Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Why every workout counts!

Take a look at the following criteria for fitness!

1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance - The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

2. Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.

3. Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.

4. Flexibility - the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.

5. Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.

6. Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.

7. Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.

8. Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.

9. Balance - The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.

10. Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.(Thanks to Jim Cawley of Dynamax for the list)

I stole this list from one of my favorite Crossfit sites in the world www.crossfitnsc.com but it can be found on virtually every crossfit site out there- I guess B-boy and the crew at Crossfit North Santa Cruz got the list from Jim Cawley of Dynamax - we all know it.

Sometimes you just dont need a thousand words to get the point!

To all of those out there who have decided that they need a product other than the one provided so effortlessly by www.crossfit.com check yourself, and the wods you do- are they improving all the criteria? Or are you being your own worst coach?

Much love

Mads

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Even God fights stupidity!

A sudden change of plans!

I was going to write about my recent achievements in my workouts. About how I, just the other day, managed to get a perfect 3 rep max with 150 kg on the bar! I was going to share the feeling of wanting to leave my body after having gone through the horrible workout consisting of, 12 burpees, 12 pull ups- 10 rounds for time! I was going to brag about the fact that today I got my first legit one legged squats during todays wod... My dear friends- that all changed when I saw the youtube film from the Balance Crossfit Games..
before I go into why my heart rate went through the roof, and I got so mad that I could hardly speak anything else than profanities for at least an hour- please take a minute to watch the film! Remember that these people actually put this film outthere themselves?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12uYc2Bxs1I

Where do I begin?

Not too long ago I wrote a post on this blogg called: " who do you think you are?" The article, if you will, was about the frustration I was experiencing when I witnessed people with partial reps and incomplete form post their times on public forums without admitting that they had not performed the wod as rx'd..
I used the comparison with a 100m competition, where one participant actually ran 100m and the other stopped after 80m claiming to have finished the 100m race. Whereafter the person who only ran 80m would go online and post his score ( in this case a time) for the 100m race- though this had never been completed!
I was furious about this behavior, and claimed that it was undermining the entire CrossFit comunity, ruining the purity of CrossFit- and suggested that I be banned from CrossFit forever if caught cheating in this manner- thus implying that I think this would be an adequate meassure for everyone else caught with their hands in the devils cookie jar!

Well, it has happened again!
Only this time it is an even bigger foul! This time it is not some poor weak soul who could not restrain himself- and ended up posting an incorrect score, or fell for the temptation of cutting corners, and cheated on the range of motion, and counted non-legit reps etc! This time an affiliate arranged an event (which they chose to call the CrossFit Games- though non of the requirements of the Crossfit Games were met. I'm still not sure if this is'nt another foul- but I will let that rest for the time being- simply because the heap of S**T is so big that I have to focus on the most important issues).
The result of the event was what you saw in the film, that they so graciously provided themselves!
I think I saw 2-3 reps alltogether that I would consider legit and actually count! Push ups nowhere near the standard chest-to-deck that we all know to be the norm. Deadlifts with a complete lack of extention of the hip! Pull ups, where the arms were not fully extended in the bottom position, and the chin never came above the bar! Box jumps are never complete unless you achieve full extention of the hip in the top position etc..
I could go on and on about the shortcomings, so proudly presented in the film, but I wil let it rest- you all get my point!

Now, the question is if the requirements of CrossFit exercises are a secret as well guarded as the plot in the Da Vinci Code?
The answer of course is no! Anyone can enter the website and look at the demos and quite effortlessly discover what is considered CrossFit standard. In case these demos leave you with an ounce of doubt, you can always turn to the CrossFit Journal. There you will find all the info on CrossFit standards that you heart could ever desire. Let us, just for the sake of the argument, imagine that you were still not sure what the standards were? The next logic step to take would be to contact your local CrossFit affiliate and look up the first level 1- 2 or 3 instructor you find and ask! They would gladly provide you with the information, and probably ask you to join in on a couple of classes!
If by this point you still did'nt feel that you had gotten the information you needed (after watching the demos, reading the journal, asking the trainer and trained at the affiliate facility???) There is still one thing you could do.. You could get in touch with the folks at HQ! They are the nicest people in the world and would without a doubt tell you exactly what is required of the exercises you want to use in your "Games",to be legit and meet CrossFit standards..
My best advice however is to actually get your ass to one of the seminars. If you had done that the question would never have arisen!

Now, why does this make me so mad?
Well, there are several reasons this makes med more than mad- it makes me furious!
  1. If you are going to showcase CrossFit, the least you can do is get it right!
  2. It is a slap in the face of all the people who have come to legit CrossFit classes and been subject to qualified scrutiny of licenced trainers!
  3. It is a sell out of one of the pillars CrossFit was built on- the correct completion of functional movents!
  4. It leaves the unknowing spectators with an incorrect impression of what CrossFit is!
  5. Why would you attend seminars if there is no need to learn the correct movements?

The list of things that piss me of could go on, but I'll let it go there!

As you all know I love analogies- they have a certain way of making the absurdity of things all the clearer.

To me the film from Balance CrossFit Games can be compared to someone who films himself while cheating on his written latin exam, and then desides to to share the experience with everyone else, by putting the incriminating evidence on youtube!

It is like watching two people, who with all their might try to keep their eyes closed- one asks the other- " can you see where we are going?" The other answers "No!" and so they both step up to the ledge and plummit into the abyss!

I would like to dedicate todays blog to my better half, Jenny- who will be compeeting in the actual CrossFit Games in roughly 3 weeks. I believe in you with all I have got. You are a fantastic athlete, loving partner and the best mother our son could ever have, and I love you dearly!

I would also like to dedicate this to all the people who have come to my CrossFit classes at Fighter centre Stockholm- You are all role models, and your commitment and dedication are the basis for the fantastic results and improvements you have all made.. I am humbled by you all!

Last but not least it is important to stress that the opinions expressed in this blogg are purely personal..

Much love

Mads