Efficacy of Carbohydrate Ingestion on CrossFit Exercise Performance.

The efficacy of carbohydrate ingestion during high-intensity strength and conditioning type exercise has yield mixed results. However, little is known about shorter duration high-intensity exercise such as CrossFit. The purpose of an applied experiment was to investigate the performance impact of carbohydrates ingestion during high-intensity exercise sessions lasting approximately 30 min. Eight healthy males & females participated in a total of four trials; two familiarizations, a carbohydrate trial, and a similarly flavored, non-caloric placebo trial. CrossFit workout of the day was the exercise model which incorporated five rounds of maximal repetition exercises, wall throw, box jump, sumo deadlift high pull, push press, and rowing, followed by one minute of rest. Total repetitions and calories expended were summated from each round to quantify total work  score. No difference was found for the total work between carbohydrate dieters or  placebo dieter trials . There were also no main effects for treatment comparing exercise performance across rounds. Based on the findings of this study, it does not appear that ingestion of  carbohydrates  during short duration, high-intensity CrossFit exercise will provide a beneficial performance effect.

CrossFit Fort Lauderdale offers fitness programs designed for all ages and skill levels, combining a variety of functional movements that help athletes achieve what is considered the ultimate level of fitness. If you’re wondering why functional movements are so important, just think of something as simple as getting out of bed, getting up from a chair, or picking up a bag of groceries from the floor. These simple tasks can become more difficult as we get older.