The BIGGEST Issue with CrossFIt (Currently)

[@_CoachFrankie_]

You are doing exactly what you were born to do. Such a good video.

[@KalispellBarbell]

A coach saying he has 1000s of athletes and a lot of them can’t properly squat isn’t sending the message he thinks he’s sending.

[@raejoy87]

Right 😫😤

[@Craig-pk5cc]

💯 %

[@strokdevo8]

100%

[@whiterabit09]

Well said... lol what a self own.

[@gkrefft]

Thank you again. I was today years old when I learned from a KZbin video that I have to lock out my elbows on American kettlebell swings. Maybe worth mentioning that I was in a CrossFit Gym from 2015 to 2022 and NOBODY EVER TOLD ME. Keep going, you're so much needed!

[@brianpowell601]

Preach! Crossfit coaches have gotten away from holding their athletes to a standard. Coaches are mostly about praising their athletes and less about holding a standard. This needs to change.

[@patrickedwards5804]

I wouldn't go from this particular insurance to thinking that all crossfit coaches are exactly the same. It only needs a counter example to show that you are wrong. My coach is not like that and makes me earn every rep with good technique. QED. 😅

[@brianpowell601]

@patrickedwards5804 got it, man. Yes, my statement is not 100% true of all coaches. However from what I've seen at gyms and local comps it is becoming the norm.

[@BuffRANGE]

@@brianpowell601 I would agree that I've seen that shift in the local box and at some local competitions. It's certainly not representative of the entire landscape, but its' not uncommon.

[@amynetardus]

Sounds a lot like what they tell you in the CF L1. It’s ok to celebrate progress goals but the ultimate goal should always be full ROM. Use it or lose it.

[@ramblr5900]

Classic Hiller episodes my favorite! ❤

[@davidmacella9648]

24.3 (a standardized workout) aside, If you post a video to the internet, the largest public forum ever... you accept the terms that there is a possibility of getting called out.

[@davidmacella9648]

Oh and tone.

[@augustuslinke]

99% of the time, when I correct an individual on their movements, the response is, "Oh I didn't even realize", or "Thanks". Not many people inside of a CF gym are actually getting offended if you tell them to squat lower, or lock out the bar overhead.

[@briannieuwenhuis9844]

I usually only get a little annoyed, when people, whether I'm coaching or competing in the class, that you know are FULLY capable of the standard, but are just lazy and don't do it, but take full credit for doing it. I'm also not talking about newbies, but people that have been doing CF for years!

[@Zansaldo1]

You're right it is the biggest issue in the entire space, no question about it. I see it almost every time I walk into an affiliate, a coach is too nice to correct the athletes and they just keep doing the same bad reps over and over again and never improve. These are merely cheerleaders with a spotify playlist, they have coached nothing and have bastardized the word "coach". I told my sister this who was expressing frustrations and I said she is paying for coaching not access to equipment, she said, "ohhhh yea i'm not being coached anymore. They just tell us the workout by reading the whiteboard then sit on the bike while we do the metcon." Sad thing is I'm certain she isn't the only one who doesn't even realize they aren't getting what they are supposedly paying for.

[@1Regards]

I shared before in your comments that I lost 110lbs and a bulk of it was doing CrossFit, but I'd say one of the things I'm most proud of is my ability to sit in a deep squat now thanks to it. It took a couple years and a lot of work, but to finally get that mobility felt so good. I wish we existed in a culture where we celebrated mobility landmarks as much as we did strength landmarks.

[@nikolainavarro6558]

I train alone in my garage and give myself no reps. I agree with Hiller.

[@peterodonnell3399]

I train in my garage as well, I give me so serious bro reps yo

[@stephenpliler5983]

Great video. Drives me crazy to see people hit pr after pr without proper depth. The real pr would be to developed range of motion.

[@jonbryan2905]

Hell yes !! Enforce the standards. For those that don't know, this is literally 75% of the reason crossfit got the traction it did at the very very beginning from intelligent, hard working athletes that value a fair and level playing field. Crossfit totally represented this when I entered in 2011. I literally watched the decay of this in the gym due to weak owners and coaches not enforcing standards for fear of affecting a friendship or fear of losing clients. When I witnessed it start to creep into the open at nearly every box i frequented, I really started to become discouraged of organized crossfit. It's a by-product of the way of American society. I mean, doctors won't even tell their patients that they are fat and that it's affecting their health. People are scared to hurt feelings so standards everywhere have plummeted and not just in crossfit gyms. Literally everywhere. Keep fighting the good fight Hiller !!!

[@johnmccrary6712]

I'm a Crossfit photographer, and squatting below parallel is incredibly important to grab photos in the gym, on the competition floor, anywhere in life

[@freakied0550]

Whether NBA level or rec/church league, the ball has to go in the hoop to score.

[@CoffeePodsAndWods]

Proud to be a buddy of a man who holds the standard

[@adamtoussaint9155]

The way you do anything is the way you do everything.

[@nytewalk]

This!

[@sirairness24]

THE STANDARD IS THE STANDARD! When I started a few months ago, before every workout, I asked my coach, "What is the standard?" even after it was already explained, even if I didn't have the ability to do the standard. But it gave me a goal and she never bullshitted me. She gave me praise for the workouts that I couldn't hit the standard and the ones where I could BUT always let me know after, "You needed to be doing "whatever" to meet the standard." Always appreciated it.

[@jrgills]

Sounds cheesy, but I always tell people “move light to move right”. In other words, if you can’t move correctly with proper standards you need to scale it back until you can!

[@cm1781]

The year they added strict hspu in the open I wasn’t even sure I could get one. But I DID! I got one! And it was the most celebratory moment for me. I knew my fitness had improved by ONE REP. I had a fantastic coach who held the standards for everyone and made sure the culture promoted quality movement. As coaches we do our athletes a disservice when we allow them to shave the standards.

[@CoachAidenH]

That is one of our Members at our affiliate Jeremy at 12:31 Great guy! And Exactly what you said! If you work on something and scale appropriately it works! And you get fitter over time!

[@roderikmeijer7916]

Nothing better than a Hiller sermon.

[@Xxxtra_Sloppy]

Personally a big fan of progressions! ✌️🖤

[@coach_paul_t]

“We all need to squat parallel for the sport and for life.” Amen

[@danhanson4196]

One of the most important videos you’ve made. Thank you for your work

[@e.r.doctor4335]

The presentation of facts to those that accept mediocrity is always met with resistance and ridicule. Keep pressing, Hiller. You're the best!

[@skip2malou88]

agree. and honestly, it's because of such mentality that sometimes because we forget there is such bar we need to set we just don't encourage improvement. honestly, people need to learn more about the growth mindset.

[@poundcake88]

I was trying to get below 90 in the squat. ROM was improving but I have arthritis. Recent MRI is an internal shit show. Deep squats are not advised. (avoiding knee replacement)With that said, I 100% agree that if you can't meet the standards for competition or leader boards and you love CF, do what you can and work on improvements but NO REP is no rep.

[@whiterabit09]

With arthritis its a fight to keep squat mobility, with a lot of accessory work, im winning.

[@serginho6837]

Hiller it seems only i have spotted the lovely touch on the credits who i assume are all the people you have coached to the CORRECT Standards Very underated touch! Take a bow 😂 👏 👏 👏

[@AnthonyRogers_19_]

I haven’t loved an Andrew Hiller video prior to this one, more than I love this one 🎯

[@johngeorge9423]

Keep doing you! As a 13 year crossfitter, nothing is more frustrating than to see how the standards have just deteriorated over time. If people don't want to be held accountable for standards or movement quality than go to OTF of F45. It's either a good rep or not good. If you do an air squat to the standard, than don't add weight. As for "old" people. I'm 56. Ass to the ground on OHS or air squat and everything I between. Old is not a standard or excuse for standard!! So if your "old" it's not excuse.

[@Greg_Glassman]

I said it first and I'll say it again. You got to go in hard, long, and fast. That's the methodology. Wait that came out wrong...

[@steffenthieringer]

Tell the client what they need to know not what they want to hear. They are here for a knowledgeable coach giving access to a superior method to get fitter, not a freaking cheerleader. Too many gyms don’t have an on-ramp anymore to truly assess a new members’ abilities in all the 10 domains.

[@MarcJansma]

Exactly this. If it wasn’t for proper coaching, I’d go to a globo gym. Much cheaper.

[@nifer77]

I think the on-ramp is a great idea and a valuable asset for coaches and new members. I do not see the on-ramp classes anymore. Such a pity.

[@MarcJansma]

@@nifer77 o, at my gym it is mandatory.

[@charlesstage]

I have to absolutely agree with with what you pointed out. I especially liked the videos of all the no reps you posted. I saw games athletes never if ever locking out elbows, extending hips full, and inconsistently breaking squat depth. I understand the open workouts are just a formality or “road bump” for these athletes but the horrible form I saw was blatant. I would have respected CF HQ immensely if they would have given these guys huge point reductions and made it public. Crossfit could’ve sent a clear message that we don’t care who you are a standard as a standard and you will abide by the standard. Thx for the great videos.

[@donpatey7472]

People need to realize this type of negligence also impacts everyone. I could’ve half assed the standards and got better scores as well. I’m glad everyone is having fun and crushing the workouts, but I’d rather they have 5-10 reps less of a score for it done right, same with my score

[@Pepesilvia267]

Agreed. First this is the open so the standard should be kept regardless of pro or amateur. Things can be less strict in a regular WOD but if you aren’t doing the movement correctly, a good personal trainer will mention it. The entire point of CrossFit is you get a coach. If that coach isn’t correcting you then what’s the point? Then they aren’t a coach they are just a class leader. Your coach should correct your form, your friends should point it out, and if you post your video to the public then expect randos to call it out.

[@efrainmedina4593]

Hiller I'm proud of you👏👏👏👏 you right is the truth🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇

[@tonydecuba]

We’re HillerFit Members (me and my wife). She’s was no able to squat below parallel, her BS and FS were always to a 3 blue plates and 3 green plates, then 3/2, then 3/1, then 3, yesterday it was 2 blues and 1 yellow we reach the “hip crease below the knee”. Now we start loading that bar, I mentioned all of the above just to tell you that yes, there are some people that can’t squat below parallel but honestly, 9 out of 10 of them have the wrong coach 😉

[@balledout30]

As a head coach at my affiliate, this is one of the topics I am most passionate about.

[@Thenotoriousdll]

Good example. How many gyms still have fundamentals classes for beginners? 4-6x1 hour session going through the majority of movements and terminology in a one on one or small group setting, that taught all people the movement mechanics, scaling options and progressions, what to focus on to progress and also let the coaching team know where the new athletes coming into classes are at.

[@charlyrupprecht8648]

Andrew, I'd like to hear your opinion on the weightlifting topic of "press outs." It sounds like the rules will be formally re-interpreted soon to relax the strict standard that has recently been adopted.

[@jmk261]

i agree. i mean i'm always going to be open, welcoming, and encouraging people for their effort. I think it's important to do so. but it's also important to doing the standards. It makes you better. Reminds me of the first open workout I ever did (22.1). I didn't sign up (didn't care to), but I did the wall walks scaled. Coach no repped me a couple of times which i deserved. She was apologetic earlier but to me I like being held to the standard so that I can get better.

[@BigJesse579]

Hey I noticed in the DB documentary there was not one word mentioned about Matt Torres. Odd?

[@DevHazy]

I cantttttttt it makes me too mad. The rx “star of the gym” athletes who can’t get below parallel. I’ll never get over it. It’s a popularity contest at gyms. Coaches won’t tell them crap

[@fisherfitness8552]

You're my spirit animal Hiller!

[@terrycloran7380]

I’m a 68 year old female and my coach doesn’t let me get away with anything and it should be like that no matter what age if he didn’t make me accountable I may a well stay home and do whatever I want

[@oldgrizz8720]

I'm 67 and workout with Kettlebells. Recently I started training for kettlebell sport. I realized that by doing Kettlebell Sport workouts for time, it exposes all my weaknesses. This is the point of doing the workouts. To discover the weaknesses and then improve them. This is what standards do. They help us learn what we need to work on to get stronger and better. If there is no standard we don't get stronger. Otherwise we would just sign up and get our meaningless participation trophy. I agree with you that we can commend those making the effort even if they fail. But don't lower the standard to accommodate the weakness, change the weakness to meat the standard.

[@briannieuwenhuis9844]

EXACTLY!!

[@ffransis1]

I don’t understand why people can’t comprehend being held to movement standards. If you don’t want to be held to a standard don’t take part in a competition and go train at F45. Poor movement yields poor results.

[@whiterabit09]

I want to know when i get a pb squat lift, that i actually got a pb, with the correct depth.

[@BuffRANGE]

I see a lot of squats not being performed below parallel. I certainly applaud those who want to come in and get better, but the coaches aren't telling them "hey you should pull 10lb off that bar and focus on going lower", or that their deadlift that they dropped the second the bar hit the hips could be much better if they locked outed and held that for at least 1 second at the top, or even better rode it back down to the ground ( and yeah the ride it down to the ground is a powerlifting standard not xfit standard)

[@huntliftrepeat]

What people like that gentleman fail to realize is that by not completing the reps fully and then posting a score that pollutes the leaderboard. This was by far my worst year score wise in the open, and I know my reps were all legit, but my fitness is similar to what it has been for the past few years. What I want to know is how many people who finished in front of me did their workouts to standard.

[@milostea]

The test has questions. Each question has one and only one correct answer. The test is 24.3. The Chest-2-Bar question has only one answer: Touch your chest to the bar. Any other answer is wrong.

[@olmieolmshmidt610]

What brand of sauna do you have in your garage?

[@jrshortall]

And this is a video for why I sub here. 👏🏻

[@billthegamerguy]

That lint hanging on to dear life on your beard has me distracted. 🤣

[@ColtenMertensLite]

Curse you. I was distracted by the rolled sleeve, but now I can’t unsee the lint.

[@mccask]

I recall seeing the response Hiller referred to and also rolling my eyes at the "pretty low" comment. People make shit up.

[@aaronfrantz2018]

About a decade ago, I heard Kelly Starrett say something like "CrossFit is about making sure you can hit good positions under duress", and it's stuck with me forever. Sure you can have a great air squat, but now do 5 sets of 50. On the last set, are your knees valgus? Are you hitting depth? Are you well-balanced over your feet?

[@tonynguyen9457]

Not sure why we even have the judges.

[@serginho6837]

Came here after Sevan said it was your best video ever yesterday

[@lizb4305]

I think the affiliate owners are afraid that if they insist on members using lower weights until they get the technique right, the member will leave.

[@lisaaustin3046]

Good one today, totally agree. We pay good $ and should get the training. oh well.

[@ericdrutgoyz4258]

BTW the thumbnail on tyhe brook wells video is little bit off the squat with the red X on it is the good one and the one with the green check mark is the bad

[@mattpeters6224]

Nice to see you went with the Garmin Epix pro 2. Just a bit better than the Apple watch. LOL

[@calumsmith9730]

Never resonated with a video more in my life!

[@stevenbaltazar1001]

💯. To be honest I think this is why many affiliates de-affiliated during the glassman debacle and just never turned around. They just didn't want to do everything that is takes to authentically coach CrossFit. Hence why they just took on the names like such and such "fitness." So many gyms don't teach the methodology, the foundation, and to your point standards, etc. it makes their job easier to just throw a workout up there and just say have at it. Shoot I been to many gyms where they don't even know that the WOD is the entire workout and that it's broken down into the warmup, strength, METCON, auxiliary/accessory etc. I truly believe that is where "CrossFit" lost a lot of its identity and now those gaps are showing it's face. I am viewed as a @$$hole because I point out what is going on. People believe its because I just don't want someone to be better but in reality I just dont like seeing people missing out on the true benefit of what this lifestyle can provide.

[@martinloftus6625]

The standardized movements were a big draw for me as well.

[@jakestasil5506]

I don’t do CrossFit just watch occasionally, I love your videos Hiller I wrestled as well , love your work ethic, the ENERGY and heartfelt videos. 2 !!!!! for you Glenn coco

[@swat486]

That trap soreness I get from legit American KBS is no joke!

[@tadget0566]

But some people honestly don’t want to learn and you get fed up telling them (though they don’t compete tbh) and what do you do throw them out of the gym 🤔

[@conserve_climber]

Holding people to the standard IS GOOD COACHING….being SOFT on athletes IS NOT. Total woke BS. “Be kind”….EFF YOU…BE RIGHT

[@DevHazy]

That’s not WOKE at all. Im 100% woke. And NO. That has literally nothing to do with wokeness

[@greentea8468]

It is KIND to make sure people are performing CORRECTLY.

[@cinematicjoe5514]

Standard is the standard depth is not a feeling

[@damonluvisi]

I only started doing CrossFit officially 4 months ago after being "adjacent" to the community. I went into my local Affliate behing hyper critical cause I knew I would be a bag of ass when I started. I was watching to see how the coaches interacted with me and were watching me. Frankly 4 months later, I'm still a bag of ass ;) but my coaches fix my form every WOD. I got lucky that our affiliate has solid coaches.

[@passleycraig]

I 100 percent agree with everything said in this video ❤. Yes, this video signifies your mission and purpose ❤❤❤❤❤

[@AlexanderE93]

Totally agree. Thank‘s.

[@kiffe22]

I was disagreeing at first and around 7 minutes in I wanted to write a long comment about why I disagree. You mostly managed to convince me in the following minutes but at 12:58 you say exactly why I think I was disagreeing and probably others still are. "Giving them the praise of the leaderboard" I would still say that people deserve to be praised for effort (up to a point). maybe lots of people might really not be able to squat below parallel (probably not as many as steven claimed), or maybe they can but everything else breaks down so hard that it's not a good idea to make them (as of that particular moment). If we see the workout and the open as a TEST they SHOULD get norepped and end up at a score of 0. But is it the best course of action to see the open workouts as a test for everyone? What if Gunther doesn't care how he stacks up compared to all other 75+ year olds doing crossfit and he just wants to get better? Sure our fitness should get tested. But is the open the best test for Gunther? What if Gunther can't even come close to squatting below parallel? Am I gonna force him to try for 15 minutes and still get a 0? Well if Gunther decided to sign up for the open and get the "praise of the leaderboard" I will. But if he wants to get better at the movement and "get a good workout in" on the saturday we do 24.3 then I'll scale his ROM and still praise him for showing up and getting better. Obviously that in turn comes with me explaining why I scaled him and with explaing that the ultimate goal is to get him below parallel at some point. To come back to my point, I think the original divide here is that you were critiquing all these videos and snippets of people as if they were trying for RX and entering their scores as such and if they were then I agree with you 100%. Were they though? Maybe that wasn't clear. Were maybe one or 2 videos just Gunther who knows he can't squat below parallel and didn't enter his score but was giving it his all?

[@jasoneugene7697]

When is the NOpen???

[@stephenschnee3214]

I mean, I have to comment don’t I? Guys, I have been critiquing form and technique every single day for the last 15 years. I can’t count the number of times I’ve said “get lower, lock out the top, or stand tall.” Of course movements have standards for a reason, and I believe in moving well. I don’t believe in participation trophies. I just wanted to say that not everyone is a die hard CrossFit athlete, and some people are proud, that even though they can’t squat below parallel, they can get out of a chair without help. I don’t like seeing those people get picked on.

[@pahyl]

that's great that they are working out, but is it RX? they can do the same workout with those "half/no reps" and have zero reps RX or have some reps as scaled/fundamentals... eg. if you don't touch the bar with your chest during ctb, you're doing pull-ups...

[@JB11334]

Have them scale, not do the open, or do the open and only count the actual movements that meet the movement standards. It’s not easy to tell customers/clients that and most people don’t want to hear it. Like you stated but now you can show them this video before the open next year and hold them to the standard.

[@JustANobody4321]

Standards 😎 unfortunately I’m suggesting only; Too Many do-join-participate in CF Affiliated box’s-gym-facilities for the FASHION OF IT, Practically. Owners relish the 💵 more than the Moment to Aid someone’s Health & Fitness. 😔

[@scotthamill2914]

Good stuff, well said.

[@karikoppenhaver9441]

NOBODY joins CrossFit or does the open to just get a “participation trophy” that’s mediocrity!!! Hillers point was spot on!

[@kylegreenley8950]

Accountability in the gym is the best… and if you don’t like it.. you just gotta be better. Where I train I have people tell me X or Y if I’m shorting the reps.. I don’t get mad.. I just do it better and I get better for it. Life’s gotten too soft and I miss the old days 😂

[@robbieweir1134]

If I do a 5km time trial but only run 4.5km can I still claim a pb? No I can’t! So get below parallel.

[@zachphillips8892]

I hate letting other coaches know I'm a coach. They 100% WILL NOT coach me. I can't tell if I'm moving like shit, I'm paying you to TELL ME.

[@nicklowe-rc7kv]

Andrew hiller is CROSSFIT now! He is upholding the true sense of the word, and is holding the magic of it that gets us all into it.

[@TommyLandry1]

What kind of watch are you wearing Hiller??

[@christineyoung78]

A very expensive garmin 💰

[@johnnixon2504]

My mom is 71 and chooses to squat ass to grass to chop veggies on the floor. 🤔

[@DevHazy]

Bae

[@BigJesse579]

@1:34 tell me you have small legs without telling me you have small legs. *EDIT* @2:10 - I posted that comment before this. 😂

[@edal1179]

So let’s say I’m a Mayhem athlete. I workout with others on zoom. I see Becky squatting but not below parallel. I’m not a coach. I’m not an affiliate owner. Just a normal member. Do I say hey Becky do you think you can squat a little lower. Maybe giving simple ques. Move your feet, look forward, elbows pew pew. Should I say that? Or am I not in a position to do so?

[@wooleymemeth69]

Awesome video!!

[@lisatrides1490]

I just watched a few submission videos in one of the masters RX age group divisions and saw examples of the worst 'not meeting standards' that I've seen. For instance: 24.3, athlete did not get one C2B (and video clearly shows their chest not making it anywhere near the bar), yet posts more than a couple of rounds + C2B reps to their score. In workout 24.2, athlete drops the weight at the top of the deadlift? I thought the weight had to be lowered under control to the ground? (correct me if I'm wrong). Then there's the usual no 'squat to depth thrusters' from several athletes. Why post video's with such blatant disregard for the workout standards? The fact that these are from an RX division, with athletes and judges who should know better, just blows my mind.

[@ErikDoesStuff1711]

Agree with the point your making but incorrect on the deadlift - rep is credited at the top and there’s no requirement to lower under control. Like I say, I do agree with you on the whole though - take a random KZbin search of 24.3 videos and it’s almost harder to find good reps than it is to find bad ones.

[@Aznl2yan]

Well Said.

[@Steven.-]

Even tho I didn’t write the comment it felt like you were yelling at me the whole time haha

[@ramblr5900]

If 8 billion people ran a mile would that be enough mileage from the Earth to the sun?

[@andogrando487]

This is it - everyone who initially got into CrossFit did it because they wanted to do something hard, hitting movements correctly can be hard, the volume can be hard, the intensity can be hard - that's what we wanted! lol Anymore there is a lot of sus ideas floating around your average box. "Don't worry about hitting depth I saw a youtube video that showed it's actually optimal". Ugh come on - mobility is part of it! And I suck at mobility - would my squat 1RM be higher if I didn't have to hit depth - you bet your ass but that's not the point!

[@jamaanders1817]

The Standard is the Standard

[@tuhrunen4476]

I myself paid thee thousands euros only to find out that the coach did not teach the movements correctly. So she wasted my time as well as my money and I had to learn everything all over again ..l..

[@veryadequate]

I agree with Hiller. The open is the 1 time of the year where it is important to do the workout correctly. The open is a 3 workout test. It isn't 3 workouts where you do whatever and tell people who did it. That would be like running 3,000 meters of a 5K, recording your time as "a 5K" and then acting like you ran a 5K. If you do quarter squat and bar out in front thrusters and chin over the bar pull ups, you did not do the workout. Cheerleading during the normal class is great, however during a test -- you need to do the actual test. IMHO there are several reasons to perform the movements a prescribed, but primarily: 1. So you can compare your score to yourself (if you retest) and others. If you quarter squat your thrusters and then do chin over the bar pull ups, instead of C2B -- you cannot compare your score to someone else's and you cannot reflect back on that score in the future. 2. It is a test. It is also a good time for coaches and others to let the person know that "hey those BS thrusters you do all year... well now during this test you get to feel what a full range of motion thruster feels like" and hopefully that will translate to better form and fewer injuries during the rest of the year.

[@danielevans4672]

Strict pull ups!!! Come one Mr Castro and team!!! Get or find a standard! Just like Crossfit does with every movement! And let the BAT check the standards!!!

[@DavidWied]

Oh Well

[@KennethDollar]

This is your BEST video ever. This is the MOST IMPORTANT message for CrossFit trainers.