The sport of Crossfit is in the midst of sweeping the nation it what seems like the blink of an eye. In the span of a year, the Crossfit Games, an annual competition showcasing the best atheletes doing various competitive workouts in an effort of gaining the title of “Fittest on Earth” along with a hefty monetary prize, has been broadcasted on major television channels. It has been introduced to the working class and has people giving up their “cookie-cutter” gym member ships and going to join their first Crossfit class as soon as possible. The concept behind this intriguing new workout program is fascinatingly addictive; you get put in to a group with some of your peers, all with varying levels of fitness, and are challenged to complete a workout either within an allotted time limit, or for the fastest time they’re capable of putting up. This program is great because it shows people that they can keep up with some of the more fit people and it takes away the “working out alone” concept that most people dread when starting a workout program. Now unfortunately, there is a rather high injury rate with Crossfit. While this is one of the only drawbacks, it is a rather big drawback as you can probably tell. With Crossfit keeping the profession of physical therapy alive and well, some people are starting to doubt the ability of Crossfit to deliver those great results without the high percentage of injury that presents itself. There is a way however, which involves adding a few things to your workout regiment that will keep you looking great and lower your chances of injury significantly.

The first major thing is to start a strength building regiment. Now there is lifting within Crossfit but adding your own strength building regiment is great for two reasons. Doing those great core, olympic lifts will compliment all of the difficult and intricate lifts that can be incorporated into some of the workouts. It also a great way to practice your form and get it perfect without being under the sometimes stressful time constraints during the workout. Another great thing to do is to take a yoga class at least once a week in place of a Crossfit class. With your strength gains going crazy, you’re going to need to stay flexible. Flexibility is going to be one of the most important things you can gain to prevent injury. Yoga is also relaxing and can de-stress you. The final thing you can do to help your injury chances diminish is to adjust your diet. Lots of protein and green vegetables can keep your muscles from gaining to much lactic acid and keep you performing at your maximum efficiency.