Why is Crossfit so strongly disliked?

[Steveston]

I'm interested in trying out Crossfit to supplement my mixed martial arts training, I was wondering why there is so much animosity towards Crossfit?

 

[Paradigm]

"Danger, Will Robinson...your spine is about to abruptly snap."

not Crossfit but reminded me of this...is this bad benching form?

The animosity towards Crossfit has died down a bit over the past few years IMO since so many Crossfit gyms run differently. Crossfit is supposedly defined on their website (basic idea is everyone should train randomly to be prepared for anything), but the gyms all run differently with some using specific programming. It's also defined as a program (which makes no sense due to it being random), but a lot of members prefer to look at it as a sport. The day to day training is to get better at the timed WODs.

prepared for anything? how do Crossfitters handle a right cross to the jaw or a switch kick to the liver by doing Olympic lifts repetitively with speed and bad form?

 

[magick]

They make people who can't squat 135lb do power-cleans with anything more than a broomstick.

 

[Train.Harder]

Same reason people don't like Atheists, Vegans, Gluten-Free Nazi's, and the Anti Vaccination crowd.

They won't fucking shut up about it.

Also, this:

 

[KILL KILL]

there are dozens of threads that outline the issues with crossfit. If you want something to supplement your MMA, then you might want to learn how to create a program. That way, you can carefully design a program that fits your specific needs instead of something random some knob with crossfit cert put together 10 min before class starts.

 

[OriginalSpeedy]

I'm interested in trying out Crossfit to supplement my mixed martial arts training, I was wondering why there is so much animosity towards Crossfit?

Just Google "Why I hate Crossfit" or something of that nature and everything I can list you will find in a Google search. Can you say Kipping?

 

[Sgt Smith]

"Danger, Will Robinson...your spine is about to abruptly snap."

 

[Paradigm]

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.

as KP would say..."i play real sports. not tryin to be the best at exercising..."

 

[Stargazer Rex]

there are dozens of threads that outline the issues with crossfit. If you want something to supplement your MMA, then you might want to learn how to create a program. That way, you can carefully design a program that fits your specific needs instead of something random some knob with crossfit cert put together 10 min before class starts.

^^^^

 

[Tosa]

not Crossfit but reminded me of this...is this bad benching form?

It's the form that allows for her to maximize performance within the rules of whatever federation she competes under. Would you expect someone who isn't a powerlifter to bench like that? Probably not. Even in powerlifting, really extreme arches are typically only seen in some lifters in lighter weight classes.

 

[Phisher]

I hate the fact that there's always at least three crossfit idiots in my building's gym at any given time jumping from machine to machine incessantly and making it impossible to get a decent workout in.

It's gotten to the point where I can only work out there early in the morning or in the middle of the night (like I just finished doing).

 

[senri]

i only like crossfit in that it is a feeder system for oly lift athletes to go into the olympic sport. It is fueling new fire into a niche sport that was never really gained any traction over the last century. Now many folks know about it, all thanks to crossfit.

I don't like the cult mentality, overly happy crowd, fashion and appearance is just as important as having fast times on whatever the WOD workout is. They don't take well to pragmatic people, or men with lots of masculinity. Unless you lift a lot of weights in the squat or the classical lifts, OR lift at a legit box that where people do periodization strength training with proper coaching, all done properly like any other specialized gym (defeating the purpose of crossfit) then, they will look down on you.


It does turn girls hot, but it goes back to the cult mentality, you can easily be hated by many crossfitters if you have an old school iron mind that is still the mindset in the power lifting community, they want community like folks rather then pure individualists.

 

[kashmir]

I don't know about cross fit but Ben Rothwell incorporated circuit training since the Vera fight and apparently felt much better. There are similarities and cross fit is essentially whored up version of circuit training.

 

[JauntyAngle]

as KP would say..."i play real sports. not tryin to be the best at exercising..."

So what's a real sport?

If I want to run down 110m of track and jump some barriers, that's a sport. If I want to kick a ball around a muddy field and get the ball over a line or into the back of a net, that's a sport. But if I want to do some circuits as fast as possible, that's not a sport? Even if people train for it, get prize money, there are judges, there are winners, people watch it on TV? Why isn't it a sport?

It's clearly not "just exercising". As I said, there is competition for time, prizes, all that stuff. And if that is "just exercising", why isn't sprinting or strongman not "just exercising".

I'm not defending CrossFit. Yes, it's dangerous. Yes, doing it as training isn't the best way to train for the competition itself. But the "it's just trying to get better at exercising" is so obviously an invalid argument, you have to have let hatred turn off your brain to buy it.

 

[Phisher]

I don't know about cross fit but Ben Rothwell incorporated circuit training since the Vera fight and apparently felt much better. There are similarities and cross fit is essentially whored up version of circuit training.

He also incorporated exogenous test.

 

[DaGenius]

Crossfit... I hate it for a couple of reasons. 1 they put people with no lifting experience in a position to hurt themselves with random exercises. 2 it's very cultish right now. Lots of people trying to convert you to Crossfit if you "haven't tried it yet" but both of these I can get past.

The main reason I hate Crossfit is that here in LA there are a lot of fake tough guys that rock Crossfit shirts like its a martial art. "Yeah man jiu jitsu is cool. My gym is xxxxx Crossfit and we are a tough gym" dude it's Crossfit. It's not fighting or fight training so please relax

Lastly working out is NOT a sport. You work out so you can be good or better at your sport

 

[Eric Brown]

For much the same reason people who cannot use the search function are disliked.

 

[KnightTemplar]

So what's a real sport?

If I want to run down 110m of track and jump some barriers, that's a sport. If I want to kick a ball around a muddy field and get the ball over a line or into the back of a net, that's a sport. But if I want to do some circuits as fast as possible, that's not a sport? Even if people train for it, get prize money, there are judges, there are winners, people watch it on TV? Why isn't it a sport?

It's clearly not "just exercising". As I said, there is competition for time, prizes, all that stuff. And if that is "just exercising", why isn't sprinting or strongman not "just exercising".

I'm not defending CrossFit. Yes, it's dangerous. Yes, doing it as training isn't the best way to train for the competition itself. But the "it's just trying to get better at exercising" is so obviously an invalid argument, you have to have let hatred turn off your brain to buy it.

Which is one of the things I find most annoying about CrossFit: at it's highest level it is completely hypocritical. No one is going to win the CF Games just by doing the WOD's. They are going to follow an efficient, progressive training program. And that's fine. The problem is that people equate what the vast majority of Crossfitters do in their Boxes to how the elite athletes perform at the Games. This is as Full Florida as saying, "Hey, I do martial arts twice a week, so I'm as big a Bad Ass as Prime Fedor".

 

[JauntyAngle]

For much the same reason people who cannot use the search function are disliked.

One time I didn't use the search function. Later that very day I exploded my back, collapsed because of heat stroke and got rhabdo. And was somehow smug about it, too.

So, yeah. True 'dat.

 

[Kiwi Tricker]

CrossFit is almost as obnoxious and singleminded as people blindly hating on it.

 

[wildbulls]

Olympic lifts (Snatch, Clean) aren't meant to be done till exhaustion (exception for Olympic level lifters but still a small minority).

They're power movement and Crossfit really advocates the "No Pain No Gain" so these poor people are doing multiple reps with poor form and their shit gets fucked. Soon enough these same people would say squats and barbell movements are dangerous.

 

[Dan O]

CrossFit is almost as obnoxious and singleminded as people blindly hating on it.

I like this thread.

 

[Oblivian]

The animosity towards Crossfit has died down a bit over the past few years IMO since so many Crossfit gyms run differently. Crossfit is supposedly defined on their website (basic idea is everyone should train randomly to be prepared for anything), but the gyms all run differently with some using specific programming. It's also defined as a program (which makes no sense due to it being random), but a lot of members prefer to look at it as a sport. The day to day training is to get better at the timed WODs.

 

[Chungungo]

So what's a real sport?

If I want to run down 110m of track and jump some barriers, that's a sport. If I want to kick a ball around a muddy field and get the ball over a line or into the back of a net, that's a sport. But if I want to do some circuits as fast as possible, that's not a sport? Even if people train for it, get prize money, there are judges, there are winners, people watch it on TV? Why isn't it a sport?

It's clearly not "just exercising". As I said, there is competition for time, prizes, all that stuff. And if that is "just exercising", why isn't sprinting or strongman not "just exercising".

I'm not defending CrossFit. Yes, it's dangerous. Yes, doing it as training isn't the best way to train for the competition itself. But the "it's just trying to get better at exercising" is so obviously an invalid argument, you have to have let hatred turn off your brain to buy it.

Well, then is a crappy hipster sport XD

 

[FlowWithTheGo23]

I think that the CrossFit hate is a bit excessive. I've never trained in a CrossFit gym in my life. The alternative though is usually a big chain gym where people are not even attempting important, major lifts like squats, deadlifts, Oly lifts, etc. The few that are are doing quarter squats.

 

[Shokushu Goukan]

It's the form that allows for her to maximize performance within the rules of whatever federation she competes under. Would you expect someone who isn't a powerlifter to bench like that? Probably not. Even in powerlifting, really extreme arches are typically only seen in some lifters in lighter weight classes.

Yeah, basically in PL you want to shorten the bar path as much as legally possible.

 

[Obscure Terror]

I think that the CrossFit hate is a bit excessive. I've never trained in a CrossFit gym in my life. The alternative though is usually a big chain gym where people are not even attempting important, major lifts like squats, deadlifts, Oly lifts, etc. The few that are are doing quarter squats.

True, but that's kinda like saying rape is better than murder because at least you leave them alive after. They're both heinous.

 

[Tosa]

Yeah, basically in PL you want to shorten the bar path as much as legally possible.

There's a few other reasons a large arch is beneficial. First, it changes the angle you're pressing from relative to the torso, which puts the pecs in a stronger position. Second, done right, a big arch means you're tighter and more stable, which allows you to produce more force. Third, to really use leg drive, you need a solid arch.

 

[Eric Brown]

The animosity towards Crossfit has died down a bit over the past few years IMO since so many Crossfit gyms run differently. Crossfit is supposedly defined on their website (basic idea is everyone should train randomly to be prepared for anything), but the gyms all run differently with some using specific programming. It's also defined as a program (which makes no sense due to it being random), but a lot of members prefer to look at it as a sport. The day to day training is to get better at the timed WODs.

Right. The better gyms all seem to have programming at odds with what crossfit says they should be doing.

And they get better results.

Amazing how programming, focus on skill and technique, etc. all work better. When you look at some of the better gyms, why, their programming almost resembles actual S&C programming.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Well, then is a crappy hipster sport XD

Haha, that's fair enough.

 

[DrBdan]

I think that the CrossFit hate is a bit excessive. I've never trained in a CrossFit gym in my life. The alternative though is usually a big chain gym where people are not even attempting important, major lifts like squats, deadlifts, Oly lifts, etc. The few that are are doing quarter squats.

But who cares what other people are doing? As long as the gym is okay with you lifting heavy (i.e. it's not Planet Fitness) and has the equipment you need you are golden.

Sometimes average joe gyms are good because the squat racks are never busy.

 

[Jeff Goldblum69]

i would say, if you hate crossfit, you should also hate worlds strongest man.. to be fair.


just as silly, just stronger.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

Crossfit is circuit-training that was designed to cater to lots of demographics while requiring little work from the instructor. Some people love it and I'm happy for them, but you'll get a lot more mileage by tailoring a workout to your needs rather than doing a pre-selected "WoD" with a group on somebody else's schedule.

 

[Tosa]

i would say, if you hate crossfit, you should also hate worlds strongest man.. to be fair.


just as silly, just stronger.

There are plenty of criticisms that apply to crossfit that don't apply to strongman.

 

[SteveX]

+1 to everything in this thread
Adding the incessent need of Crossfitters to talk about crossfit as much as humanly possible.

I'd say overall since it's become more mainstream it's gotten somewhat better. The money is bringing legitimate coaches into the mix and slowly all the people drinking Greg Glassman's Kool-Aid are slowly dying out and making way for intelligent programming mixed with WOD's

 

[deadshot138]

Metabolic conditioning in itself shouldn't be berated but the fucktards in the community make the whole thing obnoxious.

 

[Da Speeit]

It's pretty dangerous and a lot of its "athletes" are not athletic at all.
I mean, I'm not that athletic, but at least I spend a decent portion of my time participating in sports instead of training 3x a week to "MAKE SURE MY BODY IS READY FOR ANYTHING", but doing nothing.

 

[belph]

i would say, if you hate crossfit, you should also hate worlds strongest man.. to be fair.


just as silly, just stronger.

Eh, are we talking about the games ? I don't mind the CF games it is like WSM in a way.

 

[nephel]

Right. The better gyms all seem to have programming at odds with what crossfit says they should be doing.

And they get better results.

Amazing how programming, focus on skill and technique, etc. all work better. When you look at some of the better gyms, why, their programming almost resembles actual S&C programming.

crossfit gyms that get good results don't do crossfit. they just use the name so they can charge triple the normal rate for their services.

 

[JimRussel]

Eh, are we talking about the games ? I don't mind the CF games it is like WSM in a way.

Except not.