Why Crossfit is Awful

While I think there is a time and place for crossfit style workouts, I think crossfit training year round is absolutley ridiculous.  Crossfit has become on of the biggest fads to ever hit the fitness industry and has grown exponentially within the past couple years.  There are several factors that make crossfit absolute hogwash:

• The majority of "crossfit coaches" out there are not qualified professionals.
• Many of these "coaches" know very little about technique, periodization, and training in general.  Typically, all it takes is a weekend course and a 50 question quiz to become a certified crossfit "coach."  Sure, there are good crossfit coaches out there.  However, a large percent of them have no idea what they are doing.
• Olympic lifts are not meant to be done in a rushed manner or against a clock.
• Olympic lifts include the clean, jerk, and snatch.  They are extremely technical and require strict form while being performed.  These movements, in sport, are used as a means of power development for athletes.  When training for power, rep ranges are from 1-5 with a relative percentage of your max and need about 2-5 minutes rest in between.  Performing a higher volume than this with less rest can fry the nervous system and cause technical failure and injury.  Here is a sample crossfit "workout of the day": Perform 6X3 of max effort deadlifts followed by 3 snatches, 6 pushups, and 9 jumps continuously for 15 minutes...
• Crossfit is not functional.
• Adding speed to bad movement patterns and form is dangerous.
• I can go into almost any crossfit gym and find that 80% of the people in there have awful form when it comes to cleans, deadlifts, and squats, yet they are encouraged to perform these exercises as fast as they can. This is a recipe for disaster and I am absolutely infuriated everytime I see a "coach" encourage somebody to go faster or heavier whenever they are not even performing the correct movement pattern to begin with. 
• Plateau
• Performing max effort workouts too many times per week will deplete you muscle tissue and fatigue your nervous system.  We become stronger at rest when we let you body adapt to the stress we just placed on it.  The body will find a way to adapt to this stress for a short time but, typically after about a month of training, crossfitters will plateau and see very little gains in their training. 

 
For more elaboration, go to:
http://convictionwp.weebly.com/1/post/2012/09/5-reasons-why-crossfit-sucks-and-drives-me-nuts.html
http://www.zenstrength.net/crossfit-nj-sucks/

The Romanian Deadlift

Regardless if you are an athlete, a powerlifter, a body builder, or just into general fitness, the Romanian Deadlift is one of the best exercises you can do.  No other exercise hits the hamstrings so well in a coordination with the glutes and low back.  The posterior chain is often neglected but is critical in sports for top performance and injury prevention.  The RDL is a great strength assistance exercise to help make the hamstrings stronger and can even help improve your squats and deadlifts.  For those of you wanting to learn or improve your hang clean/power clean technique, the RDL is great to help assist with learning to get in a good pulling position and getting your "shoulders over the bar."

Romanian Deadlift Technique:

Starting Position:

• Clean Grip or shoulder width
• Stance hip to shoulder width
• Knees Slightly bent 
• Bar lightly resting against thighs
• Eyes straight ahead
• Arms Straight
• Chest out/shoulders back
• Flat or "arched back"

Descent:

• "Hinge" at the hips
• Knee angle should stay fixed throughout the movement
• Bar descends slowly (about 3 seconds on the way down) and under control down your legs to mid-shin
• Keep chest out/shoulders back
• Weight should be on your heels
• Should feel tension in your hamstrings (if not, you are likely bending your knees too much)

Ascent:

• Same as descent but can be faster on the way up
• Finish at the starting position standing all the way up

With the RDL, it is best to start very light.  Given the fact that it is more of an eccentric exercise, you will find yourself quite sore the next couple days (especially if you have never done them).  There are many great exercises around, but the RDL provides fantastic posterior chain work.

Introduction to RF Strength & Conditioning

My name is Randy Flores and I am currently a strength and conditioning coach at Texas Tech University.  I am Strength and Conditiong Coach Certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) and plan to recieve my CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified)  certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association within the coming months.  These two credentials are the very best certifications a strength coach can receive.  I am also a certified Functional Movement Screening specialist and have my CPR/AED certification.  Though only entering my 4th year in the strength and conditioning field, I have had experience as a collegiate football player here at Texas Tech University previously.  I have also had the privilege of working with athletes at every level (from 8 years old to professional levels). I will receive my bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences in May 2013 and also plan to receive a master's degree in strength and conditioning within the coming years.  While I am young and do not have ALL the answers, I am constantly learning and hold a passion for sharing the knowledge I have already gained in within the past couple of years.


Randy Flores can be reached at RLFloresqb2@gmail.com