It’s Dangerous

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I know running about and pretending you’re tough is always going to be a bit dangerous, and that’s “cool” and everything, but CrossFit is a step up the danger tree.

Like so:

According to Stuart McGill, a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, the risk of injury from some CrossFit exercises outweighs their benefits when they are performed with poor form in timed workouts.

And…

In 2013 an online survey of CrossFit discussion forum members conducted by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, found that out of a total of 132 respondents, 97 (73.5%) reported sustaining an injury during CrossFit training. The most commonly injured area reported was the shoulder (31.8%) which exceeded that among competitive Olympic weightlifters.

Higher injury rates than Olympic weightlifters!? Come on now CrossFitters of the world. That’s just daft, surely? It doesn’t stop there:

The overall injury rate calculated from these surveys was 3.1/1000 hrs, compared to a rates of 2.4/1000 among elite weight lifters and 2.7/1000 among elite power lifters… and 2.63/1000 among elite gymnasts.

Whether you like the CrossFit burn or not you’ve got to ask why it’s OK to sell the idea of exercises that are more dangerous than those that professional athletes do at the highest level of strength and fitness training. I mean, you’ve seen gymnasts crash and burn, right? They slam hard, but CrossFit injures you more than that? Nah… I’ll swerve it mate.