The benefits of CrossFit for women

by Alberto Fernando Martínez

CrossFit is a beneficial sports activity during pregnancy

Fortunately, the evolution that CrossFit is undergoing in recent years means, in addition to the logical opening towards a society that is progressively encouraged to learn first-hand about a sport that is as attractive as it is 'addictive', that equality between men and women has found another foothold to lean on.

And it is that CrossFit not only reflects gender parity in the practice of this sport discipline itself, but also makes clear the multiple benefits that this activity can bring to women, since it is a beneficial sport activity during pregnancy, and that they still have to face false myths when it comes to joining a crossfit community.

The number of women who decide to practice CrossFit as a sport is growing day by day, overturning the belief that this is a masculine activity and aimed only at men.

Equality between the sexes when practicing CrossFit becomes more than evident when you take a look at the exercises that make up the training, since there is no distinction between men and women, the only difference being when doing them the weight with which you work.

More and more women are opting for CrossFit as a reference sport. Perhaps for showing some results (not without effort, of course) already visible after a few months of training. The improvement in strength and resistance is complemented by two of the great objectives that anyone seeks when starting to carry out a sporting activity: fat loss and body toning.

Cardiovascular, anaerobic and aerobic exercises must be combined with adequate nutrition and rest to achieve effective results, without forgetting of course to follow the instructions of the professional who is in charge of guiding us during sports practice.

Advisable as exercise during pregnancy

The practice of sports during the gestation period has been endorsed by medical professionals for decades. Yoga, Pilates or swimming are some of the most recommended, and despite what a part of society may think, CrossFit is also advisable.

Although it is a sport that requires a higher intensity than the aforementioned, CrossFit can also help improve blood circulation and lung capacity , as well as maintain physical fitness to make the time of delivery more bearable. Of course, the practice of CrossFit during pregnancy must be supervised by both sports professionals and health professionals.

The training in the box must be adapted at all times, without forgetting that the routine that can be carried out during the first months of pregnancy will not be the same as that of the last ones. The technique and breathing acquire (even more if possible) a maximum importance when carrying out the sporting activity, to guarantee the safety of both the woman and the fetus at all times.

Characteristic symptoms during pregnancy such as fatigue or cramps can be mitigated with the practice of CrossFit, which will also help to recover physical shape after childbirth more quickly and effectively.

False CrossFit Myths

The growth in popularity of CrossFit has unfortunately also brought to the surface many false statements or myths that are taken for granted by many people, and whose consent does not help the good image of this sport. From the high risk of injury involved in doing this sporting activity compared to others, to the high price it entails.

CrossFit is not only aimed at high-performance athletes, and it is not exclusively oriented towards competition. In fact, one of the main incentives that encourages those who enter a box for the first time to repeat is that feeling of overcoming one's own limitations.

Possibly the most widespread false myth attributed to CrossFit is the one that states that women who practice it become "big" and excessively muscular. The gain in muscle mass will be moderate, as long as it is complemented with rest and a balanced diet. And it is that, contrary to what many people still believe, hypertrophy is not a 'side effect' of CrossFit.