Physical activity can be defined as ” any movement that works your muscles and causes your body to burn calories . There are many types of physical activities including swimming, running, jogging, walking and dancing, to name a few. Physical activity has been shown to have many health benefits, both physical and mental.

Among the different physical practices that exist, CrossFit is a training program composed of exercises inspired by gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more.

Here are the top 5 benefits of CrossFit for your body and brain.

You will become stronger

Weightlifting and endurance training make you stronger. One of the advantages of CrossFit is that it uses both of these fitness modalities in its programming.

Most CrossFit moves are compound moves, which means they use the muscles of your entire body. For example, when you perform a lift such as a snatch, squat or deadlift, you are mobilizing many different muscles. CrossFit is therefore ideal for developing your muscles in a uniform manner and thus increasing your strength.

It will help you lose weight

Losing weight is not the goal of all crossfiters, but if it is yours, CrossFit is one of the most suitable and effective sports practices.

Some studies have shown that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity. To understand the effect of exercise on weight loss, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure.

Your body expends energy in three ways: digesting food, exercising and maintaining body functions such as heart rate and breathing.

During a diet, a reduced caloric intake will lower your metabolic rate, which will delay weight loss. On the contrary, one of the benefits of CrossFit is that it will increase your metabolic rate, which will allow you to burn more calories and therefore help you lose weight.

You will improve your mobility

Although CrossFit is not like traditional mobility strengthening practices like yoga and Pilates, it is in fact one of the best exercise programs for improving this aspect. Mobility is your ability to move a muscle or muscle group through a range of motion (ROM) with strength and control. The great thing about CrossFit is that many of its movements improve ROM and strength simultaneously.

CrossFit will help improve your health and memory

CrossFit, like any other intense physical activity, can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills.

It increases your heart rate, which helps circulate blood and oxygen to your brain. This increase in blood flow improves the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the brain cells and thus detoxifies them.

Physical activity has also been shown to enhance the development of neurons in the hippocampus area, a part of the brain vital for memory and learning.

In the long run, sport can therefore improve your cognitive abilities. You can read this article to learn more about the benefits of sports (and in this case the benefits of CrossFit) on the brain.

It will improve the quality of your sleep

There are many lifestyle factors that play a role in the quality of your sleep. While any type of exercise can improve sleep quality, high-intensity workouts like CrossFit are undoubtedly the most effective.

Numerous scientific studies on the effects of exercise on sleep support this claim. For example, one study found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week can improve sleep quality by up to 65%(study link).

Finally, regular physical activity such as CrossFit will increase your production of endorphins, which will give you a feeling of well-being and help you sleep better.

Personally, the quality of my sleep improved dramatically after I started CrossFit.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking to improve your fitness or simply adopt a healthier lifestyle, Crossfit is a great way to achieve your goals.

No matter what happens, whether you’re a great athlete or just following the 150 minutes a week rule, you will inevitably improve your health and feel better about your body.

You are now convinced by the benefits of CrossFit on the body and you want to start? One of the first steps is to become familiar with the basic movements. Here is an article presenting 7 CrossFit moves for beginners.