CrossFit could be easily compared to the Kiki challenge. Many people are doing it as it is popular and getting injured pointlessly. CrossFit boxes (that is what they call a gym) are opening around every nook and corner of a street and people are running to buy memberships as bees sticking to honey. The question is: is CrossFit worth the hype? There definitely would be people who would come and wholeheartedly pledge their allegiance to the sport and protect it like a religion, but the question still needs to be addressed.

© Pixabay

Yes, there are a few positives like community support and pushing each other are commendable about this sport but do they do enough to overcome the negatives associated with them?  The reason I am being so critically vocal of CrossFit is that there are so many negatives.

The goal of any sport-specific training would be to avoid an injury as much as possible. An injury means non-improvement for an athlete. On the other hand, in CrossFit, injuries are considered to be proud of. Just last year, the CrossFit nationals in the USA had over 24 pec tears. Those are surgery level injuries and not the usual sprains or strains. Even high-level combat sports do not see these extents of injuries at the top level.

Olympic and compound lifts are usually done with a very low volume as they are highly technique-driven. In the Olympics or Powerlifting meets, you'd see athletes attempt 1RMs. During the training of these lifts as well, they are not trained with very high volumes and with sufficient rest between sets.

Talk about CrossFit, these exercises are programmed to do for sets of 30 or 40. Most of the time, without any consideration for form or technique as the WOD, needs to be timed after all.

The group culture and class structure are amazing but the specificity or individualization part of exercise programming is lost like a kid in outer space.

A kid in space. That does not exist, right? Well, exactly my point.

Beginner, intermediate, advanced, previous injury, whatever category you are in, you have to do the WOD. One plan fits all.

The goal of any exercise routine is increased performance, strength, endurance, skill, etc; not pain or being hurt. In CrossFit, it is the other way round. Due to unplanned and hard workouts most of the times, the athletes or enthusiasts are often sore, tired, and exhausted.  While they celebrate this fact, it simply is defeating the purpose of an exercise routine in the first place.

© Pixabay

Most of these CrossFit boxes have a 'Puke Wall of Fame'. Ridiculous, right!

You write your name and puke there after a tough workout. This happens almost to everyone initially. The classic no pain no gain or rather no puke no stupid here.

A supposed 'sport' where pukes and pain are celebrated and injuries are worn as a badge of honor? No thank you!

Author bio:

Pratik Thakkar is the co-founder and director of GetSetGo Fitness, an online fitness company. He is regarded as someone who will make it easy for you to understand the process by putting things in the right context and providing science-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding. You can reach out to him at pratik@getsetgo.fitness and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.