Caloric expenditure during one exercise session following ACSM and CrossFit guidelines

Purpose. This study sought to compare energy expenditure, recovery VO2 and peak heart rates and VO2's achieved across 45 min of exercise and 15 min of recovery following both CrossFit® and ACSM guidelines. Methods. Thirty physically active participants performed a workout following both CrossFit® and ACSM guidelines. During each workout the participants wore a K4b2 Cosmed unit to measure energy expenditure, VO2 and heart rate. Results. Energy expenditure (468 ± 116 vs. 431 ± 96 kcal), peak heart rate (189 ± 8 vs. 172 ± 8 bpm), peak VO2 (3.22 ± 0.73 vs. 2.81 ± 0.63 L/min) and average 15 min recovery VO2 (0.89 ± 0.24 vs. 0.78 ± 0.18 L/min) were significantly greater in the CrossFit® workout (p < .05). Conclusion. CrossFit® can be an effective exercise program for expending calories, although the high intensity may be unsafe for individuals with health conditions.