What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a trademarked fitness program that centers on "constantly varied functional movements, executed at a high intensity," explains Quinn Hess, a Salt Lake City-based personal trainer and fitness coach who taught CrossFit for seven years. He says the program incorporates elements of weightlifting, plyometrics, aerobic exercise, gymnastics, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), kettlebell drills, calisthenics and strongman exercises.
Examples of these include anything as traditional as running, squats, pull-ups and deadlifts, to less common exercises like box jumps, tire flipping and rope pulling.
Originally often catered to super athletes or those looking to become them, "a few years ago, CrossFit rebranded and incorporated a more sensible approach to fitness for a broader range of people," says Sean Sewell, a certified personal trainer and founder of Colorado Personal Fitness in Denver.
This new approach includes expanded exercises that appeal to more body types and fitness levels. The company's website notes that you don't "at all" have to be fit to start the exercise program, because "you join CrossFit to become fit."
It also notes that a typical one-hour CrossFit class is led by a trained coach, who starts by introducing the workouts and movements of that session, then takes participants through a warm-up, skill practice, group workout and a cool-down period where fist bumps are exchanged and scores are shared.
What are the benefits of CrossFit?
CrossFit provides many of the same benefits that any physical exercise provides, namely improved cardiovascular health, healthy weight management and increased muscle growth.
"Most of the exercises performed in CrossFit start with core muscles and then go outwards," says Hess. This means strengthening abdominal, back and pelvic floor muscles while also doing whole-body exercises that target chest, butt, arm and leg muscles. "Each CrossFit workout usually covers training the entire body," echoes Sewell.
Because of its incorporation of HIIT and aerobic exercises, "CrossFit also involves a heavy dose of cardio," Hess says, "which also helps train your lungs and heart." Indeed, research shows that CrossFit exercise increases VO2max (the highest amount of oxygen that a person can use during intense exercise), sports endurance and improves body composition.
Some of its practical benefits include "the excitement of training with others, feeling part of something and getting encouragement from others," says Sewell. And if you like variety in your workouts or get bored easily, "CrossFit helps you overcome that hurdle," says Hess, "because the workouts are always changing."
What are the negatives of CrossFit?
Despite so many benefits, CrossFit has some limitations as well with one of the big ones being that it can be financially prohibitive for many people. "A typical CrossFit gym charges members anywhere from $125 to $200 a month or more depending on the location," says Hess.
Another downside is that the fitness regimen can be overwhelming at first. "As with any gym," says Sewell, "a person could easily find themselves in over their head when starting out."
Research shows that injuries can also occur when engaging in CrossFit exercises. Shoulder joint and spine injuries are among the most common ones, though "the involvement of well-educated coaches correlates with a decreased injury rate," the study notes.
This is why it's recommended to "read a gym's online reviews and to talk to other members about their experience" before signing up, says Hess. "You want to make sure the coaches there know how to safely scale and tailor specific workouts to each member."
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As with any new exercise routine, be sure to check with your health provider before beginning CrossFit. If you get the go-ahead, be sure to start off slowly, under the supervision of a trained professional.