Is Crossfit on the decline? Is the hype past its peak? There are small signs, but for now, it seems to be mostly wishful thinking.
Fitness Trends 2016
Last week, I wrote about the anticipated fitness trends for 2016[1]. The trigger was the global survey among fitness professionals. According to that survey, Crossfit was expected to become less popular again. However, this needs to be put into perspective. Firstly, we’re talking about a drop from first place in 2014 and second place in 2015 to third place in 2016. Yes, a decline, but still a position many more traditional forms of training would envy. On the other hand, it is characteristic of a hype: a meteoric rise to the top, followed by an equally rapid fall into obscurity.
The responsible editor for the global survey also draws a comparison with another, almost forgotten hype: Zumba. In 2009, it was still in ninth place, dropping to 13th place in 2013 and completely falling off the list for 2016.
But Zumba didn’t stick around for long, says Thompson. He predicts that high-intensity interval training like CrossFit will soon follow in its footsteps. W.R. Thompson, ACSM’S Health & Fitness Journal
Biased Judgment
Thompson doesn’t shy away from expressing his personal opinion about Crossfit [2].
In previous years, I’ve written about the survey, expressing my surprise that the word Crossfit wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the text. It’s as if we’re talking about Voldemort or something: “He who must not be named.” My assumption that Crossfit was categorized under High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was only confirmed by the above interview from earlier this year. Was it also clear to all fitness professionals filling out the survey that Crossfit falls under this category, or did some make a different assessment? After all, Crossfit includes strength training as well as bodyweight training. Moreover, many Crossfitters believe that their training is functional because they train in many different ways. If Crossfit’s score is divided among these three, then HIIT does not show the complete picture.
“High-intensity interval training is the result of a lot of these infomercials,” says Thompson. “I think that in five years, we’re not going to be talking about [it].” Part of the reason, he suggests, is because there’s a high probability of injuring yourself when doing aggressive exercises. W.R. Thompson, ACSM’S Health & Fitness Journal
Crossfit Injuries
Thompson repeats the commonly heard complaint about Crossfit(ters): the higher risk of injuries, the often poor execution of exercises, and the lack of guidance.
In an article from early last year titled “Crossfit injuries,” I already discussed a study that showed that the number of injuries turned out to be not as high as feared [3]. At least not higher than comparable sports. Shortly after, a second study was published reaffirming these results [4]. However, in both cases, the results are based on a survey among Crossfitters. The researchers also see a risk in this, but interpret that risk differently than I do. They suggest that probably only people who have had an injury will fill out such a digitally sent survey. I, on the other hand, think the opposite, assuming I understand something about the mindset of a crossfitter. Crossfitters are often accused of cult-like behavior, and as such, they are used to defending themselves against the “mean outside world.” If there’s an accusation they’ve often heard, it’s about the high number of injuries. If you then, as a proud Crossfitter, receive a survey about the number of injuries you’ve suffered, it’s only human to see the opportunity to defend your sport in that. You certainly won’t be inclined to contribute to blackening your own passion. It’s a bit like asking someone from Staphorst how many children died because they refused to vaccinate them. Asking the suspect to provide evidence of his guilt himself.
Just like Thompson’s, my opinion is also biased. If you write an article called “I hate crossfit,” your opinion is pretty clear [5]. In both studies, I had hoped for figures showing that Crossfit is public enemy number one and claims more lives annually than ISIS. So I automatically look for ways to interpret the figures in such a way that a more negative image of Crossfit emerges.
What I do agree with the researchers on is the risk that the severe cases might not be included in the figures. These are the people who stopped doing Crossfit because of the injuries (after all, they didn’t receive the survey). However, the fact remains that there is no reliable research that both demonstrates a high percentage of injuries among Crossfitters and is trustworthy. However, we do hear physiotherapists and chiropractors gratefully say that they have many more clients thanks to Crossfit [6].
We also read about specific incidents such as a detached retina from training with elastic bands [7]. But such accidents with equipment can occur in almost any sport. What I find more serious is the response from the Crossfit organization to some complaints. It shows that such complaints are not taken seriously at all. In fact, it demonstrates a mentality that promotes injuries.
Makimba Mimms followed a Crossfit program [8]. Due to the many exercises in succession without rest, he got rhabdomyolysis (accelerated breakdown of muscle tissue). He urinated blood and his legs began to swell. He had to be hospitalized for a week and says that nowadays he is limited in his ability to stand or walk for longer periods or to exercise. Playing tennis and walking with his wife, “an important aspect of their relationship,” was no longer possible. The gym where he trained was ordered to pay damages of $300,000 [9].
“If you’re afraid of falling out of a ring and breaking your neck, then Crossfit is not for you”
What I find most disturbing here is the response from the Crossfit headquarters and founder Greg Glassman. They renamed the training that led to his problems the “Makimba.” Moreover, from that moment on, they called it a “training for kids” [10].
These kinds of stories don’t make the organization think about safer methods; on the contrary, they see it as confirmation of their hardcore mentality.
If you find the notion of falling off the rings and breaking your neck so foreign to you, then we don’t want you in our ranks,” Glassman told the NY Times. CrossFit can kill you. I’ve always been completely honest about that.
Wait a minute, am I reading that correctly? “If you’re afraid of falling out of a ring and breaking your neck, then Crossfit is not for you.” I understand that many Crossfitters are proud of the fact that few can relate to them, a so-called confirmation of how hardcore they are. But whatever I think of Crossfit and Crossfitters, I hold them in higher regard than people who would endorse such a statement.
Wishful Thinking
When fitness professionals already talk about the decline of Crossfit, I see it as wishful thinking. Yesterday, my wife complained about the fact that I had just posted an article where I spoke somewhat derogatorily about “housewives who do Zumba once a week.” However, Crossfit participants are a totally different target group than people who repeatedly seek out a newer, more fun, and above all easier way of training. It’s precisely that exaggerated die-hard, cult-like attitude that makes me suspect that it’s still worthwhile to study physiotherapy or chiropractic for the time being.
References
- journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2015/11000/WORLDWIDE_SURVEY_OF_FITNESS_TRENDS_FOR_2016__10th.5.aspx?cid=MR-eJP-HotTopics-SportsMedicine-SportsMedicine-FIT-NoPromo
- npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/02/367832143/how-will-you-work-out-when-crossfits-no-longer-hip
- fitsociety.nl/krachttraining/crossfit-blessures/
- Weisenthal BM, Beck CA, Maloney MD, DeHaven KE, Giordano BD. Injury Rate and Patterns Among CrossFit Athletes. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2014;2(4):2325967114531177. doi:10.1177/2325967114531177.
- fitsociety.nl/krachttraining/ik-haat-crossfit/
- examiner.com/article/rise-crossfit-injuries-a-boon-for-chiropractors
- Joondeph SA, Joondeph BC. Retinal Detachment due to CrossFit Training Injury.Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine. 2013;2013:189837. doi:10.1155/2013/189837.
- washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100603032.html
- gaiaonline.com/journal/?mode=view&post_id=37993845&u=37755505
