{"id":1693,"date":"2012-06-19T15:56:43","date_gmt":"2012-06-19T22:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/libernetics.com\/?p=1693"},"modified":"2012-06-23T15:14:23","modified_gmt":"2012-06-23T22:14:23","slug":"crossfit-fitness-management-scaling-exercise-agnostic-etc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libernetics.com\/?p=1693","title":{"rendered":"Crossfit: fitness management, scaling, exercise agnostic, etc."},"content":{"rendered":"

CrossFit is, at it’s essence, simple: vary the exercises so you use every possible muscle in every practical way imaginable, and make the workout short and intense. \u00a0As far as \u00a0I know, there is no core set of CrossFit exercises. \u00a0There are what are called “named WODs”, and these are put in practice to form a common\u00a0language\u00a0of\u00a0measurement. \u00a0At CFES<\/a> we don’t often do the named WODs. \u00a0The reason being that CrossFit avoids repetition.<\/p>\n

The other day our WOD was 15 minutes of max reps with a partner: 400m row, 10 pullups and as many box jumps as possible after the pullups. \u00a0Between the two of us we did 100 box jumps (I used a 20 inch tire.) \u00a0I did not regard the workout as\u00a0particularly\u00a0dangerous. \u00a0 The vast majority of the CF workouts I do are like that.<\/p>\n

Today I did some Olympic weight training. \u00a0I used a 33# bar, which briefly went up to 55#. \u00a0I did some snatches, some back squats, some presses. \u00a0We also did quite a bit of\u00a0stretching\u00a0and warming up.<\/p>\n

In every CrossFit workout I’ve done I am the person who selects the weight or box height or whatever, and regulates the intensity. \u00a0In CrossFit, we call this “scaling.” \u00a0The idea is to scale the\u00a0weight\u00a0down (or up) so that the workout is intense enough to be of benefit. \u00a0In practice you will see vastly different weight levels used, but if you look closely you will see that everybody gets about the same level of intensity.<\/p>\n

This single concept of scaling is key to CrossFit, and yet when I look at blogs saying CrossFit is dangerous, they completely ignore scaling. \u00a0So Anthony Johnson and Drew Baye for example (“CrossFit\u2122 : A 100% Chance of Injury?<\/a>” and “CrossFit<\/a>” respectively) never mention (when discussing CrossFit) that the key to CrossFit is selecting the appropriate level of weight (or box, or kettlebell, or\u00a0jump-rope, etc.) \u00a0And that is assuming that weights are used, which in my experience is not that often (I’m referring to Olympic weight lifting exercises.)<\/p>\n

Interesting enough, Baye is a high\u00a0intensity\u00a0training (HIT) instructor. \u00a0CrossFit is all about high intensity, but Baye’s argument is apparently with the way the Oly lifts are performed in CF (e.g., at “high speed”, which is a question of scaling.) \u00a0He also says (rather ironically) that no one needs to do Olympic lifting at all, because most people “don’t need explosive power.” \u00a0I think that’s a very subjective statement — who says “most people” don’t need explosive power? I hold the opinion most people would benefit hugely from having explosive power. \u00a0For me, that’s part of fitness. \u00a0When you look at Baye’s core exercises, they include Olympic lifting.\u00a0[Note: please see the comments section for some\u00a0corrections to the above points — 6\/23\/12 SC]<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Neither Baye or Johnson supplied any particular objective evidence to support their assertions. \u00a0Johnson’s premise is that CrossFit is too risky, and is therefore irrational. Well, I scale every WOD and keep myself from\u00a0getting\u00a0hurt. \u00a0Baye (apparently) simply doesn’t like the idea that the exercises are so random, and the Olympic lifting is done (occasionally) in a timed situation. \u00a0But nobody said anything like “to be a member of our exclusive circle you have to move X object in Y timeframe.” \u00a0In fact what they say is lower the weight until you can do the routine safely and effectively.<\/p>\n

What people are encouraged to do is get to their peak level of fitness, and get beyond where they are today.<\/p>\n

The other big thing that I think needs to be said again is this: CrossFit is exercise agnostic. \u00a0If it turns out Baye, Johnson, et al are correct about the particulars of any given exercise being unsafe, or a better choice, then CrossFit will adapt. \u00a0CrossFit is about managing fitness, and therefore is open to any method.<\/p>\n

Cheers.
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