A popular fitness trend – CrossFit

A popular fitness trend called CrossFit comes from America of the 2000s. CrossFit workout programs have increased the number of clients at fitness clubs largely due to the fact that the new training did not have a narrow specialization. That is, one workout includes elements of several sports: classic fitness, gymnastics, weightlifting, athletics, body-building.

The young fitness branch is gaining popularity due to the possibility of an ultra-rapid development of the athlete’s functional indicators. It attracts the attention of fans of an active lifestyle and people willing to lose extra weight. It is not surprising that CrossFit immediately gained a lot of fans who enthusiastically talk about how cool it is to work 100% and how quickly you can develop the best sports qualities in yourself.

The main tasks of CrossFit workouts are the intensive development of various body systems and the strengthening of general health. Combined loads allow you to harden your character, increase endurance, and adapt physical capabilities to the requirements of everyday realities.

What does CrossFit provide?

Fans consider it not just a sport, but a way of life. They spend all their free time in training, striving to become participants in competitions that start mainly in the summer months. The basis of their classes includes light and weightlifting, and some gymnastic elements. This allows you to provide a load on the whole body. Athletes can set individual priorities. To prepare the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system and muscles for intensive training, they have to pay increased attention to the diet.

A lot of good things are developed in a person by cross-training, but if the elements of bodybuilding scare you, don’t worry. Pumping the torso, biceps or calves will not work with all the desire; for this, cross-training must be alternated with free weights.
CrossFit does not aim at any single achievement. Training has a complex effect, developing everything you need for excellent fitness and good health: flexibility and dexterity; speed and accuracy; coordination and balance.
Considering that cross-training lasts no more than an hour, and 2-3 sessions a week is enough to gain and maintain excellent physical shape.

Who is the training for?

CrossFit workouts are suitable for men and women of all fitness levels. The exercises are the same for everyone, but they perform them differently. For example, a person who first discovered the sport squats with an empty bar, and an experienced athlete with a bar of 50 kg. In addition, the coach will control your loads. He monitors the load based on the physical capabilities of each athlete.

Now more specifically about those people who simply need CrossFit:

• Anyone who wants to get into fitness but doesn’t know where to start;
• those who do not have enough time separately for cardio and strength training;
• professional athletes to improve performance in their sport;
• those who want to quickly lose weight and gain a beautiful body;
• those who like to sweat in a team.

We need to say a few words about the bottom point. CrossFit has its detractors who call it “killer training”. As we have already noted, the coach will not allow a person to give all the best on the verge of a foul, violence against the body will not bring benefits.
That is why experts recommend doing CrossFit only in a specialized center under the guidance of a trainer. Improper exercise technique and excessive exercise can lead to serious injury.

How CrossFit workouts are held?

Firstly, this is a group workout, which is done by choosing and trying to keep a schedule. Secondly, training programs are constantly changing, there is no effect of getting used to one type of load, and progress is constantly growing. Thirdly, cross-training does not require special equipment. Athletes work with the simplest equipment (dumbbells, barbell, rope) and their own weight.

Any CrossFit workout consists of several blocks:

• dynamic stretching to warm up muscles and develop joints. These are usually jumping rope, quick push-ups, squats;
• strength or functional training. These are deadlifts, ring exercises, pistol squats, push from the chest;
• WOD, that is, the workout of the day. This is a whole complex of exercises with energetic music with a large number of repetitions and approaches. Such programs Include 100-meter cross, pull-ups, sit-ups, ball throws, deadlift or Romanian deadlift and other exercises;
• hitch and stretch. These are tilts, turns of the body and similar techniques for normalizing heart rate, breathing, relieving muscle tension so that there is no dorepature.

Due to the fast pace, you won’t notice the end of the training. At the same time, not a single muscle of the body is left without attention. With optimal, and not exorbitant load, people do not fall off their feet after cross-training, they feel pleasant physical fatigue.
From the first workout to gaining excellent physical shape, it takes from 2 to 3 months.

What are the major benefits of CrossFit?

CrossFit fans note that this discipline has many benefits. The most important are:

1. Willpower development. Quitting classes halfway without finishing your workout is against the rules of CrossFit. The starting circle of workouts must be completed, and it is also desirable to beat yesterday’s record. The ability to overcome oneself, to do the impossible is a mandatory quality for a real athlete.
2. Body transformation. The high intensity of training allows you to easily lose weight. One workout burns approximately 1000 calories. If at the same time you also eat right, the results will not be long in coming.
3. Development of endurance and strength. CrossFit adherents have relief and hard muscles, and pronounced muscular strength.
4. No age restrictions. You can do CrossFit even after 50, the main thing is that health allows. Athletes of this age are quite freely allowed to compete. Also, in this discipline there is an opportunity to work both in a group and individually.