CrossFit is, simply put, Strength and Conditioning program that is having unprecedented success in the USA, Latin America, Australia and Europe. Its focus is truly simple and consists on improving the 10 physical attributes all people posses, and which are:
1. Cardiovascular and Respiratory Endurance
2. Stamina
3. Strength
4. Flexibility
5. Power
6. Speed
7. Coordination
8. Agility
9. Balance
10. Accuracy
CrossFit’s goal is to maximize the performance in all of these physical aspects and it achieves this without following a specific training program.
CrossFit differentiates itself from other fitness programs wherein the movements it uses are functional, the training sessions are of high intensity and generally of short duration, its workout programming is creative and constantly varied, and each workout has a motivational component of personal achievement.
CrossFit works with functional movements which are those that mimic natural movement patterns. They are biomechanically correct, and therefore safe, and they elicit a high Neuroendocrine and hormonal response. Amongst its most immediate benefits are the increase of ones cardiovascular and respiratory capacity, stamina, burning of excess body fat, increase of strength and improvement of flexibility.
Who uses CrossFit?
CrossFit is used by people of all ages and physical conditions, even people going through rehabilitation after surgery or injury, elderly people who wish to maintain or recover their level of independence, even children, but it also has a lot of followers amongst Military personnel, Police, Firemen and in any sport that requires total physical proficiency. Many professional and elite athletes use CrossFit to improve their conditioning and increase their strength.
What are the training sessions like?
The training sessions are combinations of exercises CrossFit has selected and combined from numerous sports disciplines and put together to create the Workout of the Day. There are countless workouts. In total there are over a thousand, and more that are created each day.
The time of execution of each Workout can vary tremendously, and can last between anything from 5 minutes to 30 minutes or more, without taking into account the warm up or cool down, and they can consist of 1, 2 or 3 groups of exercises, depending on the physical areas they are aiming to improve.
An example of the exercises you can find in CrossFit are:
Gymnastics Exercises
• Push Ups • Pull Ups • Triceps Dips • Handstands • Muscle Ups • Rope Climb • Sit Ups • Back Extensions • Box Jumps • Air Squats …
Metabolic Conditioning Exercises
• Running • Swimming • Cycling • Rowing • Jump rope • Double Unders …
Weight Lifting Exercises
• Dead Lift • Back Squat • Press • Push Press • Push Jerk • Snatch • Clean • Clean and Jerk • Medicine Ball routines • Kettlebell swings …
Starting
You do not need to be in good physical condition to start doing CrossFit. As has already been said you can be a professional sportsman seeking to improve your conditioning or an elderly grandmother looking to simply maintain her independence. In CrossFit we scale the difficulty of the Workout, not the program. This is why CrossFit is having the success other programs don’t. And I’m not talking about commercial success, but a real, noticeable one, one of burning excess body fat, increasing strength, cardio-respiratory capacity, and all the other physical attributes already listed. And how can we be sure of this? Simple: All the Workouts are timed or the loads used are recorded, so if a workout is repeated a few months down the line, or a similar one appears, and the time is bettered, or the load is increased, there is the improvement, in simple yet irrefutable terms that you can see for yourself. If an Olympic sprinter lowers his 100m mark is he not faster? If a Weight Lifter increases his squat from 200Kg to 210Kg is he not stronger? This is what CrossFit is based upon, not the appearance or the size of your muscles or deceptive sensations, but results.
The progression in intensity and complexity of the workouts is done gradually, focusing first on technique, then on consistency, and last on intensity and increase of used loads. For those unable to do some of the exercises due to the level difficulty there are modified ones of lesser complexity but which nonetheless offer the same results.
If you are interested in trying out this way of training all you need do is contact me for a free introductory session. These sessions can last between 45 minutes to an hour, sometimes longer, and they can be done one-on-one or in groups, in a conventional gym, home gym, park, even the beach! For more information please head over to the Personal Training page.
If you are truly looking for results, there is no better way of achieving them.
