CrossFit is committed to “forging elite fitness,” with elite being relative to folks’ commitment, interest, age, and condition in life, to name just a few factors. We have a broad definition of this fitness (“increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains”), and a prescription for how to achieve it (regular workouts comprised of “constantly varied functional movements at high intensity”). Adequate nutrition is essential, which in the broadest description means moderate (sufficient but not excessive) quantities of quality food (proteins, carbs, and fats).
The biggest enemy to fitness is sloth and overindulgence, particularly of high-glycemic carbohydrates. The second biggest enemy to fitness is theSilly Bullshit of which Mark Rippotoe speaks eloquently. Getting more folks off the couch, out of the machine-based isolation silliness, and into some form of functional training with a moderate diet is what will make the biggest impact on the world, and on our community.
In all this, there is little disagreement. Now, CrossFit is also about pushing the limits of human performance. The closer you get to the top of your game, especially if your game is the CrossFit Games, the more subtle distinctions matter. You really have to dial in your training, nutrition, and recovery.
There is significant debate, as there should be, about how to optimize human performance. There has been a trend, however, to let these debates become divisive by some members of the community. This is a mistake.
CrossFit HQ’s stance is to expose the community to the widest variety of best practices so that we can further human performance. Identifying solely with one type of deadlift, backsquat or nutrition approach is counterproductive given the success that some athletes have with another type. Know them all, and use them productively and with discretion.
Thank you to Dave Castro and the CrossFit Journal for this Article.
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