CrossFit training at the Division 1 level

Indiana Hoosiers heading to OMAHA

Is CrossFit training used at the Division 1 level?.....Well, my answer would be Yes and No. If you walked into any Division 1 strength and conditioning facility you are NOT going to see todays WOD workout posted on their board. However, if you took a closer look you would see a lot or almost all of the movements performed at CrossFit somewhere in the Collegiate training regimen.

The Ohio State University

University of Michigan

CrossFit was founded in 2000 by Greg Glassman. There are approximately 6,100 affiliated CrossFit gyms. The daily workouts are either posted on the company website or are designed by a coach at a local affiliate. CrossFit defined through Wikipedia states that: CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program designed to help people gain a broad and general fitness. CrossFit programming concentrates on constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity to achieve overall physical fitness, so people are prepared for any physical challenge. CrossFit is a trademark of CrossFit Inc.

The movements performed at CrossFit and the training regimen is exceptional. During my career at Indiana we would use lifts such as the front squat, push press, snatch ect...All of these movements are incorporated into different CrossFit WOD workouts today. These are great full body movements that can be applied and used to better yourself as an athlete. The stronger you are the better athlete you will become. I'm not saying that if you are exceptional at CrossFit that you will all of a sudden be able to field a grounder, or throw a football or have great touch shooting a free throw. However, what I am saying is that if you can already do those things and you are an athlete this will enhance your performance. CrossFit WILL increase your strength, balance and endurance. I can attest to that. I've been through numerous tough workouts in college and these CrossFit workouts will push your limits and it feels great. So although Division 1 schools aren't using the coined phrase "WOD" (CrossFits workout of the day) they are using a variation of the CrossFit workout applied to the specific sport. I think some of the controversy regarding CrossFit and athletics may be geared towards the perception of the burpee or kipping pull up or possibly another exercise I haven't mentioned. Some people may think its cheating if you are doing a kipping pull-up.....well if that is what the workout calls for then it's not cheating. We also do strict pull-ups at CrossFit so it literally just depends on what the workout is asking you to do. Its all about variance and changing up the routine so your body doesn't adapt and continues to grow. Isn't that the goal regardless of what your training regimen is?  
Men’s Health Power Training author Robert Dos Remedios says, "If your plan calls for a regular pullup, and you do a kip then it is cheating. “If you’re aiming to do a vertical pulling exercise, it should be some sort of a pullup or chinup variation rather than a kip,” says Dos Remedios. “Otherwise you’re really not using the muscles that are meant to vertically pull.”
But don’t write off the kip completely. “We use it in complexes—exercises that pair two or more moves sequentially with the same weight—where you’re going to get really gassed for a metabolic effect. With these workouts, you’re trying to move as fast as possible, so I use a kipping pullup,” Dos Remedios explains. 
In closing, CrossFit is a great tool that can be incorporated into Division 1 athletics. Many of the movements are already involved in college training regimens and have been for some time. I don't see that ever going away. The goal in CrossFit is to achieve overall physical fitness, so people are prepared for any physical challenge. 

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