The King of CrossFit

[C T J]

I'm actually considering doing crossfit 1 to 2 times a week in addition to my normal routine to help develop some athleticism and explosiveness. I'm at a plateau right now and need to break through. I watched some of this on ESPN last weekend and at first was bashing the shit out of it, Then I saw the level of conditioning these athletes have and as a bodybuilder I need that. Christian Thibaudeau also posted a good read on his experience with crossfit recently and what it has done for his powerlifting. I can't keep doing the same shit and expect different results. So call me gay if you must, but I need to do something.

I was the same way. I bashed on it for a while. But I ran into one of the old trainers from my gym who turned into a competitive weight lifter and he said he opened a crossfit gym. Natural, 5'9" 195lbs and lean...I was impressed with his physique so I told him I'd come in and try it. At first I was really missing the hypertrophy from my bodybuilding routine. I wasn't sure if I was going to keep doing it but he said give it some time. Your strength's going to go down at first and you'll drop some weight but then you'll explode. That's exactly what happened.

I still pop into a regular gym 2 x a week and work on something here or there but I'm extremely happy with the results not only from a conditioning/physique viewpoint but also from a strength and flexibility perspective. The competitive side of CF has pushed me to areas I've never been before.

I'll admit that the brand crossfit seems a little whack a times but the programming we're doing works. Each gym will be different so stop in at the different ones in your area and see which programming/coaches you like the best. We do a variation of Wendler 5/3/1 on top of metabolic conditioning workouts. Check out my journal if you want to see what typical days look like for me.

 

[C T J]

I like watching the competitions. The main thing that bothers me about cross fit is that many of the coaches/trainers have no real experience performing the lifts they are trying to teach. Therein lies much of the problem for it to last long term IMO.

Oh, and just call it a gym, not a "Box"... "Box", really? What the hell is that?

The shitty coaches and inexperience will get weeded out.
Big names like Louie Simmons, Donny Shankle, Klokov, etc. will rise.
Yes, they see the money which may have been their initial motive but
they stand behind the programming and implement it into their programming.

They call it a box because it's typically in a warehouse. Nothing but plates, bars, racks, rings, ERGs, and KBs.

 

[shortz]

I have a lot of respecting for Froning. When I was dieting, I literally had a pic of him hanging on my bathroom mirror for motivation. He has a awesome physique and I Knew I could actually achieve a physique like that, and I did.

That said, he has an interesting background too. I am pretty sure he has a strength background and athletics, which helped him tremendously. Froning is the guy all Crossfit guys want to be like.

BTW, know who inspired my beard? Another elite crossfit guy, Lucas Parker. Another great phsique too.