Crossfit

[Thesensation19*]

The guys I play with have beer and pizza right before they play.

Yea. I dont completely understand their logic. I mean, I get it. Its something quick, cheap and easy to get.

I try not to say people are doing wrong things. However, nothing in having even one slice of pizza (especially from most pizza shops) is good before a work out especially hockey.

I personally want to feel comfortable during activity.

Then again I dont really agree with the whole Red Bull before hockey either.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Heavily qualified in the field of exercise physiology sarcasm: in case it's needed), former NHL'er Scott Thornton opens up new gym that allows him to charge ridiculous prices for a gym, make good profits, and speaks glowingly of the philosophy he's trying to make money off of.

YA DON'T SAY

I am not sure about the big gyms by you... but when I use to go to NYSC there personal training sessions were about $40.00 for 1 hour. So if you were to do this once a week, that would be about $160.00. Just on par with a Crossfit Monthly membership.

Except that Crossfit by me (6-7 differ ones) charge $175.00 a month, $140.00 for students and police/firemen and you get deals to have family memberships.

However, Crossfit allows you to go UNLIMITED for the month under that membership. With several classes a day. Including seminars and specialized classes. Theirs even Open Gym sessions and some have MMA classes taught by MMA professionals.


The worst part of those general Personal Trainers is that they most of them are not as qualified as you think they are. Some of them are still under the impression of old school methods, many of the ideas that modern day Hockey Training books criticize today. Most of them just know how to perform an isolated lift and have very little knowledge or NO experience in doing Olympic Lifting such as a Snatch or Clean and jerk.

Ive watched some of them at work too. They sit there with their clients doing basic exercises. Most of the time doing the most basic routines that I do in my warm ups like crunches, tread mills, and air squats.

Most of these trainers I have seen are also very bad at actually training. They know the theory behind the training routines, they dont know how to implement them or how to teach the lifts. Usually yelling at the client I see and getting nothing done.

Crossfit trainers. I am sure there are plenty of them too. But from what I hear in my nearby gyms is that there all pretty good at creating good WODs but teaching the lifts properly. My gyms,

The Crossfit podcast I listen to, Barbell Shrugged, does explain that many trainers are bad at actually coaching. Sometimes undercoaching, sometimes overcoaching.

Its everywhere. But my point is that the $175 a month is pretty solid price when you think about what you get. I would pay that, now that I have a full time job. However, because of my job I dont have time to go to a Crossfit class or fit into its schedule on a daily basis. So why pay $175 if I can only go to 3 classes a week. I rather pay $40 at my gym and go 7 days a week

 

[Ozz]

Overtraining would be one good reason to not go every day of the week, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Overtraining would be one good reason to not go every day of the week, but that's just my opinion.

I 110% agree that you should not overtrain. However, overtraining is a term that is different from any ones POV.

I look at guys like Jagr, Chelios, Messier, Brindarmour. You look at their training methods and one way or another many of you would criticize their routines. Jagr doing 1000 squats a day from 14 to at least 33 years of age, and still doing 1am work outs on game days and having a 30 minute work out session after each game. Messier would spend most summers traveling ALL summer throughout Asia and Europe with his bike and mountain climbing. Brindarmour... well we all should know his workouts were pretty inspriing. Everyday since he was in high school he was that intense. Chelios still works out like a beast but said he could not play valuable minutes anymore because of his knee.

Look at other sports. The most durable guys I see are the ones who train past their limits everyday. They dont take "rest days"/

Ive heard professional athletes like this in multiple sports say that a rest day usually has them feeling worse as oppose to some kind of activity that day. many professional athletes who squat 5x a week and we would say that is not optimal... but how do you critique the pros, the results.

Ray Lewis would train 3x a day, everyday even during the season.
You ever see the guys off-season routine? Boy its inspiring.


Anyway. My point is you can do what ever you want so long as you provide your body with what it needs and listen to it.

I now no longer listen to the old school habits of leg day one day and let it rest for a few days. I have no issues with doing squats back to back days... Or doing some sort of big leg exercise every time I hit the gym like a deadlift or squat.

I try to work out everyday, I wish I could train more. But I also so happen to spend a great deal on warm ups, cool downs, recovery practices and stretching techniques. Soooo, I dont expect everyone to follow my routines not that its so crazy anyway

 

[Thesensation19*]

I think you can train your body to pretty much do anything in terms of a training schedule. I dont expect anyone to jump right into it. You need to create a base first before you climb yourself into different levels.

I didnt just jump into a gym and start doing what I do now.

I had a good teacher when I was a kid. My older cousin showed me basic exercises and some simple movements. He believed in breaking down your body and building it back up.

That, with sports gave me a good base for what I got into in college

I started learning about Soviet training and metabolic conditioning and now I work out pretty intense for the average goers.


Idc what people do to train. I just hate a few things I see at my gym...

Too many people on machines.
Too many meat heads who spend a great deal of time and focus either playing bball for cardio and then train their arms for an hour and nothing else.
People who wear everything from wrist bands to knee bands to back belts sometimes just to do any simple lift.

But even more jaw dropping is when these average joes love to do stuff like bench press and they rack up the weight to an amount you know is not feasible for them as you see them tossing and turning as they lift it upwards. Dismissing every known fact of form.

You know its not useful for them as they seem to be wearing all this gear because I bet you they have back and shoulder and knee problems.

Yet I guess you only see it during crossfit. yea right

 

[nycpunk1]

But even more jaw dropping is when these average joes love to do stuff like bench press and they rack up the weight to an amount you know is not feasible for them as you see them tossing and turning as they lift it upwards. Dismissing every known fact of form.

You know its not useful for them as they seem to be wearing all this gear because I bet you they have back and shoulder and knee problems.

Yet I guess you only see it during crossfit. yea right

Huh? My office just put a gym in the basement. If I drop a 50lbs weight on my toe, would you blame the building? Of course not. But what if my gym hired a trainer who told me to hold the weight with just two fingers, "to build up my grip muscles"? Completely different
story, right? You might laugh at me for being a gullible idiot, but you'd also question that trainer and the company they represent.

You're comparing guys hurting themselves with no guidance from a trainer to guys hurting themselves doing Crossfit. The problem with this comparison is that the first guy didn't hire someone to show him how to safely and effectively work out. He's just renting the equipment.

When a random bro-dude tries to lift double what he can put up with proper form, that's on him. When that same guy is told by his trainer to do olympic lifts at the end of a gruelling workout as quickly as he can, that's on the trainer and the gym.

A good CF gym, and I know they are out there, would put the lifts where you are most likely to hurt yourself close to the front of the "WOD", where form is less likely to suffer. The problem is, a good CF gym would also need to change some of the basic concepts of CF. The emphasis on speed over form (do as many of these as you can in x seconds, or do x of these as quickly as possible) is begging for an injury, no matter where it's placed in the workout.

I suspect a high percentage of the "good Crossfit gyms" are really trainers who like properly constructed high intensity interval workouts and have paid the $$ to put a lucrative sign on their gym. But if your best examples are people who don't follow some of your core concepts, you have a problem.

 

[The Devil In I]

I am not sure about the big gyms by you... but when I use to go to NYSC there personal training sessions were about $40.00 for 1 hour. So if you were to do this once a week, that would be about $160.00. Just on par with a Crossfit Monthly membership.

Except that Crossfit by me (6-7 differ ones) charge $175.00 a month, $140.00 for students and police/firemen and you get deals to have family memberships.

You just compared the price of PERSONAL training, to the price of attending a large group fitness class. And guess what? At most gyms fitness classes are free to attend with the price of the membership.

Like last Monday I did 30 minutes of deadlifts.
-High Volume (nearly 300lbs) and did 7 sets of 5 reps each. I had to drop it down a bit as the sets went by
- Then I did Low volume (150lbs) 30 times in a row. I had to stop at the 15 mark cuz of fatigue for a few seconds. Then I stopped at the 28 marker because I saw myself losing form.

For many, this is probably enough in a day.

Me, I instead then did a Met Con to attack more of my whole body and train my body for HIIT.
I did 5 rounds of 1/4 mile run on treadmill, no rest then I did 11 pull ups. I did straight as much as I could but had to kip. Kip is fine. Its a different form of a pull up. It attacks your core much better than the straight. So mixing it is cool with me. And then 21 kettle bell swings

This is not really "Crossfit". It's strength training followed by a cardio circuit. Nothing really wrong here...a burn out set of 30 might be a little over the top, but whatever. HERE are just 2 examples (pulled straight from Crossfit) of non-sense work outs that I hate about Crossfit -

Five rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
185 pound Deadlift, 21 reps

Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
225 pound Front squat, 5 reps
Run 200 meters
11 Chest to bar pull-ups
Run 400 meters
12 Kettlebell swings, 2 pood

After already running a mile and doing 84 deadlifts @ 185lbs, you're gonna grab that 185 lb bar in an exhausted state and attempt to do ANOTHER 21 REPS of deadlifts. It's just complete and utter non-sense.

Or, after doing the first 2 rounds in that 2nd workout, you're gonna attempt 225lb FRONT squats? Probably the most core demanding move there is, in a completely fatigued state? And as fast as possible? (against the clock) DUMB

 

[Thesensation19*]

You just compared the price of PERSONAL training, to the price of attending a large group fitness class. And guess what? At most gyms fitness classes are free to attend with the price of the membership.



This is not really "Crossfit". It's strength training followed by a cardio circuit. Nothing really wrong here...a burn out set of 30 might be a little over the top, but whatever. HERE are just 2 examples (pulled straight from Crossfit) of non-sense work outs that I hate about Crossfit -

Five rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
185 pound Deadlift, 21 reps

Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
225 pound Front squat, 5 reps
Run 200 meters
11 Chest to bar pull-ups
Run 400 meters
12 Kettlebell swings, 2 pood

After already running a mile and doing 84 deadlifts @ 185lbs, you're gonna grab that 185 lb bar in an exhausted state and attempt to do ANOTHER 21 REPS of deadlifts. It's just complete and utter non-sense.

Or, after doing the first 2 rounds in that 2nd workout, you're gonna attempt 225lb FRONT squats? Probably the most core demanding move there is, in a completely fatigued state? And as fast as possible? (against the clock) DUMB

Its real simple. Crossfit is not the first gym to open up and say do these hevay lifts and extreme exercises at high reps for time. And it probably wont be the last. However, Crossfit is the first one to become a major growing brand that has done a fantastic job on gathering science and research in the world of modern day fitness and the best at spreading its love. Information on these subjects of proper lifts, efficient and creative work outs, kineseology, modern day nutrition knowledge is so much easier to find these days.

And beyond all the hoop-la and the marketing. Its realllllll simple.

Crossfit works.

Those WOD's you posted. Those are two separate WODS that it looks like you pulled off its main sight. Some people do both in a day. Heck, there is this one dude who did 4 extreme WODs back to back to back...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrKokRDSZYg

As for the first WOD that you commented on. Its really not that bad. Run a 1/4 mile and then do 21 reps of 185lb deadlift. Idk about you. But its really not difficult. You may not be fit enough to do that very efficiently or "fast" but thats the main point. You do it the BEST you can do. Then next time you try it your trying to beat your PR and see growth.

People love Crossfit because its why I love crossfit. It works, theres proof with myself and proof with everyone else. You leave happy and wanting more.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Huh? My office just put a gym in the basement. If I drop a 50lbs weight on my toe, would you blame the building? Of course not. But what if my gym hired a trainer who told me to hold the weight with just two fingers, "to build up my grip muscles"? Completely different
story, right? You might laugh at me for being a gullible idiot, but you'd also question that trainer and the company they represent.

You're comparing guys hurting themselves with no guidance from a trainer to guys hurting themselves doing Crossfit. The problem with this comparison is that the first guy didn't hire someone to show him how to safely and effectively work out. He's just renting the equipment.

When a random bro-dude tries to lift double what he can put up with proper form, that's on him. When that same guy is told by his trainer to do olympic lifts at the end of a gruelling workout as quickly as he can, that's on the trainer and the gym.

A good CF gym, and I know they are out there, would put the lifts where you are most likely to hurt yourself close to the front of the "WOD", where form is less likely to suffer. The problem is, a good CF gym would also need to change some of the basic concepts of CF. The emphasis on speed over form (do as many of these as you can in x seconds, or do x of these as quickly as possible) is begging for an injury, no matter where it's placed in the workout.

I suspect a high percentage of the "good Crossfit gyms" are really trainers who like properly constructed high intensity interval workouts and have paid the $$ to put a lucrative sign on their gym. But if your best examples are people who don't follow some of your core concepts, you have a problem.

Every Crossfit gym by me forces you into a Crossfit Introduction class. There relatively cheap package and I believe the first one is even free. Your put into these classes to get the understanding of Crossfit and you will learn that form is priority.

On top of this. Crossfit certificates demand of you to understand that priority is first and foremost about form.

Because of Crossfit, the study of kineseology has grown with more interest as well. Yes, because of Crossfit. They do a great job in sharing their experiences and knowledge of how the body is suppose to move in a certain lift or movement. You may not want to hear it, but its true. Like today I learned from a Crossfit video about the hyperextension that occurs on your wrists during a clean and jerk and how the mobility of your shoulders and certain work outs for that could not only become more mobile and athletic but help you in your personal weight lifting records.

If a trainer told me to hold a heavy bar with only two fingers I would simply question why. I would question why a trainer tells me to hold a bar in any shape or form even if it seems common sense. If i drop it once, I will question myself. If i drop it again, I question what is wrong.

However, dont make it seem like Crossfit has told you to hold things that are questionable. Crossfit does a great job in sharing the true forms of doing certain exercises like snatches, clean and jerks and dead lifts. prettyy much anything, and its knowledge and library is growing as it continutes to have professional weight lifters and weight lifting trainers on their side helping them share the info.

And its real simple. Ive used their methods and ideas and tried their routines and WODs. It works. Simple as that.

 

[Ozz]

Doing anything consistently works, too.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Just try it. What can I say. Im not gonna stick here and argue with you all day. I believe in it because I see improvements to my health, my fitness and my hockey play. By doing Work outs of the day, following Crossfit Journals and Videos and tuning into weekly health and fitness podcasts run by Crossfit amateurs and Strength and Conditioning coaches.

Believe it or not. Many modern day trainers in the pros like the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB are starting to head more and more into the methods that Crossfit consists of. And more and more pro athletes join the gyms too and have professional CF trainers.

Just try it.


Ive answered the OP and his question on Dumbbells. The reason I have not talked more about it was simple, I believe that there is no real need to go above a certain weight in the dumbells region for a hockey player. For most athletes.

I am shocked how so many gyms lack the need of a kettle bell and medicine ball too.

100lb dumbells is more than enough to do what you need to do.

 

[The Devil In I]

Doing anything consistently works, too.

This just in! Working out and eating healthy actually works

lol it's just comical at this point. Can't even argue the damn topic, just beats around the bush. "Who cares if it's a significant injury risk, it works!"

 

[Thesensation19*]

Doing anything consistently works, too.

Okay. Then do it. Do whatever works for you. Im fine with doing MMA training, Crossfit training, my own strength and conditioning, on top of hockey and soccer weekly.

These things I see growth. Thats all I ever ask for in what I do. So I would suggest people giving it a go. If you dont, or dont like it. Then so be it. Oh well

 

[Ozz]

I'm just messing with you at this point. I don't care what people do, as I've said before in this thread. You sound like you care a lot about what people don't do, though.

 

[TKSPT]

Phases have more to do with programming to your needs and desires. Crossfit is a tool for general fitness that incorporates different forms of training exercises. Going into a CF class will entitle you a 1 hour session of a warm up, stretch, 20-30 minute WOD, cool down and stretch. Its general. One of the best general classes you can take that will help you efficiently train your body.

Phases have to do with your choice of volume and reps. There are hundreds of different Crossfit routines. Different based on the individual, trainers, gyms you attend.

If you are looking for more power exercises. Theres no reason why you cant do less reps and more weights. Elite Crossfitters have phases too. As the CF games gets closer, some CFitters do more reps for conditioning or more volume for strength. They do one or two WODs a day, and then spend the rest of the day training a specific movement.

So for a hockey player it should look very similar. Spend that 1 hour doing a warm up, WOD, cool down. Afterwards if capable, or later on in the day spend an hour doing specific movements. Mix that in with hockey skill training (skating, stick handling, shooting) and you got yourself a great training day.

You say training phases is doing the "right" amount. Well too me, right amount is the amount my body is not use to and trying to break it down. Its what works for me.

Like last Monday I did 30 minutes of deadlifts.
-High Volume (nearly 300lbs) and did 7 sets of 5 reps each. I had to drop it down a bit as the sets went by
- Then I did Low volume (150lbs) 30 times in a row. I had to stop at the 15 mark cuz of fatigue for a few seconds. Then I stopped at the 28 marker because I saw myself losing form.

For many, this is probably enough in a day.

Me, I instead then did a Met Con to attack more of my whole body and train my body for HIIT.
I did 5 rounds of 1/4 mile run on treadmill, no rest then I did 11 pull ups. I did straight as much as I could but had to kip. Kip is fine. Its a different form of a pull up. It attacks your core much better than the straight. So mixing it is cool with me. And then 21 kettle bell swings

I did that 5x. Sure, for time. So that Im not sitting their in between sets. But my time was like 35-40 minutes. That was probably a sad time but afterwards I felt great. Nothing was dangerous to my body. I listened to my body. sure I had to bend over after the 3rd round of pull ups and sure i couldnt do 11 pull ups straight. But I did it as best as I could.

I loved it. Left the gym happy and great. My body grew from such a work out because I blew past my limits




Everyones programming is different. Look at Jagrs. Compared to the typical hockey program. His work outs in-season should be outlawed. Coaches tell him to slow down for years. Say its not good for him. Say he needs a rest day. Say he shouldnt be doing so many squats a day (use to, or still does 1000 squats a day since he was 15) at his age.

Yet, how can you tell him hes wrong.

You look at a hundred athletes. The top ones especially. They dont follow your typical training protocol. They do what works for them. some involves seasonal phasing, some includes weekly phasing. Sometimes idk if they even do a phase at all and just do all body exercises all day every day.

If it works keep doing it. The further up the hockey chain you get the more players focus on ironing out movement issues and injuries. That requires consistency and it works around the strength and sprint workouts they do. I've trained with Gary Roberts and that's the way he's working with his players too.

All I'm saying is that junior and pro players today are working out in ways that develop the movement efficiency and joint mobility they need to excel and you won't see the general gym goer doing anything like these workouts. Exercisers are chosen based on sound strength and conditioning research, kinesiology and biomechanics. The NSCA has some great resources if you're interested in looking further into the research.

There will always be outliers in any group — Jagr has been playing since before players began using the off-season to get in peak condition. In fact his style of training is very close to old school Soviet training (some of which survives in athlete programs today).

Btw, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same idea of "phases". Scott Thornton alluded to that in the article about him on the CrossFit Games site. Off-season hockey training follows a structure like: 1) Strength/assessing movement imbalances; 2) Power training (explosive weight training, plyometrics and sprints; 3) Game conditioning off-ice and on-ice. This phasing helps an athlete build on a solid base of strength before preparing themselves for all out efforts.

This is the way I train my athletes which is fairly similar in approach to the likes of Gary Roberts, Andy O'Brien and other NHL trainers.

At the end of the day a pro who lives and breathes hockey has to be smart about how they train because the physical demands they face are so much greater than the rest of the population.

 

[TKSPT]

Couldn't agree more TK.

Hockey players don't have beer and pizza post career do they?

Ciao,
TD

More pizza and beer than they'd care to admit. I recently played in the Eric Lindros charity game and I can tell you there were more than a few of the older boys heaving after each shift!

 

[Marotte Marauder]

Okay. Then do it. Do whatever works for you. Im fine with doing MMA training, Crossfit training, my own strength and conditioning, on top of hockey and soccer weekly.

These things I see growth. Thats all I ever ask for in what I do. So I would suggest people giving it a go. If you dont, or dont like it. Then so be it. Oh well

Those words are actually the key. They are the reasons for the Chelios, Jagr, Brindamour workouts. No one would ever recommend those workouts for others to use, it would kill most people.

The difference between regular people and superachievers in the fitness, strength and bodybuilding world is the difference in recovery rates. The top guys recover in a way unimaginable to most. This is one of the greatest "benefits" of PEDs, huge impact on recovery rate. If one can do more, more often they will advance over the next guy.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Those words are actually the key. They are the reasons for the Chelios, Jagr, Brindamour workouts. No one would ever recommend those workouts for others to use, it would kill most people.

The difference between regular people and superachievers in the fitness, strength and bodybuilding world is the difference in recovery rates. The top guys recover in a way unimaginable to most. This is one of the greatest "benefits" of PEDs, huge impact on recovery rate. If one can do more, more often they will advance over the next guy.

Not exactly what I meant.

The difference between regular people and super achievers is simple. Their work ethic and their focus and their will. That is it. They are not necessarily born with some super recovery ability. They say to themselves that if I want to be what I want to be then I have to push my body and my mind to levels that they never reached.

So a guy like Jagr who is known for his work outs and his over achieving routine. He wasnt just born with huge legs and strong balance. He decided that it was best for him to do 1000 squats a day. 1000 squats in not impossible, its very well possible but it takes dedication and focus. He didnt do 1000 squats and his other work outs because he was born with a crazy amount of recovery ability. He did it because 1000 squats was something he saw as a challenge that not many people do, he thought if he could do 1000 then surely he would grow to become a strong player unlike many other people.

Recovery has mostly to do with sleep habits, what you put into your body, how you warm up for your work out, what you do after your work out and how you spend most of your day.

Most people do not get 8 hours a day. Most people cannot handle stress very well. Most people do not eat a balanced diet (as a majority of America is malnourished) and many people do not drink enough water. Most people do not warm up before an exercise properly. Most people do not cool down properly. Most people do not spend enough time working on their flexibility, mobility and overall health.

Guys like Chelios, Jagr, Brindarmour. They learned quickly. In order to be the best I can be. I have to constantly break past my limitations. In order to keep this up, I have to get adequate sleep, stretch better, warm up better, eat healthier.

I dont wnt to get into genetics really, but for the most part more people could be doing more for their health and fitness even if their not a professional athlete. Stop brushing off their accomplishments toward great "genetics" and start saying what do they do in their routine to allow them to do that.


Jaromir Jagr came into the league and was told by Coffeey and teammates that the best way to recover from games was to do a quick work out afterwards while your warmed up and loose. He has listened to that advice since and that is why he is the last one out of the locker room every night.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Those words are actually the key. They are the reasons for the Chelios, Jagr, Brindamour workouts. No one would ever recommend those workouts for others to use, it would kill most people.

The difference between regular people and superachievers in the fitness, strength and bodybuilding world is the difference in recovery rates. The top guys recover in a way unimaginable to most. This is one of the greatest "benefits" of PEDs, huge impact on recovery rate. If one can do more, more often they will advance over the next guy.

You make it seem as though every top athlete takes PEDs. You would be naive to say no athlete takes PEDs but lets not make it out to be that all of them do. PED always saddened me because it dismisses the ones who dont take them and still do remarkable things.

I consider myself pretty dam active. I work at an engineering firm 40+ hours a week, with travels its 50+. I play hockey and soccer commonly and pretty competitively. I hit the gym and work out pretty much every day of the week too. At least 4x a week sometimes two a days.

I dont take PEDs, heck I dont even take any synthetic supplements (only take 100% hemp protein powder sometimes). I dont expect any average person to do the work out I do let alone work with my schedule and lack of sleep. However it wouldnt take much to do what I can do. You have to bring your body to adjust to that. Start somewhere. Dont be easy on yourself. Always try to break through the barriers of your limitations. Work your way up.

But most importantly its diet and nutrition. I would not be able to do what I do if it wasnt for my habit of stretching everyday for 30 minutes. I would not be able to do what I do if didnt warm up the way I do or eat the way I do. I am not saying everything I do is 100% healthy. But if i didnt drink 15 cups of water a day and drank more soda or i ate Mcdonalds daily or any fast food place most of the time. I would not be able to complete half of what I do and I would not be able to get through the week.

I also dont take rest days like much of the fitness world would reccomened. Its 100% because I believe rest days is not good for me. When I take a rest day, my body takes longer to recover throughout the week. When I take a rest day, I feel like i took 3 steps back when i play hockey or hit the gym again.

Fitness world says you shouldnt do squats on back to back days. Ive heard it plenty of times before. I then heard a bunch of athletes and olympic trainers talk about how they would squat literally 6x a week. So after I tore up my legs on Tuesday with a ton of front squats and back squats and a 4 mile run. I decided to do it again Wednesday. Of course I could not do the same max weight, or no where near the amount of reps I was use to. But i did the lifts and the motions. And the soreness in my legs went away.

Typically as we all know, doing a work out that is extreme leads to lactic acid build up and then you feel that soreness for a few days. Well, I was expecting a lot of soreness. After Wednesday, I felt great. Legs never felt stronger and leaner.

Thursday I did deadlifts. A tonnnnn of them.


Sorry, that last few paragraphs seemed like I was tooting my horn, toot toot, but my point was that you got to do what works for you but dont be afriad to open up your knowledge. I use to do only 2 days a week with legs but now I have no issues and feel 10x better doing it pretty much every time i hit the gym.

Legs feed the wolf

 

[Coachtdoig]

Great article on CrossFit.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly

Ciao,
TD

 

[Jarick]

Here's the quickest way I can wrap up my feelings on Crossfit. Joining a Crossfit gym to "get in shape" is the equivalent of running marathons to "get in shape". You need to be in shape to run marathons, not the other way around.

Crossfit is a sport, not a workout routine. You have to be in really good shape to play any sport at a high level, especially when the sport is that intense. It's a lot like the Tough Mudder stuff. You don't do those competitions to get in shape, you train for weeks or months to participate in them.

Crossfit I think has done some good things for fitness, including:

- bringing Olympic lifts and weightlifting back to prominence
- interval training
- group motivation
- DIY mentality (at first)
- proper nutrition vs fad diets

But I think with its popularity, people are jumping on to the name and doing bad things, such as:

- over-training
- not enough emphasis on safety
- lack of structured workouts and progression
- not enough focus on mobility, recovery, and athletic health
- expensive classes

I would love to have access to a Crossfit gym if it was $25-50 a month. But they are usually $150+. I just want the gym because I don't want someone who has no idea of what I'm working towards to tell me what to do. I'd rather take that $150 a month and build a home gym (I did in the past and will again when I buy a house).

If I were a high level athlete focusing on a sport other than Crossfit, I would find a personal trainer who's very knowledgeable in that area. I'm willing to bet that your workouts would be structured with progression and plenty of work in recovery and mobility. You would be working not just to get stronger but to prevent injuries. Look at the work by Eric Cressey, Kevin Neeld, Dan John, Mike Boyle, etc.

That's not to say that someone who is a high level Crossfit athlete wouldn't also be a strong hockey player. If you have the strength and fitness to be able to do Crossfit without injuries, that's going to carry over into hockey. Not breaking any news, but athleticism transfers to other sports.

And I think a lot of the Crossfit stuff HAS gone over into the world of hockey. Twenty years ago, you lifted weights and rode the bike. I have the Peter Twist Hockey Conditioning book. It's hilariously outdated. Essentially a body building routine with cardio tacked on and a low-fat diet. Straight out of the 80's.

But today, you see guys like Gary Roberts who kind of turned the establishment on its head by prioritizing lifting over cardio. And I know watching Wild videos that guys like Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund do a lot of Crossfit type stuff like flipping/slamming tires, kettlebells, and circuit workouts. And guys like Brent Burns do MMA workouts as well.

TL;DR, I can't argue that Crossfit athletes are insanely athletic and in great shape. But I don't think it's necessarily the answer for your average joe who wants to "get in shape" or for someone primarily focused on hockey.

 

[sanityplease]

Great article on CrossFit.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly

Ciao,
TD

Answers my biggest question, how does it deal with maintaining progression?, it really doesn't.

I always have a big lol when I see the pictures of the jacked athletes doing crossfit. Quite obvious that they put on that mass with training other than crossfit.

Calling crossfit exercise (vs. training), is accurate.

Hockey specific training is best done with a hockey specific program (with different phases during the year). I don't care if someone exercises with crossfit while playing shinny or beer league, it will probably give them an edge over the other players athletically.

 

[Jarick]

It's not necessarily from other training. My friend's ex had four kids and looks like a fitness model after just doing Crossfit for a year or so, but obsessively so.

 

[YNWA14]

Yeah the whole anti-cross fit argument is old.

People get injured in crossfit just like they do in any activity. Overdoing/extending themselves.

The problem, as many have said in this topic, is that it's a culture that encourages pushing yourself beyond your limits in an environment where that can actually cause real problems.

Unfortunately the more I read about the ideology of Crossfit the better it sounds.

I think what it comes down to is that Crossfit is a method that can really improve not only your physical fitness but also your health and lifestyle, but you have to be in control of yourself, know what you're doing and know your own limits (it also helps to already be in decent shape).

 

[Puckmaster7]

Great article on CrossFit.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/crossfit-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly

Ciao,
TD

Awesome article Coach. T-Nation is one of my "go-to" resources for all things training. The article does an excellent job of explaining why CrossFit is popular and that when you realize the randomness of such an approach, it isn't training it is exercise and it is for today, not for a specific training goal.

Training is specific because physiological/neurological adaptations are specific, which is why athletic training programs are so much more nuanced than the average gym goers workouts.