I just received this great question from a reader:
“Hey Michelle! I was watching some of your workout posts and noticed you do a lot of crossfit style movments. I just started crossfit by my trainer things its a bad idea. He says too much bad form and lots of jerking; he says its not good for the body in the future. What’s your take on it, seeing as you do kipping pull ups and all. Thanks so much!!
-G”
Hey G, glad you asked about cross-fit type workouts. My coach, Jean-Jacques Barrett, has incorporated a lot of cross-fit type movements into my metabolic workouts, and it’s an exercise style that works really well for me. As you know, I come from a sports background, and feeling challenged in my training sessions is a big part of my love of body-building. I’m not the kind of person who you will often find on the bicycle for long bouts of time. I would much rather have a series of exercise blocs to slam through, trying to hit higher rep counts, or just improve my timing in general. That’s just how my mind works. I love that tinny feeling in the back of my throat when I’m really pushing myself cardiovascular-wise, I love the mental challenge of pushing through resistance, I love the feeling of my heart-rate jumping and the euphoric rush from doing some insane exercise as powerfully or as fast as possible. Yee-Haw!!!
However, your trainer is pointing out a possible flaw with these kind of movements, and that is related to form. Because these are generally athletic movements, and are highly repetitive, you really need to make sure you are being properly coached on correct technique. Joint placement, posture, correct breathing, harnessing momentum, direction of applied force, etc., are all key points in these kinds of exercises. Especially as we get older, and if we are already applying a lot of stress to the body and joints, (as you would if you are getting ready to compete as a figure athlete onstage) you have to pay attention to details. I would strongly suggest starting off slowly on some of the more difficult movements, maybe incorporating them into your warm-ups until your execution is strong. So for instance, you would warm up on the bike and do some interval work for 8 minutes, then do some wall-walks, inchworms, T-Y-Ls, Scaption Shoulder Shrugs, Hanging Shoulder Shrugs, and then 5 x 1 Kippings. Break the kippings apart so that you are really paying attention to form.
As a yoga teacher, I find that most adults have poor proprio-reception, and the smaller, stabilizing muscles in the foot, around the joints and inner thighs, and pelvis, etc, are often not engaged in gross movements. People have difficulty standing on one foot for any length of time and moving their body-weight with control on one foot is almost impossible. One leg Romanian Dead Lifts are a big challenge for even the more seasoned weight-lifter. So taking the time to build up body-awareness, to really get familiar with the correct technique of the cross-fit movements, and using intelligent warm-ups that prepare your proprio-receptors for the upcoming work are all key to long-term cross-fit health.
Hope that helps!
xo
Michelle
