Your Experience with Crossfit

Training
41

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:

[quote]jasmincar wrote:
So why do you do kipping pull-ups instead of pull-ups?[/quote]
Like I said yesterday…

^ Thibaudeau’s article titled “Kipping Pull-ups: The Truth”.

Great analogy from that article: “A kipping pull-up is to a pull-up what the push press is to the strict overhead press.”

If you’ve ever been struggling to finish a set of chins and kicked your knees up for a boost for the last rep or two, you basically just did some inefficient kipping chin-ups.

There’s technically a difference between kipping pull-ups and butterfly pull-ups, with the butterfly being the most advanced/most body english version. Spealler, the dude in that video above, is pretty much seen as the guy who invented/popularized the butterfly technique, for use in competition.[/quote]

Well I didn’t read that one, I will. Thanks.

42

[quote]boatguy wrote:
usmc - Do a google search for the Crossfit Girls. You should easily find a list of workouts with chick names (Fran, Karen, etc.). These are mostly short intense workouts which would make an excellent finisher to your lifting, if you haven’t already burnt yourself out. I’ve been toying with the idea of modifying my current program and dropping the accessory work in favor of a WOD after the main lift, at least for a couple months so I can get back in shape. My buddy’s CF box in Virginia was set up similar to this if I recall - I’ve done some of the WODs, but I’ve never trained at a ‘box’.

As to the cost of training at a CF gym, I used to give my boy a hard time about the monthly price. He had a good point - his gym (and most, from my understanding) had a certified CF coach at every class who was not working out with the class, but walking around correcting form and answering questions, basically running the class rather than just sitting at the front desk while the attendees tried to complete whatever was on the board. He and his wife were also USAW level 1 coaches, so from what I saw they enforced a much better standard of form than the stereotypical CFer. They also banned the ‘butterfly’ or kipping CF pullup thingy from anyone except very experienced trainers who were prepping for competitions.

So, yeah, kinda pricey, but you were getting a bit more than just a gym to lift at for that price. And you can add in the social aspect,etc. of it, which some people like. I’ve always trained solo, so whatever gym I’m lifting at I’ll stick in the earbuds and ignore people as much as possible. I’ve tried getting my wife into lifting for years, with limited success. When she tried out CF at my buddy’s gym, she liked it right away. Her point was that she always felt out of place in the weight room, because everyone was doing something different. At CF, everyone was doing the same workout, albeit tailored to their current level. Might not be for everyone, but like Chris said above, it has done more than anything else to dispel the old myth of ‘getting too bulky’ if a woman touched anything other than the pink dumbbells.[/quote]

Good Post and I am sure you are aware how Crossfit has made such a huge impact on the military. From Anbar to Baghdad, from Kandahar to Kabul, I have always had access to some form of a crossfit gym. Hell, the one in Kandahar was outdoors with netting for a roof, but, we had any equipment we wanted, including tires and sledges. For those who make their living in remote or hostile areas, access to a traditional gym is simply not possible and a crossfit workout, equipment, etc, is the best alternative. As a side note, the Air Force has everything, including the best equipment, but we knew that didnt we:))

43

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Ya, I’d say I’m pro-crossfit at this point. Honestly, it’s just my ideology I guess. I don’t have a problem with crossfitters doing kipping pull-ups, but it isn’t a pull-up. I guess that’s my problem with it. Call it a “fish out of water” or something just not a pull-up because it isn’t one.

[/quote]

I think calling it “chin over bar” would probably do the trick.

I look at it like strongman: you have to get from A to B, and you can do it anyway you can. On an axle “press”, some people are going to split jerk, some are going to jerk, some are going to push press, and some might even strict press, but they’re all getting the same amount of points each time. Would just treat this the same way: get the chin over the bar any way you want. You could even start out strict, and then just kip more and more as time goes on.

44

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Ya, I’d say I’m pro-crossfit at this point. Honestly, it’s just my ideology I guess. I don’t have a problem with crossfitters doing kipping pull-ups, but it isn’t a pull-up. I guess that’s my problem with it. Call it a “fish out of water” or something just not a pull-up because it isn’t one.

[/quote]

I think calling it “chin over bar” would probably do the trick.

I look at it like strongman: you have to get from A to B, and you can do it anyway you can. On an axle “press”, some people are going to split jerk, some are going to jerk, some are going to push press, and some might even strict press, but they’re all getting the same amount of points each time. Would just treat this the same way: get the chin over the bar any way you want. You could even start out strict, and then just kip more and more as time goes on.[/quote]

I completely get that from a competition stand point. You do what you have to do to win. I just don’t see the value of training the same way the majority of the time.

Idk, maybe there’s value in the kipping pull-up. I just don’t see it.

More on topic, I’ve now done Fran and Grace. They are no joke.

45

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Ya, I’d say I’m pro-crossfit at this point. Honestly, it’s just my ideology I guess. I don’t have a problem with crossfitters doing kipping pull-ups, but it isn’t a pull-up. I guess that’s my problem with it. Call it a “fish out of water” or something just not a pull-up because it isn’t one.

[/quote]

I think calling it “chin over bar” would probably do the trick.

I look at it like strongman: you have to get from A to B, and you can do it anyway you can. On an axle “press”, some people are going to split jerk, some are going to jerk, some are going to push press, and some might even strict press, but they’re all getting the same amount of points each time. Would just treat this the same way: get the chin over the bar any way you want. You could even start out strict, and then just kip more and more as time goes on.[/quote]

I completely get that from a competition stand point. You do what you have to do to win. I just don’t see the value of training the same way the majority of the time.

Idk, maybe there’s value in the kipping pull-up. I just don’t see it.

More on topic, I’ve now done Fran and Grace. They are no joke. [/quote]

There would be no value in kipping pullups if there were no way to add load. With the push press analogy, it would be like push pressing 95 to get 20+ reps per set all the time. You’re getting reps in but if you don’t add load you’re not overloading the muscles that should be prime movers. However if resistance can be added I think the kip could allow overloading the pulling muscles.

Everyone seems to have forgotten about KK doing these:

46

[quote]Facepalm_Death wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Ya, I’d say I’m pro-crossfit at this point. Honestly, it’s just my ideology I guess. I don’t have a problem with crossfitters doing kipping pull-ups, but it isn’t a pull-up. I guess that’s my problem with it. Call it a “fish out of water” or something just not a pull-up because it isn’t one.

[/quote]

I think calling it “chin over bar” would probably do the trick.

I look at it like strongman: you have to get from A to B, and you can do it anyway you can. On an axle “press”, some people are going to split jerk, some are going to jerk, some are going to push press, and some might even strict press, but they’re all getting the same amount of points each time. Would just treat this the same way: get the chin over the bar any way you want. You could even start out strict, and then just kip more and more as time goes on.[/quote]

I completely get that from a competition stand point. You do what you have to do to win. I just don’t see the value of training the same way the majority of the time.

Idk, maybe there’s value in the kipping pull-up. I just don’t see it.

More on topic, I’ve now done Fran and Grace. They are no joke. [/quote]

There would be no value in kipping pullups if there were no way to add load. With the push press analogy, it would be like push pressing 95 to get 20+ reps per set all the time. You’re getting reps in but if you don’t add load you’re not overloading the muscles that should be prime movers. However if resistance can be added I think the kip could allow overloading the pulling muscles.

Everyone seems to have forgotten about KK doing these:

[/quote]

I’m thinking it’s less about building anything muscle-wise and more just about practicing the movement. If you’re in a competition and the only requirement is to get your chin over the bar, you’ll be at a disadvantage if the most efficient movement to do this is rarely practiced vs. someone who practices it frequently (assuming of course that both competitors have a similar relative strict pull-up ability).

47

[quote]TX iron wrote:

[quote]Facepalm_Death wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Ya, I’d say I’m pro-crossfit at this point. Honestly, it’s just my ideology I guess. I don’t have a problem with crossfitters doing kipping pull-ups, but it isn’t a pull-up. I guess that’s my problem with it. Call it a “fish out of water” or something just not a pull-up because it isn’t one.

[/quote]

I think calling it “chin over bar” would probably do the trick.

I look at it like strongman: you have to get from A to B, and you can do it anyway you can. On an axle “press”, some people are going to split jerk, some are going to jerk, some are going to push press, and some might even strict press, but they’re all getting the same amount of points each time. Would just treat this the same way: get the chin over the bar any way you want. You could even start out strict, and then just kip more and more as time goes on.[/quote]

I completely get that from a competition stand point. You do what you have to do to win. I just don’t see the value of training the same way the majority of the time.

Idk, maybe there’s value in the kipping pull-up. I just don’t see it.

More on topic, I’ve now done Fran and Grace. They are no joke. [/quote]

There would be no value in kipping pullups if there were no way to add load. With the push press analogy, it would be like push pressing 95 to get 20+ reps per set all the time. You’re getting reps in but if you don’t add load you’re not overloading the muscles that should be prime movers. However if resistance can be added I think the kip could allow overloading the pulling muscles.

Everyone seems to have forgotten about KK doing these:

[/quote]

I’m thinking it’s less about building anything muscle-wise and more just about practicing the movement. If you’re in a competition and the only requirement is to get your chin over the bar, you’ll be at a disadvantage if the most efficient movement to do this is rarely practiced vs. someone who practices it frequently (assuming of course that both competitors have a similar relative strict pull-up ability).
[/quote]

As a powerlifter I doubt Konstantinov is concerned with his ability to compete in pullup contests. Besides, he is basically getting his chest to the bar on every rep and you can tell from the way his elbows snap down at the top that he is pulling with his back a lot. I really have no reason to believe he is “practicing a movement” as opposed to trying to target his upper back muscles. Of course it might be just a stunt but I also doubt that considering nobody cranks out pullups like that without doing them routinely

48

Meh, does it really bother people that much? People are exercising and trying to stay fit. It’s probably gotten more people into lifting weights than the current freaks winning Mr. O.

Crossfit is fine with me, but I wouldn’t pay 150$ a month for a 15 min workout.

49

I don’t understand why people like to focus on kipping pullups as the big negative in crossfit. I am primarily a rock climber and powerlifter, but do occasional CF workouts, mainly for conditioning. I have done angie (100 pullups, then 100 pushups, then 100 situps then 100 airsquats). Even kipping them, 100 pullups is no easy task. A kipping pullup can work explosive power and is a different movement than a regular pullup, which is different than a chinup. My main beef with crossfit is crossfitters who think their system (or lack thereof) is the end all of fitness.

Here’s a fun workout for you ladies and gents…a mainsite WOD from a while back. 10 rounds for time. take a 45 lb dumbbell and cupping it between your ankles, do 3 weighted pullups, then drop the dumbbell and while still on the bar do 5 strict pullups, and then do 7 kipping before dropping off the bar. My time was 11:49. Do it and tell me how those kipping pullups are so easy.

50

[quote]Facepalm_Death wrote:

[quote]TX iron wrote:

[quote]Facepalm_Death wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Ya, I’d say I’m pro-crossfit at this point. Honestly, it’s just my ideology I guess. I don’t have a problem with crossfitters doing kipping pull-ups, but it isn’t a pull-up. I guess that’s my problem with it. Call it a “fish out of water” or something just not a pull-up because it isn’t one.

[/quote]

I think calling it “chin over bar” would probably do the trick.

I look at it like strongman: you have to get from A to B, and you can do it anyway you can. On an axle “press”, some people are going to split jerk, some are going to jerk, some are going to push press, and some might even strict press, but they’re all getting the same amount of points each time. Would just treat this the same way: get the chin over the bar any way you want. You could even start out strict, and then just kip more and more as time goes on.[/quote]

I completely get that from a competition stand point. You do what you have to do to win. I just don’t see the value of training the same way the majority of the time.

Idk, maybe there’s value in the kipping pull-up. I just don’t see it.

More on topic, I’ve now done Fran and Grace. They are no joke. [/quote]

There would be no value in kipping pullups if there were no way to add load. With the push press analogy, it would be like push pressing 95 to get 20+ reps per set all the time. You’re getting reps in but if you don’t add load you’re not overloading the muscles that should be prime movers. However if resistance can be added I think the kip could allow overloading the pulling muscles.

Everyone seems to have forgotten about KK doing these:

[/quote]

I’m thinking it’s less about building anything muscle-wise and more just about practicing the movement. If you’re in a competition and the only requirement is to get your chin over the bar, you’ll be at a disadvantage if the most efficient movement to do this is rarely practiced vs. someone who practices it frequently (assuming of course that both competitors have a similar relative strict pull-up ability).
[/quote]

As a powerlifter I doubt Konstantinov is concerned with his ability to compete in pullup contests. Besides, he is basically getting his chest to the bar on every rep and you can tell from the way his elbows snap down at the top that he is pulling with his back a lot. I really have no reason to believe he is “practicing a movement” as opposed to trying to target his upper back muscles. Of course it might be just a stunt but I also doubt that considering nobody cranks out pullups like that without doing them routinely[/quote]

I was addressing the possible value in it. I couldn’t watch the video, apologies I should have made that clearer.

51

Crossfit? Yeah, I tried it for a while but returned back to my own gym after a few months.

For me, it was more of a scheduling issue with work, kids… life. I need to train on my own schedule.
There are some real benefits to Crossfit and yes, it is a lifestyle for a lot of folks.

My wife in entrenched in Crossfit and has embraced the culture 100%. She looks great and feels great and is pretty much injury free.
I convinced that more injuries occur in running ( folks training for 10Ks and marathons ) than in Crossfit.

At our home, we refer to Crossfit as The Cult mainly in an attempt to tease the wife. However, there is some truth to the kidding.

mf