My take on Crossfit

I cant see how this can be good for the spine

It's time to take some shots at what the Business News Network describes as  "one of the fastest growing fitness movements on the planet": Crossfit. For the record, I have never been to a Crossfit gym. To those who may ask, how can you critique something if you've never done it? I answer them by saying, do I need to take LSD to understand the effects it has on the body? Plus, my entire life I've made it a habit to learn what not to do from watching others and Crossfit is a perfect example.

Case One: Specialization, or lack thereof
Founder Greg Glassman describes his creation as "not a specialized fitness program, but a deliberate attempt to optimize physical competence in each of the 10 fitness domains". Those ten fitness domains are endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. When I read that quote, I immediately thought of something that Frederick the Great once said: "He who defends everything defends nothing". If you try to do everything in your workout, you get nothing. I don't think it is very effective. No  one has ever gotten good at something training like that. My final point about their claim of being "not a specialized program", is that Crossfitters become good at Crossfit (whatever that may be). So in a sense, they are specializing in their "sport" (albeit, a very difficult one to define).

Case Two: The Programming
When I look at CrossFit's programming — or lack thereof — I see things that are senseless and random. Their workout of the day looks like something my old wrestling coach would create. "Alright, boys, today we are going to run 400 meters, then do 21 situps, 21 pushups and 21 squats, and then repeat that until someone pukes". It is random and illogical. I think part of the reason is the requirements to be certified. If you have $1,000 and a weekend free of obligations, you can go out and become a Level 1 Certified Crossfit instructor. An additional $500 will get you to Level 2 and any subsequent certification will cost you $250. As one Crossfit coach said, "Let's just say the quality control is down". I came across one workout that called for 30 muscle-ups. And if you can't do muscle-ups, do 120 pull-ups and 120 dips. It's just random; it makes no sense. I guess doing 120 pullups and dips will help you with muscle-ups? That is not even bringing up the point of why you are doing muscle-ups in the first place but I digress.

One Crossfit coach believes that the workouts can bring you to about an 8 out of 10 in a few of the fitness domains. But when there is a lack of organization in the programming, it will be difficult to get you beyond that point. And that will get you to the dreaded plateau on some of the key lifts. It will take specialization to get you better. I did a quick search on Crossfit champ Rich Froning's training routine. On Monday and Friday he squats, Tuesday and Thursday he presses, and Wednesday he deadlifts. He will also clean and snatch twice per week. This is all on top of performing the workout of the day. He understood that it will take specialization to reach your goals.

The programming also fits into the one-size-fits-all training methodology. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of group fitness and run multiple group fitness classes every week. I have even used some of the rep schemes that are popular in the Crossfit world. But, in reality, do you think it makes sense to have the 50 year old grandmother, the college football player, and the 19 year old girl who never weight trained before doing the same program?  This point leads me to my next case...

Case Three: The potential for injury.
With the random programming and the one-size-fits-all mentality, you are assuming (this is a HUGE assumption) that every person that walks into the gym is physically able to perform each lift with good technique. And lets say there is 20 individuals in the class but only 1 or 2 instructors on hand? You are looking at a 1 to 10, or 1 to 20, instructor to student ratio and because of that, an individual may not be performing the lift as technically sound as they should be. I work as a trainer and strength coach and it is hard to monitor every individual at every moment in time. For that reason, performing lifts like the deadlift, power clean and snatch can be quite dangerous without the proper teaching and supervision.

Alwyn Cosgrove is a reputable strength coach, here is his take on the "all over the place" programming: "A recent CrossFit workout was 30 reps of snatches with 135 pounds. A snatch is an explosive exercise designed to train power development. Thirty reps is endurance. You don't use an explosive exercise to train endurance; there are more effective and safer choices". It is also an extremely technical lift. Once you reach 5 or 6 reps of the exercise, it is understood that the potential for error in technique increases. The larger margin of error will increase your chance of potentially injuring yourself. To put it simply, be careful with CrossFit.

Have a nice weekend!
Chris Fluck

All Calories are NOT Created Equal

Since I have begun working in the fitness industry I have had a hard time explaining to people the idea that it is what you put in your body that matters. Calorie cutting diets are popular and it is a common opinion to think that all calories are equal. Yes, I know, in a literal sense 1 calorie = 1 calorie. But the effect each calorie has on our body is dependent upon a few variables. The following is what you need to know about calorie-based diets and why they are not always the best idea when discussing fat loss or improving your body composition.

Why Calorie Based Diets Do NOT Work

1. Different macronutrients produce different responses in the body. These responses directly influence the metabolic rate and whether or not your body will be in fat burning or fat storing mode. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the amount of calories our body burns at rest. Those who consume a low amount of protein experience a drop in their RMR. A recent study indicates that individuals on a high protein diet can improve their RMR by as much as 11%.
2. The number of calories required to break down food varies greatly. This is the thermic effect of food. It takes energy to digest food and your body burns significantly more calories digesting a meal or animal protein and vegetables than it does a meal of pasta and red sauce. Even fewer calories are required to digest foods like cookies and potato chips. So yes, I understand your cookie bar has only 80 calories in it. It is made of the same stuff that is in the 200 calorie bar with the same name. It is only smaller in size, not more healthy.
3. High carbohydrate consumption is common in calorie counting diets. Most of the foods for these individuals are low in fat but high in carbohydrates. This leads to an increase in insulin levels, especially when these carbohydrates are high on the Glycemic Index. When your insulin levels are cranked up throughout the day, so is the stress hormone cortisol which causes cellular aging, fat gain and could eventually lead to diabetes.
4. Substitute protein and "smart fats" for carbohydrates. The protein aids in restoring tissue and builds lean mass. The fats improve insulin sensitivity, restores brain health and builds hormones like testosterone.
5. If you overeat, you will get fat. That is a fact. If you overeat and consume a small amount of protein, you will be getting hit with a double whammy. The low protein diet will put your body in a catabolic, fat storing state (catabolic is the opposite of anabolic, anabolic builds muscle, catabolic eats away at muscle for energy). So in a sense, you will not only gain weight but you will also lose lean muscle. This will put a hurting on your body composition and negatively impact your body fat percentage. From a body composition perspective, if you are going to overeat, make sure 15-25% of your diet contains protein. That way you may continue to gain weight but you may also lower your body fat and improve your overall composition.
6. Whole vs. Processed Foods. The thermic effect of whole foods is much higher than if you ate the same amount of processed foods. In fact, it is almost double that of processed foods.
7. A lesson from the Pima Indians of Arizona. This group was once described as "tall and sinewy" but now obesity runs rampant through their community. They were known to eat a low number of calories, primarily from fish, small game and foods they gathered. Since the early 1900's they've slowly adopted the "white mans" diet and their body composition has changed and now their is a widespread of obesity. Consuming sugar, bread and other starchy foods have been the big change in their diet and it shows in the increase of their waistline. Their caloric intake was still relatively low, but their body composition changed for the worse!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Chris Fluck

The Power of No!

     The year was 2010 and after a shoddy academic performance at Bloomsburg University, I decided to leave school and finish my education elsewhere. Bloom was a place where I attended more parties than classes so at that point in time, it was the right decision. My room mate during that time also happened to be one of my best friends growing up. One day he gave me a call and asked if I wanted to join him for a new race titled 'Tough Mudder'. This was the very first race they ever hosted so I had no idea what he was talking about. After checking out some of the ridiculous YouTube training videos and the Tough Mudder webpage, we decided this race was right up our alley. Plus, any race that is willing to give out free tattoos was something worth looking into. Right around that time I began running and realized something was missing. I decided that boozing on the weekends (and the occasional weekday) was detrimental to my training. After looking at the 'Countdown to Race Day' and seeing the race was in 100 days, I decided to stop drinking and get serious with my training. I haven't drank a sip of alcohol since and couldn't be more happier with my decision. That is when I learned the power of 'No'. As they say in The Great Gatsby, "It's a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people". That doesn't mean you wont ever see me out in a bar, as I do occasionally go out, but my night usually ends before midnight and I haven't ever woke up with a hangover from drinking too much water.

     Since I learned the power of 'No', I made it a priority not to waste any time. I am always working on something and although it adds some additional stress to my life, I love every minute of it. I became certified with the American College of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer, earned a bachelors degree, began coaching football, read over 100 books, and in a few short weeks will be certified (knock on wood) to be a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Hypothetically speaking, I could have accomplished all of these things while continuing to drink. But in reality, I know that was not going to be the case. I would not have accomplished half the things that I've done had I continued drinking. Plus it is hard to tell people that "I'm all about discipline" and focusing on studying with both my hands filled with food and booze. So that is why I choose to abstain!

     One of my favorite quotes comes from the book Season of Life: "I've never met, or heard of anyone that said, boy, I'm really glad I got drunk last night, or did drugs, because I made a really good decision that I wouldn't have made without that". In my opinion, there is nothing more detrimental to your potential as a human being than alcohol or other substances. In my small circle of friends and family, these past few years have been tough on us and substance abuse is at fault. There have been trips to rehab, multiple arrests, deaths of former teammates and even the death of my own brother at the hands of illegal substances. I recently came across a something from basketball coach Bobby Knight about the power of 'No' and felt it rang true. Coach Knight said "No, is the most important word in the English language. No is used by tough people...Yes causes a heck of a lot of more trouble than No. In saying No, you may miss an opportunity, but you wont get yourself into trouble. Trouble follows yes, not no". What a great way of thinking and I wish someone would have told me this sooner. I wish someone would have told all of my friends this and I wish someone would have told my brother this. If they did I still might have my big brother around. So next time someone asks you to partake in something you are not so sure is a good idea, be tough and remember the power of NO! You wont regret it!

Hope you enjoyed,
Chris Fluck

Say Bye Bye to Bodybuilding

Growing up in a home with a weightlifter and former bodybuilder (my father was Mr. Teenage Lehigh Valley and also registered a 410 pound bench press in his thirties weighing 185 pounds), I was exposed to only one type of training: bodybuilding. I remember hammering out the bench press in my parents basement and working in some "curls for the girls" before calling it a day. Luckily, I have learned quite a bit since those days but it seems that I may be in the minority. Every time I walk into a commercial gym I see the same things that I always imagined Muscle Beach looked like in the 1980's. I see guys in tank tops performing the bench press, chest flys, about 20 different varieties of biceps curls and working their triceps like there is no tomorrow. And on top of that, I see what appears to be an unlimited amount of rest periods between sets and tons of chit-chatting among the gym regulars. The more I think about it, the more I realize that you can't really blame them. It is probably all they know or sadly, all they care to know.

I create programs for a wide variety of clientele and the main objective is fat loss. If we all take a photo of ourselves, I think every one of us (myself included) could afford to shed some fat and improve their overall well-being. I am going to share with you some of the biggest mistakes being made in gyms and then offer a sample workout program that I often use with clients and one that I do personally.

The purpose of this piece is not to disrespect the bodybuilding community, as previously said, my father spent years of life training and competing and I have a great deal of respect for the discipline needed to succeed. I just do not think that it is for everybody. When the goal is fat loss, following a bodybuilding plan of training 5-6 days per week, splitting up the body parts trained each day, and isolating muscle groups is not the most productive way to train. The body is an integrated unit and it should be trained that way. The exercises that you choose to do should train movements, not individual muscles. Some examples of these types of exercises include squats, deadlifts, bench press, military press, pull-ups/chin-ups, and rows. These exercises train much greater amounts of muscle which will lead to more calories burned during and after your workout. Plus, who really has the time to train like a professional bodybuilder? Total-body training maximizes your time and maximizes the amount of work you can accomplish over a given time period.

Another issue I have with the average gym goers is that it seems "leg day" is often neglected. Too many people (mostly guys) only care to know how much you can bench and nothing else. The problem with this is that 70% of your muscle mass is in your back, hips and legs. Neglecting this part of your training will severely limit your results. Performing exercises like squats and deadlifts are full body exercises that involve just about every muscle in your body. Your shoulders, upper back, and core have to stay "locked in" to perform the exercise and this can't be replicated anywhere else. Running, playing hoops, or performing leg extensions are not enough. Find a squat rack and get after it!

So if your current bodybuilding plan is not the most productive way to spend your time, what are you to do? Before I get into the program design, I want to speak about the key ingredient: kettlebells (KB). If you have access to them, I would highly recommend building your training routine around using them. If your exercise selection uses bells 50% of the time, you are doing something right. I credit Dan John with the following template for building an exercise program:

1. Hinge (Hip Hinge): These exercises include maximal hip bend and minimal knee bend. The KB Swing is a fat burning machine and would include them in every program. No bells: try the box or broad jumps. Need something more advanced: KB clean or snatch, power clean and power snatch.
2. Squat: This is the progression I use- Goblet Squats, 2 KB Front Squat, Barbell Front Squat. I also mix in some unilateral exercises like split squats and pistol squats.
3. Push: Bench Press, Military Press, Single Arm KB Bench, Single Arm KB Military Press
4. Pull: Bodyweight exercises include pull-ups, chin-ups, and horizontal row. I also perform an exercise referred to as 'Bat-Wings' that include KB's.
5. Loaded Carry: This is an often neglected portion of training programs but it is a game changer. Lift, push, drag, carry or roll heavy objects over a prescribed distance. What muscle group does this work? EVERYTHING!
6. Sixth Movement: This portion of the template includes all the other things you'd like to include. If you want to do biceps curls, go right ahead. Do not build your entire fitness program around the 'sixth movement' (i.e. an entire workout comprising of biceps exercises or rope waves).

This template involves training the large muscle groups and necessary recovery is needed. Never compromise quality for quantity and remember more is not always better. It is comparable to taking medicine, take the prescribed dose and you have no worries. Take more than the prescribed dose and more harm than good can occur.

The final issue that needs to be addressed is rest periods. Shooting the breeze for 5-10 minutes between sets isn't going to get it done. Shorter rest periods increase the metabolic demands on your body which leads to more calories burned during and after you workout. You will also be able to complete greater amounts of work over shorter periods of time and that should be the focus each workout (just remember it is quality, not quantity). How do you do it without totally fatiguing yourself? Pair up non-competing exercises with 30-60 second rests between sets. An example would be to perform a set of goblet squats followed by pull-ups. That way your lower body works as your upper body "recovers" and vice versa. Or if you feel like cranking it up, perform KB Swings between each set of each exercise and watch the sweat drip off your body.

I hope this piece was insightful and if you have any questions or in need of more information, please feel free to contact me!

Chris Fluck