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The pros and cons of CrossFit…

The pros and cons of CrossFit…

August 21, 2017 Blog

Why is CrossFit so popular? Perhaps it’s because people enjoy the challenge of high intensity exercise, and the sense of accomplishment that comes along with pushing past perceived physical, psychological and emotional limits. Or maybe it’s the novelty of performing whole-body movements such as the clean or snatch, or gymnastic activities that integrate rings and ropes. Or maybe it’s the variety, knowing that every day will bring a new challenge, and the emphasis that is placed on training for life. Or maybe it’s none of those things. Maybe, it’s the community environment, the sense of belonging to something bigger, and the motivation and encouragement provided by others.

Viewed as a system built on fundamental principles of exercise science, motor learning and behavior change, CrossFit can provide tremendous benefit to anyone involved. Its four pillars – high intensity, variable demands, whole body movements, and communal environment – are grounded in science.

  1. High intensity. Research has shown that as little as 3-4 minutes of high intensity training can elicit similar, if not superior benefits to that of long duration physical activity.
  2. Variable demands. Frequent changes to the demands of the exercise sessions could afford an opportunity to engrain a set of desirable movement behaviors across a range of activities and environments (i.e. development of physical literacy).
  3. Whole-body movements. The inclusion of whole-body activities will challenge a performer’s control and coordination and place an emphasis on motions rather than muscles, which is arguably more applicable to training for life.
  4. Communal Environment. Training with others can provide a support network to improve adherence and long-term sustainability. It is commonly stated that relatedness (the desire to interact with and be connected others) is an innate psychological need that will influence our motivational state and involvement in physical activity.

 

So why is CrossFit criticized? The most common reason – too many people have gotten hurt while exercising. But, this is true of any type of exercise. In the tactical community, fifty percent of soldiers’ injuries and one third of those sustained by firefighters have been cited as exercise-related. While these statistics cannot (and should not) be attributed to CrossFit, they do highlight the need to identify potential reasons why people may be getting hurt while exercising (with CrossFit). Four of those reasons are:

  1. High intensity. As with any training method, the experience and capacity of the performer must be considered. There is no reason to propose that everyone perform with the same loads, speeds, durations, or exercises. Knowing that fatigue will likely become a factor, coaches must be able and willing to adapt.
  2. Variable demands. While varying the demands of consecutive exercise sessions may help to facilitate learning, it may also create a situation whereby a performer is asked to perform with a load, speed, work duration or exercise that exceeds his or her capacity. Knowing that a performer’s movement patterns will be influenced by the demands imposed, coaches must be able and willing to adapt.
  3. Whole-body movements. If a performer lacks the ability or awareness to move safely, simply attempting to perform a novel whole-body movement could impose an unnecessary risk. Knowing that whole-body activities will challenge a performer’s control and coordination, coaches must be able and willing to adapt.
  4. Communal Environment. The competitive nature of a communal environment could cause performers to focus entirely on the load lifted, the number repetitions or the time to completion. In doing so, they may lose sight of the fact that how they exercise matters. Knowing that competition could shift a performer’s focus, coaches must be able and willing to adapt.

Ultimately, CrossFit has done an excellent job creating a training system that is built on science. I have never belonged to a CrossFit gym, but would have to say that I also employ a “CrossFit” approach to training – I leverage the benefits of high intensity, variable demands, whole-body movements and a communal environment in training for life. However, in the absence of proper guidance or under the supervision of an uneducated coach, each of these potential benefits could end up causing more harm than good. It is for this reason, that we as a community, must let everyone know that how we exercise matters to make our exercise matter!

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If it’s a priority, you’ll find a way to make If it’s a priority, you’ll find a way to make it work.

Consistency builds resiliency.

One leg RDL x 10
Asymmetrical walking lunge x 10
Inverted hang w/ press x 10
Repeat with opposite limb

4 Rounds

#performanceredefined #activeeveryday #beactive #moreactivemoreoften #physicalliteracy #activemindset #resiliece #exercisehabits #snowday #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
Physical activity is not a substitute for mental h Physical activity is not a substitute for mental health treatment when needed, but it does play a significant role in our cognitive, social, and emotional well-being.

Just 10 minutes of exercise or physical activity can...

…Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

…Improve feelings of connectedness and social support.

…Increase confidence and emotional control.

…Enhance body image and lower feelings of guilt.

…Improve cognition, attention, and intrinsic motivation.

Tremendous work being done by the Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre at the University of Toronto to better understand the link between exercise and mental health.

Be more active, more often, but seek help when needed.

#mentalhealth #exerciseandmentalhealth #bellletstalk #beactive #exerciseanddepression #connectedness #selfconfidence #bodyimage #cognition #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive
Treat every workout as an opportunity to learn som Treat every workout as an opportunity to learn something about yourself that can help you be better tomorrow.

Kettlebell Swing x 10
Squat to Press x 10
Push-up x 10

Same load. 10 Rounds. Drop reps by 1 each round. Finish as fast as possible.

#performanceredefined #execisechallenge #fitnesschallenge #kettlebellchallenge #beactive #activeeveryday #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittotthrive
What you choose to do for exercise is important. What you choose to do for exercise is important.

It can bring you joy.
It can challenge you.
It can make you better.

But to take advantage of the opportunities that an exercise can provide, we should also place an emphasis on HOW we perform.

It is not ‘squatting’ the exercise that helps us jump higher and run faster; it is our execution of the squat that can change the way we jump or run in a positive way.

Likewise, it is not ‘deadlifting’ the exercise that helps us avoid low back injuries, it is 
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Every exercise can be performed in many ways. Choose an option that will bring you joy, challenge you, and make you better!

#performanceredefined #movementmatters #makeexercisematter #physicalliteracy #7keyfeatures #movementhabits #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #movebetter #performbetter #fittothrive
New challenges bring new opportunities! The Chal New challenges bring new opportunities!

The Challenge: Pull and push rep ladder using a single dumbbell with as few breaks as possible.

Alternate between the two exercises below (or a pull and push of your choice) and add one rep each round until 10 rounds are completed. Use same load for both exercises the entire time.

One arm snatch
One arm push jerk

1. Perform 1 rep each exercise using right arm.
2. Perform 2 reps each exercise using right arm.
3. Perform 3 reps each exercise using right arm.
4. Continue adding 1 rep to each exercise using right arm until can no longer perform with right arm or 10 reps of each exercise is achieved.
5. Switch arms and perform 1 rep each exercise using left arm.
6. Continue adding 1 rep for each exercise using left arm until can no longer perform with left arm or 10 reps of each exercise is achieved.
7. Switch arms and continue where last round with right arm finished.
8. Continue adding reps and switching arms until 10 reps of each exercise are performed with both arms.

Enjoy!

#performanceredefined #exercisechallenge #fitnesschallenge #dumbbellchallenge #beactive #activeeveryday #backyardexercise #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfittness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
Honoured to part of the working group that is shap Honoured to part of the working group that is shaping the standards for Comprehensive Occupational Medical Programs and Health-Related Fitness Programs for the fire service.

NFPA 1582 and NFPA 1583 continue to prepare and protect thousands of career and volunteer fire fighters across the United States and Canada.

Check out the latest edition of each standard for information regarding the design and implementation of comprehensive programs that will save lives!

#nfpa #iaff #iafc #firefighter #firefighterwellness #firefighterfitness #firefighterhealth #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #performanceredefined #fittothrive
Cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths Cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service.

Exercise is now widely accepted as one of the best things anyone can do to lower theirrisk of developing cancer, control disease progression, and enhance physical functioning and psychosocial outcomes.

The literature also supports the use of exercise before, during and after cancer therapy and suggests that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing many cancers, several of which are more prevalent amongst fire fighters.

A recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise examined the proportion of cancer cases that could be attributed to physical inactivity and concluded that many cases could be avoided by promoting interventions that aimed to help the population be more active.

The fight against cancer in the fire service must involve exercise.

More fire fighters. More active. More often.

#firefightercancer #ffcancermonth #extinguishcancer #firefighterwellness #iaffwfi #exerciseandcancer #moreactive #beactive #fightcancer #performanceredefined #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive
If your experiences are limited to the things you’ve always done, you may be constraining your success, happiness, accomplishments, relationships, etc.

Commit to trying new things and being a little more curious (and courageous) in 2023!

Wishing everyone a healthy and active start to the new year!

Asymmetrical squat (with tire) x 5 each side
Asymmetrical push-up (over tire) x 10 each side
One arm bent-over row x 15 each side
4 Rounds

#performanceredefined #physicalliteracy #activestart #activenewyear #exercisegoals #becurious #beactive #bedifferent #bebetter #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
Consistency is key to building new habits. But l Consistency is key to building new habits.

But life happens, things won’t go as planned, and there will be times when it feels impossible to stay on track.

Do whatever you can to check the box.

No time for the 60-minute exercise session you had planned for the gym? Do 5 minutes at home instead of saying “I’ll do it tomorrow”.

Feel like a cookie or drink after dinner? Enjoy 1-2 instead of saying “I might as well make it a cheat day”.

It is the small things we do daily in pursuit of consistency that change our lives in the long-term.

“Stick with the schedule, reduce the scope” – James Clear

#performanceredefined #habits #consistency #eatbetter #movebetter #connectbetter #breathebetter #sleepbetter #bebetter #mindset #jamesclear #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive

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If it’s a priority, you’ll find a way to make If it’s a priority, you’ll find a way to make it work.

Consistency builds resiliency.

One leg RDL x 10
Asymmetrical walking lunge x 10
Inverted hang w/ press x 10
Repeat with opposite limb

4 Rounds

#performanceredefined #activeeveryday #beactive #moreactivemoreoften #physicalliteracy #activemindset #resiliece #exercisehabits #snowday #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
Physical activity is not a substitute for mental h Physical activity is not a substitute for mental health treatment when needed, but it does play a significant role in our cognitive, social, and emotional well-being.

Just 10 minutes of exercise or physical activity can...

…Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

…Improve feelings of connectedness and social support.

…Increase confidence and emotional control.

…Enhance body image and lower feelings of guilt.

…Improve cognition, attention, and intrinsic motivation.

Tremendous work being done by the Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre at the University of Toronto to better understand the link between exercise and mental health.

Be more active, more often, but seek help when needed.

#mentalhealth #exerciseandmentalhealth #bellletstalk #beactive #exerciseanddepression #connectedness #selfconfidence #bodyimage #cognition #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive
Treat every workout as an opportunity to learn som Treat every workout as an opportunity to learn something about yourself that can help you be better tomorrow.

Kettlebell Swing x 10
Squat to Press x 10
Push-up x 10

Same load. 10 Rounds. Drop reps by 1 each round. Finish as fast as possible.

#performanceredefined #execisechallenge #fitnesschallenge #kettlebellchallenge #beactive #activeeveryday #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittotthrive

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  • Build a growth mindset to be active for life!
  • The pros and cons of CrossFit…

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