Foundations

It has become clear that the necessity for body control and kinesthetic awareness in the sport of Crossfit is paramount to success.  No competitive Crossfitter will ever top the podium of any major competition without the ability to tell their body what to do and when to do it with great precision.
This is why I have always affirmed that Olympic lifters make the best Crossfitters.  The ability to move your bodyweight or even double your bodyweight from the ground to over  your head in a smooth, efficient, fast manner displays some of the most beautiful examples of body control I have ever seen.  Olympic lifters come to the sport already with this ability AND with a leg up on their competition in the lifts.  Furthermore, the lifts carry over to SO many other movements in Crossfit like the thruster, wall ball, push press, deadlift etc.
While I will admit that gymnastics does also give a beginner Crossfitter great advantage, I would argue that it takes a gymnast longer to perfect the intricacies and peculiarities of the Olympic lifts than it takes a lifter to master the details of a butterfly pullup, handstand pushup, or muscleup.
Many of t0day’s Olympic lifters are proving me right as they make the transition from the sport of weightlifting into the sport of Crossfit.  Lindsey Valenzuela, Zach Krych, Chad Vaughn, Caleb Williams are just a few who have found at least some success in the sport of Crossfit AFTER leaving the Olympic lifting arena.  (though I doubt you will ever see them completely removed from the competition platform at National meets)
Crossfit provides the unique opportunity for weightlifters to use the foundation they have spent so many years creating and put it to work in an arena with competitive exercisers and I believe we have a leg up above the rest of the competition.  Soon you’ll see a lifter prove it on the top of the podium in California.
Don’t believe me check this blog out by Patrick Cummings: EvolveMagazine-AsphaltPlatform.pdf