I find myself getting
more and more frustrated with people telling me, "I heard CrossFit is
really bad for you; you're just gonna end up getting injured."
Let me give you a first
hand account and a REAL perspective on my injuries and CrossFit training. I
first came to Hyperfit USA in the beginning of June, 2013. Upon entering, I
filled out an information sheet on my physical health, how many times per week
I currently worked out, and any pains, injuries, or concerns I had about my
body.
At that time, my right
knee was giving me problems and I expressed great concern for my right
shoulder. I feared what would happen if I pushed it much further. My shoulder
had gotten so bad over the years that reaching over to put on a seatbelt became
a daunting task; raising my arm, even half way up to wave to someone sent so
many shooting pains into my shoulder and back that I ALWAYS used my left, and
doing a simple push-up... well, that became more painful than it was worth.
To no surprise, doctors
said the wear and tear of playing sports and lifting over the years had finally
taken its toll, and it was time to think on and reconsider surgery. This was
the last thing that I wanted and resisted it with every fiber of my being. So
you may be asking... "And you decided to jump into CrossFit as a result?
Are you crazy?" Think what you will, but joining Hyperfit USA in Ann
Arbor, MI was the best decision I could have made in regard to my surgery
proned shoulder.
I spoke with Doug
Chapman, the owner of Hyperfit, and told him of my concerns. I expressed to him
that I wanted to avoid surgery at all costs, until there was absolutely no
other option. He said, "I get it. Let's see what we can do." Doug
personally began looking at my range of motion, what parts of my shoulder hurt,
and where the pain would go when I did various activities. Immediately, I was
given a variety of therapeutic techniques that aided in the healing and
strengthening of my shoulder muscles and tendons.
The next common
question that has been posed to me is, "Well, what about the workouts? How
did you get through those?" The answer is simple. It's called M O D I F I
C A T I O N. What the outside world does't know and most don't bother to
research is that not every person that walks into a CrossFit gym is an elite
athlete, nor are they expected to be. Every movement... and I mean EVERY
movement can be modified to fit that individual's needs and ability level.
"Oh, you can't do a strict pull-up yet, let's try using a band. Is that
still too painful? We'll bring you over to the rings, and teach you how to do a
proper ring row to build strength in that area. Are you not ready for that yet?
I understand; go grab a box; I'm going to show you how to do a jumping
pull-up."
It wasn't until I came
to a REPUTABLE gym, with skilled trainers that watched every movement I made,
that my injuries and range of motion became better than they have been in 10+
years. Additionally, my technique and skill in the Olympic lifts are better
than they've ever been.
Would you like to know
why CrossFit gyms get such a bad name?? It's because there are a lot of bad
ones out there. Just like there are a lot of olympic lifting coaches that you
may find that encourage getting your new one rep max over adhering to safety and
good technique. The key is to know what's good and what isn't. Let me give you
a hint... If you walk into a CrossFit gym, without having gone through any
introductory sessions, but you tell them that you work out all the time and
have been lifting at gyms for years, and they say, "Alright, we have a WOD
starting in 10 minutes; just fill out this waiver and you can give it a
try," RUN! Run for the hills!
Although I have power
lifting friends, some that do CrossFit also, much of the bad press that
CrossFit gets, comes from them. A former trainer at Hyperfit USA and I had a
conversation about this some time back. He said, in explanation of why many
power lifters feel this way is, "Power lifters focus on doing a lift one
time, with max weight, and doing it with perfect movement. That's not what we
do here." Obviously, there is nothing wrong this. "What a lot of
power lifters don't want to admit is that Power Lifting was a dying sport.
CrossFit has helped bring it back to life. It is what it is."
Here is where power
lifters are correct. In CrossFit, we don't do an olympic lift just one time in
workout. We do that movement in reps and sets, along with other conditioning
movements, like burpees, ring dips, and box jumps. CrossFit is designed to
enhance one's overall fitness and athletic ability, not put the focus solely on
one movement. BUT here is the key--doing olympic lifts in reps DOES NOT mean
you sacrifice good technique and core stabilization.
So back to the original
point, injuries and CrossFit. The only time these two go hand in hand is when
one doesn't work with quality trainers and doesn't belong to a gym that puts
the individual first: keeping safety, technique, and humility right where it
belongs... as a primary functions of the athlete.
Learn the proper form
and technique of any athletic endeavor and reap the rewards of all it has to
offer.
Article Source:
https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kathryn_L_Ryan/2280584
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/9396992
Video: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrossFitHQ
