Within the last week I have had a conversation about the safety and dangers of Crossfit with a number of people. It was a reoccurring theme. In an effort to not be bias, I try to approach both sides with an open mind…but, ultimately, you’ll see where I stand.
There are a plethera of people- Doctors, Healthcare Workers, Yogis, Gym Rats- that talk negatively about CrossFit. The biggest topics seem to be:
1. Damaging Movements. Squats, pulling weight, pushing weight, running, rowing- these are all fundamental movements of life, and when done incorrectly, yes injury could occur. However, our main objective in CrossFit is to do life better, and we hope to make our fundamental movements outside of the gym better because of the time we have spent making them more efficient and safe while working out.
2. Unmonitored Exercise. Some think because CrossFit is done in a group setting, that people don’t recieve the correct amount of coaching/monitoring to avoid injury… When attending a Globo gym there is zero monitoring or coaching.
3. Too High Intensity. In CrossFit it is common that our heartrates go from our indivualized “normal/resting” rate to “exercise/stressed” rate in a matter of 3,2,1, Go! This jump is perceived as dangerous, and I am not going to argue that it isn’t, because I believe this topic to be highly individual. Life is full of spikes in blood pressure and heart rate- conditioning your body to accept that can be good, assuming you’ve had the Doc’s OK to do so. Furthermore, within our hour of power at CFO, you’ll usually encounter a strength session and/or a warm up that helps transition ourselves to that big spike in intensity- which is why following a coach’s advice leading up to that conditioning WOD is so important.
4. Injury. This is my most favorite argument. The Nay Sayers listed previously, use injured CrossFitters as a prime example to it’s dangers and yet they do not dive into details. Some of these details being the CrossFitter is extremely active- they enjoy hiking, golfing, tennis, dirt bike riding- etc. CrossFit is functional fitness, and we who coach and partake in it, hope that it allows you to be better and safer at the things you REALLY enjoy doing. However, injury may occur all the same, because that is the risk of an active lifestyle.
There lies the basics of what I hear and encounter. Leaving the conversation open, I’d love to hear others’ point of view. I’m certain you’ll be a part of this piece at some point when discussing your participation in CrossFit with a friend, doctor, chiropractor,masseuse… I’ll finish with stating my own black and white facts; Doing physical activity and exercise is better then being sedentary and not doing it. Injury can happen at anytime, doing anything. Your health starts and ends in the responsibility of your own hands,
and being successful in that is all Crossfit Oakdale can hope for you.
Workout of the Day
Strength
Bench Press
3 sets of 8 @ 65%
Conditioning
Alternating Tabata
10 Rounds
Kettlebell Swing 53/35
Box Jumps 24/20