CrossFit training is a great way to burn fat and build muscle because of the training routine.
Before understanding how CrossFit can help you, you need to know what CrossFit is.
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a high intensity training routine that helps you burn calories and add mass by using a combination of strength and conditioning compound exercises.
Most of these exercises serve as functional movements as well and are mostly pull, push, and leg movements.
How does CrossFit training help?
CrossFit exercises involve movements such as clean and press, clean and jerk, overhead press, and others.
These compound exercises require immense energy to be done. The body needs to burn calories to ensure it’s generating the fuel needed for the extra effort needed for the exercise. The body burns stored fat (calories), and as a result, CrossFit can help with burning fat.
However, you must ensure that you have a calorie deficit when you’re trying to use CrossFit training to burn fat. That's because only when there's a deficit in calories will the body burn the stored calories to generate energy. Otherwise, the body will use the calories that are being provided on a daily basis instead of burning the stored fat.
CrossFit training can help you build muscles as well. That happens when you focus on progressive overload for compound exercises. As you become stronger, you should continue to increase the amount of resistance or weight used for each exercise.
That helps in pushing the muscle fibers to become stronger and thicker to withstand the additional resistance. It'ss known that if you want to add mass, you need to be in a calorie surplus, but you need to be in a calorie deficit to burn fat.
How does CrossFit help with burning fat and gaining muscles?
When you’re focused on burning fat and gaining muscle at the same time, you can have a calorie deficit for the same. However, the calorie deficit should be less, around 300 a day.
While overall your body is in deficit on a daily basis, the period right after you feed yourself can push you into a surplus for some time. That's when your muscle fibers will be able to use protein and nutrition to build themselves back thicker and stronger.
Bottom Line
Like resistance training or bodyweight training, CrossFit training alone cannot help you burn fat or gain muscle.
You must couple the training routine with proper nutrition, rest, and hydration. These are the key factors whenever you want to make significant changes to your physical appearance through physical fitness routines.
It's a good time to note that CrossFit training has several complex movements. So, as a beginner, you should begin under the supervision of a trainer or a coach. It’s crucial to understand how each movement works and how they fit into the exercise.
A great pointer for any beginner is that timing is key in any type of CrossFit exercise.