Functional training: how does it work and who is it for?

Over the 20 years of its existence, CrossFit has become an independent sport and has reached a high level of popularity abroad. However, in Russia it is only gaining momentum. If 10-15 years ago people of different ages were interested in the question of what fitness is and how it is better, for example, aerobics, now many men and women want to know everything about CrossFit and its capabilities.

What is crossfit. Short story

The concept of “crossfit” comes from the English language. It consists of 2 words: “cross” and “fit”. The first can be translated as “hybridization, crossing,” the second as “healthy, in good shape.” Thus, answering the question of what CrossFit is, we can say that it is a system assembled from the most effective physical exercises taken from various sports disciplines.

The main goal of crossfit is the simultaneous and accelerated development of strength, endurance, flexibility, agility, speed and accuracy.

All these skills are vital for people in dangerous professions: military personnel, special forces employees, police officers, firefighters.

However, in order to develop these qualities, athletes had to conduct separate training in gymnastics, swimming, track and field and weightlifting. It took a lot of time. In the early 90s. Special training complexes were developed for specialists in paramilitary units, incorporating the most effective exercises from all sports disciplines, which later turned into types of crossfit.

The history of CrossFit began in the late 90s. The American married couple Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenay, who lived in California and were gymnastics coaches at that time, came up with a name for the new sports direction, patented it, introduced it to the general public and became the official founders of CrossFit.

A few years later, a fitness company was organized, which was named CrossFit Inc. In 2001, the first specialized training center was opened under this brand, and 15 years later there were more than 4,000 such gyms. CrossFit Inc. actively promotes crossfit:

• opens its own halls;
• develops new training systems;
• trains licensed trainers;
• issues licenses to open halls to other owners.

Qualification

Beginning with the 2022 CrossFit Games, the season consists of three ways to qualify: Open, Sanctioned, and Invitational.[22] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Open and 2022 Sanctionals qualifiers did not participate in the 2022 Games. 30 men and 30 women were invited to compete online for the first stage of the 2022 Games, with the top five then advancing to the final weekend at the CrossFit Ranch in Aromas, California.[21]

Open

Open, introduced in 2011 and so called because participation is open to everyone, [25] runs over a five-week period with a new workout released every Thursday evening (Pacific Time Zone). Participants complete the workout and submit their results online by Monday evening with a video or confirmation from a CrossFit affiliate.

From 2011 to 2022, the Open took place in February and March. For the 2020 season, the Open was moved to October 2022 as part of an overhaul of the Games' qualifying events, to be held before any of the sanctioned events.[26]

From 2013 to 2022, open workout announcements were broadcast live and immediately following the workout announcement, two or more past CrossFit Games athletes competed against each other. During the 2022 restructuring, CrossFit disbanded its own media team, moving to other companies such as Rogue Fitness, having their own broadcasts of competing athletes completing workouts as they are announced.

Beginning with the 2022 Games, the top athletes from each country and the top 20 finalists in the Open qualify directly for the Games. The Open tournament is also used for seeding for the Games, even if the athlete has qualified in a sanctioned event; if an athlete qualified through a sanctioned event but did not make it through the Open, they will be seeded bottom.

Sanctioned Events

Between 2009 and 2022, competitors qualified for the Games through participation in regional CrossFit Games events. For the 2022 Games, CrossFit, Inc. discontinued regional qualifying events and instead sanctioned independent fitness events as qualifying events separate from the Open. These events were registered as "Sanctionals" by CrossFit, LLC.[27] Most of the sanctioned events already featured CrossFit Games athletes extensively and were often used as part of off-season training around the world. Each sanctioned event has its own rules of participation, but athletes who attend sanctioned events go through either an invitation or a qualification process for the event. 28 sanctioned events have been announced for the 2022 season.[28]

If an athlete or team wins multiple sanctioned events, the runners-up in later events will qualify for the Games.[22]

Invitation

The CrossFit Games may elect to invite up to four athletes who have not qualified for the Open Games or sanctioned competitions as an at-large entry.[22]

What is CrossFit for? The benefits of CrossFit

To answer the question of what crossfit is for, you need to understand what benefits it brings to the body. And it has enough advantages:

• body transformation;
• quick results;
• development of endurance and strength;
• strengthening the spirit, which develops such vital qualities as the will to win and the ability to overcome oneself;
• strengthening the nervous system;
• the opportunity to train both in a team and independently;
• no age restrictions (subject to good health).

Thus, the health benefits of CrossFit or the gym are undeniable. However, this fact should not mislead novice athletes: behind such physical and spiritual improvement there is hard daily work and strict rules for performing exercises, violation of which can lead to injury. Therefore, for the concepts of “crossfit” and “health” to become synonymous for your body, you need to train only under the guidance of an experienced professional trainer.

Controversy

Thanks to CrossFit's official partnership with Reebok, competitors at the 2015 Games were prohibited from wearing Nike shoes.[31] Nike had several trucks parked near the arena's main entrance, serving as mobile billboards with the slogan "Don't ban our shoes, beat our shoes."[32] The partnership also prohibits Nike from labeling its Metcon

shoes designed for CrossFit—the brand uses the term "high-intensity training" instead.[31]

CrossFit's decision to award the winners of the 2016 Games with pistols drew widespread criticism from competitors and sponsors.[33] Two CrossFit clubs in New York City were temporarily closed as a result of the protests.[34]

On June 6, 2022, CrossFit founder and CEO Greg Glassman came under public criticism for his statements on social media about the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd protests as a result of which many CrossFit-affiliated gyms around the world responded by terminating memberships, Reebok announcing that they will end their corporate partnership after the 2022 Games, and several competitors boycott the Games until he is removed from the company.[35] On June 9, Glassman resigned as CEO.[36] and sold the company by the end of the month, [37] leading to the return of the boycotting athletes.

Sportswear and equipment for crossfit

During training, the athlete should not experience any discomfort: this is an important component of effective training. If you can just use comfortable clothes for jogging or fitness classes, then for CrossFit it is better to get a special uniform. Properly selected clothing will help:

• maintain a feeling of comfort throughout the entire workout;
• adhere to the correct exercise technique;
• reduce the risk of injury;
• reduce the load on the cardiovascular system.

The sport of crossfit involves training not only in the gym, but also on the street, so the shoes must be universal. Sneakers must fit exactly to size and not be too tight or too tight. When choosing shoes you should pay attention to:

• the material from which it is made (feet should not sweat);
• sole (must be hard, stable and non-slip);
• laces (should not slip or come undone).

The ability to wick away excess moisture should be a priority when choosing clothes for a CrossFit workout. The best option is thermal underwear, which comes in:

• moisture-wicking, made from synthetic fibers that allow the body to remain dry regardless of the load;
• heat-saving, made from natural materials that help retain heat during training in cold weather;
• universal, made from both types of fibers and combining the advantages of moisture-wicking and heat-saving clothing.

An important condition for a comfortable workout for women is a properly selected bra. During exercise, the chest should be tightly secured so as not to damage the delicate pectoral ligaments, but it should not be pulled or pinched.

To protect the skin of your palms from blisters and calluses, you should purchase special sports gloves.

Crossfit equipment is a long list of all kinds of devices that can only be found in a specialized gym. However, some famous CrossFitters, who repeatedly became champions in this sport, began training without equipment, using a nearby pond for swimming, tree branches instead of parallel bars, horizontal bars and ropes, and rough terrain for running. This method is perfect for training at home.

Press with a view of the Kremlin

The partners wanted to open a club in the center, but found 1000 sq. m. within the Garden Ring. m with connected communications and high ceilings, it turned out to be difficult to fit the equipment. The search took several months. A suitable premises turned up by chance - at Red October, 50 meters from the flagship Boy Cut. The advertisement indicated that the ceilings there were 2.9 m, which was not enough, but in reality it turned out that the maximum height reaches 4 m.

The entrepreneurs agreed on a rental holiday for two months, during which they needed to make repairs, purchase equipment and recruit staff. “And then we were scalded: we didn’t know how to approach all this,” says Nazim Zeynalov. “We got our hands on barbershops that cost 70 square meters, but a giant thing of a thousand meters is a completely different matter.” Competitive intelligence helped.

During six months of training at the ARMA club, Shubin and Zeynalov not only pumped up their muscles, but also went through business school: “We noticed all the flaws and understood that we wanted to do it differently: for example, towels should wait for the client in the locker, and not be taken from under the counter. " To find out the optimal depth of lockers for clothes, they bought a laser tape measure and took measurements while no one was in the locker room. I also didn’t want to order equipment by eye, so the partners relied on ARMA. “We decided to take a photo of the rack with the equipment, and in order not to raise unnecessary questions, I pretended that I was photographing Andryukha against the backdrop of shells. He poses, but doesn’t get into the frame, but every single one of the exercise machines does,” Zeynalov recalls. “At home, we counted the number of weights, bars and boxes and ordered exactly as many as needed.”

Nazim Zeynalov (Photo: Vladislav Shatilo / RBC)

A 12-ton container with American equipment, which cost 6 million rubles, took a month and a half to cross the ocean. Just start along with the purchase of a CrossFit Inc. license. the partners spent about 25 million rubles. “We borrowed about 10 million rubles, and the rest was taken from the profits of barbershops,” explains Shubin.

MSK CrossFit & Fight Club opened on April 1 last year. To attract more clients and diversify the training, in addition to CrossFit, they decided to teach several more disciplines - martial arts, TRX (training using loops) and stretching.

We decided to save money on advertising. “We had 4.5 thousand regular Boy Cut clients, we planned to hang posters at the entrances to barbershops, send SMS with an invitation to a new club and receive calls,” says Nazim Zeynalov. There really were a lot of calls, people asked to remove them from the mailing list. In fact, not a single barbershop client came to MSK CrossFit in the first month. “We were really scared: we invested everything we had earned over three years, borrowed 10 million and sat in an empty club,” recalls Zeynalov.

In the first month, the founders worked as administrators themselves. “I had to leave at seven in the morning, so I slept in the club: I didn’t waste time on the road and had time for the first training session,” says Zeynalov. By the summer, the situation began to improve: Alexander Gudkov got involved in the matter, who made a humorous video in the club and told famous celebrities about the discovery. MSK CrossFit also benefited from the closure of its nearby competitor, the Neskuchnui CrossFit club. “People’s subscriptions were burned out, and we organized the “Escape” campaign: we compensated for lost training sessions provided that they purchased at least the minimum package from us,” the entrepreneurs say. So they managed to sell several dozen subscriptions and break even in the third month of work. Before this, the club brought in 500 thousand rubles. losses per month.

Andrey Shubin (Photo: Vladislav Shatilo / RBC)

Nutrition when doing CrossFit

Healthy eating should be the main rule when practicing Crossfit.

Greg Glassman encouraged athletes to follow a strict diet aimed at replenishing energy, but not allowing a drop of fat to be stored. This can be achieved by eliminating sugar and carbohydrates from your diet and replenishing your energy levels by eating lean meats, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits. This diet should be used with caution. Despite the fact that it is beneficial for the body, it can hardly be called useful for an athlete. When doing CrossFit, the energy loss is too great and it is impossible to replenish its reserves with such strict dietary restrictions.

Professional athletes follow a different, higher calorie diet. It is based on zonal (separate) nutrition. In practice, it looks like this: in one meal the athlete takes only carbohydrates, in the second - proteins, in the third - fats. Vegetables and fruits are a separate food that can be classified as a vitamin-mineral complex.

Food should be taken every 4-5 hours, while carbohydrates should account for 40% of the daily diet, fats and proteins - 30% each. The calorie content of the daily diet should not exceed 2000 kcal. It has been experimentally proven that this type of dietary nutrition when practicing crossfit is optimal.

An important element of proper nutrition is a combination of meals and exercise. In order for sports to be as effective as possible, the last full meal should be completed no later than 2 hours before training. You can eat porridge with a piece of beef, chicken or fish, 2 hard-boiled eggs, and low-fat yogurt.

20-30 minutes before training, you should eat any fresh fruit or a cottage cheese, milk-fruit (berry) cocktail as a snack. The main thing is that the portion should be small, so that after 30 minutes the stomach is already empty.

No later than 10-15 minutes after finishing a CrossFit workout, an athlete must have a snack, because the body will require immediate energy restoration, and if this is not done, it will replenish its strength by “eating” the muscles. Therefore, immediately after finishing classes, you need to eat a sports bar or drink natural yogurt (milk) with added fruit.

1.5-2 hours after training you need to eat a full meal. It is important that this meal includes a large portion of carbohydrates (at least 40-50 g) and protein (at least 40 g).

Champions by year and category

Mat Fraser, Most Winning CrossFit
Individual and Team Champion

[40]

Masters Men's Champions

[40]

Women's Masters Champions

[40]

Teen Champions

[40]

1. Paul Perna initially finished first, but was later disqualified after testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substances.[41]
2. José Sarda initially finished first, but was later disqualified after testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substances.[42]

Basic principles and rules of training

The classic CrossFit training system, developed by CrossFit Inc. specialists, is intended for professional athletes who regularly participate in competitions. It is designed for 12 classes per week, i.e. 2 per day: strength training is carried out in the first half of the day, and functional training (swimming, running) in the second half of the day.

The basic principles of CrossFit are as follows:

• each workout should take place at maximum intensity;
• the more often you train, the better;
• during training, the rest time between exercises should be minimal, or better yet absent;
• Each session should work different muscle groups.

People who combine a passion for sports with the need to work find it difficult to do CrossFit every day by visiting the gym. In this case (in order not to violate the principle “the more often you train, the better”) you can do exercises at home: push-ups, pull-ups, sprints on the street, and perform endurance exercises that do not require special equipment.

Brothers' Commune

“If last year we were saved by a closed competitor, then this year we had to rely only on ourselves,” the entrepreneurs admit. Summer is a low season for classic fitness clubs: visitors freeze their cards and go on vacation. But not CrossFit fans. “CrossFit is a way of life, you can’t fall out of the rhythm of your training. In addition, this is a strong community, an international fraternal club, whose members are accepted as their own in any country. Therefore, even on vacation, people try to go to clubs where they relax,” Shubin assures. True CrossFit fans go only to licensed clubs, the list of which is on the official CrossFit.Inc website. “Russian entrepreneurs are not used to paying for something that cannot be touched, so buying some kind of intangible license still seems wild,” says Andrei Shubin. However, in reality, it turned out that involvement with an American brand brings customers: one-time subscriptions make up about a third of the sales structure. The World Football Championship also helped: at the end of ten days, a quarter of the visitors to MSK CrossFit & Fight Club were foreigners.

An annual unlimited subscription to MSK CrossFit & Fight Club costs 78 thousand rubles. For a specialized club, this is expensive: for that kind of money you can buy a membership to a large universal fitness club with a swimming pool. “We focus on wealthy Muscovites - top managers and entrepreneurs who are close to the philosophy of CrossFit, but who value comfort,” explains Zeynalov.

Now the club brings in about 2.5 million rubles. revenue and up to 500 thousand rubles. net profit per month. Gudkov receives 10%, the rest is divided between Shubin and Zeynalov in half. “I am responsible for promotion and marketing, mainly using my friendships in show business. It was not difficult to drag “celebs” to get a free haircut, but getting them to train was more difficult. Therefore, I simply tell my friends and colleagues about the club, and suggest using it as a platform for filming, advertising, and team building. In general, I work as a face,” comments Gudkov.

Entrepreneurs do not plan to turn CrossFit clubs into a network following the example of barbershops: a second gym in Moscow is unlikely to be profitable, and the fashion has clearly not yet reached the regions. “We chose a very narrow niche: crossfit is far from the most popular sport even in Moscow, let alone in the regions,” admits Gudkov.

Photo: Vladislav Shatilo / RBC

But the hairdressing business is growing: in May, the first own outlet of the new Boy Cut Lite format opened near the Akademicheskaya metro station, and in June, a franchise outlet opened, near the Universitet metro station. The average bill here is slightly lower due to the lower rental rate (a standard “man’s haircut” costs 1.4 thousand instead of 1.8 thousand rubles). Now the partners are planning to develop a restaurant business as well. To try our hand at catering, we bought a Surf Coffee franchise. “Every time we tell each other: please, that’s enough, there’s no need to open anything else. But then another idea comes to mind, and off we go,” says Shubin.

How do CrossFit workouts work?

Standard types of CrossFit training are the same for women and men and include 4 mandatory blocks:

• warm-up;
• a set of functional exercises;
• VOD;
• cool down and stretch.

Dynamic stretching

Dynamic warm-up is a mandatory element of training, aimed at warming up the muscles and the whole body, preparing it for the load.

The better the warm-up, the more effective the main training block. In addition, a good warm-up helps prevent injuries. During the warm-up, the athlete performs cardio exercises at a fast pace: jumping rope, riding an exercise bike, etc.

Strength or functional exercises

After warming up, another warm-up block takes place for 10-15 minutes, aimed at deeper warming up the muscles and joints and preparing them for the most important, difficult and intense WOD block. At this stage, various exercises are performed with barbells or dumbbells: squats, lunges, presses, deadlifts, etc.

VOD. Workout of the day

WOD is the Russian spelling of the English abbreviation WOD, which stands for “workout of the day”, pronounced “workout of the day” and translated as “workout of the day”. Each lesson is designed to work out 1-2 muscle groups as intensively as possible. To do this, select 3-4 exercises that must be performed for a while and in a circular system.

For example, today an athlete does push-ups, squats and pull-ups. Each exercise must be done 5 or more times. The execution scheme will be as follows: the athlete squatted, did push-ups, pulled himself up 5 times and without stopping moved on to the second approach. The exercises are repeated either for the allotted time (10-15 minutes) or in accordance with the number of planned circles (5-10). As strength and endurance develop, the standards increase.

Cool down and stretch

This block is the final one. Maximally warmed muscles lend themselves well to stretching, which prevents the formation of unaesthetic muscle knots and contributes to the formation of a beautiful rounded muscle corset.

Stretching is done at a slow pace, which simultaneously slows down the body's activity after the most intense block of WOD and ensures a smooth completion of the workout.

Methodology and mode of crossfit training

The CrossFit methodology divides all exercises that require special equipment into 3 categories:

• metabolic;
• gymnastics;
• power.

Cardio loads. Aerobics

Aerobics and cardio exercises are classified as metabolic exercises. This includes:

• run;
• riding not an exercise bike;
• jumping rope;
• rowing on a simulator.

Gymnastics. Bodyweight exercises

This group of exercises involves training on gymnastic equipment without additional weight. This includes:

• pull-ups on the crossbar or parallel bars with different grips;
• push-ups from the floor, from a bench, on rings in various positions;
• squats on 1 or 2 legs;
• walking on your hands and doing push-ups in the same position;
• rope climbing.

Weightlifting. Exercises with free weights

This group of exercises is performed with additional weights in the form of barbells, dumbbells, weights, using exercise machines and balls. The exercises are aimed at developing balance, stability, endurance, and concentration. This block includes:

• squats with a barbell with arms in different positions;
• barbell jerks;
• deadlifts;
• lunges with a barbell or dumbbells;
• throwing the ball at a target or on the floor;
• tire flipping;
• swings with a kettlebell.

Training mode

Following the correct exercise regimen will protect you from injury and overtraining. Each workout must be compiled by a specialist, taking into account individual capabilities and observing the following rules:

• The duration of the workout should not exceed 45 minutes;
• the lesson should begin with a good warm-up;
• exercises for 1 muscle group cannot be done one after another;
• exercises in the circle should be changed at least once a week;
• the circuit should end with a cardio exercise.

Examples of exercises

You won’t be able to conduct training without any equipment at all. At a minimum, you need a horizontal bar and a pair of dumbbells. It is also advisable to have a small sandbag for weight training.

Examples of simple and effective exercises:

1. The fastest pull-ups on the horizontal bar, which are done in jerks. 15 repetitions are done in one circle.
2. Explosive squats. They are done like regular squats, but at the moment when you need to get up, you need to jump as high as possible. 15 repetitions are also done.
3. Raising legs on the horizontal bar. While hanging on the horizontal bar, quickly and intensely pull your legs towards your stomach.
4. "Burpee." Squat down, bringing your legs to your chest and placing your hands on the floor. Throw your legs back into a prone position, then return to the starting position and jump up as high as possible.
5. Explosive push-ups. Regular push-ups, in which the palms are lifted off the floor at the top.

There are hundreds, and perhaps even thousands, of intensive strength training programs: each practitioner chooses exercises according to his personal preferences. General advice - do not force the load from the first sessions, perform the maximum number of repetitions and circles, let the body adapt to extreme conditions.

The positive aspects of CrossFit

For greater clarity, it is advisable to divide the advantages of CrossFit into functional blocks:

1. Aerobics:

• trains the heart muscle;
• increases the body's endurance;
• improves metabolism;
• improves overall well-being (mood, sleep).

1. Gymnastics:

• increases body flexibility;
• improves coordination of movements.

1. Weightlifting makes a person stronger and promotes muscle growth.

The benefits of CrossFit include:

• expansion of physical capabilities;
• variety of training that protects you from routine, monotonous movements;
• constant competition with colleagues in the group, giving a positive attitude and training the will to win.

Clear instructions from the trainer

Constant monitoring by the trainer, strict implementation of his instructions and strict adherence to the individual loads developed by him during training will minimize the risks of injury, overtraining and other possible negative consequences, as well as ensure the maximum effect from each lesson and allow you to achieve results in a short time.

Basic exercises

Basic exercises (metabolic, gymnastic and strength) are performed both with and without special equipment, which can be attributed to the positive features of this sport.

Without equipment, you can do squats, push-ups, and leg raises. Some names of exercises performed without additional equipment are traditionally pronounced in English, for example, burpee or kipping.

Very heavy loads

Too heavy loads can hardly be considered an advantage of crossfit, but they contain the shortest path to achieving results.

Crossfit makes you fall in love with fitness.

The question of what to prefer, CrossFit or fitness, disappears for most beginners almost from the first CrossFit training, after which it becomes clear that these 2 concepts are synonymous. Physical beauty and expanded physical capabilities that appear in a short period of time show in practice what the power of sports is and make you fall in love with a healthy lifestyle once and for all.

TOP ATHLETES IN THE CROSSFIT GAMES

Mat Fraser . Matt is a professional weightlifter. He has first places in both regional and open stages. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet is considered the favorite of the 2015 games . A versatile athlete, talented. She showed herself in such different sports as gymnastics and rugby. 2014 champion Rich Froning . Professional sport baseball. Four-time champion of the CrossFit Games, winner of the Man of Steel title. Julie Fouche . Gymnast. Two-time games champion. Jason Calipa . He made a career from a fitness instructor to a top athlete in the CrossFit games. Sam Briggs . 2013 football champion. I came second, performing with a broken leg!!! Lucas Parker . Talented, whatever he did, he became a champion at it. Now it's time for the CrossFit games. Annie Thorisdottir . A professional gymnast, she showed serious results in athletics. Scott Panchik . He was seriously involved in wrestling and football. Lauren Fisher . Basketball and tennis fan. With an excellent result in the 80 snatch, he plans to push the champions onto the podium. Brooke Ince . Dancing and fitness. In 2015, the main contender for the championship title.

Disadvantages of CrossFit

Skeptical athletes and doctors see the main disadvantages of CrossFit in the consequences of extreme loads. According to their opinion, even if in the first years an athlete managed to achieve positive external results, then over time negative consequences will certainly manifest themselves in the malfunction of internal organs and systems.

crossfit efficiency

The effectiveness of CrossFit training for burning fat and creating a beautiful body is widely advertised and has a lot of evidence, but every year the list of people who have received injuries and injuries as a result of training in the CrossFit system (despite the fact that the training took place under the supervision of a trainer) increases. Such statistics give the right to doubt the effectiveness of crossfit for all ages, including children, and genders.

Crossfit and weight loss

Crossfit training helps you lose weight. But you can engage in this sport for the purpose of losing weight only if you are slightly overweight.

People suffering from severe forms of obesity always have many concomitant functional disorders of the body, and overly intense training will only worsen the situation. However, if a person has managed to lose weight through diets and other methods, then crossfit will help keep him in shape.

Crossfit leads to overtraining

Crossfit training leads to overtraining faster than any other sport. This opinion is shared by most doctors and many famous athletes. The most susceptible to destruction is the heart muscle, which is not designed to work regularly at speeds of up to 200 beats per minute. Such loads lead to wear and tear of the myocardial muscle fibers.

You Can Get Injured in Crossfit

Extreme training, which crossfit is characterized by, is always accompanied by increased trauma and the risk of cardiovascular complications. Insufficiently warmed muscles, the slightest deviation in technique when working with heavy weights, performing exercises at speed - all this greatly increases the likelihood of injury.

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    "CrossFit Games Leaderboard". Retrieved October 13, 2015.
41. “Another five athletes failed drug tests at the 2019 CrossFit Games.” boxrox.com
    . November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
42. "RICKY GARARD IS DISQUALIFIED." games.crossfit.com
    . October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.

CrossFit for men and women

Crossfit can be considered a universal sport, equally suitable for both men and women. According to statistics, in each specialized gym the number of men and women training is approximately the same. CrossFit for men is an excellent form of fitness that allows you to develop and maintain an attractive body shape, physical strength and mental balance.

The same positive effects of training will bring to the female body.

For a healthy woman, CrossFit training is contraindicated only in case of pregnancy, because due to the high intensity of training, CrossFit and pregnancy (from the very first days) are incompatible.

Broadcasting and Media

In 2011, ESPN began broadcasting the CrossFit Games, ESPN3 live coverage, and some ESPN2 television coverage. As the event grew, ESPN expanded its television coverage; in 2014, the network entered into a multi-year agreement to continue broadcasting CrossFit games, and by 2015, ESPN and ESPN2's coverage had expanded to nine and a half hours.[38]

In 2022, the event began a new broadcast from CBS Sports, with television coverage from CBS Sports Network and a total of 40 hours of digital streaming. CrossFit also broadcast coverage via Facebook and their website.[39]

For whom might CrossFit not be suitable?

Despite the opportunity to improve physical fitness in a short time, playing this sport is not for everyone.

Crossfit is contraindicated for people suffering from the following diseases:

• respiratory tract;
• of cardio-vascular system;
• genitourinary system;
• Gastrointestinal tract;
• nervous system or psyche;
• musculoskeletal system.

Also, CrossFit classes are contraindicated in the presence of injuries and any infectious diseases, with ocular or arterial hypertension, during lactation, during a cold, or after surgery.