Crossfit Takes Over!

By, Justin Purcell

The sport of Crossfit seems to be taking over! From the sports magazines, to ESPN, and Crossfit Gyms are popping up around every corner. While skeptical, I have always given the athletes credit for the feats they perform. You have to be athletic to do crossfit, and if you’re not, you will be after a few sessions!

I’ve always looked at Crossfit as a mild adaptation of Strongman. As a Strongman Athlete I’ve often wondered if a crossfit athlete could perform if thrown into a strongman competition. Well as of last week I’ve started a training program for people interested in learning the sport of Strongman and adapting our theories into their training regimen. I’ve been fortunate enough to have Sin City Crossfit offer their facility to me 3 times per week to introduce the sport of Strongman. The majority of the attendees have in fact been crossfit members’. During the first two classes I’ve taught 8 different events to these members and I would have to say that they all excelled brilliantly. I feel that a natural path for Crossfit Athletes would be Strongman, because as they continue to get stronger they could cross over and remain competitive in both sports.

I feel that very few sports could cross over and adapt to Strongman. Power lifters have a hard time because of the muscular endurance required, and Bodybuilders generally wouldn’t have the tendon strength or the range of motion to adapt successfully. As most strength athletes, I also started out as a bodybuilder, and it took over 4 years of training to change my body into the form of a strongman, I’ve competed successfully in power lifting, but I’ve also gone through the pain and torture to do so. I really commend any athlete that tries to compete in more than one athletic discipline.  It takes endless determination, failure, and pain to do so.

However, both male and female crossfit athletes could cross over with a little added knowledge and proper form. Form is key, and with any new sport crossfit still has areas of improvement with some disciplines. Especially when it comes to flipping tires, and picking up atlas stones, but the potential is there! Some of the elite level Crossfit athletes could walk on to most any amateur strongman event and be very competitive. Something that isn’t easily done by any other athlete. I hope that someday in the relatively close future strongman will be more accepted in local gyms, huge chains, crossfit, and Olympic lifting gyms across the country.