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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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Hygiene is defined as “Practices conducive to ma Hygiene is defined as “Practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease.” For example, we all spend a few minutes every day on our dental hygiene to maintain oral health when we brush our teeth.

Although not typically considered, maintaining the mobility (and joint health) to navigate the demands of work, life and play can be accomplished in the same way!

Leverage a few minutes while you’re brushing your teeth, sending an email or watching your favorite show to work on accessing or controlling specific joint positions.

Just a few minutes today can spare months down the road!

Squat (hold at bottom) x 5 minutes

#performanceredefined #movementhygiene #hygiene #movemore #beactive #health 
#jointhealth #mobility #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
It is easy to lay blame on others or factors outsi It is easy to lay blame on others or factors outside of our control when things don’t go well.

But in many instances, it is our actions (or lack thereof) that lead to creating the conditions or outcomes we say we don’t want.

Be honest, take initiative, accept responsibility for things you can control, and change the conditions in your favour!

#performanceredefined #mindset #growthmindset #growth #takeaction #initiative #jerrycolonna #timferriss #selfcare #selfreflection #fittothrive
There are options to meet your exercise goals wher There are options to meet your exercise goals wherever you happen to be. 

Use your environment to explore and facilitate new ideas. 

Limited access is only an obstacle if you allow it to be. 

Circuit 1: 3 Rounds
Forward + backward bear crawl
Squat to press 

Circuit 2: 3 Rounds
Front lunge w/ shoulder load
Swing 

Circuit 3: 3 Rounds
Forward + backward bear crawl
Bent-over row 

Circuit 4: 3 Rounds
Front lunge w/ shoulder load
Push-up w/ lateral walk 

Perform with a partner and let the number of reps for exercise 2 be dictated by their time to complete exercise 1. 

#performanceredefined #exerciseanywhere #fitnessanywhere #beactive #activeathome #backyardexercise #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
A landmark behavioral study published in @Nature_t A landmark behavioral study published in @Nature_the_journal examined 54 different strategies to increase exercise participation.

Amongst the few strategies that resulted in positive changes, the authors noted that planning when you exercise, receiving reminders before you are meant to exercise and being rewarded with micro-incentives ($0.22) for exercising were among the most effective.

Interestingly, one of the most beneficial was being offered an additional inventive (equivalent to $0.09) for exercising after missing a planned session.

The authors concluded by saying that the best performing intervention is the one that rewards participants to come back.

If (or perhaps more accurately when) we fall off, we should try to encourage ourselves to get back on track.

#performanceredefined #naturethejournal #behaviorchange #exercisehabits 
#exerciseincentives #consistency #physicalactivityhabits #beactive #participaction #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive
Learning to actively control specific joint positi Learning to actively control specific joint positions should not be limited to exercises that involve motion of the target joint. In other words, mobility training should not be limited to increasing range in a particular joint.

In many instances, motion from an adjacent joint will make it more challenging to maintain active control of the target joint’s position, thus affording an opportunity to further improve mobility.

Try moving your hips to improve your shoulders!

ACTIVE START
Front to back w/ dowel x 10
Shoulder reach (up and down) x 10
Wall slide x 10
Handstand w/ anterior-posterior glide x 10

ACTIVE INTEGRATION
Handstand w/ hip flexion (straight leg) x 6
Handstand w/ hip ab/adduction x 6
Handstand w/ hip flexion (bent leg) x 6

#performanceredefined #mobility #activemobility #mobilitymatters #mobilitywod #romwod #rangeofmotion #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
Do something every day that makes you happy or mak Do something every day that makes you happy or makes you better.

Don’t look past the opportunity you have today to improve your life tomorrow.

#performanceredefined #mindset #strawberrypicking #behappy #bebetter #bepresent #dotoday #muhammadali #wellness #fittothrive
Adding load may enhance the potential benefit of a Adding load may enhance the potential benefit of a ‘mobility’ session by reinforcing control of specific joint motions and positions.

Make strength a part of your mobility routine.

Rear foot elevated split squat with one arm overhead press x 5 (5 press for every 1 split squat). Repeat on both legs.
One leg RDL with one arm bent-over row x 5 (5 row for every 1 RDL). Repeat on both legs

Round 1: contralateral arm/leg, unloaded
Round 2: ipsilateral arm/leg, unloaded
Round 3: contralateral arm/leg, loaded
Round 4: ipsilateral arm/leg, loaded

#performanceredefined #mobility #mobilitymatters #activemobility #mobilitywod#loadedmobility #strengthmatters #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
Our fitness (strength, mobility, aerobic capacity, Our fitness (strength, mobility, aerobic capacity, etc.) can have a significant influence on how we move.

For example, limited lower body strength and limited ankle dorsiflexion mobility will likely limit the depth we are able to (or are willing to) achieve while performing a single leg squat.

In contrast, with the mobility to move through large ranges of motion, and the strength to control end range positions for extended periods of time, we would free to explore movement solutions that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Possessing high levels of fitness does not guarantee that we will adopt unique movement solutions, nor will it guarantee that the solutions we adopt are safe. But it will grant us an opportunity to perform in ways that would otherwise not.be possible.

What you do with the opportunity is up to you!

#performanceredefined #learntomove #fitness #movementsolutions #movementmatters #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #exploremovement 
#fitnessmatters #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive
The benefits to regular physical activity are not The benefits to regular physical activity are not limited to exercise related activities. Everything counts!

Be active in as many ways as you can, wherever you happen to be - physical activity truly is the gift that will keep on giving!

#performanceredefined #beactive #physicalactivity #activeeveryday #physicalliteracy #health #yardwork #newpatio #activeoutdoors #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #fittothrive

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Hygiene is defined as “Practices conducive to ma Hygiene is defined as “Practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease.” For example, we all spend a few minutes every day on our dental hygiene to maintain oral health when we brush our teeth.

Although not typically considered, maintaining the mobility (and joint health) to navigate the demands of work, life and play can be accomplished in the same way!

Leverage a few minutes while you’re brushing your teeth, sending an email or watching your favorite show to work on accessing or controlling specific joint positions.

Just a few minutes today can spare months down the road!

Squat (hold at bottom) x 5 minutes

#performanceredefined #movementhygiene #hygiene #movemore #beactive #health 
#jointhealth #mobility #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive
It is easy to lay blame on others or factors outsi It is easy to lay blame on others or factors outside of our control when things don’t go well.

But in many instances, it is our actions (or lack thereof) that lead to creating the conditions or outcomes we say we don’t want.

Be honest, take initiative, accept responsibility for things you can control, and change the conditions in your favour!

#performanceredefined #mindset #growthmindset #growth #takeaction #initiative #jerrycolonna #timferriss #selfcare #selfreflection #fittothrive
There are options to meet your exercise goals wher There are options to meet your exercise goals wherever you happen to be. 

Use your environment to explore and facilitate new ideas. 

Limited access is only an obstacle if you allow it to be. 

Circuit 1: 3 Rounds
Forward + backward bear crawl
Squat to press 

Circuit 2: 3 Rounds
Front lunge w/ shoulder load
Swing 

Circuit 3: 3 Rounds
Forward + backward bear crawl
Bent-over row 

Circuit 4: 3 Rounds
Front lunge w/ shoulder load
Push-up w/ lateral walk 

Perform with a partner and let the number of reps for exercise 2 be dictated by their time to complete exercise 1. 

#performanceredefined #exerciseanywhere #fitnessanywhere #beactive #activeathome #backyardexercise #movementhygiene #physicalliteracy #iaffwfi #iaffpeerfitness #5minutesoffun #fittothrive

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