CrossFit is a term that’s increasingly popular in the fitness world. Many people are getting into their CrossFit training because of its dynamic approach. It’s a lifestyle that promotes safe, effective exercise and balanced nutrition. However, recently Jillian Michaels shared her issues with CrossFit, and to be honest, she’s got a point.
If you’re a passionate cross-fitter, then keep it up! But it’s always a good thing to stay abreast of new feedback and research about the fitness you’re doing. Lately, she has been sharing her opinions about quite a few health and fitness trends. One thing that comes to mind is her argument regarding the ketogenic diet. Of course, health and fitness are controversial topics and everyone has their own opinion. But it is really interesting finding out about different information on these important approaches.
Let’s take a deeper look into what Jillian is talking about and why she has a few issues with the approach.
CrossFit Is Not the Be All and End All
I think it’s safe to say that there is no fitness approach that is better than the other – the main factor is your goals. In fact, all fitness is entirely dependent on what you’d like to achieve at the end of the day. We all have our own reasons for starting something or following a specific program. That’s why it doesn’t make sense to state that one style is better than the other.
It’s more accurate to state that one style is much more effective for a specific result than the other. However, because CrossFit is such a huge trend, so many people are choosing to do it as their preferred form of movement. The problem with this is that these people are not always educated on what CrossFit does to your body, especially in terms of form and other available exercise options. Never allow somebody to tell you that their way is the best because everyone’s best is going to be unique.
What Is CrossFit?
I thought I’d give you a little insight into what this form of training is, in case you were uncertain. But basically, it’s constantly varied, high-intensity functional movements. CrossFit is a training philosophy that coaches people of all shapes and sizes to improve their physical well-being. It focuses on cardiovascular fitness in a hardcore yet accepting and encouraging environment.
This means that no matter what your fitness level or age is, you can join in on the action. It is a strength and conditioning workout and is structured with three days on and three days off for rest.
Jillian Michaels Sheds Some Light
As you all know, this hardcore celebrity and Biggest Loser personal trainer means business. She doesn’t mess around or beat around the bush. And whether her opinions are correct, we do have to listen to her and take her advice into consideration. After all, she has years of experience in the fitness industry and has managed to become one of the most successful female trainers in the world. Not only that, but she’s also a mother. Yet she has maintained an incredibly strong, lean, and fit body for all these years.
This year, Jillian shared with Shape magazine her take on CrossFit. She says that she’s had a few issues with the approach. Michaels said: ‘First of all, you’ve got what – 20 to 25 movements that don’t really vary? And you’re doing them over and over and over again.‘
She explains that this stops being effective because you’re not challenging the body from various angles of push and pull, with different varieties of exercises and different types of movements that work different modalities.’ In addition, she says that although CrossFit athletes say they work all their modalities, they don’t actually.
So Jillian says you should rather choose a workout that has a little more flexibility and strength. This is so you get more mobility work in and not just power, which creates speed and strength.
Here’s What To Do Instead
Again, we are not slamming CrossFit in any way. We just want to explore our options and shed some more light on the topic. This might help you make a more informed decision when you are stuck choosing between what workout to do.
Michaels says that instead of doing CrossFit, people should look for a more well-rounded workout. She recommends doing a little agility work and some endurance training. This is so that your training is more balanced, which keeps the body changing. Your training will also be more holistic by hitting all the modalities of fitness.
CrossFit Kipping
Then, there is a gymnastic maneuver called, ‘Kipping.’ Michaels also disagrees with this movement, in particular, which is a very common one amongst CrossFitter’s.
If you don’t know what ‘Kipping’ is, then you’ve probably seen it in CrossFit. Jillian says Kipping is when you use momentum by bucking or jerking your hips. And a lot of athletes and CrossFitters use this to do things like pull-ups or toes to bar. She explains that they feel like it makes them more efficient because they can do more reps. Some even believe it helps builds power which is speed and strength together.
She knows that not everybody is going to agree with her. However, she says that her fitness background and roots classify Kipping as cheating, This is because you’re using momentum to do another repetition. More importantly, without the correct form, you might get hurt. That’s the last thing you want to happen.
If you’d like to learn how to do a clean pull-up, then Jillian suggests using rubber bands instead. This will allow you to complete assisted pull-ups, which are already common in CrossFit classes, as an alternative to strict pull-ups or kipping. You can also do a few core strength movements to build up the ability to complete strict pull-ups without kipping.
