Find out if you can really work out on a high-intensity mode using circuit training and how it affects your health. CrossFit appeared in the United States at the beginning of this century and quickly became a popular sport. In Russia, he became known by 2010 and now has a lot of fans. If you browse dedicated web resources, you can see how CrossFitters are enthusiastic about training. Of course, there are opponents of crossfit training, who claim that this sports discipline is highly taumatic and harmful to the body. Let's find out who CrossFit is suitable for and whether it is capable of causing harm to health.
Crossfit: what is this sport?
First, a few words should be said about CrossFit itself. Although he has a lot of fans around the world, there are people who have little idea of what it is, and even more so they do not know who CrossFit is suitable for. The main distinguishing feature of CrossFit is the lack of specialization.
Crossfitters not only increase strength, but also endurance and speed. Crossfit workouts combine elements of bodybuilding, fitness, athletics, gymnastics, etc. With a wide variety of exercises, you can develop all indicators, and not just gain mass, as bodybuilders do.
But the lack of specialization will not allow you to excel in a specific sport discipline, however, you will become stronger, faster and more enduring. It should be noted that today CrossFit elements are used in the training of firefighters, rescuers, police officers in many countries of the world.
We recognize that CrossFit develops the skills that you might find useful in your day-to-day life. As a result, with regular training, you will be average in many sports disciplines, but you will not be able to excel in a specific one. If we talk about who CrossFit is suitable for, then in the absence of health problems, everyone can engage in this sport.
The idea behind CrossFit is that the athlete is in as good shape as his strength, speed, flexibility, endurance, etc. are outstanding. CrossFit workouts are varied and you will definitely not get bored. Most often, the training program changes every lesson, and certain indicators are constantly being trained.
How is CrossFit training organized?
If we talk about crossfit sections, and you can do this sport at home, then the classes are group, and their duration is from 45 to 60 minutes. All athletes work according to the same program, performing the same exercises. The coach must follow the technique of their implementation.
In every element of the training process, there are certain differences from classic fitness. Let's start with a warm-up, which in fitness is most often done on a treadmill or stationary bike. In CrossFit, everything is different and athletes work with a rope with their own body weight (pull-ups, push-ups, etc.), jump onto boxes. Moreover, all these movements are performed at a high pace.
Strength training is very similar to bodybuilding and basic movements are performed, but during functional training, preference is given to exercises such as strength gain on gymnastic rings, pistol, etc. The main part of each activity is called WOD - Workout of the Day.
All exercises at this stage are performed in a competitive mode. Simply put, each athlete strives to complete the maximum possible number of repetitions in the allotted time, or to do the maximum repetitions in a minimum period of time. Basically, CrossFit workout of the day is circuit training.
Who is CrossFit suitable for?
So we come to the main question of this article - who is CrossFit suitable for? It is a versatile sports discipline that can be practiced by people with any level of initial physical fitness, regardless of gender. Moreover, girls and boys often perform the same movements, and the difference lies in the intensity and working weights.
If at the moment you cannot perform any movement due to insufficient preparation, then you will quickly find a replacement. Let's say there is no need to draw up different training programs for a girl and a well-trained man. It is sufficient to use the required load. For example, an experienced athlete will squat with a barbell weighing 70 kilos, and an empty bar will be enough for a girl.
By and large, you have already received an answer to the question of who is suitable for CrossFit, and you will find a program that matches your level of training. At the same time, beginners should find an experienced trainer who can correctly dose the load. CrossFit is a great choice for people who enjoy a competitive spirit and prefer communication.
Several more people will work with you on the same program and you do not need to look for motivation for yourself. In the crossfit environment, it is customary to support each other and if something doesn’t work out for you at first, then your comrades and the coach will help you develop.
There are people who want to do it as often as possible and it is customary to call them fans of their business. In the same bodybuilding, frequent exercises will lead to overtraining, but this will not happen in CrossFit. We have already said that a huge number of programs have been created, and you yourself can compose your own. As a result, you can choose such training methods that you can work literally every day.
The following scheme is very popular among fans of this sport: three classes and one day off. You can find on the network a large number of videos in which athletes, after completing the last lap, simply fall exhausted to the ground. Of course, novice athletes should not train like this, because no one has canceled overtraining. In CrossFit, you need to strike a balance between exercise and relaxation just like any other sport.
For whom is CrossFit not suitable?
We have already noted that there is no specialization in CrossFit. If you want to excel in a specific sport discipline, then CrossFit is definitely not for you. For example, in order to actively develop strength, you should choose powerlifting for yourself. If you want to have powerful muscles, then you are the road to bodybuilding. Such examples can be cited by the masses and you must understand the essence.
If you just want to improve your fitness, then CrossFit is the best choice. However, if you prefer to train alone, then CrossFit may not work for you either. When you work in a group, the program of the day cannot be changed. At the same time, you can also do CrossFit at home.
Can CrossFit be harmful to your health?
You must understand that any sports discipline in certain conditions can be harmful to health. If you do not follow the correct exercise technique, there is a high risk of injury. However, this statement applies to any sport. In the same bodybuilding, it is also necessary to thoroughly master the technical nuances of each movement.
Since your task in training is to perform the maximum number of repetitions in a short period of time, the technique sometimes has to be neglected. First of all, you must get results. And in this situation, the qualification of a coach is important, who can quickly correct you and the risks of injury will be minimized.
Since classes are held in a group, you yourself, unwittingly, can harm the body. Competitive spirit captures in a matter of moments and it is difficult for you to restrain yourself from not giving all your best. This can lead to muscle soreness, which is pain in the muscles after training.
Also, professional crossfitters may experience (although rarely) rhabdomyolysis. This term should be understood as renal failure, which is caused by the destruction of the cellular structures of muscle tissue. Under the influence of high physical exertion, tissues are destroyed to the level of protein compounds that enter the bloodstream.
It is the kidneys that are responsible for excreting metabolites of protein metabolism from the body. If the destruction of muscle tissue proceeds actively, then the kidneys do not have time to fulfill their task, which leads to the development of rhabdomyolysis.
For more on CrossFit, see this video:
