Photo: Dani Martinez Lopez
Shoes: Nummulit Ignis Azul
What is Crossfit?
Crossfit is a physical training system that groups together a great variety of exercises from other sports disciplines (weightlifting, gymnastics, athletics, among others).
In addition, techniques and movements that are also applicable in everyday life are taken and combined with each other, developing very intense and effective training sessions.
Therefore, Crossfit is the best method to work the 10 general physical capacities: cardiovascular endurance, energy endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and precision.
How did Crossfit come about?
The origin of this discipline dates back to the 1970s when Greg Glassman, a university student from California who worked in various gyms, began to observe the shortcomings of traditional training routines and created a system based on movements functional performed at high intensity.
But, it is the year 1995 when the first official Crossfit training center was opened, which was mainly oriented to the military, firefighters, and police officers.
Crossfit: key concepts
-WOD (Work of the Day): it is the daily training (it is always different) and lasts approximately 60 minutes.
-Open: it is the season that begins every year, where anyone can register to compete in 5 training sessions and post their score on the official Crossfit Games website, endorsed by a certified instructor.
-Box: It is the training place.
-RX: it is the confirmation that the athlete has done the daily training according to the weight and the indicated modality.
- Scaled: refers to training that has been adapted for a particular person with a lower weight or a simpler modality.
-RM: is the highest amount of weight that can be lifted by an athlete in a given exercise.
-WU (Warm-Up): is the warm-up prior to training.
-Hook Grip: refers to the grip of weights with the index and thumb fingers.
-Kettlebell: it is a weight of Russian origin with a spherical shape and a handle to grip, used in various exercises.
-DU: rope jump where it passes 2 times in a row under the feet.
-HSPU (Hand Stand Push Up): exercise that consists of performing a vertical against the wall and a push-up.
-OHS (Over Head Squat): overhead squat with bar grip.
-T2B: exercise in which, hanging from a bar, the tips of the feet are brought to it.
-Burpees: an exercise in which a push-up and a jump are combined, widely used in the warm-up phase.
-Rowing: rowing activity carried out on a machine.
-HIIT: means "high-intensity interval training" and is a type of sports training based on short and very intense interval sessions that alternate effort and recovery.
What is a Crossfit workout like?
It consists of a varied exercise program with a defined series of repetitions and in a given time, which can be done individually or in groups. Crossfit is not a repetitive sport, but it changes daily, so it is entertaining and highly motivating.
There are several groups of exercises that the creator of Crossfit has named after women (such as hurricanes) or with names of military heroes, policemen, or firefighters (as a tribute). In general, Crossfit workouts are structured in several parts:
Warm-up
Warm-up to prepare the body and avoid injuries. The most frequent exercises in this phase are rope jumps or clown jumps, sit-ups, squats, push-ups, among others.
Part A
Work on technique, strength, and power with the highest possible weight, all depending on the level of each person.
The exercises are usually Back or Front Squat (squats), Deadlift (deadlift), Snatch (snatch), Hang clean (load), Hang clean & jerk (load and lift), Planks (abdominal plank), Bench Press (bench weights), among others.
Part B
Moment of maximum intensity of the training, in which the amount of weight is lowered to focus on cardiorespiratory work.
The most frequent exercises in this part are jumps, chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, sprinting, swinging, “pistols”, among others.
Cooldown
Stretching of the muscles used during the previous training.
WOD types
We can comment that there is a great variety of Crossfit workouts, but the most popular are:
-AMRAP ("As Many Reps As Possible"): the objective is to complete the maximum number of repetitions, combinations of exercises, or rounds possible in a given time.
-Tabata: interval training method consisting of performing 8 sets of 20 seconds of intense work, and 10 seconds of rest for each exercise or group. The number of total repetitions is counted.
-EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute): it is about achieving the maximum number of repetitions of one or more exercises in 1 minute of time and during as many minutes as possible.
-By time: consists of completing a certain number of rounds in a limited time.
Benefits of Crossfit
-Helps to lose weight and eliminate body fat.
-Improves endurance, respiratory capacity, and cardiovascular health.
-Increases muscle and definition.
-It is suitable for all types of people with different levels and physical characteristics, adjusting the intensity and weight of each exercise.
-It serves to complement the training of other types of sports.
-It is a motivating discipline and not monotonous.
-It allows you to see results in a very short time.
-It is a sport that creates a community, in which all members support and encourage each other.
Minimalist footwear for Crossfit
For all those familiar with minimalist footwear, the Nummulit Ignis sneaker is a recommended model for the practice of Crossfit.
This shoe stands out for its excellent traction with the ground, great freedom of movement for the foot, and high stability for each training, both exterior and interior.
