“Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own”
-Bruce Lee
Bodybuilding and CrossFit. The great debate between aesthetics vs. performance. When did people in the fitness industry become so single minded? This doesn’t need to be an either or argument. As someone who cares about my physique and how it performs, I am willing to incorporate anything into my training that may help improve that.
This debate used to happen with bodybuilding and powerlifting. That has recently changed as more bodybuilders have realized there is a great benefit to periodizing training, focusing on getting stronger and moving serious weight. On the flip side powerlifters have realized the benefit volume training and assessory movements can play in their big 3 lifts. Why can’t the same revelation happen between Bodybuilding and CrossFit?
This is part one of a two part series, next week we will look at what CrossFit can learn from Bodybuilding.
1 – Exercise Selection
I’m not going to sit here and start a debate about what exercises are “functional” because quite frankly I hate that term. However, I am going to point out that I love how CrossFit puts a priority on basic multi-joint compound movements.
How can you argue with a program that emphasizes squats, presses, pull-ups, deadlifts, etc.
This is something I talk about a lot but cannot emphasize enough. There needs to be a priority put on the exercises that matter MOST. One thing that drives me crazy is the fact that most bodybuilders spend an equal amount of time on cable lateral raises as they do on squats. If at the end of the week you have done the same amount of volume on squats and side raises please re-evaluate your programming.
Now, I’m not trying to say CrossFit has their exercise selection on point because they don’t (Sumo Deadlift High Pulls anyone WTF?) The bottom line is to focus on the movements that matter.
Exercises I spend the most time on:
1- Squat (back, front, overhead)
2- Overhead Press (OHP, Push Press, Jerk)
3- Deadlift (Hip Hinges)
4- Bench Press (various grips and angles)
5- Pull-Ups (bodyweight and weighted)
2- Emphasis on Gymnastics / Bodyweight Movements
Piggybacking on the last point, aside from the occasional dip and pull-up most bodybuilders do not do any type of bodyweight or gymnastics movements. The fact is bodyweight is still weight/resistance. Check out the upper body of a gymnast, clearly body weight movements can build muscle!
Recently I started playing around with adding a lot of Handstand Pushups into my shoulder training. The only exercise I felt was making a significant difference in my shoulder size and strength was the Overhead Barbell Press. This is where the HSPU came in. Immediately I could feel a difference and not just in my anterior deltoid. With the HSPU’s I could feel my lateral, posterior, and even my traps all engaging. Now Overhead Barbell Presses and HSPUs make up 90% of my shoulder training.
Can’t do a Handstand Pushup? Even the basic push-up can offer a lot of benefit. I can hear you now, I bench 350+ what is a push up going to do for my chest size. Do me a favor right now drop down and do 50 consecutive slow tempo controlled push-ups and come back with the most intense chest pump of your life.
Kipping Pull-ups?
I feel like I should give my opinion of the kipping/butterfly pull-up. This is definitely something bodybuilders bring up when hating on CrossFit . Wondering what kipping pull-ups are? Watch this Video
For CrossFit the kipping pull-up makes perfect sense, it allows more work to be done in less time. For bodybuilding not so much. If your goals are purely aesthetic based the strict pull-up is still the way to go.
My favorite Gymnastics / Bodyweight Movements
1 – Pull-Ups
2- Dips (parallel bars, rings)
3- Handstand Push-Ups (regular and deficit)
4- Toes to Bar
5- Push-Ups
3- Quantifiable Workouts
With CrossFit there is a goal in every workout to try and improve. One thing bodybuilders seem to forget is improvements can come from more than just adding weight to the bar.
The one training variable that seems to get the least compliance in most bodybuilding programming is rest intervals. Everyone has seen that person in the gym that does a set then walks to get a drink, poses in the mirror, looks for a new song, or is sending texts and before you know it 5 plus minutes passes in between each set. I suggest everyone start timing their workouts and most importantly rest intervals. If nothing else it at least gives you another training variable to manipulate and try to improve.
A few things you can borrow from CrossFit to make your workouts more quantifiable in terms of TIME
EMOM – Every Minute On the Minute sets. It’s basically what it says, do an exercise for a given amount of reps every minute on the minute for a set overall time.
AMRAP – As Many Rounds or Reps As Possible. Set up a circuit of a few exercises and try to complete as many rounds as possible in a set amount of time.
For Time– Simple, pick an exercise, circuit, or even an entire workout and get it done as quick as possible.
4- Blending Strength Qualities / Rep Ranges in One Session
Typical periodization focuses on one modality of strength and or hypertrophy during each block mesocycle. But sometimes bodybuilders even get a little cute and undulate their periodization so they work 2 or more strength qualities across one week. How about hitting multiple rep ranges and strength qualities in a single session?
Let me give you an example of how I would structure a workout that blends strength qualities.
Lower Body / Core Workout
A1 -Deadlift 5 sets of 3-5 reps
A2 – Front Squat 4 sets of 5 reps
B1- Walking Overhead Lunges 4 sets of 10 reps
B2- Reverse Hypers 4 sets of 15 reps
C1- Circuit 3 rounds 20 reps, For Time
– Toes to Bar
– Box Jumps @24in
– GHD Sit-Ups
– Kettle Bell Swing @35lbs
With this sample program we started out with two main strength movements. Then its followed up with some assistance work in a moderate rep range. Finally the workout finishes with a metabolic conditioning circuit. This is just an example of how multiple rep ranges can be placed into one workout.
5- Sense of Community
This is the BIG one. In my opinion one of the reasons why CrossFit has grown so much over the last few years stems from making exercising fun! Weather its the group setting, competition like atmosphere, or just the nature of CrossFit workouts everyone seems jazzed up to go train. I love that. I dont know about you but I dont see that many people pumped up to go train arms by themselves.
It doesn’t matter if you have the best program in the world, if its not fun and you dont enjoy it you likely wont see many results. Working out in a group setting with like minded individuals sparks competition, commitment and community. If there is one thing CrossFit definitely has right its this!
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