@TX_iron - Yea, I’ve now watched all 3 Netflix Documentaries on Netflix (well one was just specifically on Froning I think) and they all had my brain juices thinking crossfit.
@brady888 - I agree, I am definitely drawn to the “jack of all, master of none” type lifting. I’ve been slowly moving my training more and more in that direction. Powerlifting → Bodybuilding → Strongman (with a couple periods of contemplating adding more calisthenics) and now with more interest in some of the Crossfit principles (being ready for any event thrown your way, with more focus on conditioning)
I’m not going to sit here and say Crossfit is superior in any way shape or form, but I think the “being ready for anything” type training is pretty cool. Strongman definitely does that as well, but I typically don’t do any olympic lifts or extensive conditioning which is programmed into Crossfit.
My training is kind of stagnant right now. No real fire there at the moment. My wife and I plan to go indoor bouldering at some point this week to do something fun, yet fitness related.
This is usually when I shake things up with something random for 4-6weeks. We’ll see what comes of it.
Not sure what your level of climbing is like, but once you start getting into V3+ levels of bouldering, grip, core stability, and body control skills become very apparent.
I’ve been rock climbing once in the last 5+years (which was last year I believe). My wife and I had a blast and have wanted to go back ever since (and she was surprisingly VERY good at it). We figured we would give bouldering a try this week (if she recovers from her cold that has her bed-ridden). I’ve never tried bouldering before.
Not really sure what I would say my level of climbing is. I’m a definite rookie, but have decent strength for my bodyweight so I can clumsily force my way up a route. Technique = ~0 though.
I do remember my grip/forearms being torched after the last time we climbed. Legs were actually quite shaky at the end too.
Save yourself the headache and don’t go chasing CrossFit. It got me earlier this year and drove me nuts. I like the WODs. I like the conditioning. I like the idea of being awesome at lots of physical tests. But I also like having a plan and I feel like CrossFit is lacking in that aspect.
There’s no balance in the training and I can’t figure out how to program it. Say you do a good WOD and then isolate squats on Monday but then the WODs for Tues and Wed smoke you on front squats and Tabata squats. When do you recover?
Maybe it’d be a good maintenance phase while improving conditioning but if you care about specific lifts then you know they’ll suffer if you don’t do them. So you add them to the program and then you add something else and you end up with way too much work per session. And then you scrap the CrossFit stuff to focus on strength and physique because it’s too important to neglect.
Now the pros look phenomenal but they’re pros and have time for multiple sessions per day as well as professional recovery techniques. We don’t have that and eventually you just have to pick a priority.
I think if you find a way to program Seasons of Training then maybe you could dedicate some time to CrossFit. You’ll have to buy a rower though.
In my experience females tend to be more “natural” climbers than guys so not that surprising! I don’t know if woman are innately more graceful than men, but they tend to adopt good footwork and body positioning rather than brute strength their way through it.
Bouldering is similar, but a different animal to wall climbing. Much harder, but each “problem” is over quick so you can work on the same thing all day until your skin peels off, and still probably not get it lol. Some route-setters are real assholes with their ratings.
It’ll be a blast though - a fun training game is to take turns creating your own problem by adding in a different move to a sequence. It’s like horse, once the other person can’t complete the sequence you start over.
@Frank_C - Thanks man, probably needed to hear that to save me the headache!
I think it’s probably a good suggestion to just try and add a few crossfit workouts in here and there rather than completely adopting their WOD. I should really solidify some “Seasons of Training” for myself, because I do need that change of pace a few times a year when I get tired of one form of lifting.
@mr.v3lv3t - She was definitely more graceful than I was! We have talked about joining something together that we can do weekly and climbing was at the top of our list. So we are going to try it a couple times before committing to a membership and purchasing shoes/chalk/etc, but I think it will be something we will enjoy.
That actually sounds like a good game to play! The competitive aspect will likely force us to push ourselves a little harder than if we were just going through the motions.
Hah! Haven’t heard of that one before, but this is EXACTLY what I was talking about. Foot was tapping the gas/brake all the way home!
@FlatsFarmer - That’s a good approach as well. I wouldn’t mind dabbling with a few olympic lifts for fun so this might be a good way to get some technique work in without having to revamp my training completely.
@brady888 - That would be all stud to be able to do this at 210lbs!
I’ll take your mis-directed compliment . I only weigh 180-185. I can campus all but 1 V1’s and V2’s at my local bouldering place. Anything past that and I’m hosed, though.
With monkey bars everything is loose and dangly and this puts a ton of strain on the joint and the body doesnt want to allow this. Subconsciously your body is shutting itself down*. At the same time swinging adds centrifugal force to gravity.
Campusing you are keeping everything tight, IMO anything you can grip you can campus probably equal to how many pullups you can do if that makes any sense.
*Its the Mobility vs Stability principles or what not. There are a couple videos to watch on youtube about this, Dr. Quinn (Juggernaut) has a good one but I dont have time to find it.
I also second the Crossfit programs for some cardio or deload work. Most crossfit gyms (at least here) you can only get 405 on the bar. Helps make the deload mandatory
Crossfit is the competition, the training should just be training. Oly lift variant/dynamic movement, compound lift, weak point accessory/skilled movement, conditioning.
A lot of boxes miss that point, but for the general masses I think they enjoy the ‘group training’. The competitors programming is substantially different to the gen pop class WODs
I think this is exactly right. Training is just training. Whether it’s for strongman, crossfit, powerlifting, bodybuilding at the end of the day it is just training oriented for one’s goals.
It just becomes difficult when my goals are changing by the month! I know I’m not alone in that regard and it comes down to my mindset.
All that being said, I’ve decided to start CT’s “Complete Power Look Program”. I’ve chosen this one for a few reasons. I like the progression models for the main lifts and he recommends front squat, bench, PUSH PRESS and deadlifts. I’ve been wanting to run a program with push press, and I just finished a 5/3/1 cycle with front squat and wanted to keep those going for a bit. He also has laid out short duration workouts with a bunch of optional stuff (only 3 main movers each day). I’m going to use this “optional bonus work” to choose a lift of my choice that will satisfy my wandering goals.
Lets see how long we can stick to this program, I’m hoping to take it for its full 10 week spin, although I have 1 week off for opening of deer season at the beginning of November.
Week 1 - Day 1
FRONT SQUAT
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3reps x 5 sets
-SUPERSET 3 ROUNDS-
2 SECOND PAUSED SQUATS
185lb x 8
REVERSE LUNGE - BB IN FRONT RACK
95lb x 8/leg
POWER SNATCH EMOM 10mins
95lbs x 3, then snatch balance until :30s mark
Good workout. Snatches were very easy so I decided to hold at the top until the :30s mark. This tired the shoulders out a bit, but was more just to try and practice form and where the heck the bar should rest overhead in that position. Overall didn’t feel too uncomfortable, wrists weren’t overly excited about it though.
. I only weigh 180-185. I can campus all but 1 V1’s and V2’s at my local bouldering place. Anything past that and I’m hosed, though.
