Crossfit for hockey workouts?

[kirkomlett1 0]

Hi. Does anyone do Cross fit for hockey strength and conditioning and what do you think of it? I'm thinking of starting but not sure whether just having some sessions with a trainer in a regular gym would be better.

Thanks.

[StickBoyPlays 0]

I recomend consulting a strength and conditioning specialist, not a crossfit trainer or facility. They can write you a hockey specific program, which will focus on your strengths and weaknesses. CrossFit is great, if your sport is CrossFit it's self. Most people don't really know, but CrossFit is a sport in it's self. that being said, it is extremely challanging, you work to the point of exastion and beyound. This does build high muscle endurance, but you never have time to recover, which is the most important element for a hockey player.

CrossFit will train you to work hard for a long period of time, most of the highest level of CrossFit'ers have a great level of muscle endurance, but never train their physiological ability to RECOVER. Think about a shift in hockey for any competive level: you go out for 30 sec to 1 min at the longest. You are going to go out and want to skate at (100%) full speed while you're out there for that time, you'll get off the ice - and if the shift was an eventful shift, you would have skated at full speed anywhere from 6 times-given a being in the defensive zone, having to "stop & start" 3-4 times - you'll need to be fully recovered by the time your next shift is up. A CrossFit program would not be ideal for a hockey athlete, elements can be useful, but it must be altered - have a minute rest to increase your recover speed. Being a hockey player I recomend consulting a strength and conditioning specialist, not a crossfit trainer or facility. They can write you a hockey specific program, which will focus on your strengths and weaknesses.

[Quintin 16]

Personally, not a fan of CrossFit in an off-season program for any sport. Anyone that thinks a workout is beneficial to them because they feel exhausted after a workout have to really re-assess themselves.

Here are my reasons why:

- Mentality: CrossFit is built upon mental toughness. Yes, that is a good trait to have but when you're training intensely and continuously in a fatigued state, with lack of proper instruction on movements and no emphasis on improving muscular imbalances, it's just an injury waiting to happen.

- Specialisation is not part of CrossFit's training protocol but more of a 'jack-of-all-trades' type training. Certain movements such as kipping pull-ups, burpees and repetitive low box jumps, plus benchmark WOD set/reps are all well and good for CrossFit's purposes, but completely useless in hockey and its training.

- The people. If you go, you will know why.

In the end, if you're curious about it, give it a shot and see how you feel. Be sure your local CF coach is a good one - the difference with coaches in CF can make this difference regarding injury prevention.

[kirkomlett1 0]

Ok. Thanks for the advice. I'll speak to a trainer at my gym.

[ktang 34]

I consider CrossFit an exercise program, not a training program. It uses a variety of exercises, but only a few of them are beneficial for hockey, and the set / rep scheme is good for getting sore but not for training. Like what Quintin said.

[x-axis 44]

I vehemently disagree. I have been crossfitting for over 3 years and I am the most conditioned person in my league and I don't mean that in a braggy way.

Crossfit is a mix of olympic lifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning. The workouts are structured for a specific time domain to accomplish the most work possible.

I believe in any form of exercise or training, you must consider your goals, first and foremost, then structure your work outs from there.

Crossfit is about functional movement that will make you "better" at life. Many NFL, MMA, Military, and quite a number of hockey players do it. If you check out the main site or go on to youtube, you can see various athletes from different sports crossfitting.

I will say, crossfit would not be my be all, end all because the workouts aren't focused on improving movements specific to hockey.

If you are concerned about the amount of endurance you have and want to specifically focus on the time domain of hockey, google crossfit workouts such as "Hockey Night in Canada" or an "Ugly day at the Ice"

PM me if you want specific workouts and powerlifting workouts. But if you don't have any experience, I would recommend you seek out a powerlifting coach first.

Crossfit is a lifestyle for most that do it to improve their overall health and well being. Some people don't get that or the community.

The comments posted above mine are inaccurate and uninformed.

[Lee-Bro 1]

Full Disclosure: One of the local CrossFit locations sponsors the roller derby team I help out with and receive a discount.

I've recently integrated CF into my regular gym routine. Each location is different based on the owners and the attitude (or lack of) they bring in and their clients. Overall I view CF, P90X, Body for Life, etc as any other program: figure out what works for you and what you're trying to achieve. You evolve your own regiment and change it up from time to time. These programs give you additional resources for variety.

[Quintin 16]

I vehemently disagree. I have been crossfitting for over 3 years and I am the most conditioned person in my league and I don't mean that in a braggy way.

Crossfit is a mix of olympic lifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning. The workouts are structured for a specific time domain to accomplish the most work possible.

I believe in any form of exercise or training, you must consider your goals, first and foremost, then structure your work outs from there.

Crossfit is about functional movement that will make you "better" at life. Many NFL, MMA, Military, and quite a number of hockey players do it. If you check out the main site or go on to youtube, you can see various athletes from different sports crossfitting.

I will say, crossfit would not be my be all, end all because the workouts aren't focused on improving movements specific to hockey.

If you are concerned about the amount of endurance you have and want to specifically focus on the time domain of hockey, google crossfit workouts such as "Hockey Night in Canada" or an "Ugly day at the Ice"

PM me if you want specific workouts and powerlifting workouts. But if you don't have any experience, I would recommend you seek out a powerlifting coach first.

Crossfit is a lifestyle for most that do it to improve their overall health and well being. Some people don't get that or the community.

The comments posted above mine are inaccurate and uninformed.

Note: 2 people I know own and operate a CF affiliate and I have done CF for over a year. Previously, I had been training through many different training protocols - especially with periodization and exercise selection. Why I did CrossFit was to see what the fuss was about. My views are based on experiences and have no intention of bashing CF - as I believe it is a much better training ideology than most other "mainstream" training programs out there; but in the case of training for sports, I disagree.

From personal experience with CrossFit, I have lost a good amount of maximal & functional strength and only realising my conditioning has increased very minutely. The purpose of 'blowing a WOD' never felt beneficial other than filling the void for competition.

I hate to say but we're not inaccurate nor misinformed. If you feel that CrossFit is THE training protocol for "functional" training, you are the one that is sorely misinformed. Not to doubt your effort for being the most conditioned player in your league, because that is an achievement in itself, but take into factor why that could be:

- Level of play

- Off-Ice training commitment (or lack thereof) by other players

- Training/injury history of others

- Wrong programming

Having dealt with professional hockey players, they each carries a host of physical problems - primarily problems such as poor hip internal rotation, groin strains, playing through injuries, poor psoas function, short adductors etc. that lack the ability to train with the same efficiency as OLY/Powerlifters/CFers. Much of the training includes having to simultaneously train around injuries/weaknesses while strengthening muscular imbalances, all in the space of 2-3 months. CF just does not cater to these purposes.

The reason why professional athletes from different sports cross into CrossFit is because of the principle that more is better. In this case, the more exhausted you feel, the more beneficial your workout must be. That could be further from the truth when training for improving athletic performance. Professional athletes, in general, do not have the slightest clue in athletic training. This is in part that they've always hired a coach or been caught by the clever marketing through TV, magazines, internet, etc. or lack of education. I don't fault them, as their job is to perform to the highest standard as they possibly can for their respective sports, not to study it.

With that being said, I believe CF is beneficial for the armed services - because it suits what their job entails; training for the unknown. Also for the average joe. It brings a much larger scope for awareness for the 'other' lifting sports out there and it is encouraging to know more people are being interested. However, like with just about everything there is, be smart about it and be sure to train safely - especially if you're a newbie and learning new movements.

[jds 20]

- The people. If you go, you will know why.

Ha ha. Reminds me of the joke: How do you know if your friend is a vegan. Don't worry, they'll tell you. Now back to your regularly scheduled thread

[SydNap 25]

I'm not a crossfit user, nor an expert. I would say any exercise is better than none. Crossfit is great...as long as it uses the following:

1. Squats and Lunges for power

2. Dynamic plyometric movements with resistance for power

3. Interval sprint training to simulate the anaerobic and aerobic demands of hockey

Anything short of that and I would just make my own program (which I've done)....

[donkers 31]

I don't know much about cross fit but regular commercial gym trainers are terrible. Go to your local college and get the email of the strength and conditioning coach and pretend you're an incoming freshman asking for summer advice before you try out for the hockey team.

[Grinder 2]

I've been involved in crossfit for four years. Crossfit is not a sport unto itself. It is a fitness program that is designed to supplement other activities by building core strength, agility, quickness, power, and endurance. Even a basic knowledge of Xfit will give you the tools you can use to create some devastating workouts that are specifically tailored to improve your game.

One issue with Xfit is the focus on the Workout Of the Day. I ignore it. Learn the basics, then tailor workouts to what you need for hockey, not what your local Xfit box has as a WOD. Their focus is on all around performance; your focus should be on supplementing your activity.

With a basic knowledge of Xfit, you can pick the exercises that will help you the most to supplement your game. Box jumps, (working up to consecutive) double unders jumping rope, pushups, and a variety of pullups in conjunction with other exercises can focus specifically on the muscles responsible for acceleration and lateral movement, and bring big improvements in a short time, while improving your overall core strength and anaerobic tolerance simultaneously.

Xfit is a tool. Like any other, knowing it's proper use for your own purposes dictates the results.

PM me if you would like to read over some of the specific workouts I use.

[x-axis 44]

@Quintin-

You have interesting thoughts, and I understand what points you are trying to get at.

Crossfit has changed a lot over the last two years due to Reebok's sponsorship of the games and consequently a lot of focus on the flashy aspects of Crossfit. More affiliates and trainers unsuited to train classes have developed and don't know how to program their new members effectively. I have witnessed this while visiting other boxes. The things you have mentioned are NOT what crossfit is about. If those have been your experiences then you are at the wrong affiliate. As you stated, "when you're training intensely and continuously in a fatigued state, with lack of proper instruction on movements and no emphasis on improving muscular imbalances, it's just an injury waiting to happen" should not be even a reality when you are crossfitting or are just beginning.

Let me now ask you a series questions:

Have you trained at other affiliates?

How do you know that you "lost a good amount of maximal & functional strength and only realising my conditioning has increased very minutely" and how were you able to gauge that?

a. How did your food and nutrition intake change with crossfit's more intense programming?

b. What do you do as to having 'dealt' with professional hockey players?

My affiliate trains and programs for competitive athletes in sports including wrestling and football, with a couple hockey players including myself. Have you trained with an affiliate that knew how to do this properly?

It's funny how you automatically assume that because I stated that I was the most conditioned person in my league that it was because the other hockey players were:

at a lower level of play, didn't have the same off-ice commitment, were injured, or were programmed wrong.

Crossfit isn't about blowing a wod, that's like saying hockey is about fighting and checking people into the boards. Competitions are for a few in crossfit( approximately 5% are able to do workouts RX'd at Games level) and all the hype that has surrounded reaching that level has become a focus for marketing. In no way shape or form am I sorely misinformed as I have studied and spent a great deal of time trying to understand how to improve myself.

How can you state that Crossfit is benefical for the armed services yet tell me I am misinformed for believing it is the most functional training protocol.

It's obvious you haven't had a great experience with it, as have many because trainers and people have been trying to capitalize on its success on the "Biggest Loser."

Going to a box with great trainers can make a great difference and those are challenging to find.

Crossfit are for sports, just not trained the way you have seen or experienced.

[iceNsteel 0]

The problem is crossfit is more of a conceptual theory of training as opposed to a specific program. It's therefore hard to say it is beneficial or negative towards one's training for anything because that would depend on how you apply crossfit. You can keep the concept, and alter the methodology to suit anything. That said, the emergence of the Crossfit games has certainly had an effect on how the official crossfit channels treat their WOD ideals.

[Kevin 5]

I just happned to have read this recently. It has some insight into Crossfit by one of its former top cometitors, Gillian Mounsey.

http://tinyurl.com/3tv4g7v

[Tommyj214 3]

@Quintin-

You have interesting thoughts, and I understand what points you are trying to get at.

Crossfit has changed a lot over the last two years due to Reebok's sponsorship of the games and consequently a lot of focus on the flashy aspects of Crossfit. More affiliates and trainers unsuited to train classes have developed and don't know how to program their new members effectively. I have witnessed this while visiting other boxes. The things you have mentioned are NOT what crossfit is about. If those have been your experiences then you are at the wrong affiliate. As you stated, "when you're training intensely and continuously in a fatigued state, with lack of proper instruction on movements and no emphasis on improving muscular imbalances, it's just an injury waiting to happen" should not be even a reality when you are crossfitting or are just beginning.

Let me now ask you a series questions:

Have you trained at other affiliates?

How do you know that you "lost a good amount of maximal & functional strength and only realising my conditioning has increased very minutely" and how were you able to gauge that?

a. How did your food and nutrition intake change with crossfit's more intense programming?

b. What do you do as to having 'dealt' with professional hockey players?

My affiliate trains and programs for competitive athletes in sports including wrestling and football, with a couple hockey players including myself. Have you trained with an affiliate that knew how to do this properly?

It's funny how you automatically assume that because I stated that I was the most conditioned person in my league that it was because the other hockey players were:

at a lower level of play, didn't have the same off-ice commitment, were injured, or were programmed wrong.

Crossfit isn't about blowing a wod, that's like saying hockey is about fighting and checking people into the boards. Competitions are for a few in crossfit( approximately 5% are able to do workouts RX'd at Games level) and all the hype that has surrounded reaching that level has become a focus for marketing. In no way shape or form am I sorely misinformed as I have studied and spent a great deal of time trying to understand how to improve myself.

How can you state that Crossfit is benefical for the armed services yet tell me I am misinformed for believing it is the most functional training protocol.

It's obvious you haven't had a great experience with it, as have many because trainers and people have been trying to capitalize on its success on the "Biggest Loser."

Going to a box with great trainers can make a great difference and those are challenging to find.

Crossfit are for sports, just not trained the way you have seen or experienced.

X its people like you who take the time to look into what you are getting yourself into. I researched crossfit(which is easy, because of the amount of free source info)for a while, and had a lot of friends who were doing it saying i should try it out. I tried it, i went slow and worked my way into it, and for me I had awesome results. I was off the ice for 5 months and did crossfit for 3 of it, when i came back to the ice i felt 100x better than when i left.

crossfit works, try it but be smart, be skeptical, be all the things thats going to keep you from messing yourself up and you will be pleased with your results.

also, Ex-NHL'er Scott Thornton owns an affiliate. Crossfit Indestri.