“Whatever It Takes”-Greg Glassman in New Zealand

In March 2014, Richard Beddie-CEO of the Exercise Association of New Zealand and spokesperson for the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)-made unfounded claims in the media that CrossFit training has caused deaths.
“CrossFit has resulted in six deaths overseas and rendered an Australian man paraplegic,” Beddie told Stuff.com.nz. Beddie later denied making the statement, though the reporter who quoted him asserted she had been entirely accurate.
Not without motive, Beddie hoped to get CrossFit to partner with REPs, which would force CrossFit trainers in New Zealand to pay an annual fee to Beddie’s group. Beddie promised if CrossFit affiliates registered with the organization, he could make critical stories about CrossFit disappear. At the time, Beddie was chairman of the International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals (ICREPs), whose members include the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) through their membership in the United States Registry of Exercise Professionals (USREPS). Both the NSCA and ACSM have released baseless claims about CrossFit, and CrossFit Inc. has filed separate lawsuits against Beddie and the NSCA.
CrossFit Founder and CEO Greg Glassman flew to New Zealand to address affiliate owners and explain the situation.
Glassman said he believes CrossFit has a moral obligation to protect its affiliates and keep owners, trainers and members informed. They are, after all, what Glassman calls “the heart” of the CrossFit community.
“You’re doing the right things for the right people for the right reasons, and the least I can do is defend you at every opportunity I have with everything I’ve got,” Glassman says. “And I will do whatever it takes to keep you free, to keep you safe and to keep your reputations just what they deserve to be.”
Video by Carey Peterson.
9min 17sec
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[@wissingerDV]

Keep up the work Crossfit HQ and Glassman! We will not back down, we are the fittest international community on earth.

[@joshbangs123]

*Fittest for exercising altered/non altered gym, barbell movement for reps. With good cardiovascular endurance.

[@spencergsmith]

@@joshbangs123 by the definition of “work capacity across broad time and modal domains,” CrossFit is by far the fittest group on the planet. Disagree? Great, explain why. And if you don’t subscribe to Glassman’s definition of fitness, then you need to provide an objective measurable definition of your own.

[@BossSilvi]

Greg glassman doesn't take crap from anyone. I love it! He's a class act who's defending his program to the end.

[@drwalsh6420]

Just like our moon protects the Earth from asteroids, Glassman is that buffer from potential devastation by greedy politicians. Thank you Greg and keep our sport pure!

[@adammcghee3017]

Coach Glassman is a great leader. He should write a book on constructing business culture, branding, and leadership practices. I'm proud to be a Crossfitter and have my level 1 with him at the front.

[@TMR2418]

This guy knows his stuff and is passionate about his company. You can't beat that. 👍

[@HistoryAthlete]

Thats what I really like about CrossFit. CF don't back down and it fights against corruption not like the other organizations like FIFA, REPs and etc. Thanks to Greg Glassman that I can be proud of to be a member of such an amazing organisation/community!

[@jflorescf]

That well placed ''We Will Break You'' haha.

[@skateman96]

J Flores damn i thought i was going to be the only person to point that out, too late haha

[@BrianGwaltney]

J Flores The Pukey the Clown t-shirt in the beginning is helpful as well.

[@1985jrinehart]

Greg glassman is the fucking man!!! What a genius and a power house!!!!

[@FinnishCraig3]

Sports are dangerous, driving a car is dangerous, walking alone at night can be dangerous, traveling to the unknown is dangerous, skydiving is dangerous, nobody is forcing anyone to do anything.

[@shawnalexandria5679]

First, it's ridiculed. Second, it's violently opposed. Lastly, it's accepted as self-evident. We've been ridiculed for years now. Recently, ACSM and NSCA, among others, have been violently opposing us. All that's left is the third step.

[@someguy6924]

you guys all realize that Glassman is speaking against claims that Crossfit training caused DEATH - NOT JUST INJURIES... Of course, athletes of any kind will always sustain injuries, the serious part here is that an organized body is claiming (attempting extortion) that DEATHS were caused as a direct result of Crossfit training.. The question isn't about injuries - of course Crossfit athletes - PRO OR AMATEURS - will get injured.. The real question then becomes who is really at fault for these deaths - the individuals themselves for pushing too hard? the negligent coach at that affiliate? the entire affiliate/negligent affiliate owner? i don't know the answer but i most definitely know that "Crossfit" the training methodology is NOT...

[@nhelmueller]

LaxBroIan123 The instruction of Crossfit trainers isn't the problem. It is the feeling of invincibility of a novice Crossfitter. If I have never performed a Snatch before I need to start with an empty barbell and some instruction on form and technique. The first ever Olympic Weightlifter didn't have perfect technique or a coach at all. Everyone has to start somewhere and work their way up. The USAW Certification is $500 and takes place over a day or maybe two. Then you are Certified USAW Weightlifting Instructor. There are different levels of that certification just like the Crossfit Certification but they both understand that giving a trainer knowledge is a very small part of what it takes to make a good trainer. It takes experience.

[@mpbeautyinsight]

Nathan Helmueller I think there are two issues: 1 the athlete needs to know his/her limits as this is the first place people get injured and 2. Level 1 certification prerequisite is "none" and I think there needs to be parameters here such as "has been a CF athlete for 6 months", "has a personal training certificate from NASM" or as you mentioned has a USAW certification.

[@nhelmueller]

Monica P I see your point with prerequisites and it is valid. A lot of "traditional" personal trainers do have a degree in Exercise Science or Health and Wellness. And that is also the case for a lot of Crossfit coaches (maybe not the majority.) At that point it comes down to the box owner's judgement and sometimes that can be the broken link. I am lucky enough to have amazing coaches at my box and I will never know what it's like to have a bad coach unless I drop in somewhere that is like that. However, having a degree is not a standard prerequisite for a "traditional" personal trainer either. They just have to get a certificate and register with a "governing body," the NSCA or ACSM. Those agencies don't do very much to restrict or qualify individual trainers, however.

[@someguy6924]

LaxBroIan123 this is a rudimentary lesson on why you think crossfit is safe or not.. you have missed the point completely and have changed the topic to something you want to lecture on.. I also do crossfit and am a certified personal trainer, well aware of both sides of the debate, thanks. I don't understand why people expect every Crossfit box, every Crossfit trainer, every affiliate owner, box manager - whatever - to be 100% perfect at everything they do. Why isn't the same scrutiny placed on football coaches when their athletes die from heat exhaustion, dehydration or hyponatremia? Or when basketball players tear ACL's during practice? The same principles of common sense, intelligence and poor judgement apply to all sports, training programs, etc

[@andreahoyosl]

Michael Wilder 100% agree

[@SamanthaGluck]

You're amazing, Coach! Thank you for doing whatever it takes to keep our sport pure and out of the clutches of these greedy morons.

[@joshbangs123]

Sport LOL

[@KZSoze]

+Samantha Gluck-- Define "pure". In my hometown they have a Crossfit "box" located inside of an actual "globo gym", and they also incorporate isolation and resistance machines; all things that are considered blasphemy in the crossfit world. You have to have established standards and criteria before you can declare anything pure, or not.

[@rossv3436]

Claims no one gets injured doing crossfit...1 in 20 individual competitors get injured during the games - Neil Maddox, Chad MacKay, Annie Thorisdottir, Maddy Myers

[@christiaanmattheus7293]

Those are athletes competing at the highest possible level. 1/20 ay? Mind giving the stats for NFL etc?

[@Orbitga]

As you just said, "individual COMPETITORS". Injuries happen in any kind of competitive sport. Get the same statistics for football or soccer or basketball. You would be surprised. There's a difference between training crossfit on a competitive level and training crossfit to have a better life quality.

[@GoForGold256]

I think your brain needs a workout if your statement makes logical sense to you. Injurues within a group of the top athletes in the world clawing and bleeding their way to a title - hmmm when I put it that way 1/20 sounds pretty good! Thats 1 player in every second soccer team. I'd sign up with low injury stats like that :)

[@rossvarndell]

Absolutely, athletes are going to get injured. Multiple athletes in my box have been injured doing CrossFit. I don't understand why CrossFit thinks they have any right to debate that people DON'T get injured doing Crossfit. If it were the case that CrossFit was totally safe why does every box have you sign a liability waiver? They simply don't want bad press and they go around suing anyone that has an opinion that is critical. I don't agree with this methodology. How can you sue someone for saying or publishing something that's true?

[@GoForGold256]

ross yes I agree that if the mentality was to claim zero injuries then that would be false. However, the onus is on those from outside the crossfit world who claim that crossfit is MORE dangerous or is injuring MORE people than conventional sport and fitness. This is where it becomes an issue since this is not true. Everyone who partakes in physical activity takes a risk of injury. Crossfit is not immune, but it certainly is not the big bad wolf that conventional fitness organisations (who are losing a lot of money) claim.

[@dcalderon1727]

Coach looks like he's losing weight.

[@pricankid9]

I love how they're using Plena from Puerto Rico as the background music for a trip to New Zealand.

[@Rynno1338]

Well said coach.

[@151Sharon]

What is this all about ? I'm doing crossfit 2 years and Iv heard nothing bad about crossfit. Everything is very positive !!!

[@nhelmueller]

SharDaly That's good, in your box there is probably a great community and amazing ownership and coaching. That is the same for the majority of Crossfit boxes out there. The bad press or negative reputations come from people who go into it trying to prove that the negative things they have heard are true. So they go in when their local box has a free class and they don't have open eyes or open minds and then they think they are experts because they know how to do curls and bench and run on the treadmill. There is very little of what they are familiar with in a Crossfit box so it must all be wrong. If someone has a bad experience they will tell 10 people. If someone has a good experience they might tell 1 or 2. That's human nature and it's sad.

[@151Sharon]

Nathan Helmueller Yah we have a very positive outlook in our BOX . Its horrible to think people going around bad mouthing crossfit and they have barley done anything in the sport. Really good comment !!! You seem to be very passionate about crossfit . Thats fantastic !!

[@nhelmueller]

SharDaly I certainly am. I was skeptical about it before I started it myself because of cost of membership and I had obviously seen the bad press. But none of that ever stopped me from playing football and those injuries are a lot more serious. So I tried it and my box has amazing coaches, very knowledgeable from those who are very experienced to those who are newer to Crossfit and new to coaching. I have never witnessed the "bad coaching" personally but I also think a lot of it was taking place back in the early days before the popularity boomed. Now everyone in the world either does Crossfit, knows someone who does Crossfit or lives in the mountains and has no human contact. So the exposure makes for a more educated base of people.

[@151Sharon]

Nathan Helmueller I will be doing crossfit 3 years in Jan and I can honestly say it has changed my life for the better. I have never been as fit and healthy in all my life. Im very lucky too as I have a great coach who takes no bullsh** and great people in my BOX. Its a lifestyle for me now . You can get injured in any sport or doing anything . Just uneducated people are linking crossfit to injuries .

[@x0xchanchanx0x]

SharDaly You've not even heard the diabetic thing?

[@StefanWalkner]

Don't get me wrong. I love CrossFit and do it myself. But I think the beer-bottles really should disappear from this video. Also if the mixing of two different speeches into one speech was gone, the seriousness would increase a lot.

[@Bellator5ttv]

Enemies are jealous of Crossfit' s popularity and they either want to have a piece of it or they will tear it down. Glassman out of all the sports icons is true, honest and damn bold.

[@chunnyfoo1]

Amen Gabriel.