A Large Piece of Humble Pie...Mike is a Crossfitter...World is Stunned

So, I've been known to talk a lot of shit about the cult of crossfit.  In a weak moment I gave into the pressure and tried one of the crossfit workouts, "Fran," and I've been a crossfitter ever since.

Fran consists of super-setting 95 lb. barbell thrusters and pull-ups (I did dead hang pull-ups, not kipping pull-ups).  You do 21 of each, then 15 of each, then 9 of each.  Do it as fast as you can.  Simple enough?  So I thought, until I finished it ten minutes later and almost puked.  I had to go outside and sit on a bench in front of my gym to keep from passing out.  Since then, I've tried a variety of crossfit WOD's (workout of the day) and most leave me feeling the same way, destroyed.

My biggest complaint about crossfit (before I actually tried it) was its seemingly random programming.  I felt that without some kind of structured approach to weight training, it would be hard to get progressively stronger.  After reading "A Theoretical Template for CrossFit’s Programming," (pdf) written by the founder of crossfit, I came to appreciate the brilliance of the methodology.  At its core, crossfit is a blend of Olympic weightlifting, power lifting, gymnastics, throwing, sprinting, and metabolic conditioning (running, biking, rowing, etc.) all done at a very intense pace.  I've found the workouts to be great at increasing my anaerobic work capacity, power, and strength endurance.

I even subscribed to the Crossfit Journal now, which is an online magazine with videos and articles from some of the best coaches in the world when it comes to Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, running, etc.  I've really liked the variety that crossfit has provided, and the workouts, while intense, are brief and rarely boring, when compared to a normal body building split. I think it's great as a stand alone program, or you could always add a few crossfit days to your normal workout routine.  So, if you think you're in great shape, go to the crossfit main site and try a few WOD's.  I did, and it was a humbling experience.

Disclaimer:  I should note that there is a very real possibility that crossfit will kill you (seriously).  It is deceptively easy looking on paper but is incredibly difficult in execution, so consult your gynecologist before you try it.