CrossFit
Over the past couple years CrossFit has been gaining popularity as a way of training for “functional” fitness or general physical preparedness. According to the CrossFit web site, CrossFit is,
“…a core strength and conditioning program. We have designed our program to elicit as broad an adaptational response as possible. CrossFit is not a specialized fitness program but a deliberate attempt to optimize physical competence in each of ten recognized fitness domains. They are Cardiovascular and Respiratory endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed, Coordination, Agility, Balance, and Accuracy.”
The program consists of constantly varying routines incorporating a mix of “functional” movements such as various gymnastic and body weight exercises, plyometrics, Olympic lifts and other compound/multi-joint free weight exercises, and activities like running, cycling and rowing performed for varying durations to target different metabolic pathways. Workouts typically last well under an hour, and the recommended frequency is six days on, one day off.
While CrossFit will no doubt produce results, the same or better results could be achieved more safely and with a fraction of the weekly time invested with a few modifications. Safer, more effective exercises could be substituted for the Olympic lifts, plyometrics and exercises performed in a fast or explosive manner.
Speed and Power
CrossFit places a heavy emphasis on the use of Olympic lifts and other explosive exercises, claiming they are necessary to improve various qualities like power and speed and that these qualities will transfer to other activities. While these exercises will improve power and speed in other activities, it is not because they are performed at high speed or with high power output. It is due to the increases in strength they produce. Strength increases that could be more safely gained using exercises allowing a more controlled speed of movement, and work the involved muscles more effectively.
Muscular strength can be increased by training at any speed, as long as the training is hard and progressive. Regardless of the speed strength is developed at, the more force a muscle is capable of producing the faster it can accelerate a given load, meaning more power production. Even the rate of force development can be improved training at slower speeds, provided the intended speed is fast. If the weight being used is heavy enough, after the first few repetitions of a set a very fast speed will be impossible with strict form. After this point intent should be to move the weight as fast as possible, although the actual speed will be anything but.
If you train to become as strong as you possibly can, you will also become as fast and powerful as you can, regardless of whether you train at fast or slow speeds or somewhere in between. However, you will be less likely to injure yourself using a more controlled speed of movement.
“Functional” Versus “Non-Functional” Exercises
CrossFit training discourages the use of machines or isolation exercises because they believe these are somehow not “functional”. They claim since machine or isolation exercises do not mimic motor recruitment patterns similar to various activities of daily life that they are not “functional” and are somehow less effective at improving functional ability or transferring to improved performance in other activities. This is wrong.
An exercise does not have to mimic the motor recruitment pattern of another activity for the strength gained from that exercise to transfer to it. If you strengthen the muscles involved in performing some activity, performance in that activity will improve regardless of the equipment used or exercises performed. There is no transfer of skill from an exercise to any other movement, no matter how similar. Skill is highly specific. If you want to improve the skill in performing a specific movement or activity, you need to practice the proper performance of that movement or activity. Performing exercises that mimic a movement will certainly develop strength in the muscles involved, but there will be no positive transfer of skill, and no benefit over doing other exercises that effectively work the same muscles.
That being said, free weight and body weight exercises provide certain benefits that can’t be obtained from machine training. While both are effective for increasing muscular strength, the more concrete experience of free weight and body weight training provides a better estimate of and confidence in one’s actual physical ability than the more abstract experience of machine training. It is harder to relate the weight you use on a lower back machine to your ability to pick heavy things up off the ground than the weight you deadlift. Speaking of the deadlift, certain free weight exercises also teach proper body mechanics for other movements - someone who learns to deadlift properly is more likely to move in a safer more effective manner when picking up other things. While I don’t intend to get into too deep of a comparison of free weights and machines right now, ultimately the equipment you train with is not as important as how you use it.
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Conditioning
CrossFit routines often incorporate running, cycling or rowing for cardiovascular and metabolic conditioning. While it is necessary to run, cycle or row if your goal is to specifically improve your ability to run, cycle or row, if the goal is general cardiovascular conditioning strength training is a better option. During an interview with Dr. Stephen Langer on the show Medicine Man in the early 1980’s, Arthur Jones said,
“…the lifting of weights is so much superior for the purpose of improving the cardiovascular condition of a human being that whatever is in second place is not even in the running, no pun intended. That is to say, running is a very poor, a very dangerous, a very slow, a very inefficient, a very nonproductive method for eventually producing a very limited, low order of cardiovascular benefit. Any, ANY, result that can be produced by any amount of running can be duplicated and surpassed by the proper use of weight lifting for cardiovascular benefits. Now I realize that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people in this country who don’t understand that, who don’t believe that, who will not admit that. Now these people are simply uninformed. Certainly, it’s possible to run with no benefit, it’s possible to lift weights with no benefit. I’m talking about the proper use of weight lifting; and properly applied, weight lifting will improve your cardiovascular benefit to a degree that is impossible to attain with any amount of running.”
When heavy, compound exercises are performed with a high level of intensity and especially when little or no rest is allowed between exercises the demand on the cardiovascular system can be as high or higher than during any other activity performed for the purpose of cardiovascular conditioning. A six-month study conducted at Philipps University in Marburg Germany in 2003 demonstrated equivalent improvements in cardiovascular conditioning between high intensity training using a Nautilus-style circuit routine and traditional cardiovascular training of equal duration and frequency (Maisch B, Baum E, Grimm W. Die Auswirkungen dynamischen Krafttrainings nach dem Nautilus-Prinzip auf kardiozirkulatorische Parameter und Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit (The effects of resistance training according to the Nautilus principles on cardiocirculatory parameters and endurance). Angenommen vom Fachbereich Humanmedizin der Philipps-Universität Marburg am 11. Dezember 2003).
From a Feb 2005 article on the study in Internal Medicine News,
“A 6-month structured Nautilus weightlifting program resulted in improvements in cardiocirculatory fitness to a degree traditionally considered obtainable only through endurance exercises such as running, bicycling, and swimming, said Dr. Baum, a family physician at Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
“This opens up new possibilities for cardiopulmonary-oriented exercise besides the traditional stamina sports,” she noted. New exercise options are desirable because some patients just don’t care for endurance exercise, which doesn’t do much to improve muscular strength and stabilization.
Regarding metabolic conditioning, research suggests that while moderate-intensity aerobic training may improve maximal aerobic power it does not improve anaerobic capacity, however high intensity interval training will improve both anaerobic and aerobic performance. High intensity strength training performed with compound/multi-joint exercises for moderate to high repetitions and short rest intervals can be used to accomplish the same goals, along with improvements in muscular strength.
CrossHIT?
For the sake of example, I’ve listed a few popular CrossFit workouts and modified them, substituting exercises and changing the reps if necessary due to differences in exercise difficulty. Replacing the less-productive, higher-risk exercises like kipping pull-ups with more-productive, lower-risk exercises like strict pull-ups or chin-ups will provide better strength gains and all the associated benefits while reducing the likelihood of injuries or joint problems that could interfere with your training or lead to problems later in life.
CrossFit workouts are typically given women’s names or are named in honor of fallen US military, and are listed here using those names.
Fran
- Thrusters with 95 pounds
- Kipping pull-ups
Performed for three circuits of 21, 15 and 9 reps, for time.
Modified HIT Version
- Back squats with approximate 20RM weight
- Presses with approximate 12RM weight
- Strict pull-ups or chin-ups
Performed for three circuits of 20, 15 and 12 repetitions on back squats and 12, 10 and 8 on presses and pull ups or chin ups. Although the routine should be performed for time, the reduction in time should come from moving more quickly between reps and exercises, not during. The repetitions should only be performed as fast as possible while maintaining strict form. Sloppy reps should not be counted. Don’t rest between reps, and move as quickly as possible between exercises.
Substituting back squats and presses for thrusters - a combination front squat and push press - and strict pull ups or chin ups for kipping pull ups provides more effective work for the same muscle groups with less likelyhood of injury.
3×3 Routines
Those familiar with Matt Brzycki’s books and articles might recognize the modified workout above as a 3×3 routine; three multi-joint exercises - one lower body, one upper body pushing, one upper body pulling - performed for three circuits. The weight used for each exercise should be close to the RM for the target reps for the first circuit. If the weight is heavy enough and the pace of the workout fast enough, you should just barely be able to perform the target repetition number for the second and third circuits. This is also similar to PHA (peripheral heart action) training, where exercises for different muscle groups, usually alternating between the upper and lower body, were performed for several circuits to allow for harder training on each set for the muscle groups than possible if the sets were performed sequentially.
For variety, different exercises can be substituted. Here are a few examples of different 3×3 routines:
- Deadlift
- Presses
- Chin-ups
- Back squats
- Dips
- Barbell rows
- Pistols (one-legged bodyweight squats)
- Push-ups
- Pull-ups
Many of the CrossFit workouts follow similar formats, and are very good for general strength, cardiovascular and metabolic conditioning, etc., assuming stricter or safer versions of some of the exercises are used. Here are a few:
Diane
- Deadlift 225 pounds
- Handstand push-ups
Performed for three circuits of 21, 15 and 9 reps, for time.
Modified HIT Version
- Deadlift approximate 15RM weight
- Handstand push-ups OR presses
Performed for three circuits of 21, 15 and 9 reps, for time.
For those with blood pressure issues or unable to perform handstand push-ups, I recommend substituting presses with 21RM weight. Rather than using a fixed weight for deadlifts, start with a weight that you can perform at least 15 strict reps with continuously - not resting for a few seconds between reps, but starting from a dead stop, no touch-and-go or bouncing. When you can perform the full 21, 15 and 9 rep sets in strict form and without a long rest between reps, increase the weight.
Barbara
- 20 Kipping pull-ups
- 30 Push-ups
- 40 Sit-ups
- 50 Bodyweight squats
Performed for five circuits, for time.
Modified HIT Version
- 10 Strict pull-ups or chin-ups
- 30 Push-ups
- 40 Crunches
- 50 Bodyweight squats
Performed for five circuits, for time.
I recommend substituting 10 strict pull-ups or chin-ups for the kipping pull-ups, and crunches for the sit-ups.
Give It A Shot
With the exception of their opinions on repetition speed and developing speed and power and what constitutes functional training, there isn’t much difference in the general philosophy between CrossFit and some High Intensity Training methods that emphasize metabolic conditioning. Even Ellington Darden included a very CrossFit-like HIT routine (CrossHIT?) in his last book, The New Bodybuilding for Old School Results, that included several circuits of chin-ups, dips and sprints.
If improved conditioning is one of your primary goals, you may want to try some of the above routines with the suggested modifications. If there is enough interest, I will post more here later.
Drew,
Great article! A lot of people in law enforcement/military I have been around for yearrs swear by crossfit (and kettleballs in particular). I always found the form they display on Crossfit to be pretty lacking and it seems the are more focused on the quantity of exercise rather than the quality. I would love to see you come up with more CrossHIT workouts!!!
Derrick
Drew,
Was interested in your article on Crossfit. Before I started HIT training, I was doing Crossfit. Not being very physically fit, I found the workouts were effective, but very exhausting.
Its true that the proponents of CF are intersted in quantity not quality. The focus is on strength and endurance with muscle growth as only a consequence of being fit.
I mostly used elastic bands and kettle balls- no free weights were in sight. Yes the exercises can lead to more injuries because they are done quickly and haphazardly. My trainer told me if I switched to HIT that I would probably get injured from doing all those heavy slow lifts:0
Of course HIT is all about quality and form and amazingly just as cardio packed as CF. BTY I liked the CrossHIT workouts you added.
Drew,
Great article; glad to see your writing picking up and this is what I was saying to a friend of mine just the other night.
Best,
Skyler
Drew,
A few comments…
I’ve been doing CrossFit for 10 months now and there isn’t a single exercise in the program that I would consider unsafe. Any intelligent athlete should be able to learn a full squat clean and even a snatch given proper time, training, and motor recruitment. Likewise, a proper kipping pullup will greatly increase flexibility and strength in the shoulder girdle and will actually prevent injury rather than causing it.
You nailed the CrossFit methodology perfectly in your opening excerpt and then failed to address three of the most crucial aspects of fitness in the post: Balance, coordination, and agility. Olympic lifts, thrusters, kipping pullups, overhead squats, kettlebell swings, and handstands are essential for developing these three aspects of fitness, yet many people would consider them unsafe. I would submit that ANY exercise can be unsafe if performed incorrectly, be it a bench press or a backflip. My point is that a program that concentrates only on slow lifting will not address the three aspects of fitness I mentioned and would thus fail to achieve CrossFit’s definition of GPP.
That being said, your CrossHit workouts have merit, but not for maximizing performance across all 10 aspects of fitness.
Tom,
Thank you for your comments. While I agree most people can learn to perform those exercises with proper coaching over time, there are lower-risk alternatives that are easier to learn and provide the same general benefits.
I did not specifically mention balance, coordination or agility because I planned to address them later in a separate post. The first six qualities mentioned - cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power and speed - are general and will transfer to any other movements or activities. The other four - coordination, balance, agility and accuracy - are not aspects of fitness, they are movement specific skills.
Of course, there is some overlap between the two, especially power and speed. Increased muscular strength will result in general improvements in both, and greater movement efficiency learned through the deliberate practice of specific skills will improve power and speed in the movements practiced. Greater movement efficiency also means less energy wasted, a lower rate of fatigue, and improved endurance in the movement practiced.
If there is a more general, transferable benefit to be had from some of the more technically difficult exercises and balance challenges it is greater kinesthetic awareness and confidence in one’s abilities. However, these can be obtained from many body weight and free weight exercises other than the Olympic lifts and other quick movements.
Drew, I’d love to see a study or proof that even 1% of CrossFitters have had to curtail their training due to injuries caused by kipping pull-ups or the Olympic lifts. Your statement that kipping pull-ups and the Olympic lifts are dangerous are just that, statements. 10s of 1000s of CrossFitters around the world have been using both for YEARS; if they didn’t work or were dangerous then they wouldn’t still be in the program.
As for power developed doing strength training versus olympic lifting, I’d love to see a powerlifter and an olympic lifter (of comparible abilities) go head-to-head in sprinting and jumping. I know who I’d put my money on. Nothing trumps the Olympic lifts for the development of power. There’s probably a reason why Bill Starr said that if he could only do one exercise it would be the power clean.
You could always take up Coach’s CF challenge. Fly out to Santa Cruz and see how you or any of the athletes training with “CrossHIT” stack up compared to CrossFit athletes. The workouts would probably involve some of our stuff, some of your stuff, and then some stuff that neither system does.
The CrossFit Games are coming up…pretty good chance to showcase your fitness.
http://games.crossfit.com
Alex,
While Olympic lifting has a much lower rate of injury than other sports, as a method of exercise it carries a higher risk of injury due to the high rate of acceleration and greater technical skill required to properly perform the lifts. There is plenty of evidence of this:
Alexander, M.J.L. Biomechanical Aspects of Lumbar Spine Injuries in Athletes: A Review. Canadian Journal of Applied Sports Sciences. 10: (1), 1-20, 1985.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Weight Training and Weight Lifting: Information for the Pediatrician. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 11: (3), 157-161, 1983.
Brady, T., Cahill, B.R., Bodnar, L.M. Weight Training Related Injuries in the High School Athlete. American Journal of Sportsmedicine, 10: (1), 1-5, 1982.
Brown, T., Yost, R., McCarron, R.F. Lumbar Ring Apophyseal Fracture in an Adolescent Weightlifter. The American Journal of Sportsmedicine, 18: (5), 1990.
Duda, M. Elite Lifters at Risk of Spondylolysis. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 5: (9), 61-67, 1977.
Hall, S. Effect of Attempted Lifting Speed on Forces and Torque Exerted on the Lumbar Spine. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 17: (4), 1985.
Jesse, J.P. Olympic Lifting Movements Endanger Adolescents. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 5: (9), 61-67, 1977.
Kuland, D.H. The Injured Athlete. J.B. Lippencott Co., Philadelphia, pp. 158-159, 1982.
Kulund, D.N., Dewey, J.B., Brubaker, C.E., Roberts, J. Olympic Weightlifting Injuries. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 111-119, 1978.
Mazur, L.J., Yetman, R.J., Risser, W.L. Weight Training Injuries: Common Injuries and Preventative Methods. Sports Medicine, 16(1): 57-63, 1993.
As for power, while I have no doubt an Olympic lifter would best a powerlifter in the Olympic lifts, this does not mean the power will translate to other, different movements.
I do not move quickly during exercise. Most of my repetitions are performed with a 2 to 3 second lifting and 2 to 3 second lowering movement. This has not prevented me from moving very explosively during martial arts training. In fact, I am much faster now than years ago when I trained with fast reps, because my martial arts practice is performed in a manner emphasizing speed and power.
The CrossFit Games would be fun. It sounds a little like the STREND Fitness Challenge http://www.strend.com
While there are certainly differences in the CrossFit and HIT philosophy and methods there are also similarities - particularly high intensity of effort. I appreciate the feedback from CrossFit practitioners.
Mr. Baye,
While your article is articulate it does not make sense. You give references to what researchers have done but fail to give any evidence of studies that you have undertaken. It appears that you have completed a lot of reading but have not conducted any testing, other than seeing some results in your own performance.
With CrossFit, there are thousands of practitioners that can attest to their increased, measurable gains but more importantly, studies have been conducted to give a true merit to these gains.
You also take about the “increased risk” in performing the lifts that CrossFit uses in it’s arsenal. As Tom stated, any athlete can and should learn the proper execution of technique. As Coach Glassman has stated, form will break down close to 20%, as intensity and fatigue begin to take over. You continually talk about risk. There are risks in everything we do in life. Having worked in Law enforcement for 10 years, I can testify to the risks undertaken by humans on a daily basis. Somehow, life goes on and people make incredible results, all while pushing the limits. Sometimes injury occurs and that’s when a marker is defined. A marker that the athlete can use to improve execution and performance of they’re chosen activity. While some in your community may shy away from what is considered dangerous, many in CrossFit have taken the challenge and told the others to “Suck it up Buttercup.” It’s what we do. We take a challenge because others say it’s impossible.
Should humans decide to continually decide to take the less risky approach, the amazing things people do will diminish. I would like you to give your same speech to anyone like myself who has had to work around a physical disability. There are athletes in wheelchairs and those that compete using a prosthetics. Many a doctor or non-believer told them that it was too “risky.”
I have competed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for over 8 years. I have tried numerous forms of strength and conditioning training, including HITT. However, nothing compares to the results I have achieved with CrossFit. The skill transfer has been very apparent as many of my competitors have commented on.
Injuries occur in any activity. CrossFit has and always be performance intense, but not just when we are doing a WOD, but also when we practice. That is the part you have failed to mention and understand. We are form hungry. We practice things we know and continually learn new things and then practice them repetitively. We have Coaches like myself that come from varied backgrounds and come together to help others learn new techniques. I would like you to undertake the CF challenge but more than that I’d like you to see if you can do the same things most Cfer’s can do, such as Gymnastics, rowing, swimming, Girevoy, Olympic lifting, and the several other activities that CFer’s undertake. we push the boundaries because that’s what Americans do, we push b/c we have the freedom to explore. I’s like you to talk about risk to any NASA astronaut.
Again, while your article appears articulate, it falls short in the true understanding of functional exercise and it’s transference into life. Your article appears written for those that follow your training, which I can understand, but you’re not giving them the whole truth. SAafety should always be a first concern for any trainer and with CF it is number one, but so should performance. We take everyday people and show them that theirs an athlete inside them just itching to get out and play. Have fun holding your pose with weights. We chose to move. Life is risk. It’s really that simple.
Leopoldo,
Thanks for your comments. While I agree with you regarding life and risks, it is important to consider risk versus benefit and while there are benefits to the Olympic lifts and other fast exercises, those same benefits can be achieved using other exercises involving lower risk of injury.
I do incorporate body weight and gymnastic movements into my workouts, including handstand push-ups, lever pull-ups, etc., and am in no way opposed to their use if done in a safe manner.
I understand functional exercise and transfer well enough to know that what many people believe about the subject is wrong, usually due to a misunderstanding of motor learning principles. Improved balance, coordination, agility, etc. in an exercise movement or drill will not result in general improvements in those qualities, but rather improvements specific to the movement or drill being practiced.
Drew,
Exactly what exercises will give me the “same benefit” that the Olympic lifts can at less risk of injury? I’ve heard you say it a few times now, but the closest thing you’ve submitted is turning Thrusters into weighted squats and presses.
Please, I’m desperate to know what workout might mimic the effects of Grace (30 clean and jerks for time) done correctly.
My athletes train CrossFit in a class structure, with excessive time spent on form and understanding. Movements and load are scaled appropriately, just as CrossFit.com has always intended.
Oh, and please go over that whole bit again about how agility isn’t a component of fitness, and how I can learn to lift something heavy from the ground safely without learning to Clean. Because if you know of a better way to get something up to your chest, enlighten us.
Dan,
The Olympic lifts do not provide any general benefits that can not be obtained from other exercises or combinations of exercises addressing the same muscle groups performed at controlled speeds. Contrary to what some people believe, it is not necessary to move quickly during exercise to improve speed or power in other activities. Strength developed at any speed will improve speed and power, especially when combined with deliberate practice of the specific activities or movements one wishes to perform faster or more powerfully.
Agility, the ability to change direction or body position quickly, is improved in all activities by improving muscular strength, but is also a matter of balance and coordination which are specific rather than general qualities. CrossFit will no doubt improve agility in general to a degree due to the strength and conditioning effects, but so will getting stronger with any sensible method of training and performing agility drills specific to the activity or movements one wishes to improve agility in.
So if I perform sets of slow deadlifts, sets of slow shoulder shrugs, sets of slow high-pulls/curls, and sets of slow front squats, I’ll be just as adequently prepared to repeatedly/safely hoist objects in a life/death scenario (ie: saving earthquake victims, rescuing someone from a fire, lifting a fallen child’s body, etc?) as I would be if I consistantly train effective ways to pick things up at speed (ie: clean)?
Who said anything about slow? Repetitions should be performed about as fast as possible while maintaining strict form. Not explosively, but definitely not intentionally slowly. Of course, if a heavy enough weight is being used the movement will not be very fast after the first few repetitions.
To answer your question, yes. If you develop adequate strength in the involved muscles you’ll be able to apply it effectively in such a situation. Performing lots of cleans will definitely make you much better at cleans, but this doesn’t mean it will make you any better at picking up various other things that require different body mechanics than other exercises that strengthen the same muscles.
Drew,
When I became certified as a CrossFit trainer this March, Coach Glassman opened his first lecture by noting that simply by being in attendance, we had each proven that we’re at least partially crazy. In other words, the very act of adopting the CF protocol implies a willingness to push through physical, mental, and even emotional discomfort thresholds that the great majority of the modern human race is unwilling to even approach. The madness doesn’t stop there, either - we actually enjoy it.
CrossFit is not for everyone. Maybe some of our fundamental movements are not for everyone, either, but not for safety reasons. Rather, some trainees will never learn to enjoy the fleeting terror of trying to catch that barbell overhead in the bottom of a squat - I know I’ve never attempted a 1 rep max snatch without having to shake off a little fear beforehand. But, again, we actually enjoy it, and you learn a little about yourself each time you make the attempt, successful or not.
I’ve enjoyed reading your article. While I doubt you’ll convert many CFers over to HIT, any movement from standard bodybuilding routines towards our type of training (both CF and HIT) is of benefit. And who knows, you may convince a few current HIT trainees to come over to CrossFit. But only the crazy ones.
Stephen Flamm
Stephen,
Thank you for your comments. My intent wasn’t to convert CFers to HIT, but rather to get HIT people - the primary readers of this site - to consider incorporating some CrossFit-like workouts in their training.
I was introduced to CrossFit a while back by a friend who used to be a competitive gymnast and was very impressed by the intensity and the emphasis on conditioning. While I respect that different people have different goals, I think bodybuilding should be about more than appearances, it should be about developing overall strength and fitness, and I hope to get this across to some readers who may currently train only for looks.
I think I’m understanding your approach a bit better now; a safer approach to training, while attempting to maximize overall strength. Certainly this is a valiant approach. I still believe, however, that some of the discomfort, whether it be mental or physical, found in movements such as the Olympic Lifts and multi-joint movements at high intensity brings unprecedented readiness and ability to a trainee. Digging through interviews of CrossFitters, etc, I can’t help but pay attention to firefighters and police officers talking about the mental aspect of the regiment, the intensity found in the combination of these movements, being key to training the alertness required in their professions.
On the other hand, I can see how the scale of potential-injury/potential-benefits may tilt in the other direction for somebody who does not require that alertness in their everyday life.
Drew, I really respect your thirst for knowledge and trying to bring something new to the table. But I’m still having a hard time with a few things.
1) You cited a bunch of studies, and that’s great. You’re out there reading the literature and journals. However, what happens in journals and studies is rarely what happens in real life. Individuals conducting studies typically have an agenda - either their own, or that of the people behind the money. Hell, take a handful of people with Ph.Ds in Exercise Physiology or Kinesiology and tell them to do a proper back squat. Maybe 1 in 10 (if you’re lucky), will be able to pull it off and probably none of them will go deep enough. They’ll tell you, “Going beyond parallel is bad for the knees!” You ask them where they heard that and they’ll rattle off some study. Great, show that study to countless powerlifters and weightlifters that squat heavy and deep, day in and day out with no issues, ever. Classroom and book experience is far different from being out there and actually doing it. Additionally, I see that you listed several studies on adolescents, some on elite weightlifters, one on injured athletes, but nothing that equates to what we do. Go on the CrossFit forum and try to find even one or two people that have been injured by doing the O’lifts as CrossFit calls for. I don’t think you’ll find many. Go to Catalyst Athletic’s page and check out their stuff: CrossFit based almost solely on the O’lifts. Not many injuries over their either.
Every day in the gym, I see people doing deadlifts or RDLs and their technique is so horrendous that it really takes all of my being to not go over and try to correct them. I wish it was my gym or that they were my clients so it would be my place to help, but alas, it’s not. Quite frankly, a slow, heavy deadlift done improperly is no safer for the lumber than any Olympic lift done improperly. As such, I just can’t buy your argument that O’lifting is dangerous when used to describe how they are used in CrossFit programming - especially considering how technique driven we all are. The point is, if someone is going off and lifting with bad technique, it really doesn’t matter what they’re doing, eventually they’ll get hurt.
2) You say that balance, agility, coordination don’t translate over? I would have to disagree there too. Just take anyone that was an athlete growing up and is sedentary now and pit them against someone that played video games their whole childhood. The event can be anything: handball, badmitton, cricket. I guarantee you that the person that played sports growing up will trump the person that was sedentary as a child in every movement category. Despite what the literature says, balance, agility, and coordination translate over very well to other domains. Just ask any CrossFitter how many things they are able to easily do now that they wouldn’t have even have thought about during their BB or running or whatever days.
As for your comment about not moving any faster than one can sustain strict form, I would direct you to these two videos (specifically the last minute or so of the second one):
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitJournal_CoachTechniqueLecture1Pre1.wmv
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitJournal_CoachTechniqueLecture1Pre2.wmv
Oh, and you still haven’t listed any exercises that can equal the O’lifts. I’m still waiting on that list.
For what it’s worth, I’m not trying to bash you or your site. I just think you’re too dismissive about some of the better things out there just because some studies said they were bad. Meanwhile, 1000s of CrossFitters are proving otherwise every day.
And mad props for allowing us to come on here and “attack” you and still maintaining a professional demeanor and discussing the issues.
Alex,
Thanks again for your comments. I see the feedback from CFers as explanation and sharing of information rather than attack, and we agree more than we differ.
I agree that most studies are far from perfect, especially exercise studies. While the Olympic lifts are definitely safer than participation in many sports according to statistics, and someone in good condition with proper training may perform them with no problems, due to the explosive movement and higher technical difficulty of the lifts the risk of injury is higher than with exercises that are much less technically difficult and can be performed at more controlled speeds.
As for bad technique in general, I’m also in complete agreement. While squats and deadlifts are some of the most productive exercises a person can do if performed properly, they can wreck someone if improperly performed.
I believe the improvements in agility, balance, coordination, etc. in other activities are a result of the general conditioning benefits of sport or exercise - mostly the strength increases, rather than transfer of specific skills. The general conditioning benefits of balance and agility drills that may transfer to other activities are things that could also be achieved through basic strength training exercises. The specific movement skills, however, would require more specific practice.
Drew,
Great site. Your only mistake was having the audacity to suggest CrossFit isn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread! Spend a short time on their site and you’ll see just how dogmatic they are (about fitness as well as politics). Anyway, some of us DO get what you’re saying. Unfortunately, the rabid Crossfitters with their laughable kip (pronounced “cheat”) pullups and haphazard exercise form will not tolerate any suggestion that their style is not perfect.
Ted,
Thanks, I’m glad you like the site. CrossFit has its merits and its practitioners are obviously very passionate about what they do - you can’t fault them for that. All people have a tendency to be critical of things that contradict their ideas or beliefs while uncritically accepting things that support them - referred to in psychology as confirmation bias. It’s likely other people would say similar things about HITers if they visited certain HIT forums.
Regarding kipping pull ups, they are only cheating if the intent is a strict pull up. They are not cheating if they are performed as intended, they’re just a different exercise. Just like a push press isn’t a cheating press if the intent is to perform the movement using the assistance of the legs. I prefer strict pull ups and chin ups over kipping pull ups because the risk of injury is lower and they are more effective for building strength in the arms and back
I’m fairly certain the gymnasts I know have better balance in the majority of situations (non-gymnastics related) than the football players I know, regardless of which athlete is stronger (relative or absolute).
On a personal note, Drew, I would like to thank you and commend you on your restraint/reason to all of our replies.
What are your thoughts on L-Pull ups and Burpees?
Dan,
I believe some of the reason for this may be selection bias. People tend to self-select for activities or sports they do well in due to natural ability. Someone with better balance is more likely to excel in and enjoy participation in gymnastics, while someone with poor balance would be more likely to quit, assuming they tried it at all.
I like L-pull-ups as they feel more challenging than regular pull ups, although people with some types of lower back problems (particularly spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis) might want to avoid them. I think burpees are a good conditioning exercise, particularly when done in combination with jumping pull-ups.
Drew
I am not a CrossFit participant but spent some years running, weight training and kickboxing. Being about 130 pounds and 5″8″ I had to push myself to keep up with people who outweighed me by 100 pounds or so.
The noises my knees make developed so gradually that I never really thought about it. Sort of like carrying Ibuprofen everywhere with me, wearing long sleeves and pants to cover the bruises and vomiting from lactic acidosis once a week or so when I was really working out hard.
It was kind of fun at age 35 to do so many one-handed pushups, and be able to knock around kids ten to fifteen years younger and much bigger than me. The broken teeth and hand, torn muscles, cracked ribs and mild concussions are not really much of a bother nowadays. However the last ten years I’ve been working out less than four hours a week at mostly mild to moderate intensity.
Almost no Ibuprofen being consumed now but only do about 20 one-handed pushups.
So at age 50 my internist recently told me it is perfectly fine for me to keep weight training as I have been - If I do not mind having my knees replaced. He is a few years older than me and looks to be in much better shape. The doctor recommended static olds for legs and I am feeling much better knee pain wise. I am also using stretching and ice for mild chronic pain from damaged back muscle and it is helping.
My point- I am wondering - if after ten or fifteen years of CrossFit or similar enthusiastic conditioning there will be people like me who for the joy of training ignored multiple minor injuries or stresses (oh yes, I forgot the herniated disks in my back from abdominal training but other than decreased flexibility they are not much of a problem ) and have a body a little more beat up than it needed to be?
My follow up would be - Any warning signs not necessarily of “overtraining” but injury. Is it okay to need Ibuprofen and ice packs for muscle soreness after a really intense workout? Vomiting from lactic acidosis during a workout - keep going?
Everyone can probably come up with other examples and I am accustomed to coaches and trainers encouraging one to push through the “pain or strain” to reach new levels of fitness.
Finally - when is your book coming out?
This is way too long - please edit as you see fit.
Gayle
Drew:
Excellent piece on the virtues of conventional strength training exercises done in circuit fashion. It’s the total package: 1) significant resistance used to emphasize demanding muscular overload, 2) all energy system-inclusive to maximize energy expenditure [both anaerobic sources of ATP and even ATP from fatty acid oxidation, especially post-workout as current research suggests] and 3) done with good form to maximize fiber recruitment each rep and to facilitate accurate, documentable progression for future use.
There are a number of ways to get from here to there, and what you are suggesting is an effective, straight-line approach.
Hi Drew,
Just thought I would share a little bit of experience with the CrossFit guys In the late 1970s and 1980s I was a Royal Australian Navy Physical Training Instructor we extremely fit and powerful guys all our fitness training was based upon high explosive type movements we thought that we were “bullet proof” and “indestructable” our lifting form was also perfect. CrossFit training sounds very similar to the way we trained and shared the same training ethos.
I recently attended a Navy PTIs reunion many of the guys now suffer major chronic injuries to all parts of the body with major losses of mobility. Most of my former colleagues agreed that the injuries originated from the way we trained. I think the CrossFit guys are lucky that doctors have now perfected hip replacements, knee replacements, shoulder reconstructions, back operations many of these operations have been performed on my former Navy collegues.
The CF guys can attack me all they like but I have seen the end results later on in life that of high explosive lifting type movements and this is not from some research study this is real life.
Drew there is an old saying “You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink it”
Steven Turner
What entertaining and informative comments everyone has posted! I’m just a small time personal trainer and consider myself still a beginner after only just 4 years in the business. It’s always a pleasure to read the various opinions of others, especially when it is done in such a way that doesn’t insult or give off an “a$$hole” sort of attitude. Cheers to Drew Baye and everyone else who participated. I enjoyed every bit of it.
Hi Drew!
Interesting article.
What are your thoughts of the muscle-up, my favorite exercise? It is a body weight gymnastic exercise, but has to be performed quite explosively. It is hard to attain solely by doing chins and dips, because of the transition part, and is of great functional real life value.
Marcus,
While muscle-ups can not be performed slowly since enough momentum needs to be generated to get the elbows above the bar or rings for the press-up, they don’t necessarily have to be performed in what I would consider an explosive manner either. The muscle-up is a good upper body conditioning exercise, although it is hard to beat chins and dips for strength and muscular development.
Hi Drew,
I was just reading your comments regarding the use of Olympic lifts as per many CrossFit workouts.
You state that….
“While these exercises will improve power and speed in other activities, it is not because they are performed at high speed or with high power output. It is due to the increases in strength they produce. Strength increases that could be more safely gained using exercises allowing a more controlled speed of movement, and work the involved muscles more effectively.”
To put it bluntly, what a load of rubbish. It is a widely recognised fact that the development of muscular power is invariably linked to the speed of the muscle contraction. By simple definition….POWER = WORK / TIME. Knowing this, how can you negate the importance of speed?
Certainly similar WORK (loads, range of motion, distance travelled etc) can be achieved without a need for speed in completion, and in turn promote strength gains…no question about that. However POWER is not to be confused with strength. Many athletes can elicit great strength without the ability to transfer that strength into a high power output. This is because a ‘powerful’ muscle contraction relies on a plethora of neuromuscular adaptations to be developed such as harnessing of elastic energy, stretch shortening cycles, specific length-tension relationships in muscle contraction, reaction time etc.
I am shocked by the stupidity of your statement. I suggest you buy a few textbooks and check your facts on basic muscular function before making such outlandish comments.
Sorry Anthony, but you’re wrong.
The production of power is directly related to strength. The more force a muscle can produce the more quickly it can accelerate against a given resistance, resulting in more powerful movement. For example, if you improve your 1RM in an exercise by 50%, regardless of the repetition speed you use gaining that strength, you will be able to lift your previous 1RM more quickly, resulting in higher power output.
Believe whatever you like, but you don’t have to move fast during exercise or perform explosive lifts to become more powerful. You just have to get stronger, and you can do that just as effectively and more safely with slower repetition speeds.
I am shocked anyone could not understand something so obvious and so simply demonstrated.
Hi Drew,
I just read Anthony’s post I was hoping that Anthony might have provided the readers with “his success” with power training and not some “widely known fact”. Anthony should have provided the names “of some good text books” I would be interested to read something new on “power training”.
Drew, you always provide the reader with real life examples, the real facts of exercise - safe exercises that people can do for a life time.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks
Thanks Steve, I try.
Your Crosshit routines are brilliant. I have been trying to develop routines along the same lines, but wasnt sure if I was on the right track. In my case I have 3 torn discs in my lower back so need to train around that.
More routines please…to be honest if you have the time and inclination I think it would be good if you posted alternatives for all or most crossfit routines
Thanks Chris, I’m glad you like them. I have had other requests and will post more in the future. I am also planning a book geared more towards total fitness after the bodybuilding one, which will contain a variety of metabolic conditioning routines similar to the CrossFit and 3×3 high intensity training routines here.
A book would be a great idea. I would definately add it to my weight training library.
Chris,
I think that your ability to remain objective while sharing your wisdom and knowledge gleamed from sound scientific principles is invaluable. I want to thank you for being bold; your responses to the “attacks” in the former post are convicting. The exercise system that increases longevity while minimizing physical injuries is definitely, Cross HIT. In addition, CrossHIT seems to be ideal since it develops both strength and metabolic conditioning.