CrossFit Bodies And How They Are Built!

'I don't want to get too bulky.'(the girls)

'I wanna get big and hench'. (the boys)

Sound familiar? Two common things you'll hear from people possibly debating CrossFit and strength training in general. There is often some misnomers as to the type of physique CrossFit will create so this week we'll try to arm you with some info to bat at people to clarify what will possibly happen with good eating and kick ass training in CrossFit.

CrossFit has attracted people from many different paths, disciplines and sports and we have to remember that their physiques have predominantly been sculpted (or not as the case may be) from years of training, eating and supplementing..pre-CrossFit. To me there is a difference between a CrossFit created physique and a Men's Fitness/fitness model body stereotype. People see the athletes at the CrossFit Games and assume those bodies were purely the product of CrossFit. On the most part, it's a wrong assumption to have, and wrong coat tail to jump on, as in Russell Berger's journal article 'Form Follows Function' (see CrossFit Journal). In it, there are some amazing shots of the best athletes from the last CrossFit Games held at Aromas and he uses them as evidence of the kind of body CrossFit produces. He conveniently overlooks the possible years of bodybuilding style hypertrophy, created in the time before CrossFit or their S & C enlightenment. Where sets of 8-15 reps ruled and the gun size was all consuming, and hell maybe even a syringe of something in the butt cheek haha!

I know what you're thinking "HYPERTROPHY???? I hear that word a lot but not quite sure..errr" hmmm. In a nutshell, it's the changes in growth and the size of muscle cells prior to things such as weight training.

Ok, so we have two types of muscle hypertrophy that go on that can give different aesthetics (look) where physique is concerned.

SARCOPLASMIC HYPERTROPHY

"Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is an increase in the volume of the non-contractile muscle cell fluid, sarcoplasm. This fluid accounts for 25-30% of the muscle's size. Although the cross sectional area of the muscle increases, the density of muscle fibers per unit area decreases, and there is no increase in muscular strength" (Siff, Mel C. and Yuri V. Verkhoshansky. Supertraining. Colorado: Denver, 1999). "This type of hypertrophy is mainly a result of high rep, 'bodybuilder-type' training" (satsouline, Pavel. Power to the People. Dragon Door Publications, Inc., 2000).

MYOFIBRILLAR HYPERTROPHY

"Myofibrillar hypertrophy, on the other hand, is an enlargement of the muscle fiber as it gains more myofibrils, which contract and generate tension in the muscle. With this type of hypertrophy, the area density of myofibrils increases and there is a significantly greater ability to exert muscular strength" (Siff, Mel C. and Yuri V. Verkhoshansky. Supertraining. Colorado: Denver, 1999). "This type of hypertrophy is best accomplished by training with heavy weights for low reps" (satsouline, Pavel. Power to the People. Dragon Door Publications, Inc., 2000).

In plain English and dumbed down..we've got one that promotes SIZE and DEFINITION of muscles but with limited strength gains! The other, promotes FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH and is the prime area CrossFitters work within. Yes there is shape and size but it can be a bit more subtle than that produced by sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

Another consideration is genetics and your possible SOMATOTYPE FRAME (ectomorphs/mesomorphs/endomorphs) and your dominant MUSCLE FIBRE TYPES. Below are two links that go into these elements. The second link on Olympic Weightlifting and aesthetics is a REALLY good read!

One last thing, and this is for the ladies that seem to think they put on muscle mass really easy or will do if they do CrossFit. Women, cannot produce naturally, the amounts of testosterone required to support excessive sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (bulky muscle). Also, distorted views of what 'getting too big' is exactly, are a worry. Definition in your triceps or traps does not signify bulky bodybuilder type muscle. Athletic is how you will look. In my personal experience this is something that appears to be a bigger concern with women and how they are perceived by other women OR men who you may be more athletic than. What most active men who do resistance training deem 'too big' and what women do, are two very different perspectives that continue to surprise me! This is one score where ladies cannot point the finger at men for a change. It?s up to these ladies to empower themselves and not associate athleticism with a lack of femininity!

Off you go now kids, and put the world to rights on what CrossFit may make you look like NAKED!!!

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