(Note: I don't do CrossFit, and I'm not looking to defend CrossFit)
Of the whole article, I found that point the weakest. The author hasn't been to every CrossFit gym out there, so I don't know how he can claim "every single thing that I’ve posted in this article refers to EVERY SINGLE GYM THAT FOLLOWS CROSSFIT"
The Workout Of The Day is one of the main things he takes issue with. The OP can claim “every single” because the primary methodology of Crossfit is ubiquitous—that’s what makes it a Crossfit gym. He doesn’t have to visit every Crossfit gym to know they do a WOD; it wouldn’t be a Crossfit gym without the WOD.
It’s like saying I don’t need to visit every movie theater in America to know that they all show movies at regular intervals.
I have seen recently, particularly from STEM-themed forums that the standard rebuttal is "you cannot speak for every X since every X is not documented/viewed/visited".
The cinema analogy is very well put. It is an exceptionally weak attempt to divert an argument by claiming *all X must be tested."
In reality all that is required is a reasonable belief of proof that withstands questioning. The OP easily withstands questioning when speaking for all of CrossFit.
Except that blankenship and the author are wrong. Go to 10 different gyms on the same day and you'll get 10 different workouts with 10 different formats. WOD is simply an acronym of a phrase used to describe what you are doing today. There is no definition.
I have been training at a CrossFit gym for several years now. I do the WODs that most people do sometimes. However we also have a small rock climbing "system wall" that I do climbing drills on. I have also been cycling through running programs to be a better runner, single leg programs to improve stability and balance due to injury (not CrossFit related) and just for fun a one arm chin up program just to see if we can do it. All under some supervision from the head coach. We also have ultra marathoners and dedicated Olympic lifters at our gym all doing different WODs.
My CrossFit gym clearly does not conform to the "Reebok CrossFit Games" style of working out and I challenge you to show me when rock climbing drills came up in any WOD. All these arguments against CrossFit are really against the common public perception of CrossFit. Plenty of gyms out there that don't do that and still have "CrossFit" in the name.
BTW, I agree that the popular form of CrossFit is stupid and everyone should probably stay away from these gyms.
> Go to 10 different gyms on the same day and you'll get 10 different workouts with 10 different formats.
But, that is the point they are making. WOD means that your workout is not tailored to you. Everyone in a particular gym at a particular time does the same WOD.
If you are criticising CrossFit because it's not tailored, then you should criticise pretty much all the gyms out their that offer classes. Your yoga class, boxing class, P90x, etc ... none of it is tailored.
You need a coach to assess you and write up a program if you want a tailored program. And even then, you need to ask "Why?". Do you need extra rehab work for an injury? Have a specific goal in mind? Do you train for sport?
I can see your point but ultimately - if your gym is doing different workouts from the WOD including rock climbing then you are CrossFit in name only.
A baseline of CrossFit has to be established. Exceptionally niche and unique workouts from (good) training staff are not really what is being discussed.
Of the whole article, I found that point the weakest. The author hasn't been to every CrossFit gym out there, so I don't know how he can claim "every single thing that I’ve posted in this article refers to EVERY SINGLE GYM THAT FOLLOWS CROSSFIT"