Crossfit...dont get it...

[Hobbes]

The best is when they use bands and kip freakin hilarious.

Bands would be for people who are working up to being able to do a pullup. Do you have a better way to train a pullup for someone who can't do any at all?

[J-Dub]

I dont think crossfit should be for anyone.....

[Hobbes]

No worries on the ban bro.


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

And this is a large part of the entire point of CF. And it works...Crossfitters typically crush the cardio+gym types at the CFT (which is strength and cardio together) and same goes for many other similar events.

[Hobbes]

I dont think crossfit should be for anyone.....

Wow, you totally refuted everything I just said. Well done.

All the people who have gotten great results with it don't matter then huh?

Don't be so closed minded, you might actually discover something that works well. You said you didn't "get it" so I'm trying to help you understand. What's the problem? Also please explain how I'm "short changing" myself by doing CF.

[bsf]

Wow...lots of misconceptions in this thread.

First, CF isn't for everyone. If you want to run a marathon or be a competetive lifter CF won't get you there. That being said, if you want general all around fitness then CF is the way to go.

Kipping...ok..."full retard" kipping. Immediate giveaway that you don't know what you're talking about. Kipping allows for pullups to be done quickly, and to do more of them. It's a completely different exercise than deadhangs or weighted (both of which are included in Crossfit BTW). Look at it this way...you do squats right? Sometimes you do 5X5 and sometimes you might do 2X10 right? Different stimulis.

Injury...you can get injured doing anything. I know 20+ people who do CF, some were in decent shape to begin with and some were completely sedentary. None have been injured. CF doesn't make up exercises, it uses well established exercises. If you follow basic lifting principles you won't get hurt..keep your back straight. If you hurt youself doing CF, it's because YOU screwed up...don't blame CF. Some people get injured because they jump into without scaling the workouts, they think they're in better shape than they really are and they hurt themselves. That's why you should click on "start here" if you're thinking about starting CF.

Now as far as results. My 3 mile time is faster than it was 11 years ago when I was 18 years old and in USMC basic training. My current PFT score is a 283 and CFT is 300. All I do is Crossfit. I can do 53 kipping pullups in one set (any detractors of kipping pullups are welcome to beat that and call me a pussy if you want) and I can do a pullup with 110-115 pounds on a belt.
I hang out with a LOT of Crossfitters and have yet to see even ONE that has to use a Smith machine for anything.

Like I said at first, CF isn't for everyone but it is probably the best program for all around fitness out there. If you doubt it works, put your money where your mouth is and give it a legit shot for 8 weeks and see what happens, I think you'd be surprised.

I should not have used “full-retard” to describe CF-style kipping pull-ups in this context.

I do understand that CF-style kipping pull-ups serve a different purpose than slow, controlled, dead hang pull-ups. I have a chronic issue with one shoulder. Slow, controlled dead-hang pull-ups concern me on some days. I will not do CF-style pull-ups, because I am literally afraid of the consequences and they do not fit with my separation of cardio and strength training.

[Hobbes]

For those with legit shoulder issues, it probably is wise to steer clear of high rep kipping pullups...no worries there.

If your choice is to strictly separate cardio and strength that's great. I just hate it when I get judged for mixing them together...hey, LIFE mixes strength and cardio so why shouldn't my workout? It's been proven to work.

And just to clear up any other misconceptions, CF does separate them some days. There are pure strength days with heavy deads, squats cleans etc...and pure cardio days with 800m repeats, mile repeats, 5k, 10k, 15k or rowing.

[ZuluDeltaBravo]

What I think is interesting about CF (and programs like it) are that they aren't new, they've simply been given a name and context.

My experience stems from my time as an 0341 in the Marines (98-06). I had been doing some sort of functional excersice since first picking up with my victor unit. Lugging around a barrel, base plate and bipods was an ass kicker if you were just walking; pick up the pace a bit, throw in some crew serve drills here and there and you were in for some good, hard PT.

Once I hit my second enlistment, i got into the MCMA program as an instructor and then instructor/trainer, I found that much of the physical portion that wasn't technique driven was what you would now see in many CF gyms today. Sprints, body weight exercises, weighted compound exercises, combination short duration high exertion and long duration low exertion, pushing to failure, ect...

All that said, I definately think that CF has it's place. It, like many other things, is a useful tool to keep in mind if your looking to change up your workouts.

PS: However, I'm just never going to be OK with the kipping pull-ups...but thats just the Marine in me, more than anything else

[WillBrink]

What I think is interesting about CF (and programs like it) are that they aren't new, they've simply been given a name and context.

You mean cross training wasn't invented by CF? Say it aint so!

[J-Dub]

Wow, you totally refuted everything I just said. Well done.

All the people who have gotten great results with it don't matter then huh?

Don't be so closed minded, you might actually discover something that works well. You said you didn't "get it" so I'm trying to help you understand. What's the problem? Also please explain how I'm "short changing" myself by doing CF.

I've already stated in this thread that just about every respected physical fitness org. states that for optimal gains in both strength/resistance, and cardiovascular training they need to be done seperate. (sorry you're late to the party)

I'm not closed minded, i just know what is a crap workout when i see one. If i can knockout a workout (for both strength and cardio) in less than 15mins.....i HIGHLY doubt its designed/structured well.

Crossfit is fragmented, and constantly OVERWORKS muscle groups. So ya, if you dont believe the body needs rest to grow/rebuild, keep breaking down your body with cf.

I also wouldnt get too excited about crossfitters doing great in PT tests. Most PT tests dont really test for real world function, as we've discussed.

[tgace]

I don't know. Some of those Crossfit dudes/gals look to be in wicked shape.