CrossFit

[cause4alarm 6]

Anybody here done CrossFit? I did a quick search and saw that gman and gavin have.

I just did a quickie trial run for 2 weeks.

(edit: Whoops, wrong board. I meant to put this in the miscellaneous section. Mods please handle accordingly.)

[gman 0]

Crossfit is awesome. You do not have to have alot of equipment and it is very effective. If you have a few weeks under your belt your are probably already noticing a big difference in your fitness. Are you doing the WOD's yet? (workout of the day)

I did it pretty regularly for a while and had a blast with it. I am a little constrained right now with what i have access to in terms of gear, but I do plan to resume as soon as I can.

I cannot say enough good things about crossfit.

[cause4alarm 6]

The facility where I did the trial period is still in the middle of its startup, so in terms of equipment, it was really bare bones--no pullup bars or barbells. Most of the workouts were kettlebells and calisthenics.

My two main objectives were to: a) get some ideas for a new workout to break out of some plateaus and shake up my routine, and b) learn how to (safely) do some olympic lifts. Unfortunately, objective b was limited due to the absence of barbells.

I stopped going to CrossFit after the trial period ran out, but I'm hoping to go back in May to get some more knowledge. Until then, I'm just going incorporate what I learned in CrossFit with my regular workout.

Have you seen this workout from the USA Hockey website (scroll to the bottom of the page)? It's a high intensity calisthenic circuit. Not bad, but you might want to substitute some burpees in there to spice it up a bit.

[gman 0]

If you have a crossfit gym close by and the people running it are really in the know, then I would suggest staying with them for a while. They will be able to refine your technique, design and mix up the workouts, and motivate you. You can do a bodyweight calisthenic workout that will absolutely thrash your body.

If you don't have barbells yet, work on making some sand bags. Find some old duffel bags, like the army/nav/AF/ Marines, issue and fill them up with varying amounts of sand. Tie off the ends and knock youself out. You can do cleans, deadlifts, push presses, rows, front squats, and darned near anything you want to with sand bags.

Keep it up, I would not worry about a plateau yet. You body is likely still getting used to it all.

[hockechamp14 0]

I don't like crossfit mainly because it doesn't suit anyone's needs. If you're just looking for a fun way to train then fine, but if you actually have any performance or appearance goals you're trying to reach, crossfit is far from the best way to go.

[gman 0]

I don't like crossfit mainly because it doesn't suit anyone's needs. If you're just looking for a fun way to train then fine, but if you actually have any performance or appearance goals you're trying to reach, crossfit is far from the best way to go.

Have you tried it? If you have I cannot imagine you would write that. I agree that it may not be the best thing for appearance and waxing legs and oiling biceps and prancing around in speedo's on a stage. But as far as an athlete training for functional strength, there are very few tings better. Crossfit puts into one package what has been around in varied forms for years. Any athlete would intuitively know that the stuff works, but crossfit lines it out and gives it to you on a plate.

[hockechamp14 0]

I don't like crossfit mainly because it doesn't suit anyone's needs. If you're just looking for a fun way to train then fine, but if you actually have any performance or appearance goals you're trying to reach, crossfit is far from the best way to go.

Have you tried it? If you have I cannot imagine you would write that. I agree that it may not be the best thing for appearance and waxing legs and oiling biceps and prancing around in speedo's on a stage. But as far as an athlete training for functional strength, there are very few tings better. Crossfit puts into one package what has been around in varied forms for years. Any athlete would intuitively know that the stuff works, but crossfit lines it out and gives it to you on a plate.

I completely disagree with that statement. Any athlete who can plan and periodize their own training and progression should not turn to a plan like crossfit.

Why have I not tried it myself? Because I'm making progress as it is in everything I'm training for. In addition, I stand on the shoulders of giants (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1435408) so it seems it would be a waste of my understanding to do the same program as thousands of others right? I mean if crossfit could get you into the NHL, wouldn't there be players talking about how much crossfit did for them?

[Kevin 5]

Crossfit is good for the serious recreational athlete. It is not sport specific and is far from the best way to train for hockey or any other sport.

[cause4alarm 6]

I'm trying out CrossFit to increase my endurance. I'd like to be able to go as close to 100% throughout my entire shift and I'd like to have the energy to sustain my coordination level at the tail end of my shifts.

So far the high intensity and timed workouts are a welcome departure. It seems like a better combination of both strength and cardio that might be more applicable to hockey than my regular routine of doing traditional weights and treadmill running which seems to work strength or cardio separately, but not really in conjunction. At the very least I'm rejuvenating my motivation.

hockechamp14, what's been effective for you that's allowed you to consistently continue to make progress?

[gman 0]

I completely disagree with that statement. Any athlete who can plan and periodize their own training and progression should not turn to a plan like crossfit.

Duh....

An athlete who can do that should not have to turn anywhere except to their own program. Unless they really do not know what they are doing then they look for the next best easy way out. Good luck with your program. Hope you make it to the show.

It is not sport specific and is far from the best way to train for hockey or any other sport.

That is wrong on so many different levels. It shows a complete misunderstanding of the science of sport. I'm out'a this... Enjoy yourself.

[cause4alarm 6]

Crossfit is good for the serious recreational athlete. It is not sport specific and is far from the best way to train for hockey or any other sport.

The CrossFit Workout of the Day may be a general workout, but I'd imagine you could consult a trainer to personalize a hockey-specific workout.

Are a lot of people here doing hockey-specific workouts? The workout I posted above from the USA Hockey site, and it didn't seem particularly far off from what a CrossFitter might do.

[Kevin 5]

Crossfit is good for the serious recreational athlete. It is not sport specific and is far from the best way to train for hockey or any other sport.

The CrossFit Workout of the Day may be a general workout, but I'd imagine you could consult a trainer to personalize a hockey-specific workout.

Are a lot of people here doing hockey-specific workouts? The workout I posted above from the USA Hockey site, and it didn't seem particularly far off from what a CrossFitter might do.

A big difference is the lack of interval training. Generally speaking, hockey is a 2:1 rest to work ratio with the work portion lasting about 45 seconds. Your cardio should follow this template--Crossfit does not.

[gman 0]

A big difference is the lack of interval training. Generally speaking, hockey is a 2:1 rest to work ratio with the work portion lasting about 45 seconds. Your cardio should follow this template--Crossfit does not.

Dang it, sucked in again...

Look on the crossfit site. Most of their intervals go 2min work/ 1 min rest or 1min work, 30 seconds rest. Some of them, like the Tabata series, go 15sec/15sec for two to four minutes.

You can't just do a search for pullups, rope climbs, cleans, snatches, overhead squats, and all the other stuff they do. It's on there for you to find.

[Kevin 5]

????????

"Dang it, sucked in again...

Look on the crossfit site. Most of their intervals go 2min work/ 1 min rest or 1min work, 30 seconds rest. Some of them, like the Tabata series, go 15sec/15sec for two to four minutes.

You can't just do a search for pullups, rope climbs, cleans, snatches, overhead squats, and all the other stuff they do. It's on there for you to find"

I am not bashing Crossfit, but it is not IDEAL for hockey. Your general examples do not contradict my point that their workouts do not follow the proper work to rest ratio for optimal hockey conditiioning.

Here are some of the most recent WODs from the Crossfit site. They speak for themselves.

Wednesday 070207

"Jackie"

For time:

1000 meter Row

45 pound Thruster, 50 reps

30 Pull-ups

Tuesday 070206

4 rounds for time of:

20 pound Wallball, 25 shots

Walking lunges, 100 feet

15 foot Rope climb, 3 ascents

Friday 070202

For time:

225 pound Deadlift, 21 reps

Run 800 meters

225 pound Deadlift, 15 reps

Run 800 meters

225 pound Deadlift, 9 reps

Run 800 meters

[gman 0]

I am not bashing Crossfit, but it is not IDEAL for hockey. Your general examples do not contradict my point that their workouts do not follow the proper work to rest ratio for optimal hockey conditiioning.

You can certainly modify the program. Knock of a few reps and stop at :45. Up the intensity and you'll have to rest longer. I am not even a total die hard crossfit fan, but it is better than it is being given credit for. Running/cycling hills and rowing intervals would be a more exact way to mimic the cardio of hockey. But if you want to exactly mimic hockey, you should play hockey. If you want to crosstrain, which is what all fitness programs really are for 99.9% of the population (including the pros), then crossfit is a great option.

Most pros don't talk much about what system they are doing unless they have some sort of sponsorship. I would hazard a guess that most of them don't know what system they are following anyway. That is up to the team trainers.

[cause4alarm 6]

Kevin, now you're just inviting us to ask what you're doing...

[Kevin 5]

No one program is right for everyone. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Generally speaking, basic compound movements are best--squats, dls, presses, pull-ups, plus core work. If you have a good trainer/coach, do Olympic lifts (prob best after developing some basic strength). If not, do plyos. Unilateral leg work should also be done.

With regard to cardio/energy system training --intervals, either on the bike, sprinting, or slide board.

Pure speed work is prob best done by sprinting very short distances, plus plyos, and OLs.

[gman 0]

No one program is right for everyone. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Generally speaking, basic compound movements are best--squats, dls, presses, pull-ups, plus core work. If you have a good trainer/coach, do Olympic lifts (prob best after developing some basic strength). If not, do plyos. Unilateral leg work should also be done.

With regard to cardio/energy system training --intervals, either on the bike, sprinting, or slide board.

Pure speed work is prob best done by sprinting very short distances, plus plyos, and OLs.

Great statements. I could not agree more. The only addition would be to add in front squats in addition to (if not instead of) back squats. Olympic lifts and dips, in my opinion, are two of the greatest sets exercises you can find. If you do not have a coach, though, do alot of reading and alot of research and go very slowly teaching yourself olympic lifts.