Relative Intensity is what makes Crossfit for everyone. Have you heard people say that Crossfit isn’t for everyone? when i hear that, i get really mad. I don’t get mad at much but this really bothers me. Functional Movement is crossfit. If you teach grandma how to deadlift you have taught her fucntional movement. If you teach her to squat the next day or have her walk for her workout then you have introduced constantly varied. Is she breathing hard? Harder than she was when she entered the gym? Is what you as a trainer are doing makeing her life better today? That is what is important. Maybe, and i use the word maybe because i think a good coach could make it happen, she could even thrive in a class setting. You would need to build a base but at some point she should be capable of participating in a group.
What do you think?
I totally agree with you, Dutch. You couldnt have put it any better!
Well Dutch I agree but to a point. In my travels I have found that intensity is what most people lack and its the equalizer to who will or who will not achieve fitness goals. So my question to you is “how do you teach intensity”? As I far as I can see you can’t teach intensity. You can show someone intensity, you can explain intensity but its up to that individual to execute. In my opinion that’s where the “Crossfit isn’t for everyone” comes and its why I have said it once or twice.
CrossFit requires intensity; otherwise, it eats you for lunch. I like that CrossFit is hard – if it wasn’t, we wouldn’t do it.
Dutch, check this out: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3858543&categoryid=3827966
Watch for the guy in the red snow suit (the second guy) – he does a double flip, but he actually kips the second flip (and wins the gold medal in the winter x games!) Watch for the super slow mo, and you can see he gets full hip extension, then actually kips to get his second flip. Wonder if he’s a CrossFitter, haha…
Syn,
Maybe you can teach intenstiy, maybe you can’t. That doesn’t change the fact that crossfit is functional movement, constantly varied, and at relatively high intensity. Just because their “intensity (power output)” isnt high, doesn’t meant they don’t benefit from crossfit. Functional movement alone will change you more than any non fucntional or isolation exercise. For most this is a huge step.
Amie,
Crossfit is hard, but does that make it exclusive? Should we screen people for their ability to work hard? I say no. Crossfit screens people naturally whether they are lazy or frustrated with results because of the lack of intensity. I have worked with many people that lack any intensity but i feel like i have made and impact on their lives by enforcing functional movement and variation.
relative intensity is crossfit. Don’t be an elitist.
Dutch
Dutch-
I was agreeing with you and wasn’t implying that CrossFit should be exclusive. I meant that by nature of the WODs themselves, you have to be intense, and you work hard.
I think one of the most motivating things about CrossFit, especially for a girl, is when you see how your work in the gym translates into functional movement and makes your day to day chores easier to do – lifting boxes, carrying groceries, whatever.
I agree Amie.
The whole point of the post is that intensity is relative. Intensity for you may not be intense for me or vice versa and that is totally acceptable. results may vary but the benefit is there regardless of intensity level.