Who Crossfits?

[KAYNE]

I started The Crossfit program about 4 weeks ago and have seen great strength increases. I also feel better doing my padwork as far as my cardio goes. I am wondering who else is following this and theyre ideas good or bad about the program?

 

[takeahnase]

Here are a two cons (I am assuming that by crossfit you mean that you are following the WODs):

- For long term strength increases, there is probably too little pure strength work in the WODs.

- There is little to no programming (program inherent progression) involved in the WODs.

Assuming that you have 3-5 days per week to train, my opinion is that most people would be better served by picking a basic strength routine (2 to 3 days per week, check out the S&P forum FAQ for this) and adding 2-3 days of conditioning on top of that, instead of doing crossfit. Your conditioning workouts could be cardio orientated WODs if you like.

Also check out rosstraining.com if you haven't done so yet.

 

[KAYNE]

I have Ross's book and I did follow a Strength routine for years. I put up a personal best deadlift the other day of 495. Strength wise It seems to be working. I understand what you are saying but the randomization and the functional lifting seems to be working for me at least right now. I hear of a lot of fighters who follow this and hear positive results. I have been doing the Wods as perscribed for about a month.

 

[ronin0352]

I have Ross's book

Having it and putting it to use are two VERY different things. Oh, and which book? He has 3 currently and another that is out of date.

and I did follow a Strength routine for years. I put up a personal best deadlift the other day of 495. Strength wise It seems to be working. I understand what you are saying but the randomization and the functional lifting seems to be working for me at least right now. I hear of a lot of fighters who follow this and hear positive results. I have been doing the Wods as perscribed for about a month.

I don't know shit about crossfit, so I won't comment one way or the other, but I hear a lot of bad things. Maybe your training was stagnated and you just needed to change it up a bit?? From what I've heard about them, I can't imagine that it would be a very good S&P builder for the long haul, but maybe your body needed a change.

 

[Grey_Steel]

I have heard many good things about Crossfit and looking over the site a few times it looks like a good all around fitness and conditioning program. However I never found it user friendly and so I don't use it. I don't have much spare time and I I don't have access to most of the things needed to complete the WOD's. Some of it requires equipment and special training areas a gym! I find Ross's (Ross training) home made stuff much easier and I am able to do that stuff even in the back of the warehouse at my job.

Still...for many Crossfit is great.

 

[XTrainer]

^By easier, I hope just mean more accessible?

 

[Grey_Steel]

^By easier, I hope just mean more accessible?

Yes. What I mean is that if I don't have much time, which I never do, I can squeeze in 10 minutes here and 15 there throughout the day at high intensity each time. Other times I can get more time in but with less (or easier acquired or "made") equipment.

A lot of stuff out there is great for all around fitness and some of it may approach GPP, but not all. I try to work on keeping my training as close to representing what goes on in a fight as possible plus GPP.
Shorter bursts of anaerobic work (intervals, Tabata's etc.) rather than long endurance runs or "fitness." That stuff only supplies a base. Crossfit may fall into that category (all around fitness) I'm not sure. But IMO it isn't user friendly unless you have time and access to different equipment.

 

[spirez]

I like their workouts and some of them are tough as old boots. Not used them in a structured programme but it's good stuff to throw in.

Fair enough, you won't see strength gains like you would with a 5x5 or westside barbell programme but is that really necessary for a combat athlete? i've tried a strength routine and it does leave you tired. not good for skill sessions.

Ross's stuff is the best in my eyes and the dude can still deadlift almost 3x his bodyweight without even performing deadlifts in his routine.

I suppose it depends on how serious your sport-specific training is. if you're doing 5-6 days per week for skill sessions, a 5x5 or westside programme probably isn't the best. Especially if you train MMA where you have to learn so many different disciplines.

 

[takeahnase]

I suppose it depends on how serious your sport-specific training is. if you're doing 5-6 days per week for skill sessions, a 5x5 or westside programme probably isn't the best. Especially if you train MMA where you have to learn so many different disciplines.

Of course, 5x5 is not feasible if you have skill training 6 days a week. But from that it does not follow that the time you do spend training for strength is best spent doing deadlifts and push press for singles whenever they turn up in WODs. What is good about crossfit it includes compound movements, high intensity training and gymnastic components. The individual WODs are also often interesting. But the programming is entirely random, which makes little sense. How do you peak for a competition, address weaknesses, etc. if your routine consists of prespecified WODs?

 

[KAYNE]

Of course, 5x5 is not feasible if you have skill training 6 days a week. But from that it does not follow that the time you do spend training for strength is best spent doing deadlifts and push press for singles whenever they turn up in WODs. What is good about crossfit it includes compound movements, high intensity training and gymnastic components. The individual WODs are also often interesting. But the programming is entirely random, which makes little sense. How do you peak for a competition, address weaknesses, etc. if your routine consists of prespecified WODs?

This I think is the biggest problem it would be hard to peak doing the randomized wods I think. The reading I have done is that most of these guys take the wods and put them into a program for themselves. Honestly I was at 320lbs at 6'6" tall and could bench 365 lbs for a set of 10. But I will be damned if I had the stamina to do 5 rounds of hard Thai Pad work. Now I am more concerned about my conditioning. I will always be strong but I need to be lean and have a higher endurance level. The wods when I started seemed impossible but now they are almost normal but I am still competing with myself for a better time/weight etc (oh and I am still doing jumping pullups after a few rounds I just cant get my big ass up after 21-15-9 pullups and thrusters) As for the equipment if you read the website it is a minimalistic set up I put the gym in my garage for about 700 bucks and love it! NO MORE GLOBO GYM!

 

[Barut]

I don't believe that your DL has increased from your max of 495 doing crossfit.

495 isn't impressive for a guy your size either. Bench is gay. Crossfit will not make you strong.

 

[KAYNE]

^ Yeah well since I have deadlifted more the last 4 weeks than I have in the last two years there is probably something too this. Also I am not 320 any more I am down to about 280 and I think I can pull more as well. But then again I am sure I pale in comparison too you hurculean strength...

Any way I know the last post sounded all blow hard about weight or whatever but I am just saying I think for me my priorities have changed. I want to be in good condition not just strong.

 

[Green Monkey]

I sorta do crossfit, but I work it into my westside-based lifting schedule.

Everyone's points about CF not increasing strength are correct, but that assumes that you're not doing any other strength training.

I'm fighting being a fat bastard and running just doesn't motivate me that much - pluse it's beating up my ankles a bit right now.

Crossfit is a decent substitute for other cardio and I'm enough of a meathead to always increase my weights when my reps/time improve.

 

[MikeMartial]

Crossfit isn't any different than a self-made program of HIIT sprinkled with heavy strength training; it's packaged and presented in a unique format, and has huge momentum via word-of-mouth over the past 8 years or so. If it's working for you to achieve your goals, then keep doing it. But understand there's a lot of Crossfit haters here, for two reasons:

• A LOT of guys here are pure strength and powerlifting athletes, and have no time, desire, or need for conditioning. To me, this is a bullshit ignorant reason to hate on something, just because it doesn't fit YOUR needs.

• A lot of the criticism comes from the randomization of the training, and this can be justified. If you are training for a specific purpose (MMA, Powerlifting, TMA), then Crossfit MIGHT not be your best choice, because you'd be sacrificing time training GPP for time that could have been used for skill or event-specific conditioning.

Crossfit fits my needs perfectly, for reasons I list here; since I've stopped all my MA training, I have more time to devote to strength and HIIT training, which directly crosses over into my profession. It works for me that way.

 

[vince89]

Yes. What I mean is that if I don't have much time, which I never do, I can squeeze in 10 minutes here and 15 there throughout the day at high intensity each time. Other times I can get more time in but with less (or easier acquired or "made") equipment.

A lot of stuff out there is great for all around fitness and some of it may approach GPP, but not all. I try to work on keeping my training as close to representing what goes on in a fight as possible plus GPP.
Shorter bursts of anaerobic work (intervals, Tabata's etc.) rather than long endurance runs or "fitness." That stuff only supplies a base. Crossfit may fall into that category (all around fitness) I'm not sure. But IMO it isn't user friendly unless you have time and access to different equipment.

The 'base' is very important. Im sure Ross spent his youth doing lots of long slow running and thats why all his new training has worked so well for him.

 

[Barut]

Crossfit isn't any different than a self-made program of HIIT sprinkled with heavy strength training; it's packaged and presented in a unique format, and has huge momentum via word-of-mouth over the past 8 years or so. If it's working for you to achieve your goals, then keep doing it. But understand there's a lot of Crossfit haters here, for two reasons:

• 
  [*] A LOT of guys here are pure strength and powerlifting athletes, and have no time, desire, or need for conditioning. To me, this is a bullshit ignorant reason to hate on something, just because it doesn't fit YOUR needs.

• A lot of the criticism comes from the randomization of the training, and this can be justified. If you are training for a specific purpose (MMA, Powerlifting, TMA), then Crossfit MIGHT not be your best choice, because you'd be sacrificing time training GPP for time that could have been used for skill or event-specific conditioning.

Crossfit fits my needs perfectly, for reasons I list here; since I've stopped all my MA training, I have more time to devote to strength and HIIT training, which directly crosses over into my profession. It works for me that way.

The problem is that the TS claimed that CF made him stronger. Anyone with a decent strength base will not make significant strength gains from CF.

CF is like scientology; both make ridiculous claims and then are defended by their adherents for delivering far less than promised. CF's fatass founder claims that CF is more effective for BB'ing than natural BB'ing.

Sure, CF may help some weak slob increase his strength, but not a guy who can pull 495. Even if he is a fucking ogre. The TS admits that. He stated that he's increased his strength from where's he's been over the past two years. He's backed off of the claim that he's pulling more than his previous PR of 495.

 

[KAYNE]

I am not backing off my claim of 495 being my pr cause it is. What I am saying is that I used to deadlift alot when I first started body building. Couldnt every pull that and or never tried. I am saying I am doing exercises in a way that is new to me and has put me in a position to try more. I am not saying that this is for everybody I am not really even trying to defend it. But I know my CONDITIONING is getting better. As I said I think I am strong I will probably always be strong because I am an "ogre" but my idea of being strong and how that pertains to my "FITNESS" doesnt really coincide with me being a great kickboxer or grappler.

 

[KAYNE]

Crossfit isn't any different than a self-made program of HIIT sprinkled with heavy strength training; it's packaged and presented in a unique format, and has huge momentum via word-of-mouth over the past 8 years or so. If it's working for you to achieve your goals, then keep doing it. But understand there's a lot of Crossfit haters here, for two reasons:

• A LOT of guys here are pure strength and powerlifting athletes, and have no time, desire, or need for conditioning. To me, this is a bullshit ignorant reason to hate on something, just because it doesn't fit YOUR needs.

• A lot of the criticism comes from the randomization of the training, and this can be justified. If you are training for a specific purpose (MMA, Powerlifting, TMA), then Crossfit MIGHT not be your best choice, because you'd be sacrificing time training GPP for time that could have been used for skill or event-specific conditioning.

Crossfit fits my needs perfectly, for reasons I list here; since I've stopped all my MA training, I have more time to devote to strength and HIIT training, which directly crosses over into my profession. It works for me that way.

Thanks I think that this post is very reasonable. And as another poster said the base cardio is important and probably something I should be doing.

 

[WildCard]

I'm thinkin about just breaking down and giving it a go maybe the summer of crossfit or something idk, but I seem to spend more time thiking about what to do than doing these days.

 

[pescimove]

I'm thinkin about just breaking down and giving it a go maybe the summer of crossfit or something idk, but I seem to spend more time thiking about what to do than doing these days.

Good attitude, only way you can really know about something is to do your due dilligence and then jump in and try it. Only way you're going to know if Ross, Crossfit, Westside, 5 x 5, Starting Strength, whatever works for YOU. Good luck.