Consider Crossfit

scoutpilot

10-Year Member
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Apr 29, 2010
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For all the young folks out there who are trying to get ready for CFAs and Beast, I would encourage you to consider Crossfit. We have found that it's the best method to keep our guys in top shape without spending whole days in the gym.

Essentially, the website publishes a Workout-of-the-Day (WOD) and that's the plan you follow. Alternatively, you can seek out a local Crossfit gym, which will have trainers to guide you through the workouts.

If you can smoke Crossfit WODs by the time you report, PT won't be a worry. Even 8 solid weeks on Crossfit before you go to BCT will provide you with great core strength, which will help you with everything from PT to rucking.

Go to www.crossfit.com to learn more.

(Crossfit is free, btw, so I'm not plugging anything for personal gain).

Best of luck!
 
Crossfit is NOT a good program for those who are new to working out or those who do not already have a baseline level of fitness.

There have been some serious health problems with this work-out including a few lawsuits from deaths.

Crossfit is a HIT (High Intensity Training) type plan and should not be taken lightly. It is pretty darn good if you already work-out and train on a regular basis; however, as a physician I do not recommend it for people who do not already work out on a regular basis.

Be prepared to get your rear kicked and see some impressive gains if you do the program, but please do it safely!
 
Crossfit is NOT a good program for those who are new to working out or those who do not already have a baseline level of fitness.

There have been some serious health problems with this work-out including a few lawsuits from deaths.

Crossfit is a HIT (High Intensity Training) type plan and should not be taken lightly. It is pretty darn good if you already work-out and train on a regular basis; however, as a physician I do not recommend it for people who do not already work out on a regular basis.

Be prepared to get your rear kicked and see some impressive gains if you do the program, but please do it safely!

Excellent advice! Thanks for weighing in. I assumed that those who are accepted have a good baseline athletic background, especially with the sophistication of high school athletics these days. For those candidates or hopefuls who are not accustomed to tough workouts, definitely heed the good doctor's advice, and consult your own doctor.

Thanks, kp2001. My wife would have smacked me and said the same thing.
 
My son at VMI started doing this about 2 months ago- It is a butt kicker but it's really usable fitness- he really feels like he's getting good results out of the program but you gotta work! :thumb:
 
how is crossfit compared to P90x?

Both offer great results, but I find Crossfit to be less monotonous and more useful for military folks in terms of building that "usable" fitness that was mentioned. Crossfit involves more explosive movements, which can be difficult for those less accustomed. I prefer Crossfit, but P90X is good. Depending on your facilities, crossfit can be almost free. P90X is expensive, but over the long term may be cheaper if you don't already go to a gym.

Again, be careful with either.
 
Crossfit is NOT a good program for those who are new to working out or those who do not already have a baseline level of fitness.

There have been some serious health problems with this work-out including a few lawsuits from deaths.

Crossfit is a HIT (High Intensity Training) type plan and should not be taken lightly. It is pretty darn good if you already work-out and train on a regular basis; however, as a physician I do not recommend it for people who do not already work out on a regular basis.

Be prepared to get your rear kicked and see some impressive gains if you do the program, but please do it safely!

IMO, the vast majority of USMA applicants have the necessary baseline level of fitness required to do crossfit. Obviously, like with anything else, it's important to ease into the program (don't try to bust out three hero WODs on your first day).

Also, keep in mind that those with a lower baseline level of fitness don't have the capacity to achieve a self-detrimental level of workout intensity. For example: Person A is new to crossfit and completes Fran* in 10 minutes. Person B is a veteran crossfitter and completes Fran* in 2 minutes. Which person runs the greatest risk of intensity-induced health risks, the novice or the veteran? Answer: Person B, the veteran. When you are new to crossfit, your workout intensity will be limited by your baseline level of fitness. Therefore, don't shy away from crossfit because it is "high intensity training."

*Fran: 21-15-9 reps for time of 95lb. thrusters and pull-ups.

I disagree that people who do not already workout regularly shouldn't do Crossfit. IMO, it is the best/fastest way to prepare yourself for BCT. Remember, you can always scale the WODs to meet your specific fitness level/goals.

Safety note: Crossfit involves many movements and exercises that your average workout program does not (olympic lifts, kettle bell swings, thrusters, etc). Before you attempt any Crossfit WOD, make sure that you are able to safely execute each movement in that workout. If there is a movement that you aren't comfortable with, substitute a movement that you are comfortable with.

Please note that I am, in no way, trying to be argumentative. I simply wanted to add my 2 cents to the discussion because I love Crossfit and believe that it is the best option when it comes to functional fitness.
 
Please note that I am, in no way, trying to be argumentative. I simply wanted to add my 2 cents to the discussion because I love Crossfit and believe that it is the best option when it comes to functional fitness.

Believe me, I'm not trying to say don't do Crossfit. I have several of the pilots/nfo's/aircrew I take care of who do Crossfit and have done so on a deployment.

The reason I put the caution in for new people is because of a condition known as rhabdomyolysis (basically your body eats it's own muscle). This condition can be brought about by strenuous exercise which as you know pretty much every Crossfit workout is no matter if you go slow or fast. For those who are trying to lose weight, not eating a healthy diet, taking certain dietary supplements, etc you can be a set up for this problem.

If you are a varsity athlete or play a competitive sport or maintain a personal level of fitness there is no problem starting crossfit. If you don't have that level of background I highly recommend you either do something else for a little bit to build a base OR you go very, very easy on the WOD for a few weeks.

From their own website:
In any case it must be understood that the CrossFit workouts are extremely demanding and will tax the capacities of even the world's best athletes. You would be well advised to take on the WOD carefully, cautiously, and work first towards completing the workouts comfortably and consistently before "throwing" yourself at them 100%. The best results have come for those who've "gone through the motions" of the WOD by reducing recommended loads, reps, and sets while not endeavoring towards impressive times for a month before turning up the heat. We counsel you to establish consistency with the WOD before maximizing intensity.
 
Crossfit is NOT a good program for those who are new to working out or those who do not already have a baseline level of fitness.

There have been some serious health problems with this work-out including a few lawsuits from deaths.

Crossfit is a HIT (High Intensity Training) type plan and should not be taken lightly. It is pretty darn good if you already work-out and train on a regular basis; however, as a physician I do not recommend it for people who do not already work out on a regular basis.

Be prepared to get your rear kicked and see some impressive gains if you do the program, but please do it safely!

I would have to disagree--it's not dangerous at all. You just need to know your limits. CrossFit is actually very good for beginners and even extremely out of shape people because you can alter the workouts to fit your needs by using different weight and even easier alternative moves.

I did CrossFit at a gym for a while and absolutely loved it, but I stopped because it was pretty expensive to do there. But with just a few weights (or even none at all) you can do a lot on your own at home. The first week is painful, but after that you see impressive improvements if you stick with it!
 
OK ... you guys really seem to know the programs. We've considered both ... but since they are so intense, ... what would you recommmend as an intro, working up to either of the programs ...
 
OK ... you guys really seem to know the programs. We've considered both ... but since they are so intense, ... what would you recommmend as an intro, working up to either of the programs ...

1. Avoid lifts you don't know. There is an exercise substitute guide on the website for lifts you can't do.
2. For the first week, do the WOD at 33% of the recommended load. For the next week, do 50%. Then work up slowly.
 
P90X....I did something with Tony Horton last week. Guy really likes to do pull ups ALL OVER the place.
 
I would have to disagree--it's not dangerous at all.

And you've taken care of how many patients with rhabdomyolysis in your life??? My answer: many.

Is it dangerous if done properly: no.
Is it dangerous for a person who doesn't have a level of fitness already: it can be
Can a person who hasn't worked out on a regular basis do crossfit: yes, if under proper supervision and by knowing their limits

The key is "under proper supervision" and "know your limits". Most people going to service academies are Type A personalities and will push themselves harder and harder until they fall over. This is a dangerous mix with Crossfit. Do it, you will get amazing results, but do it safely.

As you can see the Crossfit supporters are an ardent group. I consider myself a fan of the workout even though I personally don't do it. I've seen some great gains by some of the guys in my squadron.

If you don't already work-out on a routine basis I recommend you get a baseline level of aerobic and anaerobic fitness. You can do P90X if you want, no worries about rhabdo from that yet, but it's expensive, and probably not the best. Stick with the old guns of running/swimming/biking (something cardio) and some type of circuit training for weights (or you can get more detailed by doing alternate body groups for alternate days, etc.). Once you've done that for 4-6wks you'd probably be good to go to start Crossfit.

If you can already run 1.5-2 miles without trouble and have worked out with weights on a regular basis you likely already have the baseline needed to start Crossfit. If you get winded running the 2 miles at 10 minute mile pace and haven't seen the inside of a gym for a year do something else first. If you played competitive athletics you probably already have the baseline.


Here's a link to another message board that has the article talking about a lawsuit a Navy member brought against CrossFit for permanent damage.

http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=35664
 
If you are not at the level that KP2001 is describing, you might want to take a look at the attached to get you started. VMI put together this suggested training program to assist incoming Rats prepare for the VMI Fitness test (Pullups; 1.5 mile run and situps) plus how to increase your pushup output. It's a 10 week prep program and while it's specifically geared to increasing performance in those 4 events it's a pretty good basic fitness program. Pullups btw are far and away the event with the highest rate of failure. it's a video and at the links below it are specific daily and weekly straining chedules designed to significantly increase your performance in those events. (BTW you may have to scroll down quite a bit to get to the video link- for some reason the page is showing a lot of white space at the top when i just opened it up)
http://www.vmi.edu/show.aspx?tid=37099&id=2414&ekmensel=fb5d653b_20_547_2414_8
 
And you've taken care of how many patients with rhabdomyolysis in your life??? My answer: many.

Is it dangerous if done properly: no.
Is it dangerous for a person who doesn't have a level of fitness already: it can be
Can a person who hasn't worked out on a regular basis do crossfit: yes, if under proper supervision and by knowing their limits

That's exactly what I said. It's fine if you know your limits. If not, then yes, it's extremely dangerous.
 
I apologize if my previous post derailed the thread; I didn't intend to start an argument. Kp2001, as a medical professional, you are obviously far more knowledgeable than I about the potential dangers of Crossfit. In no way did I intend to undermine your previous posts.

I admit that Crossfit may have more inherent danger than most exercise programs due to its level of intensity (and in some cases technicality). However, when used properly, I believe that Crossfit is a safe and effective means of training. That said, if you give it a shot, take kp2001's advice and ease into Crossfit.

OK ... you guys really seem to know the programs. We've considered both ... but since they are so intense, ... what would you recommmend as an intro, working up to either of the programs ...

You should definitely get instruction in Crossfit's core lifts (deadlift, squat, press, etc) before attempting any workout comprised of these exercises. There are, however, many workouts comprised solely of bodyweight movements. IMO, you can pretty much jump right into these bodyweight WODs (however, I do think it would be prudent to heed kp2001's advice and gradually increase workout intensity).

For those interested in Crossfit, you can find a plethora of instructional videos here.

For more information on Crossfit, check out there FAQ.

Lastly, the Crossfit Message Board contains a wealth of knowledge and is a great place to get your questions answered.
 
I would only add for hiit programs or for any lifting.... it's more about form than amount of weight. Most of the injuries I see are more from people trying to lift too much and not exercising proper form. Crossfit, weightlifting, interval running, interval training it's all good all will get you ready for beast. just caution anyone going into these programs 1st that it's about the form and not the amount of weight and 2nd if they are going to do crossfit, while there some wonderful programs out there there are some crossfit coaches that don't know what the heck they're doing. Research the program before you sign up
 
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