We ask, can Crossfit help posture? Like many exercise programs and weightlifting, Crossfit is pretty intense. Exercising is a great way to improve your posture, and Crossfit is going to help a lot, so long as you manage your form and watch out for a couple of posture issues commonly associated with Crossfit.
WHAT’S CROSSFIT?
Kettle bells, Olympic weight lifts, squats, burpees, press-ups, overhead presses, the list is exhaustive, and exhausting!
I’ve worked with clients, who’ve come to improve their posture, who also do Crossfit, and I have to say it scared me a little how many people they knew got injured. But then, people do just get injured anyway. You’d be shocked at the number of yoga injuries and Pilates injuries I’ve looked at. I even call some of them my ‘Pilates Victims’, nicely of course (don’t want to lose a client!).
ADVANTAGES OF CROSSFIT FOR POSTURE.
The group classes are manic and fun to be part of, and they build a good community, which is great for building confidence and a desire to keep going. The variety of exercises is greater than many people would normally experience if they just went to a gym for weights on their own.
The improved cardiovascular health is great for keeping your energy levels up during the day, so you’re less likely to be slumping from tiredness.
The explosive plyometric exercises put you through a range of movements and activities you’d rarely experience, which is great for breaking out of bad postural habits.
Overhead press, deadlifts, squats and the like are all fabulous for improving full body strength, and these types of compound exercise are great for improving your posture.
DISADVANTAGES OF CROSSFIT FOR POSTURE.
When you exercise to exhaustion, it’s nearly impossible to keep good form going, and so you can get hurt if you aren’t careful.
Anecdotal rumours of kidney issues due to the exhaustion do exist. Ouch!
Over-emphasising six-packs can lead to looking rounded over.
It’s a massive commitment. Choosing a more easily approachable fitness goal may be more achievable and easier to stick to.
But the two main problems I alluded to earlier are internally rotated shoulders and sometimes with rotator cuff injuries. Coach Maryann Berry talks about internally rotated shoulders on Breaking Muscle.
The tendency to focus on pushing and on building the pectorals can lead to forward-rounding of your shoulders, so balancing your workout and being sure to stretch, ideally before an after, is really important to avoid that curled-over gym-goer look.
And the danger of rotator cuff injury is worth bearing in mind, building some strength before starting a Crossfit program is probably safer.
So watch out for shoulder and rotator cuff issues. Neither of those are going to help your posture!
HERE’S THE LOWDOWN ON CROSSFIT FOR POSTURE…
Exercise is good for you, and exercise is bad for you. It’s down to you how good it is for you, and how bad it is for you. If you don’t workout hard enough, you won’t get much benefit. Part of the process is pain. But if you go too far, you get injured. And that’s where Crossfit worries me, and why I haven’t joined a class. But as I haven’t been, you could argue, what would I know!
Frankly, I’d say if you’re generally fit and healthy and up for a really good regular workout, then Crossfit could be a great fit for you, and the increased fitness and endurance will definitely benefit your posture. But take care, be sure to find a well-qualified instructor and gym, and make sure you keep a keen eye on your form. If you like hardcore workout, why not, go for it!
Bye for now,
James.
