title: Is High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT)/CrossFit Safe for Military Fitness Training?
abstract: High-intensity functional training (HIFT) is a promising fitness paradigm that gained popularity among military populations. Rather than biasing workouts toward maximizing fitness domains such as aerobic endurance, HIFT workouts are designed to promote general physical preparedness. HIFT programs have proliferated as a result of concerns about the relevance of traditional physical training (PT), which historically focused on aerobic condition via running. Other concerns about traditional PT include: (1) the relevance of service fitness tests given current combat demands, (2) the perception that military PT is geared toward passing service fitness tests, and (3) that training for combat requires more than just aerobic endurance. Despite its' popularity in the military, concerns have been raised about HIFT's injury potential, leading to some approaches being labeled as "extreme conditioning programs" by several military and civilian experts. Given HIFT programs' popularity in the military and concerns about injury, a review of data on HIFT injury potential is needed to inform military policy. The purpose of this review is to: (1) provide an overview of scientific methods used to appropriately compare injury rates among fitness activities and (2) evaluate scientific data regarding HIFT injury risk compared to traditional military PT and other accepted fitness activities.
authors.affiliation: NDRI: National Development and Research Institutes, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, 1920 West 143rd Street, Suite 120, Leawood, KS 66224.
authors.forename: Walker S C
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Poston
authors.affiliation: NDRI: National Development and Research Institutes, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, 1920 West 143rd Street, Suite 120, Leawood, KS 66224.
authors.forename: Christopher K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Haddock
authors.affiliation: Functional Intensity Training Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, College of Human Ecology, 1A Natatorium, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
authors.forename: Katie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.affiliation: NDRI: National Development and Research Institutes, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, 1920 West 143rd Street, Suite 120, Leawood, KS 66224.
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jahnke
authors.affiliation: NDRI: National Development and Research Institutes, Institute for Biobehavioral Health Research, 1920 West 143rd Street, Suite 120, Leawood, KS 66224.
authors.forename: Nattinee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jitnarin
authors.affiliation: Knowledge Point International, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Batchelor
mesh_terms: D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*