Among the areas of fitness, CrossFit stands out in its own right. So what is crossfit? This is one of the most fashionable areas of physical training among adherents of a healthy lifestyle and was invented in 1996. The idea arose after the head of one of the police stations in the Californian city of Santa Cruz approached former gymnast and weightlifter, professional gym instructor Greg Glassman, with a request to improve the general physical fitness of his subordinates.
The developed technique turned out to be so popular that in 2000 Glassman took a step that was quite natural for Americans. He creates the CrossFit Inc corporation, patenting the Trademark, the method of physical daily exercise (WOD), the system of training and certification of trainers, and the conditions for affiliation of CrossFit gyms. In 2007, the first “live” competitions were held, and today all fans, even those training on their own, have the opportunity to measure their strength not only at regional and international competitions, but also in the Internet games CrossFit Open.
Story
Greg Glassman and his wife Lauren Janay founded CrossFit Inc. in 2000[11][12], while the company was conceived back in 1996[13]. The first gym was located in Santa Cruz (California), the first affiliated gym was in Seattle (Washington); by 2005 there were 13 halls, by 2013 - 8 thousand, by 2015 - 13 thousand[6]. Trainers associated with CrossFit include Louis Simmons, John Welborn, Bob Harper, and Mike Burgener.[14]
Glassman retained full control of the company after his divorce from Lauren Janay. The ex-wife tried to sell her share in the company to third parties, but Glassman was able to get a $16 million loan from Summit Partners to buy out her share[15].
Review
Tire turning is an exercise you can sometimes see in CrossFit workouts.
CrossFit is a strength and endurance exercise program consisting primarily of aerobic exercise, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), and weightlifting.[16] CrossFit Inc. describes his program as “consistently varied functional movements performed at high intensity across multiple time intervals and modal domains” [17] with the goal of increasing fitness. Fitness is defined as “the potential to perform across different time intervals and modal domains”[18]. An hour-long session at an affiliated gym, or “box,” typically includes a warm-up, a skill development segment, a high-intensity “workout of the day” (WOD), and individual or group stretching. In some gyms, the workout of the day is preceded by a strength building exercise. Each WOD is graded to encourage competition and track individual progress. Some affiliated gyms offer additional classes such as Olympic weightlifting[19].
CrossFit gyms use equipment from a variety of disciplines, including barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, horizontal bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes[20], resistance bands, rowing machines, air bikes and various mats. CrossFit focuses on “constantly varying, high-intensity, functional movements”[21], drawing on disciplines and exercises such as: gymnastics, weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman exercises, plyometrics, bodyweight exercises (burpees are the most famous weight exercise own body in CrossFit[22]), rowing on specialized machines, aerobic exercises, running and swimming.
The CrossFit program is decentralized, its general methodology used by thousands of private affiliated gyms, fire departments, law enforcement agencies and military organizations, including the Danish Royal Life Guards[23][24][25] as well as some American and Canadian high school physical education teachers. culture, high school and college sports teams, and the Miami Marlins baseball club[26][11][27][28].
“CrossFit is not a specialized fitness program, but a deliberate attempt to optimize an individual's physical performance in each of 10 fitness domains,” says founder Greg Glassman. These modal fitness domains are: cardiovascular and respiratory endurance; muscular endurance; force; flexibility; power; speed; coordination; dexterity; balance; accuracy[29].
CrossFit is for both men and women, and statistical analysis shows that there are almost equal numbers of men and women among those who participate in CrossFit[30].
CROSSFIT GAMES: WHAT AND HOW.
So what are the CrossFit Games, what do they consist of, and how are they conducted? I think it is already clear that these games reveal, without exaggeration, some of the strongest, most resilient and dexterous athletes in the world. As a rule, games have several WODs. Each WOD features a combination of unique movements related in some way to weightlifting, track and field, or even gymnastics and swimming, and the ability to deftly manipulate external objects.
The competition is held in 3 stages: 1. The Open – 5 complexes are held online over 5 weeks. Athletes film video of performing complexes, clearly recording the time and following the rules of the games, or undergo certification in affiliated clubs. The entire sports world is divided into 17 sectors, from which 48 athletes are selected based on the test results; in each sector, they continue further test selections based on the sum of their points. 2. Regions is already a severe test with real opponents. There are an average of 6-7 WODs in the test, and only 3 CrossFit athletes from each region will make it to the further round of the CrossFit Games. 3. Reebok CrossFit Games (RCF Games) – this is the apogee of the long path to the championship! This is where the strongest and most talented crossfitters will collide in the arena. Since 2015, monetary incentives have increased manifold, prizes began to be earned already at the 2nd stage of the games, and in the final the cash prize increased to 2 million US dollars.
Business model
CrossFit, Inc. licenses specialized gyms for an annual fee, and also certifies trainers[31]. In addition to the standard two-day "Level 1"[33] courses[33], specialized seminars are conducted that include gymnastics, weightlifting, powerlifting, strength training, running and endurance, rowing, kettlebells, mobility and recovery, kids' CrossFit, CrossFit -football, self-defense techniques and strike. Other specialized applications include programs for pregnant women, the elderly, and special forces combat candidates.[34] Affiliated gyms develop their own programs, determine prices and training methods. Many athletes and coaches consider CrossFit to be a kind of “rebel movement” that challenges traditional approaches to physical training[35]; In addition to doing the prescribed exercises, they follow CrossFit nutrition recommendations (paleo diet, zone diet [36]).
CrossFit allows for a virtual community model[37][38]. According to the corporation's statement, its decentralized approach has common features with open source software projects and allows for the creation of best practices at the intersection of different approaches[39]. This claim is disputed by some competitors and former affiliated gyms.[29]
Crossfit Games
The CrossFit Games have been held every summer since 2007. In which disciplines the competitions are held becomes known only a few hours before the start of the Games. The disciplines also include unexpected elements that are not included in the typical CrossFit training set. For example, competitions in the past have included open water swimming in bad weather, softball throwing, and pegboard climbing.[41] The Games are presented as a place to determine the "fittest athlete", where participants must be "ready for anything"[42]. In 2011-2014, Rich Froning became the “most prepared athlete”[43].
Since 2011, the games began to be held using the zonal online system “CrossFit Open” in order to attract athletes from all over the world to participate. Every week a new workout program is published on the Internet. Athletes have a few days to complete the program and submit their results online, with video or confirmation from an affiliated gym. The best individual athletes and teams from the region are invited to the zonal competitions, which are held over the next two months.
The games include competitions for each gender, team competitions, competitions for masters and the teenage age group[44].
CrossFit Benefits
What is the secret of the popularity of this sports discipline and what is crossfit in general? A brief explanation is contained in the name itself. Cross - intersection, fit - fitness. Training programs include running, jumping rope, working on a rowing machine, elements of gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell lifting and weightlifting, plyometrics and many other types of exercises from applied sports.
Those who engage in multifunctional training according to CrossFit programs quickly get their body in order, “train” their willpower and acquire skills that will be useful in everyday life or in extreme situations. At the same time, unlike other types of fitness training, which still have a more or less narrowly targeted effect on the body, regular CrossFit classes simultaneously develop the ability to concentrate and all physical indicators:
- strength, firmness and elasticity of muscles;
- different types of endurance;
- speed and speed abilities;
- flexibility;
- agility, coordination, balance.
CrossFit is one of the few sports that help you achieve physical perfection. Today this concept includes a complex of components:
- Good health, which, among other things, helps to quickly adapt to unfavorable life circumstances.
- Correct posture. No disproportions in physique.
- Harmonious development of all physical indicators. High physical performance and volitional indicators.
- Possession, at the level of automatism, of a rational technique of basic movements important for life. The ability to react instantly in extreme situations that require urgent motor reactions. The ability to quickly, meaningfully self-learn new movements.
- The ability to effectively control the body and use physical abilities at home, at work, during recreation or while playing various sports.
CrossFit is for absolutely everyone. There are programs for people of different age categories, as well as for pregnant women. For beginners, trainers will create individual training plans that take into account the current level of physical fitness.
Criticism
Injuries
The risk of injury associated with CrossFit training has remained a controversial issue since the program began to grow in popularity in the early 2000s.[45] Critics accuse CrossFit Inc. in the use of dangerous movements, inadequate training intensity, and the admission of unqualified specialists to the functions of a trainer [46][47][48][49].
In response to these criticisms, CrossFit Inc. claims that her technique is relatively safe, even if the exercises are performed with poor technique[50]. The corporation also claims that the risk of injury can be reduced by properly scaling and modifying workouts, as described on its website and in CrossFit Level 1 trainer courses.[51][52]
The corporation defends this position with reference to three scientific surveys of CrossFit participants. According to these surveys, the injury rate is between 2.4 and 3.1 injuries per 1000 hours of training. According to CrossFit, this injury rate is at or below the level of injury found in “general conditioning” activities.[53]
The study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, followed 54 people over 10 weeks. According to the publication, “...a significant percentage of subjects (16%) did not complete the training program and would return for subsequent testing.” According to the authors, “this may call into question the risk-benefit ratio for such high-intensity training programs...”[54]. In 2014, CrossFit Inc. filed a lawsuit against the National Strength and Conditioning Association for publishing this study, claiming that the information was false and was “intended to discourage participants from CrossFit.”[55] The association rejected CrossFit Inc.'s claims[55], but acknowledged errors in the study results[56].
Rhabdomyolysis on exercise
A conflict situation has arisen around the critics' assertion that the loads resulting from the CrossFit methodology and the training conditions created by trainers lead to a high risk of developing rhabdomyolysis[57][58][59].
Makimba Mimms claims to have suffered from rhabdomyolysis following a CrossFit workout on December 11, 2005 at the World Gym in Manassas, Virginia, under the supervision of an uncertified trainer.[60] He successfully sued the coach for 300,000 in damages[61]. Company name: CrossFit Inc. was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit[61].
CrossFit Inc. does not dispute that his technique has the potential to cause rhabdomyolysis[62]. At the same time, the corporation states that cases of acute skeletal muscle necrosis can be found in a wide variety of sports and educational groups of the population and claims that the corporation's desire to inform about the risks of rhabdomyolysis is being misrepresented by critics as the riskiness of the CrosFit program[59][63]. One of the CrossFit representatives said that “in light of the ESPN report of 53 deaths in American triathlon from 2007 to 2013, this problem should be left alone.”[63].
Since May 2005, CrossFit Inc. has published several articles on rhabdomyolysis in the corporate CrossFit Journal[64][65][66][67]. Three of these articles are included in the CrossFit Manual ,
provided to all potential trainers[68].
The corporation has also been criticized for its hooligan[69] attitude towards rhabdomyolysis, creating a character known as "Uncle Rhabdo" (a cartoon clown who dies in dramatic fashion - hooked up to a dialysis machine, with his kidneys and intestines spilled onto the floor)[65 ].
In response to this criticism, Greg Glassman stated: "We created (Uncle) Rhabdo because we are honest and believe that full disclosure of risks is the only ethical thing to do."[63]
The effect of exercise on the heart
One of the most common complaints against CrossFit in the sports community remains the opinion that training negatively affects the healthy functioning of the athlete’s heart. At the moment, two diametrically opposed opinions have formed on this issue, both among athletes and medical specialists. Most opinions “against” are based on the fact that prolonged work in a high pulse zone has a destructive effect on the heart muscle. The only medical research in Russia on the effect of high-intensity training on the heart is the study of Professor V.N. Seluyanov “The heart is not a machine.”
Once again about the benefits of CrossFit
Like other types of physical activity, cross-training brings certain benefits to the human body:
- Figure correction. With systematic exercise, you can significantly correct your figure. Intense physical activity allows you to burn calories, prevent the formation of excess fat accumulation, and also get rid of subcutaneous fat that has already been deposited. Regular training helps tone your muscles; with weightlifting and gymnastics, you can strengthen and build muscles.
Once again about the benefits of CrossFit
- Ease in everyday life. Constant training increases the overall endurance of the body and muscle tissue, tone the nervous system, stabilize the functionality of the heart, eliminate shortness of breath, so everyday life will be free from fatigue, stress and depression. CrossFit competitions also improve your mood 2017 is a good time to join the ranks of people who have made CrossFit their hobby.
- Improving metabolic processes. Intense physical activity helps stabilize metabolic processes in the human body. Harmful compounds and waste waste products are quickly removed from it.
- Strengthening the cardiovascular system. The tone of blood vessels increases: capillaries, veins and arteries. The heart muscle strengthens and develops.
- Increasing the working volume of the airways. With systematic exercise, the useful volume of the lungs increases significantly, and shortness of breath subsides. All tissues of the body are more intensively supplied with oxygen.
Social media presence
The corporation has been both criticized and praised for its unorthodox approach to social media.[70][71][72][73] This approach includes publishing articles and tweets on non-fitness topics (including politics, philosophy and poetry)[74][75], as well as direct communication with social media users, including critics of the program.[1] In one case, the corporation’s Twitter account posted doctored pictures from a Coca-Cola advertisement, where the words “discover happiness” were replaced with “discover diabetes.” The picture was accompanied by the words of Greg Glassman: "Make sure you leave something for the dead homies too."[76][77]. The controversy erupted after singer Nick Jonas responded to the tweet, calling CrossFit's comments "ignorant."[78] The corporation stated in its defense that “compelling statistics support CrossFit Inc.'s diabetes prevention campaign.” leads by raising awareness of its causes.”[79]. When ABC news asked Greg Glassman to comment on the altercation, he responded: “Fuck Nick Jonas. We are talking about the horrors of type 2 diabetes and its main causes. Its sponsor, Coca-Cola, is making a significant contribution to the diabetes epidemic through both its product and its advertising."
[1][79].
Efficiency
Work on your technique. The more effectively you perform the WOD, the faster you will cope with it. Make sure you perform weightlifting exercises with good form, not only to avoid injury, but simply because good form allows you to lift more weight. Sometimes your coach may force you to remove all the plates from the bar and just focus on technique work. Listen to your coach! Effective movements speed up the passage of water crossings. The snatch is an example of an exercise with extremely complex technique. Before setting new records, you should take care of improving your technique.
Crossfit in Russia
The first CrossFit championship in Russia was held in 2012 in Moscow; since 2013, regular winter and summer games have been held (Heraklion Cup). As of August 2020, there are 57 affiliated CrossFit gyms operating in Russia[80]. CrossFit is practiced both in affiliated gyms and outside of them, that is, on an independent basis[81].
Heraklion is not affiliated with CrossFit competitions. Functional all-around competitions are held under the auspices of Heraklion. In 2020 and 2020, the Big Cup was held with the participation of the affiliated gym CrossFit Geraklion. This is what caused the confusion in the names. The organizers of these annual competitions plan that, starting in 2020, the Big Cup, as in the period from 2012 to 2014, should become the largest independent CrossFit competition in the CIS. Any affiliated gym can hold competitions within its affiliated gym, for example, Idol Throwdown takes place within the walls of the affiliated club CF IDOL, and there is also an agency called Cross.Show, which specializes in holding team tournaments in cooperation with affiliated clubs.
CrossFit Games 2020: schedule
CrossFit Games 2020, as usual, will include three stages. The full series of competitions will take place from February 21 to August 4 .
schedule is as follows:
- Open 2020 (from February 21 to March 27);
- qualifications (from December 2020 to June 2019);
- final (from July 31 to August 4).
It is planned that in 2020 the number of participants in the finals will increase significantly. If previously 80 athletes competed at the last stage, now there will be about 350 .
The event organizers promise to create their own professional channel where you can watch the live broadcast of the CrossFit Games.
