Negative long-term effects of excessive GPP?

[Scott Borre]

I think that Steven, and others, misunderstand what CFE is. CFE is sports specific training. Its endurance sport (including short distance [5k], marathon, triathlon, and rowing) training. However, it uses both the CF WOD and additional training to achieve the intended sport specific results. So far it seems to be working really well for some, as some endurance event champions are CFE'ers.

Saying that doing CFE is ridiculous, would be like saying that doing any sport along with CrossFit is ridiculous. Years ago Glassman stated that to perform well in endurance sports, you have to train for your endurance sport. You can't just rely on the CF WOD.

[Allen Yeh]

Originally Posted by Pat McElhone

Why aren't you "just following" CFHQ? I think CFHQ WODs are so popular with the military because they are the best training for the physical fitness tests (which measure General Physical Preparedness). Most guys I know spend years doing the weights on one day, run the next, etc. Most get injuries (shin splints) from over training. They switch to the CFHQ, and run a lot less, but still run faster on the actual test.

The threads since the games have gotten me to re-evaluate CFHQ's WOD and how it applies to my current training goals. However, if I had to prepare for a physical fitness test, the purpose of which is to test physical fitness, I would be following the CFHQ WOD.

I know I have had the best APFT I ever had by "just doing the WOD". Good luck.

Pat McElhone

Like you I noticed that it seemed like a lot people back when I frequented the CF board a lot were able to up there 5K times even though a 5K might pop up once in a blue moon.

However I personally never found enough running with the CFHQ stuff to even maintain my running endurance. Of course I'm a suck ass runner and I just need to run and run and run some more to even cut off 0:30 off a slow 16:00 - 2 mile. I think I didn't run nearly enough in my younger years and didn't build up a base like many of the people that you see who are able to just run a 5K every 3 weeks and PR their time. I've doing better now but if I slack on my running for a few weeks it seems like it's back to the drawing board.

Sadly enough my best APFT score came after I was doing just running and bodybuilding workouts years ago.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Scott Borre

I think that Steven, and others, misunderstand what CFE is. CFE is sports specific training. Its endurance sport (including short distance [5k], marathon, triathlon, and rowing) training. However, it uses both the CF WOD and additional training to achieve the intended sport specific results. So far it seems to be working really well for some, as some endurance event champions are CFE'ers.

Saying that doing CFE is ridiculous, would be like saying that doing any sport along with CrossFit is ridiculous. Years ago Glassman stated that to perform well in endurance sports, you have to train for your endurance sport. You can't just rely on the CF WOD.

I stand by my comments.

From what I've seen *MOST* (or some) of the people on the CF board that are doing CFE are not doing it because they want to be competitive in endurance events. They're just doing it because they like more workouts, or they feel CF main page isn't adequate for their needs. These are generally the same people saying "Is CF enough?" in threads on the forums if you noticed. Of course, these again are the same people that ignore Annie, Eva, and all of the CF people saying that you're not going hard enough if you think CF main page is inadequate... but whatever.

If you're doing to do some competitive work by all means go for it. Obviously you need sports specific training, and if CFE includes a lot of that then that's great. But if you're not looking to be competitive in endurance events.. I don't know why the hell you would want to do more than CF main page in the first place seeing as how it will just burn you out faster.

[John Schneider]

I'm with Steve on that people are using CFE incorrectly.

It would be like if I came up with a sports specific program to complement judo that worked around the CFHQ WOD. It would be great for grapplers, but if the lay person was trying to do it for general fitness, they'd miss the mark.

One of my newer athletes asked if he should be doing CFE since he is bad at running. I instructed him to stick with what we are doing and then after a few months we can evaluate goals and whether he should include more training.

That being said, I really like CFE and if I ever get back to triathlons I'll probably give it a go. Until then, I'll stick with my own CF WODs with a strength focus.