Introduction
There is an increasing trend in the popularity of crossfit in UAE, and many Emiratis, especially the younger population, are being adherent towards crossfit exercises. However, it is important to describe the basic aspects of crossfit. The basis of crossfit is the basic exercises: deadlift, chest, squats, bench presses, push, and jerk. The basics of gymnastics are also being worked out, such as pull-ups, push-ups, rope climbs, body hoists, pirouettes, swing, and retention.
The implementation of the complexes is highly fast and intense. In accordance with this, various muscle groups are included in the work that ensures the performance of these motor actions. Side muscle groups are the flexors of the legs, extensors of the arms, extensors of the spinal column, pectoralis major muscle. A prerequisite for the development of these muscle groups is the preliminary strengthening of the muscles of the abdomen and lumbar region. Thus, the content of a high-intensity multifunctional training should include exercises that provide an impact on these muscle groups.
It should be noted that the exercises should be multi-joint, total, use many muscles of the human body, functional, that is, develop a cardiorespiratory system, improve generally applicable motor skills, ensure the development of physical qualities. Functional movements use universal recruitment patterns that are performed through contraction from the nucleus to the extremities and are complex, that is, multi-joint. The most important factor in functional movements is their ability to move large weights over long distances and do it quickly. Together, three attributes, such as weight, distance, and speed, determine the ability of functional movements to generate high power.
The functional movement is the squat because it is a standard lift from a sitting position, and the deadlift is the lifting of any object from the floor. Meanwhile, all isolated movements performed on simulators have no analogs in nature, therefore, these motor actions are not functional. All-natural movements of a person require the participation of several joints for any motor activity and, therefore, multi-joint exercises are functional.
Problem Statement
The problem statement is highly specific because it addresses the underlying reasons behind crossfit becoming widely popular in the UAE. The paper will investigate the major benefits of crossfit because they are one of the key reasons why the given type of exercise is becoming widely preferred among Emiratis. For instance, there is Dubai Crossfit Championship (DCC), which is an annual crossfit competition that takes place in Dubai (“Past winners,” 2019).
The degree of popularity is high enough that it attracts thousands of participants not only from UAE but the entire globe. The given event’s winners include individuals from a number of countries (“Past winners,” 2019). The given reason is one among many other ones of an increased crossfit popularity in Emirates.
Rationale for the Research
The given study intends to understand the underlying reasons for Emiratis preferring crossfit as a type of exercise. The rationale used in this study is analyzing and overviewing various benefits of crossfit and how the latter can be a contributing factor of crossfit popularity in the UAE. In addition, the study investigates the potential health benefits of intensive exercises, which are prevalent in crossfit. By conducting a thorough analysis and possessing a complete understanding of underlying reasons for crossfit popularity, it will be possible to predict future trends and comprehend health ramifications.
This, the importance of the study is based on the fact that it will allow researchers to have a full picture of what factors make a certain exercise type more appealing than others. The given study is primarily relevant for UAE health and wellness promoters, which include both government and independent organizations. The main benefit is manifested in the fact that health promotion in UAE can be optimized only by having a complete understanding of reasons Emiratis choose one exercise type over another.
Statement of the Research Objectives
The purpose and the objectives for this study are to analyze and overview the underlying reasons for Emiratis preferring crossfit as a type of exercise. In addition, the paper will assess the major benefits of crossfit in terms of health and physical fitness. The main reason for the latter statement is that these health ramifications can be the biggest contributing factors for crossfit popularity in the UAE. Therefore, the study will seek to identify and determine the effect of crossfit as a type of exercise.
Hypothesis
It is important to note that functional movements in crossfit are characterized by two important aspects. Firstly, they are optimal from the point of view of biomechanics and therefore are safe. Secondly, these motor actions have a positive effect on the activity of the endocrine glands. It was revealed that exercises of total exposure with minor weights activate the production of the pituitary gland and growth hormone, and exercises that develop strength endurance affect the production of testosterone. Common exercises include skills such as lifting and carrying cargo, running short segments at maximum speed, overcoming artificial and natural obstacles.
It also includes walking, jogging, skiing, swimming in various ways, and diving to depth and length. All of them are basic for professionally applied physical training. The upbringing of motor abilities such as strength, endurance, coordination, speed, and the improvement of generally applicable motor skills are facilitated by motor actions. The implementation of weightlifting exercises is associated with a high level of oxygen debt, and the work is carried out with the leading role of anaerobic energy supply mechanisms. Systematic weightlifting exercises lead to an increase in metabolism, which helps to increase muscle mass.
Definition of Terms
- Crossfit – a branded system of physical fitness exercises aimed at improving the general health and wellbeing of people involved. Crossfit training includes elements of interval training of high intensity, weightlifting, plyometrics, powerlifting, gymnastics, weight lifting, strongman exercises, and jogging.
- Biomechanics – a natural mechanical movement patterns of a body.
- Multi-joint movement – is any form of exercise that involves movement across two or more joints.
- Oxygen debt – is term used to address the fact that when a muscle does not get sufficient amount of oxygen during exercise, thus, it switches to anaerobic state and will require oxygen supply later on.
- Functional movements – are set of exercises, which emulate movement patterns used in daily activities.
Summary
There is a significant increase in popularity of crossfit in UAE, which means that Emiratis prefer crossfit exercises over other types. Thus, it important to identify and understand the underlying reasons behind the given popularity of crossfit. The flow of the study will assess the major health and fitness benefits of crossfit due to the fact that the latter can be biggest factors contributing to crossfit popularity.
Review of the Relevant Literature
Crossfit is a branded system of physical fitness, and the popularity of this area is due to the wide range of its application in a variety of sports for a variety of people with different levels of training. Crossfit is handled by both professional athletes and untrained amateurs. Depending on this, the weight, load, intensity varies, but the essence of the program remains unchanged. Crossfit is a circular training, that is, all exercises are repeated many times and are closed in a circle. It is necessary to perform a certain set of exercises in minimum time.
The search for rational approaches to physical education and recovery of people using crossfit in physical education classes is one of the ways to optimize the educational process. The use of crossfit in physical education classes contributes to the full development of physical qualities. It is important to note that crossfit as a sport has its own characteristics. The program affects the body from different angles and alternates exercises and their intensity, as well as their duration, all this contributes to the development and improvement of the most important physical skills of performers. Receptions are replaced highly intensively, due to which the individuals show independence and initiative, as well as speed and endurance.
A high workout pace creates emotional stress that promotes emotional relaxation. The competitive element, accuracy, and speed of action are important, which allows athletes to mobilize all their capabilities and overcome difficulties. For instance, it is suggested that Crossfit is the reinventive institution with the majority of its focus on mutual surveillance and voluntarism, which can be key determining factors of crossfit popularity (Dawson, 2017). In addition, although there are certain risks for injury as with any sport, crossfit might be attractive due to its high level of customization, which is not present in regular fitness types (Alekseyev et al., 2020).
It is also implied that most people get involved in crossfit because they seek health and self-making as their primary goals (McCarthy, 2019). There are certain injury rates due to the intensity of crossfit, but it is not higher compared to other recreational sports (Sprey et al., 2016). The latter statement is also supported by another study, which assessed the incidence rate of shoulder injuries and concluded that the rates are comparable to recreational forms of exercise (Summitt, Cotton, Kays, & Slaven, 2016). Thus, there certain risks associated with crossfit exercises, but there are outweighed by its benefits.
Moreover, there also other reasons, besides health, that can contribute Emiratis preferring crossfit. One of the potential reasons for crossfit popularity can be its neoliberal aspect, which is manifested in the fact that modern people work towards exceptionalism and self-making (James & Gill, 2018). In addition, there is a particular study, which argues that crossfit promotes women subordination by naturalization of hegemonic masculinity (Kerry, 2017). it is stated that crossfit leads to a number of health outcomes, which are increased VO2 max, endurance, musculature (Meyer, Morrison, & Zuniga, 2017).
Lastly, it is indicated that one of the reasons for crossfit popularity is that there is a sense of community among crossfit gym members (Whiteman-Sandland, Hawkins, & Clayton, 2018). Therefore, it is critical to assess all possible reasons for crossfit becoming widely popular among Emiratis in order to understand the underlying reasons behind their preferences.
Crossfit is a complex of exercises that are distinguished by high intensity, a regular change of exercises, which includes the components of weightlifting and athletics, bodybuilding, powerlifting, fitness, classical gymnastics, weight-lifting.
The main features of crossfit are, firstly, the comprehensive impact on the human body, which contributes to an increase in the effectiveness of physical training, and secondly, the speed of changing conditions, techniques, and conditions, allows performers to work faster, more initiative, and more creatively. Thirdly, it is a combination of high emotionality and activity with emotional tension, a manifestation of restraint and control, and fourthly, the spirit of competition teaches people to act as hard as possible, overcoming all difficulties.
The main goal of CrossFit is to improve the physical qualities of a person, improve performance, as well as develop rapid adaptation to changing loads. Based on the goal, crossfit can be divided into some types, such as metabolic training aimed at improving the work of the cardiovascular system and endurance, that is, running, swimming, cycling, rowing, and jumping rope. In addition, this is gymnastics, which helps to improve control over one’s own body, that is, pull-ups, push-ups are normal and with the use of rings and bars, a handstand, squats without weight, and walking lunges.
Weight training, developing skills in the application of force to external objects such as weightlifting and powerlifting, including squats with a barbell, bench press, and deadlift. However, as a rule, they all represent a single complex and are carried out in stages over a specific period. Crossfit is suitable for people of any physical fitness and is also training for various sports. Running, athletics and weightlifting, swimming, weight-lifting, in combination, allow a person to receive a uniform and full-fledged physical development.
At the same time, not only muscles are worked out, but also the respiratory system and endurance of the body as a whole develop. The system of training in the direction of crossfit is one of the most relevant, popular, and effective methods of general physical preparation of this contingent.
The main goal of the classes is to improve endurance, weight loss, and gaining muscle mass. An important feature of crossfit is its variability, that is, each training session has a new program that can be made an integral part of the students’ physical training program. Physical education classes include general warm-up, developmental block, and high-intensity training. In order to increase the motivation of athletes, competition elements such as scoring and achieving various levels are often used. The basic rules of training are maximum intensity, frequency of training, minimum or absence of rest, a change in the direction of loads in each lesson.
The main disadvantage of crossfit is extreme loads, accompanied by increased trauma and the risk of cardiovascular complications. Since, when performing exercises, the orientation is not on the technique, but on speed and heavyweight, the likelihood of damage is greatly increased.
Therefore, all exercises must be performed under the supervision of a coach. CrossFit for the vast majority of athletes and amateurs is a philosophy of a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity, proper nutrition, the use of a variety of scientifically based diets, a certain amount of knowledge, motivation for self-development, and comprehensive self-improvement. Today, the crossfit program is adapted for any person who is actively involved in physical activity, and at the same time, it is maximum functional and variable.
Methodology
The research procedure will involve applying a qualitative approach in assessing each crossfit exercise and how it affects one’s health and fitness. The quantitative approach will be used in regards to assessing general populations’ state of health and trends in sports. However, the former methodology will more prevalent in the study due to specificity of the problem statement, which will mainly require qualitative analysis of exercise types present in crossfit training procedure.
In addition, it is important to understand the fact that one of the biggest contributing factors of crossfit popularity is its branding and promotion. Therefore, the study will involve one case study of the Dubai Crossfit Championship and its effects on making crossfit more appealing than other types of exercises. The main goal of the case study will address how it attracts top crossfit athletes across the globe and what implications does it possess in regards to Emiratis’ exercise preferences.
Participants
The participants will be required for qualitative and quantitative analysis, because the former will study the biomechanics and functionality of crossfit exercises, whereas the latter will assess characteristic of people doing crossfit regularly. Approximately 100 people in local crossfit gyms will be quantitatively assessed in order to understand the main characteristics, such as age, gender, background, motivation, and the overall period of training.
In addition, crossfit trainers and professional athletes will be asked to perform essential crossfit exercises in order to analyze their biomechanics feasibility and functionality. With a sufficient amount of inventory and equipment, it is possible to use the group method of organizing people involved. This is possible when performing exercises with weights of its own weight. Poorly trained practitioners in such a construction do not stand out as a separate group but are located between well-trained ones.
Research Design
The data collection process will include visiting not less than ten local crossfit gyms in order to study the underlying reasons for people purchasing the gym membership there and not in traditional gyms. In addition, the collection procedure will assess the basic characteristics of people attending crossfit classes in order to determine which part of Emiratis are the most interested in the given type of exercise activity. Lastly, the case study will assess the DCC and its features in order to understand its role in popularizing crossfit in UAE.
High-intensity multifunctional training can be carried out using swimming, skiing, overcoming obstacles, in the form of a comprehensive lesson. In order to increase the motor density of classes, group and flow methods can be used, as well as methods for performing exercises using the interval, repeated, and circular type of training. One should use the competitive method with the obligatory recording of results, which will encourage people to achieve a better indicator. Fixing the results makes it possible, when re-performing complexes of high-intensity multifunctional training, to monitor the progress of the physical fitness of people.
Instrumentation and Data Collection Plans
In order to collect the data from crossfit gym members, surveys will be used with questions assessing their basic characteristics and the reason for their interest and preference for crossfit as a type of exercise. Crossfit requires comprehensive development of the physical capabilities of those involved. It is a means of developing intellectual abilities, as it requires high concentration and multitasking, fosters volitional qualities and useful habits, is applied in nature, is useful in various life situations, and is accessible to people with different physical abilities, that is, it has no restrictions. The crossfit program can be selected depending on the level of training, desire, and ability of performers.
Exercises are built on various techniques from running, weightlifting and athletics, fitness. They are grouped by sets and repeated in a circle, and high intensity and maximum return are important. Training is functional, that is, strength, speed, accuracy, and coordination are involved. Thus, these features will be assessed during the interview process among trainers.
Proposed Analysis of the Data
The major expectation for reasons is the fact that crossfit is appealing due to its health and fitness benefits. It can be especially true for younger Emiratis, who are more interested in the general self-improvement, including their health and wellbeing. Thus, it is expected that the majority of crossfit gym member is young, both male and female, well-educated on the health benefits of crossfit. The categorization will involve the framework of the individual characteristics, where all specificities will be recorded. The analysis will include the assessment of major factors increasing the interest in crossfit in UAE. This will allow people to understand the factors that drive Emiratis to certain forms of sports activities and the overall awareness of the UAE population regarding health and wellbeing.
Implications and limitations
The main implication will be manifested in health-promoting organizations being able to better navigate and plan their strategies in promoting health among Emiratis. In addition, the data acquired will help to predict future exercise and sports trends and how these affect the competitive arena. The limitation can be derived from the notion that the study will dismiss people who do not possess the time and resources to attend crossfit gym sessions. Another limitation is that people attending crossfit gyms may not be aware that they are involved in crossfit due to mass marketing and promotion.
References
Alekseyev, K., John, A., Malek, A., Lakdawala, M., Verma, N., Southall, C., … Ross, M. (2020). Identifying the most common CrossFit injuries in a variety of athletes. Rehabilitation Process and Outcome, 9, 1-9.
Dawson, M. C. (2017). CrossFit: Fitness cult or reinventive institution? International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 52(3), 361-379.
James, E. P., & Gill, R. (2018). Neoliberalism and the communicative labor of CrossFit. Communication & Sport, 6(6), 703-727.
Kerry, V. J. (2017). The construction of hegemonic masculinity in the Semiotic Landscape of a CrossFit ‘Cave.’ Visual Communication, 16(2), 209-237.
McCarthy, B. (2019). Reinvention through CrossFit: Branded transformation documentaries. Communication & Sport, 1-5.
Meyer, J., Morrison, J., & Zuniga, J. (2017). The benefits and risks of CrossFit: A systematic review. Workplace Health & Safety, 65(12), 612-618.
Past winners. (2019). Web.
Sprey, J. W. C., Ferreira, T., de Lima, M. V., Duarte, A., Jorge, P. B., & Santili, C. (2016). An epidemiological profile of CrossFit athletes in Brazil. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 4(8), 1-8.
Summitt, R. J., Cotton, R. A., Kays, A. C., & Slaven, E. J. (2016). Shoulder injuries in individuals who participate in CrossFit training. Sports Health, 8(6), 541-546.
Whiteman-Sandland, J., Hawkins, J., & Clayton, D. (2018). The role of social capital and community belongingness for exercise adherence: An exploratory study of the CrossFit gym model. Journal of Health Psychology, 23(12), 1545-1556.