Maximum Fitness: CrossFit Training
Karen Asp
Getting fit isn't easy. It takes time, discipline and hard work. But if you’re serious about working out, the benefits are worth it. Consider CrossFit. Originally the main strength and conditioning program for police academies, military units, martial artists and professional athletes, it caught the attention of recreational athletes when it became the training program for the 2007 blockbuster film 300. Today, there are 1,300 CrossFit affiliates worldwide and a DVD in the making. No longer reserved for pro athletes and commandos, CrossFit has widened its appeal to men and women of all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels. What’s more, CrossFit workouts are quick, and they pack an intense, full-body workout in just 10 or 20 minutes. More pluses:
Build functional fitness
Unless you've done it, CrossFit can be hard to understand. But essentially, "it's functional movement done at a high intensity with constant variety," says Andy Petranek, owner of CrossFit Los Angeles. Functional movement refers to the way you move in daily life. To achieve that, CrossFit workouts pull from numerous disciplines, including gymnastics, Olympic weight lifting, calisthenics and traditional strength training. In the end, you develop 10 skills: cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, speed, agility, balance and accuracy.
Challenge yourself
CrossFit workouts are tough -- after all, the tagline of CrossFit is "forging elite fitness” -- but they’re not impossible. "While you should have some base level of fitness before you do CrossFit, the workouts can be modified for any fitness level," says Tony Budding, director of media and content for CrossFit and co-director of the CrossFit Games. In fact, the oldest client at one CrossFit gym is 83 years old. While many of the exercises are timed events, you're competing solely against yourself. So you may be asked to do as many push-ups as you can in a minute. Your first time, you might squeeze out only a few. You might even have to do push-ups against the wall if being on the floor is too difficult. Your goal, though, is to progress to doing more push-ups and using a more challenging body position.
Enjoy constant variety
One unique aspect of CrossFit is that every workout is different. For instance, you might do a workout focused on box jumps and burpees one day, then heavy lifting the next. Because of this variety, you can do CrossFit frequently. "The general rule is three days of CrossFit followed by a day of rest," says Budding.
Overcome weaknesses
"Eventually, you'll find something in a CrossFit workout you don't like doing, probably because you're not good at it," Budding says. "Yet by training these weaknesses, you'll become that much fitter."
Achieve your best fitness
"Because we're focused on performance -- yes, you do lose weight, and you will get a better-looking body, but those are just by-products of what we do -- we make you better, faster and stronger than you've ever been," Petranek says. In other words: CrossFitters get in the best shape of their life.
Sound like something you’d like to do? To locate a CrossFit affiliate in your area, visit CrossFit’s Web site. If you’re lucky enough to be near multiple affiliates, check out each one before you commit, as they may differ. For example, one might operate in a park while another might be in a club, or one might be targeted to competitive athletes while another might appeal to baby boomers. Once you locate the right class, prepare to become addicted. As Petranek says, "Once I started doing CrossFit, everything else became a waste of time."
Karen Asp is a fitness/health writer who writes for numerous publications, including Fitness, Natural Health, Men's Fitness, Prevention, Self, Shape and Women's Health. She's a contributing editor for Woman's Day and the “Fit Travel” blogger for AOL. Asp is also a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor.
Available at Amazon.com:
- Chocolate Reduces Inflammation Associated with Heart Disease
- Healthy Eating Tips for a Busy Lifestyle
- Olive Oil and Health
- Push for Healthier Diets Means Big Changes for the Food Industry
- How to Identify Suicide Risk Before It's Too Late
- Tips for Natural Allergy Relief
- Inflammation May Play Role in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Bouncing Back After Being Sick
- Longevity Revolution Will Restructure Life Around the World
- Maximum Fitness: CrossFit Training
- Tests to Optimize Treatment of Breast Cancer
- Insulin: Hormone That Regulates Blood Sugar Now May Save Your Brain
- Enjoy the Health Benefits of Tea
- Can Your Toothbrush Make You Sick?
- Sunscreen Facts You Need to Know
- Fight Inflammation With the Right Diet
- When does Knee Replacement Surgery Make Sense
- Asthma and Allergies Can Run in Families
- Is Hefty the New Healthy?
- Nicotine Patch May Offer Some Benefit to Ulcerative Colitis
- Best Way to Take Heartburn Medication
- Salivary Gland Stones Rare But Not Unheard of in Children
- Fight Dry Skin and Win
- Aerobics Without Heartburn
- How Much Vitamin D is Enough
- Are Carbonated Drinks Bad for Bones?
- Common Myths and Misconceptions About Diabetes
- Vitamin E Supplements Not Recommended for Those With Diabetes
- Tick-Borne Disease Risk Peaks in Spring and Summer
- Are Carbonated Drinks Bad for Bones?
- Meibomitis Creates Receptive Environment for Bacteria
- Top 4 Seasonal Allergy Mistakes
- Stress Less: Ten Strategies That Work
- Paralyzed Limbs Revived by Hacking Into Nerves
- The Threat of Childhood Obesity
- Nature's Gym: Exercising Outdoors
- Eat Smart for Healthy Hair
- Paying the High Price of Food Waste
- Can Acid Reflux Damage my Esophagus
- Secrets to Breathing Better With Allergies
- Take the Work Out of Workout
- Bounce Back From Spring Break
- Cultivate a Nutrient-Rich Approach to Eating for Life
- What's the Right Amount of Vitamin C
- Treadmill Test Can Reveal Hidden Problems in Heart
- Suffering From Allergies? Tailor Treatment to Your Symptoms
- Researchers Break Through to Unconscious Patients
- Key Factors Related to Heart Attack Risk
- Type 2 Diabetes Increases Risk for Cardiovascular Problems
- Middle-Age Spread and How to Avoid It
- Fiber and Weight Loss: Learn the Secrets
- Treadmill Test Can Reveal Hidden Problems in Heart
- Could Hot Flashes Only Occur at Night?
- Hypochondria: The Impossible Illness
- Get the Lead Out: The Less Exposure to This Toxic Metal the Better
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sugar
- Omega-3 Rich Diet
- Omega-3 Enriched Eggs an 'Eggs-traordinary' Choice for Heart Health
- Quinoa: Nutritious Mother Grain of the Incas
- 14 Things You Might Not Know About Aspirin
- Cultivate a Healthy Brain Lifestyle As You Age
- Regular Exercise Helps Protect Aging Brains
- Surgeries Can be Combined But May Not be Necessary
- Get the Lead Out: The Less Exposure to This Toxic Metal the Better
- Hypochondria: The Impossible Illness
- Guide to Cold and Allergy Symptoms
- Is Heartburn Surgery the Answer?
- Best Cooking Methods for Heartburn Sufferers
- 14 Things You Might Not Know About Aspirin
Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.