Crossfit

[Neo]

Been doing crossfit workouts as part of my workouts and find that yeah, I've lost weight that people have actually noticed, although not sure if that's more due to the increased volume recently and the pushing of myself to achieve a good time. What's people's take on crossfit? too much bodyweight exercises and not enough strength? A need to supplement with additional exercises? Not suitable for competition training? What's your thoughts please?

[Ford Prefect]

Crossfit is great and probably one of the best "cookie-cutter" type programs out there.

[Chief Fox]

I think Crossfit is awesome. Some of the Olympic style lifts are very technical so be careful with those. If you can handle the intensity, the Crossfit program will probably get you into the best shape of your life. They have a valuable discussion board over at their site and the Crossfit journals are worth the money too.

[AndrewS]

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Crossfit is good stuff, but its limitation is that it's a 'one size fits all program'. While they have some great ideas and get you in great shape, I think it makes more sense to figure out what you need and go get it. Are you looking for mass, agility, explosiveness, anaerobic conditioning, aerobic conditioning, strength-endurance, speed-strength endurance? Where are you weak or injured? How much time are you willing to spend, what equipment do you have available? To me, it makes sense to answer these questions first, then build your program based around them, rather than do the WOD.

Andrew

[Ford Prefect]

Not many people have the knowledge or the inclination to gain the knowledge needed to create such a specified program. If somebody is going "cookie-cutter", crossfit is one of the best things they can do.

[Chief Fox]

While they do offer the same workout for eveyone everyday, one of the things that they try to emphasize over at crossfit is scalability and modifications. They don't say or recommend that everyone should do the same amount reps or weight. Especially beginners. Most of the workouts are time based so the idea is to do what you can in a certain amount of time. The next time that specific workout rolls around you can see your progress. So it is cookie cutter but at the same time it's also personalized to your abilities.

It's pretty cool.

[FooFighter]

CrossFit is an excellent general physical preparedness program for the average American martial artists. If I was a newbie in the gym or to strength conditioning, then CrossFit would seems to be a good place to start. In my opinion, it is far better starter's choice than doing the conventional body-building methodology.

[Merryprankster]

Cross-fit rocks for combat athletes.

As people have noted, if you are advanced enough, it is "cookie cutter," but if you need an introduction into this sort of strength and conditioning program (very wierd for most people who haven't experienced it before), then it's fabulous.

This sort of high intensity exercise is really just unusual for people who haven't done it before - which is why I like the intro Crossfit gives.

[Neo]

But are you guys saying that you would lead onto more specialised programs after that, if I understood what you mean by cookie cutter program. :confused:

That would take me back to
Monday: Strength, Tuesday: Endurance etc
or Monday upper body, Tuesday lower body etc

Maybe I'm lazy/busy to do a program myself, and I suppose I like the idea of someone telling me what to do...

[Merryprankster]

No Neo, it wouldn't.

The point is that Crossfit is a one size fits all approach. As you become more in tune with your body, you may find that certain exercizes or certain intervals or certain types of training approaches work better for you than others.

Besides, as I mentioned, Crossfit is different from what most people do. They tend to think of lifting weights as strength and cardio as running for 45 minutes or something. What Crossfit does is push you to your anaerobic threshold - it leaves you gasping for breath, with your heart pounding.

That is why it's good for combat conditioning - it's fairly short and intense. Not good if you are running a marathon, but **** handy in a fight when 30 seconds into a major spurt of activity, you are ready to do more and the other guy is dying tired.

[AndrewS]

Crossfit's energy systems work is definitely one of its great take home messages, and performing it will provide much benefit to any fighter. That being said, if you're slow it isn't going to get you fast as quickly as dropping a dedicated day of DE and plyos into your rotation. If you're weak, there are quicker ways to up limit strength. If you've got a weak link it may stress that link, nothing like 3-5 extra workouts a week doing that GTG thing can. If you've got a specific injury, muscular imbalance, or tightness, it's not gonna figure out the rehab exercise or mobility drill for you.

Putting your own thing together is harder, yet I'd argue, that, lacking a S&C coaching staff, massotherapist, and PT, your best long term bet is learning to cook for yourself, as it were.

Andrew

[SanHeChuan]

CrossFit or Seizure? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgH_ZoMOht8&feature=player_embedded)

[Oso]

crap, that's ****ing awesome. I wanna join!

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i laugh every single time i watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWO81j2EyYo

[taai gihk yahn]

i laugh every single time i watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWO81j2EyYo

holy cr@p - that first move was wild - and not easy!

[David Jamieson]

demonstrative of a great deal of core strength.

Still...weird. lol @ "finnish moron training"

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

... meh ... fair amount of core strength might be a little more on target. unless you consider the gentleman's age. but then, if you consider his age, you should probably consider the fact that he ought not be training like a moron.

[wenshu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOEDItADqYU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv0zQDukxLU&feature=related

fad dieting and a wallet chain

go paleo brah, eat moar bison testicles

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

your links are ****in weird.

[IronFist]

i laugh every single time i watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWO81j2EyYo

http://smiliesftw.com/x/roflwtf.gif (http://smiliesftw.com)

[JamesC]

Im financially stable and doing well again so I decided to get back to the gym.

A crossfit gym opened up near my home a whole back and I've decided to sign up tomorrow. I have to do their fundamentals class and I'm hoping I can pick up on thr oly lifts quickly and get started.

I never thought I'd join crossfit, but I'm in need of a change. This keeps the thinking to a minimum and, at the very least, will get me in the door to a gym that has equipment and knowledgable people to teach me some Olympic lifting.

[Oso]

check the 'coaches' credentials closely. if they are ONLY 'crossfit' certified, keep your eyes wide open. just like in MA, you can have some good schools/gyms and some bad ones. there can be a lot of good from an experience at a CF gym...but also a lot of BS. (personal experience at one over 18 months or so.).

IMO, if you want OLY specific lifting, find an Oly gym. But, if there isn't one near you, the CF can be an intro to it. But, a lot of the times, the Oly lifts are truncated. As in, a clean really isn't a clean, and a jerk isn't really a jerk. It will depend on the individual 'box' and coaches. There are plenty of vids on youtube showing the proper movement to compare to what you get shown in a CF gym.

and, whatever you do: don't drink the kool aid!

that being said, the best part of my experience in CF was the other people going to the gym. I met some of the most wonderful folks I've ever had the pleasure to train with and miss many of them a great deal.

good luck.

[Oso]

also, imo, CF tends to be stupidly overpriced. I've looked in to the gyms here in Kona, and it's seriously expensive for an unlimited (which is usually just 3-4 days a week) membership at close to $150 a month...and that pricing tends to be the norm in generally lower economic cost of living areas. I can't imagine what it might be in a large metro area.

oh, I do agree with the 'on ramp' beginning concept. I think (not 100% sure) that you do a 'WOD' the first day you are there, then over the ensuing weeks you learn the specifics of the movements you were trying to do the first day...and then the last class of the 'on ramp' you do the WOD again...while, OBVIOUSLY, simply due to neural pathing improvements, you are going to improve in the 6-8 weeks of the 'on ramp' class over that first day you are going 'wtf is this?' you should also be learning the core movements of the power and oly lifts as well as the core movements that seem to be standard fair in any HIIT-plyometric type program.

so, at the same time I am impressed that, from a marketing standpoint, they are taking advantage of the quick boost in improvement anyone gets from the initial 'education' of a movement (neural pathing) to sell their product...I'm sort of sceptical because: A - anyone sticking to the program till the end WILL see an improvement in their performance B - anyone quitting will be labeled as losers and weak-willed and their 'status' as such will be used to unnecessarily inflate the ego's of those who stuck with the on-ramp program...all for the sake of marketing. C - further improvements will scale back a bit and not be as immediately satisfying...but, by that time, the average person has been suckered in to the program and most likely signed some sort of contract and EFT draft. :rolleyes:

I was lucky...lol, with being a cynical fvck to begin with, and friends with the original owner. So, I said, I'll pay you $25 a week, come as many times as I want and leave when I want.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Since crossfit is based on the "muscle confusion principle" your body n ever adapts and you always (typically) get a great workout.
IF however you are looking to build a specific skill set or strength type then it is NOT the ideal way to go.

[David Jamieson]

Since crossfit is based on the "muscle confusion principle" your body n ever adapts and you always (typically) get a great workout.
IF however you are looking to build a specific skill set or strength type then it is NOT the ideal way to go.

If someone is seeking to get fit, there's nothing wrong with this.
Any additional training targeting specifics can be included.

the thing about crossfit is it gets people in shape, melts fat off of them and by doing this in any format, your perspective on life will improve, your attitude and self esteem will improve and you won't mind looking at yourself in the mirror so much. :)

also gents, if you wanna extend that wang a little, lose some gut fat. works great! lol :p

[sanjuro_ronin]

If someone is seeking to get fit, there's nothing wrong with this.
Any additional training targeting specifics can be included.

the thing about crossfit is it gets people in shape, melts fat off of them and by doing this in any format, your perspective on life will improve, your attitude and self esteem will improve and you won't mind looking at yourself in the mirror so much. :)

also gents, if you wanna extend that wang a little, lose some gut fat. works great! lol :p

Yep, pretty much.
Personally I find crossfit dull and I do NOT like to train two different pathways the same workout but hey, whatever gets you off the coach I guess.

[MasterKiller]

Get ready for a lot of this:

http://www.tsmethod.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/crossfit-horrible-form.jpg

http://crossfit440.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/jillian-michaels-with-horrible-kettlebell-swing1.jpg

[sanjuro_ronin]

It should be noted that when it comes to working with weights that "jack of all trades, master of none" can be very dangerous.
There are energy and neural pathways that do NOT mix with "cardio".

[wenshu]

I joined a CF gym a couple blocks from my office so I could workout on my lunch break. They let me join on just an open gym use membership so I don't have to take any classes. The equipment is great, plenty of racks (not on the andro chicks though - highYO), bumper plates and oly bars.

I still wouldn't be caught dead doing one of those retarded pull ups.

One thing I have noticed is that all crossfit people ever talk about about is the food they can't eat. If you've never seen grown ass men obsess about food like 12 year old girls with nascent eating disorders, James, you're in for a treat.

"Oh mah gawd, I ate two bites of ice cream last night and there was some cake I really wanted. . ."

[wenshu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvlZrkssHxA

[Vash]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvlZrkssHxA

That is one creepy/skeezy sumbich.

[sanjuro_ronin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvlZrkssHxA

So much wrong...

[wenshu]

You know he hit it too.

[JamesC]

Lol I find their loyalty to the paleo diet pretty comical considering that both the guy and girl that have dominated their crossfit games don't use it. Froning drinks whole milk and eats peanut butter. The chick eats rice. All of that is a big no-no to their paleo mindset.

I'm trying it out today because of a recommendation by a good friend of mine that moved to NJ and opened his own gym. He told me the gyms to avoid and thr ones that actually have skilled people.

No contracts at te gym so if it sucks I can leave at least. And if thy expect me to stop eating carbs and dairy they are high

[wenshu]

Lol I find their loyalty to the paleo diet pretty comical considering that both the guy and girl that have dominated their crossfit games don't use it. Froning drinks whole milk and eats peanut butter. The chick eats rice. All of that is a big no-no to their paleo mindset.

They don't actually train crossfit either.

All of the top crossfit "competitors" training programs heavily utilize principles that are anathema to established crossfit doctrine. The drugs don't hurt either.

[JamesC]

Yeah I remember reading somewhere that he trains like 5 or 6 hours a day. Sounds all natural lol

[David Jamieson]

well at the very least you get a coach to tell you what to do next. :)

That is actually a good thing for many people. The self motivated hard workers are few compared to the greater number of people who need to be motivated and directed through workouts in order for them to receive and effective workout.

[iron_silk]

I don't post often at all but what you said really hit something with what people say to me.

In traditional kung fu group setting you are expected to work on your own and keep practicing until the "sihing/jie" or Sifu helps you.

But more often than not nowadays people need someone to follow all the way through and have someone tell them what to do at every step.

They can't work on their own or deem it not time efficient.

All well.



well at the very least you get a coach to tell you what to do next. :)

That is actually a good thing for many people. The self motivated hard workers are few compared to the greater number of people who need to be motivated and directed through workouts in order for them to receive and effective workout.

[JamesC]

well at the very least you get a coach to tell you what to do next. :)

That is actually a good thing for many people. The self motivated hard workers are few compared to the greater number of people who need to be motivated and directed through workouts in order for them to receive and effective workout.

For good or bad, the crossfit workouts tend to create a more competitive environment. You've got a clock running and other people doing the workout at the same time.

With that said, I think I'm a long way off from even considering most of that. Still a lot I don't know. Trainer had me do a 10 minute AMRAP workout te other day that was hard enough by myself. And it was a super scaled down version of theirs.

[Oso]

for all i said before...I personally enjoy the workouts. maybe there are things wrong with the process and sometimes there are probably way more reps than needed.

some of my fav's were the '30 reps as fast as you can' like 'Grace' or 'Isabell' ...i am noticing that they seem to be not referring to them as 'clean and jerk' (Grace) or 'snatch' (Isabell) as much. which is good since they are rarely performed with full squat catch or full split snatch cuz you can't get stupid low speeds they seem to strive for.

and, the competetiveness and comradery of the group class is personally motivating. until you get a coach with his panties in a wad cuz you beat his gym record ;) :rolleyes:

have at it man, have fun, don't drink the kool aid and watch out for overuse types of injuries.

[Vash]

have at it man, have fun, don't drink the kool aid and watch out for overuse types of injuries.

Oso just kipping pushup'd the correct in a fully Paleo fashion, brah.

[wenshu]

Oso just kipping pushup'd the correct in a fully Paleo fashion, brah.

No rep.

His shirt was still on and no one filmed it with a generic 90's rap-metal soundtrack.

[Oso]

One thing I have noticed is that all crossfit people ever talk about about is the food they can't eat. If you've never seen grown ass men obsess about food like 12 year old girls with nascent eating disorders, James, you're in for a treat.

"Oh mah gawd, I ate two bites of ice cream last night and there was some cake I really wanted. . ."

just saw this


yea, my biggest peeve with the group i was with was how they'd preach the paleo gospel but then would go out and get drunk as hell and eat tons of crap...then claim it was a 'cheat day'...

[bawang]

congrats on new job and finding a gym, i am happy for you. i wouldnt do any of the cf program though, just use their equipment.

i hope you have enough common sense not to do those olymic lifts for reps.

unless you are elite level athlete squatting 400 pounds+ you dont need "muscle confusion"

[JamesC]

I did "Fran" today. Holy crap.

Also, those kipping pullups are way harder than they look

[Oso]

Fran is a mean b!tch.

i think the kipping pull up gets a lot of negative press from the 'pure' lifters...while, it may not be a 'pullup' it is, imo, a great exercise.

just looked back, my best time was just 12:22 as a 245 fat ass.

[JamesC]

I did a heavily scaled version in 9:55. But that's with 65lb thrusters lol and banded pullups after the first round

[Oso]

that's ok. give it time. my 12:22 was after about a year in to it. it was Rx'd w/ no bands...but, any wod with pull ups or running meant slow times for me. lol, there wasn't anyone else in the gym over 200# much less approaching 250. buncha crunchies is what they are :D

[JamesC]

So...

Crossfit is a bust. I tore my rotator cuff again. This time at work. It's slick in the cooler and I tried to catch myself like an idiot.

Oddly enough, the only thing that helped my shoulder last time was overhead pressing. I guess it makes a more stable girdle.

Either way, I'm out of liftin for a bit.

[Oso]

that sucks. you sure it's torn? or just strained?

i took a heavy fall a couple months back, slipped down a mud bank and caught myself with my right hand on a fence post (my right shoulder which is the one i had repaired 8 years ago). I heard a god-awful crunch and feared the worse. But, I never felt any later pain/soreness and sorta feel i just stretched things out a bit.

[JamesC]

that sucks. you sure it's torn? or just strained?

i took a heavy fall a couple months back, slipped down a mud bank and caught myself with my right hand on a fence post (my right shoulder which is the one i had repaired 8 years ago). I heard a god-awful crunch and feared the worse. But, I never felt any later pain/soreness and sorta feel i just stretched things out a bit.

Well I have abused both shoulders since I was a kid. I suspect it is a combination of rock climbing, grappling, and years of incorrect bench press technique that made them so crappy. Typically my shoulder will warn me when I'm aggravating it and a couple days of rest cure. We will see this time. It's quite painful and even goin for a run today was out of the question.

I worry that all the overhead stuff that crossfit does will make it worse, but at tr same time pressing seems to help

[sanjuro_ronin]

So...

Crossfit is a bust. I tore my rotator cuff again. This time at work. It's slick in the cooler and I tried to catch myself like an idiot.

Oddly enough, the only thing that helped my shoulder last time was overhead pressing. I guess it makes a more stable girdle.

Either way, I'm out of liftin for a bit.

Welcome to life dude, welcome to life.

[SevenStar]

surrey to hear that, bud

[David Jamieson]

So...

Crossfit is a bust. I tore my rotator cuff again. This time at work. It's slick in the cooler and I tried to catch myself like an idiot.

Oddly enough, the only thing that helped my shoulder last time was overhead pressing. I guess it makes a more stable girdle.

Either way, I'm out of liftin for a bit.

Well, you can always practice some Kung Fu then. :p

[Vash]

Sorry to hear that James. Hope you get it rehabbed and awesome again soon.

[GeneChing]

There's a vid if you follow the link. ;)


Why Tai Chi Is As Good For You As CrossFit (http://time.com/4758683/tai-chi-exercise/)
Markham Heid
10:54 AM ET

You’ve probably seen groups of people practicing tai chi in a park, so you have some idea what it's all about. Slow, mindful movements. No weights. Low intensity. The practice combines aspects of ancient Chinese medicine, philosophy and martial arts, and it's the antithesis of most modern exercise programs that emphasize fast, vigorous activity.
Indeed, certain parts of tai chi are thousands of years old. But while tai chi may look mundane—even boring to some—experts who’ve studied it say its benefits are vast and hard to oversell.
Tai chi is a richly researched exercise, with health improvements ranging from better blood pressure scores to a sharper mind. “We’ve seen improved immunity to viruses and improved vaccine response among people who practiced tai chi,” says Dr. Michael Irwin, a professor of behavioral sciences and director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. During the past 15 years, Irwin has published more than a dozen studies linking tai chi to lower rates of insomnia, depression, illness and inflammation.
It holds up when compared to other more strenuous types of exercise. “Over time, we see people who do tai chi achieve similar levels of fitness as those who walk or do other forms of physical therapy,” Irwin says. One study in the American Journal of Epidemiology concluded that tai chi was nearly as effective as jogging at lowering risk of death among men. Another review in PLOS One found that the practice may improve fitness and endurance of the heart and lungs, even for healthy adults.
MORE: How Kickboxing Can Change Your Body and Your Life
Part of that is due to tai chi’s soothing effects on the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which tends to activate when a person is under stress. Much like aerobic exercise, tai chi seems to increase hormone and heart-rate measures linked with lower SNS activity, which could partly explain its ties to stronger hearts and lungs, Irwin says.
But how could such low-intensity exercise—something that involves movements with names like “cloud hands” and “lifting a lute”—offer these kinds of fitness perks?
“One of the most striking things we’ve found is that [tai chi’s] physiological impacts can’t be explained by its physical activity component," Irwin says. It’s the mindful, meditative quality of tai chi that makes it so compelling, and that may explain the practice’s broad benefits.
“I think of it as meditation on wheels,” says Dr. Peter Wayne, director of research at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Harvard Medical School. (He's the author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi, in which he references more than 600 academic papers on the health boons of the practice.) “You’re getting all the cognitive pieces you might get from meditation—mental clarity and focus and positive thoughts and lower stress—but you’re also getting physical exercise.”
Tai chi may also be a more approachable form of mindfulness training for those who struggle with the sit-and-breathe forms of meditation. “Directing attention to the body and pairing hand movements with balance and flexibility is easier for a lot of people than breath focus," Irwin says.
Tai chi may be especially healthful for older or sick adults who can’t perform more vigorous forms of physical activity. Among these groups, the practice is associated with improved balance and mobility, reduced risk of falls and better reaction times, Wayne says. A study in the Journal of Rheumatology tied tai chi to reduced pain and stiffness among people who have arthritis. It may also improve kidney and heart function among people suffering from related health issues, according to another study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science.
But maybe the most compelling reason to give tai chi a shot is its ability to strengthen the connections between your mind and body, which can help you move through life with greater awareness and pleasure. “You might enjoy exercise more than you did before because you’re more mindful of your body,” Wayne says. “Or you may avoid injury or falls because of body awareness.”It's a rare aspect of exercise. Unlike almost every other form of physical activity, tai chi demands focus, which is central to its meditative benefits. “Even with yoga, you can do it and have your mind be somewhere else,” Irwin says. “It’s very hard to do tai chi and not be present.”

[GeneChing]

This is sort of random but I'm trying to ttt some KFT&H threads to breathe a little life back into this here subforum.


https://games-assets.crossfit.com/styles/hero/s3/madison_triplet-199.jpg?itok=J7Ddv1jk
OCTOBER 3, 2017
RICKY GARARD DISQUALIFIED (https://games.crossfit.com/article/ricky-garard-disqualified)
By CrossFit

Ricky Garard has been stripped of his Games finish.

2017 Reebok CrossFit Games podium finisher Ricky Garard has been stripped of his third-place title after testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substances in a sample taken after this year’s final event.

Additionally, CrossFit has disqualified two other athletes.

Tony Turski, a 56-year-old masters athlete from Southern California who finished second in the Masters Men 55-59 Division, tested positive for Anastrozole. Fifty-two-year-old Josée Sarda of Canada East, who placed first in the Masters Women 50-54 Division, tested positive for selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), ostarine and testolone.

Garard, a 23-year-old from Australia, will lose the US$76,000 he’d won for his third-place overall finish and his first-place finishes in the Madison Triplet and Cyclocross events. He’s also been banned from participating in any CrossFit-sanctioned event through the 2021 season, and his invitation to compete in the 2017 Reebok CrossFit Invitational has been rescinded.

With Garard’s disqualification, Patrick Vellner becomes the third-place finisher of the 2017 Games.

The sample taken from Garard at the 2017 Games tested positive for testolone, and a beta-2 agonist known as endurobol. Anabolic agents and beta-2 agonists are specifically named as banned classes of drugs in the CrossFit Games Rulebook. CrossFit incorporates its drug-testing program throughout the Games season and outside of competition. There’s no tolerance for the use of performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs, in any CrossFit-sanctioned competition.

“The CrossFit Games have never had a top individual athlete test positive for PEDs until this case,” said General Manager of the CrossFit Games Justin Bergh. “Historically, the most frequent causes for a failed test have been masters athletes failing to read and accept our policy for hormone replacement in competition, and individual and team athletes using supplements containing banned substances not found on labels. Garard’s case does not appear to be accidental, and we take this result very seriously.”

Known as the world’s definitive test of fitness, the CrossFit Games ensure a level playing field, in part, by strongly enforcing an anti-doping policy—an absolute necessity in order to crown the Fittest on Earth. CrossFit partners with Drug Free Sport, which conducts drug analysis for the NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA, along with 300 other sports and athletic organizations, to administer its testing program. A laboratory approved by WADA processes blood and urine samples collected from CrossFit Games athletes.

Competitors may be sanctioned for a number of infractions apart from positive test results, including tampering in any way with samples; evading, refusing or failing to submit to a drug test; or attempting to or successfully trafficking any prohibited substances or methods. CrossFit may also recognize violations, including positive tests, reported by other anti-doping organizations, such as the United States Anti-Doping Agency, in their in- and out-of-competition testing within other sports.

“The Games are an opportunity for athletes to prove their fitness through competition. The diversity of our events is part of what validates the claim that these are the fittest people on Earth,” Bergh said. “Drug testing is another important test, which ensures that the training and talent of the athletes are what determine the outcome. Garard failed to validate his performance this year and will face a four-year suspension from competition. We will closely evaluate the circumstances of his case and others, and adjust our directed testing accordingly. All athletes can be confident that CrossFit will aggressively pursue and punish anyone who attempts to use drugs to gain an advantage in competition.”

In the 2017 season, CrossFit has previously disqualified three athletes who’d won berths to the 2017 Games in both individual and team competition due to PED use. More recently, the organization disqualified five Meridian athletes—four men and one woman—who’d tested positive for PEDs in samples taken during the Regional event. None of those athletes were podium finishers but had been subjected to directed testing because of credible information CrossFit officials had obtained about possible PED use. The announcement of their disqualifications and suspensions came later in the season because of the need for supplemental testing of their samples.

CrossFit incorporates testing of all podium finishers, along with both random and directed testing in and out of the season. The sport is committed to disclosing positive drug test results and punishments in a timely manner once the investigations into the matters are complete.

“Any athlete who uses performance-enhancing drugs is directly attacking his fellow competitors, our community and our sport,” Bergh said. “It is our responsibility, along with athletes themselves, to identify those threats and remove them. As the heads of the sport, we will do our part to provide the means necessary to ensure this continues to happen.”

[sanjuro_ronin]

PED in crossfit is something that has been whispered around for a few years, I remember reading an article about it a few years back.
Especially the women, the PED of choice for them being Anavar.
Pretty obvious if you know anything about how steroids effect your body.

[GeneChing]

I'm not much for fitness trends (obviously - I do Kung Fu (http://www.martialartsmart.com/kung-fu-tai-chi-shaolin-styles.html) :rolleyes:) but I read this and then saw my first F45 studio right after.


Move Over CrossFit, Here Comes F45 (http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/fitness-and-wellness/2018/move-over-crossfit--here-comes-f45)
The Australian fitness trend has made its way to the States.

http://food.fnr.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2018/1/17/0/HE_Gym-Kettle-Bells_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.616.462.suffix/1516227013496.jpeg
AJ_Watt

By: Dana Angelo White, M.S., R.D., A.T.C.
Looking for new workout program where you can feel challenged, yet carefully guided by fitness experts? The Australian-born F45 program has been gaining major popularity overseas, and is now making its way to the U.S. We spoke with Rachel Darden, owner of F45 in Fairfield, Connecticut to learn more about this hot fitness trend.

What does F45 stand for?

F45 stands for Functional 45-minutes. Our workouts focus on functional movements, movements that mimic how we move in our daily lives. We squat, we lunge, we hinge, we rotate, we push, we pull and we walk. All of our workout programs, with the exception of “Hollywood” are 45 minutes of circuit based, high-intensity interval training.

What is functional training? Who is the perfect person for a F45 workout?

Functional training is a style of training which utilizes those 7 basic movement patterns [mentioned above]. The idea behind functional training is that you should train the way you move in everyday life.

The best thing about interval training is that it allows for every fitness level to succeed. Nothing is rep based. You push yourself as hard as you can in a given time period. And everything we do can be scaled to suit the individual. I tell my clients all the time, you never have to jump with me if it isn't your thing. My goal is to find a means to keep you moving.

There are 27 different workouts featured at F45. Some are strength-focused and others are more cardio-based. What's your favorite and why?

T10 is my favorite! It is a hybrid workout that combines both cardio and strength. I love it because I can push myself to breathlessness on the cardio stations and know I can slow down and regroup at the strength stations. It is interval training at its best! If you are wearing a heart rate monitor in T10, you see a whole lot of peaks and valleys at the end, and that is the way it should be!

What classes would you recommend for beginners, and for someone more advanced? Can accommodations be made for folks with existing injuries or orthopedic issues?

Anyone who is looking to burn fat and sculpt lean muscle in a short, focused training session should come on in! Because of the circuits and unique timing of our programs, the sessions fly by. There is no wandering about the gym wondering what you should be doing. It's all taken care of for you.

Because each workout is interval based, people can come to any session and succeed. There is no beginner or expert. We all train together, listen to our bodies and do what we can in the interval. If you are new to fitness, you might just take things slower, take out some of the plyometrics, or work with your own body weight until you are ready (and able) to progress. If you are someone who is working out 5 times a week, you are likely going to focus on different things, like tempo or a greater range of motion, to turn up your effort.

We can and do work around injuries and orthopedic issues. It's so important for clients to remember, your coaches aren't mind readers! You have to let us know what is going on so we can put our education to use, and keep you safe and moving in a way that works for your body.

Thread: Crossfit (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60302-Crossfit)
Thread: F45 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70678-F45)

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxdr3zqvTw

[Oso]

saw this the other day too. props to her.

funny how all of the top 'crossfit' champs don't actually train crossfit much

[GeneChing]

CrossFit exec fired after calling LGBT community ‘sinners’ (https://nypost.com/2018/06/07/crossfit-exec-fired-after-calling-lgbt-community-sinners/)
By Chris Perez June 7, 2018 | 12:45am

https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/crossfit-exec.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=618&h=410&crop=1
Shutterstock

A CrossFit executive got excommunicated from the sport on Wednesday after posting a series of tweets blasting the LGBT community as “sinners.”



CrossFit
✔
@CrossFit
6 Jun
CrossFit is a diverse community in every way, and that’s what makes us strong. No matter who you are, how you’re built, what you believe, or who or how you love—we are proud of you.


CrossFit
✔
@CrossFit
The statements made today by Russell Berger do not reflect the views of CrossFit Inc. For this reason, his employment with CrossFit has been terminated.

4:45 PM - Jun 6, 2018
3,352
1,075 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

“He needs to take a big dose of ‘shut the f–k up’ and hide out for awhile,” said CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman during an interview with BuzzFeed News.

“We do so much good work with such pure hearts — to have some zealot in his off-time do something this stupid, we’re all upset.”

Russell Berger, the company’s Chief Knowledge Officer, was given the boot Wednesday just hours after his ****phobic Twitter rant went viral.

He made the comments as a way to show support for a CrossFit gym in Indianapolis that chose to cancel an LGBT event this week that was planned for Pride Month.

“As someone who personally believes celebrating ‘pride’ is a sin, I’d like to personally encourage #CrossFitInfiltrate for standing by their convictions and refusing to host an @indypride workout,” Berger wrote in a since-deleted tweet.

“The intolerance of the LGBTQ ideology toward any alternative views is mind-blowing,” he added. “The tactics of some in the LGBTQ movement toward dissent is an existential threat to freedom of expression. The lack of tolerance for disagreement, which has been replaced with bullying Twitter mobs promising ‘consequences’, should be a concern regardless of your political stance.”

Berger’s stance sparked widespread outrage on social media, with countless users and members of the CrossFit community calling him out Wednesday. The company issued an online statement in response and distanced itself from his comments, but didn’t initially fire him.

The high-ranking exec was first placed on administrative leave before the backlash proved to be too much to bear for CrossFit officials.

“The statements made today by Russell Berger do not reflect the views of CrossFit Inc.,” the company said. “For this reason, his employment with CrossFit has been terminated.”

Glassman, the sport’s founder, told BuzzFeed that “the whole company” was upset about the Berger rant, which he called “appalling.”

“This changes his standing with us,” Glassman explained, not long before Berger was axed Wednesday. “It’s so unfortunate.”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xSoGpWi2L_w




funny how all of the top 'crossfit' champs don't actually train crossfit much
That's a funny observation Oso. So they crosstrain for crossfit? :p One of my Kung Fu brothers is into it, but he cross trains a lot of stuff. And of course, I have several friends that are into it.

[Oso]

That's a funny observation Oso. So they crosstrain for crossfit? :p One of my Kung Fu brothers is into it, but he cross trains a lot of stuff. And of course, I have several friends that are into it.

from my roughly 2 years of training in my buddies crossfit box I learned that most of the top winners of the crossfit games utilized common strength building programs with periodization (sp?) vs. the random approach crossfit pitches..but, it's been 7 years now so, I could be wrong about current players

[GeneChing]

I'll just leave this here. :rolleyes:


https://sme-badges.crossfit.com/Badges/bodyguard.png

CrossFit Workshop: Be Your Own Bodyguard (https://training.crossfit.com/bodyguard)
OVERVIEW DETAILS
"THE ABILITY TO PROTECT YOURSELF OR A LOVED ONE IS THE SINGLE GREATEST SKILL YOU COULD POSSESS." –TONY BLAUER
The CrossFit Workshop: Be Your Own Bodyguard™ is a single-day, immersive course designed to improve physical self-defense, situational awareness, verbal de-escalation skills and fear management. Through a mixture of classroom discussion and innovative partner drills, participants leave the workshop with simple, practical but effective self-defense skills.

Created by Coach Tony Blauer—a pioneer of modern self-defense and champion of the CrossFit community—the workshop leverages the SPEAR™ concept, which is based on human physiology and natural biomechanics. The “startle-flinch response” is part of the human survival reflex, and attendees learn to harness it as a catalyst for protective movement.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The CrossFit Workshop: Be Your Own Bodyguard teaches participants:

How to develop better situational awareness.
The importance of fear in life.
How to recognize “real” danger from “imagined.”
How to manage fear in a crisis.
“Biologically hard-wired” physical self-defense skills.
“Human Weapon” system principles.
SPEAR™ system fundamentals.
PREREQUISITES
None

CERTIFICATES
Sent electronically 1-2 weeks after course completion to the email address used for registration.

LANGUAGE
The default language for the CrossFit Workshop: Be Your Own Bodyguard is English. In some countries, a translator is provided. Lecture and small-group practical sessions are translated in real time. Courses with a translator are specified in the "Language" section from the event registration link. Generally, translators are used in Latin America and some countries in Europe and Asia.

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS)
Upon successful completion of this course, a Certified CrossFit Trainer may claim seven CEUs towards their continuing education.

PRICE
Currency Course Price**
USD $249
CAD $335
AUD $300
GBP £190
** CrossFit reserves the right to update pricing at any time. Pricing is applicable at the time course registration is opened. Applicable local taxes are additional.

CrossFit does not accommodate refunds or transfers.

Email sme@crossfit.com for discounts for active duty or retired military personnel and first responders.

SUPPORT
sme@crossfit.com

There are some sample vids that are being lambasted on facebook by a lot of martial artists now.

[Oso]

links to the lamb basting?

[GeneChing]

links to the lamb basting?
Well, sitonmyfacebook ain't a searchable database (which is one reason why this antiquated medium of an online forum is superior - the archive). If you're friends with our old member David Ross on fb, look at his page. He's active on fb and you'll find some lambasting on his timeline. There are others, but that's a start.

[Oso]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnrU_LCyK24

pretty good review of it i think

[Kevin73]

from my roughly 2 years of training in my buddies crossfit box I learned that most of the top winners of the crossfit games utilized common strength building programs with periodization (sp?) vs. the random approach crossfit pitches..but, it's been 7 years now so, I could be wrong about current players

From what I have seen, this holds true still. Crossfit teaches you how to exercise. PERIOD. Crossfit does NOT teach you how to train. When you train for something you have a goal, a plan and a way to measure your progress. The average person going to the gym....sorry, I mean "the box" will exercise and improve their overall fitness and health for sure. But, they aren't training.

The top guys know that in the competitions, there will be many different workouts that include various skills and lifts. They have to have a plan to get better at those individual components. So, they will come up with a plan to progress in those specific skills and then measure their progress through weight and time like they would in a competition.

[GeneChing]

Capitalizing on meeting singles and 'self defense' - how is this new for gym clubs? :rolleyes:



Is CrossFit the new Tinder? How the latest fitness craze is giving Hongkongers the chance of finding true love (https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/2156815/crossfit-new-tinder-how-latest-fitness-craze-giving)
Hong Kong’s hottest fitness regimen is making waves in the dating game as the tough training sessions help exercising individuals bond, and before you know it romance blossoms

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 26 July, 2018, 8:01pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 26 July, 2018, 8:01pm
Patrick Blennerhassett

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980x551/public/images/methode/2018/07/26/f3a577f2-8bfe-11e8-8608-b7163509a377_1280x720_191212.jpg

Tired of Tinder, or heading to the nightclub at the weekend to try to find that special someone? Then it’s time to trade your evening wear for something a bit more sporty as CrossFit is sweeping through Hong Kong, and it’s the new way of meeting people.

A variety of media outlets such as The Huffington Post, Muscle & Fitness and The New York Times have highlighted the recent trend within the CrossFit world, where thanks to it people are meeting for the first time and eventually dating.

The fitness regime runs groups through various workouts that incorporate everything from powerlifting and high-intensity training to gymnastics and plyometrics. Doing this together helps build community and camaraderie between those taking part as Crossfitters suffer through their workouts of the day together, in timed sessions.

Cris O’Brien, the owner of CrossFit Asphodel in Kennedy Town, was the first gym of its kind to open in Hong Kong back in 2010. O’Brien met his wife Vanessa Cheung at CrossFit and the couple got married last year. O’Brien said they’ve had multiple relationships start at their gym. As a coach, he stays out of his clients’ personal lives, but can definitely see the allure of why meeting someone at CrossFit might make for a good fit, given the anecdotal evidence he is seen at CrossFit Asphodel.

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/07/26/0f35fc1c-8bff-11e8-8608-b7163509a377_1320x770_191212.JPG
Cris O’Brien met his wife, Vanessa, at CrossFit and the couple got married last year. Photo: Crossfit Asphodel

“It’s not an uncommon story now I would say,” says O’Brien of CrossFit couples. “Our head coach, Ash [Booth], met his wife through CrossFit and one of our other senior coaches – our strength specialist coach Taylor [Rank] – also met his wife through CrossFit. So it’s definitely not a unique occurrence now by any means.”


I always say, we’re the nicest, healthiest cult out there DAN WAN, COACH
O’Brien said a lot of the people who come to his gym live “high-intensity” lives, so meeting someone who shares a similar outlook on life checks off a pretty important box right from the start. “There’s a certain type of person that is drawn to this high-intensity workout, too,” he added.

Sophie McKenzie, a senior coach with CrossFit 852 in Central, said she has seen lots of romantic relationships start during workouts. She noted the gym has about 150 members and they’re usually split into people who like to take morning classes and those who come after work.

https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/07/26/ba831b22-90c3-11e8-ad1d-4615aa6bc452_1320x770_191212.jpg
Alan Mckenzie (left) and his wife Sophie, a senior coach with CrossFit 852. Photo: David Wong

Of course, like everywhere, she said some of the romantic relationships have lasted and some have flamed out, but there’s an added bonus of meeting someone at CrossFit that might not apply to Tinder or meeting someone randomly in a bar.

“People can be a lot more careful than, say, just drunkenly hooking up with somebody,” she says. “If you know you’re going to the gym the next day and will see that person, you might be a bit more careful in your selection. And we all know each other. So you’re a little bit more careful about doing stupid things, and you also don’t want to ruin your gym environment because people love coming every day.”

McKenzie said on top of classes where people can mingle before and after their session, many head out together for drinks or food after the evening classes to unwind. She said they also do regular junk boat trips, host parties and have a tight-knit community on social media.

“It’s really good because sometimes the morning group won’t meet the nighttime group, so it’s just a good way for them to socialise even if they’re not in a class together. And they also think, ‘Well this is great – there are more people than just the 10 people I see every morning at my class.’”

McKenzie didn’t meet her husband at CrossFit; however, she said he embraced the fitness craze while dating her and fell in love with it in the process.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/07/26/34655dd4-8f1f-11e8-ad1d-4615aa6bc452_1320x770_191212.JPG
CrossFit training first started in 2000 in the United States. Photo: Alamy

“I think he realised if he didn’t get into it he would never see me,” she says. “Now he is probably the most famous person there. He is better known than me. It’s always cool to see couples who met at CrossFit working out at the gym together. You can really see that bond in action.”

CrossFit first started back in 2000 in the United States, and has exploded internationally since. A recent Men’s Health article estimates there are around 13,000 gyms worldwide. The CrossFit Games, sponsored by Reebok and held every year, have also gone from a fringe event to sold-out stadiums, and finals are televised across the US.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/07/26/0a82b280-909d-11e8-ad1d-4615aa6bc452_1320x770_191212.JPG
Alan Mckenzie and his wife, Sophie. “I think he realised if he didn’t get into it he would never see me,” she says. Photo: David Wong

Valentina Tudose, who has been working as a dating coach in Hong Kong since 2014, said physical activities are a great way to meet suitable partners. She said CrossFit meets a number of requirements when you’re choosing a suitable partner, as you already have a shared interest for a very specific type of fitness.

“You have one thing in common with everybody who is there,” says Tudose. “And that might extend to your love of nutrition or just working out, but you already have something you can talk to these people about, and that just makes it a lot easier. And when people share passions, they connect a lot better. And they do say CrossFit is a bit like a religion.”

CrossFit 852 coach Dan Wan agrees, saying the fitness regime definitely has a bit of a theological aspect to it.

“I always say, we’re the nicest, healthiest cult out there,” he quips.

[GeneChing]

There's no graphics in this article, but there's a little embedded vid plus a lot of the references are hyperlinked.


Which Exercise Burns the Most Calories? Here's What Science Says (http://time.com/5393676/which-exercise-burns-the-most-calories-heres-what-science-says/)
By MARKHAM HEID September 12, 2018
TIME Health

Your time is precious — and limited. So when it comes to working out, it’s not uncommon to wonder: what exercise burns the most calories?

Exercise scientists have rigorously studied the amount of energy people expend during different types of exercise, and they’ve determined which workouts are best for burning calories. The thing to keep in mind: the more muscles you engage and the harder (and longer) you push those muscles, the more energy your body will churn through, says Dr. Tim Church, an exercise researcher and a professor of preventative medicine at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. So in order to maximize the number of calories you’ll burn, “you want an exercise that uses both lower and upper body muscle groups and is performed at a high intensity,” Church says.

You might therefore expect something along the lines of CrossFit or Tabata-style interval training to burn the most calories. And you may be right.

A study on one popular CrossFit workout called the “Cindy” — in which a person does a series of pull-ups, push-ups and squats in as many rounds as possible — found that it burned an average of 13 calories per minute. The workout lasts 20 minutes, so exercisers burned an average of 260 calories in total. While perfect apples-to-apples studies aren’t available, some Tabata research has shown that one of these workouts — composed of 4-minute training blocks that mix maximum-intensity bouts of resistance and aerobic training with short periods of rest — burns 14.5 calories per minute, or 280 calories during a 20-minute workout.

These per-minute calorie averages beat out many traditional forms of exercise. “But there’s such a variety within these classes and the people doing them that scores are all over the map,” says John Porcari, author of the Tabata study and a professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. For example, some people in his Tabata study burned up to 360 calories during the 20-minute workout, or 18 calories per minute.

Yet “per-minute” calorie burn isn’t always the best way to assess a workout’s energy demands, Porcari says. The total time spent training and a person’s willingness to stick with a workout are also important factors. “You can crank like the dickens for 30 seconds and burn a lot of calories,” he says. So if you’re extremely short on time, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is probably your best option. But in the real world, Porcari says, many people won’t be comfortable (or capable of) engaging in regular or extended bouts of high-intensity training.

He says a “more fair” way to assess an exercise’s true energy demands is to ask people to do it at a pace that is comfortable for them. And when it comes to vigorous, calorie-burning exercises that people are comfortable doing for extended periods of time, running usually comes out on top. “When you look at the literature, running tends to burn more calories than other modalities,” he says.

According to an online calorie estimator from the American Council on Exercise, a 115-pound person running for 30 minutes at a slow-to-moderate pace (a 10-minute mile) would burn about 260 calories: the same amount people who did CrossFit typically torched in 20 minutes, according to the research. A 175-pound person would burn nearly 400 calories during that same 30-minute run. Pick up the pace, and you can achieve an even greater rate of calorie burn.

You may be wondering whether more intense forms of exercise lead to a higher rate of calorie expenditure even after training is finished — or a so-called “afterburn effect.” Research from Colorado State University has shown that, yes, intense exercise does keep a person’s metabolism humming longer than mild exercise. But this afterburn effect tends to peter out quickly — within a few hours — and it accounts for a small fraction of the total calories a person expends during and after exercise.

Also, a workout’s length — not just its intensity — helps to keep a person’s metabolism elevated after training, finds a review from the University of New Mexico. So if your goal is to burn the maximum amount of energy, you’ll want to find an exercise that is vigorous and that you can stick with for a long stretch of time.

For a lot of people, that mode is running. For others, it may be fast stationary cycling or Tabata or using an elliptical. The research suggests all are more or less comparable if you’re able to put in the time and keep up the intensity.

The bottom line? The best workout for burning calories is “the one you actually do,” Church says. You can find extreme forms of exercise that maximize per-minute calorie burn. But if you don’t stick with them or do them regularly, they’re not much good to you.

THREADS
Crossfit (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60302-Crossfit/page5)
Variation in tabatas (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48591-Variation-in-tabatas)

[GeneChing]

We don't have a Barre (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71270-Barre) thread? Well, we do now. Also copied this to our Crossfit (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60302-Crossfit) thread.


I Traded My CrossFit Workout For Barre Class, and This Is What Totally Shocked Me (https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/How-Does-CrossFit-Compare-Barre-46015456)
April 11, 2019

While I was visiting my best friend in New York City, she treated me to her favorite barre class. I teach yoga, do CrossFit, and love working out and getting stronger. But I actually had never done barre in my life, so I slipped on the grippy socks and was excited to have at it!

https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/p34PhzNZ779gyH8YUezXwQXOKDo/fit-in/2048xorig/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2019/04/10/864/n/1922729/tmp_5HsflS_1dc92da8e2795b2a_GettyImages-642299016.jpg

First Impressions
In the small carpeted room, three walls had ballet bars attached, and there were mirrors on two of the walls. The very friendly instructor introduced herself, and said, "You've done barre before, right?" My friend answered yes for me, then whispered to me that this was not a beginner class, but that I'd be fine. That was my first indication that I, in fact, was not going to be fine.

Everyone in the room was younger than me, wearing adorable matching sports bras with leggings — I felt like I was in a barre commercial! And they all clearly had done barre before because they all seemed to know exactly what to do when the instructor called out exercises and equipment. It was inspirational to see them all moving so gracefully with soft smiles on their faces. And then there was me. I felt like I was struggling the entire hour-long class!

What Was the Workout Like?
The very first thing we were told to do was grab a set of dumbbells. All right! Starting off with something I was familiar with! I was surprised to see that the dumbbells only went up to six pounds. I thought, hmmm, I better grab some five-pounders, because from my two-class SoulCycle experiences, I had a notion there was going to be a lot of reps in my future. We faced the mirror for a series of fast-paced arm exercises. It was weird to see myself — there are no mirrors in CrossFit! But truthfully, I felt pretty pumped seeing my muscles working, and I had no trouble doing the thousands of bicep curls in the arm series (thank you, CrossFit!). Boom! I'm a barre master!

Then we moved over to the barre. There we put a large, squishy ball between our knees. The instructor had us bring our heels together, then raise them off the floor, then do a million small squats. Holy hell! I thought my legs were strong from weighted squats, deadlifts, and sled drags, but man — I could not keep up! I had to take breaks every couple of reps while everyone else was still going strong! I cursed that frickin' ball.

After putting the ball away, we then did some squats and awkward (for me, at least) leg lifts/kicks while holding onto the bar. I had to look around the entire time since I couldn't get the thought, "What the heck am I supposed to be doing?" out if my head. As a visual person, I needed someone to follow. The instructor could tell, and she sweetly kept coming over to me, moving my limbs where they needed to go like a puppeteer, saying, "Sugar, you're doing great!"

We then grabbed mats and moved on to the floor. "Sweet relief," I thought, but I was sorely wrong (ha, pun intended!). On all fours, we did a bunch of isolated booty lifts, followed by plank holds, and then core work. After two minutes of stretching, the instructor said, "Have a great day, barre-tenders!" ushering us out and welcoming the next group in. Phew!

https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/cKFw3Q6r4QTWfpw_piky7Qe60IE/fit-in/2048xorig/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2019/04/10/866/n/1922729/tmp_6fxjTW_60523b2fc103c7da_GettyImages-642299026.jpg

How Did Barre Compare to CrossFit?
It was quite the whirlwind experience! I mean, I wasn't bored at all, so that was a bonus! But the floor work was probably the hardest part for me, emotionally and physically. This is the moment I saw the instructor demonstrate some move — we were on all fours and she lifted her leg back to do some lifts and I saw it, and my first thought was — holy magnificent marshmallow! She had this perfectly round, plump, firm, marshmallow pom-pom of a glute. I mean this in the most loving way possible.

I just couldn't believe my eyes, but it made me realize that CrossFit and barre were like polar opposites. CrossFit is all about building strength through functional movements — picking up barbells translates to an easier time picking up your kids or carrying groceries. Box jumps make climbing stairs (or mountains) easier. Suffering through burpees not only makes you appreciate life, but they build speed and agility in case you had to get up and run away from an attacker or a bear (hey, it could happen!).

Now barre? To me, it seemed like all the exercises we did were purely for aesthetic purposes. I mean when I was leaning on the barre lifting my extended leg up behind me, bending my knee so I could target a section of my glutes, which I had no idea I was engaging until the next day when I felt it aching on the airplane ride home, I knew that barre must be the reason butts are called peaches. I felt like barre was all about making you look good, while not necessarily feel good, which is what CrossFit does for me. The class didn't make me feel confident and strong the way CrossFit does; it made me feel the opposite.

I definitely felt worked by the end of barre, but it wasn't as intense or competitive as CrossFit — two things I love about that workout. There's an element of always trying to lift more, move faster, or improve in some way, and that's what drives me to go back again and again. CrossFit is exciting and even though the workouts push me to the point of feeling like I may puke or cry (or both), that's what sets CrossFit apart from anything else. I just didn't feel that same exhilaration and joy after barre.

Will I Go Back?
After the class I looked at my friend and thought, "I don't know if she loves me or hates me!" I've been doing CrossFit for almost three years and I'm no weakling! But that barre class completely humbled me. I felt uncomfortable not knowing if I was doing the exercises correctly, and my muscles were shaking — I couldn't believe a barre class could be that hard!

As a yoga instructor and an avid CrossFitter, I actually enjoyed being put in the position where I was a newbie. It made me appreciate how far I've come in my fitness journey and how good it is to try new things. Sweating it out, balancing on the balls of my feet, feeling my inner thighs incinerating in barre made me realize just how much I love CrossFit, and that realization made the experience worth it. I don't see myself seeking out a barre class on my own, but if a friend invites me to go, I definitely won't pass up the opportunity to feel humbled again at the barre.

Image Source: Getty / FatCamera

[GeneChing]

North Texas Fitness Coach Arrested After Hidden Camera Discovered At CrossFit Gym (https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2019/04/26/texas-fitness-coach-arrested-hidden-camera-crossfit-gym/)
By Robbie Owens April 26, 2019 at 6:22 pm

ALLEN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Secret recordings, a sordid text and a fitness community in Allen left furious and betrayed.

A popular coach and part owner of a CrossFit gym was arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor and invasive visual recording.

This was not the Eric Bedunah that most of them thought they knew.

“He’s a father, he’s a husband, he’s a coach,” said a father and former client whose name CBS 11 is not disclosing for privacy reasons. “I thought he was was a great person.”​

https://cbsdallas.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/asuspect-7.jpg?w=768&h=432
Eric Bedunah

Those former friends now say the “family man” was a predator looking for an opportunity. ​

“As a parent, I felt like a failure, because I didn’t protect our daughter,” admits the teen’s mother.​

The couple says Bedunah coached their daughter at Allen CrossFit while also quietly grooming her for months. Then came the text that went too far.​

“He sent a naked picture of himself,” says her father. Their daughter told a school resource officer. Then Allen Police launched an investigation and the sense of betrayal would spread.​

“That led them to execute a search warrant and confirm there had been a hidden camera in the women’s restroom,” adds the father at the CrossFit gym.​

“Shocked. Horrified,” say the couple, almost in unison. And still they are so very grateful that a teenager found the courage to come forward.​

“I’d like to call her a savior,” adds her mother. “I feel like she saved a lot of children and saved a lot of women from this abuse.”​

Her father says the change in her was instant and explained some of the struggles of prior months. “I could almost physically see the weight lifted off her shoulders once she came forward.”​

Allen Police and CrossFit gym partners have confirmed that Bedunah was terminated as soon as the accusations surfaced and has no current involvement with the facility.

In a statement, CrossFit partners told CBS 11 “Our hearts go out to everyone who was affected by his conduct, as we remain committed to the safety and unity of our entire CrossFit Allen community.”​

Bedunah turned himself into police last week and has since been released on bond, but these grieving parents want to see him in jail.​

“My daughter has been confined in her own jail…she has kept this secret inside. I think it only seems right that he serves his time.”​

They always seem like a 'great person'. That's what's so insidious.

[GeneChing]

As always, I try to remain neutral with political issues here, but this is relevant to the global impact of CrossFit


CrossFit Games 2019: Taiwanese athlete must represent China under new country rules (https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit-strongman/article/3010941/crossfit-games-2019-taiwanese-athlete-must)
Tsai-Jui Hung says she ‘would proudly say I come from Taiwan’
Situation brings self-ruled democracy’s complicated relationship with China back into the sporting spotlight
BY PATRICK BLENNERHASSETT
21 MAY 2019

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While Ruei Tsai-Jui Hung will represent China if she heads to the 2019 CrossFit Games, there will be little doubt in her answer when asked where she is from.

“I would proudly say I come from Taiwan,” said Hung, who came 805th in the CrossFit Open, a five-week, user-submitted workout contest.

Hung, who finished first in China (CrossFit has Hong Kong and Taiwan under China concerning its new country representative rules jurisdiction) is hoping to raise enough money to travel to Madison, Wisconsin this summer to compete in the Games.

Hong Kong’s own Ant Haynes, a former rugby player, was the top male in the 2019 CrossFit Open. Hung, 26, is Taiwanese and trains out of Kaohsiung at both CrossFit X Ray (where she is a full-time coach) and Lian CrossFit (her original gym).

CrossFit Games: Patrick Vellner ready to take ‘second’ out of his vocabulary this summer

Beijing doesn’t control Taiwan but claims the self-ruled democracy as its territory. And the Chinese Communist Party has in recent years ramped up a campaign to isolate Taiwan internationally, including forcing airlines to change the way they refer to Taiwan and censoring display of the Taiwanese flag.

“I also respect the whole CrossFit structure,” Hung said. “All my focus now will be mainly on doing my best in the games and letting people who support me feel proud.”

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Tsai-Jui Hung finishing an event at the recent Asia CrossFit Championship which was held in Shanghai. Photo: Handout

In a statement released after CrossFit announced it would do away with “Regionals” and implement “country representatives”, it stated “we are generally following national sovereignty, informed by US government policy” when it comes to drawing country lines. However, the official US policy toward Taiwan has been deliberately ambiguous since it switched formal diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Taiwan was also recently warned by the International Olympic Committee that it could lose its right to compete if it changes its name from “Chinese Taipei” for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Both Hung and Haynes competed at the first ever Asia CrossFit Championship, which was held in late April. Haynes came third while Hung finished 12th in a field that included marquee athletes like Kristin Holte and Eik Gylfadottir, both of whom will head to the Games this summer.

CrossFit Games 2019: surprised Malaysian winner heads to US to compete ‘even if I pass out’

Hung originally got into CrossFit after graduating from university in 2016, noting she played a number of sports growing up including volleyball, table tennis and karate. She said she was sold right away.

“I had my first trial class at Lian CrossFit, that’s when I knew I was going to do this for my lifetime, and that’s how I fell in love with CrossFit immediately.”

Hung said she trains five to six days a week, in three to four hour sessions each day. This is capped off with a rest day and a recovery day where she does light exercises. She said there isn’t anything special about her diet and she follows the norm when it comes to diet choices.

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Tsai-Jui Hung during a CrossFit competition in Taiwan. Photo: Handout

“I do know what I’m eating to keep my body in optimal status to train. I try to eat as clean as possible like everyone who does CrossFit would do,” she said.

“I avoid processed food and sugar contained food for the most of time. I adjust my food intake according to my training volume and my body condition.

“I usually take more dense carbs before and after training session to support my training and have better recovery.”

CrossFit announces 236 national champions for 2019 CrossFit Games in Wisconsin

She noted CrossFit is growing in Taiwan as well, but has a way to go to catch up to other mainstream sports.

According to CrossFit’s official website, Taiwan is home to 17 “boxes”, as CrossFit gyms are know as. Five are in the Taipei area while Taichung has three and Kaohsiung also has five. Tainan and Hualien also both have one while Hong Kong has six.

”

[GeneChing]

What the heck is in the water of Cookeville?


How a small US town became CrossFit's global mecca (https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/19/sport/crossfit-games-cookeville-tennessee-mecca-spt-intl/index.html)
By Will Edmonds, CNN
Updated 6:04 AM ET, Tue November 19, 2019

(CNN)Imagine if tennis legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams lived and trained in the same small town. Both arguably the greatest of all time in their own disciple, living and training side by side, pushing each other to new heights.
Or perhaps soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar all taking root in the same small village in Spain. Bumping into each other at the grocery store and all getting together for dinner once a week.
You can't. It just wouldn't happen.
Well, in the sport of competitive CrossFit, that unlikely scenario has become reality with arguably the three greatest competitors in the sport's history all residing within a few short miles of each other, deep in the heart of rural Tennessee.
As a result, Cookeville, a city of just 30,000 people, has become a mecca in CrossFit, with devotees making pilgrimages all over the world just to work out in the company of some of the fittest people on Earth.
The reason for this mass migration to Cookeville, is Rich Froning. The 32-year-old Cookeville native dominated the sport from 2011 to 2014 -- winning four straight individual CrossFit Games titles -- before making the switch to the team format, and subsequently going on to dominate that too.
Froning opened his gym -- CrossFit Mayhem -- in 2009, primarily for himself to train in, but soon the best in the world flocked to work out alongside him.
CrossFit stars such as Josh Bridges (fourth at the 2014 CrossFit Games), Dan Bailey (fourth at the 2015 Games), and Sara Sigmundsdottir (third at the 2016 and 2017 Games) have all made Cookeville their home at various times.

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/190403113915-02-sara-sigmundsdottir-exlarge-169.jpg
Sara Sigmundsdottir trained in Cookeville.

In 2017, CrossFit's really big hitters moved in.
After winning the second of his fourth (to date) men's individual CrossFit Games titles, Mat Fraser relocated to Cookeville, "I just want company in the gym." Fraser told CNN Sport. "So whether I'm in Vermont or in Cookeville, that's what I'm getting. It's just in Cookeville they're a little fitter."
The company he keeps certainly is fitter. For the last year, Fraser has been training alongside the three-time defending women's champion Tia-Clair Toomey.
In what may be unique in the history of any sport, the men's and women's world No. 1's train together daily. The two do so under the watchful eye of Toomey's husband Shane Orr, who now coaches them both.
"I'm excited when I know there's so many other people here who are trying to achieve the exact same thing as me," Toomey told CNN Sport ahead of her move to Cookeville.

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/190725103550-mat-fraser-exlarge-169.jpg
Mat Fraser has won four men's individual CrossFit Games titles.

And it's not just those two training in Cookeville.
Froning's team, CrossFit Mayhem Freedom who have won four of the last five CrossFit Games, also trains in Cookeville, as well as aspiring individual competitors such as Haley Adams -- her sixth placed finish at the 2019 Games earned her the "Rookie of the Year" award -- creating a unique competitive training environment.
"It's just a constant competition in here," Froning told CNN Sport ahead of his eighth CrossFit Games title (four individual and four team) earlier in 2019.
"When we push ourselves and we push each other, it just kind of elevates the whole group. And so it's been fun to get those like-minded individuals together and to really push and see what we're made of. It's fun."
While arguably Cookeville cannot take credit for creating such talent, rather just cultivating it, not every success story has been a post-Froning transplant.
Angelo DiCicco grew up in Cookeville, joining Mayhem after hearing Froning speak at his middle school. DiCicco quickly rose up the ranks, eventually claiming two world championships in the teen divisions.

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/180806093642-tia-toomey-01-exlarge-169.jpg
You too could train with Tia-Clair Toomey ...

Now, it's become a destination for CrossFit fanatics to make a pilgrimage to central Tennessee, flying in from all over the world, just for an opportunity to see and workout alongside some of the biggest stars in their sport.
Remarkably, it's not uncommon for stars such as Toomey to step in and coach classes at the gym. So, if you're looking for somewhere to help shed a few pounds and aren't intimidated by working out alongside the fittest men and women on Earth, perhaps a trip to Cookeville is on the cards for you.

[GeneChing]

Dubai CrossFit Championship: American Callerina Natori doubles up with tactical games and marksmanship experience (https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3041667/dubai-crossfit-championship-american-callerina-natori)
As an expert marksman, Natori has a unique skillset outside of competing
BY PATRICK BLENNERHASSETT
11 DEC 2019

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When it comes to badass CrossFit athletes, there are a lot to choose from, but one might take the cake.

American Callerina Natori has another passion outside of CrossFit – tactical games events in which athletes complete obstacle courses and do physical fitness challenges similar to CrossFit, but then also shoot weapons in between to score points.

Natori, 29, was raised in the southern United States outside of Birmingham, Alabama and said she’s always been around guns and had proper training on how to use them and safety measures since a child.

“I grew up in the South where we grow up hunting and shooting guns, and shooting was just something that I was raised to respect and understand,” said Callerina, who currently sits tied for eighth after the first event at the Dubai CrossFit Championship, which started on Wednesday and runs for three more days in the United Arab Emirates city. The first event took place at the beach by the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and featured swimming and sandbags.

She picked it up last year and is the only competitive CrossFit athlete mixed in with tactical games opponents who all have either a military background or are professional shooters. She said having an elite level of fitness gives her a leg up in one regard of tactical competitions as she fine-tunes her shooting skills.

“I’m lucky in that I get to do CrossFit and just have to get better at my marksmanship whereas they have to go through the whole CrossFit style training to be in shape.”

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Callerina Natori said marksmanship is all about technique and calming the mind in the heat of competition. Photo: Facebook

Natori first got into tactical games last year in Atlanta – she works as a full-time chiropractor in Sandy Springs, Georgia – and said she was hooked right from the start. Shooting is largely mental, however there is definitely some crossover with CrossFit she added.

“Any mistake firing your weapon you are going to miss your mark, so you can’t muscle it, you can’t fake shooting a gun. You either know how to do it or you don’t. And it is a lot of breathing and calming yourself, there is technique to it just like CrossFit.”

Natori first competed in the CrossFit Open back in 2014 and came 212th in the world this year. She has competed at regionals twice and said there is an element to shooting that requires much more than an elite level of physical fitness.

“You could just toss someone who is fit into a CrossFit workout and they will make it, it will be ugly, with the shooting you can get through the fitness part but if you don’t have the marksmanship, you’re done.”

The hurdle with tactical games is that athletes are scored on how quickly they can hit targets, meaning the more you miss, the more time you are penalised. In the heat of competition, Natori said there are once again similarities to CrossFit. She noted the dreaded “FFI” in tactical games, which stands for “failure to follow instructions”, which can cost competitors dearly if they are unable to concentrate and follow the rules and regulations in the heat of the moment.

“You have to think a lot, we call it in CrossFit, WOD [workout of the day] brain. When you can’t count your double unders or you lose count, it’s similar. You have to be able to think on the fly.”

Breathing patterns while shooting are huge she said, which includes trying to lower ones heart rate after competing a gruelling physical fitness challenge, which is no small feat in itself.

“If you’re breathing violently and you squeeze the trigger and you pull, you’re going to miss, so you have to take a second. And on top of that you have other people shooting next to you, so you can’t get distracted because of course it is loud, so you have one athlete shooting a whole bunch right around you and you just have to breathe and just go with what you know you’ve got to do and cap off a bunch.”

Her goal is to continue competing in tactical games competitions, she has one lined up for February in Mississippi, and then the ultimate goal is the 2020 CrossFit Games, which will take place August in Madison, Wisconsin. Natori said she will head to Montreal in March for CrossFit Atlas Games and then to Iceland’s Sanctional, the Reykjavík CrossFit Championship, which will take place early April.

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Natori said the goal is to make the CrossFit Games as well as continuing to compete in tactical games competitions. Photo: Facebook

But first, competing in Dubai is squarely in her sights.

“Dubai is probably your best chance to put yourself in a Games situation, there’s the run and the swim and all the outdoor elements and the best of the best are competing here. And so I’d really like to see where I stack up, I have expectations for myself, but it’s my personal goals I’m focused on. I know I can clean and jerk, but can I do it under pressure?”

Natori has a long term plan too, run out the clock on her CrossFit career and tactical games as well before she zeroes in on other elements of life.

“Before I have to really focus on my family and run a business I want to give everything that I can to CrossFit for a certain amount of time and know that I left nothing out on the table. Knowing that I gave it my all when I retire and go into regular CrossFit classes, that I didn’t hold anything back. So that is really what the goal is now just to see what I am capable of.”

Why don't we have a thread on Tactical Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71613-Tactical-Games)? I'm starting one now, copying this off the CrossFit (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60302-Crossfit) thread.

[GeneChing]

CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman’s George Floyd tweet sees Reebok and Rogue drop sponsorship (https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/crossfit/article/3087957/crossfit-ceo-greg-glassmans-george-floyd-tweet-sees-reebok)
Greg Glassman’s ‘FLOYD-19’ Tweet has caused Rogue and Reebok to drop CrossFit but both will fulfil their 2020 obligations
By Mark Agnew
8 Jun 2020

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Greg Glassman’s latest Tweet has seen mass condemnation from the CrossFit community. Photo: Ruby Wolff

CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman has come under fire after publishing a tweet appearing to compare the death of George Floyd to the coronavirus, with sponsors pulling their support for the sport.
Reebok, one of the sport’s two main sponsors, has dropped its affiliation with CrossFit. The sportswear brand were in discussions over a new agreement, but said: “in light of recent events, we have made the decision to end our partnership with CrossFit HQ,” in a statement, adding that they remain passionate about the CrossFit community.
CrossFit CEO sorry for ‘Floyd-19’ tweet – ‘a mistake, not racist’
The sport’s other main sponsor, Rogue, has removed the CrossFit logo from The Rogue Invitationals and threatened to cease association completely, depending on how CrossFit moves forward.
Froning condemns George Floyd tweet, athletes boycott CrossFit Games
Replying to a Tweet by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that called racism and discrimination “public health issues”, Glassman wrote “It’s FLOYD-19”, referring to George Floyd, the black man killed by a white police officer in the US, and the global pandemic Covid-19.

He added in another Tweet: “Your failed model quarantined us and now you're going to model a solution to racism? George Floyd's brutal murder sparked riots nationally. Quarantine alone is “accompanied in every age and under all political regimes by an undercurrent of suspicion, distrust, and riots.” Thanks!”
Glassman plays a very visible role in the sport. He has rarely shied away from controversy, weighing in on topics such as supporting trans-athletes and their right to compete under their chosen gender.

But his recent tweet has brought swift condemnation.
The Rogue Invitationals, one of the biggest events of the year, will no longer carry the CrossFit logo, the company stated on Instagram.
“Rogue will work with the CrossFit Games leadership to determine the best path forward. We will fulfil the 2020 season for the athletes and the community. The future is dependent on the direction and leadership within CrossFit HQ,” the post read.

Mat Fraser, four-time winner of the CrossFit Games, published a post thanking Rogue for their decision. He added support for his former gym, NCFIT, which said they were no longer a CrossFit affiliate.
Katrin Davidsdottir, the 2015 and 2016 CrossFit Games champion, posted on Instagram that she was “ashamed, disappointed and angry”, before suggesting she could withdraw from the sport.

“I haven’t had much time to process this, organise my thoughts or speak to those involved so for the time being I am going to keep it at this. I don’t know what this means for myself or the sport. But for now: I know this is NOT RIGHT and that needs to be said,” she added.

THREADS
CrossFit (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60302-Crossfit)
Covid (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71666-Coronavirus-(COVID-19)-Wuhan-Pneumonia)

Do we need a BLM thread?

[GeneChing]

The Head Of CrossFit Has Stepped Down After Telling Staff On A Zoom Call, “We're Not Mourning For George Floyd” (https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryancbrooks/crossfit-ceo-founder-zoom-greg-glassman-george-floyd)
In a recording obtained by BuzzFeed News, Greg Glassman can also be heard sharing wild conspiracy theories about Floyd and the coronavirus.
Ryan Brooks
BuzzFeed News Reporter
David Mack
BuzzFeed News Reporter
Last updated on June 9, 2020, at 8:27 p.m. ET
Posted on June 9, 2020, at 5:33 p.m. ET

https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2020-06/9/21/asset/21d75bca4e7e/sub-buzz-606-1591738137-20.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto
Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images
Greg Glassman, CrossFit's CEO and founder, in 2015.

We may all be at home, but that hasn’t stopped our reporters from breaking exclusive stories like this one. To help keep this news free, become a member. You can also share tips with BuzzFeed News securely.
Hours before he posted a controversial tweet on Saturday night that has sparked backlash against his company, Greg Glassman, CrossFit's CEO and founder, told gym owners on a private Zoom call, “We're not mourning for George Floyd — I don't think me or any of my staff are,” according to a full recording of the meeting obtained by BuzzFeed News.
“Can you tell me why I should mourn for him? Other than that it’s the white thing to do — other than that, give me another reason,” he asked a Minneapolis gym owner who had questioned why the brand hadn’t posted a statement about the protests across the country after the death of George Floyd.
On Tuesday night, shortly after publication of this story, the company released a statement from Glassman saying that he had "decided to retire" and was stepping down as CEO.
"On Saturday I created a rift in the CrossFit community and unintentionally hurt many of its members," Glassman said. "I cannot let my behavior stand in the way of HQ’s or affiliates’ missions. They are too important to jeopardize."
The 75-minute Zoom call, which was sent to BuzzFeed News via its secure tipline, was part of an initiative that CrossFit had started after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered gyms across the country. CrossFit affiliate owners who spoke with BuzzFeed News said they were invited at random to the check-in calls over the past three months with Glassman and other staffers from CrossFit's corporate headquarters.
The call was held hours before Glassman responded to a tweet on Saturday night that called racism a public health issue, writing, “It’s FLOYD-19.” His tweet drew immediate backlash from gym owners and caused Reebok to end a partnership deal with the company. CrossFit subsequently posted an apology on Glassman’s behalf, calling his words “not racist but a mistake.”
“Floyd is a hero in the black community and not just a victim,” he said in his public apology. “I should have been sensitive to that and wasn't. I apologize for that.”
But during the Zoom call hours earlier, which had been between 16 affiliates and staff members, Glassman repeatedly expressed doubts about whether systemic racism existed and questioned the motives of protests around the country.
“I doubt very much that they’re mourning for Floyd,” Glassman said on the call about protesters and CrossFitters who were looking for the company to speak out. “I don’t think that there’s a general mourning for Floyd in any community.”
He also recounted unfounded conspiracy theories on the call that included speculation Floyd was killed to “silence him” due to a purported, baseless role in a criminal conspiracy involving counterfeit money.
Glassman speculated that the nightclub where both Floyd and his alleged killer, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, worked has “been under investigation by the FBI for over a decade for laundering money.”
“It's very interesting that George gets popped with counterfeits, and who comes but the head of security from the dance club? Watch: This thing's going to turn into first-degree murder,” he said. “That's what it's going to turn into. And it's going to be because I'm predicting this. We have friends in the FBI in your neighborhood, and they're of the view that this was first-degree murder and it was to silence him over the counterfeit money. That's the belief. That's what the cops think.”
Glassman and representatives for CrossFit did not respond to repeated requests for comment for this story, until hours after it was published. Then, CrossFit released the news of Glassman's "retirement" and a public statement titled "Why Didn't CrossFit Just Say Something?"
"We disappointed you," the company said. "It hurt you and us. We need to talk."
The letter called Glassman's comments "incredibly insensitive and hurtful," but said he should not be judged on those comments alone.
"Greg believes in equality," the statement added. "Greg made a mistake. His communications will have to be reconciled with the person we know. He is being put on trial online, and we challenge you to be thorough in your review of a man who is imperfect but sincere in his love of helping others to become better while creating opportunities for others to do the same. He does make mistakes, but he has done more than anyone for this community and created unimagined opportunities for others. If you measure Greg Glassman, do it thoroughly."
BuzzFeed News is publishing select clips from the call with Glassman, but not the full audio, in order to protect the identity of the source who shared it.
continued next post

[GeneChing]

follow the link above to hear the recording.



Listen to clips of Glassman on the call, edited together by BuzzFeed News to protect the identity of the source who shared it.

During the call, Glassman also complained about looting and buildings that had been set on fire. He questioned the legitimacy of the protest movement that has gripped the nation in the three weeks since Floyd’s death.
“Moved to action? Burning the city down, is that the action? Destruction of Black- and minority-owned businesses, is that the action?” Glassman asked while speaking to a gym owner from Minneapolis who detailed what their members had been doing to help the community in the aftermath of nights of looting and protests.
“I would prefer a trial of a murderer rather than burning the city down. I think that the law has a better response. I think burning your city to the ground and burning a police station to the ground because a cop killed what was very likely going to be a coconspirator in a counterfeit ring — I just don't get the burning thing. How about the Black cop that was killed?” Glassman said later in the call, adding that he wasn’t going to “fund antifa” — another conspiracy theory — because “a guy got killed.”
Glassman told the owners on the call that “killing George was wrong” before adding that “burning the town down was wrong, killing the Black cop was wrong, and the Black-on-Black murder every weekend in every one of our cities is a tragedy.”
He told the Minneapolis gym owner on the call that he thought the city’s plans to defund the police department were “terrifying” after they outlined how their community was trying to rebuild from Floyd’s death.
“It sounds like more of the same. It sounds like punishing the cops. It sounds like blaming the police for all of the problems in blighted communities, and I don’t think anything could be ****her from the truth. Have you ever done a ride-along with cops in a rough neighborhood?” Glassman said. “You don’t have to answer, but I have many, many times, and that is crazy tough work and almost all of the men and women are professionals.“
During a lengthy discussion on the coronavirus, Glassman again shared more unfounded theories. “The Chinese let this virus get out of the laboratory, and that indeed did happen,” he said. (US intelligence officials have said they have not formally concluded whether the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.)
Glassman also trashed epidemiology as “a social science,” said upstate New Yorkers should secede from the rest of their state due to the strict lockdown measures in New York City, and urged gym owners to only pretend to comply with health precautions when they reopen.
“It was a panic. Absolute panic right from the start. And I think it's inevitable that it's going to turn out that this has cost way more lives than have been saved. Way more,” he said. “At some point, you've got to do what's right, and it may not come with approval. It may not be seen as the right thing to do, but you still have to do it. It's the burden.
“I was asked by the Italians, 'What would you do, coach?' And I said, 'I would agree to any restrictions put on me by the health authorities, and I would open my gym, and then 10 minutes later I would do whatever the **** I wanted. That's what I would do.'"
Mike Young — the owner of a fitness facility in Morrisville, North Carolina, that contains a CrossFit affiliate — was one of the people on the call. He’d had the franchise for more than a decade and had been excited to speak with the CrossFit CEO and owner. “I get to meet this guy who’s probably been the biggest influence in this field,” Young told BuzzFeed News, “and then it turned into a ****show, really, where the guy is just — conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory.
“My first thought was, I thought maybe I was being punked, but I knew how he was and I thought this is just bat**** crazy. I’m sitting there, like, my jaw is dropping. Is this happening? What is this guy saying?
“It was just surreal,” he said.
Young, whose audio had not been working for most of the call, said he had to leave early to attend another meeting. He said he later wrote to the Minneapolis gym owner to apologize for not being able to defend them on the call.
“It was beyond awkward,” he said. “The way I would describe it, I was privy to information from a private conversation that the world should know about. This guy has a couple thousand of these CrossFit affiliates, and he’s the figurehead, and he’s speaking like a lunatic at a time when things like COVID-19 and George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, are basically already causing unrest. And the things he’s saying are unsubstantiated conspiracy theories — inflammatory nonsense, really.”
Young said he went to bed on Saturday night with the conversation weighing on him. When he woke up on Sunday, he decided to take a stand and publicly announce he would no longer work with CrossFit. He prepared a post on Medium, but Glassman had already written his “FLOYD-19” tweet. But because Young did not record the call, he said, he tried to not go into specific details in his Medium post about what Glassman had said in order to avoid a potential lawsuit.
“The tweet is bad. It’s insensitive,” he said. “But as someone who listened to the call, you know the tweet is nothing compared to the phone call."
Near the end of the call, when a gym owner suggested they were considering dropping their affiliation with CrossFit, another CrossFit headquarters staff member spoke to defend Glassman. “You’re not even approaching this with any compassion. You’re approaching this strictly with your agenda,” they told the gym owner. “Do you know how many Black people are going to be saved by CrossFit?”
CrossFit’s days of backlash started when Alyssa Royse, an affiliate owner from Seattle, posted an email that she had received from Glassman in response to a letter she wrote detailing why her gym would be leaving the brand.
“You're doing your best to brand us as racist and you know it's bull****,” Glassman wrote back. “That makes you a really ****ty person. Do you understand that? You've let your politics warp you into something that strikes me as wrong to the point of being evil. I am ashamed of you.”
Glassman went further on the call with affiliates that did not include Royse, saying that her letter had “all of the class, all of the moral value of putting a sign in someone’s yard that says ‘known pedophile.’”
“It’s a horrible ****ing thing to do to someone, to call them a racist when there’s no evidence, when there’s not one scintilla of evidence to suggest anything like that, and that’s what she did to me. And what I sent her back was a ‘**** off!'” Glassman told the members of the Zoom call. “You call me a racist and I'mma tell you, ‘**** you!’ You tell me to spin around twice or I’m a racist and I’ll go, ‘**** you!’ We can get to '**** you' a bunch of ways. What it leads me to believe is that this isn’t about race.”

[GeneChing]

I've been meaning to start a thread on this. I've copied a few posts above.


Threads
Crossfit (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60302-Crossfit)
The-Academy-Awards (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?20798-The-Academy-Awards)
Black Lives Matter (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71798-Black-Lives-Matter)

[SteveLau]

My regular training program now:

Tue, Wed - strength
Fri - running, strength
Sun - Kung Fu

That could fit the definition of CrossFit.




Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[GeneChing]

CrossFit Has Fired Games Director Dave Castro Ahead of 2022 Season (https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/lifestyle/a38672534/crossfit-fires-dave-castro-eric-roza/)
"Dave Castro will be leaving the business," wrote the email from CrossFit CEO Eric Roza
BY EDWARD COOPER
05/01/2022
https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/castro-1641379002.jpg?crop=1.00xw:1.00xh;0,0&resize=980:*
Ex-CrossFit Games Director and general manager of Sport Dave Castro has been fired from his position at CrossFit LLC by CEO Eric Roza, according to a leaked internal email sent to CrossFit employees.

Sent on January 4th 2022, the internal email sent to CrossFit LLC staff by Roza detailed: "I have made the difficult decision to change the leadership of the Sport team to best support CrossFit’s go-forward plans, and Dave Castro will be leaving the business."

Continuing, Roza wrote that Castro's "vision, creativity and drive have taken the CrossFit Games from an informal backyard competition at his family’s ranch into a global phenomenon with hundreds of thousands of participants and millions of viewers worldwide."

"Dave was also a central figure in the growth of CrossFit’s training business, helping to scale the seminar department to reach tens of thousands of trainers. All of us in the world of CrossFit owe Dave a debt of gratitude for his contributions, and we wish him well as he brings his talents to his next chapter," Roza continued in the email.

"Dave has assembled a world-class team, which will now be led by Justin Bergh, and we are excited to see this new generation of leadership build on his legacy as we work together to bring our Sport to the next level of success."

The shake-up at CrossFit HQ comes just seven weeks before the 2022 CrossFit Games season begins. Castro, who programmed 15 CrossFit Games competitions, will be replaced by CrossFit employee Justin Bergh, who will be promoted from his position as VP of Sport and Partnerships.

Speaking of the announcement on his Instagram, Castro posted "I have talked to Roza once in the last 3 or so months during his time away. He called me tonight to fire me. He told me they had messaging prepared that this was mutual. I asked him not to use that because that couldn’t be further from the truth."

This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
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In the comments, a lot of Castro's Instagram followers shared their support. "The CrossFit community is behind you Dave. Without you CrossFit wouldn’t be where it’s at today. Extremely heart breaking to hear this news," wrote one user.

"CrossFit [sic] getting soft," posted another.

"Bad ****in move, what a huge mistake they’ve made," another post, liked hundreds of times by other users, wrote.

(h/t: Morning Chalk Up)

EDWARD COOPER
Ed Cooper is the Deputy Digital Editor at Men’s Health UK, writing and editing about anything you want to know about — from tech to fitness, mental health to style, food and so much more.
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