CrossFit Endurance

I think the swim bucket drills pretty much sums it up: The instructor is in incredible shape. And I have no doubt that swimming with a 5 gallon bucket helps him get ripped. But you can tell in the 4 seconds of swimming that he demonstrates that his form is pretty poor. This is not a knock on the crossfit guy at all btw. I think swimming with a bucket will probably make him more succesful at crossfit events. But it is not going to make him faster in the pool. So decide what you want to accomplish and that will answer your qustion..

What are your swimming goals??

Crossfit will make you faster at crossfit, and stuff like fitness testing done for instance, by the military. In the water it might also assist a non-swimmer to endure struggling prior to drowning. Nevertheless, it's nothing more than an efficient overall HIT program.

Crossfit will make you faster at crossfit, and stuff like fitness testing done for instance, by the military. In the water it might also assist a non-swimmer to endure struggling prior to drowning. Nevertheless, it's nothing more than an efficient overall HIT program. Except CrossFit is more about conditioning than HIT. There don't seem to be any slow recovery periods between hard efforts. I'm currently trying to cross train less -- have cut a bit of biking, cut back lifting and eliminated bikram yoga. I seem to be getting faster in the pool. Though after awhile, I can see the need for some diversity just for a mental break.

I seem to be getting faster in the pool. Though after awhile, I can see the need for some diversity just for a mental break. I am in 100% agreement. No running around in a blow torch heated warehouse will do nearly as much for you as just swimming, but swimming with a purpose. I had a triathlete ask me recently how to get faster in the pool. I replied, "swim more." Boy, that went over like a fart in church.

Our club team has been doing crossfit for about 10 months now, and while I agree that the "WODs" as they call them (workout of the day) are normally not good for swimming, but our workouts have morphed into swimming specific crossfit excercises. The biggest thing about crossfit for us is the stretching. in an hour workout, we spend 35-40 minutes doing warm-up and stretching. The core workout is only about 20 minutes tops. A lot of the WODs would be way to stressful for a swimmer's shoulders or knees (the joints that get a lot of the work in swimming), but our swimming specific workouts are still crossfit at heart, but don't over stress the joints/muscles. (to each his own of course, but I am one who swears by it. crossfit has helped to improve my swimming)

What are you seeking your full potential in? 50 Free? 400IM? 1500? Regardless, I recommend you not train crossfit and add some swimming. Instead, train swimming and add a little crossfit. Personally, I'd avoid the crossfit bs all together.

I don't like the CrossFit organization but I like the training methods that CrossFit also uses as an addition to swimming.

I dont think Crossfit is a good for Swimmers. I'd recomend Spinning, (Will give you endurance and speed), Yoga (will give you flexibility, strenght as well as prevent injuries) and Pilates ( a killing core workout). Cheers

Our club team has been doing crossfit for about 10 months now, and while I agree that the "WODs" as they call them (workout of the day) are normally not good for swimming, but our workouts have morphed into swimming specific crossfit excercises. The biggest thing about crossfit for us is the stretching. in an hour workout, we spend 35-40 minutes doing warm-up and stretching. The core workout is only about 20 minutes tops. A lot of the WODs would be way to stressful for a swimmer's shoulders or knees (the joints that get a lot of the work in swimming), but our swimming specific workouts are still crossfit at heart, but don't over stress the joints/muscles. (to each his own of course, but I am one who swears by it. crossfit has helped to improve my swimming) That just sounds like swim specific drylands to me, not CrossFit. CrossFit doesn't have a monopoly on basic exercises like burpees or squats or jumps. Triathletes: people who can't swim fast because they refuse to kick. :-) Is this why Geek must revert to training tris on occasion?