Crossfit?

[Sully]

Hello,

I just stumbled across Crossfit today - does anyone know anything about it? Is it good?

It seems interesting, but I have a feeling that I should stick with SL5x5 until I can do 1.5BW Squat before I do something like Crossfit.

Let me know what you all think.

[youngathlete]

Mark Rippetoe advocates metabolic conditioning like crossfit but recommends that one first go through a barbell strength building phase.

[arehb]

If I ever get kids or get to a stage in life where time is very constrained, I`m going to do crossfit. Very short, very intenese, very effective workouts.

They use some pretty complex movements, like the olympic lifts, so I`m thinking you need to be pretty athletic in order to be able to complete the workouts. Or maybe you can just start and learn on the way.

[atypical1]

If I ever get kids or get to a stage in life where time is very constrained, I`m going to do crossfit. Very short, very intenese, very effective workouts.

Sounds just like SL or 5/3/1. My workouts take less than an hour and kick my butt.

Crossfit is fine and is just another tool. You can do many of the same workouts and tailor them for your own use so you certainly don't need to join one of their gyms to do the WOD.

james

[HOBEL]

sounds like yuppiedom glistening chrome nautilus machines -pink beverages and lots of ferns

[JasonLB]

It seems interesting, but I have a feeling that I should stick with SL5x5 until I can do 1.5BW Squat before I do something like Crossfit.

Let me know what you all think.

Depends on your goals. Crossfit is great for GPP/metcon, but it wont make you very strong. Also, keep in mind that strength underlies other fitness qualities, so starting Crossfit with some level of base strength will make progression to the full WADs much easier. Most of the guys you see on Crossfit videos with crazy times (not to mention physiques) were into strength training long before coming to crossfit.

[Dada]

sounds like yuppiedom glistening chrome nautilus machines -pink beverages and lots of ferns

In some circles yeah it might be but the Marine and Navy Seals versions not so much.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/20 ... t_062208w/

http://www.crossfitalpha.com/index.php/ ... g_program/

http://www.crossfit.com/journal/2007/01 ... rog_1.html

I guess it really depends on your goals. If you want endurance and a lot of variety then you'll like Crossfit or some version of it. But if you want to be a power lifter then it's not for you. Not sure I really like the programming or lack of it with Crossfit either. But as James said, you can just take a few of their workouts and try them rather than do their WOD.

[somebody]

Note that there are a wide variety of different approaches to making Crossfit more strength oriented, and a large number of gyms posting workouts of the day designed for specific audiences (oly lifters, football players, whatever). But the standard advice on their forums is to do Starting Strength first.