The Dangers of Extreme Sports Like Crossfit Are on the Rise; Crossfit Athlete Kevin Ogar Was Paralyzed from the Waist Down During a Crossfit Competition in California.
Memphis, TN (PRWEB) February 01, 2014 -- Is CrossFit dangerous? Just ask Kevin Ogar.
Since its foundation in 2000, CrossFit’s popularity has exploded in the U.S. with thousands of privately owned gyms dedicated just for this hard-core fitness program. Every year, CrossFit Inc. holds CrossFit Games where a winner can walk away with as much as $275,000 and land lucrative sponsorship deals. This is what happened to Kevin Ogar while trying to perform a WOD at the 2014 OC Throwdown fitness competition in California.
So what happened to Kevin Ogar?
Kevin Ogar is a Denver CrossFit coach and was an athlete during the competition. In the video, Kevin was trying to perform the competition’s WOD 4 called ‘Touch and Go Snatch’ when the bar fell, bounced and struck him in the back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWJapBpKrQA
Although Kevin is experienced at weight lifting, he was unable to get out of way in time when the bar fell. The accident severed his spinal cord and damaged his T11 and T12 vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the waist below. (Sports Illustrated, 2014) from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20140124/crossfit-kevin-ogar/.
The worst thing is, Kevin is not insured and there’s no way he could cover his mounting medical bills on his own. The global CrossFit community has been raising money already to help in Kevin’s medical treatment and rehabilitation. As of now, there are 4,428 people that have donated a total of $330,000 on Fundly.com (https://fundly.com/kevin-ogar-s-recovery?ft_src=widget_campaign_card) and at the Kevin Ogar site at http://kevinogar.com/.
"Although the event was not organized nor sanctioned by CrossFit Inc.", according to Women’sHealth http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/crossfit-problems, "whether it’s CrossFit or general weight lifting, everyone should use caution and make sure they are exercising in the safest way possible."
A safer alternative
People commonly ask why use fitness machines when one can run outside, use free weights, or use one of the TV or fad exercise programs on the market. "The reason to only lift using machines is because it forces people to use correct form and provides safety. The reason to use cardio machines is because there are redundant safety features built in and the environment is controlled. If there is a malfunction, there are safety systems in place to minimize injury", according to Treadmill Doctor.
Seeking to be fit in the shortest way possible is a misconception
Becoming fit requires resolve, time, and perseverance. You can’t just say that you want to lose weight in three months or develop a perfectly fit body in short order. The opinion of Treadmill Doctor is that "while most have maintained an exercise regimen on treadmills, ellipticals and weight lifting machines, there are many that have turned to high intensity programs like CrossFit and some of these people suffer the consequences." Keeping this in mind, please support Kevin Ogar and Treadmill Doctor has made a donation to help Kevin in his battle. Please do the same.
Treadmill Doctor is a full line fitness equipment services company based in Memphis, TN that has been serving the community since 1998.
Clark Stevenson, Treadmill Doctor Inc., http://www.treadmilldoctor.com, +1 (901) 362-3360 Ext: 328, [email protected]
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