Is CrossFit Safe?

Is CrossFit Safe?

A question we hear all the time is, is CrossFit safe? Or more commonly the statement that CrossFit is dangerous. In this blog I give my thoughts on how it stacks up against other sports and against the risks of being inactive.

Go to any A&E department on a Saturday afternoon and you will see it teeming with Footballers, Rugby players, Netballers, Runners, Cyclists and people from every other sport you can imagine. The message here is that all exercise and sport comes with an inherent risk but here's the thing, sitting on the sofa all day everyday wrapped in bubble wrap is going come with a whole host of risks as well. What I'm trying to say is this, every sport, every activity, or non-activity comes with risk and in one way or another is dangerous.

There are of course things we can do within CrossFit to keep us safe. A good coach (which I am lucky enough to have had some brilliant ones) will keep you in check and push you outside of what you know you can do, but do it safely. A check of the Ego at the door, not lifting beyond your means or compromising movement standards for speed and listening to your coach. Listening to your body and asking for help when you need it or if something doesn't feel right. There is an abundance of things you, in combination with what your great coaches can do to keep you safe.

But yes, inherently there is risk to doing CrossFit. You could tweak a shoulder getting into a poor position on the snatch, twist and ankle on a shuttle run or pull a muscle whilst doing a burpee. Equally could you twist an ankle whilst out running or walking, tweak a shoulder grabbing something from the top shelf or playing Cricket, or pull a muscle turning in the swimming pool. The reward however is great. If I sit on my sofa all day every day and do no exercise am I more or less likely to be able to run around with hypothetical Grand Children when I'm in my 70's than if I have spent my life running, jumping, lifting, etc? The answer is obviously the second one so when we are looking at safety or risk over the long term then clearly there is only one answer.

So is CrossFit Safe? Just as safe as the majority of other exercise pursuits. Balance that with the risk Vs reward of not doing CrossFit (or any other exercise regime) and I would argue that you are unequivocally safer and better off being active.

Andy @ A Crew