Sandyspringscrossfit

"Elizabeth"

21-15-9 of:

135lb. Cleans

Ring Dips

Take a look at the above graph from Google. What it indicates is the growth of web searches for crossfit. What is interesting is that there is none of the usual peaks and valleys around holidays. Searches for Crossfit have gained steadily and consistently across the board. Does this indicate an approach to the mainstream? An affiliate box on every corner and Olympic bars in every bedroom?

Hardly, although as Crossfit grows we're seeing more "subject experts" on the main page. Dr. Nicholas Romanov the inventor of Chi and POSE running, giving POSE lectures to Crossfitters. Dr. Barry Sears lecturing to sold out auditoriums (and cyberspace full) of Crossfitters. The power lifting cert is now being done by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, arguable one of the strongest power lifters in the world and perhaps one of the best power lifting coaches in the world as well. What can we take from this?

I argue that crossfit has garnered more attention from these specialist but it's still nowhere near mainstream. It's important to remember that these guys have always been peripheral members of the mainstream fitness community. Simmons teaches box squats which are thought to be very dangerous but produce absolutely phenomenal results in the squat. Romanov, despite his olympic coaching pedigree, has tried for years to convince the world of distance runners that running is a skill and you can be taught to do it correctly. Perhaps the most vilified of these was Sears, who along with Atkins challenged the USDA food pyramid and pointed out that all those carbs they recommend have been directly linked to hyperinsulinemia: the so-called deadly quartet of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and bad triglycerides. Crossfit when it first came out, and to some extent today, has also been vilified pushed to the outside of mainstream fitness. Like attracts like I suppose.
-Paul Siegel