Why I don't Do Crossfit by Erin Simmons

[nephel]

it's a rebuttal that addresses none of the issues people have with crossfit. His rebuttal assumes people are criticizing crossfit because it's a competing program and they want to tear down a successful competitor.

So?

a rebuttal that ignores the criticisms of the original argument and responds to its own propped up straw man instead is worthless.

 

[PUO3]

He managed to use the term Crossfit as a verb, noun, and an adjective - impressive. The one comment nailed what his article never makes clear: "Define first what actually IS crossfit training in your perspective." It's easy to say you are "training Crossfit" or "doing Crossfit" when you don't ever give a definition of what it is. The definition given on the Crossfit site (which has changed from the beginning) is so ridiculously broad for a reason. "We are a fitness program, wait we are a sport, no we are a community". If you keep your definition so broad and Crossfit gyms and programs vary so much, no one is even talking about the same thing.

I thought his article sucked if you couldn't tell.

Not trying to change any opinions just tossed up a recent article by a respected name.

I dont like it, I dont participate in it. Still can respect that a lot of their competitors are beasts.

 

[CarbonFistprint]

Can any of the guys bitching back and forth at each other, puffing their e-chests out put any real weight on the bar and pick it up? Until these facts come to light I'll just assume everyone berating each other about how perfect their form is deadlifts about 350.

I don't mind mentioning my numbers. I'm not a huge deadlifter but last meet I weighed in at 179 and got 457. My form probably isn't textbook perfect, but it's sound. It was only the fifth meet I've done.

The local Crossfit gym had a few lifters at the meet. They actually did pretty well, to be honest.

 

[Oblivian]

Not trying to change any opinions just tossed up a recent article by a respected name.

I dont like it, I dont participate in it. Still can respect that a lot of their competitors are beasts.

I wasn't trying to attack you, just the article. I have no issue with people doing Crossfit as they can do their own thing. There are definite positives to Crossfit (getting people to work hard, exposure to lifts, $ into lifting, etc.), but obviously there are negatives too. I think my opinion on it is pretty balanced.

What I hate most about the article is his ridiculous tone, which isn't uncommon now from Juggernaut. It's their little gig now of trying to be controversial to get viewers. It's why they published that Travis Mash article on Rippetoe as well. Take a stance, make it extremely bold, and hope viewers catch on for controversy.

The article defines Crossfit as only a sport, when it's primarily supposed to be a program or "fitness regimen". So what does he say to do to get better at the sport of Crossfit? Train for it. Well that's not shocking to anyone, especially when he says training for it = " that means doing a broad variety of tasks at low/medium intensity for varying durations, fast, and doing that a lot." Does that mean you are following what Crossfit is? Maybe, or maybe not. Is someone training for the games going to follow the WOD on the Crossfit site. Probably not. Your "box" may set out specific WODS that vary from the Crossfit site, but someone training for the Games is going to stray from it. They are going to do whatever the hell they think prepares them for the games, and is that all of a sudden called Crossfit despite whatever they may pick?

This is why Crossfit is so successful. It is defined so broadly among people that any mix of strength and conditioning can be called Crossfit. It's also funny that he closes his article with talking about training people for Crossfit, yet when they list who he is they don't mention he is Crossfit certified. Assuming he isn't, people are "doing Crossfit" in his gym? Makes sense...

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

I don't mind mentioning my numbers. I'm not a huge deadlifter but last meet I weighed in at 179 and got 457. My form probably isn't textbook perfect, but it's sound. It was only the fifth meet I've done.

The local Crossfit gym had a few lifters at the meet. They actually did pretty well, to be honest.

That's a solid pull for your size. Form is important and can get you far but when you've got a heavy weight on the bar no one's form is ever perfect.

That being said, arguing about form on the internet can get you nowhere.

 

[LucasWithLidOff]

Meh, I just do crossfit in my backyard. Let the suckers pay 200+ bucks per month.

 

[CarbonFistprint]

That's a solid pull for your size. Form is important and can get you far but when you've got a heavy weight on the bar no one's form is ever perfect.

That being said, arguing about form on the internet can get you nowhere.

So true, and I keep reminding myself that -- but when I see someone give several bad points of advice in one post, it's tough not to say something. I mean, someone might listen to that crap.

 

[JRT6]

a rebuttal that ignores the criticisms of the original argument and responds to its own propped up straw man instead is worthless.

It's only a strawman because you have taken the article out of context to make you're own false dichotomy.

 

[karnifx]

I don't get the "well, you can go to a crossfit gym and not do crossfit" or "yeah the ideas behind crossfit are terrible but hardly anyone at my crossfit gym follows them" arguments.

I mean, if I open a chain of kiosks in mall food courts called "Bleach Coolers!" and have kids there making various beverages with bleach as the main ingredient, what does it matter if I say "well you can get beverages without bleach there" or "yeah it's a terrible idea but most people at this kiosk don't follow the original recipe."

It's still just a terrible concept, and terrible in practice. The argument that doing something else is better for you is what every crossfit critic has been saying all along. Crossfitters need not make that same point themselves. Funny that they do.

That's a horrible metaphor and somewhere along the line your invalid arguments grew in more askew directions than your brain knew how to logically interpret thus trying to express your thoughts came out nonsensical. I'm not completely disagreeing with you but people that read too many articles on the internet always end up with an overinflated sense of knowledge.

There is a factual basis for your opinions, however irrelevant the context you've used is. The fact is Crossfit is good for soccer moms and younger women who prefer lean and slim looking results and not lean muscle development. For men it's pretty awful and it's a great way to get injured if you don't have good form. Kipping pullups for a 100 lb woman @ 5 foot 6 inches tall isn't very likely to cause any serious injury.

My personal opinion on Crossfit: Worthless unless you're training to compete in a crossfit competition. :icon_idea

 

[nephel]

It's only a strawman because you have taken the article out of context to make you're own false dichotomy.

you provided it as a rebuttal to a blog post criticizing crossfit's practices.
it doesn't rebut any of the criticisms.
it dismisses the blog post using fabricated and unsupported assertions about the motives of the poster.
it then addresses those motives and says there's room enough for everyone.

that's a pretty solid in-context strawman.

Saying that a rebuttal piece needs to rebut the original position piece or it is worthless is not a false dichotomy, it's the definition of a rebuttal.

 

[CarbonFistprint]

That's a horrible metaphor and somewhere along the line your invalid arguments grew in more askew directions than your brain knew how to logically interpret thus trying to express your thoughts came out nonsensical. I'm not completely disagreeing with you but people that read too many articles on the internet always end up with an overinflated sense of knowledge.

There is a factual basis for your opinions, however irrelevant the context you've used is. The fact is Crossfit is good for soccer moms and younger women who prefer lean and slim looking results and not lean muscle development. For men it's pretty awful and it's a great way to get injured if you don't have good form. Kipping pullups for a 100 lb woman @ 5 foot 6 inches tall isn't very likely to cause any serious injury.

My personal opinion on Crossfit: Worthless unless you're training to compete in a crossfit competition. :icon_idea

So much fail in this, I'm not even going to get started. Have a nice weekend, fella.

 

[JRT6]

you provided it as a rebuttal to a blog post criticizing crossfit's practices.
it doesn't rebut any of the criticisms.
it dismisses the blog post using fabricated and unsupported assertions about the motives of the poster.
it then addresses those motives and says there's room enough for everyone.

that's a pretty solid in-context strawman.

Saying that a rebuttal piece needs to rebut the original position piece or it is worthless is not a false dichotomy, it's the definition of a rebuttal.

It was a good article by a legitimate trainer with a great reputation. Enjoy the article for what it is or get off my lawn.

 

[karnifx]

So much fail in this, I'm not even going to get started. Have a nice weekend, fella.

Yeah, your opinionated egoism is the only thing keeping you here. You have no real factual basis for anything you've said, it's all just one big opinion. The way to build lean muscles correctly is with years of hard work and determination and at a professional level some obsessive behaviors as well.

If you'd like to argue please find some facts to support your mouth because it's just writing checks you can't cash now.

 

[FlexLuthor]

Good god some of you are bad at arguing.