Crossfit or not to Crossfit?

One of the newest fads in fitness is Crossfit.  Crossfit involves difficult, usually shorter in duration, workouts that can incorporate a mixture of olympic lifting, powerlifting, kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, running, and plyometrics.  Each day there is a different workout that involves a variety of exercises that is usually done with a goal of completing as many reps in a given time or completing a given amount of reps in as short of time possible.  So in short, Crossfit workouts are generally short, intense, random workouts. 

The Positives

One thing that Crossfit well does is that it gets people working.  Although the workouts are difficult, people seem to get addicted and stick with it.  It also builds in competition, with others and with one's self.  This keeps many people motivated to keep working hard to improve.

The type of exercises used are also a plus.  The exercises are almost exclusively ground-based, multi-joint movements, with stationary bikes and rowing machines used on occasion.  People are not just going on a circuit of fixed-motion machines, they are performing good exercises and pushing themselves doing them.



The Negatives

Although the exercises used in Crossfit are often great exercises, many of the exercises can be very technical for a beginner, and if done improperly can lead to injury, either acute or chronic.  The chances of injury from lack of technique can be increased or reduced depending on the gym that you go to.  Just like any style of training, you'll find good coaches and not so good coaches at Crossfit gyms.  The good coaches will make sure to teach proper technique and only give workouts to their clients that the clients can handle.  The individual pictured to the left is not ready to have dead lifts in his Crossfit program as he needs to correct some technique issues first.  Some coaches/trainers don't do this because Crossfit workouts are often done in group settings and it takes work to individualize workouts when working with a group.

Another negative is that Crossfit workouts often won't follow a progressive program.  This can again lead to possible injuries and possibly slow down the development of the client.  Again, a good coach can help improve this situation by designing workouts with some type of progression in intensity and exercise selection.

Crossfit for the Sport Athlete? 

In general, I wouldn't recommend Crossfit for sport athletes.  Crossfit workouts can lack the specificity of training needed for most sports.  Also, as mentioned before, the lack of proper progression can result in the athlete not learning the fundamental movements that are needed for their sport.  Also, all athletes have some areas that are weaker than others, and it is important to improve these weaknesses, but Crossfit workouts may often not work on improving these weaknesses.

Crossfit type workouts are intense and difficult, and that is why they can be used occasionally to help increase the athletes' work capacity and mental toughness.  This would mean that these type of workouts would be used to supplement the main program in a similar fashion that coaches have used strongman activities in their programs.  We supplement them in by either using them in times between switching programs, or by using mini workouts as a finisher to a regular workout.

With this said, one athlete that I would use Crossfit workouts with often are actual Crossfit athletes.  Now with the emergence of Crossfit Games, athletes whose main goal is to do better on specific Crossfit workouts will need to do these workouts.   I would also include some olympic weightlifting, power lifting, and functional training workouts with these athletes as well because these workouts will help improve their strength in the lifting exercises that are used as well as jumping ability and injury prevention.

Crossfit for the General Public?

Although Crossfit wouldn't be my first choice for the general public or even a weekend warrior, I would promote it if it is something the person is excited about and it's something that gets them to workout on a regular basis.  I would just suggest that everyone does their homework to find a coach/trainer that will teach proper technique and assign workouts that fit the ability of their clients.

I would say that I'm not neither pro- or anit-Crossfit.  I think, just as many other training systems, it can be used within a well thought out and well designed program, but I wouldn't use it as a program all in itself.  This is just my opinion.  Do your research, learn technique, work hard, have fun, and reach your goals!