Crossfit

[Highlanda01602]

Curious if there are any other members here who participate in Crossfit. I picked up the program last year, and I often incorporate the workouts into my routine.

If you have yet to find out what Crossfit is -
Think of weight lifting turned into sport. Powerlifting is truely a sport, but in truth is not very athletic. Crossfit competitions demand every aspect of fitness - strength, endurance, explosiveness, aerobic ability, ect. That's actually why they call it Crossfit. The reason I'm writing this is because I find it to truely revitalize weight training, making things incredibly fun and competative. Anybody can compete, starting from any level.
Think of the "300" workout the actors touted about. That would be an example of a crossfit workout. Most of the workouts are done in a race-like fashion, completing the workload as soon as you physically can, demanding everything you got.
Here's another example to clear things up if you're still a bit confused, just as I was when I first looked into it -

For time, aka with a running clock -
3 rounds of:
135lb deadlift x 12 (or scaled to BW if beginner or female)
Burpees x 12
Box Jumps x 20

You'd grab a few friends, and go to town. Very competative, and incredibly addicting. Many other workouts incorporate running, rowing, rope climbs, ect. The program prides itself by rarely repeating itself, with it's moto as "Routine is the Enemy". The few workouts that repeat are benchmark workouts, around 5 of them. They don't come too often, but it is sort of a Physical Fitness Test so to speak, gauging your progress.

For nearly 5 years preceding adopting the Crossfit program, I was lodged into the standard weight lifting "3 sets of 10" type thing. I've found these workouts to be the most demanding, AND the most fun/competative when in comparison to any other program I have come across.

As you probably know, it's growing in popularity, especially among military and police organizations. In my opinion, these Crossfit originators have invented a true sport.

I strongly urge you to try a workout or two. I'm writing this in part because I don't see any talk of the program here, and I think it definitly deserves a few more looks! It's literally that much fun. Do take note however, that these programs are geared towards athletic ability, and not towards bodybuilding. Hypertrophy is a word that doesn't exist in the sport!

Post up any questions about it and I'll be sure to chime in with anything I know about crossfit. Here's some links:
Welcome to CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness
CrossFit Workout of the Day | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

[LSU Gladiator]

It doesn't look like the type of thing that would really bulk a guy up, but the women on there are downright intimidating.

I think some of them have c*cks.

[Highlanda01602]

It doesn't look like the type of thing that would really bulk a guy up, but the women on there are downright intimidating.

I think some of them have c*cks.

No, as I mentioned before, definitly not bodybuilding. Rather a sport in itself... and yeah, some of the girls are absolutely intense. So freakin' sexy though, at least most of the ones they have on the vids. Crazy ripped...

[anthonybolerj]

If your looking for power (speed/strength) and don't care about beach muscle crossfit.com is the best workout you'll ever do. honestly you can't may be able to curl more but he or she will smoke you on everything else and is probably a lot more function then that of a bb/pl/sm <-- they are all strong in a couple of things but a crossfiter is well rounded. I only do it when i hit a wall in bb or when i need to be functional

[LSU Gladiator]

Plus it's really fun. I've done it a few times and I'm absolutely addicted. I like their attitude towards fitness.

[Highlanda01602]

Plus it's really fun. I've done it a few times and I'm absolutely addicted. I like their attitude towards fitness.

True to that - incredibly addictive. One of the best things is that everyone can compete... in powerlifting, it's all about max weight / max reps. The newbie to exercise can do the same workout as the elite trainers, but of course with a less impressive time. But the fact that you can compare numbers... the competative nature comes to life and is truely so much fun.

I finally joined a Crossfit gym just over a week ago. Best decision in my weight training career. I don't think I'll ever go back!

[LSU Gladiator]

Aren't those gyms hella expensive?

[BodyWizard]

Watching the demo link, I was shocked to see the form on the guy in the green shirt during the clean-squats - specifically, he was *not* maintaining proper wrist alignment when holding the cleaned DBs: wrists should not DO that under load! THe bad news is, that's exactly the kind of sloppiness that will show up for him in 20-30 years. Other guy (Pat?) lost his ab control, and in an extreme-sport environment like that, he could incur serious spinal injury that way.

Still, yeah, looks like fun...but it looks like murder, too.

[LSU Gladiator]

Which video did you watch exactly?

[rubberchicken]

I have done Crossfit routines in the past. Very bloody hard stuff. At the risk of sounding like a tosser - great for functional strength and all round fitness. Obviously not for people bulking or BBers

[Highlanda01602]

Aren't those gyms hella expensive?

Yes, and it was a factor that put me off for a few months... $125 a month. It truely is worth every dollar though. Every session is oversought by the owner (or his affiliate), so it's kind of like getting personal training every day. I'm in college, hence a strict budget, but I still think this is worth my money. Such good stuff!

[BodyWizard]

Which video did you watch exactly?

April 08/08 workout demo: dumbbell clean/squats & slapping pushups - the guy w/ the shirt on.

[poison]

I do some crossfit exercises sometimes. One I latched onto, if only to prove i can do it, is the deadlift, 50 x 135. I've only hit 40 so far. It's really added some strength and mass to my back. Sure is a whopping *****, though.

[CopyCat]

It's the ****. All the SEAL team, Recon guys swear by it.
For me size is nice, but functional streangth, endurance and all is what I need when in a combat zone.

[Dancebot 2000]

I've switched over to crossfit exclusively. I feel like I've been wasting years doing bodybuilding style training. It's not just the practical strength gains that are great, the impact it has on your physique is insane. It's less that bulky BB look, but after even a week, my bulid was sharper, and my abs have never looked better. Also, despite the workouts being much harder and more frequent, I'm not as sore as when you blast individual body parts.

I can't imagine training any other way any more. I encourage everyone to do 2 weeks of Crossfit and see for themselves.

[Highlanda01602]

I've switched over to crossfit exclusively. I feel like I've been wasting years doing bodybuilding style training. It's not just the practical strength gains that are great, the impact it has on your physique is insane. It's less that bulky BB look, but after even a week, my bulid was sharper, and my abs have never looked better. Also, despite the workouts being much harder and more frequent, I'm not as sore as when you blast individual body parts.

I can't imagine training any other way any more. I encourage everyone to do 2 weeks of Crossfit and see for themselves.

Dude, it's so true. I can't imagine EVER going back to the "globo-gym" and moving through the average routine. Even with results aside, this is truely so much more fun. Anybody can do it too.

Everyone sound off the gym you train at! (if you train at one that is) I'm out of the Amherst, MA area, training at Pioneer Valley Crossfit. Blazin' good times. Been a member for just about a month now, and absolutely loving it.

[boxmeman]

Dude, it's so true. I can't imagine EVER going back to the "globo-gym" and moving through the average routine. Even with results aside, this is truely so much more fun. Anybody can do it too.

Everyone sound off the gym you train at! (if you train at one that is) I'm out of the Amherst, MA area, training at Pioneer Valley Crossfit. Blazin' good times. Been a member for just about a month now, and absolutely loving it.

Amherst ehh? Did you attend college tere? I've always had Amherst in mind....

[Dancebot 2000]

Dude, it's so true. I can't imagine EVER going back to the "globo-gym" and moving through the average routine. Even with results aside, this is truely so much more fun. Anybody can do it too.

Everyone sound off the gym you train at! (if you train at one that is) I'm out of the Amherst, MA area, training at Pioneer Valley Crossfit. Blazin' good times. Been a member for just about a month now, and absolutely loving it.

I wish, wish, WISH, I trained at a crossfit gym. I'm in Halifax, and there is none here. I train at the Y, which (along with the SMU gym) is where most crossfit trainers in this city seem to workout. It sucks not being able to drop weights, and also, nobody understands what you are doing, so they will hop on the chin up bar in the middle of a Fran (I'm not saying they shouldn't, it's their gym too, but it's annoying when you are doing time trials).

[Highlanda01602]

Amherst ehh? Did you attend college tere? I've always had Amherst in mind....

Sorry, probably should have specified that I attend UMass, and not Amherst college. Too much beer in high school to make it into there!

[Highlanda01602]

I wish, wish, WISH, I trained at a crossfit gym. I'm in Halifax, and there is none here. I train at the Y, which (along with the SMU gym) is where most crossfit trainers in this city seem to workout. It sucks not being able to drop weights, and also, nobody understands what you are doing, so they will hop on the chin up bar in the middle of a Fran (I'm not saying they shouldn't, it's their gym too, but it's annoying when you are doing time trials).

No worries - as long as you get the work done, that's what counts. Good to hear that you have a group thing going on there... crossfitting by yourself in the average gym just feels so awkward.
Be sure to keep an eye out; crossfit gyms are popping up everywhere.