Crossfit

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stormee

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran The Cult of Robbo
Oct 5, 2004
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Ok can someone explain this to me?
I mean I get the aim of it, but does it work? What's it all about? Why should I do it over regular cardio/weights training that I'm already doing, and why are people so obsessed with it?
 
Good 6 page article on it here that should answer most your questions: http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sex_news_sports_funny/the_truth_about_crossfit

"CrossFit is not a specialized fitness program, but a deliberate attempt to optimize physical competence in each of 10 recognized fitness domains," says founder Greg Glassman in the Foundations document. Those domains are: cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy.

CrossFit coaches like to point out that even champions in certain sports have huge gaps in their fitness, as defined by the above 10 domains. Ironman competitors score high in some areas, low in others. The marathoner dominates cardio endurance but he isn't strong. The powerlifter is strong, but often has very low endurance and can't do a single pull-up.

If your goal is to specialize and compete in one sport, then CrossFit isn't for you. Instead, the goal of the CrossFitter is to become "competent" in all 10 domains. He may never be a top gymnast but he will develop great body control. He may never win a marathon, but he can enter a 5K without training for it and finish near the top.

Troy Dodson, owner of CrossFit Plano, says that for the CrossFitter, fitness itself is the sport. Indeed, CrossFit draws a lot of ex-athletes, and the CrossFit Games are growing in popularity and pulling big-time sponsors. If it sticks, CrossFit competition will join a distinguished list of training methods that eventually became competitive sports, including Olympic lifting, powerlifting, and strongman.

The CF goal of overall fitness, "functional" strength, and all-around preparedness has attracted many law-enforcement agencies, military and firefighting units, and martial artists who like the "train for the unknown and unknowable" philosophy.

According to the CrossFit website, "Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist."

Experienced CrossFitters aren't the strongest athletes out there, but they're stronger than most. They're not the fastest either, but they're fast. Their claim to fame is their completeness.

And it's easy to see the appeal: Why be big if you're not functional? Why have great endurance if you have no strength and power? Why not be competent in all of those things?

Critics point out that being "competent" at everything makes you great at nothing. It's a valid criticism, but it doesn't bother the CrossFit community. They revel in their versatility and believe strongly that being skilled in every aspect of fitness makes them, as their T-shirts proclaim, "un****withable."

The truth? If you're not competing in a specific sport that measures only a few athletic qualities, then why not become fully rounded? Why be the guy with the big bench who can't run up a flight of stairs? Why be the guy who can run 10 miles on the treadmill but who can't help someone move a couch?

Perhaps CrossFitter Richard Doughty summed it up best when he wrote on a CF forum, "Does CrossFit make sense for an NFL linebacker? No. Does an NFL linebacker's program make sense for regular people who want to be able to do everything well? No."

If you have a specific goal in your training — top-level competitive mountain biking, bodybuilding, a 600-pound deadlift — then CrossFit isn't for you. You need to specialize. If you want to be good, but not great, at a variety of athletic qualities, then CrossFit is a good option. And that's the truth.
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In the end, it basically depends on the quality of the Cross fit affiliate you go to. There are some very poor affiliates out there that have no clue on how to program weights. Programming is basically how manipulate the load, volume, and intensity parameters to get stronger and improve conditioning.

In my opinion CrossFit is just one of many tools you can use, you take and filter out whatever is useful for you. The difference between Cross fit and commercial/global gyms, is such that they actually teach you the main compound lifts.

People that rave on about cross fit are more like groupies. I guess a "one size fits all" program can be easily adapted to improve fitness. However, if you wish to improve your base strength considerably or train for specific sport, eventually your going to have to individualize your program.
 

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not a fan, as the others said, you need progression and overload and it doesn't do it

o lifts, squats and deads for 25 reps under fatigue? forget about it...your form will break down well before then and then you'll just get hurt
 
Crossfit is one of the best over all training methods around (for football). because it does not focus on specificity rather on endurance and strength it works very well when done properly. A huge range of exercises are performed and if done correctly can have great results
 
cptkirk said:
not a fan, as the others said, you need progression and overload and it doesn't do it

o lifts, squats and deads for 25 reps under fatigue? forget about it...your form will break down well before then and then you'll just get hurt
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you do use progression to overload. you dont just go into the gym and bust out 20 deadlifts at 100kg. it takes time, but with the right people around you this can be achieved
 
I Checked out the Gym Jones website last year. Interestignly, they do squats with chains on the bar - the chains fall to the ground the lower you get, lightening the load, to enable a manageable constant tension on the bar.

There are some very big guys out there that swear by the constant tension principle, they're not crossfit-type trainers as far as I'm aware.
 
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