Crossfit , also known as CrossFit (trademark name by its creator), is a training system that is based on a variety of exercises performed with great intensity. Its purpose is to allow the development of various bodily abilities.
The American Greg Glassman was the one who created CrossFit in the mid- 1970s . Over time he managed to open his own training centers and formed a worldwide movement of men and women adept at the system .
Through CrossFit you can increase muscular, respiratory and cardiovascular resistance , gaining flexibility, strength and speed. This is possible since the person is forced to constantly adapt to different scenarios that require a wide range of movements.
According to the followers of this training methodology, CrossFit helps maintain motivation since it always poses new challenges and presents renewed demands.
CrossFit is usually structured in 60-minute sessions known as WOD (Work of the Day ) . Each WOD includes a warm-up, a part A where a certain technique is developed, a part B of greater intensity and elongation. The WOD must vary each day.
It should be noted that various specialists have warned about the risks of practicing CrossFit. The intensity of the exercises and free movements without the supervision of a qualified professional can cause injuries and various health problems, while the absence of a routine makes it difficult to focus on specific goals.
There is a worldwide competition called CrossFit Games , where the best and most dedicated followers of this movement participate. On the other hand, every year the CrossFit Open is held, a season that invites people from all over the world to register on the official site and publish the scores they obtain in each of the five sessions of which it consists, which are extend for five weeks. The volume of participation is considerable: in 2014, for example, it exceeded 209 thousand participants.
Some crossfit movements
Although there are many exercises created and endorsed by this discipline aimed at physical and mental well-being , there are only eight movements considered fundamental, the pillars of CrossFit. Let's see a brief description of some of them below:
* snatch squat - in this case, the shoulders play the main role, which is based on a grip on the bar with great amplitude. It is necessary that the armpits face directly forward and that the knees are aligned while performing the squat ;
* power push : the bar is held "inwards", with the elbows pointing forward and helping us with the knees for the lift. The heels should remain down until leg and hip extension occurs;
* Sumo deadlift with high traction : it is a fast movement, based on lifting the bar from the floor to the chest, with the elbows facing outward, the hands very close to the center and the feet aligned with the shoulders;
* clean and jerk push : the starting position consists of having the body upright and the way of holding the bar is similar to that of the power push. Next, a slight descent should be made with the whole body, bending the knees, to finish with a total upward stretch, carrying the bar above the head with the arms in a V shape;
* front squat : it is based on the previous movement , although this time the bar must include weights. The final stretch, on the other hand, should be done with the arms perpendicular to the floor, with the hands outside the shoulders to avoid injury.