Wall Ball- a common CrossFit movement involving a squat and medicine ball throw to a target CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen created by Greg Glassman. It is a registered trademark of CrossFit, LLC, which was founded by Glassman and Lauren Jenai in 2000. History  The company was conceived in 1996 as Cross-Fit. Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai incorporated CrossFit, Inc. in 2000. The original CrossFit gym was in Santa Cruz, California, and the first affiliated gym was CrossFit North in Seattle, Washington; there were 13 by 2005, and in 2016 there were more than 13,000. By 2020, there were approximately 15,000 CrossFit affiliates around the world. Coaches associated with CrossFit include Louie Simmons, John Welbourn, and Bob Harper. Glassman obtained complete control over the company after a divorce with Jenai, who tried to sell her share in the company to an outside party after the divorce settlement, but Glassman bought it with a $16 million loan from Summit Partners. On June 24, 2020, following the outcry after Glassman's comments regarding the murder of George Floyd it was announced that he was selling the company to Eric Roza, a Colorado-based CrossFit box (gym) owner and former CEO of Datalogix. Roza announced he would be assuming the role of CEO after the conclusion of the sale in July. In late November, CrossFit announced a building lease for its Boulder headquarters. At the end of 2020, CrossFit became an LLC. Overview A sergeant performing a broad jump during a training session at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar CrossFit is a strength, conditioning, and overall fitness program consisting mainly of a mix of aerobic exercise, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), and Olympic weightlifting. CrossFit, LLC describes its strength and conditioning program as "constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains." CrossFit aims to develop fitness in what the company deems to be the 10 components of physical fitness: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy. Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes," typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity "Workout of the Day" (or WOD), and a period of individual or group stretching. Some gyms also often have a strength-focused movement prior to the WOD, though CrossFit encourages most athletes to prioritize intensity over supplemental strength training or additional programming. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered on a WOD. CrossFit gyms use equipment from multiple disciplines, including barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, rope climbs, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes, resistance bands, rowing machines, and various mats. CrossFit is focused on "constantly varied high-intensity functional movement," drawing on categories and exercises such as calisthenics, Olympic-style weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman-type events, plyometrics, bodyweight exercises, indoor rowing, aerobic exercise, running, and swimming. CrossFit programming is decentralized, but its general methodology is used by thousands of private affiliated gyms, fire departments, law-enforcement agencies, and military organizations, including the Royal Danish Life Guards, as well as by some U.S. and Canadian high school physical education teachers, high school and college sports teams, and the Miami Marlins. Alt URL A 2014 statistical analysis showed that 50\% of CrossFit participants were male and 50\% were female. CrossFit's growing interest internationally has created a spike in Olympic weightlifting interest in the United States. Business model CrossFit, LLC licenses the CrossFit name to gyms for an annual fee and certifies trainers. Besides the standard two-day "Level 1 Certificate Course," CrossFit offers a Level 2 Certificate Course, CrossFit Kids Course, and many online course offerings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CrossFit also began offering an Online Level 1 Course. CrossFit preferred courses include gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, running and endurance, rowing, kettlebells, mobility and recovery, and self-defense and striking. Other specialized adaptations include programs for pregnant women, seniors, and military special operations candidates. Affiliates develop their own programming, pricing, and instructional methods. Many athletes and trainers see themselves as part of a contrarian, insurgent movement that questions conventional fitness wisdom. In addition to performing prescribed workouts, they follow CrossFit's nutrition recommendations, adopting a paleo, keto and/or zone diets, or counting macros. CrossFit makes use of a virtual community internet model. The company says this de-centralized approach shares some common features with open source software projects and allows best practices to emerge from a variety of approaches, a contention that is disputed by some competitors and former affiliates. , there are over 15,000 CrossFit affiliates in over 150 countries. CrossFit Games The CrossFit Games, created and directed by Dave Castro, have been held every summer since 2007. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts they learn about only hours beforehand, sometimes including surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen. Past examples include a rough-water swim, a softball throw, and a pegboard climb. The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything." In 2011, the Games adopted an online qualification format, facilitating participation by athletes worldwide. During the five-week-long "CrossFit Open", one new workout is released each week. Athletes have several days to complete the workout and submit their scores online, with either a video or validation by a CrossFit affiliate. Since the Open is available to any level of athlete, many affiliates encourage member participation and the number of worldwide participants can be in the hundreds of thousands. From 2011–18, the top CrossFit Open performers for individuals and teams in each region advance to the regional events, held over the following two months around the world. Each regional event qualifies a specified number of its top finishers to send to the Games. The Games include divisions for individuals of each gender, co-ed teams, and a number of Masters and Teenage age groups. For the 2019 Games, regionals were discontinued and individual athletes qualify by either being the national champion in the Open, finishing in the top 20 worldwide in the Open, winning a CrossFit-sanctioned event, or by invitation. In 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic the Games format was significantly altered for 2020 CrossFit Games: the event is separated into two parts, with the first part consisting of a remote competition that included 60 athletes: the top 20 women and top 20 men from the Open leaderboard, along with the 10 women's and 10 men's qualifiers from Sanctionals. The top five male and female finishers participated in a final in-person event in Aromas, California from October 19 through October 25. For the 2020 event there were no teams, masters, or teens events. Certifications There are four levels of CrossFit coach certification. To open a CrossFit affiliated gym, it only requires a coach to be certified to level one. Level One (CF-L1) is the introduction level, where participants attend a group weekend class, talk about the basic methodology and fundamentals of CrossFit, and learn how to conduct their own classes. They go over techniques and how to adjust them for those who cannot perform them. After completing the Level One training course, one should be confident in conducting a class, scale workouts accordingly for athletes, and hold CrossFit to its standards. In the second level, training goes deeper into the mechanics of the movements and how to be leaders and communicate with other students. In the Level Two course, participants learn about athletic capacity and are evaluated as a trainer in groups. To earn the Level Three certificate, a coach one must complete 1,500 hours of active fitness coaching and become CPR certified. To maintain the certification, Level 3 coaches must obtain 50 continuing education units every three years. To earn the Level Four certificate, the highest level currently recognized by CrossFit, Inc., the coach must record several years as a Level Three and pass a test. Criticism Injury The risk of injury associated with CrossFit training has been a controversial question since the program's popularity began to climb in the early 2000s. Critics have accused CrossFit, Inc. of using dangerous movements and inappropriate levels of intensity, and allowing underqualified individuals to become CrossFit Trainers. In response to these criticisms, CrossFit, Inc. claims, "CrossFit is relatively safe even when performed with poor technique, but it is safer and more effective when performed with good technique." CrossFit, Inc. also claims the risk of injury can be reduced by properly scaling and modifying workouts, a concept taught on its website and at the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course. CrossFit supports this position by citing three academic surveys of CrossFit participants. These surveys calculated injury rates between 2.4 and 3.1 injuries per 1000 hours of training, which CrossFit argues is consistent with or below injury rates found in "general fitness training." A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research entitled "Crossfit-based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition" followed 54 participants for 10 weeks of CrossFit training. The study said that "...a notable percentage of our subjects (16\%) did not complete the training program and return for follow-up testing." "The authors said "This may call into question the risk-benefit ratio for such extreme training programs..." Out of the "10 of the 11 participants who did not complete the study have provided their reasons for not finishing, with only 2 mentioning injury or health conditions that prevented them from completing follow-up testing." Lawsuit by CrossFit, Inc. against the NSCA In 2014, CrossFit, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for publishing this study, alleging the data was false and "intended to scare participants away from CrossFit." The NSCA denies CrossFit, Inc.'s allegations but issued an erratum acknowledging that the injury data were incorrect. In September 2016, the District Court ruled in favor of CrossFit Inc.'s claims that the injury data were found to be false, but not that the NSCA was commercially motivated or that the publishing of the study was defamatory as the NSCA no longer stood behind the study. In February 2017, CrossFit filed for sanctions against the NSCA after one of the NSCA's witnesses admitted to falsifying statements during deposition. In May 2017, the Court issued 17 issues sanctions against the NSCA, writing that the organization did have a commercial motive to falsify the data, had published the false data knowingly to disparage CrossFit, and had misled the public with their erratum. CrossFit was awarded $ 74,000 in legal fees and allowed to continue investigating the NSCA. If the neutral-party analysis of the NSCA servers turns up any further misconduct, CrossFit may file an amended complaint for further sanctioning and compensation for lost revenue.
CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen created by Greg Glassman. It is a registered trademark of CrossFit, LLC, which was founded by Glassman and Lauren Jenai in 2000. History Wall Ball- a common CrossFit movement involving a squat and medicine ball throw to a target thumb | upright | Practicing American kettlebell swing The company was conceived in 1996 as Cross-Fit. Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai incorporated CrossFit, Inc. in 2000. The original CrossFit gym was in Santa Cruz, California, and the first affiliated gym was CrossFit North in Seattle, Washington; there were 13 by 2005, and in 2016 there were more than 13,000. By 2020, there were approximately 15,000 CrossFit affiliates around the world. Coaches associated with CrossFit include Louie Simmons, John Welbourn, and Bob Harper. Glassman obtained complete control over the company after a divorce with Jenai, who tried to sell her share in the company to an outside party after the divorce settlement, but Glassman bought it with a $16 million loan from Summit Partners. On June 24, 2020, following the outcry after Glassman's comments regarding the murder of George Floyd it was announced that he was selling the company to Eric Roza, a Colorado-based CrossFit box (gym) owner and former CEO of Datalogix. Roza announced he would be assuming the role of CEO after the conclusion of the sale in July. In late November, CrossFit announced a building lease for its Boulder headquarters. At the end of 2020, CrossFit became an LLC. Overview A sergeant performing a broad jump during a training session at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar upKipping pull-up CrossFit is a strength, conditioning, and overall fitness program consisting mainly of a mix of aerobic exercise, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), and Olympic weightlifting. CrossFit, LLC describes its strength and conditioning program as "constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains." CrossFit aims to develop fitness in what the company deems to be the 10 components of physical fitness: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy. Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes," typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity "Workout of the Day" (or WOD), and a period of individual or group stretching. Some gyms also often have a strength-focused movement prior to the WOD, though CrossFit encourages most athletes to prioritize intensity over supplemental strength training or additional programming. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered on a WOD. CrossFit gyms use equipment from multiple disciplines, including barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, rope climbs, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes, resistance bands, rowing machines, and various mats. CrossFit is focused on "constantly varied high-intensity functional movement," drawing on categories and exercises such as calisthenics, Olympic-style weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman-type events, plyometrics, bodyweight exercises, indoor rowing, aerobic exercise, running, and swimming. CrossFit programming is decentralized, but its general methodology is used by thousands of private affiliated gyms, fire departments, law-enforcement agencies, and military organizations, including the Royal Danish Life Guards, as well as by some U.S. and Canadian high school physical education teachers, high school and college sports teams, and the Miami Marlins. Alt URL A 2014 statistical analysis showed that 50\% of CrossFit participants were male and 50\% were female. CrossFit's growing interest internationally has created a spike in Olympic weightlifting interest in the United States. Business model CrossFit, LLC licenses the CrossFit name to gyms for an annual fee and certifies trainers. Besides the standard two-day "Level 1 Certificate Course," CrossFit offers a Level 2 Certificate Course, CrossFit Kids Course, and many online course offerings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CrossFit also began offering an Online Level 1 Course. CrossFit preferred courses include gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, running and endurance, rowing, kettlebells, mobility and recovery, and self-defense and striking. Other specialized adaptations include programs for pregnant women, seniors, and military special operations candidates. Affiliates develop their own programming, pricing, and instructional methods. Many athletes and trainers see themselves as part of a contrarian, insurgent movement that questions conventional fitness wisdom. In addition to performing prescribed workouts, they follow CrossFit's nutrition recommendations, adopting a paleo, keto and/or zone diets, or counting macros. CrossFit makes use of a virtual community internet model. The company says this de-centralized approach shares some common features with open source software projects and allows best practices to emerge from a variety of approaches, a contention that is disputed by some competitors and former affiliates. , there are over 15,000 CrossFit affiliates in over 150 countries. CrossFit Games The CrossFit Games, created and directed by Dave Castro, have been held every summer since 2007. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts they learn about only hours beforehand, sometimes including surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen. Past examples include a rough-water swim, a softball throw, and a pegboard climb. The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything." In 2011, the Games adopted an online qualification format, facilitating participation by athletes worldwide. During the five-week-long "CrossFit Open", one new workout is released each week. Athletes have several days to complete the workout and submit their scores online, with either a video or validation by a CrossFit affiliate. Since the Open is available to any level of athlete, many affiliates encourage member participation and the number of worldwide participants can be in the hundreds of thousands. From 2011–18, the top CrossFit Open performers for individuals and teams in each region advance to the regional events, held over the following two months around the world. Each regional event qualifies a specified number of its top finishers to send to the Games. The Games include divisions for individuals of each gender, co-ed teams, and a number of Masters and Teenage age groups. For the 2019 Games, regionals were discontinued and individual athletes qualify by either being the national champion in the Open, finishing in the top 20 worldwide in the Open, winning a CrossFit-sanctioned event, or by invitation. In 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic the Games format was significantly altered for 2020 CrossFit Games: the event is separated into two parts, with the first part consisting of a remote competition that included 60 athletes: the top 20 women and top 20 men from the Open leaderboard, along with the 10 women's and 10 men's qualifiers from Sanctionals. The top five male and female finishers participated in a final in-person event in Aromas, California from October 19 through October 25. For the 2020 event there were no teams, masters, or teens events. Certifications There are four levels of CrossFit coach certification. To open a CrossFit affiliated gym, it only requires a coach to be certified to level one. Level One (CF-L1) is the introduction level, where participants attend a group weekend class, talk about the basic methodology and fundamentals of CrossFit, and learn how to conduct their own classes. They go over techniques and how to adjust them for those who cannot perform them. After completing the Level One training course, one should be confident in conducting a class, scale workouts accordingly for athletes, and hold CrossFit to its standards. In the second level, training goes deeper into the mechanics of the movements and how to be leaders and communicate with other students. In the Level Two course, participants learn about athletic capacity and are evaluated as a trainer in groups. To earn the Level Three certificate, a coach one must complete 1,500 hours of active fitness coaching and become CPR certified. To maintain the certification, Level 3 coaches must obtain 50 continuing education units every three years. To earn the Level Four certificate, the highest level currently recognized by CrossFit, Inc., the coach must record several years as a Level Three and pass a test. Criticism Injury The risk of injury associated with CrossFit training has been a controversial question since the program's popularity began to climb in the early 2000s. Critics have accused CrossFit, Inc. of using dangerous movements and inappropriate levels of intensity, and allowing underqualified individuals to become CrossFit Trainers. In response to these criticisms, CrossFit, Inc. claims, "CrossFit is relatively safe even when performed with poor technique, but it is safer and more effective when performed with good technique." CrossFit, Inc. also claims the risk of injury can be reduced by properly scaling and modifying workouts, a concept taught on its website and at the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course. CrossFit supports this position by citing three academic surveys of CrossFit participants. These surveys calculated injury rates between 2.4 and 3.1 injuries per 1000 hours of training, which CrossFit argues is consistent with or below injury rates found in "general fitness training." A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research entitled "Crossfit-based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition" followed 54 participants for 10 weeks of CrossFit training. The study said that "...a notable percentage of our subjects (16\%) did not complete the training program and return for follow-up testing." "The authors said "This may call into question the risk-benefit ratio for such extreme training programs..." Out of the "10 of the 11 participants who did not complete the study have provided their reasons for not finishing, with only 2 mentioning injury or health conditions that prevented them from completing follow-up testing." Lawsuit by CrossFit, Inc. against the NSCA In 2014, CrossFit, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for publishing this study, alleging the data was false and "intended to scare participants away from CrossFit." The NSCA denies CrossFit, Inc.'s allegations but issued an erratum acknowledging that the injury data were incorrect. In September 2016, the District Court ruled in favor of CrossFit Inc.'s claims that the injury data were found to be false, but not that the NSCA was commercially motivated or that the publishing of the study was defamatory as the NSCA no longer stood behind the study. In February 2017, CrossFit filed for sanctions against the NSCA after one of the NSCA's witnesses admitted to falsifying statements during deposition. In May 2017, the Court issued 17 issues sanctions against the NSCA, writing that the organization did have a commercial motive to falsify the data, had published the false data knowingly to disparage CrossFit, and had misled the public with their erratum. CrossFit was awarded $ 74,000 in legal fees and allowed to continue investigating the NSCA. If the neutral-party analysis of the NSCA servers turns up any further misconduct, CrossFit may file an amended complaint for further sanctioning and compensation for lost revenue.
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Wall Ball- a common CrossFit movement involving a squat and medicine ball throw to a target CrossFit
CrossFit
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Wall Ball- a common CrossFit movement involving a squat and medicine ball throw to a target thumb | upright | Practicing American kettlebell swing
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$16 million loan from Summit Partners. On June 24, 2020, following the outcry after Glassman's comments regarding the murder of George Floyd it was announced that he was selling the company to Eric Roza, a Colorado-based CrossFit box (gym) owner and former CEO of Datalogix. Roza announced he would be assuming the role of CEO after the conclusion of the sale in July. In late November, CrossFit announced a building lease for its Boulder headquarters. At the end of 2020, CrossFit became an LLC. Overview A sergeant performing a broad jump during a training session at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar CrossFit is a strength, conditioning, and overall fitness program consisting mainly of a mix of aerobic exercise, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), and Olympic weightlifting. CrossFit, LLC describes its strength and conditioning program as "constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains." CrossFit aims to develop fitness in what the company deems to be the 10 components of physical fitness: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy. Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes," typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity "Workout of the Day" (or WOD), and a period of individual or group stretching. Some gyms also often have a strength-focused movement prior to the WOD, though CrossFit encourages most athletes to prioritize intensity over supplemental strength training or additional programming. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered on a WOD. CrossFit gyms use equipment from multiple disciplines, including barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, rope climbs, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes, resistance bands, rowing machines, and various mats. CrossFit is focused on "constantly varied high-intensity functional movement," drawing on categories and exercises such as calisthenics, Olympic-style weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman-type events, plyometrics, bodyweight exercises, indoor rowing, aerobic exercise, running, and swimming. CrossFit programming is decentralized, but its general methodology is used by thousands of private affiliated gyms, fire departments, law-enforcement agencies, and military organizations, including the Royal Danish Life Guards, as well as by some U.S. and Canadian high school physical education teachers, high school and college sports teams, and the Miami Marlins. Alt URL A 2014 statistical analysis showed that 50\% of CrossFit participants were male and 50\% were female. CrossFit's growing interest internationally has created a spike in Olympic weightlifting interest in the United States. Business model CrossFit, LLC licenses the CrossFit name to gyms for an annual fee and certifies trainers. Besides the standard two-day "Level 1 Certificate Course," CrossFit offers a Level 2 Certificate Course, CrossFit Kids Course, and many online course offerings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CrossFit also began offering an Online Level 1 Course. CrossFit preferred courses include gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, running and endurance, rowing, kettlebells, mobility and recovery, and self-defense and striking. Other specialized adaptations include programs for pregnant women, seniors, and military special operations candidates. Affiliates develop their own programming, pricing, and instructional methods. Many athletes and trainers see themselves as part of a contrarian, insurgent movement that questions conventional fitness wisdom. In addition to performing prescribed workouts, they follow CrossFit's nutrition recommendations, adopting a paleo, keto and/or zone diets, or counting macros. CrossFit makes use of a virtual community internet model. The company says this de-centralized approach shares some common features with open source software projects and allows best practices to emerge from a variety of approaches, a contention that is disputed by some competitors and former affiliates. , there are over 15,000 CrossFit affiliates in over 150 countries. CrossFit Games The CrossFit Games, created and directed by Dave Castro, have been held every summer since 2007. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts they learn about only hours beforehand, sometimes including surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen. Past examples include a rough-water swim, a softball throw, and a pegboard climb. The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything." In 2011, the Games adopted an online qualification format, facilitating participation by athletes worldwide. During the five-week-long "CrossFit Open", one new workout is released each week. Athletes have several days to complete the workout and submit their scores online, with either a video or validation by a CrossFit affiliate. Since the Open is available to any level of athlete, many affiliates encourage member participation and the number of worldwide participants can be in the hundreds of thousands. From 2011–18, the top CrossFit Open performers for individuals and teams in each region advance to the regional events, held over the following two months around the world. Each regional event qualifies a specified number of its top finishers to send to the Games. The Games include divisions for individuals of each gender, co-ed teams, and a number of Masters and Teenage age groups. For the 2019 Games, regionals were discontinued and individual athletes qualify by either being the national champion in the Open, finishing in the top 20 worldwide in the Open, winning a CrossFit-sanctioned event, or by invitation. In 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic the Games format was significantly altered for 2020 CrossFit Games: the event is separated into two parts, with the first part consisting of a remote competition that included 60 athletes: the top 20 women and top 20 men from the Open leaderboard, along with the 10 women's and 10 men's qualifiers from Sanctionals. The top five male and female finishers participated in a final in-person event in Aromas, California from October 19 through October 25. For the 2020 event there were no teams, masters, or teens events. Certifications There are four levels of CrossFit coach certification. To open a CrossFit affiliated gym, it only requires a coach to be certified to level one. Level One (CF-L1) is the introduction level, where participants attend a group weekend class, talk about the basic methodology and fundamentals of CrossFit, and learn how to conduct their own classes. They go over techniques and how to adjust them for those who cannot perform them. After completing the Level One training course, one should be confident in conducting a class, scale workouts accordingly for athletes, and hold CrossFit to its standards. In the second level, training goes deeper into the mechanics of the movements and how to be leaders and communicate with other students. In the Level Two course, participants learn about athletic capacity and are evaluated as a trainer in groups. To earn the Level Three certificate, a coach one must complete 1,500 hours of active fitness coaching and become CPR certified. To maintain the certification, Level 3 coaches must obtain 50 continuing education units every three years. To earn the Level Four certificate, the highest level currently recognized by CrossFit, Inc., the coach must record several years as a Level Three and pass a test. Criticism Injury The risk of injury associated with CrossFit training has been a controversial question since the program's popularity began to climb in the early 2000s. Critics have accused CrossFit, Inc. of using dangerous movements and inappropriate levels of intensity, and allowing underqualified individuals to become CrossFit Trainers. In response to these criticisms, CrossFit, Inc. claims, "CrossFit is relatively safe even when performed with poor technique, but it is safer and more effective when performed with good technique." CrossFit, Inc. also claims the risk of injury can be reduced by properly scaling and modifying workouts, a concept taught on its website and at the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course. CrossFit supports this position by citing three academic surveys of CrossFit participants. These surveys calculated injury rates between 2.4 and 3.1 injuries per 1000 hours of training, which CrossFit argues is consistent with or below injury rates found in "general fitness training." A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research entitled "Crossfit-based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition" followed 54 participants for 10 weeks of CrossFit training. The study said that "...a notable percentage of our subjects (16\%) did not complete the training program and return for follow-up testing." "The authors said "This may call into question the risk-benefit ratio for such extreme training programs..." Out of the "10 of the 11 participants who did not complete the study have provided their reasons for not finishing, with only 2 mentioning injury or health conditions that prevented them from completing follow-up testing." Lawsuit by CrossFit, Inc. against the NSCA In 2014, CrossFit, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for publishing this study, alleging the data was false and "intended to scare participants away from CrossFit." The NSCA denies CrossFit, Inc.'s allegations but issued an erratum acknowledging that the injury data were incorrect. In September 2016, the District Court ruled in favor of CrossFit Inc.'s claims that the injury data were found to be false, but not that the NSCA was commercially motivated or that the publishing of the study was defamatory as the NSCA no longer stood behind the study. In February 2017, CrossFit filed for sanctions against the NSCA after one of the NSCA's witnesses admitted to falsifying statements during deposition. In May 2017, the Court issued 17 issues sanctions against the NSCA, writing that the organization did have a commercial motive to falsify the data, had published the false data knowingly to disparage CrossFit, and had misled the public with their erratum. CrossFit was awarded $
$16 million loan from Summit Partners. On June 24, 2020, following the outcry after Glassman's comments regarding the murder of George Floyd it was announced that he was selling the company to Eric Roza, a Colorado-based CrossFit box (gym) owner and former CEO of Datalogix. Roza announced he would be assuming the role of CEO after the conclusion of the sale in July. In late November, CrossFit announced a building lease for its Boulder headquarters. At the end of 2020, CrossFit became an LLC. Overview A sergeant performing a broad jump during a training session at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar upKipping pull-up CrossFit is a strength, conditioning, and overall fitness program consisting mainly of a mix of aerobic exercise, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), and Olympic weightlifting. CrossFit, LLC describes its strength and conditioning program as "constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains." CrossFit aims to develop fitness in what the company deems to be the 10 components of physical fitness: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy. Hour-long classes at affiliated gyms, or "boxes," typically include a warm-up, a skill development segment, the high-intensity "Workout of the Day" (or WOD), and a period of individual or group stretching. Some gyms also often have a strength-focused movement prior to the WOD, though CrossFit encourages most athletes to prioritize intensity over supplemental strength training or additional programming. Performance on each WOD is often scored and/or ranked to encourage competition and to track individual progress. Some affiliates offer additional classes, such as Olympic weightlifting, which are not centered on a WOD. CrossFit gyms use equipment from multiple disciplines, including barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, rope climbs, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes, resistance bands, rowing machines, and various mats. CrossFit is focused on "constantly varied high-intensity functional movement," drawing on categories and exercises such as calisthenics, Olympic-style weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman-type events, plyometrics, bodyweight exercises, indoor rowing, aerobic exercise, running, and swimming. CrossFit programming is decentralized, but its general methodology is used by thousands of private affiliated gyms, fire departments, law-enforcement agencies, and military organizations, including the Royal Danish Life Guards, as well as by some U.S. and Canadian high school physical education teachers, high school and college sports teams, and the Miami Marlins. Alt URL A 2014 statistical analysis showed that 50\% of CrossFit participants were male and 50\% were female. CrossFit's growing interest internationally has created a spike in Olympic weightlifting interest in the United States. Business model CrossFit, LLC licenses the CrossFit name to gyms for an annual fee and certifies trainers. Besides the standard two-day "Level 1 Certificate Course," CrossFit offers a Level 2 Certificate Course, CrossFit Kids Course, and many online course offerings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CrossFit also began offering an Online Level 1 Course. CrossFit preferred courses include gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, running and endurance, rowing, kettlebells, mobility and recovery, and self-defense and striking. Other specialized adaptations include programs for pregnant women, seniors, and military special operations candidates. Affiliates develop their own programming, pricing, and instructional methods. Many athletes and trainers see themselves as part of a contrarian, insurgent movement that questions conventional fitness wisdom. In addition to performing prescribed workouts, they follow CrossFit's nutrition recommendations, adopting a paleo, keto and/or zone diets, or counting macros. CrossFit makes use of a virtual community internet model. The company says this de-centralized approach shares some common features with open source software projects and allows best practices to emerge from a variety of approaches, a contention that is disputed by some competitors and former affiliates. , there are over 15,000 CrossFit affiliates in over 150 countries. CrossFit Games The CrossFit Games, created and directed by Dave Castro, have been held every summer since 2007. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts they learn about only hours beforehand, sometimes including surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen. Past examples include a rough-water swim, a softball throw, and a pegboard climb. The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything." In 2011, the Games adopted an online qualification format, facilitating participation by athletes worldwide. During the five-week-long "CrossFit Open", one new workout is released each week. Athletes have several days to complete the workout and submit their scores online, with either a video or validation by a CrossFit affiliate. Since the Open is available to any level of athlete, many affiliates encourage member participation and the number of worldwide participants can be in the hundreds of thousands. From 2011–18, the top CrossFit Open performers for individuals and teams in each region advance to the regional events, held over the following two months around the world. Each regional event qualifies a specified number of its top finishers to send to the Games. The Games include divisions for individuals of each gender, co-ed teams, and a number of Masters and Teenage age groups. For the 2019 Games, regionals were discontinued and individual athletes qualify by either being the national champion in the Open, finishing in the top 20 worldwide in the Open, winning a CrossFit-sanctioned event, or by invitation. In 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic the Games format was significantly altered for 2020 CrossFit Games: the event is separated into two parts, with the first part consisting of a remote competition that included 60 athletes: the top 20 women and top 20 men from the Open leaderboard, along with the 10 women's and 10 men's qualifiers from Sanctionals. The top five male and female finishers participated in a final in-person event in Aromas, California from October 19 through October 25. For the 2020 event there were no teams, masters, or teens events. Certifications There are four levels of CrossFit coach certification. To open a CrossFit affiliated gym, it only requires a coach to be certified to level one. Level One (CF-L1) is the introduction level, where participants attend a group weekend class, talk about the basic methodology and fundamentals of CrossFit, and learn how to conduct their own classes. They go over techniques and how to adjust them for those who cannot perform them. After completing the Level One training course, one should be confident in conducting a class, scale workouts accordingly for athletes, and hold CrossFit to its standards. In the second level, training goes deeper into the mechanics of the movements and how to be leaders and communicate with other students. In the Level Two course, participants learn about athletic capacity and are evaluated as a trainer in groups. To earn the Level Three certificate, a coach one must complete 1,500 hours of active fitness coaching and become CPR certified. To maintain the certification, Level 3 coaches must obtain 50 continuing education units every three years. To earn the Level Four certificate, the highest level currently recognized by CrossFit, Inc., the coach must record several years as a Level Three and pass a test. Criticism Injury The risk of injury associated with CrossFit training has been a controversial question since the program's popularity began to climb in the early 2000s. Critics have accused CrossFit, Inc. of using dangerous movements and inappropriate levels of intensity, and allowing underqualified individuals to become CrossFit Trainers. In response to these criticisms, CrossFit, Inc. claims, "CrossFit is relatively safe even when performed with poor technique, but it is safer and more effective when performed with good technique." CrossFit, Inc. also claims the risk of injury can be reduced by properly scaling and modifying workouts, a concept taught on its website and at the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course. CrossFit supports this position by citing three academic surveys of CrossFit participants. These surveys calculated injury rates between 2.4 and 3.1 injuries per 1000 hours of training, which CrossFit argues is consistent with or below injury rates found in "general fitness training." A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research entitled "Crossfit-based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition" followed 54 participants for 10 weeks of CrossFit training. The study said that "...a notable percentage of our subjects (16\%) did not complete the training program and return for follow-up testing." "The authors said "This may call into question the risk-benefit ratio for such extreme training programs..." Out of the "10 of the 11 participants who did not complete the study have provided their reasons for not finishing, with only 2 mentioning injury or health conditions that prevented them from completing follow-up testing." Lawsuit by CrossFit, Inc. against the NSCA In 2014, CrossFit, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for publishing this study, alleging the data was false and "intended to scare participants away from CrossFit." The NSCA denies CrossFit, Inc.'s allegations but issued an erratum acknowledging that the injury data were incorrect. In September 2016, the District Court ruled in favor of CrossFit Inc.'s claims that the injury data were found to be false, but not that the NSCA was commercially motivated or that the publishing of the study was defamatory as the NSCA no longer stood behind the study. In February 2017, CrossFit filed for sanctions against the NSCA after one of the NSCA's witnesses admitted to falsifying statements during deposition. In May 2017, the Court issued 17 issues sanctions against the NSCA, writing that the organization did have a commercial motive to falsify the data, had published the false data knowingly to disparage CrossFit, and had misled the public with their erratum. CrossFit was awarded $