CrossFit for Rugby

**ORothlain** · 23-02-12, 02:54 PM

Has anyone tried CrossFit? I just started this week, and I'm pretty sure this is the ultimate way to get in top physical shape. I know that the phenomenon is not just regionalized to America as it has branches throughout the British Isles and Europe as well as the Southern Hemisphere. If anyone on TRF is doing it, I'd love to get connected to stay motivated.
If you have no clue what I'm talking about I'll post some links so you can see:
http://crossfit.com/
http://www.greatist.com/fitness/ulti...lingo-021612/#

**Forum Ad** · 23-02-12 02:54 PM

**TRF_Olyy** · 23-02-12, 02:59 PM

I'm really not a fan of crossfit - A lot (though not all) of the "boxes" are run by complete jokes - as is the company, and a lot (though not all) of people who do it are such elitist douches.

It's a decent concept, for fitness, but the people who run it and do it really put me off it.

If/when I ever end up living near a crossfit box I'll probably try a few WODs, but I'd rather stick to strength training and fitness training, rather than combining the two.

I know a few of the Ospreys boys are in to crossfit (Cai Griffiths being one...) and Robin Sowden-Taylor runs a box in Cardiff.

**ORothlain** · 23-02-12, 03:17 PM

I get what you're saying. I'm not a big fan of cultish, douchey attitudes. However, I find that most good things attract people who want to be elitest snobs. I decided to look past it as I personally feel CrossFit address my personal fitness needs. It has taken me a year to reach that conclusion, though. How popular is it there in the UK/Wales?

**TRF_Olyy** · 23-02-12, 03:43 PM

It's got a sort of "cult" following.
There aren't a massive amount of Boxes in the UK - they're in most major towns/cities, but the nearest one to Aberystwyth is probably Cardiff, and the nearest one to where I live in the Midlands is a good 45minutes drive.
Hard to tell if it'll get any bigger, but I know the boxes that are open are fairly popular in their areas.

**ORothlain** · 23-02-12, 04:33 PM

I think if I do this long term, I'd slowly start building my own personal box. Not a lot in form of investment, really. I like the team atmosphere going to a certified "box" offers, but honestly, I think I'd eventually like to do it from home. Long term savings!
http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf...Revolution.pdf

**lucky number 7** · 23-02-12, 04:37 PM

not terribly keen on it...Kipping is ridiculous..

Saw guys launching barbells at each other as well...its a bit mental and there are numerous guys making up dangerous "exercises".

**ORothlain** · 23-02-12, 04:58 PM

Yeah, again, anything like this will always attract overly-gun-ho idiots. Rugby here in the US is the same way. You get guys who don't understand the culture or ethos of the sport trying to recreate something they saw from Rugby Dump ('cause they've never seen a full match). Violent and crazy. Anyway, I'm not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater on this. The underlying concepts of CrossFit is what is attractive, and is what I believe will in the near future help it gain more credibility.

**racingmetrofan** · 23-02-12, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by ORothlain

Has anyone tried CrossFit? I just started this week, and I'm pretty sure this is the ultimate way to get in top physical shape. I know that the phenomenon is not just regionalized to America as it has branches throughout the British Isles and Europe as well as the Southern Hemisphere. If anyone on TRF is doing it, I'd love to get connected to stay motivated.
If you have no clue what I'm talking about I'll post some links so you can see:
http://crossfit.com/
http://www.greatist.com/fitness/ulti...lingo-021612/#

Most weight lifters reject it as a poorly programed ineffective way to get strong and get in shape. The owner has very questionable business practices also.

**TRF_Olyy** · 23-02-12, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by lucky number 7

not terribly keen on it...Kipping is ridiculous..

I'd have 10,000% more respect for the Crossfit games if they did real pullups not kipping.

**ORothlain** · 23-02-12, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by racingmetrofan

Most weight lifters reject it as a poorly programed ineffective way to get strong and get in shape. The owner has very questionable business practices also.

But that's it, I guess. Weight Lifters aren't always fit. I lift weights all the time, but how does that prove itself on the pitch? I am good at scrumming, and lineouts, but can barely make it from ruck to ruck without passing out.
I think the emphasis on functional fitness is what stands out to me. You don't see professional rugby teams doing bodybuilding, you see intense circuit training.
I'm not in the best place to defend or slam CrossFit at the moment as I've only done it twice. I think in a couple of months I'll be able to fully asses it and see what sort of difference it makes.

**ORothlain** · 23-02-12, 06:05 PM

http://physicalliving.com/kipping-pullups-vs-deadhang-pullups-where-do-we-draw-the-line-between-strict-deadhang-pullups-and-kipping-pullups/

Here's a good article on Traditional Pullups vs Kipping. Worth the read, at least.

**lucky number 7** · 23-02-12, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by ORothlain

But that's it, I guess. Weight Lifters aren't always fit. I lift weights all the time, but how does that prove itself on the pitch? I am good at scrumming, and lineouts, but can barely make it from ruck to ruck without passing out.
I think the emphasis on functional fitness is what stands out to me. You don't see professional rugby teams doing bodybuilding, you see intense circuit training.
I'm not in the best place to defend or slam CrossFit at the moment as I've only done it twice. I think in a couple of months I'll be able to fully asses it and see what sort of difference it makes.

Indeed I am not trying to shoot them down as I like that they are attempting to make gym work social...but I have seen some daaangerouus shit done in the name of Crossfit...:P

**racingmetrofan** · 23-02-12, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by ORothlain

But that's it, I guess. Weight Lifters aren't always fit. I lift weights all the time, but how does that prove itself on the pitch? I am good at scrumming, and lineouts, but can barely make it from ruck to ruck without passing out.
I think the emphasis on functional fitness is what stands out to me. You don't see professional rugby teams doing bodybuilding, you see intense circuit training.
I'm not in the best place to defend or slam CrossFit at the moment as I've only done it twice. I think in a couple of months I'll be able to fully asses it and see what sort of difference it makes.

Then the best thing to do would be prowler sprints, flat and hill sprints and a couple of long walks and runs.

Here is an interesting articles on crossfit: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...about_crossfit

Anda pretty interesting extract from a blog post (http://dynamicfitness.blogspot.com/2...coming_11.html), which seems very valid and is probably crossfits major flaw:

So if you work at doing CrossFit, you're going to get better at...CrossFit. You aren't going to get much stronger at the bench-press; you aren't going to get much faster on the track; you aren't going to deadlift 500 pounds, you're not going to improve your forehand. Sure, if you're so out of shape you can't lift a pencil and you suddenly get a hankering to take up CrossFit, you'll certainly see some changes in performance in many skills. But you could get that effect if you started any kind of fitness program, and these improvements will plateau fairly quickly.

Even though your athletic abilities may very well see some initial improvements on many fronts, CrossFit will never make you a master Olympic lifter, or carve you an astonishingly aesthetic physique, or make you a master sprinter (unless, of course, you have exceptional genetics for any one of those things before you started, at which point--yes--any coach in the world would tell you to jettison all the other irrelevent activities that CrossFit entails and focus on your sport of choice in order to excel further). You simply won't develop exceptional abilities in any athletic endeavor unless you focus specifically on getting better at those things.

Which leads me to my "no progression" complaint. Say you're really into the whole CrossFit thing, and you really want to be able to post some impressive numbers on the site and maybe earn yourself an approving PM from CrossFitChick75. But let's say you're terrible at sprinting. Unless you figure out a way to do some carefully-worked-out sprint progressions in addition to what's posted on the site, you're out of luck, there, Freckles, because sprinting once a week isn't going to make you faster or better or much-of-anything-'er' except exhausteder and frustrateder.

And if you're terrible at, say, deadlifting, you're going to stay terrible at it because before last Saturday, the last time you deadlifted was November 28th, and that was just to test your one-rep max, which I'm here to tell you may be good for the ego but it's not much of a workout. Referring back to the week of workouts, none of the programs listed have been in the rotation for at least a month, and a couple haven't been visited since June, meaning that any specific benefits you got out of the workout a month ago will have evaporated.

So CrossFit isn't the place to turn if you're looking for a systematic way to improve any single aspect of your fitness, be it aerobic conditioning, sports skills, or maximum speed, power, and strength. There are certainly more efficient ways to improve body composition as well.

**ORothlain** · 24-02-12, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by racingmetrofan

Then the best thing to do would be prowler sprints, flat and hill sprints and a couple of long walks and runs.

Here is an interesting articles on crossfit: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...about_crossfit

Anda pretty interesting extract from a blog post (http://dynamicfitness.blogspot.com/2...coming_11.html), which seems very valid and is probably crossfits major flaw:

The last article had some good points. I agree, to a point. You won't become a master of anything. I disagree though with the comment, "So CrossFit isn't the place to turn if you're looking for a systematic way to improve any single aspect of your fitness." I think you will get extremely fit. If fitness is what you are looking for, CrossFit will get you there. However, the validity of becoming a master at anything does hit the nail on the head for why I don't think for me I will rely on CrossFit as my only long term fitness option. I need a kick in the ass, and I need something aside from the treadmill or track to help me get in better cardiovascular condition.
Once I get used to the programme, I'll more likely than not go back to my normal gym and integrate the WOD's into my regular regime 2-3 times a week.

**ORothlain** · 27-02-12, 01:58 PM

Mark Bennett, the head strength-and-conditioning coach for the Ospreys, and his assistant, Kevin Morgan, discuss how beneficial CrossFit has been for their athletes.
http://journal.crossfit.com/2011/12/ospreysrugby.tpl

I use CrossFit as the icing on my cake,” Ben says. “It’s the thing I use to give me that edge. ... We use CrossFit as our edge. - Ben & Owen Franks
http://journal.crossfit.com/2012/01/...gth-part-2.tpl

I found the Franks brothers comments to be most useful. They say they use it on top of sport specific training to give them an edge. I think this is where I'd like to be...eventually...haha. They're both impressive when it comes to strength.

**TRF_Olyy** · 27-02-12, 02:32 PM

I'd love to have a crack at a few sessions to, like you said, add something on top of sport specific training.

I've just looked it up and the nearest place to me (when I move back to England in June), will be an hours drive away - can't really justify a 2 hour round trip for a session.
I'm really surprised that there's no Box in/around Birmingham, considering how big of a city it is.
There's a few dotted in the town around (Worcester, Nottingham and a few others) but they're all 1+hr from me =/

**ORothlain** · 27-02-12, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by TRF_Olyy

I'd love to have a crack at a few sessions to, like you said, add something on top of sport specific training.

I've just looked it up and the nearest place to me (when I move back to England in June), will be an hours drive away - can't really justify a 2 hour round trip for a session.
I'm really surprised that there's no Box in/around Birmingham, considering how big of a city it is.
There's a few dotted in the town around (Worcester, Nottingham and a few others) but they're all 1+hr from me =/

TBH you can do this stuff at a normal gym, by yourself. I like the group sessions and having a coach there to push me. There's something motivating about getting beat by a girl (ehm, woman)...haha. You can get the WOD (workout of the day) for free everyday by visiting the website and try it out. I'd say the only thing you'd need to buy would be a stop watch. Go to youtube and loads of people put up their videos of them doing it by themselves in a variety of places. I'm sure your gym near your home has all the equipment you actually need. I think eventually I will be doing these solo...

**TRF_Olyy** · 27-02-12, 04:08 PM

Ah, I would but I hate when people set up circuits in the gym

Free weights room is tiny as it is, and if I had half the equipment out on one side it'd piss everyone off. Ill just stick to my standard training and look out for a box in the future

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk

**ORothlain** · 27-02-12, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by TRF_Olyy

Ah, I would but I hate when people set up circuits in the gym

Free weights room is tiny as it is, and if I had half the equipment out on one side it'd piss everyone off. Ill just stick to my standard training and look out for a box in the future

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk

Sometimes it pays off to be "that douchebag doing circuits over there."

**Zed** · 27-02-12, 11:42 PM

It's going to get you fitter, but then so is any kind of exercise. It really depends what you are trying to get fit for. If it's rugby then I don't think it's hugely relevant. Or a better way of putting it, there are better ways of getting fit for rugby e.g sprint training.

**Zed** · 27-02-12, 11:52 PM

If your goal is to specialize and compete in one sport, then CrossFit isn't for you. Instead, the goal of the CrossFitter is to become "competent" in all 10 domains.

I guess this quote sums it up - good for all round fitness, but not good just for one sport. Which really means if you play sports then it's not going to be hugely helpful, other than giving you a base fitness.

**ORothlain** · 28-02-12, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Zed

Which really means if you play sports then it's not going to be hugely helpful, other than giving you a base fitness.

I don't know if I agree. I get that if you are training for a specific sport there are sport specific things you should be doing, in the case of the Franks Bros. in the above videos. However, the "base fitness" as you call it is pretty relevant to sport. It's athletic movement centered around core stability, and secondly intensity.
I guess for me, I am not training solo at a high intensity, so it makes a huge difference for me to work in the CrossFit environment. Also it's making me do things I would avoid on my own, like climbing rope. I know there is no rope climbing in rugby, but the muscles I used in my 6am workout this morning will definitely be used on the pitch.
I feel a huge resistance to CrossFit is that it's just different. Honestly though, look at how long it took Rugby Union to adopt the training standards that League and sports like American Football were doing years before it.

**ORothlain** · 06-03-12, 04:16 PM

So, I'm into my 3rd week and I'm loving it. I'm being pushed beyond where I would normally go and getting fitter and believe it or not stronger. I'll update periodically to give a bigger scope of the impact this has on my rugby.

**J. Dean** · 10-03-12, 11:54 AM

The reasoning behind crossfit is that in a sport you don't simply use isolated muscles or motions while playing, so you should play like you train.

I see the good and bad to it myself. Personally when I work out (which I admit is not consistently) I do strength and conditioning separately.

Seems like it would be good to use crossfit on occasion, like once or twice a week, while the rest of the week is focused on iso-training (strength and conditioning separated)

**ORothlain** · 04-04-12, 03:30 PM

Alright, I'm into my second month and I've got to say I'm seeing results. My fitness has increased and my scrummaging and rucking have improved. The focus on Olympic lifting I think is a big part in the scrum and ruck, but the overall nature of crossfit is what is driving my performance. I'm anxious to see where I'll be in 6 months time. I have to admit, that I'm addicted to crossfit now.

**TRF_Olyy** · 04-04-12, 03:55 PM

I've noticed a lot more pro players are getting in to it now - Shane Williams is opening a crossfit gym in his home town as well.

**big ginger 8** · 04-04-12, 05:26 PM

Can people confirm whether or not these 2 sessions were crossfit.

First Session

8min Fartlek running
60m jog
20m sprint

Stongman Circuit
45s each exercise
15s rest

Prowlers
Sandbags carry
Kettlebell swings
Farmers Walk
Med Ball Smash Skipping
Tyre Flips

each done twice

Second Session
5m per station 1min rest

Station 1
100 kb squats
100 push ups
50 wg pull ups

Station 2
100 Trap Deadlift
100 bb floor press
50 db rows e/s

Staion 3
100 bench press
50 split squat e/s
etc.etc. can't remember every exercise

**TRF_Olyy** · 04-04-12, 05:52 PM

No, they're just circuit training.

A lot of crossfitters seem to think that crossfit invented circuit training, the way they go on about it.

**big ginger 8** · 04-04-12, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by TRF_Olyy

No, they're just circuit training.

A lot of crossfitters seem to think that crossfit invented circuit training, the way they go on about it.

Cheers.

**ORothlain** · 05-04-12, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by TRF_Olyy

No, they're just circuit training.

A lot of crossfitters seem to think that crossfit invented circuit training, the way they go on about it.

Agreed...it's circuit training.

Olyy has a wee chip on his shoulder about crossfit. Where exactly did the crossfiters touch you, Olyy? Can you point to it on the doll?

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