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2015-10-14 8:17 AM


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Subject: Off-season Training - CrossFit?
I have one more event coming up in November and starting to think about my off-season training plans. I would consider myself a recreational triathlete and have worked my way up to a Olympic distances. Anyone have an opinion on Cross-Fit as an off-season training regimen? I want to change things up a bit, still biking, running, or swimming once a week each.


2015-10-14 8:41 AM
in reply to: rmschwartz418

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

I'm in the camp of "one or the other".  I know people that screw up a long ride or run because they did some crazy WOD the day before.  Or they couldn't do a WOD because they did intervals the day before.  Also, too many of my friends have been injured.  The try to relive their high school days.

2015-10-14 9:27 AM
in reply to: rmschwartz418

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

If you go to a good box with knowledgeable "coaches" who monitor and correct form to mitigate the higher injury risk of CF (compared to most other exercise modalities), and you're not doing it for improved endurance sports performance, then it can be a fun way for some people to maintain some fitness over the winter months.

If you think it's going to improve your endurance sports performance, don't waste your time and money.

If the "coaches" are only pushing intensity and not correcting form, find another box.  Olympic lifts to failure with poor form can be the express lane to injury.

 

2015-10-14 9:58 AM
in reply to: rmschwartz418

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by rmschwartz418 I have one more event coming up in November and starting to think about my off-season training plans. I would consider myself a recreational triathlete and have worked my way up to a Olympic distances. Anyone have an opinion on Cross-Fit as an off-season training regimen? I want to change things up a bit, still biking, running, or swimming once a week each.

 

Wow, first post and you jump right in with Cross Fit. Well done!

Cross Fit does have an Endurance track in their program. By the "letter of the law" this is specifically designed for endurance athletes, both single and multi-sport. The trouble is finding CFE gyms and/or coaches who follow that. My biggest issue with CF is their lack of quality control. Once a coach pays them to become CF certified the coach can then do pretty much anything they want. This is where fundamentals go to crap and people get hurt.

Frankly I'd steer clear of any advice (here or anywhere) that espouses "only" do this or "never" do that. You're on a triathlon message board. You're going to find plenty of folks telling you that anything other than SBR will not help you. Go to a CF box and you'll find folks who tell you that SBR endurance training will not help you.

It's your thing
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you
Who to sock it to

2015-10-14 10:11 AM
in reply to: mrbbrad

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by mrbbrad

Originally posted by rmschwartz418 I have one more event coming up in November and starting to think about my off-season training plans. I would consider myself a recreational triathlete and have worked my way up to a Olympic distances. Anyone have an opinion on Cross-Fit as an off-season training regimen? I want to change things up a bit, still biking, running, or swimming once a week each.

 

Wow, first post and you jump right in with Cross Fit. Well done!

Cross Fit does have an Endurance track in their program. By the "letter of the law" this is specifically designed for endurance athletes, both single and multi-sport. The trouble is finding CFE gyms and/or coaches who follow that. My biggest issue with CF is their lack of quality control. Once a coach pays them to become CF certified the coach can then do pretty much anything they want. This is where fundamentals go to crap and people get hurt.

Frankly I'd steer clear of any advice (here or anywhere) that espouses "only" do this or "never" do that. You're on a triathlon message board. You're going to find plenty of folks telling you that anything other than SBR will not help you. Go to a CF box and you'll find folks who tell you that SBR endurance training will not help you.

It's your thing
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you
Who to sock it to

And, they'd be right.  sbr won't make you better at CF.  

 

2015-10-14 10:31 AM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?
Originally posted by TriMyBest

Originally posted by mrbbrad

Originally posted by rmschwartz418 I have one more event coming up in November and starting to think about my off-season training plans. I would consider myself a recreational triathlete and have worked my way up to a Olympic distances. Anyone have an opinion on Cross-Fit as an off-season training regimen? I want to change things up a bit, still biking, running, or swimming once a week each.

 

Wow, first post and you jump right in with Cross Fit. Well done!

Cross Fit does have an Endurance track in their program. By the "letter of the law" this is specifically designed for endurance athletes, both single and multi-sport. The trouble is finding CFE gyms and/or coaches who follow that. My biggest issue with CF is their lack of quality control. Once a coach pays them to become CF certified the coach can then do pretty much anything they want. This is where fundamentals go to crap and people get hurt.

Frankly I'd steer clear of any advice (here or anywhere) that espouses "only" do this or "never" do that. You're on a triathlon message board. You're going to find plenty of folks telling you that anything other than SBR will not help you. Go to a CF box and you'll find folks who tell you that SBR endurance training will not help you.

It's your thing
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you
Who to sock it to

And, they'd be right.  sbr won't make you better at CF.  

 




Lot's of cross fit people do Spartan races, I've done a few Spartans and laughing at the cross fit people as I buzz past them. They think their cross fit training makes them best suited for these events, while in reality and endurance athlete with good strength to weight ratio kicks butt in these events.

IMHO- some cross fit and/or weight training is a good way to help maintain muscle tone that you don't work while doing SBR. Does it help SBR? I think it helps to keep me injury free, others will think its a waste of time.


2015-10-14 10:33 AM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by TriMyBest

Originally posted by mrbbrad

Originally posted by rmschwartz418 I have one more event coming up in November and starting to think about my off-season training plans. I would consider myself a recreational triathlete and have worked my way up to a Olympic distances. Anyone have an opinion on Cross-Fit as an off-season training regimen? I want to change things up a bit, still biking, running, or swimming once a week each.

 

Wow, first post and you jump right in with Cross Fit. Well done!

Cross Fit does have an Endurance track in their program. By the "letter of the law" this is specifically designed for endurance athletes, both single and multi-sport. The trouble is finding CFE gyms and/or coaches who follow that. My biggest issue with CF is their lack of quality control. Once a coach pays them to become CF certified the coach can then do pretty much anything they want. This is where fundamentals go to crap and people get hurt.

Frankly I'd steer clear of any advice (here or anywhere) that espouses "only" do this or "never" do that. You're on a triathlon message board. You're going to find plenty of folks telling you that anything other than SBR will not help you. Go to a CF box and you'll find folks who tell you that SBR endurance training will not help you.

It's your thing
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you
Who to sock it to

And, they'd be right.  sbr won't make you better at CF.  

 

And maybe they'd be wrong. Maybe being more fit makes anyone a better athlete in their given sport. Common sense should be enough to tell us that if athlete A and athlete B do the same sport specific training, but athlete A has a better level of general fitness then Athlete A will most likely perform better in the given sport. Granted there is a training methodology continuum with outliers at either end but surely there's a sweet spot in the middle.

2015-10-14 10:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by mike761
Originally posted by TriMyBest

Originally posted by mrbbrad

Originally posted by rmschwartz418 I have one more event coming up in November and starting to think about my off-season training plans. I would consider myself a recreational triathlete and have worked my way up to a Olympic distances. Anyone have an opinion on Cross-Fit as an off-season training regimen? I want to change things up a bit, still biking, running, or swimming once a week each.

 

Wow, first post and you jump right in with Cross Fit. Well done!

Cross Fit does have an Endurance track in their program. By the "letter of the law" this is specifically designed for endurance athletes, both single and multi-sport. The trouble is finding CFE gyms and/or coaches who follow that. My biggest issue with CF is their lack of quality control. Once a coach pays them to become CF certified the coach can then do pretty much anything they want. This is where fundamentals go to crap and people get hurt.

Frankly I'd steer clear of any advice (here or anywhere) that espouses "only" do this or "never" do that. You're on a triathlon message board. You're going to find plenty of folks telling you that anything other than SBR will not help you. Go to a CF box and you'll find folks who tell you that SBR endurance training will not help you.

It's your thing
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you
Who to sock it to

And, they'd be right.  sbr won't make you better at CF.  

 

Lot's of cross fit people do Spartan races, I've done a few Spartans and laughing at the cross fit people as I buzz past them. They think their cross fit training makes them best suited for these events, while in reality and endurance athlete with good strength to weight ratio kicks butt in these events. IMHO- some cross fit and/or weight training is a good way to help maintain muscle tone that you don't work while doing SBR. Does it help SBR? I think it helps to keep me injury free, others will think its a waste of time.

I have athletes and personal training clients both who do the occasional Spartan Race/Tough Mudder/Rugged Maniac/MS Muckfest, etc.  The ones who are targeting that type of event as their 'A' race absolutely destroy the people who only do CF or only do endurance training.  I have them doing both running training and strength training programs that I've designed specifically for the obstacles in their targeted event.

The Specificity Principle reigns supreme when training for athletic performance.  Programs like CFE will never produce the best triathletes, because it's attempting to circumvent the Specificity Principle.

ETA:  Lest anyone think I'm a complete CF hater, I'm not.  CF is great because it has engaged a lot of people who never found a way to exercise in the past that they enjoyed.  It has a great team atmosphere where everyone encourages each other.

 



Edited by TriMyBest 2015-10-14 10:50 AM
2015-10-14 11:23 AM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

For offseason training if I had a choice between crossfit and diving off my roof onto my patio...... I would dive.  At my age, the injuries would probably be less severe.

2015-10-14 11:54 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?
LB please post the youtube video when you do the patio dive..

To the OP, I dont know where you live but lets pretend its a place that has an actual winter season. I would suggest cross country skiing or snowshoeing as they would each build endurance and be a change of pace.
2015-10-14 12:04 PM
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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by Left Brain

For offseason training if I had a choice between crossfit and diving off my roof onto my patio...... I would dive.  At my age, the injuries would probably be less severe.

LMAO!

Here's a classic CF workout demo! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXeEesczWiQ



Edited by Donto 2015-10-14 12:05 PM


2015-10-14 12:48 PM
in reply to: Donto

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by Donto

Originally posted by Left Brain

For offseason training if I had a choice between crossfit and diving off my roof onto my patio...... I would dive.  At my age, the injuries would probably be less severe.

LMAO!

Here's a classic CF workout demo! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXeEesczWiQ

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHHA!!!  I was doing just fine until the guy started running around with the 45 lb. plate and then threw it down.....I almost puked laughing.

2015-10-14 1:38 PM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?

Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by Donto

Originally posted by Left Brain

For offseason training if I had a choice between crossfit and diving off my roof onto my patio...... I would dive.  At my age, the injuries would probably be less severe.

LMAO!

Here's a classic CF workout demo! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXeEesczWiQ

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHHA!!!  I was doing just fine until the guy started running around with the 45 lb. plate and then threw it down.....I almost puked laughing.

my roommate and I did a cut of that with highway to the danger zone playing in the background.

 

do yoga instead.  the chicks are way hotter, and have less steroids. bonus, its good for you

2015-10-14 1:44 PM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?
Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by Donto

Originally posted by Left Brain

For offseason training if I had a choice between crossfit and diving off my roof onto my patio...... I would dive.  At my age, the injuries would probably be less severe.

LMAO!

Here's a classic CF workout demo! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXeEesczWiQ

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHHA!!!  I was doing just fine until the guy started running around with the 45 lb. plate and then threw it down.....I almost puked laughing.

now that is a classic! looked like a perfect form burpee to me.
2015-10-14 2:19 PM
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Subject: RE: Off-season Training - CrossFit?
The video following the one linked is even better (it automatically loads at the end of the linked video).

My favorite part is when he mentions ........"The games".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyil4IGAvVs


OMG......how funny.

Edited by nc452010 2015-10-14 2:29 PM
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