Training With Crossfit

[ctp16]

In the upcoming fall season I plan to do a lot of training to get fast for my spring season, hoping to get my 2k around 6:20. I've always been a fan of crossfit and have done some of their work outs when I needed a change from my lifting regime. But one thing that I can't reconcile is how to balance a lifting program on crossfit with a rowing program such as the Pete Plan (which I love). Doing crossfit everyday in addition to a rowing session is really unrealistic, however the Pete Plan calls for rowing 6 times a day. Getting faster on the water/erg is my top priority, so would it be a good idea to do all of the Pete Plan with crossfit on days with the longer/less lactic intense work outs?

[TomR]

You can't do them both. You'll fry yourself.

You could find a rowing progam that includes some longer sessions at moderate intensity (or scale back PP paces), which would make it easier to add weight training. Or you could cut the PP back to 3 or 4 times/week to make room for weight training.

I don't whether the Pete Plan includes both moderate intervals (4x2k or 5x1.5k) and short intervals (8x500) in the same week. If it does, in the off season you could (and probably should) alternate, doing only one session of intervals per week.

I think you'll end up toast or injured if you try to do both PP and Xfit, but you could reasonable spot in some Xfit/lifting sessions, especially if you modify the PP. It's not clear to me that this would be the optimum training for rowing, but if you need an occasional change of pace to stay interested, give it a whirl.

[Jamie Pfeffer]

As Tom says, you've definitely given us a a challenging question. Let's see what we can do.

First, I believe that Crossfit differs conceptually (almost completely) from rowing. If I understand CF correctly, they base their training on developing a broad-set of functional training skills. Their coaches aim for these to be fungible so that their athletes can apply their fitness training in many different areas of life. For example, I believe many cops and soldiers do CF. In their jobs, they run, jump fences, tackle people and manifest their fitness in countless different ways. So they need a training program that prepares them for absolute all-out efforts that might last for a few minutes. And as a corollary, (I believe) Crossfit stresses that one should avoid becoming efficient at a task. I think the theory is, when one becomes adept at something, the body stops adapting quickly. So, their ideal would be someone like Daley Thompson or Bruce Jenner.

On the other hand, because it is a sport, rather than a utilitarian vehicle to general fitness, rowing differs from Crossfit. While we still want fitness, we want to become efficient. That is, we want to use the least amount of energy necessary to row the boat (or erg) at a certain speed. They, however, want to use the most amount of energy they possibly can.

So Pete's training program seems difficult to reconcile with Crossfit. If followed devoutly, each program has a unique work and rest schedule. I think CF is three days on followed by one day off. Generally, Pete advocates no more than two or three hard sessions per week. So it looks hard to alter the collision course.

Perhaps, though, you might be able to do the CF lifting on the same day, but definitely after, you do a hard interval rowing session. Of course those days would be brutal. But at least you would preserve the integrity of the rest days. And you would still be able to row the intervals hard enough to help you meet your impressive goals.

Please do let us know what you devise.

All the best,
Jamie

[Jason Tanner]

Everyone is essentially correct on crossfit ideology. You can involve crossfit and rowing together. Crossfit generally applies a three day work one day off workout routine (like mentioned before). What you can do is go somewhat hybrid by involving 2 days crossfit and one day row followed by a rest day. Then repeat. Although crossfit's goal is to provide broad general inclusive fitness we have found that people who do crossfit along with their own sport greatly improve on their own sport. There can be many reason's why this happens, neuro-endocrine response, neuro-muscular adaptation, etc. Honestly, we really don't know why it works, we just know it does. I myself am starting to train for rowing when I go to CofC. I probably plan on doing crossfit alongside with rowing, with a somewhat similar program with what I just stated. If you wanted to do more rowing then do two days of rowing with one day crossfit. There is also the fact that rowing can be involved in the crossfit workouts themselves. You can find much more help on Crossfit's message board. I would recommend you do crossfit though. At least a little. If you have other questions please don't hesitate to email me. Just my two cents.

jason@crossfitnorcross.com

[onealjn]

Crossfit is a cult and is whacky. The very fact the word ideology comes up should be a red alert.

For a ribald and open discussion on their training, see:

http://www.irongarmx.net/phpBB2/viewtop ... a&start=25

[ToddMR]

Check out CrossfitEndurance.com. They post C2 workouts.

If you're doing CrossFit and CFE, you'd want to get to where you're doing 4-6 main site WODs per week, plus 2-3 CFE if you're only doing rowing.

If you're doing multisport CFE, you want to do 2 CFE WODs per sport per week.

I'm a CrossFitter who does CFE running and rowing workouts.

I attended the CrossFit Running and Endurance Certification with the guys who do CrossFit Endurance and can probably answer any questions you have.

[capnbenzo]

I've been thinking about the efficacy of Crossfit in preparing for a 2k. I was/am an avid Crossfitter and used it successfully to train for several cycling events and BJJ competitions. I followed Crossfit Endurance for a while in my indoor rowing training, but I reevaluated my opinion on their anti-LSD stance.

My current stance is that Crossfit builds general physical preparedness (GPP). My goal, having been a competitive rower in HS, is to PR on the erg this coming February. Given that I was a reasonably successful rower then, I think after a certain point Xfit and Xfit Endurance are not the best way to prepare for a sport like rowing when one's goals exceed what can be achieved with GPP. I think Xfit is better suited for more eclectic sports like BJJ and MMA which require a broader range of movements and different, unpredictable periods of exertion and intensity.

Thus, I switched to a Pete-Plan-Type program with a good amount of distance, 1-2 Xfit metcons per week to break up the monotony and have fun, and 1 heavy Starting Strength lifting session per week to retain explosiveness and build some base power. I think the research is divided on the effectiveness of LSD and my personal experience has been that some amount of distance work is beneficial for sprint-distance training. I hope this works! We'll know in Feb!!

[Porkchop]

This link courtesy of the Crossfit discussion board (http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=36440):

Gold medal Olympian credits crossfit

Just thought you all might like to know that Gold Medal Olympic rower Erin Cafaro credits CF with her physical prowess. here is a link to the article.

http://www.modbee.com/1534/story/411421.html

Cafaro believes her physical edge came from CrossFit, an elite fitness program favored by martial arts and police academies and world-class athletes.

[TomR]

Hey Porchop (et al),

I came across this link of Erin in which she briefly mentions Crossfit (Olympic lifts). It would be interesting to get more detail about her training.

http://www.row2k.com/video/view.cfm?vid=5253