A few paragraphs on what functional strength means by Steve Myrland. A great summary:
"Perhaps the most persistent blunder athletes and coaches make in training to compete is regularly mistaking “strength” for “athleticism,” so let’s clear this up right away: Athleticism—the ability to express one’s physical self with optimal speed, agility, strength, balance, suppleness, stamina and grace while avoiding injury—is the goal. Strength, as you will note by re-reading the sentence, above, is a single element of the collective term: athleticism. You cannot be athletic without being strong; but you can be strong without being athletic."
"Peek into any high school weight-room and you will see big, slow guys lifting weights under the misguided notion that strength is the holy-grail. It isn’t. Big strong guys are a dime-a-dozen. Big strong guys who can move get recruited . . . get scholarships . . . get drafted . . . get rich. Therefore, the strength you create in training must necessarily be strength that augments the whole, rather than constrains it. It must be athletic strength; that is, it must always promote better movement."
I thought this summed up my own and the CrossFit philosophy perfectly. Thats why im getting you all jumping round the gym and constantly varying the exercises you are doing rather than just lumping you in the free weights room! Its not just my sadistic nature that wants to see you red in the face, sweating and breathing harder than you thought possible! There is method to my madness..........
(read the rest of the article on this great blog by Frank Forencich. http://blog.exuberantanimal.com/ The article by Steve Myrland is about 2/3rds of the way down the page - 'Why Athletes Should Avoid The Bars'. Although i like the way he looks at fitness and conditioning he does go on to say we should leave the barbells behind completely which i dont agree with!)
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