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xfit appreciation thread
- Thread starter TrentZor
- Start date
With all due respect to the soldiers and families but what does that have to do with working out. This really shows the gimmicky marketing nature of crossfit.
walt
DuffProteinMan
5 Reasons Why CrossFit is Crap
07 1 2009
By now, everyone who follows the fitness industry has heard of CrossFit. Its popular, it has exciting workouts, and its very competitive. So competitive, in fact, that there are even CrossFit competitions held across the country where gurus subscribing to these workouts can lay out all their testosterone and go head-to-head in a ridiculous 3-day long battle. Whether you love it or hate it, CrossFit has reached a critical mass, and it won’t be going away anytime soon. The problem is I’m in the Hate It camp.
Let me get the 1 thing I like about CrossFit out of the way: it has inspired many to take working out more seriously. And I know first hand how monotonous an exercise routine can get, and CrossFit has found a way to keep people excited about their workouts. Now that that’s out of the way, allow me to give my problems with this exercise…uh…company? Organization? Group? Whatever they call themselves, I have found 5 major problems with CrossFit that the general public has not seemed to recognize. Without further ado, here we go (in no particular order).
1. CrossFit is not for athletes. All a CrossFit workout will do is make you better at a CrossFit workout. Take for example the power clean. This is a power movement, meaning it must be performed at high speeds, which is why (for the most part) no well-educated strength coach will have his athletes perform more than 6 reps per set on this lift. In CrossFit workouts, you may do as many as 25 reps per set on power clean. Yes, this will get you tired, and yes, this will get you in better aerobic shape–but is that the purpose of power clean? Absolutely not! Cleans build explosive power from the ground up which directly correlates to jumping ability and sprinting speed. In no way should cleans be used for aerobic improvement because the lower back will tire out, thus causing an injury. Additionally, to do 25 reps on a power clean means you will have virtually no weight on the bar. This is my first reason why CrossFit is crap.
2. CrossFit teaches pull-ups wrong. Are you kidding me? The easiest lift known to man (in technique at least). All you have to do is pull yourself up. If you can’t, you have a spotter help you until you are strong enough to do them on your own. How could someone possibly screw that up? Well, CrossFit found a way by including the “kip” in many of their pull-up workouts. The kip has lifters swing forward and then use their momentum to pull themselves over the bar. Then they will quickly drop themselves, swing forward again, and repeat. Notice a pattern here? Momentum doesn’t build muscle, controlled movements do. In addition to using momentum, this quick-drop-from-the-top practice takes out the eccentric aspect of a muscle contraction (which is actually a stronger contraction than a concentric). This is actually the first thing I noticed about CrossFit and the second reason why I claim that CrossFit is indeed crap.
3. CrossFit is not based on science, but randomly put together. I understand muscle confusion. I understand cross training. But I don’t understand what CrossFit is based on. I have read one workout that puts together 6 exercises. The participant chooses 2 of them to perform back to back. Then rests 4 HOURS, comes back and does another 2, rests 4 more hours, and completes the last 2. What in the world? I’m no genius, but I have been around many great strength coaches, college professors, physical therapists, and exercise physiologists. I’m quite certain you’ll never find support for this type of training in any published research. And yet, another reason why CrossFit is crap.
4. CrossFit uses visually appealing lifts with physically sub par results. This statement is based off of only one picture on the CrossFit website, which shows a man deadlifting a telephone pole. While this looks cool, he picks the telephone pole up on one end rather than in the middle. This means that he is actually lifting about 1/3 of the telephone pole’s weight. Looks awesome. But its pointless. This also, is why Crossfit is crap.
5. CrossFit sells a brand name rather than a genuine workout. On this statement, I am open to other opinions because I realize that its pretty hard to develop new lifts. With some exception, there is a lift for virtually every movement the body can do. If I were to take lifts such as power clean, deadlift, and pull-ups, randomly through sets and reps together and call it a Macssistance workout, what have I really done that someone else has not done before? This is precisely what CrossFit does. Rather than expand on the fitness industry, they take what has been done for years, slap a CrossFit label on it, and convince the public its the most intense way to train. Not all of this is their fault, as thousands of people have chosen to make CrossFit popular. However, when you are a leader in the field, it is your responsibility to pave the way for new ideas that are scientifcally founded and anatomically sound. CrossFit has failed to do so. So thanks for showing the world lifts we already knew. Once again, a reason why CrossFit is crap.
I’ll admit that I’m a harsh critic. Most people in this field are. But I have a genuine problem with organizations and people who convince their public how great their product is by way of emotion, visual appeal, and celebrity endorsement, but without the support of research-based backing. Again, if you are no longer playing sports and you genuinely enjoy CrossFit, by all means keep doing it. It will burn calories and build some muscle, but it will not make you a better athlete.
Overall, its crap.
07 1 2009
By now, everyone who follows the fitness industry has heard of CrossFit. Its popular, it has exciting workouts, and its very competitive. So competitive, in fact, that there are even CrossFit competitions held across the country where gurus subscribing to these workouts can lay out all their testosterone and go head-to-head in a ridiculous 3-day long battle. Whether you love it or hate it, CrossFit has reached a critical mass, and it won’t be going away anytime soon. The problem is I’m in the Hate It camp.
Let me get the 1 thing I like about CrossFit out of the way: it has inspired many to take working out more seriously. And I know first hand how monotonous an exercise routine can get, and CrossFit has found a way to keep people excited about their workouts. Now that that’s out of the way, allow me to give my problems with this exercise…uh…company? Organization? Group? Whatever they call themselves, I have found 5 major problems with CrossFit that the general public has not seemed to recognize. Without further ado, here we go (in no particular order).
1. CrossFit is not for athletes. All a CrossFit workout will do is make you better at a CrossFit workout. Take for example the power clean. This is a power movement, meaning it must be performed at high speeds, which is why (for the most part) no well-educated strength coach will have his athletes perform more than 6 reps per set on this lift. In CrossFit workouts, you may do as many as 25 reps per set on power clean. Yes, this will get you tired, and yes, this will get you in better aerobic shape–but is that the purpose of power clean? Absolutely not! Cleans build explosive power from the ground up which directly correlates to jumping ability and sprinting speed. In no way should cleans be used for aerobic improvement because the lower back will tire out, thus causing an injury. Additionally, to do 25 reps on a power clean means you will have virtually no weight on the bar. This is my first reason why CrossFit is crap.
2. CrossFit teaches pull-ups wrong. Are you kidding me? The easiest lift known to man (in technique at least). All you have to do is pull yourself up. If you can’t, you have a spotter help you until you are strong enough to do them on your own. How could someone possibly screw that up? Well, CrossFit found a way by including the “kip” in many of their pull-up workouts. The kip has lifters swing forward and then use their momentum to pull themselves over the bar. Then they will quickly drop themselves, swing forward again, and repeat. Notice a pattern here? Momentum doesn’t build muscle, controlled movements do. In addition to using momentum, this quick-drop-from-the-top practice takes out the eccentric aspect of a muscle contraction (which is actually a stronger contraction than a concentric). This is actually the first thing I noticed about CrossFit and the second reason why I claim that CrossFit is indeed crap.
3. CrossFit is not based on science, but randomly put together. I understand muscle confusion. I understand cross training. But I don’t understand what CrossFit is based on. I have read one workout that puts together 6 exercises. The participant chooses 2 of them to perform back to back. Then rests 4 HOURS, comes back and does another 2, rests 4 more hours, and completes the last 2. What in the world? I’m no genius, but I have been around many great strength coaches, college professors, physical therapists, and exercise physiologists. I’m quite certain you’ll never find support for this type of training in any published research. And yet, another reason why CrossFit is crap.
4. CrossFit uses visually appealing lifts with physically sub par results. This statement is based off of only one picture on the CrossFit website, which shows a man deadlifting a telephone pole. While this looks cool, he picks the telephone pole up on one end rather than in the middle. This means that he is actually lifting about 1/3 of the telephone pole’s weight. Looks awesome. But its pointless. This also, is why Crossfit is crap.
5. CrossFit sells a brand name rather than a genuine workout. On this statement, I am open to other opinions because I realize that its pretty hard to develop new lifts. With some exception, there is a lift for virtually every movement the body can do. If I were to take lifts such as power clean, deadlift, and pull-ups, randomly through sets and reps together and call it a Macssistance workout, what have I really done that someone else has not done before? This is precisely what CrossFit does. Rather than expand on the fitness industry, they take what has been done for years, slap a CrossFit label on it, and convince the public its the most intense way to train. Not all of this is their fault, as thousands of people have chosen to make CrossFit popular. However, when you are a leader in the field, it is your responsibility to pave the way for new ideas that are scientifcally founded and anatomically sound. CrossFit has failed to do so. So thanks for showing the world lifts we already knew. Once again, a reason why CrossFit is crap.
I’ll admit that I’m a harsh critic. Most people in this field are. But I have a genuine problem with organizations and people who convince their public how great their product is by way of emotion, visual appeal, and celebrity endorsement, but without the support of research-based backing. Again, if you are no longer playing sports and you genuinely enjoy CrossFit, by all means keep doing it. It will burn calories and build some muscle, but it will not make you a better athlete.
Overall, its crap.
wingman
Super M0derator
Then I guess we're talking about the same thing? The "main site" is awful, but some of the franchises' programming (also called wods) are excellent. And majority, not all, of peoples concerns with it can be avoided with a little common sense.
That leaves me wondering what you consider bodybuilding then
SPP and GPP are very different and serve completely different purposes...
As far as crossfit goes, I am glad for the exposure it has given weightlifting and the fact that as deep mentioned, it gets people who otherwise wouldn't be there in the gym.
The negatives have been covered - lack of technical competency, lack of structured programming and progression, injury risk due to the aforementioned.
I hope that eventually crossfit will have greater 'quality control', I also hope the success of crossfit forces other strength disciplines to pick up their game and get new blood into the sport.
wingman
Super M0derator
Because the workouts named after deceased soldiers are submitted in by their friends / family as being workouts that solider liked to do.
The Hamburgler
Spotter Loader
Body building to me is getting up on stage in front of judges in a thong and with a fake tan
wingman
Super M0derator
This is the same as anywhere unfortunately.
kaz
iLift
Sure is. At least now I keep "form" in the back of my head, I may not get out as many rounds but at least I will make my bench comp
oldcorollas
重量上げしね&#
wtf is a WOD?
at least more xfitters = more sales of bumpers = cheaper bumper plates?
at least more xfitters = more sales of bumpers = cheaper bumper plates?
yes.
The Hamburgler
Spotter Loader
Or more expensive lol depending which way it goes
I'm hoping conjugate crossfit takes off. Could be a nice little cash cow for me in the future
I'm hoping conjugate crossfit takes off. Could be a nice little cash cow for me in the future
TrentZor
Member
max effort baseball throws?
The Hamburgler
Spotter Loader
LOL think more westside based
TrentZor
Member
LOL think more westside based
box squatting while having a baby attached to you?
TrentZor
Member
ill have a read when i have time.
Im not ashamed to say i use some xfitt in regards to the conditioning aspect with the guys here at PTC. It works wonders.
kaz
iLift
The experienced lifter will ensure each motion will be done to form. I still use it for conditioning and will continue to use it because I love it and I can throw a workout together in my head in no time.
When i was in NZ for the rugby, local parks had backpackers doing workouts with rings strung from trees and body weight exercises, it can be done anywhere!
When i was in NZ for the rugby, local parks had backpackers doing workouts with rings strung from trees and body weight exercises, it can be done anywhere!
walt
DuffProteinMan
finally a girl who likes rugby. will you be my boyfriend? im just going to tell myself you don't do crossfit and it will be alright