What CrossFit Is

The thing CrossFit is most known for are the metcons. Metcons are metabolic conditioning and typically happen at the end of class. They are great at getting cardio in while working on strength and have the ability to put us on our backs and ponder our life. However, if that is what you think CrossFit is then you are mistaken.

CrossFit is a training philosophy that combines all other training styles. We will do gymnastics, Olympic lifting, plyometrics, kettle bells, circuit training, rowing, running, power lifting, and bodybuilding. We are looking to take the lessons from all the various styles of training and forming a comprehensive approach to our goals. No way is the wrong way and should be shunned but no way is the right way and should be exclusively used. CrossFit is about trying to bring up all areas of fitness using all styles.

Take the simple push-up. If you want to get better at it then you first work on your mechanics and the understanding of how the body works via Starret and the MobilityWOD. Once you have your understanding of the levers and mechanics you can begin to work on strength via gymnastic progressions like the MANY listed on CrossFit's YouTube channel. As you get stronger and string more pushups together you will run into a roadblock with your strength. This is where we can pull a lesson from the bodybuilding world and train the separate parts to get the whole stronger. Take a green band, loop it on the pull up bar and perform tricep pressdowns. Take the flat bench, grab some dumb bells and perform dumb bell flyes to get the chest muscles stronger.

DO NOT think that to get better at CrossFit I have to do even more CrossFit than I currently am. This leads to people metconning more and more and more and then confused about their progress. If you want to do more CrossFit than do more cross-training. Find the best from every style and use them as a tool to address your goals of fitness across all levels, domains, modalities, and egotistical quirks.