Why Bodybuilders Are More Jacked Than CrossFitters
Comparing athletes from different backgrounds has become a standard, especially after the MMA athletes have started stepping into the boxing rings with their gloves on. The Connor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather fight have started a trend which is going to go on for a long time.
Bodybuilders and CrossFitters are no strangers to this comparison. Athletes from these backgrounds are compared to judge which is the better sport. Beginners make the comparison to choose between which sport they should opt for.
The Goal
While bodybuilders train to craft their physiques by building muscle mass and symmetry, CrossFitter’s workout to get fitter. The end goal of both these sports should be evident from the fact that bodybuilding shows determine the best physique on stage and the CrossFit games are meant to discover the fittest man and woman.
In a bodybuilding show, athletes are marked for the mass, symmetry, and conditioning of their muscles. In a CrossFit game, the athletes compete and have to outdo each other in the workouts.
Training
The bodybuilders train for breaking their muscle tissues and are always chasing the pump. Bodybuilders usually follow a training split and will have a set duration of rest time between working sets.
CrossFit athletes, on the other hand, follow a WOD (workout of the day) which is often a circuit which targets building strength and stamina. CrossFitters also do group workouts where a large number of people perform the same workout as a “class”.
Use of Machines
Bodybuilders use machines in their workouts to include variations and isolate their muscles. Most bodybuilding gyms are filled with numerous machines to add variety to the workouts and shock the muscles into growing.
CrossFit gyms are bare bone as compared to the bodybuilding gyms. The CrossFitters rely on functional movements in their training which usually include barbell, dumbbell, kettlebells, and pull-ups bars and don’t use a lot of machines.
Nutrition
It is no secret bodybuilders love protein. Bodybuilders follow a diet plan along with their training program. The bodybuilders also use muscle building supplements (now a billion-dollar industry) to assist with their goals.
While the CrossFit athletes train to become the fittest individuals, their diet plans can be vastly different than that of the bodybuilders. The CrossFitters don’t usually use pre and post-workout supplements.
Advanced Training Techniques
The bodybuilders use advanced training techniques like drop sets, supersets, intraset stretching, BFR (blood flow restriction) training to shock their muscles and fill them up with blood and lactic acid. The bodybuilders will often train to muscle failure in their sets.
CrossFit athletes don’t train to exhaust their muscles and don’t use advanced training techniques. CrossFitters don’t usually target a specific muscle group like biceps or chest and will rather follow a full body workout.
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*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
