This is why Interval Training/Crossfit works

Azdak

There are bad elements as well; kipping pull-ups for example, the bad coaches and resulting bad technique that is rampant through the community, and it is a programming atrocity.

watched a youtube video last night of a woman doing the holy grail of all workouts "The Fran" and her kipping pullups were basically her flailing around on the pullup bar. i don't think her collar bone even came close to touching the bar once. she was obviously in shape, but it was just another example of a CFer not caring at all about form in pursuit of a new PR time. i just don't get it. what's the point?!!?!

If she was in shape...that's the point. Who cares if a pullup is perfect? So...you're telling me allll those negative pullups I did to get to the point that I could do enough regular pullups to make a worthwhile set...were useless? I mean, there wasn't any form there either tight?

As a matter of fact, who cares if any of the exercises performed on YouTube for PR's are? She clearly got to be in the shape she is somehow.

If you are going to say I can do x number of pull-ups, then yes they should be perfect. I did negatives too when I first started doing pull-ups, but I didn’t film myself and run around saying that I just did 10 pull-ups. Because they were not pull-ups, neither are kippings. Range of motion is important in completing a lift. I am willing to bet that I could unrack 300lbs move it an inch then re-rack it, but when I am done, I am not going to say I just benched 300lbs.

You'd have to follow that by hopping backwards for 100 meters holding your hands behind your back and a 40lb kettlebell with your teeth.

But then you'd be like SO rippin' it, dude.

kdiamond

You missed the point.

No there actually is no specific fitness goal, Crossfit even admits to this, so you can’t argue it. Go ask you Crossfit coach what the goal of Crossfit is and you will be provided with an earful of wonderful sounding BS about “our specialty it not specializing” and that “Crossfit delivers fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive.” And if you read back on what I wrote, this is exactly what I said; it lacks training specificity.

If you read and study strength and conditioning programming, as I have, you would see that training specificity is a must for long term results, this is not something I am making up. Crossfit will work great to a point, but you can’t continue to get better at everything forever, you will need more focused goals if you want to keep progressing. You can’t keep training for both endurance and strength simultaneously because they are conflicting goals, so to achieve both results you need to intelligently cycle your training.

“Depending on what's RX'ed for Fran it may just be chin over the bar ... to make it harder it's chest to bar”

This is my point on poor coaching. The exercises need to be taught properly using proper form. It doesn’t matter how many incorrect pull-ups she can achieve it matter how many correct ones she can achieve. This is the only “sport” that I know of that will settle for mediocrity, in this way. These types of pull-ups would not pass for a military fitness test, nor would improper lifting form pass in olympic of powerlifing competitions; only in Crossfit is this acceptable.

I agree with this to a point. You're right, there are no "end" goals to Crossfit, they teach "functional fitness" which is PERFECT for my class of mostly moms just trying to stay in shape, be strong, get a quick workout, have fun.

Will I be an Olympic lifter one day? No, but I'm not trying to. I also tried 2 other Crossfit gyms before finding an instructor who really helped with form and knew their stuff. My instructor also teaches Olmypic lifting.

I also do a couple of days of my own heavy lifting in the weight room to supplement it for muscle building.

Take it for what its worth. I know I'm in better shape (overall body appearance and strength) after a year of doing it than ever in my 34 years, so I'll take it.