You’ve seen the hype but you’re not quite sure if Crossfit is the best thing for you. Compensate for that lack of knowledge with this crash-course on the fitness revolution that has people sweating with a smile.
One of the best things about staying fit is that all you need to do is break a sweat. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re pushing your body to new heights. You’ve got running to keep your cardio up. You’ve got weights to increase your muscle mass. You’ve got sprints and squats to work on your core. But wouldn’t it be great if you found a sport that gave you everything?
That’s what Crossfit is for. Created by Greg Glassman in 2000, Crossfit is an approach to exercise that revolutionizes the way we look at staying fit. It’s become so widespread that it has already become a competitive sport in which people from all walks of life gather to celebrate health.
The Crossfit Specialization
You’ll be surprised to know that Crossfit specializes in NOT specializing anything. It’s a wholistic approach. That’s why it’s the preferred method of conditioning for military sepc ops, SWAT teams, police schools and even martial artists. It doesn’t follow any particular school of training that focuses on one area of the body unlike other sports. You get a workout all over.
How Does it Work?
Crossfit combines various disciplines across many different Olympic and athletic events such as gymnastics, weight lifting and calisthenics. It puts together elements from these events and turns them into high intensity interval training sessions that are done in rapid succession.
These elements are then compressed into daily activities known as WOD’s. This stands for workout of the day. Each day brings a surprise for practitioners because you’ll never know what you’ll be doing as soon as you enter the gym. But whatever it is that’s in store for you, you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s going to take everything you have to get through the day.
One thing that surprises most beginners is the absence of machines in the gym. Crossfit doesn’t use complicated exercise equipment to give you the workout you’ve been waiting for, all you’ll need is a pair of suitable shoes and your gym kit. You’ll find yourself on the monkey bars and the mats and the weights but not on some fancy piece of equipment that is characteristic of body-building gyms. You’re not there to build your body. You’re there to become healthy.
This is what makes Crossfit such an engaging activity. You’ll never know what’s around the corner but you know it’ll make you stronger. And the best part about this is that you’re doing this as a team. You’re surrounded by other people who are in for the same surprises you are. You become a family that helps push each other to limit and become better people after.
The Benefits
You don’t just walk away with a new set of friends. You walk away twice a better person in terms of health. Elevated heart rates, better oxygen absorption and a lot of melted fat are some of the things that you won’t notice while you’re having a good time.
Studies have even shown that people can burn calories ranging between 12 and 21 calories per minute! And that’s just one workout. Imagine what you could accomplish after a few hours in the gym? There’s no surprise as to why it’s the preferred conditioning method for those who serve to protect the public. It keeps them in tip top condition and ready for anything.
If you’re ready to exhaust yourself while having the time of your life, Crossfit gyms are located all around the world, with a majority of them housed in the United States. You’ll be treated like family the moment you step in and start working out with them.
