I'm just getting started with Crossfit, which is in essence a workout program that focuses on functional strength and explosion using a lot of Olympic style lifting and rapid transitions between exercises. The workouts are often done for time and are brutal if you're trying to speed through them.
I'm wondering if anyone else on the board does Crossfit and what the rest of us do (besides 12-24oz curls) to stay fit.
I do Crossfit and MMA four or
Yeah, I gave in for the first
Yeah, I gave in for the first time this morning and scaled down on deadlifts after I tore a chunk of skin off of my pinkie (my back wasn't too happy either).
I've been at it for a couple of weeks now, and I'm really enjoying it. I feel like my time in the gym is much more productive.
Back pain
You might want to reassess your form if dead lifts are hurting your back. I don't think they're supposed to hurt.
I always think of it as "shaving my legs with the bar" (not that I know what that would be like) until I get the bar up to my knees. At that point, the movement shifts to the hips.
On the way down, think of it as if you're trying to close a door with your ass.
Functional Fitness, Bodyweight Training
One Place : Monkey Bar Gym (www.monkeybargym.com)
Follow the weekly work outs - buy portable equipment spending less than $200 and be prepared to completely change your body! Monkey Bar Gym work outs will progress ANYONE to doing push-ups, pull-ups, pistols (one legged squats), handstand push-ups, and slam dunks!
This type of work out progresses from stability, strength to power. You will re-learn how to move your body!
Also if you want tips on how to live a healthy happy lifestyle check out 'Fit for Feats' at www.ceiverson.wordpress.com
Running and Monkey Bar Gym
I use Monkey Bar Gym (www.monkeybargym.com). I travel a ton, and they have a set of workouts with minimal or no equipment, but I'm guessing it's a lot like Crossfit: lots of body weight and plyometric exercises.
I also love to run, which is all the better when traveling, since I can see new places when I go new places.
Barwis. Call Barwis. He'll get you in shape.
"For today, goodbye; for tomorrow, good luck, and forever, Go BLUE!!" - Mary Sue Coleman
The two programs are very
The two programs are very similar. I think Monkey Bar Gym is more designed for people who don't have access to a ton of equipment. Crossfit was designed by a gymnastics coach. Most of the movements are designed to create functional strength that male gymnasts need, and can be applied to virtually anything else. Crossfit can get very expensive and does require some equipment you may not have access to (how many gyms have kettlebells? Better question: how many gyms carry 25kg kettlebells?)
I've been thinking about doing crossfit for awhile, actually
May check out the one on Ravenswood in Chicago soon. Usually, I do standard gym stuff (run on treadmill during winter, standard free weights).
Would definitely be curious to hear more takes about crossfit.
I work out at five different
I work out at five different 24 Hour Fitness locations depending on where I am for work, and each one has equipment that's close enough to make it work. I can use dumbells instead of kettlebells, for example. It isn't quite the same, but it still works.
The really hard part is needing multiple stations if you work out during the evenings or early mornings when the gym is the busiest. For example, the workout of the day for Thursday on crossfit.com was 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 of deadlifts, cleans, and bench press--it's hard to keep three bars occupied if a gym is busy.
I do bulldog bootcamp,
And they just started a crossfit gym in oak park. If it weren't that far of a drive from the city, I'd prob recommend it.
Crossfit Kool-Aid
While crossfit is great for overall health and endurance, be careful and make sure you have a good crossfit coach. A lot crossfit coaches don't have that much training, dropped their $1K and went to a day long coaching lesson and got certified. Crossfit gyms across the country have been notorious for horrible programming such as 100 snatches on day followed by 50 jerks and 50 pull-ups the next day that would put incredible strain on the shoulder joint and lead to rotor cuff/labrum/etc tears. Be smart about your programming.
Echo this
First, let me say that I love crossfit workouts. It is impossible for me ever to do what I used to: backs and bis, traps and tris, chest, etc. on various days. How boring. And unproductive. Admittedly, now I practice jiu jitsu 4 days a week (if lucky) and love it. No time for much more.
What I would echo is that it is very important that you take it slow, using almost light weight, unitl you have perfect form. It is very easy to get injured because your form sucks. As stated above, a problem with the workouts is that they drive your muscles to fatigue. When you start getting to the fatigue point, your form suffers and you can injure yourself. For example, I hurt my lower back doing . . . air squats. The problem occurred when I was doing them at a very fast pace and did about 200 of 250. My legs started to tire and so I was slowing my momentum with my lower back instead of my hamstrings. Popped a disc. Ouch.
The moral of the story is to stress form and when you hit fatigue lower the weight or take the movements slowly to make sure form is kept. All that said, I love the workouts and incorporate them whenever I do hit the gym.
Whats the cost of CrossFit?
I've been curious about it for a while now. My staple is working out lifting daily and mixing in the 10 minute runs and/or 30 minute swims.
I occasionally get into a flag football or basketball game, though it's tougher than to find games than it was in undergrad.
Also, I've been entertaining some form of martial arts classes, though I haven't pulled the trigger yet.
Want Cardio?
for those of you looking for a crossfit-esque, low time, high result cardio workout, try the below. This is 10 minutes of cardio that will kick your ass, take your cardio to the next level, and burn some serious lbs. Great for building that MMA tank.
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Aerobic: The break down of energy in the presence of oxygen. Associated with long duration, low intensity, activity.
Anaerobic: the breakdown of energy without the presence of oxygen. Associated with brief, intense, activity.
L.S.D: Long Slow Distance training, for example jogging for 30 minutes.
H.I.I.T.: High Intensity Interval Training, for example Sprinting as fast as possible resting briefly and repeating.
S.A.I.D.: principal = Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.
R.P.E.: A reference scale designed to provide exercisers with easily understood guidelines regarding exercise intensity.
There are three different systems in the body that are involved in the breakdown and production of energy:
The Phosphagen
Lactic Acid
Oxidative
These systems function on a continuum, no one system is ever totally responsible for all the energy needs of the body at one time. The more brief and intense the effort required the more the phosphagen and lactic acid or "Anaerobic" systems are used.
The S.A.I.D. principal states that the body will adapt specifically to the demands placed on it. If you want to improve your fitness for a certain activity it is best to develop conditioning programs that utilize the same energy systems as your chosen activity. Combat sports are primarily "Anaerobic" in nature. In combat sports one must acquire the ability to work at maximal and near maximal levels for short bursts, actively recover and then do it again. In boxing the athlete fights for two or three minutes and then gets to rest for one minute between rounds. The actual rounds however are made up of these burst recover intervals. At no time during a fight is the athlete truly resting. Even pure Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has this burst recover element, while a match is in progress the athletes never get a total rest. If you are fighting in NHB/Vale Tudo it doesnâ?Tt matter how long the rounds are, the basic requirements remain. If you are conditioning to fight, skip the "road-work" and do High Intensity Interval Training or "H.I.I.T." instead. While doing these H.I.I.T. workouts, be sure that you are bursting to maximum and near maximum levels. Hopefully it is starting to sink in that for combat sports, L.S.D. training is ineffective. Jogging or running at a steady pace continually for 20-45-60 minutes at a time is really a massive waste of valuable training and conditioning time. To maximize your efficiency while training "Cardio" for combat sports build your routine around high intensity interval training. When designing your program it helps to have a way to measure intensity. We will use a simple yet effective method known as an R.P.E. or Rate of Perceived Exertion scale. This scale allows the exerciser to subjectively rate his/her feelings during exercise, taking into account personal fitness level, environmental conditions, and general fatigue levels. Perceived exertion ratings correlate highly with measured exercise heart rates and calculated oxygen consumption values. The R.P.E. scale has been found to be a valuable and reliable indicator in monitoring an individuals exercise tolerance and is often used by fitness professionals while conducting graded exercise tests. Here is an example of how to create your own personal R.P.E. scale. Weâ?Tll use the numbers ** 0-10 where 0 = nothing at all (the feeling of sitting at home watching TV) and 10 = Very, very hard (the feeling of running as fast as possible for 100-400 meters). You can actually use this R.P.E. scale as a way to measure both intensity and progress. If you are training on a machine* at resistance level 5 and you feel you are at an "8" on your personal R.P.E. scale, you know you have improved when your R.P.E. for the same exercise and resistance level has dropped to a "6" after several sessions. In the following program I will make suggestions for R.P.E. intensity levels to work towards and it will be up to you to match those levels of intensity to your current ability using your personal R.P.E. scale. The program consists of three progressive 4-week phases designed to build and then maintain a base level of "Anaerobic" endurance.
________________________________
Shaolin Bushido
THE PROGRAM
Always begin each workout with a 5-minute warm-up at a level of 3-4 on your R.P.E. scale. Follow this with 5 minutes at a steady pace that is just starting to get hard by the end, level 5-6 on your R.P.E. scale. And then reduce the intensity and do 5 more minutes, back to level 3-4 on your R.P.E. scale. This 15 minutes remains the same throughout the first three phases of your H.I.I.T. protocol. After this 15 minute period proceed immediately to the high intensity intervals, which will be described below. During the intervals you should be pushing hard, striving for about a level 7-10 on your R.P.E. scale. Always finish your session with a 5-minute cool-down, another level 3-4 on the R.P.E. scale.
Phase 1:
Weeks 1 & 2: 4 X 90 seconds work + 90 seconds recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4: 5 X 60 seconds work + 60 seconds recovery.
Phase 2:
Weeks 1 & 2: 6 X 45 seconds work + 30 seconds recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4: 7 X 30 Seconds work + 20 seconds recovery.
Phase 3:
Weeks 1 & 2: 8 X 20 seconds work + 10 seconds recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4: 10 X 20 seconds work + 10 seconds recovery.
The first phase will lay the foundation for the following phases. Obviously you can not sprint for 90 seconds at the same pace you can keep up for a shorter duration. Your job is to go as hard as you can for the given time specified. During recovery periods you may go as slow as you wish but DO NOT STOP MOVING! Active recovery is always better than passive recovery and will help remove the buy-products of your anaerobic overload more effectively. Once you reach phase 3, you can remain there in maintenance mode. Avoid boredom and stale training by changing machines* every 2-3 weeks as well as continually striving to train at higher resistance levels on each machine. * If you feel you are not fully recovering be sure to add extra rest days where needed. These sessions should be done 2-5 times a week, experiment to find what works best for you. Do your best to get in at least two sessions per week. If you are diligent you should start noticing an improvement right away. By the time you finish phase three you should be on your way to having a 30-gallon gas tank.
*For the H.I.I.T. portion of your training I recommend the following machines in order of my preference:
1) Versa Climber.
2) Air Dyne Bike.
3) Elliptical walker with arm attachments.
4) Rowing ergometer.
5) Cross country Ski simulator.
These machines have been selected because they work the entire body as a unit rather then just the legs alone. Although the machines mentioned are my favorites, anything will work, rope skipping, running, biking, stair-climbing etc. If you do choose running or rope skipping I recommend cross training with one of the above recommended machines to reduce the potential for overuse injuries due to the inherent impact on the joints from these activities.
** Example of an R.P.E. scale with values from 0-10:
0 = Nothing at all
1 = Very easy
2 = Easy
3 = Moderate
4 = Somewhat hard
5 = Hard
6
7 = Very hard
8
9
10 = Very, very hard
td; de
(too difficult; didn't exercise)
I burned 200 calories
just reading that thing.
What the Hell. -Jack Burton
Speaking my language. I've
Speaking my language. I've found that the best way to get people to the point were they will be able to do such an exercise routine is to start slow and explain to them that we will start with a variation of this and once I see you able to succeed with that then we'll push it up a notch. You can't overwhelm someone who hasn't put their physical well-being at the forefront of their lives. It's a climb to get them there. I do have a question for you, however. I've been toiling with this one for a while. What are your thoughts on creatine. I personally don't use it and have found that a strict diet and drinking 100+oz of water a day has helped me gain the same effects that I had while on it. Thoughts?
good grief...
1. Not to nit pick, but lactate (NOT lactic acid, there is a difference) is a waste product of anaerobic glycolysis. It eventually gets broken down back into pryuvate by the liver, but it does not provide a lot of energy while exercising. That's glycolysis.
2. I don't care who you are, you're not going to lose weight of get in shape in just 10 minutes a day!!!! sorry. doesn't happen. Upon closer inspection, this "program" advises a 15 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down... so wait what happened to 10 minutes? Someone is going to get as much benefit from the warm up/cool down. 30 minutes is bbbbbaaaarrrrreeeelllllyyyyy enough to illicit a chronic change.
Now if someone wanted to do several cycles of this in a row with say 5-10 minutes of low intensity "rest" in in between now you're talking. That'd be a serious anerobic/VO2 max workout. But your way is as effect as the ab rocket 12000XL or one of those electric belts.
I know from experience dude. If you know what I mean.
Well . . .
1. I didn't write the article chief, just pasted it.
2. It is understood that energy is produced from lactic acid. But you are just being argumentative for some reason.
3. Yes there is a warm up if you want and a cool down if you want. Or you could do the warm up and be done in 15 minutes. Are these the kind of details that keep you up at night? I suggest finding a personality instead.
4. This is all about intensity. If you did 4 400m sprints at 1:30 intervals with a minute rest in between, I would wager that you would (a) not make it and (b) get something out of the workout after you pick yourself up off the ground.
5. Really on the 30 minutes being bbbbbaaaarrrrreeeelllllyyyyy enough time to illicit a response? Spend 10 minutes sparring or wrestling. You won't make it 3 minutes.
Ahhhh personal attacks really help get your point across eh?
I am being argumentative because it is an important distinction to make. The conversion of lactate back to pyruvate is not a process at the forefront of energy production during exercise, especially at intensity.
And yes, these details are important when analyzing the mustard of a workout.
You would win the bet because I have a bad knee and can't run. Congrats. Now, if I did a similar workout my bike (I'm a cyclist), I would get something out it because I'd pair it with other intervals with more work.
My point is this: You're not far off here, the workout would be effective with more volume. The most important thing to gaining fitness is intensity, you're right. But, this workout is flirting with the lower limits of what will illicit a response*. If you added like 30 minutes of jogging or something to the end of it, then you've got something. 10 minute workouts are a pox on exercise physiology like (but not as bad) spot burning.
*- By "illicit a response" I do not mean feel fatigued as you seem (at least that's how I interpreted it). A "response" is physiological adaptation to exercise. Increased economy, mitochondrial density, increased VO2, etc.
See isn't that nicer being civil and not attacking somebody?
I know from experience dude. If you know what I mean.
Yo! I didn't go to school for
Yo! I didn't go to school for this particular thing, which it seems like you are, but what do you think of creatine? Lifters love it while some other people I know who ended up going into the health care field seem to say it's not good for you. What are your thoughts on it?
I gained a ton of weight and
I gained a ton of weight and strength using creatine, but lost it all within six months after I quit.
That's the same thing that
That's the same thing that happened to me. Crossfit looks like something I would definitely like to try sometime soon. Maybe after my comp in June. I do get really bored with the same old stuff. Even when you make gains the repetition can kill ya.
I'm in the same boat...have
I'm in the same boat...have been looking into BJJ, but can't commit because I may have to move. Would like to start that up before summer roles around.
Makin' movies, makin' music and
Fight-in' profitgoblue Round The World!
Russell Crowe!
BJJ?
Brazilian Ji Jitsu? By the way, what gyms are you looking at that offer martial arts?
Gracie-Barra Chicago is one
Gracie-Barra Chicago is one of the best in the country. The consistently win tournaments. You can call them up and they will allow you to come in and train for free to see if it is a fit for you. Its up on 4900 N Lincoln (past Lincoln square).
http://www.chicagojiujitsu.com/
Makin' movies, makin' music and
Fight-in' profitgoblue Round The World!
Russell Crowe!
Gyms
I was in Chicago before moving to NYC. Try out Pedro Vianna. He has a place in Bucktown area. Great guy and great class. Very good instructor.
I'm old school
two 20lb dumbbells, the "Iron Gym" and a Barwis Ball. All you need my friends....all. you. need.
What the Hell. -Jack Burton
Free weights
are the key. Squats, bench, curls, lat pulldown, rows and free weights. I occasionally mix in cable cross to my workouts. Never done the cross fit. I do find it interesting that arguably the most jacked guy in the NFL(T.O.) uses only bands and he believes weights will be obselete in 10 years.....
Hail To The Victors!
Variable resistance is key
Bands offer the VR, but weights obviously don't. I actually have a vision of starting a company that manufactures weights. The concept is this - You get bars (either bench/squat size, or dumbbell size) and hook chains up to the bars, as opposed to loading plates on them.
Each chain has different weight links/lengths, which therefore provide variable resistance.
The only problem is I don't have the first idea of where to start to make this happen. Anyone wanna work together?
Chains
Chains is an excellent way to build explosive strength. If you are looking to make chain lengths with variable weights you'll have to get some false links to fabricate them, marine supply stores might have a few sizes of chain as would home depot but for really big links you'll have to look in to more specialized manufactures.
We train cross fit on light days after training leading up to events, s well as going to the gym and doing a lot of stretching. It is certainly more satisfying then just going to the gym. As a full time athlete its easy to stop pushing yourself all the time but the workouts are always fresh which keeps you motivated.
Free weights are proven to be
Free weights are proven to be the best way to start. There comes a point when you begin to plateau, that's when you should make the transition to variable resistance.
No offense to T. O., but I'll take the word of my Phd professor who specializes in muscle physiology over him.
I know from experience dude. If you know what I mean.
will it transform my body like this?
Is this just something that
Is this just something that you want to do or is it to go along with your occupation? I know a lot of police officers and firefighters that have done this and it has worked wonder for them and helped them immensely in their respective fields. I hear ya on the dead lifts too. I did those yesterday and my back is sore as can be today. Just remember that form is the most important thing. The weight will come.
Btw, what are your goals? I do some personal training every now and then when I'm not heavy into training.
Deadlifts
I cut them out of my routine a few years ago because I didn't trust myself to get the form right. But then squats started to hurt my knees and recently I started up the dead lift again. It's possibly my favorite lift now.
You have to do squats.
You have to do squats. They're the most important exercise you can do. Just start off with low weight and build gradually. Are you using a barbell for squats or are you doing squats on a smith machine? Have you ever tried Hack Squats?
I was doing regular squats
Now I'll use a fixed squat machine.
I also will jump on a stability pad and squat while holding 40 lbs dumbbells, or alternatively do 1 legged squats without any weights.
Don't use a smith machine for
Don't use a smith machine for squats if you're having knee problems. They are notorious for causing knee and back problems. What kind of fixed squat machine? Another alternative would to just do weighted lunges. They're anywhere near as good as squats but they still provide a lot of the same benefits.
I'm not sure how to explain it
My gym has two machines that I'd call "fixed squat"
The first is similar to a standing calf raise machine, except you do squats on it.
The second is basically an upside down leg press, except you use it like a squat machine. I'm sure you know what I mean, I just can't really describe it.
One of them is a hack squat.
One of them is a hack squat. Not sure about the other. I'd have to look. Are you talking about this?
There are Smith style
There are Smith style machines now that allow a full range of motion--they seem like they'd be helpful for people trying to learn or worried about stability.
I'm in the military (which is
I'm in the military (which is how I know about Crossfit), but it's a personal choice. I've been actively exercising ever since high school and get a little certificate for my "excellent performance" whenever I do my fitness test.
I'm bored with traditional workouts, felt like I wasn't progressing, and need something new. My goal is simply to stay interested while gaining strength and stamina.
Gym Jones
Mark Twight has some very interesting workouts.
He created the so-called "300 workout" and was responsible for how the guys looked in that movie.
http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=35
Greetings from Bolivia.
"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple." - Gary Moeller
Hahaha. I've always wondered
Hahaha. I've always wondered how Barwis could intimidate all of these humongous football players being so small in stature but I did a youtube search and found that weight has nothing to do with crazy ass strength. This guy could easily give Barwis a run for his money.
Yeah, that's pretty awesome.
Yeah, that's pretty awesome. Barwis can probably do some really crazy shit to intimidate the new guys and stay impressive to the upperclassmen.
By the way ...
Does anyone know how much a cross fit membership costs?
It depends where you live
An all-you-can-puke membership generally runs north of $100. The gym in Ann Arbor is $155 for unlimited workouts per month. It'll generally be a bit more expensive in larger cities.
Indeed.
I started this about a month and a half ago, and have been doing it once a week and running in between. I've enjoyed it so far, and it kicks my ass for sure. The first day was absolutely brutal, and to echo the sentiments above start out light and work your way up. So far I've enjoyed it though, and I find it a lot more efficient and fun than your standard exercise.
Crossfit
My roommate swears by cross-fit and is pretty jacked, so I can attest that it does work, and allows variety to avoid boredom.
With that said, I feel as though any workout program will work as long as you have dedication to it, and to your diet. You have to consume a lot of protein and balance how many calories you burn with how many you take in. I counted calories and made my own program and put on pretty close to twenty pounds of muscle over a seven month period, all while shrinking my waist size by a couple inches.
For today, goodbye. For tomorrow, good luck. And forever, Go Blue.
I don't do Crossfit; I've
I don't do Crossfit; I've never done any "programs" like P90X, Insanity, Crossfit, etc. I've kind of determined that the thing that helps me most is eating healthy. If I don't eat healthy, all the work I do at the gym goes for naught.
When it's not football season, I typically work out 5 or 6 days a week. I do a three-day cycle of upper body, lower body, and core work. I typically stay at the gym for 1 to 1.5 hours and include a 10-minute cardio warmup and 10-minute interval session (elliptical or treadmill) at the end.
UPPER BODY
Biceps curls
Bench press
Shoulder press
Dumbbell incline press
Lat raises
Pull-ups
Bent-over rows
Plate rotations
LOWER BODY
Squats
Smith machine
Step-ups with dumbbells
Straight leg deadlifts
Hamstring curls
Calf raises
Walking lunges
Side lunges
CORE
Planks
Side planks
Reverse crunches
Wood choppers
I typically do extra cardio on core days
I always do 3 sets of each exercise, but I vary the reps each month. For example, in January I was doing 10 reps of 35-40 lbs. on the biceps curls. In February, I've been doing 5 reps of 45-55 lbs. In March, I'll do 15 reps of probably 30 lbs.
I've gone from 248 to 241 this month, but like I said, it's mainly due to eating. I eat a small (300 calories or so) meal every 3 hours, mostly chicken, turkey, whey protein, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables.
I do Crossfit and MMA four or five days a week. I like it a lot. Give yourself six weeks of consistent Crossfit and you won't look back.
You'll probably need to give yourself a couple extra days off at first (maybe two days on, one day off, instead of three and one). Also, don't be ashamed to lessen the loads if you need to. Especially with the Olympic lifts, there's no need to hurt yourself trying to do more than you can.