The relationship between CrossFit performance and grip strength

Abstract

There is a growing interest in maximizing CrossFit (CF) performance as the sport becomes more economically viable at elite levels. The ability to delineate the physiological demands of the sport of CF allows coaches and athletes to develop more efficacious exercise programming in order to maximize the athlete’s potential for success at the most elite and lucrative levels of competition. There is also a growing interest in increasing health and fitness in the general population as obesity and chronic disease rates continue to rise. Hand grip strength (HGS) is an indicator of total body strength, mortality, morbidity and independence among aging adults. Given that CF is the “Sport of Fitness”, it would be of interest to determine the relationship between HGS and CF performance. The current study examined the relationship between CF performance and hand grip strength (HGS). It was hypothesized that CF performance would have a meaningful significant relationship with HGS. Fifteen (n=15) female CF participants (age 30.9±7.1 years, height 160.3±4.8 cm, body mass 64.5±9.6 kg) of varying experience levels (51.9±30.6 months) were assessed for HGS and CF performance measures. The CF performance measures were assessed via a Workout of the Day (WOD) comprised of 3 rounds of 30 seconds at each of the following stations: fan bike (FB) for maximum calories, air squats (AS) for maximum repetitions, sit-ups (SU) for maximum repetitions, and burpees (BP) for maximum repetitions. Each 30 second work interval was followed by 2 minutes and 30 seconds of rest to ensure full recovery of the phosphagen energy system. Scores were reported as the mean number of repetitions completed across the 3 attempts at each movement station. Individual movements as well as total repetitions were then compared to HGS with Pearson correlation coefficients (r). Sit-up performance demonstrated a positive moderately (r=0.44) significant relationship with mean HGS (p<0.05). Neither total WOD performance nor any other individual movement had a significant relationship with HGS (p>0.05). Within the parameters of this study, CF participants exhibited a moderate relationship between HGS and sit-up scores.