Reconciling Crossfit with Starting Strength

[mrflibble]

Kyle won't see this, since he ignored me in a huff. But the phenomenon he has discovered and is describing here...

...is an extraordinary notion! I wonder if anyone has observed this before, across a variety of industries and applications? Oh, wait, it's been explored to exhaustion for decades.

I promise I'm not trying to pick on Kyle.

I don't know why you've got such a hardon for Kyle, but as someone watching from the sidelines with no dog in this fight, I've got to say you're coming across like a complete tool.

Your passive aggressive condescending attitude is baseless. Nowhere in that post of his did he suggest or even imply what you quoted was in any way some great new revelation to him or anyone else. I'm quite sure he's been well aware of the concept for many years. You seem quite young. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd heard of it before you did.

You are either a know-it-all (but know nothing) internet blowhard - or are so keen to make Kyle look bad that you are seeing stuff that's just not there. Neither is a good look for you.

[dmworking]

I've got to say you're coming across like a complete tool.

Neat.

Nowhere in that post of his did he suggest or even imply what you quoted was in any way some great new revelation to him or anyone else. I'm quite sure he's been well aware of the concept for many years. You seem quite young. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd heard of it before you did.

I was pretty sure that him spending a paragraph talking about the principle came across as describing something that was a phenomenon he'd uncovered that was personally meaningful. I don't disagree, it is meaningful. That's why it's been described in such detail elsewhere. Maybe I'm wrong, but when placed in context with the other "business concepts" he comments about, I doubt it.

You are either a know-it-all (but know nothing) internet blowhard - or are so keen to make Kyle look bad that you are seeing stuff that's just not there. Neither is a good look for you.

I don't have a problem with Kyle. Never met the guy. I do have a problem with Kyle's commentary, or rather, believe it presents an opportunity for discussion. The whole point of a forum exists for people to bring forth pieces of their experience to debate semi-publicly, and over the course of the thread, he's made several comments about running a fitness business that I think are bad advice. Go back and read 'em, and you'll see where I've disagreed with them, and the way in which he has responded.

I don't think pointing out where someone is wrong just to make them feel stupid is productive. But pointing out where they are wrong because the resulting discussion may be useful to other people reading the board can be. There's plenty of people I disagree with here, but in the end, it doesn't really matter, so I save my comments for myself. This happens to be a case where I think there's something useful to be learned.

If your problem is just with my tone, then...uh...sorry I'm not sorry?

[PackMule]

Excellent last post Kyle.

dmworking, I agree with mrflibble that you sound like a total douche. Can you please explain what you think is actually wrong with what Kyle is saying, rather than spout out the condescending BS.

[George Christiansen]

Option A: Open a dedicated, starting strength type, no nonsense, strength training facility. Attract only people who want to strength train since they know the benefits. Maybe stay in business, maybe have some moderate success.

Option B: Open a fully equipped strength training facility, with enough room and equipment to conduct cross-fit type training, but with more intelligent and beneficial programming. Use this as a gateway to intorduce a much much larger number of people to the world of starting strength type strength training. Also, people that already wanted to strength train from the start in option A above, will join as well.



Seems like option B would help introduce a lot more people to strength training while being more financially lucrative for the owner.

I don't think there is anything wrong with having group training, circuit training classes, and all sorts of things that meet the needs of people who wouldn't be interested in essentially just being coached through the SS LP, but contrary to what Mike is telling himself, Crossfit is a brand that does have a consistent methodology in spite of all the bait ans switching that people do. It also claims to be the best thing since the barbell, so yes, diversify your services to the degree that you want to or need to, but stop bullshitting people, by either pretending that Crossfit is the shit or by pulling a bait and switch by just using the branding.

If doing so would pay for the black iron gym in the back? Absolutely.

I agree. I am thinking that sharing a space with a yoga studio might be a great way to cut costs for a while. My qualm is when you start selling yoga as elite fitness.

I don't know why you've got such a hardon for Kyle, but as someone watching from the sidelines with no dog in this fight, I've got to say you're coming across like a complete tool.

Your passive aggressive condescending attitude is baseless. Nowhere in that post of his did he suggest or even imply what you quoted was in any way some great new revelation to him or anyone else. I'm quite sure he's been well aware of the concept for many years. You seem quite young. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd heard of it before you did.

You are either a know-it-all (but know nothing) internet blowhard - or are so keen to make Kyle look bad that you are seeing stuff that's just not there. Neither is a good look for you.

+1

I am getting the impression that he is actually hoping to gain some consulting business or something from this thread.

Yes, Kyle may be figuring out things that he would already understand from some research, but it could also be that he did know from research, but now knows from doing, which is a very different kind of knowing. It's the difference between reading Starting Strength and running the LP yourself.

[dmworking]

Can you please explain what you think is actually wrong with what Kyle is saying, rather than spout out the condescending BS.

Nah. There's enough unpaid advice in this thread to get people looking for source material if they want to. I'm happy to respond to anyone's real questions if they message me.

Enjoy reinventing the wheel and running your businesses on dreams and passion, everyone.

[Mike C]

Crossfit is a brand that does have a consistent methodology

Ha. That's a good one. Their programming instruction during the L1 cert was basically - make up a bunch of shit for today's workout, try to fit in as many modalities per week as possible and call it a day. It's basically impossible to be consistent with that type of programming.

Nah. There's enough unpaid advice in this thread to get people looking for source material if they want to. I'm happy to respond to anyone's real questions if they message me.

Enjoy reinventing the wheel and running your businesses on dreams and passion, everyone.

Maybe its because I work in marketing currently and our CEO screams about the 80/20 rule all the time, but I'm on your side here.

[Kyle Schuant]

Yes, Kyle may be figuring out things that he would already understand from some research, but it could also be that he did know from research, but now knows from doing, which is a very different kind of knowing. It's the difference between reading Starting Strength and running the LP yourself.

Actually, I was explaining for the benefit of those who don't know already. After all, most people have not had the experience of building up a personal training client base at a mainstream gym or anything like that - and lots on this forum think about this from time to time, "well I've achieved a lot for myself, perhaps I could help other people." And it was to illustrate the general principle that in any business you'll have your main revenue stream and your side ones, and sometimes you have to think consciously about things before you realise which is which... and maybe you want the side to be the main, or maybe you want to get rid of the side, or maybe you're happy with them as it is.

I previously started, run and then sold an office catering business, most of the principles I've laid out here remain true for all small businesses, I believe. Once it's larger, well that's another matter - another set of skills.

[CJ Gotcher]

Ha. That's a good one. Their programming instruction during the L1 cert was basically - make up a bunch of shit for today's workout, try to fit in as many modalities per week as possible and call it a day. It's basically impossible to be consistent with that type of programming.

There's the problem with 'certifying' anything after a 2-day course with 300 whole minutes of hands-on instruction. They 'fixed' that by making it so the Level 1 no longer certifies you as a trainer- now you have to pay up to be a Level 3 for that coveted distinction.

[Mike C]

There's the problem with 'certifying' anything after a 2-day course with 300 whole minutes of hands-on instruction. They 'fixed' that by making it so the Level 1 no longer certifies you as a trainer- now you have to pay up to be a Level 3 for that coveted distinction.

I don't get the 300 minutes thing (I know what's it from. Don't bother posting the vid). The course is like 16 hrs or something. Or is the 300 only referencing non-lecture course time?

[George Christiansen]

Ha. That's a good one. Their programming instruction during the L1 cert was basically - make up a bunch of shit for today's workout, try to fit in as many modalities per week as possible and call it a day. It's basically impossible to be consistent with that type of programming.

You clearly do not understand what a consistent methodology means. It is plan that is the same repeatedly and regularly. That's all.

Pulling stuff out of your ass everyday may be a bad methodology, but that is the model of Crossfit. It is consistant. Consistently stupid, but consistent none the less. That's what HQ sells as the brand. That and elite (and hot girls with abz).