Crossfit (CrossFit) is a form of training, mainly taking place in gyms. Many CrossFit halls are proud of their friendly atmosphere and the fact their “community” includes people from 7 to 70 years and older.
CrossFit training helps people over 50 to get the necessary strength and endurance for everyday activities, to prepare the body for unforeseen situations. Even people over 80 years old will benefit from strength training if keeping the bones green. If an elderly person visits the gym two or three times a week, his strength and energy increase significantly, and internal reserves are activated.
CrossFit for the elderly
It is important for long-term health maintenance and prevention of the premature aging effects for the elderly, to keep all the sustainable systematic physical activity habits. The focus of physical activity in this period is to maintain the tonus of skeletal muscles and functional systems in the upper age norms limits. After all, we use an immense amount of muscles even when brushing teeth.
Benefits for the elderly
CrossFit can be practiced by anyone who is committed to serious training, regardless of their initial training level. Such training can be easily adjusted to everyone capabilities, be it a young girl or an elderly man. You can reduce the weight of the projectile, replacing one exercise with another, etc.
The results of numerous studies confirm physical exertion in old age can both maintain health and prolong life. When a person leads a sedentary lifestyle, only 60-70% of the blood volume circulates in the bloodstream, and the rest is in the blood depots. Only under the physical exertion influence, almost all the blood is released into the bloodstream, which leads to improved tissue nutrition and metabolic processes’ activation.
CrossFit Programming for the Elderly
As it turned out, CrossFit can be structured to meet a number of physical limitations. Instructors say the exercises’ intensity is not so important for older people. The main thing for you is to train your body, work in such a way as to challenge yourself, but you should definitely listen to the body, not going beyond certain limits.
Professional instructors do not drive up clients up to a sweat, but also do not allow them to relax on the mats. In accordance with the features of each medical card, the emphasis is placed on cardio load, muscle tone, also strengthening both joints and spine.
One of the reasons why CrossFit has become so common among older people is that it is accessible to people with limited financial resources.