A sedentary lifestyle is a real scourge of modern humanity. And people have known this for a long time. Moreover, many modern men and women are trying in every possible way to increase their physical activity. Sports, proper nutrition, and active pastime today, more than ever, is relevant. So is it any wonder that new sports disciplines are emerging? One of these was CrossFit – a system that even professional athletes did not hear about a couple of decades ago.
In general, CrossFit is not a sport, but a brand. It was developed by two athletes, Americans Greg and Lauren Glassmann. In 1980 they had the term protected and made it a global business. To this day, CrossFit turns both professional and amateur athletes into well-trained fitness machines.
The workout was originally intended to make police officers fit during their activities. But the general public quickly took a liking to functional training – that’s why the first gym, a so-called CrossFit box, opened in Santa Cruz in 1995.
What do you need to know about CrossFit training?
It is a type of training in which the athletes do not focus on a specific muscle group, but train the entire body. In contrast to regular strength training, for example, the focus is not placed on the abdominal muscles, it is trained functionally and all muscle groups are used.
The training complexes practiced in CrossFit are characterized by increased intensity and a huge variety of sports exercises. Such training usually combines gymnastic exercises, sprints and work with additional weights. In addition, the complex includes exercises that imitate rowing, ski poles and cycling, for which special simulators are used, provided for training.
In the standard version, athletes begin workouts with a general joint warm-up, followed by a developmental block, which implies a high intensity. As a rule, sport gyms where CrossFit workouts are held create a single training complex for athletes, which focuses on a certain specific type of sport activity or combination of muscle groups. In order to further increase motivation and sports interest, points are calculated for the completed complex. Its system is implemented in many versions, however, only certified gyms have the right to conduct training according to classical methods.
What types of CrossFit do exist?
Today, there are different types of CrossFit, used depending on what results athletes need to achieve. According to this sport system, employees of military and security companies, firefighters, professional athletes and even those who wish to improve their self-defense skills are trained. And, of course, such a system of physical activity perfectly helps to lose weight and make the body more toned.
The workout lasts from 15 to 60 minutes and consists of a list of exercises performed in a given sequence. There is a conditional division of this activity into a basic level and a system of increased complexity.
You can do it anywhere: in nature, by the water, in the gym. This philosophy aims to adapt the human body to environmental conditions, even if they are quite aggressive.
The main condition for training is high intensity. All tasks are completed quickly, without interruptions and respite. As a result, the pulse rate rises to 200 beats per minute, the body works almost to the limit of its capabilities. It is thanks to this that the efficiency of a person increases, he becomes more trained.
What is the main advantage of CrossFit?
CrossFit fans always keep their body in exceptional physical shape. Athletes are distinguished by their health and muscle strength. In this sport, you can not feel a single moment of weakness, otherwise you will quickly lose your body, which you have been striving for for so long. It is important to determine the degree of the necessary load, so as not to harm your health. Most of the training process is group classes. This is where motivation plays a major role. Only the strength of your spirit can bring results. There is no direct competition here, but everyone strives to show the best result.
As a result of high loads, the physical endurance of the body increases, which favorably affects all areas of the athlete’s life. Certain physical skills, such as rowing, can be useful in simple everyday life. The appearance of CrossFit athletes provokes the appearance of envious glances. These are beautiful toned bodies, flaunting their muscular relief. If an athlete not only goes to the gym for grueling workouts, but also observes the correct diet, sleep and generally leads a healthy lifestyle, this all has a beneficial effect on his health. CrossFit is a shortcut to the body of your dreams!
Can CrossFit be harmful?
Like any other sport, it can be harmful to the health of an athlete if approached without due care. High intensity of loads is the main argument of CrossFit opponents. Such training can adversely affect the health of the joints and ligaments, as well as the cardiovascular system. At the same time, the risk of injury increases due to the orientation of athletes to large weights and a high rate of exercise.
So, is it worth trying CrossFit?
It is a system of physical training and a separate sport aimed at versatile development with an emphasis on endurance and high-intensity exercise of an athlete. It is based on the training element of most of the strength sports that exist today – from weightlifting to gymnastics, and CrossFit took only the best from each of them.
Such exercises increase endurance, increase strength and, most importantly, work out almost all the muscles of the body. This activity is not easy, so in addition to physical benefits, it also strengthens willpower, character, and makes a person more persistent. Not everyone will survive without giving up doing something that is very difficult and requires a lot of effort.