Photo by Alora Griffiths
CrossFit is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. The lifestyle sport emphasises intensive exercise and good nutrition to help improve fitness and well-being. And it’s being used by some of our favourite celebrities and public figures to transform their bodies and fitness regimes.
CrossFit is characterised as a lifestyle, emphasising safe and effective exercise, with quality nutrition and diet. As an exercise, the sport is revolutionary, with high-intensity workouts changing on a day-to-day basis to keep the body exhilarated and to prevent a repetitive routine for more satisfaction. These workouts can include weightlifting, running, and yoga. The diet often includes low carbs but can vary on individual goals, whether to lose weight or build muscle. This ensures that CrossFit is an inclusive sport, for anyone at any level to take part in.
The popularity of the sport is reflected in its online presence. In the past five years, searches for CrossFit have increased. Data collected by Coenzyme Q10 suppliers Pharma Nord reveals how searches for CrossFit related terms have changed since 2016, with ‘CrossFit’ on its own searched over 3.1 million times between September 2016 and August 2020.
Of course, good physical well-being must be complemented by sound nutritional health. Vitamins are essential to cellular repair which is vital to the calisthenic lifestyle of cross-fitters. Here, we use search data to reveal which CrossFit search terms are growing on Google, and which vitamins you can use to help grow your physical physique and health. We’ll also take a look at the celebs who are inspiring our own CrossFit journey.
The weight of celebrity
We all need a little inspiration sometimes. The world of cross-fit is in no way short of influencers showing off their strength and hard-earned physiques to pull you on the way to a stronger lifestyle. But as a continually growing athletic trend, the search data allows us to assess which famous cross-fitters have built the most momentum in the past year.
Interestingly, the biggest growth in searches across all CrossFit keywords wasn't for weights or an exercise manoeuvre, but a 26-year-old Floridian training athlete 'Dani Speegle'.
While only starting the sport five years ago, Speegle has seen a momentous rise in fame, proving her strength by placing first in the USA and fifth globally for women’s CrossFit in 2019. She set a personal benchmark by deadlifting an impressive 310lbs and back squatting 295 lbs.
‘Dani Speegle’ was only searched for 110 times between September 2016 and August 2018. But from September 2018 to August 2020, her name was searched 15,070 times?an increase of 13,600 per cent when comparing the two periods.
Dani enjoys working out in open space, particularly outdoors. She often boasts about the great weather in Florida and how vitamin D partners well with yoga and relaxing workouts. Vitamin D3 helps to regulate calcium and phosphate in the body, essential for bone and muscle strength. These are particularly important aspects for anyone pursuing a fitness lifestyle.
Dani's rise to fame is likely thanks to winning the second season of the reality TV show, The Titan Games. The American sports competition places athletes against each other to overcome endurance and physical challenges.
Other CrossFit influencers who have achieved notable search growth include Colleen Fotsch and Zachary Tellier, who have been searched for 2,339 per cent and 7,275 per cent more when comparing the periods since 2016.
Further to these professional athletes, if you’re just getting started in the world of CrossFit, you may look towards some more accessible celebs for inspiration. Emmerdale star, Anthony Quinlan, revealed his own physical transformation. The actor is also a CrossFit trainer, sharing his workout routines on Instagram.
Lucie Donlan, who found fame on hit dating show Love Island, also shared how the regime is essential for her lifestyle: “I love CrossFit as well, which I train with my PT.” Lucie is also a big surfing fan and reminds us that enjoying exercise is just as important as doing it.
Even Kate Middleton is known for her love of CrossFit. Royal insiders reveal that the Duchess of Cambridge uses resistance training in her exercise routines. She combines functional movement, weightlifting, and running to stay active and maintain her regal figure.
The growing gyms
As the number of people taking part in the sport increases, so does the need for specialist facilities to run CrossFit classes and activities. Some of the most popular searches of 2020 relating to CrossFit were specialist gyms. Two notable gyms have seen a dramatic increase in searches since 2016: CrossFit Orwell in Ipswich, and Rhapsody Fitness in South Carolina.
The two gyms have seen a dramatic increase of interest on Google. For example, CrossFit Orwell has seen searches increase by 3,814 per cent since August 2018, peaking with 480 searches in May 2019. Rhapsody Fitness similarly saw a 1,600 per cent increase in searches in the same period.
CrossFit gyms are unique in that they require more square foot per person than traditional gyms. While the sport is largely anaerobic (meaning that additional oxygen isn't required for the workout), there is certainly more movement than most weight-based training. CrossFit exercise sessions can include a range of activities including squats, jumping rope, and pull-ups, and box jumps.
Anaerobic exercises help to boost your immune system, protecting you from illness. A topical and essential need given the current situation. If you’re looking to boost your immune system further, zinc supplements can help with increase cell signalling and cell functions, leading to a quicker immune response.
CrossFit at home
With gyms closed during the new lockdown in Scotland and England, and a growing encouragement to work from home, regular gym and exercise routines have been disrupted for many Brits who would usually pop in for a quick treadmill jog after a day in the office.
With active encouragement to lose weight to protect yourself from the coronavirus, exercise at home is essential. In fact, searches for ‘CrossFit workouts' peaked in April and May 2020, with 12,100 searches for the term each month. This is comparable to the 6,600 searches for the term in January 2020, where you may expect for exercise-related terms to increase as a consequence of the expectant New Year exercise boom which occurs annually.
Oppositely, searches for the term ‘CrossFit gym’ saw their lowest searches in these same months with only 1,900 searches, but 5,400 searches in January.
The midyear peak of ‘CrossFit workouts' is unique to 2020, proving that people have been looking for ways to exercise at home during the lockdown.
CrossFit is compatible with home workouts thanks to the broad range of activities included in the sport and the adaptability of every-day objects to use during your workouts. For example, milk cartons can be filled with water or sand and used as weights. Gardens also provide enough space for high-intensity training.
While exercise at home has been essential during the lockdown, ensuring you maintain nutritional health should also be a priority. Omega-3 are polyunsaturated fatty acids. that can help to prevent and manage heart disease and lower blood pressure. Blood circulation is essential, especially following a half-year stint of not leaving the house.
CrossFit is a great way to regain your health and well-being after months of staying in, and there are more opportunities to kick-start your fitness journey even at home. Fitness plans are most effective when partnered with healthy nutrients and vitamins to maximise metabolism and encourage cellular recovery. Ensuring that your body is in prime condition has never been more important. Remembering to stay active is essential.
