The other day I was killing time (and brain cells) on the Facebook and came across a post Claude Patrick made to his wall that was getting some heated debate.
Claude’s post was about my buddy and colleague Daniel’s latest post on his blog about CrossFit for sport performance.
You can read Dan’s full blog post here, but the gist of what he’s saying is that CrossFit should not be used by mixed martial artists (or any other athlete) because it lacks specific, planned training and reasoning behind the workouts.
If you’re a mixed martial artist and die-hard CrossFitter, then I’m sure your blood is probably boiling instantly vaporizing right now and you’re ready to hammer out a 550 word rebuttal. Post time in the Comments. 😉
I’m pretty sure I’ve been asked whether CrossFit is good or not for MMA… I can’t quite remember because I get so many questions everyday.
Regardless, I’m going to weigh-in on this question now.
Ready?
First, we’ve got to get a general understanding of what CrossFit is so we’re talking about the same thing…
[I’m talking general here, so if I miss any little details, don’t get your panties in a bunch. If I got something completely wrong, please correct me in the Comments section below]
To sum CrossFit up as concisely as possible: it’s a method of training that consists of random workouts (Workout of the Day or WOD) made up of a core group of exercises where the goal is often to complete the WOD as quickly as possible or with as much weight as possible.
The core group of exercises include Olympic lifts, squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushups, chinups, medicine ball throws, running and jumping.
Pretty much any barbell, medicine ball, kettlebell, bodyweight or suspension exercise can be used in a CrossFit routine, but those mentioned above form the core.
The exercises used are all great exercises and much better than anything you can do on a leg extension or Bosu.
But – this is important – it’s not just about what exercise you do because WHY you’re doing it, which determines reps, sets, rest periods and where exactly in a training program (12 weeks out, 4 weeks out, etc) it lies.
By definition, because the workouts are random, with regards to Daniel’s point that CrossFit lacks specific, planned training, I wholeheartedly agree.
It’s my firm belief that a planned exercise program with exercises and workouts specifically chosen to meet the demands of MMA (or any other sport) will result in superior physical fitness vs. random workouts, and I’m going to explain why.
Does this mean CrossFit is completely useless?
Are we throwing the baby out with the bath water?
The thing is, it’s impossible to fully analyze CrossFit because the workouts are random.
But one common thread exists beneath each workout: to push your anaerobic lactic and/or alactic systems to the max each and every session.
That’s why you often see the pics of guys laid out after a CrossFit workout – their anaerobic systems – and especially their CNS – has been completely trashed.
If you do this over and over it can result in CNS overtraining and its unpleasant symptoms: low motivation to train, impaired speed, greater feeling of exertion during workouts, to name a few.
Ever felt that you just didn’t have it in you, despite good nutrition and decent sleep?
Could be CNS fatigue due to too many intense workouts, especially if you perform workouts that consistently leave you trembling when you’re done.
This might be fine if you’re just doing CrossFit, but if you also train MMA 4-5 days a week, you’re setting yourself up for a plateau in not only your fitness, but possibly more importantly, your skill development.
This is because your body will not imprint new techniques effectively if you are spending all of your “adaptation energy” on CNS recovery from your puke bucket workouts.
The old school mentality of pushing your physical limits each and every workout is just that – old school.
Sport science has evolved to the point where we can accurately choose the minimum amount of work necessary to achieve our fitness goals.
If you’re at a lower level of maximal strength and aerobic fitness, you’re better served on focusing on those two elements via high intensity, low volume strength training and moderate volume, low intensity aerobic training vs. a high volume of high intensity anaerobic training.
Here’s When CrossFit Can Be Beneficial…
If you’re at a higher level of max strength and aerobic fitness, you can benefit from CrossFit workouts.
To be at this level, you probably have a few years of strength training, thus your exercise technique is fairly ‘ingrained’ by now and you don’t have to think too much about technique.
Ex-athletes who have been consistent with strength training get the most out of CrossFit and love it because it challenges their competitive spirit.
Slot WODs in 2-3 days/week along with a maximum of 1 intense MMA training session, focusing on lower intensity technical martial arts training.
When doing any CNS intensive training like maximal lifts, jumps, or runs, focus on max intensity and impeccable technique, otherwise you’ll imprint inefficient movements into your system.
Inefficiency is where you waste energy and you don’t have any energy to waste!
I would also only use CrossFit further out from a fight (12 weeks and beyond) because once a fight approaches, naturally you’re going to increase your volume and intensity of MMA training.
The variety of workouts, competitive environment and mental toughness required to push through the lactic acid burn is beneficial to you as a mixed martial artist.
But doing CrossFit within the 12 weeks out window will only interfere with the intensity level you can train MMA and can leave you overtrained and ripe for injury.
Managing volume and intensity while still striving towards improved physical performance is a fine balancing act and the closer a fight gets, the more precise you have to be for peak physical performance.
The key is knowing exactly what it is you’re trying to achieve then doing the absolute minimum amount of work necessary to achieve it.
There is no glory and no special place reserved for you in heaven if you do more work than necessary to achieve your goals (physical or otherwise).
That’s flawed thinking and will waste time and energy better spent on other things, like training MMA, hanging out with family and friends, reading a book, going for a walk, or even just twiddling your thumbs and staring at the blue sky.
That’s why when it comes to step into the cage, following a planned, periodized strength and conditioning program specific for MMA will outperform random workouts every time.
Make sense?
Finally, let me leave you with some philosophic advice to meditate on:
Avoid dogma, keep your mind open. Know your goal, then figure out the path of least resistance to achieve your goal.
Adopt this mindset grasshopper, and you’ll continually find yourself improving while having more and more time and energy and you can choose to direct it where you please.
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