So, you may be thinking, yeah you go to Crossfit classes all the time, of course I Crossfit. But do you really? I think some people are starting to forget the founding characteristics of what Crossfit actually is.
‘Functional Movements performed at High Intensity across Broad Times and Modal Domains’
This is Crossfit in its purest and simplest form and I’m going to explain to you why you probably don’t even Crossfit.
- Functional Movements: These are described as moving ‘large loads over long distances, quickly’. Movements like snatch, C&J and muscle ups now fall under the ‘functional movement’ tag, but really, what makes them more functional than the bicep curl or bench press? They are really just the ‘cool and sexy’ stuff that everybody wants to see on Instagram, but how applicable are those movements to real life, which is what functional training is supposedly all about, getting fit for life. Instead I would rather see you getting involved with loaded carries. Yokes, farmers handles, sleds, sandbags. These really define ‘functional’ and are extremely applicable to real life. Carrying a heavy object is one of the most demanding tasks on our bodies and it is something we do on a daily basis.
- High Intensity: This is the big one. I like to think of intensity as the amount of your maximum effort that you can apply at any one time. Getting the appropriate intensity out of your workouts is the key to progression in Crossfit. Many people mistake heavier loads or increased reps as a form of intensity but in most cases this actually lowers the intensity and results in slower progress.
- Broad Times and modal Domains: This really refers to the amount of variance in your training. One of the big problems I see developing is the need for a ‘regular Joe’ class member to start a squat cycle or to only focus on strength/gymnastics or whatever it may be. The very essence of Crossfit is variance. It is why we progress in so many different areas so quickly. It keeps your body guessing and does constant adaptation to new stimulus. A lot of people who say they Crossfit really only show up when the workout looks ‘fun’, but when it’s cardio day it is time for a sleep in. If you really Crossfit, you show up to 1 rep max day, you show up to 5k run day and you show up to handstand progressions day and you embrace each one of them and give your maximum effort to all.