Rogers TV stopped in yesterday to get my thoughts on CrossFit – – this should be interesting.

When I took a few minutes to really formulate my thoughts on the CrossFit craze it came out something like this…

I am not a CF hater.  There are many sports and activities people passionately pursue for which they lack biomechanical, anatomical and physiological efficiency, but you would rarely find me encouraging someone away from an activity they are passionate about.

Running Can Be Dangerous

Hang out in Springbank Park on any Saturday or Sunday morning and you will see numerous bodies running, that clearly were not designed for running – but the face still has a big smile.

I have helped literally dozens of football and soccer players try to recover a fully functioning knee after ACL injuries – but I have never suggested that one should not play soccer, football, hockey or any other sport that brings joy to their life.

The ‘Sport’ Of CrossFit

So why would I encourage one who loves CrossFit to stop doing CrossFit.  If you are doing it for the ‘sport’ of CF, then it is a good way to train for that competition.

…Any Other Sport

If however you are looking for a way to ‘get in better shape’ or looking to train for a specific sport, like hockey for example, then CF is not your most efficient route.

Turning to CrossFit for this purpose would be like me saying I want to get better at playing guitar and then signing up for trumpet lessons.  Yes, I might learn a bit about reading music and rhythm, but would be no better at actually playing the guitar.

True CrossFit workouts tend to go for the high volume/high intensity end of the spectrum.  If that sounds like an oxymoron to you – CONGRATULATIONS – fifteen points to Gryffindor!!! (little Harry Potter reference there for ya).

You can try to do high volume and high intensity – it is very, very hard.

But the truth is you cannot actually DO high volume and high intensity.  Eventually one must give and it will be the intensity.  So a great power development exercise like the Barbell Clean is a tool we use to help you develop surprising first step quickness.

We have you do 2-4 reps.

CrossFit takes that and often adds volume – like 75lbs Power Snatches for 75 reps as fast as you can.

Maybe Your CF Isn’t Really CF

Please don’t feel compelled to comment and say something like “but at my CF gym, we don’t do any of that stuff – we don’t do ‘Randy’ or ‘Helen’.  MY CF coach makes sure we use perfect form and has us follow a progressive program”

Trust me, that is great!  It sounds a lot like what we do at RevCon doesn’t it?

THAT my friend is NOT CrossFit J

The Coach Makes A Difference

Even following CrossFit protocols, your chances of survival are much greater if you have a good coach who can identify poor mechanical patterns and adjust your program to correct them.  If they are not able to improve the quality of movement, they should not hesitate to refer you on to a sport medicine professional.

Bottom line…

As I told Ashley from Rogers TV – if you were one of my friends looking to start getting more active or looking to improve your performance in a sport, I would not suggest you start there.

If you saw the CrossFit Games on TV and were so inspired that you wanted to be a part of that, then CrossFit is a great place for you, just hunt around to find the very best coach you can find – the one that won’t hesitate to have you lighten the load on the bar and take your time.

Happy training!

Cheers,
M

PS – congratulations to Team RevCon athletes Damian Warner and Robin Bone for setting new meet and arena records in 60m Hurdles and Pole Vault respectively, at the Don Wright Team Challenge last weekend!