Having finally gotten my hands on a copy of “Every Second Counts” and anxiously awaiting every new episode of this years CrossFit Games, I can’t help but be awe-struck by the amazing feats of athleticism shown by all the athletes. The sheer test of will and determination in the face of tasks that would cripple the average person are nothing short or amazing. Thus it is with utmost respect and admiration that I have to question whether these athletes can claim to be “the fittest humans on the planet”.
Now, hear me out…
Is CrossFit a broad, general and inclusive training program that aims to increase our overall capacity to do work? Yes.
Does it produce phenomenal athletes that crush your average gym rats at most tasks? Yes.
Do these athletes, who train functional movements and olympic lifts,succeed when given a completely random task that they have never trained or practiced?…?
My point is this, if CrossFit claims to produce athletes, nay, warriors that should be ready for any challenge thrown at them, then I am of the opinion that the Games should be a test of this theory. If the row/steak-drive/row workout was any indication of the effect of throwing a foreign task into the mix, throwing random, untrained tasks into the mix can cripple even the most elite of athletes.
My greatest psychological benefit from CrossFit is the mental clarity that comes with knowing that I am suitably prepared for any task that gets thrown my way. It is the randomness of life that makes it interesting. What goes on in the world is beyond most people’s control. What goes on inside your mind, and your physical world is what CrossFit trains us for.
Are the CrossFit Games a true measure of a person adaptation and capacity to perform in the 10 general physical skills? Yes, but we are still testing people on trained activities. Until we see a test of true randomness, I argue that we haven’t seen the fittest man/woman on the planet yet.
My suggestion for an upcoming games: Air drop the athletes into a foreign environment with some basic supplies and a map. Throw some random tasks in along the way… first one to cross the line wins.
Just my .02 cents.
