Coronal Plane

Laurie and Bailey with weight overhead.

“It's not what's happening toyou now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it's your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you're going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.”

 Anthony Robbins quotes

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Workout:

For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Routine

Tara at noon.

Athlete A comes to class at 6am, which means she has barley woken up, maybe had time for a snack and coffee but most likely rolled out of bed to come in for her workout.

Athlete B gets up, goes to work, then takes an extended lunchbreak in which they rush over to the gym, hit their workout, and rush back sweaty to finish their day.

Athlete C wakes up, showers, works all day long and then braves the late afternoon traffic to finish his day with a workout.

Which athlete are you and why do you choose the routine you do?  Is there a better plan?  Which athlete do you think has the best opportunity to optimize their fitness?

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Saturday Workout:

Rest Day

Walk it Out

Tyler walking on his hands.

On Wednesday we practiced walking on our hands. It is a difficult skill especially if you have had limited exposure to being inverted. It is a different experience holding your mass on one limb than two and it is even more challenging upside down.

I know CrossFit works but I am continually impressed by the rate of improvement of our athletes. There were a number of athletes who completed the workout walking on their hands who could not last time it came up and nearly everyone in the gym got upside down. I am a proud coach.

- Coach D

This weekend we will hold our second affiliate team practice workout. Please come on Sunday at 11am if you want to be a part of the process or be on the team. If you cant make it let us know before then. You are encouraged to do a double day and come to the 8am class as well.

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Workout:

Snatch balance 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Under Pressure

Jesse at the Norcal Sectionals.

Being and athlete is hard work.  Constantly staying focused on what needs to be done to become bigger faster stronger requires dedication and athletes at the highest level are all highly self-motivated.   Most  world class athletes don't do it alone.  They often rely on a support team of trainers, therapists, fans.

Who is on your support team?

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Workout: "Erin"

Five rounds for time of:
40 pound Dumbbells split clean, 15 reps
21 Pull-ups

Power Booty

Hana and Nick working the chains

Developing and engaging the posterior chain can lead to huge gains in athletic performance.  The hamstrings, glutes, and other muscles along the back of the body are capable of producing tremendous force when properly utilized.  However, many athletes tend to have an under developed posterior chain in relation to their anterior chain.  Does this mean we should ignore the anterior completely? No, but we should be diligent in maintaining proper techniques that utilize both chains even if it means a slower time in a workout.  For example, we should fight to stay on our heels when squatting even once our ass gets tired and we want to lean forward and let our quads do all the work.

As it is said, the front side of the body is for aesthetics, the rear is for athletics.

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Workout:

Five rounds for time of:
135 pound Back squat, 20 reps
Handstand walk 20 yards

Psychological

This weekend's team workout Participants smiling in the rain.

It could be argued that the mental benefits of what we do in CrossFit are just as valuable as the physical. Every day we have to face hard challenges, things that scare us, and overcome self doubt by completing physical tasks.  The workouts are frequently so difficult we are required to step away from everything else in life and just focus on breathing, lifting, pushing and controlling one's efforts.  At the very least this can be great stress relief by helping one escape from one's worries. 

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Workout:

Rest Day

CFSC Supports Every Child Outdoors!

Creek Study at the Santa Cruz County Outdoor Science School.

At the Santa Cruz County Outdoor Science School 5th and 6th grade students spend a week exploring, discovering and learning through hands-on activities, experiments and games in the redwood forest.  In our community, a week at the Outdoor Science School is a rite of passage for students in their last year of elementary school.  For many students it is their first time hiking in the forest, their first time seeing a squirrel, holding a newt, kissing a banana slug and most importantly, their first time realizing that dirt is cool, hiking is fun and the natural world is truly an amazing place.   For most students a week at Outdoor Science School is the highlight of their school career. 

From a CrossFitter perspective, a week at the Outdoor Science School equals days spent hiking, running, exploring, participating in the ropes course and eating balanced, family-style meals.   For 4 or 5 days students spend zero time sitting in front of a screen (TV, video games, computer) and very little time sitting in general.  For 4 or 5 days students drink water, not soda, and eat hot meals rather than hot Cheetos and Lunchables.   Not only are students connecting with the natural world but they are learning that there is a life beyond video games and they will survive, even thrive, if they do not eat junk food. 

The Every Child Outdoors Foundation supports our community by providing Outdoor Science School scholarships to schools in lower income areas.  Last year CrossFit Santa Cruz formed a Human Race Team and we raised over $4,000.00 to support outdoor school attendance for 200 students who normally would not be able to afford the tuition.   13 local schools benefited from the fundraising efforts of our CFSC community!!  Well its time to do it again!  The Human Race is Saturday, May 8th. 

Two Ways You Can Join CFSC in the Efforts to Support Every Child Outdoors:

1.  Join the team!  Sign up to run the race and fundraise by asking people you know to sponsor you.   After you sign up you will receive an email with instructions on how to set up your sponsorship website.  Even if you raise only $10.00 you can absolutely be a part of the team.  We celebrate every dollar!!

2.  Make a general donation to the CFSC team.

CrossFit Santa Cruz is a strong community and when we work together we can accomplish amazing things!

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Workout: 

"DT"

Five rounds for time of:
155 pound Deadlift, 12 reps
155 pound Hang power clean, 9 reps
155 pound Push jerk, 6 reps

Learning to Press

Laurie using a little assistance for a stalder press.

Without a background in gymnastics some of the most basic skills can be hard to learn.  The strength, flexibility and balance required takes years to develop.  There are no short cuts to developing the control and power needed to do things like back flip or a press to handstand and it would be unrealistic to  think that we can develop these capacities overnight.  Patience and due diligence will get us a long way and the body will perform for us if we keep at it. Set you sights high and then do the work to reach your goals and make sure to have some fun along the way.

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Workout:
Row 500 meters
150 Double-unders
50 Burpees

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Anyone interested in competing on our affiliate team at Regionals in May is invited to do the first team wod today at 11am(even if you are not ready this year, but might be next year).

Widen Your Sphere

Stockholm Globe Arena.

CrossFit takes from as many disciplines as is relevant.  We know we should regularly learn and play new sports, but how often do we?  Now is your chance. Carl Paoli, world class gymnast from San Francisco CrossFit, will be at CrossFit Santa Cruz Central for a workshop on May 1, 2010.  The hours will be from 12 noon to 4 pm. Cost $60.  Contact Eva to sign up.

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Workout:
Overhead Squat
5-5-5-5-5
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Anyone interested in competing on our affiliate team at Regionals in May is invited to do the first team wod this Sunday at 11am(even if you are not ready this year, but might be next year).

Skill Development

Gilly working her Pose.

We have a great deal of talent at our gym and a high level of skill. This weekend we will have the first of our affiliate cup team workouts. Anyone interested in competing on our affiliate team at Regionals in May is invited to do the first team wod this Sunday at 11am(even if you are not ready this year, but might be next year). More details about team selection to follow the first meeting.

Do not be shy, come give it a try if you can not make Sunday's meeting please speak with Danielle or Hollis before then.

Workout:

Rest Day