Crossfit for girls – a bestseller for weight loss or just a fashion trend?

The popularity of crossfit, a modern form of fitness, is still only gaining momentum in our country. Developed in California in the 90s by Greg Glassman, the program is aimed at improving endurance, weight loss, muscle building and overall health. That is, to gain a healthy and beautiful body. Does CrossFit make sense or is it just a fashion statement?

The content of the article:

Pros and cons of CrossFit for girls

According to professionals, no technique is incomparable with CrossFit in terms of the versatility and democracy of this sport. Anyone can do it, anywhere. There are no age restrictions, but serious strength training is not recommended for children and young mothers. However, there are special lightweight programs for them.

What is the use of CrossFit?

• Effects on all muscle groups.
• Versatility. CrossFit involves both strength exercises and running (crosses), pull-ups, rope climbing, etc.
• Diversity. Training programs can be changed every day.
• Lack of steroids. Since the goal of CrossFit is not to build muscle mass, steroids are not necessary.
• Development of the body’s endurance.
• Health benefits with the right approach (no overload).
• The ability to lose weight and strengthen muscles.
• Workout anywhere – outdoors, in the gym, or at home.
• No age restrictions.
• Prevention of “aging” of the joints.
• Improving the speed of reaction, as well as the coordination of movements.
• No stress. Exercise ensures that CrossFitters have a regular release of endorphins.

Flaws:

• Again, versatility. Due to the “dispersion” of the forces of some specific effect, the crossfitter cannot achieve (for example, build mountains of muscles like a bodybuilder or become a marathon runner).
• Harm to health with an illiterate distribution of their efforts.
• Risk of injury (muscle rupture).
• Risk to the cardiovascular system for an untrained person. In CrossFit, a very serious load on the heart, which is forced to work at high speed.
• Risk of developing rhabdomyolysis (note – destruction of skeletal muscles). Due to the work of the body at the limit of its capabilities, muscle fibers are destroyed and myoglobin is released into the blood, which in turn impairs the functioning of the kidneys and leads to more serious pathologies.
• The risk of prolapse of the pelvic organs for women with serious strength exercises for lifting weights.

Contraindications:

• The presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
• Diseases of the joints.
• Varicose veins.
• Untreated injuries of the limbs or the musculoskeletal system.
• Diseases of the lungs.
• Underdevelopment of the muscles of the body.
• Pregnancy.
• Children at the age of “fragile spines”.
• Muscle, joint and bone pathologies.
• Recently postponed operations.

Crossfit clothing and footwear, sports equipment

Naturally, one cannot do without comfortable clothes / shoes and additional “inventory”.

What do you need for training?

• Practical, comfortable and beautiful clothes. It should be easy, comfortable and joyful for you to study in it.
• Requirements for the suit: lightness, sports purpose (no trousers and denim shorts, belts and shirts), fit to the body (like a second skin), compression properties, fixation of the chest (so as not to damage the ligaments). A close-fitting breathable bra or similar support top is recommended.
• Suit material requirements: breathable / absorbent, preventing body cooling and overheating, with an antibacterial layer applied.
• Shoes: sneakers with hard soles or weightlifting shoes. No sandals, slates or sneakers! You can’t go barefoot either. Shoes should securely fix the foot, be in size and not restrict movement.

Additional “accessories” – special / protective equipment:

• For training on rings / horizontal bars and with a barbell – pads on the palms and special gloves (to protect against the breakdown of corns).
• For rope climbing and weightlifting, as well as to protect the knees from injury during constant squatting – special / knee pads.
• Headband – to protect the eyes from sweat drops.

All Women’s CrossFit Questions

Girls always have the most questions about CrossFit.

Experts will answer the most popular ones:

• Will I lose weight by doing CrossFit?

Well, of course, this is the main goal of most of the girls who got acquainted with CrossFit. The answer is yes! But with a small condition: adherence to a diet, refusal of refined food and restriction of carbohydrates in the diet. By itself, training is not aimed at getting rid of extra centimeters, but when combined with diet and food quality, it will lead to tangible results.

• What should be the CrossFit schedule?

The training regimen is every other day and for the first time no more than 20 minutes.

• Is CrossFit for a woman good for home workouts?

Yes, it is not prohibited. But first, you should contact an instructor who will draw up a program according to your capabilities, select the exercises you need, monitor the correctness of their implementation and explain all the nuances.

• Are weights and barbell mandatory in Women’s CrossFit?

Nobody can force you to lift the barbell if you do not want to. This is a personal matter for everyone. But without hardware, CrossFit is not CrossFit at all. Moreover, the weight of the barbell / kettlebell will be set for you by the trainer – personally, according to your capabilities and wishes. And calluses from a barbell are much nicer than cellulite on the pope.

• Will my muscles be too pumped up?

There is no need to fear this moment. Crossfit is not bodybuilding. Yes, it helps to build muscle, but, alas, not as fast as the fat at the waist grows. To outline the relief of the pumped up muscles (and even more so to “pump” them), you will have to work hard in the gym, taking into account a certain diet and other factors.

• Do you need a special diet during your CrossFit workout?

Yes, yes and yes again. Otherwise, you simply will not be able to keep the result of your training. The main principles of the paleo diet:

1. We forget about dairy products, wheat and its derivatives, legumes and potatoes, as well as about smoked meats, sugar and sweets, about semi-finished products and sausages, sauces, mayonnaise, pickles.
2. We eat only light varieties of meat.
3. Seafood and light fish are on the table (and more often)!
4. More berries, fruits (bananas, watermelons and grapes – to a minimum), vegetables (peppers and beets, mushrooms and broccoli, eggplant salad).
5. We add fish / vegetable oil, dryers, nuts to the diet.
6. We also remember about a nutritious breakfast, a strict diet, quality food and healthy snacks.

Crossfit complex for women

Where to begin?

We begin to learn how to combine exercises, control the speed / technique and, most importantly, do not rush to increase the load! Everything is gradual.

Approximate training plan:

• Squats with a medicine ball (it is held at the chest) with legs wide apart or on one leg altogether.
• Running (distance or on the spot).
• We pump over the press (we raise our legs, hanging on the rings or a horizontal bar).
• Deadlift.

Plan for the next 2 days:

• Pulling up on the horizontal bar (approx. – with a jerk).
• Exercise bike.
• Pumping the press (from a lying position or on a horizontal bar – at the highest possible speed).
• Weighted lunges (approx. – a disc held over the head, a few kg, for example).

Important!

CrossFit involves alternating exercise and minimizing commercial breaks. That is, the rest should be short.

Crossfit at home

You will need a medicine ball or kettlebell (any weight that will be lifting for you) and a jump rope. The number of exercises is 15-20 times for each type.

• Jumping rope. We accelerate metabolism. The choice of jumping option is free.
• Burpee. Difficult exercise, but very effective. First, we squat down and touch the floor with our hands. Next, we transfer the weight to our hands and through the jump we take a horizontal position. The position of the hands is parallel, we fix the elbows and go down as low as possible. We rise and through the jump we return to the starting position. We get up and make a jump up. The speed of action is maximum.
• Swing the kettlebell. Its weight is calculated based on 15-20 repetitions of one exercise.
• Tossing the medball (flattened leather sphere with sand). We throw the honey / ball as high as possible, increasing the load by squatting before throwing the medicine ball.

Basic rules for every beginner to remember:

• We choose another sport if there are contraindications.
• We start only with a professional trainer.
• We strictly follow the laws of technique and speed in order to avoid injuries.
• Warm-up (stretching) is mandatory for ligaments and muscles, both before and after workouts.
• We do not expect results after a week of training.
• We ignore the heaviness in the muscles after exercise machines and exercise regularly.
• We do not drink water during classes.
• A set of 4 exercises should include the work of all muscles – on the legs, traction (barbell, kettlebell), jerks (pull-ups), cardio load.
• For 20 minutes of workout, all exercises are performed “in a circle” at least 4 times.
• We work on the strength of the grip. This is especially difficult for a woman, therefore it is especially necessary.
• We are not afraid of bruises and learn to deal with them.
• We try not to miss a workout on the “red days of the calendar” (with the exception of especially heavy and painful menstruation).

And yet – we do not pay attention to outsiders. In fact, no one cares what you do there and whether you look beautiful at the same time. Just enjoy your workout and forget about everything.