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Anybody else drank the Crossfit Koolaid?
- Thread starter backyardsniper
- Start date
CrossFit is good to get you in good general shape. The good thing is that there are different CrossFit programming that you can follow based on your goals. Some are more strength biased, like CrossFit Football, Invictus, Outlaw, CrossFit Strength. CrossFit Endurance is more for strength and endurance.
The problem is that some people don't understand what CrossFit is designed for. If you goal is to look like a bodybuilder or to get strong like a powerlifter or weightlifter, then CrossFit is not the best choice. Some people think that you can do CrossFit and get good at running 5K races. It isn't gonna happen unless you supplement it with running.
I did CrossFit for several years and even got my Level 1. Now, I just do a hybrid Weightlifting Program/5K Run Program.
The problem is that some people don't understand what CrossFit is designed for. If you goal is to look like a bodybuilder or to get strong like a powerlifter or weightlifter, then CrossFit is not the best choice. Some people think that you can do CrossFit and get good at running 5K races. It isn't gonna happen unless you supplement it with running.
I did CrossFit for several years and even got my Level 1. Now, I just do a hybrid Weightlifting Program/5K Run Program.
I was heavily into crossfit about 2 years ago, and yes, it really works. I sort of let my self go, then after a breakup with the girlfriend I decided to channel my rage into crossfit, which worked out wonderfully. It’s a great way to get into good overall shape. Seriously, there are some really, really, fit people that do crossfit. I mean amazing. I dropped a significant amount of body fat, lowered my cholesterol, blood pressure and my overall body strength did go up, plus I really did feel better. That being said, here are some of my “issues” with it:
1) The marketing propaganda thing is pretty thick. You ever watch the crossfit games? Every “commercial” is about how someone doing crossfit changed their lives and became a better person and found Jesus or whatever.
2) The monthly dues for a box are pretty darn high. I stopped going to my box, and my roommate and I spent some cash on a decent equipment setup for the house. Recouped our costs in about 6 months, plus we still have the equipment to use!
3) My box specifically, there was such a high emphasis on PR and time, and form was rarely, if ever discussed. I personally witnessed a lot of people go beyond their limits and tearing something important, which really set them back.
4) You do ANY physical activity full bore for an hour 4 times a week, and you will get in better shape.
5) As someone else mentioned, cross fit will make you great.… at doing cross fit. If you want to do a triathlon, doing box jumps, kettle bell swings, push presses and burpees will not help you complete the swim or bang out that bicycle portion. You just have to do it.
So now, I try to mix up my workouts, and actually run, bike, swim mixed in with a little strength training and the occasional WOD. I am not as lean as I was before, but I did do my first triathlon a few months back. I know cross fit definitely gave me a solid fitness base, which I am thankful for.
1) The marketing propaganda thing is pretty thick. You ever watch the crossfit games? Every “commercial” is about how someone doing crossfit changed their lives and became a better person and found Jesus or whatever.
2) The monthly dues for a box are pretty darn high. I stopped going to my box, and my roommate and I spent some cash on a decent equipment setup for the house. Recouped our costs in about 6 months, plus we still have the equipment to use!
3) My box specifically, there was such a high emphasis on PR and time, and form was rarely, if ever discussed. I personally witnessed a lot of people go beyond their limits and tearing something important, which really set them back.
4) You do ANY physical activity full bore for an hour 4 times a week, and you will get in better shape.
5) As someone else mentioned, cross fit will make you great.… at doing cross fit. If you want to do a triathlon, doing box jumps, kettle bell swings, push presses and burpees will not help you complete the swim or bang out that bicycle portion. You just have to do it.
So now, I try to mix up my workouts, and actually run, bike, swim mixed in with a little strength training and the occasional WOD. I am not as lean as I was before, but I did do my first triathlon a few months back. I know cross fit definitely gave me a solid fitness base, which I am thankful for.
There's one reason and one reason only to get into crossfit.
Yeah, because women like that don't like fat guys.
Yes, Crossfit IS a dangerous cult!
Someone else can drink the Kool Aid if they want. I’d rather go to my classes at the YMCA and leave the trips to the emergency room to all you Kool Aid drinking Crossfit fanatics that think you have to jump on boxes and bloody up your hands and do all sorts of other crazy shit to get your jollies.
Someone else can drink the Kool Aid if they want. I’d rather go to my classes at the YMCA and leave the trips to the emergency room to all you Kool Aid drinking Crossfit fanatics that think you have to jump on boxes and bloody up your hands and do all sorts of other crazy shit to get your jollies.
Want to get paid doing crossfit? Work at ups as a loader.
Lifting boxes for time? Check!
Hurdles over rollers while lifting boxes? Check
Thrusting endless boxes on top of each other? Check
Puddles of sweat? Check
Running back and forth up the trailers lifting hoisting thrusting boxes? Check.
Yea crossfit will make you ups strong.
Lifting boxes for time? Check!
Hurdles over rollers while lifting boxes? Check
Thrusting endless boxes on top of each other? Check
Puddles of sweat? Check
Running back and forth up the trailers lifting hoisting thrusting boxes? Check.
Yea crossfit will make you ups strong.
Fuck the paleo diet. Matter of fact fuck every other diet out there too.
What ever happened to just eating a well balanced diet, staying away from processed foods and added sugar? That's all the fuck anyone needs.
Candid shot from a buddies gopro camera coming off of an obstacle during the Central Texas Tough Mudder May, 3 2014.
Yep, no fad bullshit diets here (or crossfit for that matter). I seem to be doing alright.
That's a bad look...
Unless you're familiar with the specifics of the incident I think you refer, I would strongly advise you to avoid generalizing that outcome to all mud runs/races. Unfortunate outcomes occur in any event that involves inherent physical risk.
You could get killed walkin' your doggy!
Even when I take risks I use common sense. I think I'll be alright doing any of these races.
Even when I take risks I use common sense. I think I'll be alright doing any of these races.
Crossfit is like reverse fight club because the first rule of crossfit is to never shut the fuck up about crossfit!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's one of my favorite lines! I live by those words.
I will be starting crossfit sometime in the next week or two. Not sure what to expect, aside from what I've been reading here. Has anyone seen their run time improve by focusing on crossfit and not running? Or should I wait until after my PRT to start drinking that koolaid?
Prediction..........pain.
You'll do a little bit of running sure, but no 2-3 miles straight with any regularity. If you want to lower your run time
you will need to incorporate distance running in between your crossfit schedule. Crossift will have runs up to a mile in length, but more often sprints closer to 400m or so.
I wouldn't mock the crossfit workout so easily.
I simply meant that the type of workout it is won't make you a long distance runner. HOWEVER, your sure as shit going to build some high intensity endurance.
Ummmmmmm...I wasn't "mocking the workout", I was simply pointing somebody who was interested in CF and distance running to the name of the appropriate Crossfit product, which was designed specifically to lower mid and long distance times as compared to the traditional Crossfit routine.
I am a firefighter for a small city. We have been doing crossfit workouts for almost 2 years now within our department. There are a lot of good points here about positives and negatives with crossfit. It definitely is not for everyone. When we began we were doing body weight interval WODs and slowly started incorporating the weight training into it. It is good for us because the WODs are fast and don't take several hours as we are only allotted an hour a day for fitness in our schedule. My brother has been doing body building workouts involving strictly compound lifts for the same amount of time. I beat him to deadlifting over 400 in just a few months, having never deadlifted regularly before starting crossfit I was very pleased. We have all seen a lot of gains in our physical strength, endurance and speed. One of our Assistant Chiefs had never been able to do pullups in his life, he is in his 30's and was able to do 8 on our PT test within 6 months of starting crossfit. We focus on doing good form pullups and try to minimize kipping and butterfly pullups that crossfit teaches. I ran my fastest time on our PT test which was 9:38 for 1.5 miles while doing crossfit. We have all run multiple 5k's as well, most of us were under the 25 minute mark. It is not going to prepare you for a marathon or triathlon, but you will be capable of running a reasonable distance without any trouble. There have been 3 injuries regarding fitness at our department, all within the past few months. 2 of them were due to improper form while deadlifting. Both instances were when guys were lifting for PR on their own, not during a WOD. The other was during a pickup game of football when the Assistant Chief tore a ligament in his ankle because he didn't stretch and turned wrong. I am not saying that crossfit is the best thing ever or the revolution of fitness. But it definitely will bring gains. If you are active accidents will happen. If you want to be massive and muscled it is not for you. If you want to be fit it will get the job done.
Eating is key. Eat ENOUGH calories , but eat GOOD calories. I try to eat 3000 calories a day. If I eat clean , whole, natural food, its actually hard to eat that much and I'm always full. Avoid sugar, except for after workouts when it actually helps the recovery process. The balanced 40/30/30 for macronutrients makes the most sense to me. Carbs are not bad for an athlete , bad carbs are bad. Muscles need carbs if that are being push to 110% at cross fit. Avoiding all carbs at that high intensity of training can induce too much stress hormones and actually be counterproductive. HAVE TO manage cortisol levels! Gotta love sweet potatoes and quinua .
As far as cross fit? Its a jack of trades, master of none and can be dangerous if one incorrectly( like anything else). You won't grow as much muscle as with a dedicated weightlifting program and you won't be a marathon runner. My box does a Crossfit football like routine. With that said, it is the best blend of strength, endurance, power, speed, agility I have ever been apart of. I've been a gym rat for most of my adult life and I have never been this lean and strong with this little amount of time working out. I used to cardio in the AM and Lift big in the afternoon. I never have to diet anymore . Diets suck. Just eat clean.
I am a former skeptic of CF. Not so much of the theory, cause the theories are well documented to work. I was skeptical on the ridiculous price it costs for a gym inside a steal building with some bumper plates and a bunch of pull up racks. I have grown to appreciate the competitive and supportive atmosphere. Thats what keeps people coming back to push themselves to the next level of fitness. It is really fun I must say, too.
As far as cross fit? Its a jack of trades, master of none and can be dangerous if one incorrectly( like anything else). You won't grow as much muscle as with a dedicated weightlifting program and you won't be a marathon runner. My box does a Crossfit football like routine. With that said, it is the best blend of strength, endurance, power, speed, agility I have ever been apart of. I've been a gym rat for most of my adult life and I have never been this lean and strong with this little amount of time working out. I used to cardio in the AM and Lift big in the afternoon. I never have to diet anymore . Diets suck. Just eat clean.
I am a former skeptic of CF. Not so much of the theory, cause the theories are well documented to work. I was skeptical on the ridiculous price it costs for a gym inside a steal building with some bumper plates and a bunch of pull up racks. I have grown to appreciate the competitive and supportive atmosphere. Thats what keeps people coming back to push themselves to the next level of fitness. It is really fun I must say, too.
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CF is very hard on the body. A lot of the folks here in CA are starting to realize that. There is only so much pounding the body can take before it starts to break down. In fact more and more people are getting back to the basics running, plyometrics, swimming,cycling and eating better.
Proper foam rolling, tennis balls, sleep and days off should fill the self maintenance needed for this or any other workout.
Personally I'm big on adequate off days to fend of the stress I put my body through and to ensure I'm not overtraining.
Eat plenty of clean calories. Drink lots of water (piss clear always). Get enough sleep and take rest days when you're sore.
SIT, I agree with pretty much everything you've said in this thread.
SIT, I agree with pretty much everything you've said in this thread.
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I think there may be a direct link between a lack of fitness and a lack of pussy too.
BYS, congratulations dropping those lbs! Not to discourage you at all but what usually happens with people over weight that quickly drop a few pounds is that they will usually hit a plateau with their weight loss and get discouraged. Just remember this, if you take a 5 lb. shit in the morning, it doesn't mean your 5 lbs fitter. Sometime weight is irrelevant so please don't get caught up just in the weight loss. Try and define your fitness goals then do what will get you there in the most efficient and effective way. Definitely don't fall victim to the peer pressure at your gym and try to do something your not comfortable with.
Best advice I can give you:
- try to eat fresh unprocessed foods AND don't miss meals
- treat your nutrition as if your only fueling your workouts, keep metabolism high, so don't eat excessively or for pleasure (think 5-6 very small meals throughout the day)
- once MAYBE twice a week treat yourself to something very small (dessert wise) so you don't lose your mind
- practice perfect form
- consistency and intensity will be your best friend in your quest for fitness
- take care of your body daily, i.e. mobilty post/pre workout, light stretching while watching t.v., epsom salt baths and contrast baths when your body feel banged up
one other thing, the best way to lose weight is to lift weights, NOT cardio. Cardio is supplemental but you burn many many more calories lifting weights. Cardio will cause you to burn lots of muscle and some fat, essentially increasing your body fat in SOME circumstances. And lifting weights is way more fun the sludging away on a treadmill or around a track.
If you have any more questions feel free to PM me. Im CrossFit certified and USA Weightlifting certified if that helps earn a little bit of your trust.
Get thin in the kitchen and get fit in the gym. Good luck man, keep us posted
Kipping just allows you get more work done in a given amount of time and utilizes many more muscle (core, hips, and shoulder muscles) as apposed to doing strict pull-ups. Your analogy is spot on though using a kip to get over an obstacle when a strict movement isnt the most efficient way. Remember the structure of workouts that have lots of pull-ups programmed in allows you to get all the work in if you kip versus trying to do the strict movement. Also, the objective is to get your heart rate really elevated and thats not something you can really achieve doing a strict pull-up. You will achieve muscle failure before reaching an elevated HR. With that being said, you need to have enough basic strength to get a strict pull-up before you start stringing together a bunch of kipping pull-ups.
Just get with your coaches at the box and express to them your concerns and hopefully their decent enough people to keep you best interest in mind.
Dude, I've never heard a more valid sounding reason to kip. Only problem is that's all bullshit. Recruits many more muscles my ass. hahahahaha
Can't get your heart elevated doing strict pull ups?.....................what???
Yes, the structure of their workouts allows you to do the 100 required in the time allotted. Too bad that means exactly diddly shit when it comes
to building strength.
I say do a strict pull up or not at all............or at least next time when at the bar don't brag that you can do 35 pullups.............sort of.
And for backyard sniper. Who the fuck in the military can't do a pullup? And lets not compare getting over an obstacle to doing a strict pull up.
Two different things there killer.
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Your statement confuses me. You say kippin recruits more muscles, only problem with that is, your taking a body weight workout strictly an upper back/bicep workout and spreading it over many muscles as you say. What happens is many more muscles are distributing your body weight. Only problem with that, is those muscles that are being used now are stronger than what effects kipping may introduce, so those muscles are not benefitting the workout as you may think. But wait a minute.... "I can do 100 kipping pull-ups in my workout." Going to failure is not required for muscle buildin and counter inducive to strength gains.
Than you go on to say one must have sufficient strength with strict pull-ups before kipping?? What?? Those who can do a strict pull up can kip. Those who can kip doesn't necessarily mean they can achieve a strict pull-up. Do you see where I am going with this?
Third we will talk briefly about kippin over an obstacle or usin a little body english. While the movement may be similar getting over an obstacle it doesn't mean more kipping to get better getting over said obstacle. Those with a strong back will get over an obstacle because it involves pulling. Kipping involves using momentum, which is makin it easier but not necessarily better for your muscles.
Now kipping is better used on rings (remeber glassman was involved with gymnast) and not a pull-up bar imo. Your arms and shoulders are in a more neutral position on rings. Making it a safer on your shoulder,ligaments, and joint. You run the risk of tearing your rotator cuff regardless
Its all about the intent of the program. Are you using pull-ups (body weight exercises) for strength or for metabolic conditioning? Everything in these programs are designed to have a purpose. Anyone who says kipping has no place in the pursuit of fitness just doesn't understand the intent of the technique. And it is a technique. Its not swinging. Swinging is the absence of technique. Gymnast use kipping, they are the masters of body weight movements. CrossFit was branded by Gregg Glassman. His back ground involved gymnastics and gymnastics movements are substantially more athletic in nature that doing an exercise that isolates 1 or 2 muscles, such as a strict pull-up. Strict pull-ups are designed to build upper body pulling strength and will be annotated in the WOD if that is the intent. Otherwise you see them in a WOD like "Fran" that is 21-15-9 of Thrusters and Pull-ups. Fran is a conditioning workout, NOT a strength building workout. Its meant to be fast and efficient. Less developed athletes can do strict pull-ups but take much longer to finish the workout, but they still get lots of benefit and it gives them data for later on to test their progress. Once the athlete is more comfortable, proficient, and conditioned they will move onto the kipping technique, and finally to the butterfly technique. Thats all they are is techniques. It doesn't make them wrong or more or less beneficial than the other. They each serve an individual purpose.
The fastest way to tear your rotator cuff in a pull-up is to reach muscle failure and to drop to a dead hang. Yes, rings keep your shoulder in a more neutral position than a bar does but kipping on one vs. the other is better or worse. Its just a technique. Most of the movement involves the hips, if you have proper technique. What we all see is someone trying to learn the technique but instead swinging there asses off until it all clicks.
Kipping sucks.
What is the point of saying "I did xx number of pullups" when you really didn't do a PULL UP, but rather a gymnastic-style movement that resulted in your body momentum assisting in, well, you pulling yourself up?
What is the point of saying "I did xx number of pullups" when you really didn't do a PULL UP, but rather a gymnastic-style movement that resulted in your body momentum assisting in, well, you pulling yourself up?
I just have to say WOW. The fastest way to tear your rotator cuff is going to failure into a dead hang? Really? Let's look at the two exercises and the motion your body is going through.
Strict pull up starting from a dead hang- your shoulders are feeling tension through out the lift, as you go up and down. Which is safe. The muscles that will fail first is most likely your grip/forearm/biceps. Yours shoulder is used as a supporting muscle through out the lift. This is safe. (Some people have pre existing shoulder injuries that they may or may not know about, due to muscle/strength imbalance from front delt to rear delt)
Kipping/butterfly technique - at a dead hang your shoulders are under tension. As you swing your lower half forward there is still tension on your shoulders. As your momentum carries your bottom half back is takes away tension in your shoulders for a brief moment. Your body acts like a pendulum moving around your shoulders. After your momentum stops, all that tension is slammed back into your shoulders. Not good. Compounded with 100 rep workouts youll pay the price when your older.
Kipping is a gymnast movement, but do you know why they do them? Do you think they actually train kipping and other half ass pull ups? Kipping is a basic movement for gymnast to get up and over without burning too much energy, so they can have more energy to complete their acrobatic act. Gymnasts may practice a little of kipping for form so they don't burn unnecessary energy but they actually strength train as in do real pull-ups and other strength routines. Kipping would be considered an explosive movement. By that definition there is no need to take an explosive movement for insane reps and is potentially harmful. The same for snatches and cleans.
There are other/better ways to build muscle endurance instead of thinking crossfit has reinvented fitness. The problem is a majority of the gym population have overinflated egos and don't have a clue how to achieve what they want. which is why they see very little gains if any. Some people don't want to learn and rather have someone else tell them what to do. The finess industry has been a financial pitiful as there is really nothing new when it comes to strength,endurance,cardio,etc for personal fitness trainers (not to be confused with strength and conditioning coaches people who actually have credentials in doing what they do. Atleast a cscs certification. Not crossfit certified or whatever other minor cert their is out there). Crossfit gives them a bigger profit for sure. Ill leave it at that, feel like I'm writing a freakin novel on my phone.
One thing to add, I would consider to do a wod as a see how i stand and amongst friends. It would be a dick measuring contest sorta like "hey how much you bench" type of thing
. But I wouldn't train like a crossfitter.
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I just have to say WOW. The fastest way to tear your rotator cuff is going to failure into a dead hang? Really? Let's look at the two exercises and the motion your body is going through.
Strict pull up starting from a dead hang- your shoulders are feeling tension through out the lift, as you go up and down. Which is safe. The muscles that will fail first is most likely your grip/forearm/biceps. Yours shoulder is used as a supporting muscle through out the lift. This is safe. (Some people have pre existing shoulder injuries that they may or may not know about, due to muscle/strength imbalance from front delt to rear delt)
Kipping/butterfly technique - at a dead hang your shoulders are under tension. As you swing your lower half forward there is still tension on your shoulders. As your momentum carries your bottom half back is takes away tension in your shoulders for a brief moment. Your body acts like a pendulum moving around your shoulders. After your momentum stops, all that tension is slammed back into your shoulders. Not good. Compounded with 100 rep workouts youll pay the price when your older.
Kipping is a gymnast movement, but do you know why they do them? Do you think they actually train kipping and other half ass pull ups? Kipping is a basic movement for gymnast to get up and over without burning too much energy, so they can have more energy to complete their acrobatic act. Gymnasts may practice a little of kipping for form so they don't burn unnecessary energy but they actually strength train as in do real pull-ups and other strength routines. Kipping would be considered an explosive movement. By that definition there is no need to take an explosive movement for insane reps and is potentially harmful. The same for snatches and cleans.
There are other/better ways to build muscle endurance instead of thinking crossfit has reinvented fitness. The problem is a majority of the gym population have overinflated egos and don't have a clue how to achieve what they want. which is why they see very little gains if any. Some people don't want to learn and rather have someone else tell them what to do. The finess industry has been a financial pitiful as there is really nothing new when it comes to strength,endurance,cardio,etc for personal fitness trainers (not to be confused with strength and conditioning coaches people who actually have credentials in doing what they do. Atleast a cscs certification. Not crossfit certified or whatever other minor cert their is out there). Crossfit gives them a bigger profit for sure. Ill leave it at that, feel like I'm writing a freakin novel on my phone.
One thing to add, I would consider to do a wod as a see how i stand and amongst friends. It would be a dick measuring contest sorta like "hey how much you bench" type of thing
HAHA....you just do whatever it is you do for fitness and I'll continue to do what I do.
I just have to say WOW. The fastest way to tear your rotator cuff is going to failure into a dead hang? Really? Let's look at the two exercises and the motion your body is going through.
Strict pull up starting from a dead hang- your shoulders are feeling tension through out the lift, as you go up and down. Which is safe. The muscles that will fail first is most likely your grip/forearm/biceps. Yours shoulder is used as a supporting muscle through out the lift. This is safe. (Some people have pre existing shoulder injuries that they may or may not know about, due to muscle/strength imbalance from front delt to rear delt)
Kipping/butterfly technique - at a dead hang your shoulders are under tension. As you swing your lower half forward there is still tension on your shoulders. As your momentum carries your bottom half back is takes away tension in your shoulders for a brief moment. Your body acts like a pendulum moving around your shoulders. After your momentum stops, all that tension is slammed back into your shoulders. Not good. Compounded with 100 rep workouts youll pay the price when your older.
Kipping is a gymnast movement, but do you know why they do them? Do you think they actually train kipping and other half ass pull ups? Kipping is a basic movement for gymnast to get up and over without burning too much energy, so they can have more energy to complete their acrobatic act. Gymnasts may practice a little of kipping for form so they don't burn unnecessary energy but they actually strength train as in do real pull-ups and other strength routines. Kipping would be considered an explosive movement. By that definition there is no need to take an explosive movement for insane reps and is potentially harmful. The same for snatches and cleans.
There are other/better ways to build muscle endurance instead of thinking crossfit has reinvented fitness. The problem is a majority of the gym population have overinflated egos and don't have a clue how to achieve what they want. which is why they see very little gains if any. Some people don't want to learn and rather have someone else tell them what to do. The finess industry has been a financial pitiful as there is really nothing new when it comes to strength,endurance,cardio,etc for personal fitness trainers (not to be confused with strength and conditioning coaches people who actually have credentials in doing what they do. Atleast a cscs certification. Not crossfit certified or whatever other minor cert their is out there). Crossfit gives them a bigger profit for sure. Ill leave it at that, feel like I'm writing a freakin novel on my phone.
One thing to add, I would consider to do a wod as a see how i stand and amongst friends. It would be a dick measuring contest sorta like "hey how much you bench" type of thing
HAHA....you just do whatever it is you do for fitness and I'll continue to do what I do.
Cool example but it does nothing for your argument. That narrator gave 1 example and has 1 opinion. That's really it. Like I said YOU have control over what you want to do and I'll do the same. I can tell you that I'm the most fit now then I've ever been that includes when I played collegiate baseball and football and my 6.5 years in the mil. Those folks are specialist at what they do. Crossfitters intent is to try to be well rounded. I guarantee none of those athletes in your video can run a respectable 5K-10K, back squat 400#, clean 300#, probably can't even attempt an over head squat...ect ect.
Good day.
Good day.
And I have cash money that says you can't back squat 400, clean 300 and run a respectable 10k.
And that's not internet shit talking.
How about $500 Video submission for the squat and clean, run will be to hard to verify.
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