I can see what your saying, but most sports are pretty redundant when you think about it. Jumping hurdles or seeing who can jump the farthest into a sandpit is just as weird to me as doing 20 reps of deadlifts and then 50 kettlebell swings straight away.
Why is Crossfit so strongly disliked?
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I can see what your saying, but most sports are pretty redundant when you think about it. Jumping hurdles or seeing who can jump the farthest into a sandpit is just as weird to me as doing 20 reps of deadlifts and then 50 kettlebell swings straight away.
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Okay.
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I play soccer and kickbox, so not really an issue for me, but I see what you're saying.
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It's funny how all the good crossfit gyms don't do crossfit according to posters here. Seems pretty straightforward as to why you should use a smarter program that isn't a complete ripoff.
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Sensible post is sensible.
There's a huge range of topics to cover when it comes to CF gyms. There are some that programme well, and some that don't. There are some that have experienced coaches, and some that don't. There are some that do things well, and there are some that don't. Most importantly, there are some gyms where everyone drinks the CrossFit Koolaid deep, and there are gyms where they don't at all.
If you can find a gym that has well-designed programmes, promotes pursuing a range of different athletic qualities (eg, powerlifting, Oly lifting, and other sport-specific fitness needs rather than just general fitness), is clean (the importance of which cannot be understated), and has a diverse range of clients including serious athletes, then you will be on the right track.
Realistically, you want to stay as far away from anything related to HQ, CF.com and Couch as possible. There's nothing for you there; only darkness.
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Strong Man at least has a number of standardized events like yolk/farmer walks, atlas stones, or at least semi standardized. Crossfit literally has none, you have no idea usually what the events will be until the day is revealed at times. This is a complaint of many.
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Isn't the point of Crossfit to get you ready for everything though? They are complaining about getting exactly what they train for.
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Came into this thread expecting funny gifs. Leaving disappointed.
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Eh. I wasn't trying to compare the two through their respective events. Rather, I was just saying I feel they're similar in the fact that they're a once a year event where people go lift for a somewhat meaningless title.
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I used to do Crossfit (2 years, from the first day the Box opened until I left). Things I saw and didn't like:
1- Cool kids attitude. At first it was incredibly nice, people learning and encouraging each other to best themselves; at that time it felt like a team effort to get better. As time passed, the most phisically gifted and those who could train daily started to gravitate towards each other, since most people (who could only train a couple times a week or were not that gifted in the athletic department) weren't a challenge anymore.
As much as the "better yourself" is encouraged, when everyone's results are displayed you can't help but look. This created a "cool kids" group that started to interact less and less with the gen pop, so support from them diminshed during the workouts ( "Com'on, man you can do it! We only got 2 reps left!") unless you were specially friendly with that person or a hot/young chick. A word of encouragement from someone who is going through the same WOD as you are motivates a lot, even more if that person is nailing it. That same person nailing the WOD and then just staring at you as you finish 20 seconds later with a bored look, is not half as nice.
2- Obssession ensued. People got really obssessed with their results, what clothes they wore (in the sense they were Crossfit specific items from Reebok or other retailers to boost "performance" or rest or some other shit) and what they ate ( famous Paleo, "Try creatine, brah. It helps with the reps!"...).
Mix this with a strong marketing and need from users to brag about it at the worse moment because it's trendy, aaand there you go.
I stopped doing Crossfit because a) I plateau'd but, b) I couldn't put more hours in to get better at the main lifts, plus c) I didn't want to risk getting injured due to a lack of form, and d) By the time I finished going through this cycle the camaraderie environment had completely disappeared.
1- Cool kids attitude. At first it was incredibly nice, people learning and encouraging each other to best themselves; at that time it felt like a team effort to get better. As time passed, the most phisically gifted and those who could train daily started to gravitate towards each other, since most people (who could only train a couple times a week or were not that gifted in the athletic department) weren't a challenge anymore.
As much as the "better yourself" is encouraged, when everyone's results are displayed you can't help but look. This created a "cool kids" group that started to interact less and less with the gen pop, so support from them diminshed during the workouts ( "Com'on, man you can do it! We only got 2 reps left!") unless you were specially friendly with that person or a hot/young chick. A word of encouragement from someone who is going through the same WOD as you are motivates a lot, even more if that person is nailing it. That same person nailing the WOD and then just staring at you as you finish 20 seconds later with a bored look, is not half as nice.
2- Obssession ensued. People got really obssessed with their results, what clothes they wore (in the sense they were Crossfit specific items from Reebok or other retailers to boost "performance" or rest or some other shit) and what they ate ( famous Paleo, "Try creatine, brah. It helps with the reps!"...).
Mix this with a strong marketing and need from users to brag about it at the worse moment because it's trendy, aaand there you go.
I stopped doing Crossfit because a) I plateau'd but, b) I couldn't put more hours in to get better at the main lifts, plus c) I didn't want to risk getting injured due to a lack of form, and d) By the time I finished going through this cycle the camaraderie environment had completely disappeared.
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Competitively there is a certain amount of standardization. At the Games level there tend to be several workouts involving random movements / formats.
Even then there are a certain number of "comp standard" movements. The movements that most commonly occur from the CF core movements. Wall balls, thrusters, CTB pull ups, etc... I don't have the numbers handy but their appearance gets pretty predictable. So, athletes and staff are thoroughly familiar with their concepts and "movement standards". That being said, consistent judging is a constant point of complaint within the competitive community.
Regardless of competition, the best and worst thing about CF is the open ended programming / management / ED/Con-ed standards.
However, I do strongly feel there is a positive shift towards intelligent, responsible programming. There is still a lot of ridiculous programming out there. I mean, awful.
I run a program based on sound and simple S+C with "sport specific" CF work on top. The concept is simple and pretty effective. A lot of gyms are figuring this out and disregarding a lot of the old kool-aide
Even then there are a certain number of "comp standard" movements. The movements that most commonly occur from the CF core movements. Wall balls, thrusters, CTB pull ups, etc... I don't have the numbers handy but their appearance gets pretty predictable. So, athletes and staff are thoroughly familiar with their concepts and "movement standards". That being said, consistent judging is a constant point of complaint within the competitive community.
Regardless of competition, the best and worst thing about CF is the open ended programming / management / ED/Con-ed standards.
However, I do strongly feel there is a positive shift towards intelligent, responsible programming. There is still a lot of ridiculous programming out there. I mean, awful.
I run a program based on sound and simple S+C with "sport specific" CF work on top. The concept is simple and pretty effective. A lot of gyms are figuring this out and disregarding a lot of the old kool-aide
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I just wanted to chime in and say that I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be in shape for its own sake.
I'm in my mid-30's now, and due to a busy schedule, family, etc I don't have time (or the money) for BJJ training anymore. I'll occasionally play some rec-league sports, but nothing consistent. All that said, I still work out and try to improve my conditioning and strength. Maybe I don't have a "proving ground" anymore where my physical fitness matters, but it still matters to me. Not to mention the health benefits and the fact that although I'm aging, I don't want to just curl into a ball and accept getting weaker and less capable as the years go by.
FYI I'm not pro or anti Crossfit.....just wanted to offer my 2 cents.
I'm in my mid-30's now, and due to a busy schedule, family, etc I don't have time (or the money) for BJJ training anymore. I'll occasionally play some rec-league sports, but nothing consistent. All that said, I still work out and try to improve my conditioning and strength. Maybe I don't have a "proving ground" anymore where my physical fitness matters, but it still matters to me. Not to mention the health benefits and the fact that although I'm aging, I don't want to just curl into a ball and accept getting weaker and less capable as the years go by.
FYI I'm not pro or anti Crossfit.....just wanted to offer my 2 cents.
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How does that affect their ability to use the CF name?
How far aways from the koolaid can you get before you have to start calling it tang, or something else...
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An anecdotal crossfit story I heard recently;
A chick I know wanted to get in shape after having a kid. She's not overweight, but she's never been physically active. She never played a sport and spent most of her teen years and early 20's all angsty, listening to music and chain smoking cheap cigarettes.
Anyway, a coworker took her to an intro class at a local cross fit gym. They fucked her up SO bad, that after only ONE training session, she spent three days in the hospital recovering from rhabdo.
Crossfit is most often a one sized fits all mish mash of exercises that completely neglects individual needs. For instance, the need for this girl to not get thrashed half to death.
A chick I know wanted to get in shape after having a kid. She's not overweight, but she's never been physically active. She never played a sport and spent most of her teen years and early 20's all angsty, listening to music and chain smoking cheap cigarettes.
Anyway, a coworker took her to an intro class at a local cross fit gym. They fucked her up SO bad, that after only ONE training session, she spent three days in the hospital recovering from rhabdo.
Crossfit is most often a one sized fits all mish mash of exercises that completely neglects individual needs. For instance, the need for this girl to not get thrashed half to death.
I dont mind cross fit as an exercise regime, but when it turned into a pseudo sport and every "bro/bro ette" decided it was the greatest thing on earth it got very annoying.
- having to sit and hear them talk about wods everywhere I go
- how they compare and revert everything back to crossfit
- how they take up an entire gym at non cross fit gyms
- the cross fitters I know are all very arrogant
being old and out of shape I think crossfit is a great way to promote health and Oly lifts and movement, but there is an inherent danger in the structure of many of those workouts. doing those absurd number of reps on complex movements is asking for injury.
- having to sit and hear them talk about wods everywhere I go
- how they compare and revert everything back to crossfit
- how they take up an entire gym at non cross fit gyms
- the cross fitters I know are all very arrogant
being old and out of shape I think crossfit is a great way to promote health and Oly lifts and movement, but there is an inherent danger in the structure of many of those workouts. doing those absurd number of reps on complex movements is asking for injury.
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This thread is made like every 6 months.
Here's why:
Deadlift 60% 30-40
Box jumps 50-100
Wall ball burpees 20
KB swings 25
400m run
x4
Go as fast as you can
No proper form training
No proper trainers looking out for your form after doing HIT then doing compound lifts
etc
Here's why:
Deadlift 60% 30-40
Box jumps 50-100
Wall ball burpees 20
KB swings 25
400m run
x4
Go as fast as you can
No proper form training
No proper trainers looking out for your form after doing HIT then doing compound lifts
etc
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yep.
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Damn, that is horrible. As other have said, many have improved over time. But these reckless gyms are still out there bearing the Crossfit name with pride.
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Depends who you talk to. I know a orthopedic doctor who LOVES crossfit because it's putting his kids through private schools and allowing him to buy a beautiful vacation home.
He recommends everyone to do it and to make an appointment with him afterwards. P.S. Bring good insurance
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And a back brace, cane, etc...
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"When they said it was $200 a month I laughed at them and have never been back since." Amongst many other reasons.
Double unders - making fat housewives whip their feet with a speed rope until they weep
Price - In the "box" i briefly attended, the price is the same as my fight gym where classes are unlimited and the knowledge and skill of the instructors is top notch. The instruction in the box amounted to whizzing through something that looked like the equation good will hunting solves and them shouting "tighten you core" "shoulders back" and "no butt wink" randomly.
Obnoxious women dressed like fucking power rangers that think they're superhuman because they can do kipping pullups.
Price - In the "box" i briefly attended, the price is the same as my fight gym where classes are unlimited and the knowledge and skill of the instructors is top notch. The instruction in the box amounted to whizzing through something that looked like the equation good will hunting solves and them shouting "tighten you core" "shoulders back" and "no butt wink" randomly.
Obnoxious women dressed like fucking power rangers that think they're superhuman because they can do kipping pullups.
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I have noticed this to. It appears to be made up of a large percentage of the "cool kids" from high school mentality. We all remember those types from high school and then you grow up and realize it all meant nothing but these people still want to think they have some status or something. It also appears to have the attitude of "I may not be able to bench a lot, or body build, but I can pull my socks up to my knees and stand on my head, so there I am doing just as difficult as you are mentality." When not really.
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Rippetoe says that, but it's not true. They typically want to reduce their time in the well-known WODS. In a bunch of Crossfit gyms, people are testing for PRs quite often too.
They have goals, it's not arguable, but they just train for them badly.
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pretty much my experience. The box i had been to, ascribe their high prices to "its like having a personal trainer also, we intentionally limit the class sizes." Of course there was not any personal training going on, only the things you described and the "coaches" mentioning "core four" every so often.
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I assume when they say that they mean no specific goals like "squat x in y weeks" or "cut my WOD time by x seconds in y weeks"
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For gen pop yea.
But have you seen Donald Cerrone train?
Ok, fine, he's a pro athlete and he knows good form and the weight he's using has been calculated...but still!
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But lots of people who train for strength or athletic performance also don't have very specific goals like that either. A bunch of people here just say "I train hard and see what happens". And for all I know, there are any number of people saying "I want to get my Gertrude time down to two minutes by the end of the year" and "I believe that sub-three minute Thelma is possible for me".
I am not really sure why someone would say they don't have goals, or their only goal is to exercise. Maybe they think that the WODS aren't a real thing somehow, they are "just exercise", while other athletic activities aren't "just exercise", they are sport. So if you have the world record squat, that's a real sport thing, but if you have the world record in some WOD, you are just the best at some exercise. But that's obviously totally arbitrary. And anyway you could apply the same argument against most strongman stuff.
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Crossfit makes people feel insecure because it produces ubermensch and the world just isn't ready for that.
Most of the crossfit athletes I've met are not that impressive (outside of the crossfit games), but they have a false sense of confidence in their abilities which can be very annoying.
That being said, I know a few crossfit gym owners/trainers that know how to do things the right way, by integrating progressive strength training and even endurance base building. So they produce some pretty top notch athletes. I could be wrong, but pure crossfit as I see their regular "Wods" posted seems like a one-trick gpp/work capacity pony. Those are good traits to train, but they need to be included in a larger program which includes proper strength progression and aerobic work if they want to be truly well-rounded.
That being said, I know a few crossfit gym owners/trainers that know how to do things the right way, by integrating progressive strength training and even endurance base building. So they produce some pretty top notch athletes. I could be wrong, but pure crossfit as I see their regular "Wods" posted seems like a one-trick gpp/work capacity pony. Those are good traits to train, but they need to be included in a larger program which includes proper strength progression and aerobic work if they want to be truly well-rounded.
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I hate that too Gengis Khan , they think that because of crossfit they can be conditioned in any sport...
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