Keeping Track

Dave going on the whiteboard.

Keeping track of our workouts is beneficial in so many ways. It helps us stay motivated and focused on improving. Record keeping is instrumental to goal setting and it is a great way to compete with others and yourself. If we don't keep track, how else do we know how many rounds to shoot for or how much weight to lift?  Keeping track also allows us to know the appropriate modification for a given workout.

If you are interested in keeping track, register on Beyond The Whiteboard and join CrossFit Santa Cruz.  It is a service we pay for and is open to any of our monthly unlimited members. You can track food, sleep and a ton of other factors online.

___________________

Workout: "Michael"

3 rounds for time of:
800 meter run
50 Back Extension
50 GHD Sit-ups

L-Hell

CrossFit Santa Cruz L-Hell circa 2010.

We stress the importance of stabilizing the midline so often it may seem we are obsessed.  Well... we are.  The ability to hold a rigid midline may be the single most important factor in athletic development.  Maintaining the L-sit for more than 1 minute is a realistic goal for most athletes.  It may sound easy, but the L-sit is extremely challenging.  Athletes with a 1 minute or longer L-sit rarely have issues with core strength.  If you ever reach 3 minutes in a L-sit you have achieved something very special.

_______________

Workout:

Rest Day

Just do it

Uli working on her squat

"If you think you can or you think you can't you are right"

________________

Workout: "Angie"

100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 squats

Are you wild?

registration link

Sounds fun people, space is limited to 50 teams so sign up in a hurry.

__________________

Workout:

Overhead Squat
1-1-1
Front Squat
1-1-1
Back Squat
1-1-1
Try to continually add weight to the bar for all nine lifts

Now or Later

Peter, Chris and Dustin done working out and awaiting the performance of heat three during "Christine"

For one reason or another we are sometimes forced to run heats for the given workout. When we do the people who go first get limited warm up time and have to suffer in front of everyone else. The people who go second may have so much time they get cold and the nerves may increase as anticipation builds.

Do you prefer to get it over with and go first or take a look at what is in store for you and go second?

_____________________

Workout:

Shoulder Press
1-1-1
Push Press
3-3-3
Push Jerk or Split Jerk
5-5-5

Getting Ready

Nooners just before Nancy

It has been said over and over again that of the greatest part of CrossFit is the community. It is great that we have barbecues and meet up at the farmers market or stay late and chat while rolling out. But the shared suffering during the workouts does something else, the competition and camaraderie makes us better athletes. We go harder and get more fit together. When you find those people who fire you up and make you go a little faster or try a little harder your performance goes through the roof. There is nothing wrong with healthy competition. Keep trying to beat each other, it's working.

Post experiences from "Nancy" to comments

Workout:

Rest Day

Thoracic spine

  Rolling Out

We need the ability to contract the midline while holding the shoulders down and back. Tightness in the thoracic spine (among other places) can inhibit good posture. We have learned from Kelly Starrett that spending time rolling out on lacrosse balls helps with range of motion issues, pain, and dysfunction. Solving our own issues can save us time and money. Solid mobility practice also gives us a better understanding of our bodies and  of better human movement. And all of that leads to better performance which is the ultimate goal.

___________________

Workout: "Nancy"

5 rounds for time
400 meter run
95 pound overhead squat, 15 reps

Blame The Coach

  Brian finishing a muscle up

Being a CrossFit coach is awesome. I spend my days teaching people how to do basic and complicated movements, motivating them to go harder and designing ways to help them improve. I get to geek out on programing workouts that will build my athletes capacities beyond what they thought they could do. But more importantly I get to be a positive part of peoples lives. I get to watch confidence build, relationships blossom,  and lives get better. My job is never done and I love that I get to keep doing it.

-coach D

_________________

Workout: "Christine"

Three rounds for time of:

Row 500 meters
12 Body weight deadlifts
21 box jumps

Short break, Go again

Courtnay in a classic rest positions.

There are many times during a workout where you may need to take a short break. As CrossFitters we are trying to do this as infrequently and as short as possible. It is critical that we gain an understanding of when we want to stop and when we need to stop. We continually aim to complete the work in less time i.e. with less rest.

Workout:

Complete ten rounds for time of:

3 muscle ups

3 ring handstand push-ups

Progressions

Karla working her muscle up.

In gymnastics, and particularly in mens gymnastics you find a lot of strength elements. There are a few great ways to build up the strength to do the gymnastics movements you are not yet strong enough to do.  Work the negative, use assistance and break down the movement into pieces and work the progressions. None of these movements are impossible, and if you work hard enough and smart enough you will progress.

________________

Work out

Rest Day