Ever seen Crossfit?

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Some guys on another forum I belong too do Crossfit. Seems intense and crazy!!! I guess at least one guy died from doing a workout (a newbie doing an advanced workout).

Cruise the site: Crossfit

They have a list of their exercises. They pair two or three of them together to make up a single workout. It's usually a combination of weight training and cardio. Most of the time, you are supposed to do them as fast as possible. The goal is building "functional" strength, speed, endurance, explosiveness, etc.

Somewhere on the site, they make a claim about hypertrophy, but it is certainly not a hypertrophy oriented system.

I really don't want to deviate from HST any time soon, but part of me would like to find out if I could hack Crossfit for a month or two.
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Crossfit is one of the most retarded things I have seen in my entire life. I would be amazed if anyone managed to put on any appreciable muscle mass using crossfit and NOT using drugs at the same time.
Also, you can't really build strength, endurance, speed and explosiveness all at the same time. Try to do all those at once and you will stagnate, guaranteed.
 
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(Totentanz @ Sep. 06 2006,12:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Also, you can't really build strength, endurance, speed and explosiveness all at the same time.  Try to do all those at once and you will stagnate, guaranteed.</div>
I know this is an old post, but ....umm.... isn't that what football players do???

Seems to work just fine for them (not crossfit but training strength, endurance, speed and explosiveness at the same time)
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No, that's not what football players do. And how many football players turn out good anyway? A very small percentage of all who try.
Fact is, trying to train strength, endurance, speed and explosiveness all at the same time is always less effective than focusing on one thing at a time.


Anyway, my post from way back then was based on the videos I'd seen of some really dumb crossfit stuff and not so much on what most of them actually do. So whatever. I still don't think the more advanced crossfit stuff is good for people looking to build strength or speed, and some of the stuff that the people there claim (such as saying that doing crossfit while on steroids would be more effective than any other training method) sounds dumb to me.
 
I'm sure that since 2006 Crossfit has come a long way. From what I've looked at, I like the idea of Crossfit. What they say: 'Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing.'

I like that they get their members to work on a wide variety of free-weight compound exercises like deads, squats, cleans, presses etc. all with a desire to get stronger and fitter. Sure, it's not possible to train for both at the same time optimally but it is possible to do both at the same time and make steady improvements. I also like that they get plenty of women involved; I'd rather have me a gal who's into Crossfit over a typical non-exercising member of the populace any day. I like that they teach gymnastic moves for those interested, including the use of gymnastic rings (muscle-ups are just plain hard). I like that there is an element of competition.

Crossfit WODs can be brutal but a lot of fun too if you do them in a group, which is what a lot of Crossfitters do. Community spirit seems to be quite an important aspect of the whole set up.

For a natural trainer I think there is a lot to like if you want to change things up a bit and have a leaning towards cardio training as well as strength training.
 
My whole retarded comment was based on all that stuff from back then when videos of girls doing 20 rep clean and press with horrid form started leaking out onto the internet, along with comments like what I mentioned above. I still maintain that doing things like that would be retarded, especially if it isn't just an isolated one time thing but something you do regularly. That's just begging for injury.

But yeah, back then, crossfit had just started and I'm sure it's changed a lot since then. I haven't really bothered to look into it much since I initially dismissed it way back, but it's just not the kind of training that I am into anyway, or the kind of goals I am trying to achieve, so there you go.
 
Now that I think about it, it might have been 20 rep push presses, not clean and presses. I don't know for sure though.
 
Or the Linda workout,

which is a triple set of deadlifts, benches and cleans for 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2 and 1 reps in each of the sets.
 
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(Totentanz @ Sep. 21 2008,6:39)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">... but it's just not the kind of training that I am into anyway, or the kind of goals I am trying to achieve, so there you go.</div>
Yeah, I think that's an important point. A lot of the Crossfit folks (but thankfully not all) seem to think that training Crossfit style is THE way to train for pretty much anything. Frankly, I don't think it is. One thing is for sure though, if you want to get good at Crossfit WODs, you gotta do Crossfit WODs.

Most Crossfit WODs seem to favour the smaller and lighter folks. An exception might be the Crossfit Total: total of max dead, squat and press - three attempts per lift, like an Oly comp.

If you just want to get big and strong and you aren't fussed about cardio fitness or athleticism then IMO Crossfit isn't the way to go.
 
Ya just gotta know how to pick your comparisons

They are stronger than marathoners and have more endurance than powerlifters...
 
I like crossfit. I like it so much that I went ahead and got certified in it. Although I had a choice between the crossfit cert and the basica barbell training cert from Rippetoe. Rippetoes's certs were sold out a year in advance anywhere near where I live so I went with the Crossfit one. I eventually planned on getting both so it doesnt matter.
Now currently I dont do crossfit because I want to hit my strength and size goals first. They are the most important to me and I could care less about metcon.
I think Crossfit is getting short changed here. It is a general physical preparedness program and I would argue that it is the best out there in its category.
The retarded thing doesnt make a whole lot of sense to me. The WODs as prescribed are for those that are pretty damn fit and strong already. Someone who can clean and jerk 200lbs (just as a similar example) is not going to be injured by 30reps of 135lb clean and jerks. Sure the form is going to get bad as they tire but their bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, etc have been conditioned for 200lbs already. As a conditioning exercise I would rather get punched in the nuts than do that workout because it ruins you so well. For me, even though I am plenty strong enough for the workout, I just dont have the work capacity to do it with a quick time. That is, however, why it is so great. My brief foray into CF has made post SD 15s seem easy (in terms of sheer pain).
Its actually funny to see people say oh I can do that because I can squat 400lbs then get destroyed by the shear power output required.
Also Crossfit has evolved over the years, mainly due to Rippetoes influence, and has become a lot more strength oriented as people have discovered the effects of acute strength gain (via SS) on CF.
One thing I have not seen Crossfit produce is hyooge mofos. I think that is mainly because the zone diet is very popular there and they all tend to be on the lighter side.
Although Lol states that it seems to favor lighter/smaller people, I think it tends to favor the middle weights better (180-200 @ 5'10&quot;). Lighter people tend to get buried under heavy weight, while heavier people get buried on the BW exercises like the metric asstons of pullups they do. Middle weights tend to suffer a bit on both sides but overall seem to do better. Since crossfit measures fitness as power over time, nearly all crossfitters tend to migrate towards middle weight.

I disagree with the statements saying it wont make you strong. Here are examples of what Crossfit can do strengthwise:
Sub 6 mile + 385lb DL http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=37307
CF + SS http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=36392
A woman DLing almost 3xBW (video) http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=37041
450lb DL http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=36354
535 DL @ 170 http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=33379
 
It's not that crossfit won't make you strong, Tot merely suggested that if your only goal is strength then crossfit probably isn't the optimal way to go.
 
Obviously, anything involving weights will influence strength to some degree, especially with how much work you are doing in crossfit. Simply, there are more efficient ways to gain strength or size than doing crossfit. I'm not saying it is useless.
With regards to high rep olympic movements... I don't really think the amount of weight is as much a factor. People injure themselves doing day to day activities all the time when they just move wrong, even with just bodyweight. Olympic lifts are highly technical, and even if you only have 135 on the bar, what if you swing your arms back and do something to your shoulders? Hit yourself in the chin on the way up? Drop the bar on your head? High rep olympic lifts are not a great idea in my opinion. The risk of injury, regardless of how conditioned you are, is still significant.
 
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(bgates1654 @ Sep. 23 2008,5:34)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I think Crossfit is getting short changed here.</div>
not really
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
It is a general physical preparedness program and I would argue that it is the best out there in its category. </div>

when the crossfit FAQ says things like

Here is a hierarchy of training for mass from greater to lesser efficacy:
1. Bodybuilding on steroids
2. CrossFitting on steroids
3. CrossFitting without steroids
4. Bodybuilding without steroids

then claiming its just marketed as a GPP program is stretching a bit

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The retarded thing doesnt make a whole lot of sense to me. </div>
Like glassman claiming crossfit would turn anyone into a 600lb deadlifter, or was it 700 something around there

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> Someone who can clean and jerk 200lbs (just as a similar example) is not going to be injured by 30reps of 135lb clean and jerks. Sure the form is going to get bad as they tire but their bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, etc have been conditioned for 200lbs already</div>
lol, thats why people still tear muscles, damage joints etc during warmups... <div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">

Its actually funny to see people say oh I can do that because I can squat 400lbs then get destroyed by the shear power output required.</div>
Its equally funny when the crossfitters claim that they would beat olympic athletes in the olympic athletes sport...

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
One thing I have not seen Crossfit produce is hyooge mofos.</div> but the FAQ says...

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
I disagree with the statements saying it wont make you strong. Here are examples of what Crossfit can do strengthwise:</div>

depends on what you want to classify as strong...

the one thing crossfit does have going for it is the manotaurs.

They are good value
Click to expand...
 
&quot;...Simply, there are more efficient ways to gain strength or size than doing crossfit.  I'm not saying it is useless.&quot;

I completely agree. However strength is only one of ten fitness domains that crossfit concentrates on. Size isnt even mentioned in that area.

&quot;With regards to high rep olympic movements...  The risk of injury, regardless of how conditioned you are, is still significant.&quot;
The average person isnt in shape or conditioned in any manner. That fact does not surprise me and does not apply to serious exercisers. What do you mean swing your arms back? Like racking the bar on your throat? Been there (and not in a crossfit workout) with maximal weight... its not that bad. Over pulling and drilling yourself in the chin isnt that bad either. I have split my chin before and finished the set. Drop the bar on your head? Crossfit teach 1) mechanics 2) consistency 3) Intensity. If you dont have 1 or 2, you shouldnt be using the exercise in a workout. If you dont have 3, you are not going to be moving weight anywhere near significant. By the time you are at 3 you should know how to get the hell out of the way of the bar. The risk of injury is significant for anyone doing anything that will get them stronger, bigger, faster, etc.

&quot;when the crossfit FAQ says things like...
then claiming its just marketed as a GPP program is stretching a bit&quot;
Actually I see that as true. The thing is that the &quot;bodybuilding&quot; they refer to is the retarded bench and curls routines that make up the most of &quot;bodybuilding&quot;. Compared to HST or any other intelligent and effective bodybuilding program, no, crossfit will not make them bigger.

&quot;Like glassman claiming crossfit would turn anyone into a 600lb deadlifter, or was it 700 something around there&quot;
I am not aware of glassman claiming that and would agree that is retarded if he said that. I have not seen anyone DLing in that range purely from crossfit. Usually CFers that can do that come from a powerlifting or oly lifting background.

&quot;lol, thats why people still tear muscles, damage joints etc during warmups... &quot;
I have never heard of anyone screwing themselves up on the warmup. If they did its probably because the warmup is for the level of the athlete than can complete the WOD as prescribed regularly and some noob thought it was canon. The warmups must clearly be scaled to the fitness level of the exerciser just like the WOD.

&quot;Its equally funny when the crossfitters claim that they would beat olympic athletes in the olympic athletes sport...&quot;
Now that is retarded and I simply dont believe anyone who understands CF would say anything like that. I dont care if it was glassman himself, I would have dummy slapped him.

&quot;depends on what you want to classify as strong...
They are good value&quot;
Clearly CF can make you decently strong, but not as strong as a specialty routine within its domain. I dont understand the manotaur reference. I imagine its funny. Please enlighten me.
 
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