I recently read another scathing article on why Crossfit is evil and don't let anyone do it. I'm not a Crossfitter...but I stayed at one! Bad jokes aside, Crossfit is here to stay and it divides the strength and conditioning community.
Why is Crossfit so polarizing? It's a question I was thinking about the other day after talking to a colleague that is a successful and very smart strength coach in Maryland.
I think it's this. Crossfitters live and breath Crossfit. They talk about it, they wear the gear. They make sure you know what the WOD (workout of the day) was. In these days of social media, if everyone posts about it, you get tired of it.
It brings competition to ex-athletes, it brings athletic type competition to people that didn't play a sport. They get to feel athletic, which is an amazing thing. These athletes, I believe are the zealots. The proclaimers of the greatness that is Crossfit. Perhaps this is why it's so polarizing. You get bombarded with it, if you live in the strength world.
It is annoying to strength and conditioning (SC) coaches that have dedicated their life to sport and teaching to have someone get a certification over a weekend and expect to be on the same playing field.
It's annoying for SC coaches to have someone do an Olympic Snatch 30 times. It's annoying to have people not know that Crossfit didn't create the Olympic movements, or gymnastic movements, or circuits or something that is called General Physical Preparation.
There is also a bit of jealousy perhaps. Crossfit is doing very well. It's energized the strength and conditions field. Barbells and olympic lifting shoes are in. Gymnastic rings are in. Memberships are up. All with feeling like they don't know what they are doing.
Perhaps that is why it is so polarizing.
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