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I'm not sure what kind of training background you come from, but many of the exercises you mentioned are core parts of training programs for competitive athletes in a number of sports.

High rep oly movements = dumb? In what situation? With what intended training effect?

Rep/weight schemes, in a periodized training program for an athlete are set to achieve a specific training goals. In one phase of the program that may be power endurance, for example. In a training program for competitive rowers high rep (30+) sets of power cleans at a low weight may be used to build power endurance.

Deadlifting 65% of 1RM for max reps is another very common exercise prescription for athletes building power endurance. If the exercise is stopped when form breaks down, I see nothing wrong here. 65% is a relatively light load. If you have a decent deadlift it's only about 300 lbs or so - a good athlete will have no trouble keep form for sets of 10+. The desired training effect of a high rep 65% effort is much different than a 85-100% max strength effort, or even a 65% low rep, speed focus.

High rep box jumps, for untrained individuals = a bad idea. If you've built up to it and have no achilles issues, this is not a concern.




My background is as an Olympic-style weightlifter. I'm a licensed sports power coach under the Australian Weightlifting Federation.

> High rep oly movements = dumb? In what situation?

In all situations. This is never a good idea. Ever.

> With what intended training effect?

If it's to improve technique, do more sets. If it's to improve cardiovascular conditioning, do something else.

> a periodized training program

Oh, you mean the kind of "voodoo science" that Crossfit HQ specificially eschews and that every top level Crossfit Games competitor nevertheless follows?

> If the exercise is stopped when form breaks down, I see nothing wrong here.

I'll say it again: quality control and exercise selection.

> If you've built up to it and have no achilles issues, this is not a concern.

And yet I see middle-aged housewives doing AMRAPs on box jumps.

And it's not just repetitive strain injuries. Misjudge the jump (because, I dunno, you're really tired from high rep box jumping), land on toes, fall down, snap.

A lot of Crossfit is fine. The problems still remain that quality control is explicitly non-existent and that exercise selection is hit-and-miss with a genuine fondness for stupid ideas.

Basically, no good and safe Crossfit gym has any resemblance to Crossfit HQ's vision except to pay a licensing fee to use the trademark.




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