I would like to know what are opinions on crossfit and implementing them in youth strength training programs..
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Permalink Reply by Curtis T. Bickham, CSCS on I've never used Crossfit to train young athletes. My main focus when training young athletes is to make sure they have the technique in place to perform exercises properly. When an athlete is fatigue - learning technique goes out of the window. Stick with the basics, and implement high intensity "cardio" when appropriate.
Permalink Reply by Tom Seryak on A BIG no. I did CrossFit for 2.5 years. The big flaw is that it doesn't distinguish testing from training. There are many others including high risk of systemic inflammation, extreme soreness, fatigue and injury. Strength and conditioning programs for most sports (acyclic or mixed acyclic/cyclic) should emphasize improving the general motor potential, increasing strength, speed, power. They should help prevent injuries, not cause them. CrossFit fails across the board.
Permalink Reply by Scott Moody on CrossFIT does not make you more athletic. It can lack sequencing and progression, two things that are a must for young athletes to master. If you want to create a "CrossFIT-like Feel" to your program you can use a 5 minute block circuit training style, that spends five minute on an exercise (progressing in intensity as form allows week to week) then 5 minutes in a high intensity short cardio based interval, then back to an exercise and repeat for 30-40 minutes. This will keep the cardio value high, improve hr recovery and fitness, while still sticking to a progression based training structure.
Permalink Reply by Chan Cho on Agreed with the previous coaches. Just to add another point, I don't think many of the people that head these crossfit centers are not able to teach proper technique or try things that are completely UNSAFE. Refer to the video. I know that they don't deem it is a standard clean and jerk but what's the point?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDDyxXyf6UU
Permalink Reply by Jason Davidson on 
Permalink Reply by Canute McKenzie on Thanks guys, I was talking to my business partner about crossfit and our company. I am totally against it because of the as many of you state, when working with young athletes techniques is a big concern. I think crossfit is a good high intensity muscle endurance exercise but, there is generally no real coaching involved. Many of the people I see in videos that do this type of exercise are avid exercise patron looking to get in shape, or a someone that was a long distance type of athlete that can do high impact,prolonged endurance training. But I still feel that this is an accident waiting to happen when fatigue sets in. I watched the video and my back is hurting just from watching the bad clean and jerk movements. Also crossfit in my opinion, still eliminates three common components when training athletes, speed, power, and explosiveness. Any athlete that has played knows when fatigue sets in you louse discipline in those three aspects, and I think doing crossfit training with young athletes can definitely cause long lasting injury..
Permalink Reply by rick ochoa on All good points here. While I'm not a fan of Crossfit, some of the things that Crossfit kids are doing I think is ok. I'm guessing when your talking young athletes you mean Jr High and younger. The main problem with crossfit is the coaching and programming are a little misguided, but introducing young athletes to Oly lifts is definitely a positive as long as the coach knows what he's doing and not having his clients do 20 reps or more of an Olympic lift.(Crazy!)
Permalink Reply by Jason Davidson on I also introduce Olympic Weightlifting to athletes at a young age. Like Rick says, as long as the training volume is age appropriate, I think this is a great idea. At that age the primary concern should be body position, and speed anyway. 30 awful Clean & Jerk reps for time...not me. This is a formula for injury and the reinforcement of horrible technique.
Permalink Reply by Adam Blalock on Crossfit is a double edges sword. It's made people aware of barbell training and the o-lifts. The programming is downright dangerous and inappropriate for anybody (so there is the answer to your question). The physical therapists i work with love Crossfit, it brings in the patients!
I met one who had been through the certification process and asked him if he had anyone who was interested in competing at o-lifting and he said "I didn't know there was such a thing"! This was the owner and trainer!
Get kids to a coach that actually coaches and prepares athletes for competitive O-lifting and you'll be amazed at the difference.
Permalink Reply by Rick Burrell on My suggestion to Canute is to go out and do your own research by speaking with the best in the industry, Crossfit included, without relying exclusively on input from internet commentary. I would suggest that each and everyone of us provide qualifying responses so a general or semi-refined opinion can be collected. If for any reason to generate high quality dialogue and stimulate the need for additional research. Certainly, biases notwithstanding, we can all agree to this one point?
I can easily find a rebuttal for every response submitted here. The same holds true if I asked the CF-industry about conventional strength and condition programs and programming. By viewing some of the recent S&C Clinic videos submitted here on SPN I could easily suggest we start to scrutinize the programs at the various universities due to the lack of adherence to proper technique and form (rounded backs during movements/lifts, inordinate c-spine alignment during heavy lifting, lack of full range of motion, etc. Parents pay a helluva lot of quid to send their kids to these schools.I think as trainers & coaches we have a fiduciary responsibility to criticize both video and written submissions.
I appreciate points made from both sides of the fence of this discussion. Really, I do. However, Crossfit, like EVERY other program or modality utilized anywhere, all programs are solely dependent on the quality of coaching. To that end, I encourage all of us, fellow trainers/coaches that is, to consider different approaches for training all kids. Maybe an "out of the box" and systemic approach if not an all-out asymmetric frontal assault on existing programs for all age brackets should be considered e.g.
Given the horrendous rate of obesity and disease in the U.S. alone I firmly believe that the vast majority of our current athletic programs are a total failure.
As a quick reference for Canute, contact Chris Cooper (IGNITEGYM.COM) or John Brown @ Agoge CrossFit in Colorado for insight. These guys have mountains of data to satisfy anyone, and they will refer you to others outside of their organizations for a different optic.
FYI, anyone here is free to stop by my gym to WOD up or go heavy, power or oly (PETN1.66 CrossFit).
Be advised, we are technique nazi's so leave all snotbubbling at the front door (no offense here, just passionate).
Permalink Reply by Adam Sebastian Chamberlain on What age Canute? Crossfit is just made up of a ton of basic lifts so if you change up your sequencing you should be good. I don't care for crossfit, but they have everyday people who get certs and dont understand progression of exercises, how to coach the moves, hell even periodization is greek to them. They are proud of things like "hamburger hands" and slamming their shins on the plyo-box. It's nutty but whatever motivates them. I can't put my baseball, basketball, hell anyone on the field or court with hamburger hands or after they pukied. lots of these factors can help you determine if you can get the same results in a safer way. "If you don't think you can, your not a strength coach" lol. That wasn't directed to you personally. They key is of course, complex lifts first, finish with sleds and such. No technical lifts last which is where CF strikes out. The many reps and speed of reps in closed chain exercises destroy cartilage, tendon's, and so on. You seem like your thinking in the right way. Just find definitive intellectual reasons to put down crossfit. Anything can be made safer. I personally tried crossfit for a month before forming my opinion and I am glad I did.
Permalink Reply by Adam Sebastian Chamberlain on Also Canute I have a kids program that I found from the Gaelic athletic association. It is hands down the most amazing kids program I have seen ever. If you would like I can copy it and put it in the mail.
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