CrossFit started as a single gym in 1995 and has grown into a multi-million dollar, worldwide fitness sensation. With thousands of “boxes” (the CrossFit term for a “gym”) across the world and endorsements from companies like Reebok and celebrities like Bob Harper from “The Biggest Loser,” people are flocking to be part of CrossFit, a progressive fitness community that prides itself on pushing and challenging participants to their limits.
But, is their “do it until you can’t do it anymore” mentality a good fit for everyone? Seth Eisenberg, clinic director at ATI Quakertown, and Joe Dawson, clinic director at ATI Wilmington Riverfront, weighed in on what individuals should know about this fitness craze.
“Overall, CrossFit can be a great workout for the general population,” said Seth. “It is scalable. However, the biggest thing to remember is the importance of correct form. If participants don’t practice proper form, they’re at greater risk to hurt themselves.”
Joe agrees that Crossfit can be scalable, allowing it to be an appropriate workout for people of various fitness levels.
“I had a patient who was at Crossfit for three weeks before her coach had her lifting any type of weight,” Joe said. “He had her focus on technique first by using a PVC pipe as a bar, and once she mastered that, she was able to use a bar, and then eventually add weight. It was a slow progression.”
Seth and Joe are clear on one thing: correct technique is key to being a successful CrossFit athlete. In general strength and conditioning workouts, athletes typically focus on “technical failure,” meaning they repeat movements until they can no longer do so while maintaining correct form. However, in the CrossFit culture, athletes are encouraged to perform until general muscle failure, meaning they repeat the movement – even if they break form – until they cannot do another rep. In addition, they regularly have athletes complete workouts for time, adding extra pressure to finish as quickly as possible, even at the risk of breaking form.
“When you push your body towards total muscle failure instead of technical failure, your body has to compensate in some way for that incorrect form,” Seth said. “Those compensations can lead to injury.”
The aggressive approach to perform Olympic-level lifts and exercises, combined with the commitment to complete CrossFit workouts multiple times per week, can lead to overuse injuries, such as tendonitis. In addition, performing moves without correct posture can result in traumatic acute injuries, such as ACL tears or lumbar spondylolisthesis (known as “spondy”).
“Individuals have to know how much they can handle and stop before they push too far,” said Joe. “Active recovery is so key. Athletes need to take appropriate rest days to allow their muscles to recover.”
Joe suggests that CrossFit coaches may want to utilize the knowledge of physical therapists to make sure their athletes are as safe and successful as possible. He recommends athletes undergoing a pre-participation screen before exercising to establish a baseline fitness level.
Despite the risk of injury (as with any other fitness program), both Joe and Seth recognize the value of the community aspect of CrossFit.
“The camaraderie between CrossFit athletes is amazing,” Joe said. “It really is a team sport, and each person is pushing another one to achieve. It’s great for accountability and staying committed.”