with only one day of rest in between is a mistake. So why do we always have a clock running? The clock is one tool to measure our progress.

This winter we are considering implementing a new practice. Once a week we will post a WoD and mark it as GAME DAY. Whenever it comes up on a WoD, it means that it is competition day and peak intensity is in order.

Post thoughts to comments.

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Workout:

Tabata Squats

Rest 5 minutes

Tabata Squats

What Its About

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Sarah and Joyce competing.

Last weekend's affiliate competition had many highlights and outstanding moments. None more impressive than the Master Division. It was inspirational to see the seasoned athletes put it all on the table. Their heart, determination and overwhelmingly positive attitude were infectious.

The video is in the making. We will keep you posted on its development. 

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Workout:

Rest Day

Get Uncomfortable

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Coach D getting rough.

How do you prepare for a competition of an unknown nature? Easy! Specialize in not specializing. Overcome your weaknesses. Fortify your strengths. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. And, develop tremendous power across broad time and modal domains.
-CrossFit Journal excerpt about the 2010 Games

Our pursuit of World-Class Fitness includes:

- Paleo Zone nutrition
- Practice of many forms of weightlifting, gymnastics and mono-structural activities such as biking, running, swimming and running. 
- Five or six days per week well mix these elements in as many combination and patterns as creativity will allow.
- Regularly learn and play new sports

However, its so easy for us to forget the last one, which I think is important for keeping us from just training within the black lines. I think this means more that just trying a new sport but trying a new task. What if fear or discomfort for something you've never done or tried before was a hindering factor in your fitness? It can be important in preparation for life's unforeseeable challenges such as dealing with heights, saving someone in the ocean, getting out of the burning building, grabbing a rescue ladder from a helicopter, chasing down a crook over a fence or even running from the police over a fence. In the sport of fitness (CrossFit Games) it could be the sledgehammer workout, running in knee deep water, swimming, scaling a steep hill or wall to climb, overhead squatting a sandbag or clean and jerking heavy tires or rocks as many for time up to a platform. Regularly trying a little something we're afraid of could be thought of alone as a practice of dealing with your fears and discomforts. I think this is something that we could maybe address once every two weeks. Try a scary gymnastics move, a new sport, climb a real wall, learn parkour, flip a log, punch a bag for a min. and then do some some pull-ups or like thursdays workout, do 3 rounds for time of 100m swim, 21 push presses and 12 deadlifts. Regularly get out of your element!

-Dave

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Workout:

Run

WIlder Loop  (7k)

Getting Wet

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Happy after a swim.

Thanks to Cara a few of us got a chance to do a swimming workout.  The picture shows smiling faces, a far cry from the looks on their faces during the WoD.

For those of you who missed our pool workout we are now planning a beach workout, with an ocean swim.  Let's aim for September 26th or 27th, which ever day we can get the most of us out there.

Post availabilities to comments.

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Workout: Weightlifting Practice

Choose One from below:
10 rounds of
2 clean
1 jerk
rest 
or
10 rounds
1 clean
2 jerk
rest

The aim of the workout is to work a weakness.  If you need work on your jerk pick workout 2

Work up to no more than 85% of your 1rm Clean & Jerk

Pull

IMG_6143Greg working his clean pull.

There are three pulls in weightlifting. The first pull is a positioning pull from the floor. The second pull or "jump phase" is the explosive pull and the third pull is the the pull under. Errors in any one of these pulls will result in erratic and missed lifts. Solid technique in all three pulls will guarantee improved performance and bigger lifts.

Workout:

3 round for time of:
100 meter swim
35 pound dumbbell push press, 21 reps
225 pound Deadlift, 12 reps

If you do not have access to a pool, sub 400 meter run.

Specialists

IMG_6149 Aimee coaching Pat

CrossFit, by design, is about not specializing. For most CrossFitters, the goal is not to be a world class weightlifter, however we do want to learn from them. Getting coached by a specialist is one of the best ways to get better at a specific sport. We were lucky to have Greg and Aimee from Catalyst Athletics stop by for a workout and help us with our lifts. Their insight and cueing were extremely enlightening. Expect to hear a few new cues and a focus on new pieces of the weightlifting puzzle.

Workout: Rest Day

Be Strong

IMG_5957Laurie starting a weighted pull up.

Laurie's job as a gymnastics coach prevented her from attending the Santa Cruz Affiliate Competition. Like her there are many more that were unable to compete last Saturday at CrossFit Santa Cruz Central. Laurie is a natural athlete and a fierce competitor.  She will be a force to be reckoned with at the next competition.

If you have not signed up to Beyond The WhiteBoard yet, sing up today. You need to sign up for a monthly membership, once you have been approved to be part of CrossFit Santa Cruz, your account will be cancelled and you will be part of our group account.  Look how close some of our athletes were in yesterdays workout.  Laurie, Olivia and Danielle all worked out at seperate times but there WoD times were very close.

RESULTS HERE

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Workout:

Split Jerk
3-3-3-3-3

Strong Mama

DSC04251  The Mom

A year and a half ago Carole was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease in her cervical spine, carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms, epicondylitis in both elbows and trigger finger in three of her fingers. She couldn't lift her arms overhead and she couldn't hold a cup of coffee in the morning. Instead of cortisone shots and daily ibuprofen, Carole started one-on-one training sessions with her daughter, Coach D.

Yesterday, at 58 years young, Carole got her first pull-up. Not just her first pull-up after her diagnosis of degenerative disk disease, but her first pull-up in her life. She can also do weighted, over-head squats and she competed in the Masters Division of the Santa Cruz Affiliate Competition. More importantly, she can pick up her grandchildren and has no problem buying the 40lb dogfood bag for Nala.

Carole attributes her progress and success to three things:
1. One-on-one sessions with Danielle as well as attentive coaches who focus on technique and range of motion during workouts and on body maintenance (trigger point therapy, PNF, stretching) several times a day.
2. A Physical Therapy visit with Kelly at SFCF where she received treatment, a list of body maintenance homework and learned methods to improve sleep position and ergonomics at work.
3. The paleo diet. After starting the paleo diet in February, Carole has lost 25 pounds and reports reduced inflammation and significantly reduced pain/stiffness in her neck and arms.

Although degenerative disk disease never goes away, it is possible to stop it from progressing. And as Carole shows us, growing older is not just about surviving, its about thriving.

-Heather Mac

Workout:

3 rounds for time of:
400m Run
12 Overhead Squats 95 lbs
21 Knees-to-elbows

Rx'd Champions

DSC07501 Four of Six.

Congratulations to all of our teams!  You all represented us well. Lucas, Amy, Tyler, Cara, Dave and Gilly won the Rx'd Division.  Tyler, Dave, Amy and Gilly all set PRs on the Clean and Jerk with 229,245,123, 145 respectively.  Sonny was a stand out in the intermediate division putting together two outstanding performances and leading his team to a respectable finish.  Diana was our anchor leg and completed all three workouts, with a smile of course.  The master team represented us well finishing in 3rd place.  Beth S., Mel and Sharon all PR'd on max deadlift x3 with 170lbs and 185lbs respectively!

The winning team in each division was awarded a Kettlebell trophy.  Each trophy stays at the winning gym until the next Santa Cruz Affiliate Competition. 

The final results are:

Masters Division: CrossFit Santa Cruz Central

Intermediate Division: CrossFit North Santa Cruz

Rx'd Division: CrossFit Santa Cruz

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Workout: "Quarter Gone Bad"

Five rounds for total reps of:
135 pound Thruster, 15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
50 pound Weighted pull-up, 15 seconds
Rest 45 Seconds
Burpees, 15 seconds
Rest 45 seconds

Post total reps for all five rounds.

Game Day

IMG_5742Diana under scrutiny.

Today is the big day. Competition Day. Good Luck to all the teams competing. 

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Important Details:

All teams need to be at CrossFit Santa Cruz Central by 8am. First heat is at 9am.

Pack a healthy lunch and snacks and something to sit on between the workouts.  There is a Safeway nearby and plenty of food options otherwise also.

Carpool with your team if at all possible. Parking is limited. 

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Workout:

GAME DAY