The founder, Greg Glassman, nicely summarizes the CrossFit approach as a strength and conditioning program built on constantly varied, if not randomized, functional and scalable movements executed at high intensity. Each part of that must be defined:
Strength and conditioning: this is not a running or cycling program for metabolic, cardiovascular conditioning on even days of the week with a resistance training program for strength and power on other days. There is no segregation of exercise modalities in this approach. CrossFit is a hybrid strength/conditioning program that utilizes Olympic lifts, bodyweight exercises, gymnastics, rowing, running and a plethora of other exercises to develop endurance, power, flexibility, stamina, strength and other anatomical/physiological changes. By combining both metabolic conditioning and strength/power training into one approach, the return on investment of time and work is maximized.
Varied, if not randomized: I (and many others) have studied and used different periodization lifting plans based on the premise (validated by solid outcomes) that varied load and volume produces better strength gains. CrossFit takes that principle of variation one big step further by eliminating predictable “routine” workouts, replacing them with constantly varied exercise sessions. One session may focus on creating better form, and even a new personal record, in an Olympic lift. Other sessions may alternate high velocity jumping and pull-ups with running, or mix pushups with situps and body weight squats and yet another session may contain only 4 minutes of exhausting, high intensity exercise . Random physical challenge that creates breadth of physical adaptations is the constant variable in CrossFit.
Functional movements: Functional training has become something of a buzzword over the years, with a steady stream of fitness experts announcing that, surely, their take on functional exercise is the most functional. In the CrossFit approach, functional training must mimic natural movements such as rising from sitting, picking an object up off the floor, jumping, climbing or lifting an object over your head. These kinds of movements are simultaneously multi-joint (not segmental), require trunk stability in the midline and call for strength and power over a relatively short time frame. These kinds of movements have greater application to the demands of everyday, real life: much, much more functional use than isolated bicep curls, running extended distances or curling on a specially designed machine that isolates your abdominals. The equipment and space is deliberately Spartan in approach – the most important aspect of your workout is not how much chrome and fancy machines fill the gym. The most important aspect of your workout is how well the exercises develop the kind of strength, power and endurance needed for meeting the demands of day to day life.
Scalable: All the CrossFit workouts can be tailored to the individual’s current fitness level. Some come to CrossFit with no training background: workout intensity and volume will be set at a beginner’s level. Others are attracted to CrossFit after years of using other training methods: strengths and weak areas can be taxed appropriately. Age, obesity, medical issues, training history, endurance levels, strength level, and flexibility: all these kinds of issues can be met by adjusting portions or all of the exercise session. A good demonstration of scalability here.
High intensity execution of movement: Izumi Tabata and his colleagues at Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sport measured aerobic and anaerobic changes from very high intensity interval training in routines that lasted 4 minutes or less. They discovered that a very high intensity load with short rest periods created improvements in not only anaerobic performance (not a surprise), but also created improvements in aerobic capacity. This means, and this is counter-intuitive to most exercise physiologists and trainers, that an athlete can train with one approach that benefits both aerobic and anaerobic performance. The key to eliciting these gains are high intensity work. And what is high intensity? Greg Glassman steps in with a practical definition in “physical and psychological discomfort.” Scoring the workouts creates this high intensity work: scoring sometimes for points, sometimes for repetitions, sometimes total weight lifted, sometimes a combination of work and time (power). This approach works because, in the words of the late Col. Jeff Cooper, “Men will die for points.” The byproduct of that intensity is what I call “high ROI” – high return on the investment in work. -strengthdoc.com
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