\n"}}]},"header":{"brandBarLabelText":"Brand menu","datePicker":{"buttonLabelText":"toggle date picker","monthText":"Month","navLabelText":"workout date picker","showNextMonthLabelText":"Next month","showPreviousMonthLabelText":"Previous month","titleText":"Find A Workout","todayButtonText":"Go to Today","yearText":"Year"},"desktopLogoWidth":"200","findABoxLink":{"url":"/find-a-box","text":"Find a Box"},"mainsiteCtaLink":{"url":"https://www.crossfit.com/map","text":"Find a Gym"},"headerLabelText":"Site navigation","logoLabelText":"Go to home page","logoURI":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/29104438/crossfit-logo.svg","mainMenuLabelText":"Main menu","menuText":"Menu","search":{"submitButtonText":"Go","searchResultsLabelText":"Get search results","searchTitleText":"Search "}},"footer":{"copyrightText":"© 2024 CrossFit, LLC. CrossFit, Fittest on Earth, 3...2...1...Go! CrossFit Games, and Sport of Fitness are trademarks of CrossFit, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved.","emailOfTheDay":{"descriptionText":"Subscribe to the Email of the Day","emailLabelText":"Subscribe to the Email of the Day","emailMeButtonText":"Subscribe","emailPlaceholderText":"your@email.com","invalidEmailText":"Please enter a valid email address.","submitErrorText":"An error occurred. Please try again later.","successText":"Thanks for signing up. Your first email is on its way!"},"findAGym":{"descriptionText":"Start your fitness journey today and get healthy.","headerText":"Find a gym today!","link":{"text":"Find a gym near you","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/map"}},"image":{"src":{"1536x1536":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg.jpg","1536x1536Height":483,"1536x1536Width":1536,"2048x2048":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg.jpg","2048x2048Height":528,"2048x2048Width":1680,"hero":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg.jpg","heroHeight":503,"heroWidth":1600,"heroLarge":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg.jpg","heroLargeHeight":528,"heroLargeWidth":1680,"large":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg-1024x322.jpg","largeHeight":322,"largeWidth":1024,"medium":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg-768x241.jpg","mediumHeight":241,"mediumWidth":768,"mediumLarge":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg-768x241.jpg","mediumLargeHeight":241,"mediumLargeWidth":768,"small":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg-300x94.jpg","smallHeight":94,"smallWidth":300,"thumbnail":"https://www.crossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/07182511/kettlebell-bg-150x150.jpg","thumbnailHeight":150,"thumbnailWidth":150}},"legalLabelText":"Legal Links"},"menus":{"needsFetched":false,"header":{"desktopLinks":[{"below":[{"id":93961,"parent":"93960","target":"_self","text":"What is CrossFit?","url":"/what-is-crossfit"},{"id":93962,"parent":"93960","target":"_self","text":"Find a Gym","url":"/map"}],"id":93960,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Getting Started","url":"/what-is-crossfit"},{"below":[{"id":93964,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"About","url":"/education/about"},{"id":93965,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"Explore Courses","url":"/education/explore-courses"},{"id":93966,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"Find Your Path","url":"/education/find-your-path/"},{"id":93967,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"Resources","url":"/education/resources"}],"id":93963,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Courses","url":"/education/about"},{"below":[{"id":95951,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Workout of the Day","url":"/wod"},{"id":93969,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Explore Workouts","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/workout"},{"id":101892,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Hero Workouts","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/heroes/"},{"id":93970,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Movements","url":"/essentials/movements/"}],"id":93968,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Workouts","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/workout"},{"id":93971,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Learn","url":"/media"},{"id":93972,"parent":"0","target":"_blank","text":"Games","url":"https://games.crossfit.com"},{"id":98863,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Open A Gym","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/open-crossfit-gym/"}],"mobileLinks":[{"text":"Open a CrossFit Gym"},{"text":"Browse","links":[{"below":[{"id":93961,"parent":"93960","target":"_self","text":"What is CrossFit?","url":"/what-is-crossfit"},{"id":93962,"parent":"93960","target":"_self","text":"Find a Gym","url":"/map"}],"id":93960,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Getting Started","url":"/what-is-crossfit"},{"below":[{"id":93964,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"About","url":"/education/about"},{"id":93965,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"Explore Courses","url":"/education/explore-courses"},{"id":93966,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"Find Your Path","url":"/education/find-your-path/"},{"id":93967,"parent":"93963","target":"_self","text":"Resources","url":"/education/resources"}],"id":93963,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Courses","url":"/education/about"},{"below":[{"id":95951,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Workout of the Day","url":"/wod"},{"id":93969,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Explore Workouts","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/workout"},{"id":101892,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Hero Workouts","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/heroes/"},{"id":93970,"parent":"93968","target":"_self","text":"Movements","url":"/essentials/movements/"}],"id":93968,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Workouts","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/workout"},{"id":93971,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Learn","url":"/media"},{"id":93972,"parent":"0","target":"_blank","text":"Games","url":"https://games.crossfit.com"},{"id":98863,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Open A Gym","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/open-crossfit-gym/"}]}],"brandLinks":[{"id":93974,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Open a CrossFit Gym","url":"/open-crossfit-gym"}],"loggedInMenu":[{"id":72863,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Manage Account","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/dashboard"},{"id":72864,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Competition Dashboard","url":"https://games.crossfit.com/manage-competition/athlete"}]},"footer":{"mainLinks":[{"below":[{"id":9764,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"What Is CrossFit?","url":"/what-is-crossfit"},{"id":9765,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"Get Started","url":"/get-started"},{"id":45861,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"Workouts","url":"/workout/"},{"id":45862,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"Movements","url":"/essentials/movements"},{"id":1741,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"FAQ","url":"/faq"},{"id":90183,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"Help Center","url":"https://crossfit.my.site.com/Support/s/"},{"id":45103,"parent":"511","target":"_self","text":"Careers","url":"/careers/"}],"id":511,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"About CrossFit","url":"#"},{"below":[{"id":45864,"parent":"45863","target":"_self","text":"Courses Near You","url":"/courses-near-you/"},{"id":45865,"parent":"45863","target":"_self","text":"Certificate Courses","url":"/certificate-courses/"},{"id":45866,"parent":"45863","target":"_self","text":"Certifications","url":"/certifications/"},{"id":45868,"parent":"45863","target":"_self","text":"Online Courses","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/online-courses"}],"id":45863,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Education","url":"#"},{"below":[{"id":45870,"parent":"45871","target":"_self","text":"Open a CrossFit Gym","url":"/open-crossfit-gym"},{"id":45884,"parent":"45871","target":"_self","text":"Field Leaders","url":"/field-leaders"},{"id":90935,"parent":"45871","target":"_self","text":"Global Mentor Program","url":"/global-mentor-program/"},{"id":93982,"parent":"45871","target":"_self","text":"Affiliate Portal","url":"https://affiliate.crossfit.com/tools/"}],"id":45871,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Affiliates","url":"#"},{"below":[{"id":16638,"parent":"45875","target":"_self","text":"Find a Trainer","url":"https://trainerdirectory.crossfit.com/"},{"id":45876,"parent":"45875","target":"_self","text":"Scholarship Program","url":"/scholarship-program-inquiry"},{"id":45877,"parent":"45875","target":"_self","text":"Foundation","url":"/foundation"},{"id":45878,"parent":"45875","target":"_self","text":"Local News","url":"/news"}],"id":45875,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Community","url":"#"},{"below":[{"id":45881,"parent":"45879","target":"_self","text":"About the Games","url":"https://games.crossfit.com/"},{"id":45880,"parent":"45879","target":"_self","text":"Leaderboard","url":"https://games.crossfit.com/leaderboard/games/2022?division=2"},{"id":45882,"parent":"45879","target":"_self","text":"Schedule","url":"https://games.crossfit.com/games/schedule?_ga=2.142929340.802559833.1690817966-401013740.1685640771"},{"id":91727,"parent":"45879","target":"_self","text":"Workouts","url":"https://games.crossfit.com/workouts/games/2023"}],"id":45879,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"The CrossFit Games","url":"#"}],"brandLinks":[],"socialLinks":[{"id":66715,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/crossfit"},{"id":66716,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/CrossFit"},{"id":66717,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"instagram","url":"https://www.instagram.com/crossfit/"},{"id":66718,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"youtube","url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcQ6TPwXAYgZ1Mcl3M1vng"}],"contactLinks":[{"id":531,"target":"_self","text":"Careers","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/jobs"},{"id":532,"target":"_self","text":"Contact Us","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/contact-us"}],"legalLinks":[{"id":533,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Terms & Conditions","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/terms-and-conditions"},{"id":534,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Privacy Policy","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/privacy-policy"},{"id":10717,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Cookie Policy","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/cookie-policy"},{"id":57312,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Disclaimer","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/disclaimer"},{"id":10883,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Contact Us","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/contact-us"},{"id":45883,"parent":"0","target":"_self","text":"Report IP Theft","url":"https://www.crossfit.com/iptheft"}]}},"user":{},"coachCertifications":{}}
CrossFit | What About Cardio?
Conventional wisdom holds that extended bouts of monostructural training (run, bike, swim, row, etc.), commonly referred to as “cardio,” confer distinct and powerful advantage to athletic conditioning. (Here) we explore the proposition that traditional “cardio” may be neither as distinct nor as powerful a contribution to general conditioning as widely believed. In fact, we assert that CrossFit-like programming provides a more effective stimulus for improving cardiorespiratory endurance than running, rowing, cycling or other traditional monostructural protocols.
“What About Cardio?” is an elaboration on the CrossFit approach to developing elite cardiorespiratory endurance.
For too many people, “cardio” is something good that happens to their heart and lungs only while sitting on a bike or running. For these people, we thought that seeing an athlete’s heart rate during CrossFit workouts and during more traditional “cardio” protocols might open the door to the possibility that workouts comprising elements traditionally seen as resistance or strength-training exercises could be used to elicit a potent cardiorespiratory stimulus. So we strapped a downloadable heart-rate monitor (Polar S720i) to several athletes and put them to work.
What About Cardio?
9