Daily RAW & Ramblings: I don't like CrossFit

Greetings, RAW Warriors,

Here's a Daily RAW for the weekend, plus some ramblings of my own.

Daily RAW - 5/11-5/12

20/10 Rats Alley Workout

1 minute each of 20s work, 10s rest of the following exercises

BW Squats
Push-Ups
Lunges
Band Rows
Mountain Climbers
Stationary Spidermans
Total Body Extensions
Spiderman Push-Ups
Prisoner Lunges
Band Rows
X-Body Mtn Climbers
Jumping Jacks

Its only 12 minutes long but its a great conditioner!

If you feel up to it, rest 3 minutes, then do the circuit again.

Coach Rick's Ramblings:

CrossFit.... its a big topic in the fitness field right now.  Some swear by it as gospel, some are darn near cult-like in their following of it, and others downright bash the method entirely.

I have been leery of it since I first caught sight of CF.  I remember being on a fitness forum and battling it out with someone who kept claiming there was 'science behind it' but failed to show any proof of such science behind it.  This person claimed that the CF method had fewer drop-out rates than the military fitness programs..., so I politely asked for proof of such a claim. Such proof could be, well, a STUDY on drop-out rates of military personnel from their military fitness plans versus CF.  Once again, there failed to be any proof that existed of such a claim.

I have also seen workout videos of "CrossFit Fails", promoted by both CF cultists and opponents of CF.  I don't know why a proponent of CF would show such videos, other than to be the bully type and show it as a way of saying 'these people can't handle the true grit of CrossFit! Look at them fail!"...which would really make ME want to join such a program...yikes!

As you can tell, I am not a fan of the CrossFit methods.  From my education standpoint, you don't need to go to the extreme ends to get in 'extreme shape'.  Safe programming is needed first & foremost, with progressions applied to get results over time.  These workouts of getting as many reps as possible in an extended time period, or rushing to get so many reps completed (poorly or fairly executed reps) in a faster amount of time...it isn't necessary.  It becomes a 'bragging right' goal instead of a fitness-based one.

Don't get me wrong: Bragging rights are good to go for... an example of this was this past week at track practice.  I recently bought a 40 yard dash timing system that has a touchpad starter and an electronic beam on a tripod.  Wednesday was when we played with this device at track, since we have fewer kids on Wednesdays due to religious ed programs going on Wednesday afternoon & nights for JH athletes. I set it up on the field for 40 yards, and the kids had a lot of fun with it!  Why?  Bragging rights!  "I got a faster 40 than you!" Its positive motivation.  It is a simple example of taking a simple test, the 40 yard dash, and turning it into a tool of motivation.  Even if you can't beat someone personally in time, you can at least try to beat your own personal best time in the test. Its bragging rights to say "I took 2 tenths off my time after I did a lot of training this summer."

I just don't see any positive bragging rights of doing 'continental cleans' with a set amount of weight and getting so many reps done in a certain time.  There is no emphasis on safety, its merely on getting more reps in good & poor fashion over that time period. 

It is why I decided to go with the FitRanX system and apply it here in Finley this June. It offers sound, simple, progressive programs and the tests are TESTS, not feats of strength or circus acts.

I am also putting on a sports combine with my 40 yard timing system and other testing tools.  I'm doing this as a competitive event as well as a motivational tool for the athletes in our region to use for their own goals.  Wouldn't it be nice to know that your 40 yard dash time went down .3 to .4 seconds over the course of a summer, entering into your fall seasons with greater speed, proven by such testing?

Whatever your goals are, make sure you have the following:
1. Testing! - test yourself out and measure things out!  You don't know where you can go if you don't know where you are currently at. 
2. Programs! - Find a program that fits your goals and your needs.  If you want to jump higher, don't be doing a bench press workout.... keep it specialized for your goals.
3. Consistency! - Be consistent with your training.  1-2 workouts a summer will NOT count towards anything.  2-3 workouts a week will be better than nothing.
4. Motivation! - Make sure you have something motivating you.  Maybe its a varsity jersey to earn. Is it a conference title, a district title, a region title, a State tourney berth?  Is it making an all-district, all-region team as an individual?  Everyone has some motivation in sports. Its why we have trophies, there is always something to aim for.

Attack your summer with testing, programs, consistency, and motivation.  If you live in/around Finley, talk to me about these and see if the FitRanX program and the SPARTA Combine testing days are the tools you need!

Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://climbthepodium.com