Crossfit, crossfit, crossfit. I know, its been discussed and dissed in the past and perhaps for good reason, but most people on this board will admit that there are at least some benefits to training in the crossfit style…
Questions have been raised about its effectiveness for enhancing strength and muscular size but most agree that in terms of general conditioning, lactate tolerance, and high degrees of muscular endurance, crossfit can produce results. The debate is whether their claims of increased strength and power are credible, and can crossfit increase muscle mass?
With that in mind, my girlfriend and I are offering ourselves up as guinea pigs of sorts for a crossfit experiment. I know it’s been done in the past but everyone who has tried it has not strictly done crossfit they’ve added strength work of their own to the program. We’re going to do crossfit pure… no additional strength work and following the Workout of the Day (WOD) to the best of our abilities, recording our times and weights here in this thread.
To keep the results as objective as possible, Tanimal and I have done a range of strength, muscular endurance, body composition, and anaerobic/aerobic tests to judge the effects of an 8 week crossfit experience. We will be repeating the same tests at the end of the 8 weeks.
For the first week, Tanimal and I will be doing the crossfit WOD every second day to ease into the routine. After that, we plan on doing the WOD every day, scaling the workouts where necessary.
Backgrounds/starting numbers:
Thirteen
Sports/Training Background:
13 years of rugby playing at university, provincial representative, and premier level.
Competitive BMX rider for the past 2 years, 5th in UCI Worlds 2007 (25-29 amateur)
Training: 9years+, most for rugby (relative strength/power), but tried “everything” in the book from HIT to high volume to Olympic lifting to bodyweight.
Injuries:
Unstable shoulder due to rugby, (repeated dislocations lead to surgery in 2005 and a year off training in 2006). Still working to regain prior strength.
Wrecked foot in BMX race in October, undiagnosed 5 fractures until this month (three rounds of xrays fooled by excessive swelling and no displacement) no running or racing since.
Crossfit Adaptations:
Whenever running is part of the workout, I will be doing stationary cycling (seated) or rowing, scaling of weights/reps where appropriate.
Other (non-strength) Exercise:
3-5 days per week of cycling to work (equal to only about 30 minutes per day)
3-5 days per week of water running
Prehab/rehab work for shoulders, foam roller, easy swimming for recovery
Other notes:
I am coming back from being fatter than I have ever been (thanks to foot injury), heavier than I have ever been, but am not weak or that unfit (due to water running, cycling, and 2 crossfit style workouts per week over the past 2 months). I have always been an “all-rounder” and pride myself on being moderately good at a range of strength, speed, endurance, and power activities.
Goals:
Drop bodyfat down to 11% by the end of 8 weeks, maintain (at least) or increase LBM
Improve ALL my numbers in the below tests and other benchmark workouts that Tanimal and I have with a goal of 5% improvement. This is an obvious challenge to the crossfit claim to train all components of fitness effectively.
Current Stats and Personal Bests
MAX STRENGTH
Test Current Goal PB (alltime)
BP 1RM 265 280 295
Back Squat 1RM 335 350 400
Standing Press 160 170 175
Deadlift 365 385 385
Chin-up BW+85 BW+90 BW+100
REPETITION STRENGTH
Deadlift 315x9 315x12 315x12
Bodyweight BP 195x12 BWx15 195x12
MUSCULAR ENDURANCE
Chin-ups Current 15 Goal 20 PB 24reps
YMCA BP Test Current 40reps Goal 50reps PB 40reps
(check exrx.net)
ANAEROBIC PERF Current Goal Best
250m Row 44.6sec 42.4sec 44.6sec
495 W.AVG
Bike Test TBD
AEROBIC PERF
5min row (m) 1310m 1376m 1310m
Bike Step Test 13:04 14min 13:04
Bodyweight AM, nude 196lb
Bodyfat 7 Site J-P 14.8% 167lb Lean 29lb Fat
Goal 11% 167lb Lean 21lb Fat
Best 6.3%
Measurements
Bicep Left: 15 5/8" Right: 15 7/8" Best 16/16.25"
Waist Current 36.5" Goal 32.5" Best 31"
…Tanimal…
Sports/Training Background:
Fastpitch softball player up to university level
Varsity rugby player, 2 seasons, number 8
Competed in FAME Fitness Model Competition April 2007
Competitive BMX Racer (competed at UCI Worlds 2007, 2nd at ABA Canadian Champs)
4 years training, 3 off an on, past year consistent
Injuries:
Bone chip in right ankle, requires surgery (April 21 2008 surgery date)
Bad ankles in general!
Crossfit Adaptations:
Will be doing stationary cycling (seated) or rowing instead of running, scaling of weights/reps where appropriate.
Other (non-strength) Exercise:
3-5 days per week of cycling to the gym, incline treadmill walks 3-5 days per week.
Other notes:
I have been working on max strength over the past three months and have seen good gains. My ankle limits my ability to run (we are a pair of gimps!) but my surgery in April will hopefully start that back on the recovery road.
Goals:
Current Stats and Personal Bests
MAX STRENGTH
Test Current Goal PB
Bench Press 1RM 140 150 140
Back Squat 1RM 250 265 250
Standing Press 87 95 87
Chin-up 2 4 2
MUSCULAR ENDURANCE
Current Goal Best
Chin-ups (purple band assist) 9 12 12
Pushups from knees 40 45 40
ANAEROBIC PERF
250m Row Current 58s. Goal 55s.
AEROBIC PERF
5min Row (max m.) Current 1216m Goal 1275
Bike Step Test Current 14:00 Goal 15:00
Bodyweight AM, nude 175.5
Bodyfat 7 Site J-P 20.6% 139lb Lean 36lb Fat
Goal 18% 139lb Lean 30.5lb Fat
Best 13%
MEASUREMENTS
Waist Current 31.5" Goal 30" Best 28.5"
Let the games begin!
