In ExPhysiology
July 01, 2007
Athletes, coaches, and trainers familiar with CrossFit know that it works. However, I find that some are nonetheless hungry for more explanations of why it works.
The term "physiologic conditioning" refers to a planned program of exercise directed toward improving the functional capacity of a particular bodily system. There are four basic principles of physiologic conditioning that trainers and athletes must take into account:
overload
specificity
reversibility
individual differences
Although this model has existed in the athletic community for decades, I believe that it helps us understand some of the reasons behind the efficacy of CrossFit programming. And, furthermore, because CrossFit is such an effective example of the principles in action, it functions as a test--and confirmation--of the model's value.
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