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CrossFitUnderstanding CrossFitThe aims, prescription, methodology, implementation, and adaptations ofCrossFit are collectively and individually unique, defining of CrossFit, andinstrumental in our program’s successes in diverse applications.AimsFrom the beginning, the aim of CrossFit has been to forge a broad, general,and inclusive fitness. We sought to build a program that would best preparetrainees for any physical contingency—prepare them not only for theunknown but for the unknowable. Looking at all sport and physical taskscollectively, we asked what physical skills and adaptations would mostuniversally lend themselves to performance advantage. Capacity culled fromthe intersection of all sports demands would quite logically lend itself well toall sport. In sum, our specialty is not specializing. The second issue (“Whatis Fitness?”) of the CrossFit Journal details this perspective.Understanding CrossFitPage 1FoundationsPage 4What is Fitness?PrescriptionThe CrossFit prescription is “constantly varied, high-intensity, functionalmovement.” Functional movements are universal motor recruitmentpatterns; they are performed in a wave of contraction from core to extremity;and they are compound movements—i.e., they are multi-joint. They arenatural, effective, and efficient locomotors of body and external objects. Butno aspect of functional movements is more important than their capacityto move large loads over long distances, and to do so quickly. Collectively,these three attributes (load, distance, and speed) uniquely qualify functionalmovements for the production of high power. Intensity is defined exactly aspower, and intensity is the independent variable most commonly associatedwith maximizing favorable adaptation to exercise. Recognizing that thebreadth and depth of a program’s stimulus will determine the breadthand depth of the adaptation it elicits, our prescription of functionality andintensity is constantly varied. We believe that preparation for randomphysical challenges—i.e., unknown and unknowable events—is at odds withfixed, predictable, and routine regimens.1 of 117Copyright CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CrossFit is a registered trademark ‰ of CrossFit, Inc.Page 14

CrossFit Training Guide CrossFitUnderstanding CrossFit. (continued)MethodologyThe methodology that drives CrossFit is entirelyempirical. We believe that meaningful statements aboutsafety, efficacy, and efficiency, the three most importantand interdependent facets of any fitness program, can besupported only by measurable, observable, repeatablefacts, i.e., data. We call this approach “evidence-basedfitness”. The CrossFit methodology depends on fulldisclosure of methods, results, and criticisms, and we’veemployed the Internet (and various intranets) to supportthese values. Our charter is open source, makingco-developers out of participating coaches, athletes, andtrainers through a spontaneous and collaborative onlinecommunity. CrossFit is empirically driven, clinicallytested, and community developed.threshold, body composition, and even strength andflexibility as being correlates—derivatives, even. We’dnot trade improvements in any other fitness metric for adecrease in work capacity.ConclusionsThe modest start of publicly posting our daily workoutson the Internet beginning six years ago has evolved intoa community where human performance is measuredand publicly recorded against multiple, diverse, andfixed workloads. CrossFit is an open-source enginewhere inputs from any quarter can be publicly given todemonstrate fitness and fitness programming, and wherecoaches, trainers, and athletes can collectively advancethe art and science of optimizing human performance.ImplementationIn implementation, CrossFit is, quite simply, a sport—the “sport of fitness.” We’ve learned that harnessingthe natural camaraderie, competition, and fun of sportor game yields an intensity that cannot be matched byother means. The late Col. Jeff Cooper observed that“the fear of sporting failure is worse than the fear ofdeath.” It is our observation that men will die for points.Using whiteboards as scoreboards, keeping accuratescores and records, running a clock, and preciselydefining the rules and standards for performance, wenot only motivate unprecedented output but derive bothrelative and absolute metrics at every workout; this datahas important value well beyond motivation.FAdaptationsOur commitment to evidence-based fitness, publiclyposting performance data, co-developing our program incollaboration with other coaches, and our open-sourcecharter in general has well positioned us to garnerimportant lessons from our program—to learn preciselyand accurately, that is, about the adaptations elicited byCrossFit programming. What we’ve discovered is thatCrossFit increases work capacity across broad time andmodal domains. This is a discovery of great import andhas come to motivate our programming and refocusour efforts. This far-reaching increase in work capacitysupports our initially stated aims of building a broad,general, and inclusive fitness program. It also explainsthe wide variety of sport demands met by CrossFit asevidenced by our deep penetration among diverse sportsand endeavors. We’ve come to see increased workcapacity as the holy grail of performance improvementand all other common metrics like VO2 max, lactate2 of 117Copyright CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CrossFit is a registered trademark ‰ of CrossFit, Inc.

CrossFit Training Guide CrossFitNOTES3 of 117Copyright CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CrossFit is a registered trademark ‰ of CrossFit, Inc.

CrossFit Training Guide CrossFitFoundationsCrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program.We have designed our program to elicit as broad anadaptational response as possible. CrossFit is not aspecialized fitness program but a deliberate attempt tooptimize physical competence in each of ten recognizedfitness domains. They are Cardiovascular and Respiratoryendurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed,Coordination, Agility, Balance, and Accuracy.The CrossFit Program was developed to enhance anindividual’s competency at all physical tasks. Ourathletes are trained to perform successfully at multiple,diverse, and randomized physical challenges. Thisfitness is demanded of military and police personnel,firefighters, and many sports requiring total or completephysical prowess. CrossFit has proven effective in thesearenas.Aside from the breadth or totality of fitness the CrossFitProgram seeks, our program is distinctive, if not unique,in its focus on maximizing neuroendocrine response,developing power, cross-training with multiple trainingmodalities, constant training and practice with functionalmovements, and the development of successful dietstrategies.4 of 117Copyright CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CrossFit is a registered trademark ‰ of CrossFit, Inc.

CrossFit Training Guide CrossFitFoundations. (continued)Our athletes are trained to bike, run, swim, and row atshort, middle, and long distances guaranteeing exposureand competency in each of the three main metabolicpathways.We train our athletes in gymnastics from rudimentaryto advanced movements garnering great capacity atcontrolling the body both dynamically and statically whilemaximizing strength to weight ratio and flexibility. Wealso place a heavy emphasis on Olympic Weightliftinghaving seen this sport’s unique ability to develop anathletes’ explosive power, control of external objects,and mastery of critical motor recruitment patterns. Andfinally we encourage and assist our athletes to explore avariety of sports as a vehicle to express and apply theirfitness.An Effective ApproachIn gyms and health clubs throughout the world thetypical workout consists of isolation movements andextended aerobic sessions. The fitness communityfrom trainers to the magazines has the exercising publicbelieving that lateral raises, curls, leg extensions, sit-upsand the like combined with 20-40 minute stints on thestationary bike or treadmill are going to lead to some kindof great fitness. Well, at CrossFit we work exclusivelywith compound movements and shorter high intensitycardiovascular sessions. We’ve replaced the lateralraise with pushpress, the curl with pull-ups, and the legextension with squats. For every long distance effortour athletes will do five or six at short distance. Why?Because compound or functional movements and highintensity or anaerobic cardio is radically more effective ateliciting nearly any desired fitness result. Startlingly, thisis not a matter of opinion but solid irrefutable scientificfact and yet the marginally effective old ways persist andare nearly universal. Our approach is consistent withwhat is practiced in elite training programs associatedwith major university athletic teams and professionalsports. CrossFit endeavors to bring state-of-the-artcoaching techniques to the general public and athletewho haven’t access to current technologies, research,and coaching methods.Is This For Me?Absolutely! Your needs and the Olympic athlete’sdiffer by degree not kind. Increased power, strength,cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, flexibility,stamina, coordination, agility, balance, and coordinationare each important to the world’s best athletes andto our grandparents. The amazing truth is that thevery same methods that elicit optimal response in theOlympic or professional athlete will optimize the sameresponse in the elderly. Of course, we can’t load yourgrandmother with the same squatting weight that we’dassign an Olympic skier, but they both need to squat.In fact, squatting is essential to maintaining functionalindependence and improving fitness. Squatting isjust one example of a movement that is universallyvaluable and essential yet rarely taught to any but themost advanced of athletes. This is a tragedy. Throughpainstakingly thorough coaching and incremental loadassignment CrossFit has been able to teach anyonewho can care for themselves to perform safely andwith maximum efficacy the same movements typicallyutilized by professional coaches in elite and certainlyexclusive environments.Who Has Benefited From CrossFit?Many professional and elite athletes are participatingin the CrossFit Program. Prize-fighters, cyclists, surfers,skiers, tennis players, triathletes and others competingat the highest levels are using the CrossFit approach toadvance their core strength and conditioning, but that’snot all. CrossFit has tested its methods on the sedentary,overweight, pathological, and elderly and found thatthese special populations met the same success asour stable of athletes. We call this “bracketing”. If ourprogram works for Olympic Skiers and overweight,sedentary homemakers then it will work for you.Your Current RegimenIf your current routine looks somewhat like what we’vedescribed as typical of the fitness magazines and gymsdon’t despair. Any exercise is better than none, andyou’ve not wasted your time. In fact, the aerobic exercisethat you’ve been doing is an essential foundation tofitness and the isolation movements have given yousome degree of strength. You are in good company; wehave found that some of the world’s best athletes weresorely lacking in their core strength and conditioning. It’shard to believe but many elite athletes have achievedinternational success and are still far from their potentialbecause they have not had the benefit of state-of-the-artcoaching methodsJust What is a “Core Strength and Conditioning”Program?CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning programin two distinct senses. First, we are a core strength and5 of 117Copyright CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CrossFit is a registered trademark ‰ of CrossFit, Inc.