So what is Crossift?
I have had a few questions from our members about Crossfit
and what it involves. Crossfit is a
worldwide fitness movement with numerous variations across the globe. It essentially relies on social media for
it’s promotion, workout routines and administration. It can be set up at a very low cost with some
gyms manufacturing their own equipment (NB. All Australian fitness equipment should be be correctly engineered and certified for commercial fitness use)
Very simply, Crossfit is a exercise regime that uses multi
joint functional movements that have been taken from other disciplines such as
Olympic Lifts (Squats, Clean and Press), gymnastics (Olympic rings ect..), kettlebells,
polymeric training, and powerlifting (deadlift).
Exercises are grouped together into workout routines called the “workout
of the day” (WOD’s) and completed to time. WOD’s are then given names so that
it can be replicated by all Crossfit gyms or “boxes” and then posted online for
comparison.
Crossfit was originally founded in the military and has been
used by Specialist Police and Special Forces tactical squads for well over 30 years.
It was then developed for mainstream use and incorporated into a business model
by Glen Crossman in 2000. I have been doing Crossfit style routines for many
years, especially when I was with the Police Tactical Unit in the NSW Police State Protection Support Unit. We used functional training movements to
develop and train or operatives and it is a very effective training
method for these high end applications. Of course it wasn’t called
Crossfit back then and if you get a chance watch the Crossfit World Games on Foxtel
as these guys and girls are very fit and do some amazing routines.
Here at BSFC we use many of the exercises and movements that
make up Crossfit routines. You will find
that we use them as part of our boot camps and you may also see that we
prescribe many of these full body functional movements as part of our gym
programs. This is of course depending on your personal fitness needs and
capacity to complete them safely. If any of these exercises interest you please
feel free to speak with us.
It is important to note that many Crossfit trainers will
tell you that the ONLY way to train is the Crossfit way! Some will tell you that other training
such as isolated movements (eg bicep curls)
to improve your strength or fitness is a waste of time. You will typically find that these
instructors are new to the fitness industry or are unqualified and are yet to accept that there is
benefit in isolated movements and other exercise regimes. Isolated movements ARE beneficial, even for
Crossfit athletes, and are not just for aesthetics. More than that they can help significantly with completing some of the functional movements used in everyday life. There is a long list of the reasons why
isolated movements and other routines are beneficial and if you would like to
know more again please feel free to come in to the centre and ask me.
What we won’t do here at BSFC is
encourage you to train until your hands are shredded or you drop to the floor
with absolute exhaustion. Some Crossfit boxes will try to make you work to that level all the time. You would need
to have very specific training goals for us to take you to that level. A thorough one on one assessment should be conducted prior to these extreme levels of exercise, and that's not just filling out a questionnaire! If you do chose to do this without experienced
supervision and assessment of your capacity then you risk suffering from a condition called Rhabdomyolysis. You
can find out more about this syndrome at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhabdomyolysis .
You will also find that Crossfit instructors will prescribe
diets based on the “Paleo” style of eating which prescribes eating only
non-processed foods that we would have found when we were caveman hunting and
gathering. This form of eating has
gained wider acceptance throughout the word and has proven to be very
successful. If you would like advise on
this eating regime we are only too happy to give you a run down as we have
found that many of our clients have achieved very good results on this diet. Again this would have to be suited to your personal goals and needs.
Finally, there are some dangers to be found in some Crossfit
WOD’s, gyms and instructors. As you
progress through some of these extreme routines your form can be decline
significantly, especially if you are not under adequate qualified supervision. You will risk significant injury, especially
if you have not built a solid strength base. There are some additional risks to lifting very heavy weights,
especially squats, deadlifts, and unusually shaped objects such as concrete
balls found in some Crossfit boxes. If a
trainer tells you to do these heavy lifts as the only way to get strong, ask
them to conduct a functional assessment first. If they don’t know how to, or
say it’s not important, you should walk away and find a certified strength and
conditioning coach to explain why these functional test are very important to
longevity. Certainly “full on” Crossfit
routines, gyms and instructors are a great way for those who have developed a
base level of strength and fitness to take it to the next
level. They work well if you are an
athlete, in the military and or police tactical squads, but just be cautious if it is your first exercise experience or you are returning to physical activity.
If this Crossfit style of training appeals to you please
come and see me and we can set you up with a Crossfit style routine that is safe
and will progress your training to the next level with minimal risk.
