"Good" Crossfit

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 10/26/2012 2:46pm

I know we've debated ad nauseam the ways to tell a good martial arts style, and school. However, I was wondering if there are some good rules of thumb to pick a good Crossfit gym? I'm out in Seattle, and there's a number of gyms within a short distance of my house. How do I go about separating the good, from the bad.

**Krijgsman** · Posted On: 10/26/2012 3:01pm

In my limited collection of information about Crossfit this is what I have learned. Apologies if its way off.
Crossfit does Olympic lifts with shitty form for reps, which is a great way to get hurt.
Crossfit does kipping pullups, which aren't real pullups
Crossfit workouts of the day are a great way to overtrain and injure yourself
Crossfit doesn't actually make you a super athlete, it makes you good at Crossfit.

So, if the gym says Crossfit but ignores workouts of the day in favor of safer and more beneficial programming (say, a Starting Strength or 5/3/1) lifting, its probably not ****.
If they have a qualified coach teaching proper form for the Olympic and Powerlifting lifts and not some round-backed hipster deadlifting half his bodyweight for 100 reps, its probably not ****.
If it has 35 hipsters doing as many snatches (giggle) as they can in a minute or whatever, they might be ****.

But I am a "lift heaving things as Mark Rippetoe instructs me to and try not to barf while doing Bas Rutten's all around workout" kind of guy. I mean, if the best option for doing some power lifting and olympic lifting you have is a Crossfit gym, go there and use a well established program (like the two I mentioned earlier) to get strong like bull.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 10/26/2012 3:08pm

Quality crossfit comes down to the trainers. If you have good trainers that stress good form and proper technique, then you will good to go. However, if they are there just to be slave drivers then find another place. Crossfit can be great, but if you are doing things wrong you can screw up joints, tendons, and ligaments really quick.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 10/26/2012 5:09pm

Originally Posted by Krijgsman

In my limited collection of information about Crossfit this is what I have learned. Apologies if its way off.
Crossfit does Olympic lifts with shitty form for reps, which is a great way to get hurt.
Crossfit does kipping pullups, which aren't real pullups
Crossfit workouts of the day are a great way to overtrain and injure yourself
Crossfit doesn't actually make you a super athlete, it makes you good at Crossfit.

So, if the gym says Crossfit but ignores workouts of the day in favor of safer and more beneficial programming (say, a Starting Strength or 5/3/1) lifting, its probably not ****.
If they have a qualified coach teaching proper form for the Olympic and Powerlifting lifts and not some round-backed hipster deadlifting half his bodyweight for 100 reps, its probably not ****.
If it has 35 hipsters doing as many snatches (giggle) as they can in a minute or whatever, they might be ****.

But I am a "lift heaving things as Mark Rippetoe instructs me to and try not to barf while doing Bas Rutten's all around workout" kind of guy. I mean, if the best option for doing some power lifting and olympic lifting you have is a Crossfit gym, go there and use a well established program (like the two I mentioned earlier) to get strong like bull.

Have you ever done any Crossfit?

Originally Posted by Diesel_tke

Quality crossfit comes down to the trainers. If you have good trainers that stress good form and proper technique, then you will good to go. However, if they are there just to be slave drivers then find another place. Crossfit can be great, but if you are doing things wrong you can screw up joints, tendons, and ligaments really quick.

I understand this, but I'm more looking for any red flags I should keep an eye out for.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 10/26/2012 10:11pm

A good sign in a Crossfit coach is if they have experience with athletics outside Crossfit.

**Krijgsman** · Posted On: 10/26/2012 11:50pm

Originally Posted by ignatzami

Have you ever done any Crossfit?

No, the things I listed were just what I found when I was thinking of doing Crossfit. I came to the conclusion that no, I should not do Crossfit. More because it seemed less effective than it advertised and I didn't just want to get good at the Crossfit games, I wanted to get bigger and stronger in the long run. Hence my "Starting Strength" and "5/3/1" recommendations.

Now that i think of it, I think there is a Crossfit inspired workout from Chuck Liddel's last fight or so from a Fighters Only magazine I bought. I can dig it out if you are interested.

**1point2** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 1:54pm

CrossFit boxes that prioritize strength and safe movement patterns, that have a beginner's program, and that distinguish between "testing" days and "development" days seem better to my eye. But then again I've never really CrossFitted.

Robb Wolf's rant here is the source of my second point and part of the first. Dave Werner and Robb Wolf's chat is the source of my third point. The rest is personal preference for health and mobility, my belief that developing strength first is more productive than developing endurance/speed/WODs first. I'm also very strongly put off by butterfly kips and other very specific CrossFit weirdnesses (AHEMhigh-rep Oly liftsCOUGH). I'm trying to develop strength and conditioning and mobility for health and sport performance, not to score better on a WOD.

I'd also strongly value non-CrossFit credentials and experience when evaluating a CrossFit box or trainer. (For instance, Level 1 certified just means they paid Greg Glassman.)

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 2:03pm

Thanks. I'm slowly burning out on Martial Arts and was thinking of just a general workout program. We have a couple of crossfit in my area. Now, I know what to look for, thanks guys.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 10/28/2012 8:17pm

Originally Posted by 1point2

CrossFit boxes that prioritize strength and safe movement patterns, that have a beginner's program, and that distinguish between "testing" days and "development" days seem better to my eye. But then again I've never really CrossFitted.

Robb Wolf's rant here is the source of my second point and part of the first. Dave Werner and Robb Wolf's chat is the source of my third point. The rest is personal preference for health and mobility, my belief that developing strength first is more productive than developing endurance/speed/WODs first. I'm also very strongly put off by butterfly kips and other very specific CrossFit weirdnesses (AHEMhigh-rep Oly liftsCOUGH). I'm trying to develop strength and conditioning and mobility for health and sport performance, not to score better on a WOD.

I'd also strongly value non-CrossFit credentials and experience when evaluating a CrossFit box or trainer. (For instance, Level 1 certified just means they paid Greg Glassman.)

Pushups.

I accidentally down thumbed your post....so beat me now, with sticks and stones because I deserve it.

**ignatzami** · Posted On: 10/29/2012 1:02pm

Originally Posted by 1point2

CrossFit boxes that prioritize strength and safe movement patterns, that have a beginner's program, and that distinguish between "testing" days and "development" days seem better to my eye. But then again I've never really CrossFitted.

Robb Wolf's rant here is the source of my second point and part of the first. Dave Werner and Robb Wolf's chat is the source of my third point. The rest is personal preference for health and mobility, my belief that developing strength first is more productive than developing endurance/speed/WODs first. I'm also very strongly put off by butterfly kips and other very specific CrossFit weirdnesses (AHEMhigh-rep Oly liftsCOUGH). I'm trying to develop strength and conditioning and mobility for health and sport performance, not to score better on a WOD.

I'd also strongly value non-CrossFit credentials and experience when evaluating a CrossFit box or trainer. (For instance, Level 1 certified just means they paid Greg Glassman.)

This is a ton of help, thank you.