Make Up Day
or
5 Rounds of: 135lb. Front Squat, 12 reps 30 Double UndersToday’s post is a contemplative theory filled article. If you don’t like that kind of stuff, answer this question: If you were a WOD, what WOD would you be?
Greg Glassman once claimed that Crossfitters could perform well in any sport in the world. There are two questions which stem from this: Can crossfitters do well in any sport (“well” is a nebulous term that we’ll define later) and how Crossfit integrates into training for a given sport.
We can define “well” as achieving success as a high level amateur athlete. I’m thinking specifically of Tommy Hackenbrucks 6:30 2k at CRASH-B’s. I’m sure there is more ancedotal evidence out there but I’m not aware of it. Is Tommy’s time the fastest 2k ever? No, but it is certainly a respectable time for a generalist. And I think therein lies the rub: most sports benefit from specificity. To be a better bicyclist you have to bike, to be a better soccer player you have to play soccer. A generalist will usually fail to a specialist. The Crossfitter can lean on their training to a great extent and be able to “hang,” but eventually they will fail.
So what place does Crossfit have in training for a specific sport? I think Crossfit is one of the best off-season training modalities that exists. But it does not have much place in-season. The high intensity required by Crossfit workouts can be detrimental to game day performance. When you’re too sore to walk normally, it makes playing at your best very hard. But beyond the necessary high demand on intensity, there needs to be a focus on the specific time domains of a given sport. I think this is where sites like Crossfit Football and Crossfit Endurance truly excel, in that they are skewed to the specific time domain that is necessary for that given sport. It doesn’t make much sense for a football player who works in 15 second bursts to run 10k.
Wash just perusing a few CrossFit t-shirts and came upon my new favorite slogan from Crossfit West Chester.
“Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead.”
Its an interesting point you bring up Paul. Growing up in India, we didn’t really play any fast-paced physical sports except for cricket where all one did was to stand in a big field all day and pick your nose until the occasional ball came your way.
I guess my body isn’t used to the intense violence that it experiences when I do a WOD and I feel that I have a lot of catching up to do. I’m just glad I’ve have decided that Crossfit is my way of life – even if it kills me, which it probably will. I look at some of the fittest guys in our gym who are older than me and that gives me hope that when I get there, I will be that good!
Fight gone bad certainly went bad. I think crossfit has helped in hockey. There are nights though when my back feels a little worn out, but i just push through that now. Getting into rock climbing now, I gotta think this stuff would translate to that as well.
Gah, Vilas, you have trumped the shirt quote already. New shirt…
Crossfit: Improves your ability in fast-paced, physical sports like cricket where all one does is stand in a big field all day and pick your nose until the occasional ball comes your way.
Glad I could put my marketing degree to use for you, Nate. Plaster that line on everything; it is a sure-fire way to raise membership.
It’s true that a specialist will usually beat a crossfitter at their specific sport, especially when it comes to sports like running, swimming, or lifting which rely almost entirely on just a couple physical traits, like speed or strength. However, when you have a crossfitter compete in another sport, such as basketball, tennis, or soccer, then their ability to perform well increases. They have to run fast, change direction quickly, jump high, maintain intensity, coordinate accurate movement, and do a slew of other things, and their background in well-rounded fitness comes into play. Maybe they can’t shoot as well as the opposing team’s leading scorer, but they can jump just a little higher to get a rebound. If a specialist focuses on just a few things, then they are going to have weaknesses and areas they overlooked. An experienced crossfitter will likely be able to exploit that weakness in their opponent’s training and, while not being the best at the sport, still perform well.
And I’ll take three of the Crossfit Cricket shirts. I’ll pay for one for Vilas also. Membership will at least double.
Aaron,
Very true. I like this part ” If a specialist focuses on just a few things, then they are going to have weaknesses and areas they overlooked.”
Blaise,
I went climbing at Stone Summit today and it definitely carries over. I was able to muscle through some moves I wouldn’t have been able to without all the pullups we do.
LOL – I didn’t mean to start a fad. I can’t believe I just insulted Cricket – its a religion in my country. There’s going to be a Fatwa on me very soon
Stone summit is sweet. Went last week and i am going today. I think the stretching/gymnastics will start helping in all of my sports. I am not very flexible.
Ok so an on-topic post…
Basically, CrossFit is for training to become a better athlete. Not a better basketball player, soccer player… specialist. Remembering the basics, CrossFit improves the 10 physical skills: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, accuracy, and balance. Improving any of these will make you a better athlete, and help you perform better in a sport, but it will not make you a specialist.
For example, everyone agrees that Lionel Messi is the best footballer in the world because of his amazing combination of coordination and balance. I can be the most coordinated CrossFitter, and have the best balance of anyone in the world, and I will not be Lionel Messi without spending so much time with the ball on my feet that I can play keepy-ups while making eggs and reading a newspaper. And that I will never be able to do simply by CrossFitting.
Therefore, I agree with you, Paul. Off-season… fantastic. CrossFit until your toes bleed and hands are shreds. In-season, there’s not much place for it because most sports play games close enough together that you are either recovering from the last or making sure you’re healthy for the next. Not much room for Fran or Angie. Plus, in-season is when technical skills and tactics need to be the focus of training.
1. Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance- The ability of the body systems to gather, process, and transport oxygen.
2. Stamina- The ability of the body to process, store, deliver, and utilize energy.
3. Strength- The ability of a muscular unit, or combo of muscular units to apply force.
4. Flexibility- The ability of maximizing range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power- The ability of a muscular unit, or combo of muscular units to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed- The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination- The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility- The ability to minimize transition time between one movement pattern to another.
9. Accuracy- The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
10. Balance- The ability to control the placement of the bodies’ center of gravity in relation to its’ support base.