Crossfit....not just a fitness fad

[#1 Klaus fan]

Being an all arounder is unnatural. Everyone has their preferences, and if you look at crossfitters you will notice that very fit but weaker lifters, and not so fit but stronger lifters are both big groups in crossfit. And how do you test all aroundness? You can't, or if you try it will take you years because there are so many ways an athlete can move himself and weights. And you can argue that if a person prepares for everything, he doesn't prepare for anything. There are scenarios where being somewhat fit and somewhat strong won't help you at all.

[beverast]

Being an all arounder is unnatural. Everyone has their preferences, and if you look at crossfitters you will notice that very fit but weaker lifters, and not so fit but stronger lifters are both big groups in crossfit. And how do you test all aroundness? You can't, or if you try it will take you years because there are so many ways an athlete can move himself and weights. And you can argue that if a person prepares for everything, he doesn't prepare for anything. There are scenarios where being somewhat fit and somewhat strong won't help you at all.

Excellent point. (Natural) trainees simply cannot achieve greatness in more than one discipline.

A famous armchair scientist put it like this:

The mechanisms furthering adaptations in one trait - AMPK for mitochondrial biogenesis for endurance, suppress those that would have allowed optimal adaptation in the latter case, mTOR for muscle protein synthesis - all things being equal - looking at concurrent endurance/strength training vs strength training sans endurance training.

[breakmore]

[breakmore]

double

[Coach is Back!]

Great conditioning, shit program, shit technique if that's what you call it. Injury waiting to happen if it hasn't already.

[#1 Klaus fan]

Wrist, elbow and shoulder damage. And makes you fat if you look at those two.

[loco]

i can tell

Concern for Injury

A more pressing concern is the potential for injury. CrossFit WODs sometimes use Olympic lifts, like the snatch, for high repetitions when lifters are in a state of exhaustion. That worries almost everyone I interviewed.

"The problem has to do with fatigue and going to failure," says Stuart McGill, Ph.D., a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, Ontario. "Some exercises are conducive to this and others are not." McGill puts Olympic lifts in the "not" category.

"Repeating movements where form is compromised with fatigue really does not fit the philosophy of Olympic lifting to reduce injury risk and enhance performance."

Then there's the issue of coaching. "You can learn the mechanics of an Olympic lift in 2 days, but you can't develop enough of a proficiency to teach others," Krahn says. "The guy who's teaching you a complex movement may have very little knowledge about it."

Rhabdomyolysis is another health concern that's become associated with CrossFit over the years. "Rhabdo" can occur when muscles are worked so hard that the fibers break down, releasing the protein myoglobin into the bloodstream. In extreme cases, it can lead to kidney damage or even kidney failure. It's commonly seen in people with crush injuries, such as those from auto accidents.

Former U.S. Navy information systems technician Makimba Mimms was awarded $300,000 in damages from his local gym, the CrossFit affiliate training company, and his trainer for injuries he sustained during a CrossFit workout in 2005. Those injuries included rhabdomyolysis.

Rather than refute the association with potentially fatal injury—or at least try to change the subject—CrossFit has used it as proof of its intensity. The WOD that nearly killed Mimms was renamed "Makimba" and recategorized as a children's workout. The derision ignores not just the seriousness of Mimms's injuries but also the fact that no one is immune to rhabdo, including elite athletes. In January 2011, a local paper reported that 13 football players at the University of Iowa were hospitalized with rhabdo after a workout that included 100 squats with 50 percent of their 1-rep max. It wasn't a CrossFit workout, but it was in the same ballpark: a technically complex exercise performed for high repetitions under conditions of extreme fatigue.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/fitness/inside-cult-crossfit?page=2

[Coach is Back!]

Concern for Injury

A more pressing concern is the potential for injury. CrossFit WODs sometimes use Olympic lifts, like the snatch, for high repetitions when lifters are in a state of exhaustion. That worries almost everyone I interviewed.

"The problem has to do with fatigue and going to failure," says Stuart McGill, Ph.D., a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, Ontario. "Some exercises are conducive to this and others are not." McGill puts Olympic lifts in the "not" category.

"Repeating movements where form is compromised with fatigue really does not fit the philosophy of Olympic lifting to reduce injury risk and enhance performance."

Then there's the issue of coaching. "You can learn the mechanics of an Olympic lift in 2 days, but you can't develop enough of a proficiency to teach others," Krahn says. "The guy who's teaching you a complex movement may have very little knowledge about it."

Rhabdomyolysis is another health concern that's become associated with CrossFit over the years. "Rhabdo" can occur when muscles are worked so hard that the fibers break down, releasing the protein myoglobin into the bloodstream. In extreme cases, it can lead to kidney damage or even kidney failure. It's commonly seen in people with crush injuries, such as those from auto accidents.

Former U.S. Navy information systems technician Makimba Mimms was awarded $300,000 in damages from his local gym, the CrossFit affiliate training company, and his trainer for injuries he sustained during a CrossFit workout in 2005. Those injuries included rhabdomyolysis.

Rather than refute the association with potentially fatal injury—or at least try to change the subject—CrossFit has used it as proof of its intensity. The WOD that nearly killed Mimms was renamed "Makimba" and recategorized as a children's workout. The derision ignores not just the seriousness of Mimms's injuries but also the fact that no one is immune to rhabdo, including elite athletes. In January 2011, a local paper reported that 13 football players at the University of Iowa were hospitalized with rhabdo after a workout that included 100 squats with 50 percent of their 1-rep max. It wasn't a CrossFit workout, but it was in the same ballpark: a technically complex exercise performed for high repetitions under conditions of extreme fatigue.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/fitness/inside-cult-crossfit?page=2

Just basically repeats what I said. I've heard McGill in person on several occasions and when it comes to back health and bio-mechanics the man is a genius.

[pvttucker]

Discuss that mr coach... Fucking beast in rich froning jr

[hematocritter]

I'm not sure what crossfit even is, looks like guys doing a bunch of Oly lifts with really light
weight and terrible form, with no breaks between sets, and a shitload of bodyweight exercises.
Looks like cardio with weights to me.
I'm sure these guys are in decent overall shape, but I don't really get the whole deal.

I personally just lift with weights and take short rest periods, sometimes not at all, just switch
to a different exercise. My form isn't terrible either. I do stairs and pull a weighted sled,
I think this is a better approach to being muscular with good cardiovascular shape and endurance.
I am not a bodybuilder, I am just a guy that wants to grow muscles, get stronger, and have
good health and endurance too.

Hard to have an opinion on something that can't really be defined.

One thing I have an opinion on is that any trend or fad is gay and I hate it. I hate text messages,
facebook, lowered cars with crooked wheels, reality TV, hipsters, and any other stupid thing
that the sheep are doing
and copying.

[Metabolic]

CrossFit is just another strain or race of lying sacks of shit that endanger your physical well being.

It is a completely retarded fad that appeals to people with 0 knowledge of strength training and overall body conditioning but looks "cool".

[purenaturalstrength]

Discuss that mr coach... Fucking beast in rich froning jr

these guys are decently strong but their technique is horrid

[Spidey]

I haven't read all of this thread but i will.
I think they try to be too elitist and act like a cult but take a step back and look at bodybuilding for a second.
It's also a cult, you also have people who train like shit with powerlifting moves like squats, deads etc. Are you telling me that everyone at the gym that deadlifts know proper technique? Fuck no!! And i've seen people go to the hospital with slipped discs because of bad deadlifting and they don't crossfit.
Truth is, there are retards everywhere but crossfit appeals to the masses so you see more fails and bad posture than in other "sports".
Imagine what an experienced, seasoned crossfitter would think if he saw Branch Warren or Jason Genova train.  

I happen to have a crossfit cetification course and i realy liked the message they tryed to pass. Wich was, you can't sacrifice form to get results, they tought proper lifting technique and were hardasses about it. It's not they're fault if some housewife decides she can do Squats Tabata style and the next day is in pain like it's not anyone's fault if some bodybuilder who squats once every full moon decides today he's gonna squat as much as his friend and loads the bar with 600lbs and fucks his back

[BigCyp]

I was training in a gym in Birmingham city (away for the weekend) and had just finished my 'power' routine which is basically 20-10-6-3-1 reps (finishing with 1RM) on Sqaut, Deads, and Bench, so I was standing over by the bench dripping with sweat after training for about 95 minutes and drinking some water when some 'guy' who works there jogs over and says "Hey you wanna do the Dragon challenge?" I was like wtf is the dragon challenge? so he explains that it's where you get 2 12.5kg dumbells and have to raise em above your head by 'any means possible' for 200 or something reps...............I simply said what's the point? and he said fair enough mate, but 'come and have a go later if you're strong enough!" 

I had to stand there shaking my head slowly in disbelief. Next time I do a combined 1RM of 520kg (I have a shitty bench lol) I will make sure my invisibility suit is not on 

I wish I was 'strong enough' to do the 'dragon challenge' oh brother gayer than ribena light

[Spidey]

I was training in a gym in Birmingham city (away for the weekend) and had just finished my 'power' routine which is basically 20-10-6-3-1 reps (finishing with 1RM) on Sqaut, Deads, and Bench, so I was standing over by the bench dripping with sweat after training for about 95 minutes and drinking some water when some 'guy' who works there jogs over and says "Hey you wanna do the Dragon challenge?" I was like wtf is the dragon challenge? so he explains that it's where you get 2 12.5kg dumbells and have to raise em above your head by 'any means possible' for 200 or something reps...............I simply said what's the point? and he said fair enough mate, but 'come and have a go later if you're strong enough!" 

I had to stand there shaking my head slowly in disbelief. Next time I do a combined 1RM of 520kg (I have a shitty bench lol) I will make sure my invisibility suit is not on 

I wish I was 'strong enough' to do the 'dragon challenge' oh brother gayer than ribena light

That's what i'm saying. That guy is as much a jackass as someone who who walk to you and said "my cousin's friend girlfriend can bench more than you" and that quaote about "by any means possible" IS NOT what they teach!!

[BigCyp]

That's what i'm saying. That guy is as much a jackass as someone who who walk to you and said "my cousin's friend girlfriend can bench more than you" and that quaote about "by any means possible" IS NOT what they teach!!

Lol, I see totally where you are coming from.

Problem with the whole 'crossfit' hype is not the textbook crossfit style/goal but because of its wide-ranging appeal you will by default attract more darwin prize winners than other disciplines i.e. MMA, BB, Powerlifting etc etc

[Spidey]

Lol, I see totally where you are coming from.

Problem with the whole 'crossfit' hype is not the textbook crossfit style/goal but because of its wide-ranging appeal you will by default attract more darwin prize winners than other disciplines i.e. MMA, BB, Powerlifting etc etc

Exactly!
Darwin Prize Winners = ahahahahahahahahahahahah ahah

[Rammstein]

Why I Resigned my Affiliation with CrossFit

John Sheaffer- Greyskull Barbell Club:

http://greyskullarticles.blogspot.com/2009/10/recently-ive-received-lot-of-emails.html

[kcballer]

O-lifts take along time to perfect. They should be done first in the workout because of the stress it puts on the CNS. The reps, really no matter what the weight and because it is a full body power exercise that loads the CNS almost immediately shouldn't be anymore than 3-5 reps. Anymore usually causes a breakdown in form which could lead to injuries. I'm not pandering here, but coincidentally I wrote this just a couple of days ago....

http://www.mpftrainingsystems.com/mpfblog.html




  

Proof read coach please.  It's embarrassing to write something with such basic errors and claim to be a professional.   

[beverast]

Sorry for derailing your discussion, but have a look at these two instant classics here:

[purenaturalstrength]

that sums up my sentiments about crossfit^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Coach is Back!]

Sorry for derailing your discussion, but have a look at these two instant classics here:

LMAO....some of the best yet.

[Coach is Back!]

Proof read coach please.  It's embarrassing to write something with such basic errors and claim to be a professional.   

Don't worry about it.

[viking1]

Sorry for derailing your discussion, but have a look at these two instant classics here:

And the franchise owners are laughing their way to the bank cashing their clients memberships.

[Crossbow]

Some marketing/branding genius found a way to make a lot of money by creating a brand and cashing in on franchise fees.

But as these schemes tend to work and people are gullible, gyms and trainers have to ask themselves whether they should offer it or not - as a growing number of members ask for it....

That type of exercises and the intensity is suitable for athletes (sprinters, hurdlers, long jumpers etc have always trained that way), but could be dangerous for a person who has never done any sports or workout.

A novice to training who wants to get fit is much better served by starting with a circuit of good old favorites, like rope skipping, high knee running on the spot, push-ups, chins, lunges, bodyweight squats etc - but there is little money to be made there...

A good example are classes that some London based Olympic athletes are giving in schools and community centers: