Crossfit with Wieghtlifiting?

[domestic]

I'm in my 3rd year of Army ROTC and a new instructor put us on a crossfit program for PT in the mornings. For those of you who don't know what crossfit is, it's a "strength and conditioning fitness methodology. Crossfit promotes broad and general overall physical fitness. It is not sport-specific. CrossFit features varied workouts based on functional movement performed at high intensity. Workouts are brief (often 20 minutes or less) and do not use weight machines" (Wikipedia).

I like to say that I'm an advance weightlifter, (Been lifting pretty much nonstop for the past 7 years) but I'm am just tired of lifting. I've changed my routines countless time and I just dont got it anymore.

I want to give this Crossfit program a shot, but I don't want totally abandon weightlifting. I want to do a crossfit program that includes a couple weightlifting routines a week. Has anybody done this or does anybody have any useful information/advice about crossfit. I get most of my info from crossfit.com, btw.

 

[VolcomX311]

I'm in my 3rd year of Army ROTC and a new instructor put us on a crossfit program for PT in the mornings. For those of you who don't know what crossfit is, it's a "strength and conditioning fitness methodology. Crossfit promotes broad and general overall physical fitness. It is not sport-specific. CrossFit features varied workouts based on functional movement performed at high intensity. Workouts are brief (often 20 minutes or less) and do not use weight machines" (Wikipedia).

I like to say that I'm an advance weightlifter, (Been lifting pretty much nonstop for the past 7 years) but I'm am just tired of lifting. I've changed my routines countless time and I just dont got it anymore.

I want to give this Crossfit program a shot, but I don't want totally abandon weightlifting. I want to do a crossfit program that includes a couple weightlifting routines a week. Has anybody done this or does anybody have any useful information/advice about crossfit. I get most of my info from crossfit.com, btw.

Crossfit doesn't abandon weight lifting at all, it abandons "bodybuilding" but you're still getting lots of strength lifts. I believe Crossfit is huge on body weight pull ups and dead lifts mixed into their routine. Cleans are popular, too, but that's more power. Crossfit is BEST for conditioning, but it's also good for strength.

Monotony will kill even the "perfect' workout routine, because your inability to implement the workout due to lack of drive is such a limiting factor.

Implementing a "less effective" plan with passion, will yield better results then implementing a "perfect plan" half arsed.

There's no detriment in doing both by the way. It's always good to look into new ways to revamp your drive.

 

[domestic]

Crossfit doesn't abandon weight lifting at all, it abandons "bodybuilding" but you're still getting lots of strength lifts. I believe Crossfit is huge on body weight pull ups and dead lifts mixed into their routine. Cleans are popular, too, but that's more power. Crossfit is BEST for conditioning, but it's also good for strength.

Monotony will kill even the "perfect' workout routine, because your inability to implement the workout due to lack of drive is such a limiting factor.

Implementing a "less effective" plan with passion, will yield better results then implementing a "perfect plan" half arsed.

There's no detriment in doing both by the way. It's always good to look into new ways to revamp your drive.

OK, i guess I said it wrong....I dont want to abandon bodybuilding

So it wouldn't be a good Idea to do a Crossfit Workout M W F and bodybuilding T TH (like a push pull w/o)?

 

[VolcomX311]

OK, i guess I said it wrong....I dont want to abandon bodybuilding

So it wouldn't be a good Idea to do a Crossfit Workout M W F and bodybuilding T TH (like a push pull w/o)?

it wouldn't be "bad" idea, but of course Bodybuilding would take a back seat.

 

[Highlanda01602]

Crossfit doesn't abandon weight lifting at all, it abandons "bodybuilding" but you're still getting lots of strength lifts. I believe Crossfit is huge on body weight pull ups and dead lifts mixed into their routine. Cleans are popular, too, but that's more power. Crossfit is BEST for conditioning, but it's also good for strength.

Monotony will kill even the "perfect' workout routine, because your inability to implement the workout due to lack of drive is such a limiting factor.

Implementing a "less effective" plan with passion, will yield better results then implementing a "perfect plan" half arsed.

There's no detriment in doing both by the way. It's always good to look into new ways to revamp your drive.

Well said... Crossfit will build you on a whole, addressing the 10 domains of fitness and that only. If you were to train Crossfit full time, you would likely drop a few pounds due the natural metabolic challenges of the program. This is definintly not because there isn't weightlifting however, as there is plenty of it.

But, with that said, continuing with your normal routine in the gym is absolutely fine. I'm assuming that the vast majority, if not 100% of the ROTC Crossfit sessions will be conditioning work, and not strength work. You would benefit greatly to do strength work in the gym, and it would actually be detrimental to overall fitness not to. The key though would be progression, making sure you don't overtrain.

You mentioned that you are bored with your normal routine in the gym... you have so many options you could go with here. Since you already know of the main Crossfit site, it may be as simple as following the Workout of the Day if its strength orientated. This would of course take planning to ensure you don't overlap the same training that goes on with your morning PT sessions. Strength/power programming might be another option for you, where you could follow programs by Mark Rippetoe and Bill Starr. And just to rehash an idea probably already in your mind - just follow the Crossfit mainsite WOD's ANYWAYS. If you're bored with what your doing in the gym, try Crossfit full time for 2 weeks. It's what I did, and I'm addicted man. Grab a few friends, and the competition factor comes into play. This stuff is a whole lot more fun than people think - you just have to experience it for yourself.

Anyhow... I honestly think that even the most devout bodybuilder could benefit from the occasional Crossfit conditioning workout. It's far better than "cardio" for shedding fat, building power output, and its so much more invigorating than dredging through 30 lifeless minutes on the treadmill!