Why Crossfitters shouldn't do Olympic lifts

[lewdog_5]

Our local crossfitters just did a max clean day.

One kid fractured his scaphoid bone on his right hand and multiple others came out with wrists so sore they couldnt lift for a week.

Great coaching.

[Francesc]

Lots of ignorant people here...unbelievable.

[USAWBrad]

1 post and already deep in the red lol. Shouldnt bump 2 year old threads to make pointless comments.

[skuraishi]

my team coaches a crossfit gym on mondays. actually that's how i found out about my team. i heard they were in my area coaching so i dropped in and fell in love with the sport ever since. i'm not a crossfitter though!!!

anyways, the main crossfit here held a first annual crossfit olympic lifting championships early this year. of all the gyms that participated, the one we coach was pretty good in technique. the other gyms, they had insanely strong competitors, but their technique was sh!t. and to top it all off, no one knew the rules of the sport. they all talked during the comp, cheering when they were supposed to be quiet, it was just a bad gong show. at the end of the whole thing, one of the guys on my team went and c&j the amount of the highest c&j (145k) and everyone was in awe, they were shocked at how nice and clean it was. condsidering that's his warm up, it should look nice and clean lol.

overall, i find that crossfitters bastardize the lifts and it's really annoying.

[Francesc]

1 post and already deep in the red lol. Shouldnt bump 2 year old threads to make pointless comments.

Well I said what I said because there's people talking crap about CrossFit without even knowing what it really is, they're just repeating what other people are saying...that's kind of ignorant.

Saying that, I don't think doing high rep oly lifting is dangerous, I think it's dangerous when doing it with such bad form...don't blame CrossFit for that, blame the friggin coaches.

[NorwichGrad]

Well I said what I said because there's people talking crap about CrossFit without even knowing what it really is, they're just repeating what other people are saying...that's kind of ignorant.

Saying that, I don't think doing high rep oly lifting is dangerous, I think it's dangerous when doing it with such bad form...don't blame CrossFit for that, blame the friggin coaches.

You got it backwards, dude. There are many crossfitters who think they are Olympic weightlifters, but in reality they have no clue how to properly and safely perform the classical lifts.

[Francesc]

You got it backwards, dude. There are many crossfitters who think they are Olympic weightlifters, but in reality they have no clue how to properly and safely perform the classical lifts.

I agree, many Crossfitters think that...but is it really their fault? They're being instructed by a "certified" coach, and these people think they can perform olympic lifts...but they really don't, so yeah, that's my opnion.

In my opinion, we should respect each others way of training, whether we're doing CrossFit, Powerlifting or whatever...at least we're doing something!

[skuraishi]

I agree, many Crossfitters think that...but is it really their fault? They're being instructed by a "certified" coach, and these people think they can perform olympic lifts...but they really don't, so yeah, that's my opnion.

In my opinion, we should respect each others way of training, whether we're doing CrossFit, Powerlifting or whatever...at least we're doing something!

from my understanding, to be a certified coach in crossfit, you have to go thru a course. and i think that course is taught by Bergener and/or Pendlay. Those guys do know their stuff so it suprises me that the crossfitters they teach do not know anything.

i agree with you on that we should respect each others way of training because we really are doing different things. i just have a problem with people who try and correct me when i'm training and their version of the snatch or c&j differs so much from what it should be. as oly lifters, we strive to get as much weight up as possible within the rules and regulations of the sport (ie: no bent elbows, etc). as crossfitters, they strive to get as many reps for time, regardless of how it looks and if it's part of the rules.

[gewaltiger]

their certification may be valid, perhaps, but that does not excuse the probability that they impose their own values on their athletes. i.e. - inconsistantly and sloppy form. it's then that their certification goes out the window. who cares if they KNOW what good form is when they don't teach it correctly and be a good coach. i hate crossfit.

[Iberian80]

Doesn't really matter the sport but if the rules aren't there or enforced then people will do whatever it takes win.

Your not supposed to carry the ball in basketball...
Your not supposed to push people in soccer...
Your not supposed to take steriods...
Your not supposed to bend your elbows...

Coaches and those who run the contests are the "refs" for crossfit. If they don't have/enforce rules then whatever can be done will be done. Form and personal injury risk be (not sure the rules on this word).

People will take a lot of risks to win poor form is one of the least of them.

[Francesc]

from my understanding, to be a certified coach in crossfit, you have to go thru a course. and i think that course is taught by Bergener and/or Pendlay. Those guys do know their stuff so it suprises me that the crossfitters they teach do not know anything.

i agree with you on that we should respect each others way of training because we really are doing different things. i just have a problem with people who try and correct me when i'm training and their version of the snatch or c&j differs so much from what it should be. as oly lifters, we strive to get as much weight up as possible within the rules and regulations of the sport (ie: no bent elbows, etc). as crossfitters, they strive to get as many reps for time, regardless of how it looks and if it's part of the rules.

Burgener and Pendlay give specific oly lifting courses, the Level 1 course thing is independent from that so yeah. Anyways, the course only lasts a weekend...while it MAY be enough to teach people how to squat, it's not enough time for people to learn olympic lifts with good form

Regarding the rules, the workouts that call for high rep olympic moves are meant to be ground to overhead and that's it, they don't care if you are doing a snatch with good form. That bugs me, why not call it 30 ground to overhead instead of 30 reps of snatch? I really don't know.

I like Crossfit and follow the 3/1 schedule (along with strength lifts) but I think the problem with it is that coaches are not prepared to teach very technical moves, and that the standards for some lifts are lame and dangerous. One more thing and this is just in general...I think a lot of people forget to leave their ego outside the gym, and that's huge regardless of the training methods

[Francesc]

their certification may be valid, perhaps, but that does not excuse the probability that they impose their own values on their athletes. i.e. - inconsistantly and sloppy form. it's then that their certification goes out the window. who cares if they KNOW what good form is when they don't teach it correctly and be a good coach. i hate crossfit.

That's a big problem and I agree with everything you wrote except the "I hate crossfit" part.

On the other hand there's Crossfitters (like me) who try to use very good form most of the time even if that affects my time in the workouts.

[gewaltiger]

you're an extremely rare exception from my experience :P

[Burns23]

proud resident of Old Town Alexandria VA lol

[Francesc]

you're an extremely rare exception from my experience :P

Lol yeah well, don't think I'm the only one

[Da_Jtac_0]

While I do agree that most crossfiters have bad form ( I did not watch the video) the real problem isn't what they do but how they do it. When done with proper form, why can't they do what makes them happy. Not everyone had the same goals as you or me

[NorwichGrad]

While I do agree that most crossfiters have bad form ( I did not watch the video) the real problem isn't what they do but how they do it. When done with proper form, why can't they do what makes them happy. Not everyone had the same goals as you or me

I think most of us purists would agree with you. The problem the non-CFers see is the attitude that 'CF is the answer to the world's fitness problem' mentality, and the word 'elite' thrown around as if CFers are Navy SEALs and Olympic gold medalist all rolled into one.

I don't have any problems at all with bodybuilders, powerlifters, strongmen, or your local gay parade baton twirler who prances on treadmills at planet fitness. I don't look down on anybody at all who does not do Olympic weightlifting. CFers wouldn't be so annoying if they just kept their silliness to themselves and exercised a bit of humility.

[SPFjudge]

If you guys think the form in the video sucks, you should see a college weight room. Now that is some shiity form

[Retardo-pex]

I agree, many Crossfitters think that...but is it really their fault? They're being instructed by a "certified" coach, and these people think they can perform olympic lifts...but they really don't, so yeah, that's my opnion.

In my opinion, we should respect each others way of training, whether we're doing CrossFit, Powerlifting or whatever...at least we're doing something!

Where do you think these coaches are getting their certifications from? I don't know too many other institutions where you are a "certified olympic lift instructor" over a 2 day course.

[Retardo-pex]

That's a big problem and I agree with everything you wrote except the "I hate crossfit" part.

On the other hand there's Crossfitters (like me) who try to use very good form most of the time even if that affects my time in the workouts.

That's the main difference between you and 90% of the crossfit gym population. You train crossfit, they are all "crossfitters"

[GetHimABodyBag]

not sure if srs, but they are srs! very srs









LOL

you guys want moar?

[olyw8lifter]

There are a lot of things I agree and disagree with about Crossfit!! I like the idea of high intensity workouts (I have done some of them before and they will kick your butt!!), but to proclaim that as the end all be all of training goes a bit too far in my opinion!! However, there are several Crossfit "athletes" that lift more than I do, even with somewhat bad form. On the other side of the coin, most of them are trying to get better technique (just watch the crossfit message boards under coaching).

I also agree about getting a certification in a weekend, but there are many other organizations that are worse about this than USAW or crossfit!! I will probably get my coaching cert through USAW this fall, but I have been in the sport for over 10 years and have helped several lifters correct technique.

[gbg]

I think most of us purists would agree with you. The problem the non-CFers see is the attitude that 'CF is the answer to the world's fitness problem' mentality, and the word 'elite' thrown around as if CFers are Navy SEALs and Olympic gold medalist all rolled into one.

I don't have any problems at all with bodybuilders, powerlifters, strongmen, or your local gay parade baton twirler who prances on treadmills at planet fitness. I don't look down on anybody at all who does not do Olympic weightlifting. CFers wouldn't be so annoying if they just kept their silliness to themselves and exercised a bit of humility.

Well said.

[LedZep]

Not sure what all the hate is ride crossfit, its a great training routine and I guarentee anyone who is competitive into crossfit will wreck any of you kids in any realm of fitness, I dare you to attempt a bench Mark six and get your was handed to you. Good luck and have fun with your machine curls

[MasterTank]

Not sure what all the hate is ride crossfit, its a great training routine and I guarentee anyone who is competitive into crossfit will wreck any of you kids in any realm of fitness, I dare you to attempt a bench Mark six and get your was handed to you. Good luck and have fun with your machine curls

English, can you speak it?

[slowman41]

Not sure what all the hate is ride crossfit, its a great training routine and I guarentee anyone who is competitive into crossfit will wreck any of you kids in any realm of fitness, I dare you to attempt a bench Mark six and get your was handed to you. Good luck and have fun with your machine curls

i dont think any of us do machine curls, but cool story bro.

[olyw8lifter]

Not sure what all the hate is ride crossfit, its a great training routine and I guarentee anyone who is competitive into crossfit will wreck any of you kids in any realm of fitness, I dare you to attempt a bench Mark six and get your was handed to you. Good luck and have fun with your machine curls

Well, I DON'T hate on crossfit!! I personally have been lifting at East Valley Crossfit in Chandler, AZ. I don't do crossfit, but I have tried some of the workouts and they have handed my A$$ to me, handly!!! I give crossfitters much respect, BUT most of them will NOT beat a mid-level weightlifter!!!

There are some strong crossfitters, don't get me wrong, but most of them have gotten there by supplementing their workouts!!

AND, we do NOT do machine curls!!!

[skuraishi]

i'm annoyed they call lifts: squat snatch/clean.

[crackyflipside]

In the past year or so, crossfit has been getting much better with regards to technique at least in my area. The first time I went to visit a crossfit gym was so cringe-worthy. A year later I go to watch a crossfit competition and more than half of the competitors showed good technique. This year we've visited a crossfit place to give the coaches there advice for weightlifting, now that I'm in a weightlifting team based out of a crossfit gym you'll see people from other crossfit gyms, coaches and regular crossfitters, signing up for a month with our team to learn good technique.

As a weightlifter, you gotta realize there is technique that is good for the sport of Olympic weightlifting, then you have technique which is good for crossfit. If you do high rep Oly lifts with Oly technique, your legs will be shot. Look at the top athletes doing 'Grace' and 'Isabel' workouts:

[Iberian80]

High rep olympic lifts are just like high rep pull-ups. Both require an unorthodox technique to be able complete but to be sure it is more effecient than the traditional method.

The question is if being able to CnJ 135 30 times is useful as oppossed to being able to CnJ 300 for 1rm.

The fact that elite athletes* don't use the Crossfit WOD as their training program leads me to believe it is not viable as a training program. It is almost a fitness test rather than a training method, the only cavaet is it requires specific technique that really isn't applicable outside of the particular test.

*Including elite crossfitters