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As part of a total training package a coach might tell their athletes who are already fast to go out and do an easy day which could be jogging or up here I see the coach tell the xc racers to go easy in a in a lower zone but I could see a point about just jogging all the time not making you any faster

Kenyan runners while they are fats and train hard. They also what we would call jog a few times during the week and would call it an easy run. Though keep in kind their idea of going for a easy jog would see my mother in law beating them.

Kenyan runners while they are fats and train hard. They also what we would call jog a few times during the week and would call it an easy run. Though keep in kind their idea of going for a easy jog would see my mother in law beating them.

There is an article somewhere about a North american or british joining the kenyans for some running clinic/a couple of weeks running with them in Kenya, I just forgot where I found it. basically he said they run a lot and run at different Speeds, Kind of like the lost art of fartlek. But yeah, if you want to be good at running, you have to run a lot, and most importantly varying Speed - same with xc bike riding and Enduro racing - you just present the Body and its pathways more Options for Adaptation.

Again this presumes that fitness is defined solely by V02 max. This suggest that a person who scores a zero on all those other important physical capacities (like power, speed, flexibility, agility, etc) or other health markers (like bone density or disease resistance) but has a high V02 max would be considered fit?

*edit: syncro beat me to it

V02 max is just a physiological measure, like the size of your heart, your lungs or your height. Even in extreme endurance events V02 max is a big factor but it is just one of several elements of fitness.

_3. How do some elite runners make up for lower levels of VO2 max?

Although all elite runners have VO2 max values well above the population mean, the correlation between VO2 max and performance is not absolute. Derek Clayton only had a VO2 max of 69 ml/kg/min. and Frank Shorter only recorded a value of 71 ml/kg/min., yet both of these runners ran marathon times of under 2:11 and surely outperformed runners with higher values. This variation in VO2 max values among the elite is possible because VO2 max is only one of several factors that determine running performance. These other factors include mental attitude (ability to tolerate pain), running economy (how efficiently one runs), and lactate threshold (fastest pace you can maintain without accumulating large amounts of lactic acid in your blood). A runner with a relatively low VO2 max, but high in these other performance factors, could outperform a runner with a significantly higher VO2 max but with poor running economy and a low lactate threshold. For example, Derek Clayton and Frank Shorter compensated for their lower VO2 max values with their high efficiency and ability to run their marathons at a high percentage of their VO2 max without accumulating too much lactic acid (high lactate threshold). _

There is a basic level of overall fitness that most people agree makes for overall good health, longevity and enjoyment of life.

Then there is a fitness in terms of athletic and physical ability/limitations which tends to belong to the realm of specialized training. There are often so many variables here (physical, mental, methodological, inate talent versus training, physiology, coaching, body type, motivation etc). Who would perform better, a trained marathoner on bicycle or an elite cyclist running a marathon? Its not really a fair question because both are highly trained specialists. Is a crossfit champ really fitter than a ultra-man triathlete? I don't think you can compare them.

I run because it is an easy way to improve in fitness for the kinds of activities I enjoy:
- riding my bike
- ski touring
etc.
I know I would probably get better at those activities by just doing them - but running is dead simple- shoes, shorts, shirt go. I can do while traveling, I can take an hour break from work and go for a rip without having to book off time for cleaning up the bike when I am done. I find that when I get to do the other activities, if I have been running lots, I have the legs to destroy my friends on the ups (and really isn't that what it is all about)

I have the legs to destroy my friends on the ups (and really isn't that what it is all about)

Yes, it is exactly what it is about!

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I find that when I get to do the other activities, if I have been running lots, I have the legs to destroy my friends on the ups (and really isn't that what it is all about)

Yes!
But I also like surviving crashes. I like being able to push my limits, fall down occasionally and be able to brush it off. I've seen my lighter more endurance-y friends shatter under surprisingly mellow crashes. Being strong and flexible plays a huge part in crash survivability, which is pretty important around here!

I suggest you read the article in the link first. I know that Crossfit bashing is all the rage, but the article does have its Points.

Oh you suggest I read it eh. The reason theres crossfit bashing is because its nothing new. Its was called cross training and its been around for a long time, I think Ive been crossfiting for thirty years for a number of sports at elite amatuer and professional level. Funny how a name is changed and people think its the latest and greatest.

Oh you suggest I read it eh. The reason theres crossfit bashing is because its nothing new. Its was called cross training and its been around for a long time, I think Ive been crossfiting for thirty years for a number of sports at elite amatuer and professional level. Funny how a name is changed and people think its the latest and greatest.

You should probably read the article.

ozi's got a bit of a point there guys, the crossfit definitions are a bit laughable in the sense that it's marketing hype. the standard definitions have been around long before glassman. crossfit is nothing new, it's just a specfic marketing strategy to get people to feel good about themselves because they supposedly belong to an "elite" group. that may not have been glassman's intention - but that's what it's become.

That's not really correct though is it? And who are they accepted by?
strength? composition? (this one especially is complete crap) flexibility?. How could you correctly weight a score for all of those to find out who is the fittest? How do you measure flexibility? You couldn't. It's impossible. There is no way someone could be fitter than an ultra athlete because they have a better bench. It's a total nonsense.
And, I'm not even a dog in this race. I'm far from an endurance athlete; I'm a rugby player.

Dude .. you are mistaken. "Fitness" isn't the exclusive domain of elite or specialized athletes. "Fitness" applies to everyone in their own circumstances. It is basically about being conditioned to do physical tasks, whether it is dunking a basketball as a pro athlete or being able to walk up a flight of stairs when you are 90.

Flexibility is extensively tested, studied and measured

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Tests.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexibility_%28anatomy%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_stiffness

and it can reveal things about joint integrity and muscular imbalance and be critical in injury reduction.

"For the average person, staying flexible is critical, especially as you get older. Structural changes and a weakening of joints with age include microtear, calcification, and an increase in cross-linking within joint collagen. In fact, the shortening of tendons and ligaments reduces joint range of motion by as much as 25%, while cross-linking leads to stiffness." - National Academy of Sports Medicine

Body composition is a also an indicator of your health and your susceptibility to some diseases (like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure etc).

Also, regarding the conversation above, crossfit has been around for thousands of years

If someone says to me "I'm quite fit at the minute", I don't take that to mean that they are massively flexible, or have put 20lbs on their squat or have been dieting effectively (FFS). Maybe my understanding comes from being ex military or even a brit.
I think there's a little bit of being deliberately obtuse, but an awful lot of people justifying their exercise regime choices and perhaps have drank a little too much kool aid.
I will not accept that XF makes the fittest athletes (because it doesn't by any single measure) and this is besides the fact that we can't compare a XF participant with a sportsman as XF is just a training method, not a sport. It's much more like bodybuilding than a race of any kind in that respect.
Fashionble or not, XF has some pretty substantial flaws in the opinions of much more knowledgable people than any on here, and is hardly groundbreaking. It's just a branding and marketing exercise.

If someone says to me "I'm quite fit at the minute", I don't take that to mean that they are massively flexible, or have put 20lbs on their squat or have been dieting effectively (FFS). Maybe my understanding comes from being ex military or even a brit.
I think there's a little bit of being deliberately obtuse, but an awful lot of people justifying their exercise regime choices and perhaps have drank a little too much kool aid.
I will not accept that XF makes the fittest athletes (because it doesn't by any single measure) and this is besides the fact that we can't compare a XF participant with a sportsman as XF is just a training method, not a sport. It's much more like bodybuilding than a race of any kind in that respect.
Fashionble or not, XF has some pretty substantial flaws in the opinions of much more knowledgable people than any on here, and is hardly groundbreaking. It's just a branding and marketing exercise.

no-one is saying crossfit makes the fittest athletes and they are also not justifying their exercise choises. what people are saying is that we'e refuting YOUR definition of what is fit. i can't say it any simpler; your position is wrong. it's not meant to be an insult or mean, but what you are saying is wrong. to say that crossfit is more like bodybuilding shows you have a complete lack of understanding about what fitness really is and a high bias against resistance training. until you resolve to accept what the real definition of fintess is you will not be able to understand what a truly fit athlete is. you should in fact acknowledge that the top crossfit athletes may actually be some of the fittest athletes on the planet. for a different persepctive consider that a similar sort of athlete would be an olympic decathlete. many of those here have already acknowledged that crossfit has some flaws and that it is nothing new. we are not denizens of the crossfit brand.

for myself, i studied sport science in college, i've been a fitness professional for over 20 years, i continue to educate myself wrt many different aspects of health and fitness as new information becomes available and i form an opinion on it based on my education and experience. there are also other people who have accululated significant amounts of knowledge and experience when it comes to health and fitness.

finally, even if you do not want to accept any part of the crossfit mantra that's fine, no one here is asking you too or even saying that it is the best way to go. at a minimum though, you need to accept that fitness is about more than cardio vascular conditioning. go back nad read my post about what fitness is, the 5 health and the 6 skill related component. that definition of fitness alone will tell you that you need to revise your thinking.

If someone says to me "I'm quite fit at the minute", I don't take that to mean that they are massively flexible, or have put 20lbs on their squat or have been dieting effectively (FFS). Maybe my understanding comes from being ex military or even a brit.

If someone says "I'm quite fit at the minute", it is meaningless because they don't qualify it. If someone says "I swam a mile in 15 minutes" (elite-level, but hardly world-class, time), wouldn't you agree that they are fit, no question? Swimming at an elite level requires a great deal of flexibility (particularly shoulders, back, elbows, wrists and ankles) to get the most out of the biomechanics of swimming. Someone at that level would almost certainly dedicate time to maintaining their flexibility.

Being "fit" is a package (see Syncro's list), not a single thing. You could be 350 lbs and have 25% body fat but can squat 700 lbs. Does that mean you are "fit"? Not really, it means you can squat 700 lbs. If you can squat 700 lbs and run a mile in 5 minutes, you are probably "fit". If you can squat 700 lbs and run a mile in 5 minutes but can't finish a marathon, does that disqualify you from "being fit"? Who decides?

BTW, I don't do crossfit … but what's most important about doing physical activity is that you enjoy doing it. If someone enjoys crossfit, (I can see the appeal) what's the harm?

to say that crossfit is more like bodybuilding shows you have a complete lack of understanding about what fitness really is and a high bias against resistance training.

Incorrect. I have no bias against any type of training. I'll thank you not to tell me what I think. I'll also thank you not to selectively quote me; you know full well that I was referring to XF in a sports context (ie, it isn't one)
In fact my own training has a resistance bias, at 6ft 210lbs w/12% body fat, I'm certainly no endurance athlete.

until you resolve to accept what the real definition of fintess is you will not be able to understand what a truly fit athlete is. you should in fact acknowledge that the top crossfit athletes may actually be some of the fittest athletes on the planet.

Riiiiiiight. Until I accept that XF participants are the bestest, I can't understand fit. Yeah. Well done.
I do love the way that "fitness" has been muddies into something completely unmeasurable and incomparable between sports. Somewhat conveniently for XF. I note with interest that Froning etc don't even train XFas we would understand it, or do XF WODs as their training regime.

If someone enjoys crossfit, (I can see the appeal) what's the harm?

I don't the that there's a reasonable argument against this, but it sticks in the throat when the followers of this craze tell us that XF people are the bestest, fittest people on the planet and that all other methods are inferior. Somehow these guys are fitter than all of the olympic athletes, pro and elite sportspersons. I don't buy it. Not even for a second.