Effects of Eight Weeks of CrossFit Training in Water and on Land on Plasma Lipid Profile and Atherogenic Index Female Students

Background: Dyslipidemia and increased atherogenic indices are among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.Exercises such as CrossFit, due to their combined and intensive nature, are considered effective interventions for improving plasma lipid levels and reducing cardiovascular risk factors; however, there is limited evidence regarding the comparison of these exercises in aquatic and land environments.
Methods: Forty participants meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and randomly assigned to two groups of 20 (aquatic CrossFit and land-based CrossFit). The training program in both groups consisted of eight weeks of exercise, three sessions per week, with controlled intensity and duration. The research variables included lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides,
HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL) and atherogenic index (log TG/HDL-C), which were measured in pre-test and post-test stages. Paired t-test was used to compare within-group changes, and ANCOVA was applied for between-group comparisons. The significance level in all tests was set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results: The findings showed that both training methods resulted in significant improvements in lipid profile and reductions in atherogenic index (p ≤ 0.05). However, comparison between the two groups revealed that aquatic CrossFit was more effective than land-based CrossFit in improving HDL-C (p < 0.001) and reducing TG (p = 0.002) and total cholesterol (p = 0.002).
Conclusion: CrossFit training, whether performed in water or on land, can be effective in improving cardiovascular health; however, aquatic training provides greater benefits for young female students.