Crossfit...dont get it...

[J-Dub]

Yep i dont get the whole crossfit craze. I have a degree in Sports/Fitness so i know a little about what i'm talking about when it comes to exercise prescription/programs.

I still cant understand why anyone would want to short change themselves by doing crossfit. Why wouldnt you want to have a resistance program and a cardiovascular program (done seperately in order to get the most out of each program). To me it does not make any sense to combine the two, into one 20 min workout.

Honestly i believe its a fad more than anything (same goes for kettlebells, which i hate).

The ONLY upside to a crossfit workout is if you are strapped for time. Other than that, i dont get it.

p.s. hopefully this doesnt get me banned, since apparently "crossfitters" get pissed and ban people when it isnt celebrated.

[theblackknight]

No worries on the ban bro.


I'm not a full time cross fitter, but why train one muscle group at a time, when you rarely use them as such? People train with traditional training basically bc Joe Wieder said so. Ive worked with guys who are superstars in the gym, but can't jump over a canal or fly thru a o-course.

Im not old or wise, but it seems groups wiill taylor their eating habits and workouts to personal preference and natural ability. People who dont like milk will say" humans wernt made to drink it, we the only animal that drinks another's milk blah blah" soo these people go with a paleo diet. Same with workouts. Guys who are built like bears and not jaguars will gravitate towards the weight room, while guys who more resemble (or want to) a mens health cover bro, will do muscle ups and smash big tires with sledges.


But to address your post, how is crossfit wrong and what hard evidence do you have?

Since this website is what it is, how is a raid or firefight not both, cardio and resistance?

A lot of people think 5 fingers and the minimalist running craze are a fad simply based of the fact they dont like how the shoes look, but I've not found one article written by anybody, professional or joe, that argues against it. On the contrary, many people with B.A.'s and M.D.'s are saying this is how it should have been all along.

[BigJoe]

I don't subscribe to straight crossfit as i think like anything its tailored for people who are getting off work and want to work out for the least amount of time possible while still seeing results. Although the idea of short times of max effort i do subscribe to using in a program. I have watched many a marathon runner struggle during land warfare drills, or not be able to carry a down man and many a muscle head not be able to keep up on a long patrol if you have to step it out.

I think people should take crossfit as a way to enhance a workout not really be your primary everyday routine. other great programs are SEALfit.com, gym jones, crossfit endurance, crossfit football, the bill star 5x5. all great programs that one can use through a year to keep their muscles from getting in a routine. the main crossfit site is not the bible or the ultimate word of fitness.

[GotAmmo]

well said

No worries on the ban bro.


I'm not a full time cross fitter, but why train one muscle group at a time, when you rarely use them as such? People train with traditional training basically bc Joe Wieder said so. Ive worked with guys who are superstars in the gym, but can't jump over a canal or fly thru a o-course.

Im not old or wise, but it seems groups wiill taylor their eating habits and workouts to personal preference and natural ability. People who dont like milk will say" humans wernt made to drink it, we the only animal that drinks another's milk blah blah" soo these people go with a paleo diet. Same with workouts. Guys who are built like bears and not jaguars will gravitate towards the weight room, while guys who more resemble (or want to) a mens health cover bro, will do muscle ups and smash big tires with sledges.


But to address your post, how is crossfit wrong and what hard evidence do you have?

Since this website is what it is, how is a raid or firefight not both, cardio and resistance?

A lot of people think 5 fingers and the minimalist running craze are a fad simply based of the fact they dont like how the shoes look, but I've not found one article written by anybody, professional or joe, that argues against it. On the contrary, many people with B.A.'s and M.D.'s are saying this is how it should have been all along.

[bp7178]

This day and age, anything that helps fat people not be fat gets a thumbs up in my book.

I'm 32, 6'-3" 205lbs, having recently lost about 25lbs. For me a big componet of this was diet. The older I get the more I find diet plays a bigger role. I'd like to loose another 20.

That being said, I also have had much better sucess with circuits. My take is that all these new programs, crossfit et al, just combine circuit training with balance related stuff.

The big thing is not to get complacent with workouts. I see people doing nothing but bench presses and wondering why they never increase.

[120mm]

I got back in shape by doing something similar to Crossfit without even knowing what Crossfit was.

I found I lost weight quicker and got more stamina by doing aerobics combined with resistence exercises as a circuit drill.

Personally, I don't want to be a marathon runner or a meat head, but rather, I was working on toughness and burning off calories as fast as I could.

Just doing my own workout, though, I've found I could more than keep up with our local Crossfitters and P90X dudes, when I train with them on occasion.

One thing, though; lots of the Crossfit exercises require perfect form and I view them as too risky.

[J-Dub]

One thing, though; lots of the Crossfit exercises require perfect form and I view them as too risky.

Man i could not agree more with that view right there! Thats actually one of the problems i have with the "program", its a great way to get hurt if you're not in great shape already.

I can also agree that the crossfit style would be good as just a portion of a designed program, maybe do crossfit-esque workouts for a week to two just to throw in a little variety.

It seems to me a lot of their workouts (going off of their website) are really fragmented, meaning they only work a small percent of muscle groups....and they kinda jump around without rhyme or reason.

great discussion..

[DiabhailGadhar]

I dont know the details as I am not a certified CrossFit trainer...that being said I am an active duty US Marine ( which will also explain my inability to type/spell....) and we have recently changed our yearly requirement for physical fitness test. As you may or may not be aware our previous physicat fitness test (PFT) included a 3 mile run, max sit ups in under 2 minutes, and max set of dead hang pull ups. While the old understanding of working separetly for the run (cardio) and the pull ups/sit ups (resistance) would def apply to this our new combat fitness test (CFT) covers both realms at once through out the test, I'd write out what our CFT entails but that is why God created Google.... The understanding I have, and again I have no degree, is that in combat we utilize "burst energy" meaning that we are not necessarily doing one or the other but in actuality doing both at the same time and for good reason...ie carrying a downed friend weighing in close to your own body weight under fire requires more burst energy then it would endurance or strength as it requires both....and it requires them right now! I would recommend reading this article to get a better understanding I had a friend/coworker/squid that was a level II instructor and to say that his methods got results would be a vast understatment..CrossFit is certainly not for everyone...even though it could be catered to anyone....ie my wife just gave birth to our first kid on the 3rd and she is starting crossfitmom next week..also as the Gym here on MCAS Yuma offers it and there are more and more people there every day I dont really see this "fad" going away anytime soon as the Marine Corps is adopting its techniques more and more into its doctorine...

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf


Sorry I got so long winded but you should just read and if you disagree then, well its not for you, but try it for more then one session and I'd be willing to bet you'll become a believer..as reaslistacally it entails both forms of workout more efficiently hince the "short" workouts..those short workouts will be some of the most painful and beneficial 20 min periods of your life...or atleast will be if your trainer is in another branch of service and there is some good old fashoined "Sailor wish I joined the Corps" jealousy mixed in the workout...

[120mm]

I dont know the details as I am not a certified CrossFit trainer...that being said I am an active duty US Marine ( which will also explain my inability to type/spell....) and we have recently changed our yearly requirement for physical fitness test. As you may or may not be aware our previous physicat fitness test (PFT) included a 3 mile run, max sit ups in under 2 minutes, and max set of dead hang pull ups. While the old understanding of working separetly for the run (cardio) and the pull ups/sit ups (resistance) would def apply to this our new combat fitness test (CFT) covers both realms at once through out the test, I'd write out what our CFT entails but that is why God created Google.... The understanding I have, and again I have no degree, is that in combat we utilize "burst energy" meaning that we are not necessarily doing one or the other but in actuality doing both at the same time and for good reason...ie carrying a downed friend weighing in close to your own body weight under fire requires more burst energy then it would endurance or strength as it requires both....and it requires them right now! I would recommend reading this article to get a better understanding I had a friend/coworker/squid that was a level II instructor and to say that his methods got results would be a vast understatment..CrossFit is certainly not for everyone...even though it could be catered to anyone....ie my wife just gave birth to our first kid on the 3rd and she is starting crossfitmom next week..also as the Gym here on MCAS Yuma offers it and there are more and more people there every day I dont really see this "fad" going away anytime soon as the Marine Corps is adopting its techniques more and more into its doctorine...

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf


Sorry I got so long winded but you should just read and if you disagree then, well its not for you, but try it for more then one session and I'd be willing to bet you'll become a believer..as reaslistacally it entails both forms of workout more efficiently hince the "short" workouts..those short workouts will be some of the most painful and beneficial 20 min periods of your life...or atleast will be if your trainer is in another branch of service and there is some good old fashoined "Sailor wish I joined the Corps" jealousy mixed in the workout...

It is my understanding that Crossfit is actually closer to earlier military workouts pre-"side straddle hop" that emphasized more holistic body exercises. If you look at older military videos, you see men doing not just calisthentics, but lots of gymnastics and cross-fit style exercizes. I mean, the shoulder press is called a "military press" for a reason.

[DiabhailGadhar]

I could agree to that ..in that they use to do an exercise based on a repetitive task they did in performance of their duty..and I could see how CrossFit would be doing the same thing..

I mean the trainer I had would cater my workout to which test we were doing. For instace, if it was PFT "season" the workout would generally have a round of 4-800 meter runs, if it was CFT time I was having rounds where I was sprinting 100 meters or dragging some heavy tires. Either workout was designed around my task at hand.