Ask HN: What is the science behind CrossFit?Is it safe to practice?
i have two bulging discs, and light weight lifting for 30minutes and a one round of crossfit really helps me (my studio does 3, i tried two but it proved too much at the moment), combined with gravity boots after.
the thing about crossfit is that its a muscle / indurance mix. almost army style training really.
it puts you in an anerobic state, lowering the oxygen your cells can consume, forcing your body to build more resiliant cells and muscle fibre.
one thing to note: often crossfit mixes different routines, so if you have a back issue, make sure you avoid ones that involve excessice back strain such as planks, until your back is completely healed.
other than that its healtheir than weight lifting for the average person, no heavy weights involved and its full body, so all the little muscles get to work too.
its time efficient too, 60 minutes and done. weight lifting can stretch for hours as you advance. with crossfit, you just reduce your rest period if you want more intensity.
personally i do a mix of both, and keep my training under 90minutes two times a week.
>because of my back issues, I was wondering how to approach doing it. Also, I'm a bit worried if the high intensity would lead to any kind of injuries. Your suggestions are very handy thank you.
youre very welcome. if your back had healed a bit, consider gravity boots. my discs are in 5/6 and 8/9, upper region. so i couldnt do anything but swing 2kg dumbbells around very carefully. once the nerves calmed down and it was more muscular pains, i managed to utilize the gravity boots effectively. 60 seconds after training, and sleep after or head to a sports massuese then eat protien and sleep. 7 months in, 80% better.
as to intensity and the 60m crossfit, just try a single round and leave, with 20 stations and 25sec rest, its around 20 minutes worth. keep an eye for the pain, and get one decompression excersize to do before bed everyday if you can help it. by the rate this is going i think ill heal 100% by mid 2019 which is a better prospect than thinking im fucked for life.
Hi, because CrossFit runs on time, there is a great danger that the exercises will be performed uncleanly.
Basically, body exercises and basic training (squats, dead lifts, pull-ups) are strongly recommended.
The technique must be carried out cleanly and to learn this takes several months as a beginner.
Do you have any pointers (videos, articles etc) for beginners?
For barbell training, Starting Strength is a fantastic introduction.
For kettlebell training, I would sooner look to Pavel Tsatsouline's Simple & Sinister for a simple and effective program that can be run by beginners for a good long while.
My pointers to you: 1. full range of motion, 2. form follows function & 3. do exercises cleanly!
My number one pointer would be: Don't be afraid to scale either the routine or the exercises done.