The Story Continues

IMG_0632 Sonny and Stephen supporting each other.


Coach D finished 2nd in the Improvement Pool. Here is her story.


Getting second place in the improvement pool was a surprise and a joy. I never expected to be on the podium but I took the pool very seriously and put in a lot of extra work.  I wanted to improve.

  • Early in November I started weighing and measuring to zone prescription 10 blocks per day with paleo ingredients about 80% of the time. This leaves room for birthdays, Christmas dinner, and a few other pints of ice cream and burritos along the way.
  • I started seeing a massage therapist once a week and an acupuncturist once a week. Both have helped me relax and pay even closer attention to my performance.
  • I followed a three on/ one off workout schedule over the past few months and recently added in a few double days preparing for sectionals.

Most days I come in to workout I am there to do just that, get coached, improve my technique, and push myself to get better.   Come re-test day my mindset was a bit different.  I had butterflies in my stomach and I wanted to play, I was no longer training, I was competing.  When I competed in college I had the wrong mindset, nothing I did was ever good enough.  Now I come to Crossfit, I train functional movements, I am better at everything I do and I have fun.


One significant factor in my improvement was recovery form a tweaked back.  I had to take some time off of training and get help with my psoas before I could return to full intensity.  Instead of letting my injury prevent my progress I used  the movements of CrossFit to heal myself.  I am a firm believer that when done correctly CrossFit can heal a lot of our dysfunction.  CrossFit is great rehab. 


As I stated during the Award ceremony I can not in good conscious take the money for myself.  I would like to use the money to improve the gym in some way.  What would you like to see in the the gym? Post to comments what you think we should get.


-Coach D

___________________ 


Workout:

With a continuously running clock, squat for 60 seconds. Subtract the number of squats completed from 60, and do that many pull-ups in minute two. In minute three, squat again, subtracting the number completed from 60. Do that number of push-ups in minute four. Minute five is squatting again, and minute six pull-ups.

The pattern is squats, pull-ups, squats, push-ups, squats, pull-ups, etc. The goal is to stay within the workout's formula for as long as possible.

Don't do more than 60 squats in any round.

In any case, stay moving for at least 12 minutes.

A Closer Look

IMG_0536 The story begins.

The third place finisher in the improvement pool was none other than the CrossFit Santa Cruz "Mom" herself, Carole Mulford.

We have collected and analyzed her data. This is her method and narrative:

"First of all, I only entered the competition to be supportive of everyone else, I never considered that I had a chance of winning.  I was mostly worried about not improving.  My main goal was to show up and modify as needed.  When it was time to re-test I took it very seriously. I kept a positive attitude and tried my best.

I used to come to CrossFit because it was where my kids worked. I didn't care too much about body mechanics or how to move better. Times have changed and I have now learned to pay close attention to proper technique and focus on my form, as well as push my own limits. I would now say that I am "on the Koolaid". I check multiple CrossFit websites, read journal articles and promote the diet vigilantly.  I know if it weren't for CrossFit and my kids I would probably be weak and a vegetarian.

This experiment was a great way to get people who don't always compete to pay attention to scores and push a little harder. I know I did. Thank you for the opportunity to learn that I can still get better even at 58 years old.

This is how I improved:

  • Coach D worked privately with me a few times a week to improve my strength and flexibility
  • I spent 20-30 minutes rolling out and stretching at night
  • I came to CrossFit 5-6 days a week with a combination of privates and group classes
  • Positive encouragement from all the wonderful people in the community
  • Working out near Lucas and Cara during the re-test
  • I ate a weighed and measured/Zone Paleo diet + cream for coffee, fage yogurt, a little chocolate and lots of chewing gum during workouts     

________________________

Workout:

Rest Day

 

Podium Finish

IMG_0561 Dawn O'Regan takes the top spot.

Dawn finished with 226 points and and average improvement of 31.71%.  Coach D took 2nd place with 207 points and a 20.89% improvement.  Carole Mulford followed in 3rd place with 203 points and an amazing 22.20% improvement. 

We started the challenge with 45 people.  31 completed all six workouts in the alloted time.  Of those 31 every athlete showed a measurable improvement.  Below we have posted the results for further review.

Post thought and analysis to comments.

Notable Performances:

Chris Cobb's 145 pound overhead squat x3, improved 52.63%!

Sean Dilloughery's 4:49 "Diane", improved 50.34%!

Ben Sim's 15.9 Rnds of Cindy, improved 32.58%!

____________________

Download Results Placings.pdf (26.0K)

Download Results By WoD.pdf (110.9K)

Download Results by Athlete.pdf (66.2K)

____________________

Workout:

Three rounds for time of:
Walk on hands, 100 feet
Hold handstand against wall for two minutes
15 Handstand push-ups

The Winners are...

Stay Tuned

IMG_0491 Coach D

The data has been collected and the results are being compiled.  So far the data has shown some remarkable improvements gym wide.  We will be providing detailed analysis of the competition in the days to come.  Each workout reveals a different improver and the results may be shocking.  We will be announcing the winners and having an award ceremony Sunday at 11am.

____________________

Workout:

Three rounds for time of:
Walking lunge, 50 meters
Standing broad-jump, 100 meters
Run 200 meters

Almost Over Now

IMG_0302 Christa with her eye on winning.

Today after Cindy is completed we will have successfully completed the Improvement Pool Competition.  Nearly 40 people have entered and anyone has a chance to win.  Theimprovements that we have seen so far are nothing short of inspiring.

Good Luck to all competitors and congratulations to all who have improved so much!

_______________________

Final Improvement Pool WoD: "Cindy"

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

_______________________

IMPROVEMENT PARTY

Come celebrate the completion of the Improvement Pool competition.  We are meeting at Hula's downtown at 7:30pm tonight for some food and drinks.  All are welcome

Celebration

IMG_0381 Dave improving his overhead squat to 225x3

On Saturday Cara will be leaving Santa Cruz and embarking on an adventure to New Zealand, where she will be playing water polo, as well as competing (and
representing CFSC) at the NZ Sectionals.  She has the following to say:

___________________

"The next six months I will miss seeing this amazing community of people that I have become so close with and the joy that being part of it brings me.  Crossfit has transformed me.  It used to be just a place to workout and get my ass kicked, now it is a completely new lifestyle. Understanding healthy nutrition and fitness are only a few things that I have learned here. Understanding how powerful our minds can be, and being comfortable with the uncomfortable, are a few more things that can be applied to just about anything that life throws at ya.  Crossfit is a place of continual learning and something that I will always enjoy. I am so grateful to be a part of CFSC!"

-Cara-the girl that wears a lot of lulu-Hipskind

____________________

Workout:

Clean and Jerk

1-1-1-1-1-1-1

____________________

IMPORTANT NOTICE

All Improvement Pool WoDs must be completed before Friday. 

____________________

IMPROVEMENT PARTY

Come celebrate the completion of the Improvement Pool competition.  We are meeting at Hula's downtown at 7:30pm Thursday for some food and drinks.  All are welcome.

Be Seen

IMG_9900 Charlotte with her coach Jesse.

Learning complicated movement and lifting heavy weights are best done with a Coach. The learning process can be hard and frustrating. If you keep at it and keep getting more help your improvement is limitless.  Charlotte has been doing private training with Jesse for some time now and her results are remarkable. There is nothing like the individual attention of a private session just as there is no replacing the comradeship built in group training. Both are valuable and beneficial modes of increasing your fitness.

_________________

Workout:

Rest Day

So far most of us have completed 4 of the improvement pool re-test workouts and the improvements are incredible.  Chris Cobb had over 50% improvement in the three rep overhead squat. Keep up the good work all.