Thursday, April 17, 2008

"What do you guys do for arms?'



"We don't actually work "arms"."
"Really? But I want to have buff arms like that."
"Oh, I guess we do deadlift. Is that what you mean?"

Seriously, we have this kind of conversation all the time.

Form follows function. Always. Unless you like to look skinny and soft.

Have you had your own funny conversation with someone that couldn't wrap their heads around your training results?

Post experience to comments.

Coach K

Ps. That's Catherine Gravelle, all American basketball player. Gravelley-nice!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

i can tell you what always had the quickest affect on my arms was pullups.
A guy at work asked me why i was sore today and i said "from sqauting." He self-rightously asked "if i went to 90" and i said with a confused look on my face "well it only counts if the hip crease breaks the plane of the knee right?" He then proceded to tell me that when he was able to work out again he was only gonna do "quads and calves... and maybe some leg press. And what are those things called? (insert ugliest dogturd deadlift imaginable) oh yeah dead lifts!" it was all he needed because why would you really put any focus on legs?
Part of me wanted to slap him and stand on my soapbox about bipeds and hip extension... but i figured it wasnt worth the breath, so i just smiled and nodded. Am i an elitest? damn right! keep that poison away from me and my gym!

ps- cath you need to call the vet, cause your pythons are sick.

Unknown said...

yeah people are always asking me why my legs are so massive.

Anonymous said...

I just stand in front of the mirror, flex my arms and grunt while listening to Bryan Adams.

Anonymous said...

I know, poeple are always asking me too how my legs got so jacked!!
( work with me here folks...)
Molly

Anonymous said...

I had a friend ask me this past weekend if I change up my workouts/weights if I notice certain muscles getting too big and others that need work...didn't really know how to respond so I just said, "No, i just do what they tell me to do, seems to work just fine!"

:) kitty

Unknown said...

My favorite is when people ask, "Do you do ab workouts?" and I say everyday is an ab workout and they say "do you do crunches? I do 500 crunches a day." I smile and say no.

Corrine

Anonymous said...

I'm almost tempted to say, 'who cares about my arms when I've got hips." Of course, I'd like to keep them. They go good together...But there are so many good things for the "arms" in CF, as any CrossFitter knows. In the end, don't we want functional results? It's better to be able to do 20 consequtive pull-ups than curl 50lb dumbbells; I'd rather have 30muscle-ups than 30 dumbbell curls.

AOD said...

I have the great opportunity to work at a global gym. Everyday and all day i am there. I see people staring in the mirrors while they curl on the preacher bench and grunt while on the chest fly machine. Then the occasional person comes up to me and asks, "how many calf raises should I do so it looks like yours." I say "1000 of them...actually none!" "I just crossfit."

While "they" claim to do "core" exercises, mucho calf raises, curl and ticep extensions, but never get results, I tell them to try our method -Crossfit.

FilthyBrit said...

My friend told me he's started incorporating crossfit into his workouts. I thought that was great, until he said he warms up with some curls and lat pull-downs. Baby steps.

Also, nothing un-crossfit about blasting your arms into the next century with some weighted dips and chin-ups. In fact, I think I'll try to incorporate this once a week!

Cheers!

Dr. B G said...

You guys ROCK! I'd love to join but I'm toward the tri-valley area... do you have any groups out here? Do you wanna start one? I'm a 24-hr member but I can diversify *heh* :)

THANKS for your posts!
-g

Dr. B G said...

Actually! I just found the Diablo guys... don't worry -- i'm going to give them a call. THANKS! g

Unknown said...

Somebody needs to call the veterinarian -- because those pythons are definitely sick.

Keep up the awesome work, CFSF!

Kertizzle