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Phil Learney speaks up to thank crossfit

C

C T J

Crossfit VIP
Jan 24, 2013
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I thank you Crossfit

January 21, 2015 by
Phil Learney


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Everyone is so quick to critique something as opposed to praising it for its good points. Crossfit is one of those things and it has evolved as a system since its inception. So I just want to discuss it a little and just give a little thank you to Crossfit.
It rolled in like the handsome cocky and intimidating kid midway through school term. It stepped on turf it hadn’t earned the respect to tread on and low and behold a lot of people didn’t like that.

Now the problem was it wasn’t by any means a finished item and indeed even today it isn’t and is still wide open to awhole bunch of critique but much like anything. The intelligent coaches, the humble athletes all continue to improve upon this flawed concept and work to iron it out. Helping with the, I would like to say undeserved reputation but I would say the large level of douchery that came with the initial influx of ‘cross fitters’ was deserved.
Just when it started to be shrugged off and accepted the founder comes up with some of the most disrespectful and stupid statements about the world they were so heartily trying to become a part of. Back to square one…..

So, time has now passed and Crossfit is here and its taken it’s attitude, toned it down a bit and the the enormous amount of idiots it brought with it just the same a bodybuilding and all other ‘lifting’ activities have and they’ve been replaced with intelligent athletes and coaches that are prepared to stop throwing stones back and forward with the rest of the fitness industry but listen to what they have to say.

You no longer have to do Paleo, you don’t have to wear board shorts and bandanas in some shape or form. The overly defensive manner in which people protect their ‘group’ has dropped. When someone like myself writes an article on crossfire people don’t read it trying to wind themselves up and get on the defensive. They listen, they read and embrace what can be learned from the past few years of crossfit. How their sport has gone beyond something people belong to and has negated somewhat it’s cult status to something that is becoming accepted for what it is.

Crossfit isn’t bodybuilding, it isn’t strongman, powerlifting or weightlifting. Its a hybrid to some degree of them all and they are all in some way complimentary to another. It can be fun, challenging but it’s biggest flaw is probably it’s coaching. Infact NO that is it’s flaw. I could now go into why but unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the past few years you will know why.
A box is a low cost facility and a way in which many have tapped into a market and tried to capitalise from it. Much like budget gyms and all their flaws this remains true of Crossfit boxes. It has low cost start ups and anyone can become a crossfit instructor quick……

Now let those hairs settle down on the back of your neck and listen to me. We feel your pain. The fitness WORLD is full of poorly qualified people dishing out poor and dangerous advice. The thing is Crossfit chose some of the highest risk and trickiest movements to coach in the world of sport. The reason we see so many Crossfit fail videos all over the place is this exact reason. You gave the people a reason to aggressively critique your sport. The GOOD coaches who saw all these people rolling in coaching people and plying a trade it took them years to master. Of course they are going on the attack…….you would too right?
Much like the kettle bell salesmen of old trying to take something and make it something it wasn’t. I remember at conventions years ago the guys stood with their kettle bells talking to bodybuilders and telling them it was revolutionary. It wasn’t and it isn’t. Kettle bells are what they are and have their application.
Apply it wrong they’re useless. Apply it right they’re useful.

So this is me thanking you Crossfit for putting up with the critique, for getting more people off their ass and lifting. Thank you for realising for the most part your flaws and speaking to the people we could say are your therapists. The experienced people in the fields of weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman and bodybuilding who have helped you develop something greater. Thank you to the coaches who quickly realise they weren’t up to scratch so improved and worked at it. Thank you for bringing weightlifting shoes into sports shops and giving us all more variety. Thank you for dropping the attitude and thank you to all the humble, intelligent participants and coaches who are part of something that is good for the world of fitness.

Just like people will make fun of the string vested, baggy panted, heavily grunting, belt and glove wearing aficionados of the bodybuilding world. Anything that is successful, popular and brings with it a lot of overly obsessive characters it will inherently be open to some jest and fun. Don’t take it personally and don’t feel people are bashing. It’s the nature of human beings….we are not great at compliments.
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Last edited:
Atmae Fitness

Atmae Fitness

Senior Member
Jan 15, 2015
196
60
Nice article, thanks for sharing.
 
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