CrossFit has many benefits to help improve your physical wellness and aerobic endurance. Is it meant for everyone? Some may agree, and some may not. Either way, we’re diving into everything you wanted to know about CrossFit.
What Is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a high-impact form of training that involves movements like burpees, squats, ring rows and pushing exercises, to name a few. CrossFit can help build your muscles and strengthen them through a series of exercises that also assist with day-to-day activities like pulling, pushing, lifting, and lunges or knee bends.
There are 10 significant parts of the body that the CrossFit training targets. These major areas include the heart, focusing on cardiovascular strength, stamina, flexibility, coordination and speed, as well areas involved in balance and agility.
CrossFit workouts incorporate specific acronyms or jargon used within the CrossFit community. Knowing this terminology will help you better understand what’s happening and what to expect during sessions.
WOD (Workout Of The Day) – WOD is a common acronym used, and it expresses the workout you did for the day.
AMRAP (As Many Reps/Rounds As Possible) – As many rounds as possible means there’s no timer or end time; you keep going until your feet are too tired to do more.
Moves Used in CrossFit
There are many moves in CrossFit, and each one aids a specific part of the body. CrossFit is so highly sought after since it targets every inch of the body.
Walking Lunges
Walking lunges can seem very challenging but it, too, like other CrossFit compilations, has an array of benefits for your butt, legs (upper and lower).
Assistance From Resistant Bands
Using resistance bands is excellent in CrossFit, especially if you don’t have much strength in your joints. Resistance bands help get into the workout move and achieve its benefits while minimizing the chances of injury.
Sumo Deadlift Pull
The sumo deadlift pull takes a lot of power and strength to achieve and may not be one of the first moves a beginner learns in their CrossFit journey, but something they’ll do later. The sumo deadlift calls for a barbell to be lifted from the ground in a powerful swoop, until it is at shoulder height.
Sumo Deadlift
Similar to the deadlift pull variation, the sumo deadlift on its own involves squats, and pulls using a barbell.
Rope Climb
Just as its name suggests, the rope climb in CrossFit workouts involves rope-climbing. This tests upper body strength, and this is why, as a whole, CrossFit can help build strong muscles and endurance.
Handstand Push-Ups
Handstand push-ups might not be for everybody, but it indeed is something CrossFit enthusiasts and veterans use as part of their training.
The Risks For CrossFit Workouts
CrossFit might not always have been as popular as other exercise regimens. Still, it is beneficial to many people. You don’t aim to lose weight; even though this comes naturally, CrossFit is an all-rounder that works whether you’re new or it or a veteran.
When it comes to what is CrossFit training, there is something for everyone.
Just as in any form of exercise, safety is at the top of everyone’s mind. This is primarily so due to the nature of the workout.
CrossFit is a safe training workout, provided that posture and form are correct.
The number of injuries sustained is usually higher for men. Some studies showed more injuries occur if the participant was injured earlier, or is not as active training throughout the year.
Further research also found that CrossFit bears injury risk similar to that seen in Olympic competitive weight lifting, track and field, distance running, soccer and gymnastics.
Common Injuries
The damage seen in CrossFit participants include injuries to the elbow, knee, lower back, shoulder, knees and wrists.
Enhance Safety Precautions
Take it slowly
Baby steps don’t mean you’re less capable; taking it slow is simply meant to get your body familiar and into the swing of the sport. Once you’re stronger, then and only then could you be able to up your game and increase difficulty levels.
Remember to get those muscles warm
Warming up before every CrossFit workout session is a vital step and precaution to help prevent injuries. Warm muscles are subtle and flexible, and it could help you see results. If you skip warming up it risks high chances of injuries.
Monitor your body
Pushing yourself as far as you can go is encouraged in CrossFit. Still, if your forcing yourself to carry on despite how you may be feeling, you could get hurt.
Take breaks in days
Since CrossFit is such high intensity, it is easy to forget that you need to rest, especially if your looking to reach some goals. Which brings us to another point…
Overdoing it
As mentioned, if you don’t take those important breaks, you’re going to get hurt. The high intensity workout sessions of CrossFit also requires break days, since there are no breaks during training sessions.
Stop if something doesn’t feel right
You may be in the middle of your CrossFit workout when suddenly you’re feeling a pain in your knee or somewhere else, experts advise you to stop training immediately.
See a professional physio sports therapist or another health practitioner to help test and rule out any worries.
The right technique matters, and it can ensure you won’t sustain injuries after or even during your workouts.
FAQs
CrossFit workouts targets the whole body and while this is so, it also promotes blood pressure control, cardio health, endurance for aerobics and strength. The variety of exercise makes it something that any age can participate in.
Of course! When it comes to CrossFit, there’s something everyone can participate in. In fact, avid CrossFit participants say the exercise is suited to all ages even seniors. Training is modified to suit and benefit the individual.
CrossFit is known to produce speedy results when executed properly. This is why many people prefer CrossFit training over regular gym workouts. Perhaps they want to lose weight fast, or maybe want to see results quickly for building muscles and they get this from CrossFit routines.
CrossFit is an expensive training regimen because a lot of money is invested into equipment and qualified trainers. Plus, with the exercise yielding such rapid results, people will pray a pretty penny to get fit in no time.
Gyms that use the CrossFit name are instructed to hire CrossFit coaches with CF-L1 certification and paying those instructors is costly too.
CrossFit schedules usually run five days a week with two days off. For newbies, it may be reduced to three days of CrossFit workout a week. For example one day on and one day off when beginning.
For more fitness themed articles to add to your rotation from SEEMA.com, check out Great Weightlifting Routines
