Why does everyone have a problem now?

[Farley1324]

But unfortunately this is common in every sport and gym. There are bad trainers and trainess and good trainers and trainees. How many times have you seen people deadlifting like idiots at your gym? Me? Countless. And you're more likely to get away with deadlifting 50 lbs against a clock with bad form than deadlifting 350 lbs for 6 reps with bad form. That's also why, injuries are more common in gyms than in Crossfit boxes

You think deadlifts against the clock are what people in this thread are talking about?

lol, get a clue

[BenBlue]

And then there's ^^^^ this. I was too lazy to point out that gaffe in my previous post.

My comment about crossfit still stands though; only knuckleheads, or those dumb enough to allow themselves to be trained by knuckleheads, do medium-to-high-skill barbell exercises against a clock.

This is the only guy in this thread who seems to have any clue.

OP, you clearly don't know what you're talking about. Crossfit and circuit training are not one and the same. There are similarities, but what this boils down to are the actual exercises being performed. Have you ever trained clean and jerk? Have you ever trained Snatch? Doing high intensity, highly skilled movements like this, against a clock, is extremely dangerous. These movements alone are extremely dangerous. I love Olympic Lifting, but it is a very risky style of lifting as a stand alone. When you incorporate a clock, you are just asking for injury. These movements require concentration, clarity of mind, and renewed energy to perform safely and properly. Going against a clock is not advised.

From a "tough guy" point of view, I think a lot of these crossfit guys are pushing some crazy weight, and doing it against the clock sure takes some balls and heart. But their form is WAY off, and many of them will learn to regret this.

Moreover, a large majority of the other exercises they do, particularly the body weight movements, are just stupid. There is good reason why Crossfit is the joke of the lifting community.

[BenBlue]

I like Crossfit
What I like the most is the brotherhood phylosophy.
You enter on a spartan environment, no music, television or other things to distract you and you complete the WOD as group and then feel a sence of accomplishment which must feel pretty unique. I like how it leads to the creation of events like Cross Fit Games or Day in the Park or Beach where people who had never flirted with physical exercises workout for the first time stumbling into it and maintaning it as a habit afterwards.

What I don't like, but this unfortunately is the fate of ANY human product be it Linux, Starting Strength or Christianism, is the cultist fanatical approach of some, many, of its members. I also don't like how it is touted as the best physical activity ever for every goal. When you remove the phylosophy of brotherhood, multi-discipline and spartan environment Cross Training is nother but circuit training.

But I don't think it's dangerous, I know children as young as 6 who does Crossfit and I have never heard of anyone getting injuried. By comparison heavy weight lifting, even with perfect form, is way more dangerous. I don't think barbell exercises against the clock are a problem when the resistance is so little.

Have you watched some of the men's events? These guys are getting well over 300 lbs on average with Clean and Jerks, in a circuit with other exercises against the clock. These are NOT small amounts of weight. Sure, straight Oly Lifters push much more, but these are advanced movements with advanced weights. Not only is the clock an issue, but their form is typically off. As someone with back problems who performs these lifts, I can honestly say that it is dangerous throwing 300 + Lbs of weight over your head to complete the jerk in these settings. Some of these guys lose their form, during the jerk, and throw the bar backwards having to stabilize and pull the bar back forward in order to complete the lift. With that kind of weight falling behind you, and you trying to pull it back, you are setting yourself up for a serious back hypertension.

If these guys were only doing small weights, it would be a different story.

[Retardo-pex]

You basically said it. They CAN'T comprehend what you are asking. Weight lifting is definitely NOT exercise for them. It's NOT even a sport. It's a way of life that no other way of life can match so there's no sense in even trying to understand anything else.

I've been on many different forums. Music, guitar, Bible, live sound reinforcement and others where I came in not knowing anything and asking questions. I had nothing to add to the discussion because I didn't know anything. Many of these I hung around long enough to be able to contribute to the discussion later on and helped noobs with the same questions I once had. I have NEVER faced the harassment, the self-righteous pompous attitudes like I have faced on this forum in 2 days of being on here. You should read the negative crap I've faced on my thread.

Obviously, anyone who likes crossfit is intellectually superior to anyone who gives a reason or argues OP's points. They could not possibly understand what he was asking because they pointed out potential flaws to the inital questions presented. They could not begin to understand what OP was asking because they do not like certain aspects of crossfit.


I don't disagree with what you are saying as there are plenty of people that the my way or the high way mentality. Most of the people who were initially responding to OP though, are known to not think this way at all. They would be categorized under the realm of "more than one way to skin a cat".

As long as I can remember there have always been high interval circuit training. I know many college and professional sports programs have trainers use this style of training to prepare their athletes.

- While there have been circuit training and conditioning for as long as there have been barbells to load weights on, generally one would not focus on heavy compound lifts in this fashion. A circuit I can think of from college powerlifting involved 4 "stations, DB side bends, physiball hamstring curls, heavy band standing ab crunch, and weighted planks. If you throw deadlifts or squats or snatches in there, by the 3rd round you are asking for trouble especially in new trainees. Why add a component of possible injury when you could work on your conditioning and strength in more effective ways?

I would say most high level athletes such as MMA fighters use this type of training vs the body building style of training.

- What about olympic level weightlifters sprinters or shotput throwers? Are they not consider high level athletes because they aren't necessarily focused on metabolic conditioning but may be using more "bodybuilder exercises"?

This style of training has been called many different names such as caveman training, circuit training, sports performance.

- I played many sports in high school and college as well as attending several clinics, never did I see one of them promoting crossfit style metabolic conditioning or strength training. For optimal sports performance. As stated, circuit training has little to do with crossfit other than some of the workouts can be categorized as a circuit. I would consider strongman events more of a caveman training method than 12 minute rounds of bodyweight exercises, but that might just be my preference.

Its most common name today is cross fit.

- never before crossfit was there anything quite like crossfit

My question is why has no one ever had a problem with this style of training in the past, when it was called something else. BUT now that it is called Cross fit people are hating on it like none other.

- People have varied and valid reasons to "hate on crossfit" and most lifters as a whole don't actually hate the entire concept, just key items and some of the general population, much like you seem to be part of the population that would label bodybuilders/ weightlifters as arrogant meatheads.

Whats with all the hate, there are many many people who have never worked out before who with Cross fit, there are so many successful weight loss stories because of cross fit.

- I know so many weight loss success stories that involve almost no exercise at all, that didn't promote unhealthy and potentially dangerous ideas or habits. Just because there are success stories doesn't mean there are zero flaws with the system.

Shouldn't the entire community of fitness enthusiast be happy that more people are becoming healthy and taking their physical well being more seriously?

- Most of the fitness/lifting community recognizes this fact. It is always better for someone to be active vs inactive, and if crossfit is the only way to get someone active, then it is the best exercise system for them. It is the idea of being the best, the cult mentality, the questionable technique, the questionable knowledge of those promoting such technique, and the questionable idea that it is the "best" training system. You might not believe me after this post, but I actually do not dislike all of crossfit, so much as I dislike the ideas I just listed. Do any of the top crossfit games athletes train exclusively in the style of crossfit? Has anyone ever gone from couch potato to Rich Froning-esque solely through crossfit methods? I'm all for being a well rounded athlete, and I actively encourage people to do some metcon work on lighter days/off days if they need the conditioning work or want a fun competitive challenge in their training, but I would never recommend someone to only train in this style for any goal other than doing local corssfit competitions.

It is just another tool in the shed, just like any other program it will be more suitable for some people and their goals vs others.

[BalyunPex]

[Mdenatale]

LMAO

[veggie530]

Average crossfit gyms are like average karate schools. They're selling you crap. (10+ year martial arts experience here).

Maybe 1-3 out of ten are giving you something actually useful and good. The other 7-9 are just giving you lessons on what not to do in the future.

I've been to a good Crossfit gym, the place was actually pretty top notch. Had a lot of huge ****ing guys there pulling a lot of weight with really good form. I've also been to one that was a form nightmare and a lawsuit waiting to happen. Imagine if weight lifting was judged solely off of Planet Fitness?

Anyway, I'm not a crossfit type of person. Fun to try, probably would continue (at the good gym) if it fit in with my goals, but it doesn't. Best of luck to them.

[Farley1324]

Imagine if weight lifting was judged solely off of Planet Fitness?

That would be silly as planet fitness isn't even a gym. They tell you that right up front.

[veggie530]

That would be silly as planet fitness isn't even a gym. They tell you that right up front.

I am so rustled right now, lol

[BenBlue]

LMAO

This **** is too good LOL

[VmissileX]

I hate people who hog like 20 things at the gym for an hr.

[scullin]

Crossfit - lack of real programming, bad technique / high reps for technical lifts, high injury rate, brainwashed elitist attitudes, no actual goal / focus other than working out to get good at working out,

Some of the above is true in other sports including gym rats that spin their wheels.

Not all circuit training = crossfit. Athletes in other sports use them for training certain energy systems. But typically they have other types of workouts that target specific things they're going for as well (strength training, drills to improve technique in their sport, etc).