CrossFit is a constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. CrossFit workouts are not limited to one aspect of fitness, the functional movements incorporated into these workouts reflect core concepts that are involved in gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more. These are the core movements of life. CrossFit maximizes the workload in the shortest amount of time. Intensity, effort, and quickness allow for an overall progressive rise in personal fitness. There is quite the controversy when talking about the overall risk/reward rates. Many people believe that the intense lifts along with short timed frames leads to injury more often than it leads to physical reward. With a coaching staff that is constantly guiding you through the movements with correct and adequate form, a strong sense of camaraderie within the CrossFit facility, and individual drive and ignition, CrossFit will benefit in tremendous ways and injury rates will be slim to none.  

Many critics argue that CrossFit coaches are under certified. Erin Simmons, a former member of the Navy states, “Never once in the five years I was working with a three time back-to-back national championship team at Florida state did my strength training coaches recommended or agree with CrossFit practices”(Why I don’t do CrossFit, 2014). Simmons also states, “The strength and conditioning coaches that I have worked with as an athlete all have master’s or doctorate degrees in kinesiology, interned as graduate assistants for years, attended and presented at conferences, taken numerous certification exams, and have had to pass demonstration practical’s in order to work with athletes in the weight room or on/in the field, track, court, or pool” (Why I don’t do CrossFit, 2014). Simmons claims that while CrossFit coaches are able to get certified in a weekend, the coaches she has worked with have dedicated their lives to providing a safe and effective strength-training program. Although Simmons trainers and coaches are highly certified, her workouts may be more specified onto a certain type of training or a certain method. CrossFit is a sport in itself and involves full body training rather than specificity on a certain body part or function. In the article,"The controversy behind CrossFit", Brooke Ross, a prior gymnast, weightlifter, running back and point guard speaks about the good and bad of CrossFit. Brooke earns credibility by stating she has seen the benefits from CrossFit while also obtaining injuries on the way. Her main argument is that CrossFit can become healthier and safer with more focus on the certification on the coaches. She believes coaches and gyms are sprouting too fast which is leading to less focus on form and more focus on completion and heaviness of weights.(The controversey of CrossFit, Brooke Ross). The individual training that comes from CrossFit allows the participant to get past the intimidation of group exercises, receive help on a specific weakness, focus on technique of more intricate movements, and set personal goals. A vast amount of people who seek to become CrossFit coaches have already been involved in CrossFit and have a wide understanding of how the movements are performed. With a leap towards more coach involvement within CrossFit gyms, CrossFit will only seek more growth in participant strength and health and a decrease in the numbers of participants obtaining an injury.

In the average gym setting you rarely see involvement between peers due to the nature that everyone is working separately on different machines. CrossFit eliminates this roadblock by having a time frame and a WOD, the workout of the day. All CrossFit workouts are scalable, in that the weights of lifts are not set. The weight can be scaled down or scaled up to provide a safe and effect method of training to one’s personal abilities. With a timer running and a large amount of people performing the same workout, the intensity and encouragement increases. One peer may finish before another, in which they then encourage and push the rest of the class to completion. This comradery brings about many friendships and competition as well. Gyms that encourage these kind of relationships in the gym setting can provide more health benefits, a higher social capital, and a sense of community belongingness. 

CrossFit shows that pushing yourself to the limits brings forth a motivation and work ethic that one wouldn’t believe they had before performing CrossFit. For some, CrossFit even unfolds from a workout to a lifestyle. This theraputic process not only shows positive results physically but mentally and internally as well. A study was conducted that showed that CrossFit training changes brain-derived neurotrophic factors and irisin levels at rest, after wingate and progressive tests, and improves aerobic capacity and body composition of young physically active men and women. (J Physiol Pharmacol. 2015). This study involved assessments in BDNF and irisin levels in young people after a 3-month CrossFit training program. Muscle circumferences, body mass and composition, and physical performance were also measured. The results showed an improvement in aerobic capacity, an increase in oxygen consumption, a reduction in adipose tissue percentage in women and an increase in LBM in all subjects. After CrossFit training the resting BDNF level increased significantly in all subjects while the resting level of irisin decreased in women, without changes in men. A beneficial influence of CrossFit training on the subjects' body composition, anaerobic capacity and cardiovascular fitness as well as an increase in BDNF proves that CrossFit is more beneficial than most people claim it to be.

A large factor in why critics are so against CrossFit is the risk of injury. With the incorporation of power lifting and cardio vascular movements under a certain time frame, many new or unfamiliar CrossFit participants may not focus as much on form when exhaustion approaches and the time for the workout is running low. This is where individual acknowledgment falls in hand with the coach’s support and guidance to stay strict with proper form and safe techniques. When the workout is getting difficult there is only a certain amount of encouragement that peers and coaches can provide to push one to completion. This is where the initial drive kicks in and allows one to remain collective with enough intensity to push their own selves to the end. Without this inner drive, form becomes sloppy which is the main contribution to injury within these workouts. The last few minutes of the workout is where fatigue becomes prevalent and is the main time frame where focus on correct form and technique is critical. A study was conducted that provided information that established an injury rate amongst CrossFit participants along with the correlation of injury rates when adding demographic categories, gym characteristics, and athletic abilities into the mix. ("Injury Rate and Patterns Among CrossFit Athletes.",DeHaven, Kenneth). A survey was distributed in New York, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania that was based on injury surveillance methods to exploit the injuries that were caused from performing CrossFit workouts. The results showed that; injury rate was 20% amongst CrossFit participants, males were more likely to acquire an injury than females, and decreased injury rates prevailed when there was involvement with trainers. ("Injury Rate and Patterns Among CrossFit Athlete.",DeHaven, Kenneth) The use of Fisher exact tests and chi-square tests when analyzing data eliminates any sense of bias towards their conclusions. These studies were also available on the main CrossFit website which shows the depth and credibility of this data. Another study was performed that provided information to evaluate the profile, sports history, training process, and injury rates amongst athletes of CrossFit. Out of the 622 CrossFit participants, 176 mentioned in the questionnaire that they experienced some rt of injury.( An epidemiological profile of CrossFit athletes in Brazil, 2016). The percentage of injury rates were similar to most recreational and competitive sports. This data counter attacks the large group of people that claim that CrossFit has a much larger injury risk than other forms of exercise or strength training.

With all of the critics behind CrossFit, there are plenty more upsides to any of the risks that critics claim there is. CrossFit is an intense workout that pushes its contestants to their absolute limit, which in turn shows them their true potential and leads to progress that any other workout program cant exemplify. The incorporation of powerlifting mixed with cardiovascular workouts provides strength boosts in all parts of the body rather than your traditional gym setting, which specifies on one type of exercise or body type. To many, CrossFit becomes a lifestyle rather than just a workout. The aspects one uses in completing CrossFit workouts also transition into daily practices whether it is a work setting or just daily projects. With the strong sense of comradery, specified coaching on individual goals and achivements, and individual drive and ignition, CrossFit will only provide health benefits rather than cause injury or draw backs. Knowing what one is getting into before going into CrossFit will also help with progression and completing exercises with correct and adequate form. With all of these factors into play, CrossFit will lead to amazing results physically and mentally. 
