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[Darren870]

If you want to improve core stability, do heavy squats. Squatting on an unstable surface is not a good way to get a stable midsection, but squatting 350 pounds is.

If you're looking for balance, do agility drills.

A good article to read for everyone here:
http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/everything-you-know-about-fitness-is-a-lie-20120504

Its more for balance and core. I would NEVER squat on a swiss ball, but I squat on a bosu ball (flat side up). I do no weight squats, or maybe ill hold a 10lb medicine ball out. It is a good core/balance exercise, but so is squatting 350lbs like you said.

 

[Chichikov]

Do decline

I've never ever understood the point of the decline bench lift.

 

[Amory]

Lol didn't know the general opinion of crossfit was so bad around here.

I've been doing it for a few months and I love it. The trainers are knowledgeable and really friendly, there's hot girls in my classes, it's fun, and im getting in great shape.

Haven't gotten injured, either, and the trainers are all about safe lifting and scaling down where necessary. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Definitely expensive though.

 

[Deleted member 47027]

Lol didn't know the general opinion of crossfit was so bad around here.

I've been doing it for a few months and I love it. The trainers are knowledgeable and really friendly, there's hot girls in my classes, it's fun, and im getting in great shape.

Haven't gotten injured, either, and the trainers are all about safe lifting and scaling down where necessary. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Definitely expensive though.

Sounds like you got one of the good ones!

 

[SteeloDMZ]

I've stalled on my bench. Usually I do flat BB, incline BB, flies, and dips. What can I do to de-stall?

GOMAD

Spoiler

lol

 

[NewFresh]

I did a trial for a new crossfit gym that opened about a year-year and a half ago. The environment was not very welcoming to newcomers, they did not appropriately address any of the people who were new and entirely focused on the people who were already crossfit practitioners. New people would try to keep up with the old people who came from other boxes. It was expensive to sign up, looked like a mess, and in the end not for me. I think that if they did a better job at working people in instead of making them simply figure it out, It would be a better experience.

I still enjoy writing and creating my own routines for the gym, as well as doing some videos at home like www.fitnessblender.com/. Also like to tag along with my girlfriend at...

It's the second most popular class at my gyms behind Body Pump.

Body Pump!

 

[blackflag]

I've stalled on my bench. Usually I do flat BB, incline BB, flies, and dips. What can I do to de-stall?

Do you use a periodization program?

 

[SeanR1221]

Mixed grip cleans is the funniest thing I've ever seen.


p.s.
Never worked in crossfit, know some people who do and I've seen them work out, the program itself seem reasonable (miles ahead of junk like p90x), the main problem I have with it that they're dogmatic as shit and that they're trainers seem to be on average quite uninformed.
They also seem to attract a whole lot of douchebags (though obviously that doesn't mean that everyone who crossfit is a douchebag, far from it, but I don't know, I think I was the only person not wearing a bandana there).

It's called an axel clean. It's legit.

http://youtu.be/q6agvB5mBvY

 

[Zoe]

Body Pump!

I love Body Pump! Most other people here dismiss it though.

 

[bjb]

My favorite crossfit exercise:

 

[Chichikov]

It's called an axel clean. It's legit.

http://youtu.be/q6agvB5mBvY

Can't tell if you're joking, I really don't.
Just to save time, I don't see anything legit in that video, just a one giant "DO NOT TRY AT ANYWHERE".

 

[TheKaeptain]

Do you enjoy joint replacement surgery? How about not actually learning the mechanics of complex and dangerous Olympic lifts that are intended to be done carefully with an absolute emphasis on technique, and instead being encouraged to do them as fast as you can with no regard for technique as long as the bar gets to vaguely the correct spot?

Does the prospect of this, and the encompanying indoctrination of Crossfit being the be all end all of fitness development, from Crossfit trainers who have spent hundreds of seconds earning their certification, all for the low low sum of an outrageously abhorrent amount of money per month that could be spent on twofold or more of legitimate training, get you hot and bothered?

Then you know what you have to do.

This isn't true. A good Crossfit trainer teaches form and proper reps over everything else when it comes to Olympics lifts.

 

[Camp Lo]

I have a good friend that is a chiro and he told me that the vast majority of his new patients for the last few years are crossfit terms. He said its amazing the amount of back herniatians he's seen.

I can feel my back tense up from watching the videos. I don't know how Crossfit is so popular.

 

[FallingEdge]

I've never ever understood the point of the decline bench lift.

Best chest exercise according to Doran Yates and I agree with him. Gotten bigger/stronger in the chest by doing decline.

 

[SeanR1221]

Can't tell if you're joking, I really don't.
Just to save time, I don't see anything legit in that video, just a one giant "DO NOT TRY AT ANYWHERE".

What? An Axel Clean is a legit strongman exercise. Just because those girls were sloppy with it doesn't make it not a thing.

You normally do them with a belt, making the grip change easier.

 

[SteeloDMZ]

My favorite crossfit exercise:

Lol at the coach scratching his ass.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

This is from an infomercial, but P90X2 is big on the destabilization theory. Check it if you have the time:

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

This looks ridiculous, and here I thought that P90X was some solid stuff.

 

[blackflag]

This isn't true. A good Crossfit trainer teaches form and proper reps over everything else when it comes to Olympics lifts.

Good crossfit trainer = unicorn?

I've never seen one. Certainly not the idiots I see coaching near my place.

Look I'm sure there are some but they make it so easy to become a crossfit trainer if you pay dat money, that there are very few good ones.

 

[camelpope]

I do crossfit but I also live across the street from the box so its really easy for me to go back and forth. As for the video yeah at my box none of that would be tolerated. I always drop weight from the bar if my form slips, its encouraged and if I lost time or reps because of it so be it. Not getting hurt comes first. That is my box though, experiences vary.

The only real woo I see at my box is one of our members, who has a massage studio upstairs, is certified and does reiki. Keep your BS life energy healing crap away from me.

 

[NewFresh]

I love Body Pump! Most other people here dismiss it though.

It's a little weird being the only guy in the class, but being able to adjust the weights to my own preference makes it great. I usually see most guys show up for one class with their SO and then never return.

 

[Chichikov]

Best chest exercise according to Doran Yates and I agree with him. Gotten bigger/stronger in the chest by doing decline.

I still don't get it.
The angle of your torso in relation to the ground doesn't really matter all that much to the way your pecs are working.
It's about the angle of the elbows with the torso (not that this matter all that much either, there's no muscle called lower pec).

The only thing I think it achieve is a lower range of motion, and that's not generally desirable.

It's also more dangerous, but that can easily be addressed with a spotter.

What? An Axel Clean is a legit strongman exercise. Just because those girls were sloppy with it doesn't make it not a thing.

You normally do them with a belt, making the grip change easier.

That video looked immensely unhealthy to me, maybe it's just a bad example.
But more importantly, what's the point of it?
The point of a mixed grip is to help you with gripping the bar, I can't imagine there a whole lot of people that can clean a weight their grip is too weak to deadlift (and even if those people exist, it's very easy and quick to strengthen your grip, I honestly think it's better than this weird movement).

p.s.
Do people don't know about hook grip anymore?

 

[Anton Sugar]

This isn't true. A good Crossfit trainer teaches form and proper reps over everything else when it comes to Olympics lifts.

I haven't followed Crossfit in a while, but at one time, I think the party line was in support of (and encouraging) a 20% "slop factor".

There's this short Crossfit Journal article that basically says "proper technique is necessary for higher weight, but not for light weight", which is a baffling way to learn/train a movement.

 

[SeanR1221]

What's the point of atlas stones? How about deadlifting a car?

It's strongman stuff, I dunno. I was just correcting you.

 

[slit]

My workplace has a gym for employees. I don't have to pay anything like you suckers do.

 

[Zoe]

It's a little weird being the only guy in the class, but being able to adjust the weights to my own preference makes it great. I usually see most guys show up for one class with their SO and then never return.

The classes I go to have a few male regulars, but the one-timers I usually see tend load up the bar to max thinking their lifts out on the floor transfer 1:1 to what is done in the class.

 

[FallingEdge]

I still don't get it.
The angle of your torso in relation to the ground doesn't really matter all that much to the way your pecs are working.
It's about the angle of the elbows with the torso (not that this matter all that much either, there's no muscle called lower pec).

The only thing I think it achieve is a lower range of motion, and that's not generally desirable.

It's also more dangerous, but that can easily be addressed with a spotter.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dorian-yates-blood-guts-1.htm

At the beginning of this vid, Yates talks about the benefits of decline. I agree with his comments/mindset but understand if others do not. All about what works for you and what you are comfortable with.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I've stalled on my bench. Usually I do flat BB, incline BB, flies, and dips. What can I do to de-stall?

I see no DB sets here. Why not?

 

[TheOMan]

Yes, there are good Crossfit gyms. They are good because they have informed owners and trainers, not because of the Crossfit branding they license or the associated certificates their trainers pay for or the official workout programs on the Crossfit website.

Crossfit is a bad idea, full stop. Why? Because it dictates that compound barbell movements are done for time. Nothing else needs to be said. Good trainers can ignore that, but if you're doing Crossfit as it is intended, you're inevitably compromising form to do more reps per minute, which is anathema to the powerlifting and Olympic lifting world.

I was preparing a drawn out response to your initial post in this thread, but I can agree with most of this. I think the CrossFits near me have evolved into something that isn't truly CrossFit anymore I suppose. I guess I'm lucky as I have good trainers at mine that have years actual training and experience (not just CrossFit Level 1), have coaches from other disciplines come in and give sessions, etc. Not only that, but the majority of them have medaled or won Olympic and Powerlifting competitions.

Starting Strength is well liked there and technique is king. I'm in some of the best shape of my life, stronger than I've ever been and in 3 years of "CrossFitting", I've had no major injuries. I don't think CrossFit is for everybody, but it definitely works for me and many others. Are there movements that are a little out there? For sure - doesn't mean you have to do them. It's nice to be working out with other like minded individuals instead of by yourself at home (which is good at times too though).

Anyway OP is it worth 200? I don't know, I pay under 100 a month (my company kicks in a bit) and it's more than worth it to me. I'd say if you can afford it, try it for 3 months and then determine if it's worth it to you.

(Guess this response got drawn out anyway )

I haven't followed Crossfit in a while, but at one time, I think the party line was in support of (and encouraging) a 20% "slop factor".

There's this short Crossfit Journal article that basically says "proper technique is necessary for higher weight, but not for light weight", which is a baffling way to learn/train a movement.

Yeah, that's garbage and certainly not the way we train. Interesting.

I still don't get it.

Do people don't know about hook grip anymore?

*raises hand* We use at our gym - tough at first, but it makes a difference for sure.

 

[JB1981]

It's overpriced, dangerous nonsense conceived by a fat drunk. Do Starting Strength at a regular gym instead.

LOL. DAMN

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Wait, decline bench is good now? I've always read it's a pointless exercise due to the range of motion.

and what is periodization?

 

[MiniBossBattle]

Crossfit looks so strange. My high school strength coach SCREAMED at people not using proper technique. I feel like I can't be untrained with some of the goofy postures crossfit makes you do.

 

[Chichikov]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dorian-yates-blood-guts-1.htm

At the beginning of this vid, Yates talks about the benefits of decline. I agree with his comments/mindset but understand if others do not. All about what works for you and what you are comfortable with.

He's right about the fact that it works the whole pecs, but that's true for pretty much all chest exercises (because again, there isn't really an "upper pec" and a "lower pec") but I'm not sure I understand his point about the shoulder position, you can control just them just the same on the flat or on the decline, it's done by moving your elbows closer or farther from the torso.
The angle of your forearm in relation to your torso is controlled by your shoulders, not chest.

 

[entremet]

Wait, decline bench is good now? I've always read it's a pointless exercise due to the range of motion.

and what is periodization?

Decline is amazing for hypertrophy.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Jason's very, very fond of his six pack. I don't think eating more is an option. Steroids!

Eh. I have a nice chest, broad shoulders and a nice V-shape torso thanks to doing all those pull-ups.

Over the past few months, I've just been doing 3 sets of 10 for 185. If I want to go up in weight, I do 205 and can only like 4 reps. I'm the same weight as I used to be when I could bench 275 for 1 rep.

 

[entremet]

Eh. I have a nice chest, broad shoulders and a nice V-shape torso thanks to doing all those pull-ups.

Over the past few months, I've just been doing 3 sets of 10 for 185. If I want to go up in weight, I do 205 and can only like 4 reps. I'm the same weight as I used to be when I could bench 275 for 1 rep.

4-6 reps are optimal for building strength. You'll get better results sticking to that range and progressing from there. Plus being in a caloric surplus helps.

Why don't you slow bulk?

 

[CrankyJay]

My favorite crossfit exercise:

holy shit...

 

[Chichikov]

Wait, decline bench is good now? I've always read it's a pointless exercise due to the range of motion.

Science if constantly changing on those things, and lord knows I personally have been wrong on more fundamental things than the effectiveness of the decline bench press, but I have not seen any serious study that support them nor have I heard a persuasive explanation of the benefits they have over regular bench presses.

But I'm always open to learn.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Eh. I have a nice chest, broad shoulders and a nice V-shape torso thanks to doing all those pull-ups.

Over the past few months, I've just been doing 3 sets of 10 for 185. If I want to go up in weight, I do 205 and can only like 4 reps. I'm the same weight as I used to be when I could bench 275 for 1 rep.

Rep strength doesn't have any sort of direct relationship with maximal strength. There IS a relationship there, but if you can do x weight for 10 reps, you can't rely on a 1RM calculator to let you know how much you can lift.

Periodization is method of programming, where the weight essentially rises and falls in cycles. So you may start the period doing light weight and work up to a personal best in heavy weight, then cycle back down and repeat, setting another PR/heavy weight. Simply doing the same weight every time isn't an effective way to gain strength or progress.

FWIW, you have a better developed chest than me and my bench accessory work is 5x10@185. Volume has its place (I can't grow without it), but you should try to regularly get some maximal/near max effort work in, too.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

oh wow. HAHAHAHA. I just checked my 1rpm bench press using the calculator, and it says my 1rpm is 226, which is spot on. I can 12 reps with 185, and it comes out to 235, which is about right, too.

I'll try doing more volume and changing up the weight/reps.

EDIT-Wait. I did the calculation wrong. I thought weight was how much you weighed, which would be flawed considering height.

I entered 185 for 10 reps, and it says I should benching 246. not so sure. Maybe if I'm really lucky.

 

[agrajag]

I still don't get it.
The angle of your torso in relation to the ground doesn't really matter all that much to the way your pecs are working.
It's about the angle of the elbows with the torso (not that this matter all that much either, there's no muscle called lower pec).

The only thing I think it achieve is a lower range of motion, and that's not generally desirable.

It's also more dangerous, but that can easily be addressed with a spotter.

That video looked immensely unhealthy to me, maybe it's just a bad example.
But more importantly, what's the point of it?
The point of a mixed grip is to help you with gripping the bar, I can't imagine there a whole lot of people that can clean a weight their grip is too weak to deadlift (and even if those people exist, it's very easy and quick to strengthen your grip, I honestly think it's better than this weird movement).

p.s.
Do people don't know about hook grip anymore?

it's called an axle clean because usually they're done with an axle, which is too thick for most people to clean with an overhand grip, unless they have gorilla hands.

 

[FallingEdge]

Science if constantly changing on those things, and lord knows I personally have been wrong on more fundamental things than the effectiveness of the decline bench press, but I have not seen any serious study that support them nor have I heard a persuasive explanation of the benefits they have over regular bench presses.

But I'm always open to learn.

http://suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppversity-emg-series-musculus.html

That is a study that uses EMG measurements to determine which is the best chest building exercise. Decline bench comes in first. This is just one study though.

 

[derder]

Alternatively, you can find gyms that will do their own brand of Crossfit without the licensing fee.

I found one that had various trainers (ex pro soccer players, personal trainers, an Olympian, etc.) They all had their own style but it was always a good tempada/interval training routine. I loved the comradery aspect but I noticed that I wasn't getting any stronger after two months or so. So, I switched to a group personal training program and love it.

My advice: find an off-brand crossfit or find a cheap personal trainer or small group training.

 

[Vio-Lence]

I've never ever understood the point of the decline bench lift.

ego.

 

[mrbagdt]

I haven't followed Crossfit in a while, but at one time, I think the party line was in support of (and encouraging) a 20% "slop factor".

There's this short Crossfit Journal article that basically says "proper technique is necessary for higher weight, but not for light weight", which is a baffling way to learn/train a movement.

this is what i took from reading the 3 paragraph post you linked:

1. traditionally, olympic lifts are all about explosive speed and power, and shorter sets best serve that purpose. but if we want to use these lifts to do more than only gain speed and power, high rep snatch and clean workouts should also be part of your regimen.

2. good technique to the snatch is essential to achieve high RM values.

3. for light loads, you may be able to do snatch without having to do perfect form. the question he ends with is 'what is the best way to maximize the number of reps performed in a given time period or minimize the time to perform a fixed number of reps?' i take this as a question directed at those who wish to compete in the games- is it ok to not use the perfect form required for lower-load lifts if you can get away with it? what form should be done in those situations where it is a high rep - low weight workout?

i dont take that post as saying form doesnt matter. but lets say (hypothetically) that you were asked to power clean a 15 lb bar from the floor and your whole workout was to do that 50 times as quickly as possible. to achieve the best time, what should your form look like? does your form need to look the same as it would if you were doing a 1rm of a heavy load? thats the question i feel he is presenting in his post.

 

[Anton Sugar]

http://suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppversity-emg-series-musculus.html

There is a study that uses EMG measurements to determine which is the best chest building exercise. Decline bench comes in first. This is just one study though.

I think it would be more useful to see these results in the context of an actual program. I have never done decline bench--can you decline bench more than you can bench press? The bench press is, theoretically, the press that allows you to use the most amount of weight in a pressing movement.

Also, the site's findings for legs are...troubling, and make me doubt the idea of EMG as effective:

Parallel squats have roughly the same EMG activation as leg extensions?

And this:

What I consider of particular importance is that both in the case of the hack- as well as in the case of the "standard" barbell squat, going beyond parallel (knee angle <70°) is not worth the increased risk of injury (cf. figure 2).

These studies always remind me how important it is for them to include details on how, exactly, the exercises were being performed. A bench or squat with proper form is very different from one with bad form.

 

[JB1981]

Good form in a state of constant fatigue (which you WILL be in doing these high intensity, high volume WODS) is a recipe for injury IMO. The premise is flawed- taking inherently anaerobic Olympic lifts and doing them in an aerobic capacity doesn't make sense to me

 

[bjb]

I think it would be more useful to see these results in the context of an actual program. I have never done decline bench--can you decline bench more than you can bench press? The bench press is, theoretically, the press that allows you to use the most amount of weight in a pressing movement.

Also, the site's findings for legs are...troubling, and make me doubt the idea of EMG as effective:

Parallel squats have roughly the same EMG activation as leg extensions?

And this:



These studies always remind me how important it is for them to include details on how, exactly, the exercises were being performed. A bench or squat with proper form is very different from one with bad form.

Just going to copy & paste what I already said regarding the study FallingEdge linked:

As someone who volunteers working in neuromuscular health specifically with the use of EMG's, the application itself is loosely accurate - with plenty of other variables affecting results / interpretation

Simply put; that 'study' - particularly because it uses EMG, leaves a lot to be desired / trusted.

 

[Funky Papa]

I love Body Pump! Most other people here dismiss it though.

Body pump is perfectly fine. I can't understand why some people are so hell bent in poo-pooing certain exercises/training methods just because the program tries to make them fun and approachable. What if it's not as effective as pure strenght training? That's not the point.

Incidentally, I very much prefer Body Combat when it comes to cardio-intensive programs. Body Combat is the shit. There, I said it. Come at me, MMA/Fitness-GAF.

 

[Chichikov]

it's called an axle clean because usually they're done with an axle, which is too thick for most people to clean with an overhand grip, unless they have gorilla hands.

Why not do it with a bar you can properly grip then?

 

[SeanR1221]

Why not do it with a bar you can properly grip then?

Why can't you just admit you were wrong?

But I took two seconds and looked it up. The bar is not only thicker but lacks rotation like an oly bar making it a brute strength move. Like I said, it's a strongman thing. You can either keep perseverating on it or drop it.