BENEFITS OF CROSSFIT

The benefits of Crossfit are multiple, which is why it is not surprising that this type of training has become so popular in recent years. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning training that is based on functional and varied exercises at a high intensity.

This training has a large number of exercises and sports disciplines such as: gymnastics, weightlifting, etc. These techniques are applied to situations of daily life and, from here, a sport is born that is between gym training and street training.

In addition, Crossfit exercises manage to develop the ten general physical capacities: cardiovascular resistance, energy resistance, strength, power, flexibility, speed, coordination, agility, balance and precision.

If you are interested in this and want to know more about Crossfit and its benefits, keep reading because we are going to tell you everything you need to know.

WHAT IS CROSSFIT?

This sport was created by Greg Glassman in 1995 to improve and maximize overall fitness and performance levels. Crossfit is designed so that anyone who practices it can face life situations that require physical effort. This is not achieved by specializing in a particular exercise discipline, but by incorporating a wide range of strength, cardio and athletic routines.

The key to CrossFit is functional and varied movements performed at high intensity for short periods of time. It could be said that the goal of CrossFit is to create athletes who have general physical preparation.

This sport is practiced in some rooms that are called box. It is characterized by being a space conditioned to do CrossFit, and it is called a box because it is like a large box, a room with a high ceiling, without divisions and with a lot of space, where the machines and equipment used during training are distributed.

The operation of CrossFit is based on a calendar of daily training routines, called WODs (for its acronym in English Workout Of the Day). A complete training of this type can be done in less than 20 minutes and this can include rowing machines, Air Bike, plyometric boxes, dumbbells, jump rope...

Other workouts might include running, throwing medicine balls, or throwing big, heavy wheels. Depending on the athlete or the coach, the daily schedule and the training activities to be carried out can change.

WHAT ARE THE CROSSFIT EXERCISES?

As we have already said, the exercises that are performed in CrossFit are many and varied. Movements such as skipping rope, rope climbing, wheel flipping, lifting weights, carrying heavy objects, and other bodyweight exercises are incorporated into daily training routines.

Here are some of the most common exercises in WODs:

• Squats.
• Burpees.
• Bar exercises (such as pull-ups).
• Inverted push-ups (push-ups doing a handstand).
• Rowing machine.
• Box jumps.
• Weightlifting.

THE 7 MOST IMPORTANT BENEFITS OF CROSSFIT

This training has multiple benefits both physically and psychologically and, as if that were not enough, also socially. Additionally, CrossFit is a sport that can benefit anyone looking to improve their quality of life or increase their ability to perform physical tasks.

These are the 7 benefits of practicing CrossFit:

1. Helps lose weight and burn fat.

The high intensity of CrossFit exercises means that a large amount of fat is lost in a short time. Being a modality that works with repetitions, it turns out to be a perfect practice to lose weight and burn calories.

Remember that to lose weight you should not only focus on playing sports, you should also accompany it with a balanced and healthy diet as a complement to exercise.

2. Contributes to increasing muscle mass.

CrossFit is one of the most complete disciplines, since it works and strengthens all muscle groups. In addition, many of the exercises are performed with the body's own weight, therefore muscle mass will increase, which generates greater muscle strength.

3. Increases muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory resistance.

The intensity of work in this type of exercise leads to strengthening the muscles and this translates into greater resistance. Thus, little by little the body resists and endures more and also the most demanding exercises. Therefore, lung capacity and resistance are also strengthened.

4. Enhance coordination ability, flexibility and balance.

The movements you make with CrossFit exercises help your muscles and joints become more flexible. In addition, psychomotor skills such as balance and coordination are worked on and you will experience greater agility. This will be an excellent way to prevent and avoid injuries.

5. Improves mood and self-esteem.

Practicing CrossFit you will have fun and, while you are focused for a while practicing sports, your mind is freed from daily worries and your stress level will be significantly reduced. In addition, exercise helps you sleep better, so you will rest better and you will wake up the next day with less tension.

When you manage to perform the techniques and exercises perfectly, you will experience a feeling of mastery, that is, of control over what you do, and you will feel self-realized. This translates into greater self-esteem that will help you in your life and you will face new challenges with greater self-confidence.

6. Prevention of injuries.

If you are starting you should always pay attention to your coach or personal trainer. He or she will give you the guidelines so that you can perform your exercises in the correct way and thus avoid any injury.

The practice of exercise keeps your bones and muscles strong and this prevents injuries and bodily ailments that will make you feel better and lead a healthier life.

7. Encourage social relationships

Although CrossFit has individual challenges, it is often practiced in a group. You can do exercises in pairs or in a group. Therefore, experiences are shared among all and colleagues can serve as support for training and as a source of motivation.

BENEFITS OF CROSSFIT IN WOMEN

This is one of the most frequently asked questions among women. And it is that this sport is practiced in the same way in both men and women. There are no distinctions except in the amount of weight in weightlifting. Normally, women are usually given a lower weight.

If you want to know what benefits CrossFit has for women, apart from those already mentioned above, we will tell you below:

• Ability to work under pressure

In training sessions are usually worked with a certain time and this requires the person to be able to respond adequately to pressure. Setting a time limit is a stressful factor to which the person has to adapt in order to perform.

• Promotes body self-perception

The fact of working with weights and doing many repetitions causes an increase in muscle mass and a decrease in fat. These changes in body image can be perceived positively and contribute to reinforcing the way one looks physically.

• Allows you to disconnect from the daily routine

This rest that you give yourself is very beneficial for better performance in all facets of life. Dedicating at least an hour a day to disconnect from work not only relieves stress, but also helps you face each day with a fresh and renewed mindset.

SOME DISADVANTAGES OF PRACTICING CROSSFIT

By now you will have realized all the advantages that CrossFit has, but everything has its good part and its less good part. Here are also some drawbacks or disadvantages of this discipline:

• Watch out for injuries. If you come from a sedentary life or you are not used to practicing sports on a regular basis, it is advisable to do some milder activity before starting to do CrossFit. This discipline is made up of high-intensity exercises and you can expose yourself to injuries if you are not used to it. Over time, knowing the technique and your own limitations, there is no reason to be more at risk of injury than in another sport.
• Need for a specialized center and a professional monitor. In a CrossFit box there are elements that are not found in any gym and are necessary. In addition, a professional monitor is essential since, in this discipline, correct advice is a very important part. Doing some exercises wrong can lead to injuries.
• It's easy to overtrain. The monitor must advise on this aspect, but each one knows their body and its limits.
• Practice it at home. The need to have a large space and variety of equipment to do CrossFit makes it difficult to practice it at home, although it is not impossible.

You already know all the benefits of CrossFit that you will experience if you start practicing it. Dare to start and you will see how these benefits are transferred to your daily life such as: at work, studies, in personal relationships, in your diet, in your habits... You will have a healthier lifestyle than you will feel more and more proud and with whom you will be happier.