Just reread CrossFit Journal on Metabolic Conditioning...

[John Alston]

Originally Posted by Geoffrey Thompson

Honestly, though, I think that's a pretty decent workout. It's the sort of thing I'd include as kind of a light conditioning day, say if somebody were strength training on MWF and wanted to do something on Saturday just to make sure he can still move or something. Maybe 5x800 instead of 3x800 (or not) and of course an understanding that the 800 isn't maximal.

When you say it's not a max effort run, then it's not really the same thing at all.

[Corey Kissel]

Great article

http://www.performancemenu.com/artic...?articleID=118

One of my favorite excerpts:

Even as I recount these initial thoughts it’s funny to see how aesthetically driven I was by my need for metcon even though both scientific and anecdotal evidence demonstrated that strength training and mastering quality movement provided better results in every way: performance, well-being, sleep, recovery- even aesthetics.

[Justin Z. Smith]

Check out http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_CFNE_Cecil.pdf (from http://journal.crossfit.com/2011/07/...about-cfne.tpl)

But from 2010: http://games2010.crossfit.com/blog/2...-rankings,958/

The official rankings of the 2010 Affiliate Cup have changed. CrossFit Fort Vancouver is still the champ. CrossFit Omaha and CrossFit Albuquerque are now second and third (instead of third and fourth). CrossFit New England, which was in second, has been disqualified for a positive substance test.

Two athletes (Ben Bergeron and Derek Mohammed) from the CrossFit New England team tested positive for use of the stimulant methylhexanamine. Stimulants are banned for competitors under the CrossFit Games Drug Policy. This disqualifies the team from the 2010 CrossFit Games. The overall finishing order will be adjusted, with CrossFit Omaha moving into second place and CrossFit Albuquerque moving into third place. Ben and Derek will be automatically tested in any future Games for which they qualify.

Justin

[Justin Z. Smith]

A question I have, is the whole 'a$$ to grass squatting', functional for Real Life Movements (tm), etc.

Check out the attached pic.

It is a squat, but on the toes, with the heels off the ground. One can find this type of squat in many places, especially in the CrossFit group photos that are posted on CrossFit.com after a seminar or course was held.

My question is, why? If the squat is super functional, why are there so many incomplete "no rep" air squats on display by CrossFitters?

Justin

[Cyril Sack]

Originally Posted by Justin Z. Smith

For tricep extension, in martial arts practice, the reverse hammer fist is quite important. Like what is shown in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7nkKJnwfK8

In practice, I must do several dozen of these a day.

Justin

Justin - This CF coach gives a breath of refreshing air about that sort of subject. Shame there aren't more like him:

http://crossfitwilmington.com/2011/0...ion-exercises/

[Justin Z. Smith]

From http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf...ndJuly2011.pdf

I am indeed going to be silly enough to attempt to discuss
the factors that will determine the winner on July 31.
To a some degree, it’s going to depend on what comes
out of the hopper. Even 10 WODs deliberately picked to
challenge all 10 physical skills will throw a slight advantage
to one athlete compared to another. If we then picked 10
different WODs (again trying to challenge all 10 physical
skills), we might have a different winner.

So "Fittest on Earth" should be "Fittest on Earth, that day, with that combination of exercises". Kind of loses something.

Justin

[Andrew Wilson]

Originally Posted by Andrew Wilson

Today's wod
Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
Rest 2 minutes

This is going to be interesting to watch.

Alright here we go.

90 Crossfitters posted their times, everyone was recorded.
Of the 270 posted 800 times, the average 800 meter time was 3:19.
Crossfit's 3:19 is close to double the world record time of 1:41.
This comes to an average VO2 Max of 39.87 ml/kg/min for the Crossfit.com followers, which is half of the VO2 max of an elite level middle distance runner.
As mentioned earlier, the 800 is an event that demands both a high aerobic capacity in able to perform exceptionly, physiological effects like capillary growth, increased mitchondria number and size, increased stroke volume, increased o2 attachment to hemoglobin, mechanical efficiency, etc etc etc stuff I don't know about, and to delay the lactate threshold, are needed.
As well as an extremely high tolerance of lactate and pyruvate acid in the blood stream, the ability to use this to create adenosine triphosphate, yadayadayada with the ability to anaerobically perform under severe oxygen debt.


Spotted graph:


As you can see, the performance standards for U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, U-18 year olds, and the world standard are labeled amoungst the Crossfitters performance.

The American Olympic Trials "A" standard in the 800 is 1'46", "B" standard 1'48".

The performance standards for the Youth Outdoor T&F are:
7-8 year olds 3'26" **
9-10 year olds 2'41"
11-12 year olds 2'29"
13-14 year olds 2'12"
15-16 year olds 2'05"
17-18 year olds 2'02"

To repost:
In the 70s and 80s an UK and USA TV show tested half miles from some of the top athletes in their country, this is how they performed:

Brian Budd soccer, 1979, 1'57"36
Scott Tinley triathlon, 1987, 2'04"76
Karch Kiraly volley, 1985, 2'06"56
Peter Mueller speed skating, 1981. 2'08"33
Evander Holyfield boxing, 1989, 2'09"88
Ard Schenk speed skating, 1974, 2'14"95
Karl Schranz skiing, 1974, 2'16"0
Dan Gable wrestling, 1974, 2'16"00
Dusty Dvorak volley, 1986, 2'18"10
Stan Smith tennis, 1974, 2'19"00
Ray Mancini boxing, 1984, 2'19"41
Wayne Grimditch watersking, 1978, 2'19"85
Kyle Rote Jr. soccer, 1975, 2'20"90
Jean-C Killy skiing, 1973, 2'35"0
Tim Witherspoon boxing, 1986, 2'36"22
Alexis Argeullo boxing, 1985, 2'49"46



So the question is, when Crossfit says they are forging elite fitness...











As shown a good performance in the 800 does not require "specialization", just overall athletic ability.
Boxers, water skiers, wrestlers, volleyball players, tennis players, and 10 year olds are all outperforming Crossfitters in the 800 event and they aren't even "specialists" in the 800

[Russell Crosswy]

Ok, who is going to be the first one to post on CF.com or on an affiliate's site "Forging elite fitness for 8-year olds."

On a more serious note, do we have the times for the Games competitors? I can see someone saying none of the 800m times from CF are good because all the elites are resting for the games.

Do we know what some of those pro athletes would be able to do in this type of 800m WOD with only 2 min. rest between runs?

The point still stands though I think.

[Justin Z. Smith]

http://games.crossfit.com/features/event-1-announced

Justin

[Shane Skowron]

Originally Posted by Justin Z. Smith

http://games.crossfit.com/features/event-1-announced

Justin

I have to admit, I think the individual workout is pretty cool. Beach swim, beach run, basic calisthenics. Sounds like fun actually.

Would love to see the splits for the swim though...