Impact of Crossfit: First two months

Those who have been following me on social networks will know that just over two months ago I started a new stage in this Blog to bring you new information about Crossfit that can benefit you, so I decided to go into a 6 month training program in Crossfit 506.

For those who do not yet know about Crossfit, the official website defines it as a training system where a variety of functional exercises are performed at high intensity. The different types of exercises that are performed incorporate movements of gymnastics, weightlifting and cardiovascular capacity, so I could say that it is the most complete training system that I have ever come across.

I have always thought that the best way in which I can properly speak about something is by knowing it, experiencing it and of course measuring it, testing the changes. It is for this reason that from the beginning I decided to implement a series of standard tests that I have been measuring along with my work team of GoMind, Nutrición Atlética and Kinemed to demonstrate how this system has impacted me in terms of strength, resistance, power, mobility, nutrition, and physical care.

In general terms, the results obtained have greatly exceeded my expectations and I can assure you that I not only do feel better, but the physical changes are visible to the naked eye. Therefore, I share each of the test results so you can be the judge. The measurements were done in the first week and two months after starting in Crossfit.

For the strength tests I used the maximum weight (in pounds) that I was able to lift in three exercises: The deadlift, the backsquat with bar and the benchpress with bar. The results are amazing because of the great advance in strength that I had in just two months. Those who know about Crossfit may wonder why I did not use the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk, simple, I do not feel the ability to generate a personal record with those exercises when in fact I still have much to improve at a technical level.

For resistance testing I used 3 basic exercises which I only use body weight: strict pull ups, squats and push ups. The test consisted in performing the greatest number of repetitions until failure, that is, what the withstands. I did not have any rest between each exercise. I’ve done these exercises for many years, and still there was considerable improvement in each.

To measure power we used a software in GoMind called Chronojump. This is used to measure the size of the jumps in a series of tests and all the data are in centimeters. Even though I’m not used to perform power exercises in Crossfit, there was a partial advance in the jumping tests from squat, the counter-movement and the reactive that could be attributed to the strength workouts. In the rest of the jumping tests, there was a negative effect.

Mobility was evaluated in GoMind with the FMS tool (Functional Movement Screen) and I love the results because although there was no improvement, the evidence suggests that the popular belief that weights "make you stiffer” is just one myth. We will finish to verify this in the following tests of the 4 and 6 months.

At a nutritional level I am using a diet of 3500 kcal recommended by Athletic Nutrition, which I will keep until the end of the test period. Under this parameter, the results have been super positive. Although body weight dropped almost 1 kilogram, body composition varied positively with a slight rise in muscle and a significant decrease in body fat. So yes, you can actually loose lots of fat in a short time with Crossfit.

Finally, I am measuring the physical impact in relation to the amount of injuries I experience during this time. In these first months I suffered only a slight injury in the wrists, of which I assume 100% responsibility for not applying the correct technique when holding the Olympic bar in the Front Squat. With a physiotherapy session at Kinemed, bandage use and correct application of the technique the problem was solved in less than a week.

As you can see, this trend of Crossfit has caught me and earned my respect because in the end I have made GREAT progress in a very short time. I reached these achievements with 5 weekly training sessions in regular group classes. It is very likely that if Crossfit generated this impact in me, it could do the same for you.

Some points in favor of practicing Crossfit:

• Exercise routines (WODs) are done in just 1 hour.

• The training system requires that ALL parts of the body worked out.

• The high level of exigency in each of the sessions make us develop a high level of tolerance to physical fatigue, that is, it strengthens us mentally.

• All routines can be adapted according to each person's level.

Recommendations:

-If you are new, be humble, learn the techniques well and gradually increase the weights.

-Do not make the mistake of signing up for a box for the price, remember that usually cheap is expensive. It is best that you go to a place with trained people and good team like CF506 to make it easier to move forward and keep your motivation to the limit.

-If you are a high-performance athlete, I recommend you being careful if you decide to use the Crossfit to prepare physically, as a complement. While many exercises could be of great help to you, others may detract from your physical abilities in your discipline. Due to this, the guide of a professional is necessary so they can adapt the physical preparation according to the exigencies of the sport that you practice. Just as I did with my friends from GoMind who helped me prepare physically and mentally for the last Karate tournament in which I fought with routines 100% adapted to my martial art.

Gladiators, during this month of May, there will be a promotion in Crossfit 506 Escazú. If you present the promocode LAGCF506, you will be exempt from the registration fee. So I invite you to come and train with me!

In two months I will write again about the new improvements and hope to bring you even better news.

Happy workouts!

#english