CrossFit is a young trend in sports that appeared thanks to the efforts of two enthusiasts - Loren Jenai and Greg Glassman. It uses the principle of circuit training, when exercises are performed continuously, one after another in turn. Over the past decade, CrossFit has become a mass movement with its own customs and rules. What can this type of physical activity give an athlete? As it turned out, a lot.
Exercises
In CrossFit, all exercises are combined into so-called WODs (workout of the day). Each WOD contains a certain number of circuits with exercises, which are usually designed to involve as many different muscle groups as possible. In addition to strength training, many CrossFit WODs also include cardio exercises. All complexes can be divided into three groups:
- Those that don't take time into account. Such WODs are very simple to make, they are ideal for beginners, as they do not rush the athlete anywhere, but slowness is not welcome here, as it can negate the entire effect of the training. For example, your exercise routine consists of 20 push-ups, 10 pull-ups and 20 jumping jacks. The exercises are done one after another until the circle is completed. There should be no respite between them, and after completing them you need to start the next circle as soon as possible.
- Those in which you need to do as many repetitions as possible in a certain period of time. Such WODs rush the athlete, forcing him to constantly surpass himself and do enormous amounts of work in a short period of time.
- Fixed number of repetitions. These CrossFit WODs are designed to get you through a certain number of exercises as quickly as possible. For example, you need to do 200 push-ups, 100 pull-ups and 200 squats. The athlete himself decides how many approaches he must complete all the necessary exercises. Over time, the same WODs will be achieved faster and faster, which allows you to see the benefits of training with your own eyes.
The benefits of CrossFit
Of course, CrossFit is one of the most practical sports areas. High performance sports endow people with highly specialized skills that are unlikely to be useful to them in life. A weightlifter will most likely never be able to use his enormous strength in everyday life, just like a marathon runner who has nowhere to put his inhuman endurance. Another thing is the all-around CrossFit athlete. He is weaker than a weightlifter, his muscles are smaller than those of a bodybuilder, and he runs slower than a runner. CrossFit develops a little bit of everything, creating an athlete who can run a marathon, bench press a barbell, and do physical work for a long time.
Versatility is exactly what we need in everyday life. A CrossFitter feels comfortable in everyday life - he can easily carry heavy bags home, easily catch a bus or climb the stairs to his apartment. In addition to excellent physical shape, CrossFit gives you good health and self-confidence.
What you need to improve your training efficiency
“The Secret of an Ideal Figure” works much more effectively if you adhere to certain recommendations, which, by the way, are given by Cindy Crawford herself:
- We adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. You will never lose weight if you consume large quantities of junk food in parallel with your workouts. It is necessary to remove flour, carbonated drinks, fast food, fatty, fried, salty, pickled foods from the diet. The menu should include lean meat, vegetables, grains and plenty of clean drinking water.
- We maintain regularity. You need to train systematically - strictly three times a week. Exercising “according to your mood” will not give any results.
Interesting fact. Don't forget about good sleep. It takes at least 8 hours to restore the body.
Flaws
Like any other system, CrossFit has its drawbacks. Although it provides strength, speed and coordination, specialist athletes will still outperform the generalist in their respective fields. Moreover, CrossFit classes alone are not suitable for preparing for serious competitions, since they are designed for a one-time result, and not for long-term development. That is, this is just an exercise, not a training technique.
Also, a passion for CrossFit can seriously harm your health if you don’t listen to your body. Experienced athletes wear a heart rate monitor during exercise for a reason so as not to miss the moment at which the heart rate exceeds its threshold. CrossFit WODs that are suitable for an avid athlete can undermine the health of a beginner, so you shouldn’t push yourself by giving 200%. From such thoughtless exploitation the heart will quickly become unusable, so you need to exercise it wisely. It’s even better to find an experienced trainer who will select the right WOD for you.
Crossfit. WATERS for beginners
There is never a dull moment in the world of CrossFit, since the variety of WODs is limited only by the imagination of the coach or athlete. Often, a beginner is offered a simplified version of one of the author’s complexes, or a sequence is created specifically for his capabilities. For experienced athletes, there are special websites that post the workout of the day. Thus, thousands of people around the globe perform the same exercises on the same day.
Many proprietary WODs have been created that are known to all CrossFit fans. Each of them has its own purpose, so you can easily choose a complex to your liking. Often the name of a popular WOD reflects its essence or bears the name of the person who created it. There are a number of popular complexes known all over the world. Let's take a better look at the most famous WODs.
WOD Katie
Max laps in 10 minutes
Squats without weights
- 15 reps
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Body weight
Lunges with dumbbells
- 15 repetitions with each leg
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Dumbbells
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A bonus complex for beginners, consisting of only one universal exercise. The next workout involves repeating one of CrossFit's specialized exercises, the burpee.
Burpee (burpee), plyometric exercise
Complete 21, 15 and 9 reps as fast as you can. This is all training.
CrossFit, WOD Cindy
It is best to start CrossFit training with Cindy's WOD. It combines incredible simplicity and effectiveness, and does not require special equipment to perform. A regular bar is enough to do it, but this does not mean that this WOD is only suitable for beginners. The complex consists of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats. You are given 20 minutes to complete it, during which you need to do the maximum number of approaches.
It sounds simple, but in practice, beginners are better off using only half of the allotted time, or even a quarter. Of course, the first approaches will be easy and relaxed, but after 5 minutes difficulties will begin. Typically, the norm for a beginning CrossFitter is about 10 sets; professionals are able to perform more than 20 repetitions.
WOD Helen
Circuit – 3 laps
Treadmill workout
- 400 meter race
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Kettlebell Lift
- 15 reps
- Body part: Hamstrings Equipment: Kettlebells
Pull-ups
- 12 reps
- Body Part: Lat Equipment: Bodyweight
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The Katie complex also consists of a maximum number of rounds with 20 seconds of rest between rounds. Perform as many laps as possible within 10 minutes.
Fran
It's time to learn about the very first WOD - Fran. CrossFit began with this set of exercises developed by Greg Glassman. Of course, this WOD requires a lot of effort, but every self-respecting CrossFitter is obliged to do it from time to time. The complex consists of three rounds in which the number of repetitions is gradually reduced in the order of 21-15-9. The exercises themselves are simple but effective - these are thrusters or barbell throws weighing 43 kg for men and 29 kg for women. After thrusters, pull-ups are performed, and so on round after round, gradually reducing the number of repetitions.
Despite its apparent simplicity, this set of exercises is named after a destructive hurricane for a reason. It was from him that the tradition of calling CrossFit WODs by women's names began. Even seasoned athletes fall exhausted on the floor after performing Fran, and green beginners are better off not even taking on this ordeal. However, the effect of this WOD is so good that athletes all over the planet torture themselves daily by performing it.
For fun
According to the supermodel herself, with the help of her video training she wanted to prove that you can play sports for your own pleasure. Indeed, looking at the perfect body of Cindy Crawford in sexy swimsuits and microshorts on the screen, you want to immediately fall into the plank and not rise from this position for at least several hours + the supermodel’s training takes place under a well-composed playlist. The only task is not to turn sports into an exciting movie viewing, sitting comfortably on the floor: Cindy is too good in all the videos, you can’t take your eyes off.
Independent preparation of the VOD
For independent training, you can choose one of the many ready-made complexes that are contained on a special website - “VOD Kat”. CrossFit often requires special equipment, but there are complexes that can be performed using only your own body weight. When creating your training program, you should be guided by basic principles. In the WOD, different muscle groups should be used alternately to avoid unnecessary overload.
It's best to start with pushing exercises. These are all kinds of presses, push-ups, squats, and working with a skipping rope. Then there are pulling exercises that develop the back and biceps, such as pull-ups and sit-ups. And at the end of the WOD, cardio exercises are performed, such as running, cycling or skiing. The more exercises in one circle, the fewer the number of circles. Using these principles, you can easily create a suitable complex for home workouts. An excellent choice would be a CrossFit WOD with a kettlebell or dumbbells.
Side effects
CrossFit has two main negative effects that have become symbols of the sport over time. The first is vomiting, which occurs in athletes due to excessive exercise. The symbol chosen for this negative effect was Pukey the Clown - a muscular man in a clown costume, furiously spewing the contents of his stomach onto the floor. In the USA, when the first vomiting occurs during training, an unlucky athlete is given a T-shirt with this charismatic character. However, there is nothing funny about this phenomenon, since it indicates excessive stress on the body, which must be avoided in every possible way during the training process.
Another CrossFit symbol is Uncle Rhabdo. This is what athletes call rhabdomyolism, a disease that occurs when muscle fibers tear and enter the bloodstream. There it damages the kidneys, causing enormous damage to human health. It is still unclear whether this disease is really so common in the CrossFit community, or whether it is a clever advertising ploy designed to emphasize the severity of training.
Main contraindications and criticism
Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-health-pulse-heart-rate-3498851/ CrossFit is based on strength exercises performed at a high pace.
Criticism
Opponents of this sport claim that it is dangerous because:
- injury hazard;
- high load on the heart, blood vessels and joints;
- high pace of training;
- using elements of weightlifting, which is unacceptable for unprepared people.
Any sport is dangerous in one way or another; you can get injured without even getting up from the couch. Every competent athlete necessarily practices and hones his technique of movements, but never undertakes to perform “aerobatic maneuvers” without preparation. Therefore, injuries are not uncommon for those who neglect safety rules and perform exercises incorrectly.
CrossFit - the ability to be universal
Should I do CrossFit? The popularizers of this trend claim that their system is a breakthrough in the training of athletes. But should we believe them? After all, opponents of CrossFit insist that this type of physical activity is extremely harmful to the heart. Negative effects can be avoided if you approach the complexes that CrossFit offers wisely. Time standards for WOD allow you to assess the level of an athlete, but in pursuit of a good time you can lose your health. You need to listen carefully to the body during training; you should not get injured for dubious purposes. With the right approach, CrossFit becomes an interesting pastime that improves health and strengthens the body. If you are interested in this new sports direction, then feel free to go to the gym, where a qualified trainer will select a suitable CrossFit WOD for you. Your work will not be in vain, good health and great shape will be your reward.
Complex with barbell Bear
Circular - 5 circles
Power clean
- 1 set of 7 reps
- Body part: Hamstrings Equipment: Barbell
Front squats with barbell
- 1 set of 7 reps
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell
Press press
- 1 set of 7 reps
- Body part: Shoulders Equipment: Barbell
Quick squats with a barbell
- 1 set of 7 reps
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell
Press press
- 1 set of 7 reps
- Body part: Shoulders Equipment: Barbell
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Start practicing and soon you will be able to handle it with ease. And remember, by doing CrossFit even at home, you can quickly make your body sculpted and toned, feel more confident and capable of real achievements.
How can beginners support their body during grueling CrossFit workouts? We have prepared sets of sports supplements for men and women.
