Many people have a misconception about CrossFit, and there are those who think that it is only made for superheroes, and is CrossFit safe for beginners? This question has been repeated several times.
So in order to clarify things, I will ask you a simple question, how do you think that the CrossFit champions reach the level of fitness that they possess now? Because there must be a starting point from which many of the current champions are launched from, they were also in the rookie stage just like you.
So, in this post, we will find out if CrossFit is really safe for beginners, what are the benefits you will gain and what are the risks it may be exposed to.
Let’s find out the answers together.
Is CrossFit safe for beginners?
All sports may be unsafe for beginners, not just CrossFit, and the reason is that most beginners make several mistakes while practicing sports activities.
Among the mistakes that may cause beginners to get injured, for example, not warming up and starting immediately to lift weights, doing difficult movements in the wrong way, doing many repetitions more than the body’s endurance capacity .. and so on.
CrossFit may be friendly to beginners and does not pose any risks to their bodies, but there must be a skilled trainer who leads them gradually and respects their fitness level.
How important is it to have a good coach at CrossFit?
The coach is the guide for beginners because he has sufficient experience and knows well what is in your best interest. The specialists also confirmed that the association of the participation of skilled coaches effectively contributes to the low rate of injury resulting from CrossFit activities.
It is also recommended that beginners undergo a special program and learn basic CrossFit techniques, and a slow increase in the load.
Can CrossFit be done without experience?
I should be clear on this issue, CrossFit does not need to have any experience with CrossFit in particular, but you should have some experience with other physical activities.
Many beginners I know personally, they started with one of the physical activities similar to CrossFit and less intense, such as (BodyPump), and after gaining some fitness and experience in terms of performing movements and lifting some light weights, they then combined with CrossFit lessons for beginners And it worked well for them.
As a tip, if you have no previous experience with physical activities, you can start with a suitable and easy activity, and when you feel that you have gained some fitness and stamina, you can start CrossFit with a good trainer and I am sure that you will go well.
How can beginners start doing CrossFit?
Beginners need to know the basics of CrossFit, and what activities they do in the gym.
There are several terms you need to know such as:
- Metcon: Metabolic Conditioning.
- WOD: Workout Of The Day.
- AMRAP: As Many Reps As Possible.
- EMOM: Every Minute On Minute.
These are some of the terms that you need to know their explanations, and what is their purpose as well, in order not to feel yourself an outsider in this activity.
I know you’re wondering about the starting point, I know, I know, I’ll answer the question now.
There are 3 things you should focus on, then everything will come automatically after that because these points are important for a successful start.
- Develop a balanced diet that contains all the healthy nutritional elements.
Learn more about CrossFit Nutrition.
- Choosing a good CrossFit center, and when we say good, it must meet some conditions:
- Quality of trainers: The trainer, as we said, is the guide for the beginner and building your success depends on it.
- CrossFit Culture: Everyone loves joining a gym to achieve a goal, so you may not like joining a CrossFit center that has many seasoned athletes and fitness fanatics, you should choose to join a CrossFit gym that caters to beginners.
- Safety: This is related to trainers as well, because they are the closest people to you while you are doing exercises, so he can ask you to reduce weights if he finds that they are heavy on you.
- A good program: making a plan suitable for beginners is the most important thing that may make you stick to constantly doing exercises, and it is the alarm that always keeps you alert and going according to the schedule, because randomness does not give results in the end.
- Rest and recovery: Stressing on yourself a lot may expose you to injury, so you must adhere to respecting rest days and allowing the muscles to recover.
Related: Know more about starting point for beginners
How many days should a beginner do CrossFit?
CrossFit is a high intensity interval training activity that beginners should start as slowly as possible.
2 to 3 times a week is enough time, and in fact, for beginners, doing exercises 3 times a week may be equivalent to the number of times that CrossFit athletes train throughout the week.
If you do not want to throw the towel from your first day, you should start slowly and do not try to impress yourself in the fitness hall in order to show how strong you are, because this may expose the body to injury and there is a possibility that you will be injured again in the same area and sometimes recovering from injuries take a long time.
You can avoid all of this if you take the necessary precautions.
Learn more about 25 WOD for Beginners.
What benefits can beginners get with CrossFit?
According to the NCBI website, some researchers conducted studies on the benefits that people can gain from CrossFit activities, and the results showed several benefits that were effective in improving several parameters of physical fitness, such as:
- Build endurance.
- Maximum air capacity increased.
- Building aerobic and anaerobic capacity.
- Positive effect on body composition.
- Building strength, flexibility and balance.
- body mass control,
- Weight loss, especially around the waist.
The same studies also found some improvements in mood in addition to physical changes, as it was proven that CrossFit training has a positive effect on motivational factors and sense of community.
These are the most important health benefits that can be gained with CrossFit activities, and this is what encourages many people around the world to give a try to these activities, and why not become a part of their routine.
What risks can a beginner face with CrossFit?
If you are in good health and do not suffer from chronic diseases and so on, the only danger that you can face with CrossFit training is the risk of injury, and this is not only for beginners, but even for professionals, several studies have shown that they are vulnerable to injury with CrossFit training more than other similar exercises.
And some studies showed that after the spread of CrossFit training in the last few pots, the number of injuries caused by it increased, especially among beginners, during their first 6 months of training.
Common risks that beginners may encounter include:
- Injuries in various parts of the body and the most common are: Shoulder, spine, hip, and
- lower back injuries.
- Beginners may also suffer from muscle swelling and puffiness after exercise, and this
- happens when you perform the exercises incorrectly.
- Constant stress and not respecting the rest days for at least two days between classes, may increase the risk of injury.
- Feeling dizzy during the classes and this may be a result of a lack of energy, and this happens when you do not get a healthy meal that contains protein and carbohydrates before training.
These are most of the risks that beginners may face, so it is highly recommended that beginners should train under the supervision of professional trainers, because this may greatly reduce the possibility of injury.
Is CrossFit a good choice for beginners?
We’ve already said that CrossFit may be beginner-friendly, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.
If you have a desire to gain a strong body, build muscle and build endurance of the heart and muscles as well, then CrossFit will suit you well.
Many beginners confirmed that they made the right choice when they continued with CrossFit training, and there are some beginners who confirmed that it was not a right choice, and this happens when you do not know your ambitions and do not know the goals that you are trying to achieve with a particular activity.
Summary
CrossFit may be safe for beginners and does not pose any danger to their body as long as they commit to taking precautions and doing what they can.
People who are about to join a CrossFit center must check their medical and physical condition first, and then they must choose the right center for them and a good coach.
It is recommended to join the On-Ramp program for the gym they want to join before starting the training, in order to get used to the techniques, movements, and intensity.
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