The beginnings...
This year has been a very interesting and difficult year+ for me. Training high-end/elite CrossFitters completely ruined the honeymoon phase of CrossFit for me. The cheerful bliss of simple enjoyment was over, now it was the quest for knowledge on truly maximizing performance.
This all was a good waking, as my overall training knowledge wasn't stagnate, but neither was I vividly questioning everything and being a true sponge to learn as much as possible as I am now.
If more CrossFit was the answer to winning the CrossFit Games, wouldn't we see the same people over and over? Wouldn't they just get better and better, as well as separate themselves further from newbies? Or is it just luck of the draw on the workouts chosen at the Games?
How is it that we see people brand new to CrossFit kicking ass in the "Olympics" of our sport? In what other sport can that truly happen? Is it just because the lack of exposure and we are just starting to draw from a bigger pool of people with genetic potential? Or is there a life span on your CrossFit-ability? Is it age?
This year they showed some examples of Graham Holmberg's and Rich Froning's training days and they did like 5-7 workouts. That's ridiculous!!! Who after 25-27 a could have the time and not just survive, but thrive on that?
Is there a system within CrossFit that has unequivocally been shown to be superior? OPT? Mainsite? CFFB? CFE? MEBB? Westside/Conjugate with a side of metcon?
Just a couple of things to think about for now... I actually would like to hear some thoughts from the ever so quiet lurking peanut gallery. Use an annonymous name if you would like. Just want to hear some of your thoughts.
It's tough to say that there is an expiration date on CF Games style athletes. I do think genetics plays a big part of who makes it, and more and more great athletes from different backgrounds find CF every year. Still looking at the top 15 for the men, we watched 10 of them compete at the 2009 games in Aromas.
ReplyDeleteTo me, having a background in CF is very important to be successful at the games. It is a sport and there are a lot of random things that are thrown into the games that you can't be fully prepared for just by following any particular website. Aptitude of the athlete to learn to perform new tasks is equally as important as coaching, strength, conditioning, mobility, and sheer athleticism.
Everyone is different and unique in their strengths in CF which is what makes things interesting, and does play a role on who makes it each year. Intelligence on how you train to gain strength and more skill will always still play a role in how successful you are. I don't necessarily think that the increase of capacity is going to be the biggest determining factor on who wins. It's going more based off how strong, skilled, and committment to learning new skills.
I would have to agree with team Bryce here a little bit. When it comes down to the small percentage Elite Athlete more focus is put on different weaknesses such strength, endurance, or skill so that is the nucleus that most fall back on. I would say athletes from other disciplines have some advantage especially if they come from power sports football, hockey where barbell work is the norm. I think Crossfit just adds to the different dimensions in domains they have worked in previously. This not to say doing more crossfit will not help.
ReplyDeleteI do not think any one system will be superior just one that works for a certain person.
Keep pursuing knowledge and trust your instincts.
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ReplyDeleteSo much of this is true, but I can't stop thinking about Elizabeth's quest. She was brand new to CrossFit and in less than 8 months she creep-ed up on many people and became dominant in many areas. Her athletic background helped tremendously, but she worked hard, very hard and did not stop learning. I feel that her mental strength was a HUGE factor. Mental toughness has to be one of the biggest keys to CrossFit. When a competitor gets to be the top 5% of the sport they must out think the opponent. There are some amazing athletes in every sport, but those who understand their sport and their body can excel the most.
ReplyDeleteStill relatively new to crossfit (over a year), but there are a lot questions that arise in the sport/competition aspect of it all. If I am not strong enough, how much muscle do I have to pack on to achieve maximum output? At some point, too much mass will make body weight exercises more difficult. If I don't have a big gas tank should I do endurance? But if I do too much endurance work than my muscles wane and I lose explosive power on lifts. I hate to answer Rudy's question with more questions, but it seems the competitive crossfitter must ask him/herself these questions.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do think that if one did not have competitive sports experience that he/she would be at a disadvantage. I say this because Crossfit as a sport is so abstract and varied, and therefore it's difficult to conceptualize a win. If you had prior experience, you have the voices of old coaches in your head and a desire to regain a title. You have more patience in training for the long haul, and mental toughness from past experience. Crossfit in general is insane as it is. Your taking exercise to an extreme level. Without the work ethic and experience it would be difficult to make yourself a champion.