Olympic weightlifting is a very old sport. Most of you probably know that already. It’s been around for over 100 years, going all the way back to the first Olympic Games in 1896. The sport has a rich history and massive international popularity. Almost every civilized country in the world that has any kind of athletic program practices some level of O-Lifting. It’s a smaller sport here in the United States compared to places like China and Russia where it’s a major national activity, but regardless of how popular it is in various places, I think most O-Lifters take a lot of pride in the fact that they’re part of one of the greatest sports in the world.

Over the last 10-15 years, CrossFit has exploded onto the barbell scene. I don’t have to explain CrossFit to you because if you’re involved in any aspect of strength athletics, you already know what it is. It’s impossible to miss. CrossFit has become one of the most popular developments in the history of fitness and strength training. Its popularity is much higher here in the US than in many other parts of the world, but it’s still a legitimate global phenomenon. Big money corporations like Reebok and Nike have jumped on the bandwagon, catapulting CrossFit into a televised spectacle every summer when the CrossFit Games commences in California. It started as a fitness training style, and now it’s an actual sport unto itself. And it’s a really big sport.

Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit have some overlap. The Olympic lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) are obviously the foundation of weightlifting and they’re also one of the primary focuses of CrossFit. CrossFitters work the O-Lifts as one of the main components of their program. Because of this overlap, many CrossFitters have jumped the river and started competing in O-Lifting.

And that’s where the subject of this article begins. You might not know this, but the two sports have developed a bit of a quarrel in recent years. Some Olympic lifters have a bad attitude towards CrossFit. Because of this, some CrossFitters have adopted a bad attitude right back towards weightlifters. I wouldn’t say this has become a bloody massacre, but it’s definitely something you notice if you spend a lot of time working with either field. I’ve listened to some pretty hostile comments between camps, most of them on the internet and some actually spoken face-to-face. CrossFit has had the blessing--or maybe the curse--of emerging into prominence during the same time period that social media has exploded. Because of places like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., smack-talking has risen to higher levels than anybody ever dreamed of. Many of the O-Lifters and CrossFitters who hate each other use these avenues for their pissing contests.

So…why is there a problem? Why do O-Lifters have a beef with CrossFitters, and vice versa? What issues are they mad about? Is there any way to solve them? Can’t we all just get along? I’m glad you asked that question, brothers and sisters, because I think I might have some ideas about it. I don’t claim to have the solution to every disgruntled dispute under the sun, but I definitely believe I can offer some tips that will help us all ride the Peace Train.

Problem Identification

First, we need to understand the specific gripes these two sports have with each other. I guess the easiest way to analyze them is to make a list:

1. O-Lifters hate the fact that CrossFit teaches the SN and C&J with sloppy technique.

This is probably the starting point for most of the arguments and backbiting. CrossFit, as you know, uses the O-Lifts as components of their WOD workouts. They don’t train the lifts exactly the same way as O-Lifters. CrossFitters do things like multiple power snatches or power cleans as fast as possible with a specified weight, where the goal is to get as many reps as possible within the time limit. In situations like this, technical skill isn’t top priority. Banging out reps as quickly as possible is the top priority, and those reps often look pretty shabby. Basically, it results in a situation where CrossFitters are taking the holy-grail movements of an O-Lifter’s life, the SN and C&J, and doing them with poor form. Some O-Lifters take this personally, like somebody’s kicking their dog or something.

2. CrossFitters dislike the uppity attitude they encounter with O-Lifters

Because of the fact that CrossFitters often perform O-Lifts that are less than perfect, many O-Lifters look down on them. These O-Lifters see themselves as the only true masters of the SN and C&J, and they look at CrossFitters like they’re stupid because of the way they use them in their WODs. In fact, many O-Lifters think WODs are stupid…period. This obviously agitates CrossFitters because they feel like they’re being disrespected.

3. O-Lifters don’t like the overall attitude and culture of CrossFit.

CrossFit has a very unique mentality and atmosphere. I’ve always thought of it as a rebel culture, rooted in hardcore personalities and intensity. You see a lot of tattoos in CrossFit. Guys say the word “bro” quite a bit. The women like to cuss. Everybody wears the bare minimum of clothing. If you’ve spent time around CrossFitters, you know exactly what I’m talking about. O-Lifting, because it’s an Olympic sport, tends to have a bit more of a professional feel to it. Obviously I’m making huge generalizations that don’t apply equally to each member of either sport, but I don’t think I’m far off with the general perspective. O-Lifters think CrossFitters are stupid and reckless, and CrossFitters think O-Lifters are snobby and bitter.

4. CrossFit’s success has inspired jealousy from many O-Lifters.

This one is plain and simple. CrossFit has more media attention and mainstream prestige than O-Lifting. In the United States, CrossFit is bigger than O-Lifting…period. And it pisses many O-Lifters off something fierce.

Actually, I can think of a creative way to present this to you. I’m going to write some dialogue for you, spoken through fictional characters. It’ll be like reading a play, and I think it’ll make the drama a little more clear:

CHARACTERS

Snatchela (a female O-Lifter)
Cleanifer (another female O-Lifter, friends with Snatchela)
Jerkley (another female O-Lifter, friends with Snatchela and Cleanifer)
Crossfitney (a female CrossFitter)

Act One

(Cleanifer and Jerkley are chatting at Starbucks. Snatchela joins them; she has a concerned look on her face.)

Snatchela: Hey, have you two heard about that new girl everybody’s talking about?

Cleanifer (curious): No, who?

Jerkley: Wait, I think I know who you’re talking about. What’s her name?

Snatchela: Her name is Crossfitney.

Cleanifer: What a stupid name!

Jerkley: Do you know her or something?

Snatchela: Oh my god, yes. I totally just met her and talked to her.

Jerkley: Really?

Snatchela: Totes!

Cleanifer: What does she look like?

Snatchela: She kinda looks like us, but she dresses like a TOTAL whore!

Jerkley: Eeewww, really?

Snatchela: Yeah! She shows tons of skin and wears skimpy little outfits. You can totally see her abs and the top of her boobs.

Cleanifer: What a slut!

Jerkley: Is she ugly?

Snatchela (concerned): Well, no. She’s actually really hot.

Jerkley (horrified): OH MY GOD!

Cleanifer: NO!

Snatchela: Yeah. Her body is like…amazing.

Cleanifer (worried): Is she hotter than us?

Snatchela: No, we’re as hot as her. But she’s…different.

Jerkley (confused): Different?

Snatchela: Yeah. She has tattoos and stuff. And she does cardio.

Jerkley: CARDIO?

Snatchela: Yeah. And she doesn’t even call it cardio. She calls it “metcon.”

Jerkley: What the hell is metcon?

Cleanifer (grossed out): What’s the matter with her? Is she retarded?

Snatchela: I don’t know. But do you want to know something else?

Jerkley (intensely): YA!

Snatchela (taking a big breath to steady herself): Everybody likes her!!

Cleanifer (horrified): WHAT?!

Jerkley (shocked): OMG!! WHY?!

Snatchela: I don’t know, but they do. They think she’s really cool.

Cleanifer: WHO likes her?

Snatchela: Everybody, you know. Like…lots of people.
Jerkley: Really?

Cleanifer: OMG, that TOTALLY sucks.

Snatchela (hesitant): Yeah…but that’s not the worst part.

Jerkley (frightened): What’s the worst part??

Snatchela: Some of OUR FRIENDS like her!!

Cleanifer (her face flushed): NO!! NOOOOO!!

Jerkley (almost in tears): Shut UP!!

Snatchela (pouring it out): Yeah, totally! I saw some of our besties. They talked to her and they think she’s really COOL!

Jerkley: OMG!

Cleanifer (growing suspicious): Snatchela, have YOU talked to her?

Snatchela (uneasy): Yeah.

Cleanifer: AND??

Jerkley (desperate): What did you think?

Snatchela (hesitates): I don’t know. I think she’s kinda cool too…

Cleanifer (enraged): WHAT??!!

Jerkley: Are you serious?

Snatchela: Yeah. I mean, she’s pretty stupid. She gabs a lot and I have no idea what the hell she’s talking about. And she cusses ALL the time. But…she’s nice.

Jerkley: This is terrible. Does she know who WE are?

Snatchela: Yeah, she knows who we are. And do you know what she calls us?

Cleanifer (quickly): What? What does she call us?

Snatchela: She calls us OLY!

Jerkley: What? What the hell does OLY mean? That doesn’t even make sense.

Snatchela: I don’t know. But she doesn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just how she talks.

Cleanifer (sternly): We CAN’T be friends with her.

Jerkley: Totes! No way!

Snatchela (uncertain): Yeah, I know. But…

Cleanifer (suspicious): What! Do you want to be friends with her?

Snatchela: Well, no. I don’t know. Everybody likes her, so…

Jerkley (worried): Do they like her more than US?

Snatchela: I don’t know. Maybe.

Cleanifer: Dammit!

Snatchela: You know…she asked if we want to hang out with her.

Jerkley (pauses): She did?

Snatchela: Yeah. She wants to be friends. She asked us to come over to her house for something called a “sesh.”

Cleanifer: What the hell is a SESH?

Snatchela: I don’t know. But she was being nice.

Jerkley (sensing something): Wait, do you guys want to hang out with her?

Cleanifer (still angry): Hell no! She’s slutty and she cusses!

Jerkley (meekly): You’re cussing too.

Cleanifer (snapping): Kiss my ass Jerkley!!

Snatchela (resolved): Listen, maybe we should hang out with her.

Cleanifer: What? You can’t be friends with all of us, Snatchela!

Jerkley: Why not?

Cleanifer (frustrated): I don’t know, she just CAN’T!

Snatchela: Maybe we should be friends with her. Everybody likes her. If they all start liking her, we might not have any friends anymore.

Cleanifer: No WAY!

Jerkley: Oh crap…

Cleanifer (sharply): I think we should hate her.

Snatchela: Why?

Cleanifer: BECAUSE SHE’S DIFFERENT!! HELLO?!

Jerkley (meekly): What’s wrong with being different?

Cleanifer: I don’t know. It’s just wrong!

Snatchela (directly to Cleanifer): Actually, you’re probably going to really hate her.

Cleanifer (puzzled): Me? Why me?

Snatchela (pauses): She already had sex with your boyfriend.

Cleanifer (exploding): WHAT?! SHE HAD SEX WITH TOM SQUATERSON??!!

Snatchela: Yeah. But it wasn’t her fault. Tom told her he was single.

Cleanifer (in tears): HE TOLD HER HE WAS SINGLE??!!

Snatchela: Actually, he told her his girlfriend fell off a cliff and died.

Cleanifer (crumbles to the floor): Oh my god, oh my god… This is horrible!

Jerkley (frightened): I think we should be friends with her.

Snatchela: Me too.

Jerkley: Let’s at least tell her who our boyfriends are before she has sex with them.

Snatchela: Totes.

(Snatchela and Jerkley walk away, leaving Cleanifer sobbing on the floor).

THE END

A Genius Solution…

Those three sounded like high school girls, didn’t they? I wrote it that way on purpose, because this drama with O-Lifting and CrossFit is exactly like high school cattiness between a bunch of insecure teenagers who feel threatened. There’s a lot more to the arguments than what I just described, but I think you get the point. Fortunately, I’ve got an amazing way to solve all of this. Everybody needs to sit down and eat a nice big bowl of Chill the Hell Out Salad. Neither of these sports are a threat to each other. The reality of the situation is actually the opposite. There’s nothing but positive gain that can come from both sides working together.

I’ve worked with CrossFit quite a bit, both with individual athletes and with entire gyms. My overall experience has been extremely positive. Most of the CrossFitters I’ve met are good people who like to work hard and want to learn. They’ve been easy to coach and a lot of fun to spend time with. Sure, I’ve met some idiots in CrossFit. But I’ve met some idiots in O-Lifting too. I’ve seen some lousy coaches in CrossFit who don’t have a bloody clue what they’re doing, and I’ve met the same types in O-Lifting. Neither sport is a big nest of perfection. The business of CrossFit has some problems, but so does every sport and organization in the world…including weightlifting.

And we all know what happens when we encounter problems. Some people just bitch and complain, doing nothing to solve the problem and, in many cases, making it worse. Other people make a decision to be part of the solution. They work to make things better. Everybody in O-Lifting and CrossFit can make their own decisions about which one of those approaches they’re going to go with. I think it’s pretty obvious which way is the right one. As the hippies used to say, we gotta live together…
We all have a list of the major things in our lives that we need to worry about, know what I mean? For many of us, our list includes things like your marriage, your career, your house payment, making sure your kids get a good education, your own health, etc. Those are the things in our lives that we need to focus on. For me, a bunch of CrossFitters doing crappy power snatches is WAY down at the bottom of my list. Know what I mean? Life is short, and I’m trying to make sure I don’t waste too much of it fuming and whining about things that aren’t truly important.

Put the right things in the center of your mind, and always try to be a problem-solver. There. How’s that for an earth-shattering concept? I’ll just sit back and have a relaxation sesh while somebody drops the Nobel Peace Prize into my lap.