If you know anything about fitness fads, you've likely heard of CrossFit. Developed nearly 15 years ago by fitness professional Greg Glassman, CrossFit recently exploded in popularity in the exercise industry. The circuit-style workout features power and Olympic lifting, calisthenics, plyometric, and body weight resistance training that yields quick, body-transforming results.
However, there has been some criticism of intensity and resulting injuries within the CrossFit crowd, which has largely been attributed to improper form. Dr. Deane Studer, avid CrossFit athlete. And also a chiropractor and Certified Posture Exercise Professional, employs posture strengthening exercise and rehab to help himself and other CrossFitters perform effectively and safely.
"I work with many fellow athletes from the CrossFit community. Through chiropractic treatment and posture rehab, we work to restore balance and symmetry in the body. Posture improves accuracy, strength, and power – all the necessary components for an athlete to compete safely and at top performance."With CrossFit, the central idea is to put the body under a high stress load in short period of time in order to achieve fat loss and muscle building quickly. When performing under such intensity, Dr. Studer argues that sound biomechanics are essential to performance and injury prevention.
"When you put your body through these exercises, such as squatting, pressing, lifting, and pulling, you will fatigue and your form will breakdown. While there are coaches there to help you, if you don't have the necessary experience and proper understanding of posture, you are setting the body up for injury."
Dr. Steven Weiniger, internationally renowned posture expert, provides additional insight to the pivotal role form plays in preventing injury. "CrossFit is a high intensity exercise program that can be great for seasoned athletes. But when people (and especially weekend warriors) exercise to exhaustion, form and motion can become sloppy falling into the patterns of previously unnoticed posture asymmetries and compensations."
"To a degree, paying attention to clean form can help," says Dr. Weiniger. "But if there's a longstanding posture weakness or adaptation, consider getting a posture assessment from a posture-focused professional to be sure you train smart. After all, your form in any sport always begins with posture. A posture picture when you start CrossFit will benchmark your beginning point, and subsequent photos regularly thereafter is another good way to track changes (for better or for worse) and adapt your workout as needed."Dr. Studer stresses that functionally improving posture should be a focus of any workout. "With any physically demanding activity, it's all about efficiency in movement. Proper alignment and good posture increases the body's ability to move, particularly under stress. For athletes, posture analysis and rehab is a must. Before an injury occurs, check with your posture specialist for techniques on how to improve performance and decrease injuries by integrating posture strengthening protocols into your exercise regimen."
About the Author
Rebecca Coates is the author of numerous health and fitness articles. She serves as senior editor ofBodyZone.com, a free online wellness resource that offers do-it-yourself posture analysis and self-help exercise tips for optimal health. See www.BodyZone.com.
Contributors
Dr. Deane Studer is a Chiropractor and Certified Posture Exercise Professional (CPEP) practicing in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. www.csvhealth.com
Dr. Steven Weiniger, author of Stand Taller Live Longer, is a renownedposture expert and lectures internationally. He is a contributing author to BodyZone.com a public resource for posture awareness and self-help techniques to improve posture. He resides in Atlanta, GA.
Photos: Courtesy BodyZone.com
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