The substitution of concepts as a factor of the distortion of scientific knowledge and the ignoring of safety issues in physical education

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Abrashina I.V.
Pushkin Leningrad State University (Saint Petersburg).
Email: polux_iv@mail.ru

No. 9, pp. 104–106

Published: 25.09.2026

CC BY-SA 4.0

Abstract

Objective of the study is to analyse the problem of the terminological substitution of the concepts of ‘circuit training’ and ‘CrossFit’ in the domestic scientific literature, to identify the causes and negative consequences of this phenomenon, to develop criteria of differentiation and to formulate recommendations on the restoration of terminological discipline. Methods and structure of the study. The study is built on the methodology of content analysis and the critical analysis of scientific publications. The object of the study: scientific publications of journals included in the RSCI and the Higher Attestation Commission list, published from 2019 to 2025. Results and conclusions. The analysis revealed that in the examined studies, under the name ‘CrossFit’, de facto an adapted circuit training with a dosed load and full control of the coach was applied. The substitution of terms leads to four main consequences: the methodological distortion of the object of study; the ignoring of the risk of injury characteristic of CrossFit (0.6% of rhabdomyolysis, 30-56% of injuries according to independent studies); the devaluation of the classical methods of physical education; the incorrect training of pedagogical personnel. The causes of the terminological confusion were identified: the external similarity of the organisational form, the marketing popularity of the term, the insufficient theoretical preparation of the authors, the absence of strict peer review in scientific publications, and local methodological traditions of adapting Western methods.

KEYWORDS

circuit training, CrossFit, terminology of physical culture, methodological errors, safety, injury rate.

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