Ute CrossFit’s Bobbie Jo Hackenbruck develops a program to rehab injuries and keep members happy. Emily Beers explains.
The “crazy gene” is linked to the feeling of intense satisfaction that comes from throwing yourself into an insanely hard, sometimes senseless physical and mental challenge.
On July 1, an affiliate posted a video of some dude doing 1,000 muscle-ups for time. Challenging? Sure. Great programming for the average athlete? Perhaps not. But every sport, from gymnastics to marathon running to mountain climbing to skiing, has devout members who want to take things to the extreme.
So the 1,000-muscle-up dude was probably just having one of those days where he submitted to the crazy gene, just like when a mountaineer decides to climb Everest. The point is 1,000 muscle-ups for time isn’t your average CrossFit workout. A workout like that is not recommended for most of the population, but it does show us what the human body is actually capable of.
On the flip side, what’s becoming more typical in CrossFit is a movement away from the crazy gene. Instead, a growing number of CrossFit boxes are trying to help members understand that high performance isn’t just about endless volume and ceaseless intensity. Performance is related to a host of factors including mobility, recovery, rest, nutrition, technique and more.