CrossFit training incorporates old philosophies of traditional strength and conditioning into new and alternative workout programs

CrossFit training is just one of the numerous rising alternative fitness programs that has been on the radar of many celebrities, fitness enthusiasts and those looking to improve their physical health.

CrossFit training incorporates many components of traditional strength and conditioning while also combining these original ideals with new forms of exercise such as aerobics and resistance training in order to produce powerful, effective and varied workouts.

CrossFit training incorporates more than traditional weight lifting in order to produce consistently changing and intense workouts

CrossFit was designed to offer workouts that "incorporate weight lifting, aerobics and gymnastics to benefit you in every part of your game" according to Askmen.com.  CrossFit is strategically designed to mix up workouts to prevent boredom as well as to challenge those in training to work as hard as they can every day.

           

CrossFit differs from traditional strength and conditioning because the main focus of these sessions is not entirely on weight lifting. In traditional strength and conditioning, the overall goal is to become as strong as possible by continuously lifting and maxing out during workouts. Although CrossFit training does include forms of powerlifting in its workouts, there is more of an emphasis on improving the strength and fitness of the entire body as a whole.

 CrossFit incorporates more than weight lifting in its workouts. The main components of CrossFit include: strength, stamina, flexibility, speed, power, accuracy, agility, balance, coordination and cardio endurance. According to one testimonial CrossFitters are exposed to workouts designed to not only physically strengthen participants, but also to prepare them for anything that life has in store.

CrossFit training offers a lifestyle that benefits the emotional, physical and mental health of CrossFit participants 

Active Norcal explains that with CrossFit training comes a lifestyle that is beneficial to the athlete in every aspect of life. CrossFit is designed to allow people to train with the same group everyday. With this idea in mind, CrossFit designers predicted that because you are with the same people every training session, you are continuously building and improving upon relationships with the other people in the classes and instructors.

CrossFitters have reported that while participating in CrossFit workouts, there is an overwhelming sense of community and togetherness. These sensations may be due to the relationships formed between instructors and classmates as well as the bonds classmates form with each other throughout sessions. CrossFitters have also described that the sessions they do in groups are similar to being on a team. Testimonials from Payson Roundup explain that all people in the class, no matter the experience of each individual, all feel the same sense of pain and accomplishment after every workout. 

           

The idea of community is not only present due to the idea of being “together” in a session. CrossFit owners have purposely designed their gyms without mirrors. CrossFit owners believe with the absence of mirrors, individuals will not experience the same frightening thoughts they do when attending local and public gyms such Planet Fitness.


Narciso Valencia, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the University of Maryland expresses his thoughts on the benefits and downfalls of CrossFit. As a strength coach, Valencia has been exposed to several different types of workouts and fitness programs. Valencia encourages people to get active and involved in some sort of fitness regime in order to boost physical health of all people. 

CrossFit training does not control every aspect of your life; moderation is key within this style of training. CrossFit founders believe that extreme dieting is unhealthy and harmful to athletes. It is inevitable that everyone has a "cheat day" or a day that they do not consume "healthy" foods for every meal. 


With this in mind, CrossFitters know that when they eat a little too much or things they know are going to hinder their work, their workout the following day is going to be that much harder in order to make up for the cheat day. Moderation of all types of foods is essential in order to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

Collegiate and professional coaches do not promote CrossFit training because it strays away from traditional strength and conditioning beliefs and methods 

Strength and conditioning coaches around the nation are warning their athletes of the potential dangers CrossFit may expose them to. Traditional strength and conditioning workouts focus on building strength while maintaining proper form throughout the duration of the workout. CrossFit workouts have a different approach.

Almost all CrossFit workouts have time restraints in order to motivate individuals to get as many reps in as they can throughout the duration of the time limit. Stack argues that this philosophy of training is exactly why collegiate and professional athletes should stay away from CrossFit.

           

Valencia's expertise are focused on strengthening and improving the physical health and fitness levels of collegiate athletes; therefore is hesitant to promote CrossFit classes to all people. Valencia does believe that CrossFit is a good way to get involved and get active in the world of fitness. Valencia does promote certain components of CrossFit to be incorporated into the training regimes of collegiate athletes; however, the basic ideologies behind traditional strength and conditioning must also be followed in order to produce well trained, in-shape athletes.

CrossFit goers are trained to get as many repetitions of the superset in as possible within the given time limit. This way of training is extremely dangerous to collegiate and professional athletes because it causes them to focus all of their attention and efforts into maxing out their reps. Because the main focus is getting as many reps in as possible, athletes do not focus on maintaining correct form. This coincides with increasing the risk of potential injuries among athletes. As form declines during workouts, the rate potential injury skyrockets exponentially.

                                                                               

Another fear coaches have of CrossFit is the rare but sometimes fatal kidney condition rhabdomyolysis. This condition has become somewhat of a legend among CrossFiters; however it poses very realistic and serious threats. This condition nicknamed rhabdo is caused by over exercising and participating in high intensity level workouts, such as CrossFit. This condition is harmful to the body because due to working out to the extreme in excess, the muscles are so broken down that muscle fibers start to enter into the blood stream.

CrossFit have changed the way women are seen in the world of fitness by forcing society to normalize muscular women

For generations women were outcasts to the world of fitness. Part of this alienation however, can be partially blamed on the women of previous generations. According to the box, the women of CrossFit are changing the way women are seen in the fitness world drastically, and quickly.

Women of prior generations were expected to only participate in cardio regimes as well as workouts designed to trim fat as well as gain lean muscle mass. Never before have women been taken seriously in the world of fitness.

This data chart  represents the male and female representation in CrossFit gyms. The difference  of male and female representation is so small, the difference is not considered significant. 

CrossFit is a way for women to feel at home in the weight room. Men have typically been the dominant force in the weight rooms of gyms; however CrossFit allows women to master the more intimidating equipment in the weight room such as barbells and racks.

The CrossFit Games supply workout enthusiasts with motivation to obtain public praise and acknowledgment for their personal strides in the gym 

The CrossFit Games are a way for CrossFitters to prove to themselves, classmates and the nation just how fit they are. The Games are unlike any other fitness test known to date; with multiple marathon runners and professional athletes expressing how difficult these Games truly are. The Games consist of three stages: The Open, Regionals, and the actual CrossFit Games. The first two stages of this mega competition are held within the CrossFit gyms themselves.

Qualifying and competing in the Games is the ultimate goal of CrossFitters. Even though the high majority of CrossFitters do not qualify for the Games, when CrossFitters see their fellow classmates and workout partners participating and succeeding in the Games, the whole gym experiences a sense of pride and representation of themselves through the success of their fellow CrossFitters. 

The CrossFit culture is spreading nationally and is influencing people of all ages, fitness levels and race to get involved in the fitness world. This alternative style of training is unlike anything workout professionals and exercise scientists have come across to date. Due to CrossFit's unique components of combing traditional strength and conditioning practices with new found exercises such as aerobics, gymnastics and cardio, the type of exercise and benefits CrossFit offers is unattainable with any other form of exercise and training.