8 Questions 'CrossFit'

This week, I have "8 CrossFit Questions" for Derek Hutchison. Derek Hutchison is a head coach and co-owner of CrossFit Coeur d'Alene. Derek was an early adopter of CrossFit and one of the first CrossFit coaches in North Idaho.

Q. Derek, how did CrossFit develop into the mainstream fitness program it is today?

A. CrossFit started posting their Workout of the Day (WOD) online in 2003. It caught on first with some military special operations units as well as some law enforcement, but stayed relatively underground until around 2009. To give you an idea of how fast it's catching on now, when we opened in early 2008 there were about 300 CrossFit gyms worldwide - now there are well over 5,000. The recent popularity of the CrossFit Games has helped increase interest, but I think what has really driven the growth is that it simply works; people see the results from their friends and want to try it, and it grows exponentially from there.

Q. If someone is going to take up CrossFit, how important is it that they use a CrossFit certified trainer?

A. Well, it's important to have someone that is legally certified to teach CrossFit - not only for your own safety but to ensure you're getting what you think you're getting. With the popularity of CrossFit, there are a lot of impostors out there that come up with programs like "X-Fit" and whatnot. These are just usually trainers who try to jump on the bandwagon, but don't want to actually take the time to further their education. That being said, even amongst certified CrossFit Trainers, there are differences. Each has their own style and personality, so it's important to train with someone who fits what you want as a coach. It's also useful to see what other types of fitness education and certifications they have outside of CrossFit; you want someone who's been in the fitness industry a while and has a broad base of knowledge. A lot of people think CrossFit is a franchise, but it's not. They're all different, so finding one that is a good fit is important.

Q. Is CrossFit a program that anyone can start or is it too intense for people with no fitness background?

A. It's absolutely a program anyone can start. One of the things I hear most from people who are hesitant to come in is, "I want to get fit first, then I'll try CrossFit." This is like going to McDonald's before you go to an all you can eat buffet, it just doesn't make sense. The program is designed to get you fit. And once you do that, we get you more fit. If you can get up from a chair and walk around the block, you can do CrossFit. The beauty of CrossFit is that it can be scaled relative to anyone's fitness level and ability. We might have a 28-year-old firefighter do a workout with 400-meter sprints and 24-inch box jumps. Right next to him is a 65-year-old grandmother doing 200-meter walks and 8-inch step ups. From a movement standpoint, they're doing the same thing. A good coach will know how to scale load and intensity so that everyone is getting a great workout that's tailored to them, but not feel left out. And the best part comes when that firefighter finishes and turns around to cheer on the grandma. There are no egos; nobody cares who finishes first, they just care that you're there with them and having fun while getting fit. The community aspect is absolutely the best part of our program.

Q. CrossFit incorporates strength, cardio and gymnastics. What is the percentage break down on the three disciplines? For example, if someone struggles with cardio, how much of the program will involve running?

A. One of the things that makes CrossFit so effective is we don't specialize in anything. If I want to be really fit, I want to train like a power lifter (moving objects), a gymnast (moving my body) and a sprinter (high intensity cardio). Doing this makes you strong, flexible and fast. You could argue that the most physically fit people are athletes. Knowing this, it would make sense to train like one. I like to say, CrossFit will make you the best version of you. True fitness only occurs when you focus on your weaknesses. Hiding weaknesses leaves chinks in the armor, but attacking them will improve everything else. If we get an endurance athlete, the first thing we do is teach them how to move and lift, and they get stronger. Then they go race, and they're always faster... without putting in more training miles. Even if you're an Ironman competitor, adding 50 pounds to your deadlift will make you better at your sport.

Q. You hear the term WOD or "Workout of the Day" a lot when talking with CrossFit professionals. How does this approach to a workout regimen differ from just hitting the gym with a well-rounded workout schedule?

A. We don't have leg day or chest and back day, we base our days off of movements because that's how the body was designed. We run, jump, push, pull and throw, hard and fast, and mix it up daily. By not getting stuck in a routine, you never get bored and your body never has a chance to reach the state of diminishing returns.

Q. How often and for what length of time should someone expect to be on a CrossFit program?

A. Your entire life. I know people that have been doing CrossFit for over a decade and are still getting stronger and fitter. This isn't a fad workout program, this is a lifestyle change. Once you try a good CrossFit program, you will never go back to the typical gym routine. As we age, the emphasis goes from looking good on the beach to staying healthy and independent. The two hypothetical CrossFitters I talked about above have different goals; the firefighter wants to be able to stay fit for his physically demanding job and the grandma wants to be able to pick her grandchildren up. I would train them exactly the same way, just relative to their own level of fitness. It doesn't matter if you want to lift 300 pounds or get off cholesterol medication, the answer is the same: do CrossFit.

Q. CrossFit places a pretty big emphasis on technique. Why is this so important to someone new to CrossFit?

A. Like I said before, we train movements. Like anything, if you do it wrong it can be dangerous. A good CrossFit gym will have a thorough beginner's program with an emphasis on technique before intensity. Learning the proper technique not only keeps you from getting injured, but allows your body to adapt faster and improve your fitness. Another benefit to going to a good CrossFit gym is you'll learn how to do basic human movements that carry over into every day life. Learning how to deadlift a barbell will come in handy the next time you have to help your friend move out of their apartment. Learning how to squat with perfect form is going to keep you out of the nursing home in your 70s. One of our athletes, who is 74, told me we saved him $500 a year. When I asked him how, he said, "because I'm able to mow my lawn for the first time in a decade." I don't think you'd get results like that from bicep curls and elliptical machines.

Q. How important is nutrition for people who get in to a CrossFit Program?

A. Somebody really smart once said, "You can't out-train a crap diet." You can definitely get fit with CrossFit alone, but there's a synergistic effect when you combine it with a good nutrition plan. We are advocates of the Paleo diet, which in laymen's terms is a whole foods diet. We found that if you're eating nutritionally dense, whole foods, there's no need to count calories, or carbs, or whatever... nature kind of takes care of that for you. We have literally seen people melt away when they stick with this.

Thank you Derek for the your in-depth answers on CrossFit!

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corp.