Being 'ripped' and being physically fit are two very different things

A recent article from the Globe and Mail points to a fundamental problem that's endemic in much of mainstream workout culture. Dave McGinn, in his article, "Muscle confusion: Hey biceps, you'll never guess what's next," frequently conflates two very different concepts: physical fitness and bodybuilding.

There's a common misconception that a person who looks huge and ripped must be in great shape. This is not always the case; guys who hit the treadmill for five minutes a day, blast their pecs on Tuesdays and work their legs on Thursdays are almost certainly not physically fit. These are often the same guys who, when doing a CrossFit WOD for the first time, are confronted with the shocking reality that they're not even close to being fit.

Now, I'm not trying to take anything away from the practice of bodybuilding -- it's a completely valid activity in it's own right. If body sculpting is the goal, then micro-focusing on specific body parts is very likely the way to go. Moreover, as the McGinn article suggests, isolation workouts should probably be interspersed with dynamic (and dare I say CrossFit style) workouts to create the desired muscle confusion to facilitate development.

But if the goal is to be as physically fit as possible, then the bodybuilding paradigm is most certainly not the way to go. What bodybuilding fails to do is address a number of critical elements that have been tied to the development and onset of true physical fitness.

According to the CrossFit model, there are ten different fitness domains:

• cardiovascular/respiratory endurance
• stamina
• strength
• flexibility
• power
• speed
• agility
• balance
• coordination
• accuracy

The CrossFit program utilizes a number of very specific movements that are designed to address all these elements -- movements that include kettlebell swings, medicine ball slams, box jumps, push-ups, pull-ups, running, rowing and more. Sure, this might not sound as sexy as doing bench-presses, but these movements are highly refined and proven to work.

That said, the program also has a weightlifting component that includes complex and compound movements with heavy loads. Movements include deadlifts, overheat squats, snatches, thrusters and clean-and-jerks.

The utlimate goal of CrossFit is to create the 'quintessential athlete', equal parts gymnast, Olympic weightlifter, and sprinter. By regularly engaging in CrossFit workouts, participants are able to increase their work capacities and speed in these domains by facilitating neurological and hormonal adaptations across all metabolic pathways.

Needless to say, while a bodybuilding workout will address some of these fitness domains, it does not come close to addressing them all. It's an activity that's far too specialized and not designed to help athletes achieve high levels of fitness.

And it's also worth noting that a significant benefit of CrossFit is that bodies can and will get toned --a rather nice side-effect to getting fit if you ask me.

Whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it

Without a doubt, one of the most powerful aspects of CrossFit is its ability to prepare people for virtually any physical circumstance.

Unlike traditional approaches to fitness, most of which involve a very limited set of movements and fairly strict regimens, CrossFit takes a varied and multi-disciplinary approach to workouts. The movements are compound (involving lots of different body parts and muscles) and highly functional -- the kind of movements the human body has naturally evolved to do: lifting, pulling, pushing, jumping and running.

This approach to strength and conditioning typically results in the emergence of a more well-rounded athlete, one who is better prepared to meet vastly different physical challenges. In other words, it creates an individual who can do whatever they want, whenever they want to do it -- including those daily activities that are completely outside of athletics.

Take me, for example. Since starting CrossFit a little over a year ago my endurance and strength have increased appreciably. This was driven home recently when helping a friend move; I had no difficulty moving heavy objects all day and I never grew tired. And just as revealing, I wasn't sore the next day.

I had a similar experience when camping at Algonquin Park this past summer. Rowing a canoe for nearly 10km was a breeze, as was chopping wood. My ability to keep chugging along earned me the nickname "CrossFit" among my fellow campers, some of whom were clearly out of shape and who often struggled to keep up -- a reminder to me of how valuable it is to be in shape and how it can enhance quality of life and experiences.

And as for cross-sport applications, CrossFit has also made a huge difference. I started playing hockey again this winter and I'm amazed at my strength, endurance and speed. For the first time in my life I can actually out-muscle someone off the puck. I've also noticed that by the end of the game most guys have slowed down appreciably, while I'm able to continue quite strong.

All this after one year of CrossFit. Damn , I remember a time not too long ago when I would lose my breath simply by walking up the stairs. Never again.

Indeed, it doesn't have to be this way: get fit and do what you want whenever you want.

High-intensity workouts boost metabolism

A regular high-intensity, three-minute workout has a significant effect on the body’s ability to process sugars. Research published in the open access journal BMC Endocrine Disorders shows that a brief but intense exercise session every couple of days may be the best way to cut the risk of diabetes.

More.