What Is Fitness?

Front 1

Articulate CrossFit’s definition of fitness

Back 1

Increased work capacity over broad time and modal domains. Functional capacity in all different types of movements at a variety of durations of effort, throughout your life. If you are increasing this broad work capacity, you will be competent at both short bursts of activity and extended, longer workouts.

Front 2

Define the 4 supporting models of this definition:

10 General Physical Skills

Back 2

1. Cardio-vascular and cardio respiratory endurance
2. Stamina
3. Strength
4. Flexibility
5. Power
6. Speed
7. Coordination
8. Accuracy
9. Agility
10. Balance

Front 3

Define the 4 supporting models of this definition

The Hopper

Back 3

The hopper is statistical and is a measure of an athlete performing relatively well at any physical task thrown his way.

Front 4

Define the 4 supporting models of this definition

Metabolic Pathways

Back 4

There are 3 pathways:

Phosphogen (10-30 sec, 1:3, 25-30 reps)

Glycolytic (lactate) (30-120 sec, 1:2, 10-20 reps)

Oxidative (aerobic) (120-240 sec, 1:1, 3-5 reps)

Front 5

Define the 4 supporting models of this definition

Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum

Back 5

Sickness, wellness & fitness are different measures of the same quality - health.

Front 6

Identify how each model could be used:

Assessing Fitness

Back 6

CrossFit's 3 fitness standards:

- You are as fit as you are competent in each
of the 10 skills.

- Fitness is about performing well at any and every task imaginable (unfamiliar tasks, tasks
combined in infinitely varying combinations)

- Total fitness, the fitness that CrossFit promotes and develops, requires competency and training in each of the 3 metabolic pathways or engines.

Front 7

Identify how each model could be used:

Determine the fittest individual

Back 7

A person skilled in all 3 standards (10 skills, performing well at any and every task, competent and training in each of the 3 metabolic pathways)

Front 8

Identify how each model could be used:
Describing the goals of a fitness program

Back 8

large loads, long distances, quickly

Front 9

Articulate how the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum model relates health to fitness

Back 9

Health is sustained fitness and wellness is not being sick.

Front 10

Differentiate training from practice and the adaptations developed under both

Back 10

Practice improves the neuro skills which improves technique

Front 11

Identify and articulate the time domains of the 3 Metabolic Pathways

Back 11

Phosphogen (10-30 sec)

Glycolytic (lactate) (30-120 sec)

Oxidative (aerobic) (120-240 sec)

Front 12

Define and differentiate aerobic training and pathway

Back 12

Aerobic means energy is derived when oxygen is utilized to metabolize substrates from food and liberates energy. Greater than 90 seconds in duration and involve low to moderate power or intensity = distance running

Front 13

Define and differentiate anerobic training and pathway

Back 13

Anaerobic means energy is liberated from substrates in absence of oxygen. Activities less than 2 minutes involve moderate to high power & intensity = 100m sprint.

Front 14

Describe the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum

Back 14

Sickness, wellness & fitness are different measures of the same quality - health.

Front 15

Articulate how the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum model relates health to fitness

Back 15

Health is sustained fitness and wellness is not being sick.

Front 16

Define work capacity

Back 16

Work capacity is the ability to perform
real physical work as measured by force x distance / time (which is average power). Fitness is this ability in as many domains as possible.

Front 17

Identify and interpret the power curve

Back 17

Fitness can be graphed in two-dimensions with duration of effort on the x-axis and power on the y-axis. At each duration, we average your power capacity across a variety of modal domains (skills and drills). This creates a power curve, the area under which is your work capacity across broad time and modal domains (aka fitness).

Front 18

Explain the goal of the CrossFit program in relation to the power curve

Back 18

Your ability to move large loads, long distances, quickly, in the broadest variety of domains is fitness. And the ability to sustain that fitness throughout your life is a defining measure of health.

Front 19

Explain how work capacity is illustrated by the power curve

Back 19

Fitness can be graphed in two-dimensions with duration of effort on the x-axis and power on the y-axis. At each duration, we average your power capacity across a variety of modal domains (skills and drills). This creates a power curve, the area under which is your work capacity across broad time and modal domains (aka fitness).

Front 20

Explain CrossFit’s definition of health

Back 20

This three-dimensional graph is a defining measure of health. Health, therefore, is nothing other than sustained fitness.

Front 21

Explain the deficiency of using definitions such as “in shape” or “the absence of disease” for fitness and health, respectively

Back 21

In shape is not measurable. Absence of disease is not a measure of fitness.

Front 22

Explain the relationship between fitness and health as defined by CrossFit

Back 22

Health is sustained fitness. Fitness is and should be “super-wellness.” Sickness, wellness, and fitness are measures of the same entity - health.

Front 23

Explain the concepts of measurable, observable, and repeatable and how they lend themselves to CrossFit being an evidence based fitness rogram

Back 23

The methodology that drives CrossFit is entirely
empirical. We believe that meaningful statements about safety, efficacy, and efficiency, the 3 most important and interdependent facets of any fitness program, can be supported only by measurable, observable, repeatable facts, i.e., data. We call this approach “evidence-based fitness”. The CrossFit methodology depends on full disclosure of methods, results, and criticisms, and we’ve employed the Internet to support these values. Our charter is open source, making co-developers out of participating coaches, athletes, and trainers through a spontaneous and collaborative online community. CrossFit is empirically driven, clinically tested, and community developed.