IR

One of our members came up to me a few days ago and mentioned that she had canceled her membership at the Sports Club LA. She explained to them that she was a Crossfitter now. They responded by urging her to be careful, claiming that CrossFit was dangerous and that a lot of people get injured participating in our program. I would expect nothing less than a globo gym taking a shot at CrossFit, but find it necessary to defend our program to all the naysayers. First of all, a globo gyms primary goal is to get you to sign up for a long term contract that you will never use.  If you do show up, they encourage the use of non-functional, single joint, isolation machines, which promote segmentation of the body and certainly do not make us more fit in any sense of the word.  These machines do however ensure that members do not get injured on their own property, releasing them from any liability.
I also had someone recently approach me and try to argue that there is something fundamentally wrong with a common exercise used in CrossFit, which may result in injury. I explained to him that the exercise wasn’t the problem, but a lack of efficiency in any movement may result in injury. For example, in a medicine wall ball, by holding the med ball too far out in front and letting gravity pull the chest down, the lumbar curve is surrendered, which can leave the low back prone to injury.
I just wanted to touch on the injury topic and the importance of efficiency for a moment. Some people play soccer, some rock climb, some run and some mountain bike for fitness, we CrossFit.  The truth is injuries happen in all these sports, more often in others than CrossFit, and if you think the risk isn’t worth the reward you should hang up your inov8’s right now.  All those years of working out at the globo gym, sitting all day and moving improperly for years, has set our bodies up for injury. When we first embark on our intense fitness program, which is CrossFit, we are trying to relearn fundamental, everyday movements such as picking up something properly (the deadlift).   Our inefficiencies in these movements may sometimes lead to aches, pains and minor nagging injuries. But if we didn’t have these nuisances, we wouldn’t be forced to address our imbalances, which would ultimately cause much more damage down the road if not dealt with.
There is no doubt that the key to fitness is intensity, but it’s equally important to constantly work at becoming more efficient with each movement. Efficiency with movements ensures that our bodies remain healthy and injury free so we can continue to hit that high intensity and further our fitness level.
Listen to your coaches, we have the experience, we know how to move and we know how to get you moving better quickly.
It’s okay to scale back the weight and become perfect movers first, it’s going to make you a better Crossfitter in the long run. Stretch with authority during class; don’t just go through the motions. Do mobility/flexibility work on your own and work on perfecting movements with the PVC pipe. Use the tools that we give you to make yourself better movers in and outside of CrossFit and stay injury free.

Strength
Power Clean
3-3-3-3-3

WOD
3 Rounds
10 Medball Jack Knives (20/14)
20 Push-presses (95,65)
30 Sit-ups

11 Comments

  • Joe

    06/10/2011 @ 11:53 pm

    This is right up there with Goose’s “Is CrossFit For You” post. Well done, sir.

  • jaime

    06/10/2011 @ 9:52 pm

    Cris O, LOVE THAT VIDEO and ur post is pretty funny too LOL

  • Maze

    06/10/2011 @ 4:50 pm

    Gooseman – great post and could not be more spot on. Go Bruins.

  • Does it matter?

    06/10/2011 @ 3:23 pm

    The way I see it…Patience, Progress, Perseverance, and Performance: These 4 simple words are never emphasized strongly enough!!
    Set up –YOUR- goals and be committed, involved. Think about the movements, listen to your coaches. Be dedicated and Crossfit will show you the way to thrive. There is no shame in starting slow, but pride in growing strong. Whether novice or veterans, check your ego at the door, we are all here for the same reason: To reach our potential and be the best athlete we can be!
    But– if you need air conditioning, definitely go to Bally’s!! 🙂

  • Jason Dionne

    06/10/2011 @ 10:22 am

    So well written. Not only have you shot down criticism, but you have reminded me of even more reasons why not only am I a Crossfitter, but a committed Southie Crossfitter. I love this friggin’ place.

  • Kaitlyn

    06/10/2011 @ 12:33 am

    I hit submit before I got to edit my comment, the first part didn’t make sense so ignore what I wrote, you get my drift 🙂 haha

  • Mr. X

    06/10/2011 @ 12:33 am

    I heard Melberg has a Gold’s Gym membership on the side..

  • Kaitlyn

    06/10/2011 @ 12:31 am

    Well put!! I have had numerous people say similar comments to me when they ask me when they heard I joined crossfit or they say crossfit is a “cult”. These people I’ve found) are those that are so out of shape they coudn’t jump rope for 10 seconds without throwing up or are too cheap to pay for the good stuff 🙂 Keep up the good work, I love it here!!

  • Leases

    06/10/2011 @ 12:24 am

    Goose! This post is AMAZING… I want to send it to all the doubters and skeptics! Thanks!

  • jaime

    06/10/2011 @ 12:07 am

    hmm great post! totally agree, you can even injure yourself taking the escalator up a flight of stairs TO THE GYM to go do the elliptical while you read a magazine 🙂
    I LOVE CROSSFIT!
    I used to see so many people doing all sorts of weird things in the globo gym that I’m sure caused injury, people are afraid of crossfit because they have no idea what it is.

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