Criticism
A person, who had suffered injuries while performing a CrossFit workout on Dec 11, 2005, at Manassas World Gym in Manassas, VA under the supervision of an uncertified trainer,[38] claimed that CrossFit poses an elevated risk of rhabdomyolysis. He successfully sued his trainers and was awarded $300,000 in damages.[39] According to Dr. Stuart McGill, a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, the risk of injury from some CrossFit exercises outweighs their benefits when they are performed with poor form in timed workouts. He added there are similar risks in other exercise programs but noted that CrossFit's online community enables athletes to follow the program without proper guidance, increasing the risk.[40] Because of the perceived risks of Crossfit, it has been difficult for many trainers and affiliates to get insurance. As a result, Crossfit has established a risk retention group (RRG). An RRG is a form of self-insurance that is common among professionals that engage in high risk activities, such as law enforcement officers, emergency medical workers, and contractors.
Articles on many websites criticize CrossFit for lack of periodization, illogical or random exercise sequences, and lacking quality-control accreditation standards for trainers and affiliates.[41][42][26] Crossfit Level 2 and other specialty seminars are not yet certified.[43][44]
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Response to criticism
CrossFit vigorously disputes the criticism of its exercise methodology. Crossfit Level 1 trainers are certified through the American National Standards Institute. Starting in May 2005,[45] CFHQ has published numerous free articles in the online CrossFit Journal about Rhabdomyolysis,[46][47][48][49] three of which are also included in the CF Manual provided to all prospective trainers.[50]
