Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2024 Jun 7;19(8):780-791. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2023-0386. Print 2024 Aug 1.
To (1) establish extensive physiological profiles of highly trained CrossFit® athletes using gold-standard tests and (2) investigate which physiological markers best correlate with CrossFit Open performance.
This study encompassed 60 participants (30 men and 30 women), all within the top 5% of the CrossFit Open, including 7 CrossFit semifinalists and 3 CrossFit Games finalists. Isokinetic dynamometers were employed to measure maximum isometric and isokinetic leg and trunk strength. Countermovement-jump height and maximum isometric midthigh-pull strength were assessed on a force plate. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) was measured by a cardiopulmonary exercise test, and critical power and W' were evaluated during a 3-minute all-out test, both on a cycle ergometer.
Male and female athletes' median (interquartile range) VO2peak was 4.64 (4.43, 4.80) and 3.21 (3.10, 3.29) L·min-1, critical power 314.5 (285.9, 343.6) and 221.3 (200.9, 238.9) W, and midthigh pull 3158 (2690, 3462) and 2035 (1728, 2347) N. Linear-regression analysis showed strong evidence for associations between different anthropometric variables and CrossFit Open performance in men and women, whereas for markers of cardiorespiratory fitness such as VO2peak, this was only true for women but not men. Conventional laboratory evaluations of strength, however, manifested minimal evidence for associations with CrossFit Open performance across both sexes.
This study provides the first detailed insights into the physiology of high-performing CrossFit athletes and informs training optimization. Furthermore, the results emphasize the advantage of athletes with shorter limbs and suggest potential modifications to CrossFit Open workout designs to level the playing field for athletes across different anthropometric characteristics.
（1）利用金标准测试建立高度训练的 CrossFit®运动员的广泛生理概况，（2）研究哪些生理标志物与 CrossFit 公开赛表现相关性最好。
本研究共纳入 60 名参与者（30 名男性和 30 名女性），均为 CrossFit 公开赛前 5%的选手，包括 7 名 CrossFit 半决赛选手和 3 名 CrossFit 总决赛选手。使用等速测力计测量最大等长和等速腿部和躯干力量。在力量板上评估下蹲跳高度和最大等长大腿中部拉力。使用心肺运动试验测量峰值摄氧量（VO2peak），在自行车测力计上进行 3 分钟全力测试，评估临界功率和 W'。
男性和女性运动员的 VO2peak 中位数（四分位距）分别为 4.64（4.43，4.80）和 3.21（3.10，3.29）L·min-1，临界功率分别为 314.5（285.9，343.6）和 221.3（200.9，238.9）W，大腿中部拉力分别为 3158（2690，3462）和 2035（1728，2347）N。线性回归分析表明，男性和女性的不同人体测量变量与 CrossFit 公开赛表现之间存在很强的关联证据，而对于 VO2peak 等心肺功能适应标志物，这仅适用于女性，而不适用于男性。然而，对于力量等常规实验室评估，男女之间的 CrossFit 公开赛表现相关性的证据很少。
本研究首次提供了关于高性能 CrossFit 运动员生理学的详细见解，并为训练优化提供了信息。此外，结果强调了四肢较短的运动员的优势，并为不同人体测量特征的运动员提出了潜在的 CrossFit 公开赛训练设计修改建议，以实现公平竞争。
