I'm Suprised CrossFit Hasn't Been Discusse

[Leozinho]

Hi,

I did a search and was suprised that no one has mentioned www.crossfit.com and its workouts. It's a free website, from which a loosely organized group of gyms dedicated to its workout philosophy has sprung up around the country.

A lot of folks are talking about functional strength, but the Crossfit does the best job I've seen of combining speed, strength, power, balance, and endurance.

The program centers around its Workouts of the Day (WOD), which usually take under 20 minutes but are very intense. You can also tack on additional workouts if you feel the need.

There is no typical WOD, but one example is 100 pullups, followed by 100 pushups, 100 situps and then 100 squats, as fast as possible with as little rest as you can manage. (Cheating on the pullups is ok if you can't do 100) The next day you might clean and jerk 135 pounds for 30 reps, again for time. (You'll likely have to break it down in to sets. Starting with a lower weight is acceptable if you can't manage 135 lbs.) The next day you'll run 400 meters, followed quickly by a series of squats, and then repeat it four more times.

The weights and reps generally don't increase in the workouts. Instead you strive to lower your time. The time pressure gives the workout a tremendous cardio effect.

It features lots of bodyweight exercises, with a mix of Olympic and other dynamic lifting. It also uses kettlebells and medicine balls. Compound, complex movements working several body parts at a time are favored. You won't be doing any curls. (Instead, you'd get an arm workout by doing those 100 pullups, which has the added benefit of working so many more muscles.)

My description is not doing it justice. So if your gym routine is stagnate and you've plateaued, give it a try. Mark Twight (one of BE's students, I think) is a devotee, and he knows a bit about keeping fit. I can attest that some Army SF teams are using it, as well.

www.crossfit.com and read the links on the lefthand side of the page.

Edited October 27, 2005 by Leozinho

[ong45]

Holy sh*t !! 100 pull ups?

[Leozinho]

Holy sh*t !! 100 pull ups?

Well, that workout is very pullup intensive. I can't do 100 good pullups fast enough to get the intended effect. So I usually do a couple sets of 10 pull ups, and then taper down to a set of 7, and then a set of 5, and then 3. Then I switch to negative pullups (using a chair to get my chin over the bar and slowing letting myself down) to finish out. Or if I have a partner I'll get him to help. If the bar is low enough you can do "jump pullups," which is just what they sound like. Use the momentum from the jump to help "cheat."

The pushups I break into sets of 30, 20, 20, 20, 10. (I find it faster not to go to complete failure on any set.)

But my two of my instructors can do 100 pullup - 100 pushup - 100 situps - 100 squats in just over 12 minutes. I think they break their pullups into six or seven sets, and do the pushups in two sets and the rest in one set each.

(I should have mentioned that the squats are bodyweight only in this workout.)

Again, don't be put off if the workouts seem too hard. It's acceptable (and common) to have to scale them back at first.

Edited October 27, 2005 by Leozinho

[TDean]

Advertising?

[Leozinho]

Umm, I'm pretty enthusiastic about it, so my post might sound like an advertisement. But I'm not affiliated with the website by any means.

But there's nothing to buy anyway (except maybe some t-shirts.)

[shred]

They've been around a while. Some of the rock climbers I knew tried it for a bit a few years ago, but then decided it was too much work and they could get better sport-specific training other ways.

[Turtle]

Sounds like your typical SWAT/ SF sort of workout (what my school did at least), good stuff indeed. Thanks for the info, I'll definately check it out.

[folsoml]

Holy sh*t !! 100 pull ups?

I gotta go with ong45 on this one.

[Turtle]

Holy sh*t !! 100 pull ups?

Yah, no kidding. I usually do weighted pullups (body weight plus 20-25lbs) with fewer reps in the gym, but when I use the outside exercise station in the city, I'll do pyramids up to 7 or 8. Not even close to 100 and I'm still toast... If you can do all 100 pull-ups, you're definately the man (or woman)!

The push-ups, sit-ups, and squats are no problem though. There, now I feel better about myself.

NT

[ChuckS]

Umm, I'm pretty enthusiastic about it, so my post might sound like an advertisement. But I'm not affiliated with the website by any means.

But there's nothing to buy anyway (except maybe some t-shirts.)

and journals, DVD's, monthly group classes, seminars, and "other items".

[Leozinho]

[

and journals, DVD's, monthly group classes, seminars, and "other items".

Then let me rephrase that to there's certainly nothing that you have to buy to use that website, and not even anything that you need to buy. I've never spent a nickel there.

It works just like here at BE.com. (Except over there if you ask a question in the forum no one is going to tell you on which page that topic is covered in THE BOOK. )

[AlamoShooter]

IN the 1970s I worked as a helper for a Carpenter and he tulked non stop about "girls & women. He spent some time in jails and prisons. A great influence for a 15 year old. He taulked about doing 2,000 to 3,300 pushups a day. and 1,000 "one arm pushups" I finaly spoke up and said I had never even sean one but that that sounded like bull. He didn't knock me down, but he did hit the ground with one hand and rip pushups faster than I could count I gave up at about 30 to 40 becuse he had done over twice what i had counted and sid somthing to efect of Uncle or OK OK. cause it was hot and I did not wont the guy to get any mader at me. He pushed ? jumped ?to his feet =in a "flash"! he was standing and said never dout his word. I can not even fall as fast as he did It was like he had a grip on the ground pulling himself down and shooting up.

He said later that he would not do 2,000 strait that he would do them in sets of 2 or 3 hundred at a time.

[randychaps]

I found out about crossfit.com from my brother who is getting his PhD in exercise physiology/sport medicine. He said it was the best site going.

The workouts are beyond my level of conditioning and age (52), but I think the philosophy is correct--get in shape to be prepared for anything nature throws at you. Well, in IPSC pistol and three-gun, stages are always being developed to challenge us in new and creative ways. Makes sense to adopt a philosophy of physical conditioning that mirrors the demands of the sport. Not that the sport is all that physically demanding, but the better shape you are in, all other things being equal, the more likely you are to win.

Best physical conditioning program seen to date for preparing for "Trooper Class!"

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[ChuckS]

[

and journals, DVD's, monthly group classes, seminars, and "other items".

Then let me rephrase that to there's certainly nothing that you have to buy to use that website, and not even anything that you need to buy. I've never spent a nickel there.

It works just like here at BE.com. (Except over there if you ask a question in the forum no one is going to tell you on which page that topic is covered in THE BOOK. )

Please don't be offended but there is so much spam pretending to be discussions on the web, I tend to be suspicious. I get even more suspicious with new forum members that start pushing brand name stuff right out of the gate. Don't take it personally, I am just a tad jaded.

Welcome to the forum,

Chuck

[Steve Moneypenny]

It is an interesting idea. Not something i plan to do, but very interesting, i like the use of the human body weight as resistance instead of elaborate machines.

said never dout his word. I can not even fall as fast as he

[Leozinho]

Please don't be offended but there is so much spam pretending to be discussions on the web, I tend to be suspicious. I get even more suspicious with new forum members that start pushing brand name stuff right out of the gate. Don't take it personally, I am just a tad jaded.

Welcome to the forum,

Chuck

No worries: I wasn't offended. And rereading my post, it does have the hyperventilating , 'call to action' sound of spam. Maybe getting all that spam in my inbox has changed my writing style for the worse.

Thanks for the welcome.

[randychaps]

Crossfit is certainly pull-up centric. Found an easy way to create a nice pull-up/chin-up bar off my deck in my backyard. Measure between two main posts (assumes you can stand up under your deck with some head room+, and cut a metal pipe (I used a 1.5 inch internal diameter pipe--just less than two inches outer diameter) to length. Then use two joist hangers to anchor the bar. Because the joist hangers take a 2by4 (really 1.5 inches, the bar sits snuggly in the j-hangers and will seat firmly with no rotation. Total cost: $12 (at retail). Get the special joist hanger nails. They are perfect for the job.

Set the bar so that you can reach it only on tip-toes which will allow a great stretch by just hanging. I have also found that the two inch pipe (wider than your average pull-up bar) is better for developing a great grip (useful for our sport).

No, I can't do 100 pull-ups! But I can't do a sub 5 sec El Prez either, but I am working on it.

I like the crossfit philosophy of functional training. But, I think their WODs are only for extremely fit, elite athletes. The rest of us must tailor the workouts to our abilities (even half of a WOD is extremely challenging--and pretty much beyond my abilities today). What I like best is that I am usually finished with my workouts in about 20 minutes or less. Beats jogging for an hour, and I think they are correct about the neuro-hormonal response--way more effective. Plan on a very intense session, labored breathing, lactic acid build-up, burning muscles, etc.

Try doing 50 burpees (squat thrusts with pushups and jumps). They kill me. Helps in getting on the ground fast to shoot prone, and getting up to run to the next shooting position. I think 18 burpees are roughly equivalent to "sprinting" 400 meters.

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