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.
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.