By Daniel Jackiw
1st August 2022
The Real Meaning of CrossFit
As Adelaide’s newest CrossFit Affiliate owner, one of the challenges I face is explaining to people what CrossFit actually is. I mean, really, what does it look like when a person walks into our gym.
The technical definition of CrossFit is “constantly varied, functional movements, executed at relative high intensity.” What does this actually mean in layman’s terms?
In a practical sense, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program like no other. It is a mix of weightlifting, basic gymnastics and cardio all rolled into one workout of the day (WOD). The daily WODs include Olympic weightlifting (Snatch, Clean and Jerk as well as progressions and variations around these key movements) and Power lifting (Back Squat, Deadlift and Bench Press). The WODs also include skipping, jumping, running, rowing, skiing, biking, throwing cool stuff against walls, picking up odd shaped objects and putting them down again, plus endless other cool movements that will prepare your body for almost anything.
The type and the length of the workouts are never the same – they always change so you never get bored, and your body learns to better at facing all sorts of stress that you will encounter in your everyday life. They could be low to high intensity and short, medium or long in duration across the week.
The key outcome is that the workouts are aimed at building a fit functional body that prepares you to take on the demands of life on Earth. The added bonuses of CrossFit include looking and feeling better and having more energy and confidence in your daily life.
CrossFit is a lifestyle characterized by safe, effective exercise and sound nutrition and the programming can be used to accomplish any goal, from improved health to weight loss to better performance at work, in sport or simply being a better person. The program works for everyone — people who are just starting out and those who have trained for years.
CrossFit is also a sport that can bring a competitive edge to your training. You can compete against yourself, or the people in your class as each workout is based on accumulating as many reps as possible (AMRAP) or completing a workout in a time that is as fast as possible (AFAP). If you want to take your fitness to the next level, you can enter a range of amateur competitions to test your fitness against CrossFitters from other affiliates.
By starting small, training consistently, listening to a good coach and being in an inclusive community, you WILL GET FIT and just as important, enjoy your training. You will also be in the game for the long-term, not just for a few weeks.
Summary
Remember, we all start somewhere in our health and fitness journeys – with baby steps. We then gradually move forward from there, building positive habits into our lifestyles that are sustainable and achievable.
If you’re keen to find out more about Adelaide’s newest CrossFit Affiliate, CrossFit Revelation, we are happy to meet with you for a No Sweat Consult, chat over email or phone or if you feel you’re ready, you can jump in to a class as part of a free week trial.
CrossFit Revelation could be the new challenge you have looking for.