Every now and then you come across someone boasting about CrossFit. Out of curiosity you Google it and find, big muscular guys lifting weights, doing handstand walks and gymnastic stunts. Making you believe, CrossFit is for super-humans… but you are wrong.
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is a form of high intensity interval training. CrossFit workouts combine: strength, cardio, flexibility, balance and coordination.
Secondly, proficiency in CrossFit totally depends on your dedication and fitness level. Hence it can be performed by kids, adults and old age people. CrossFit provides you an opportunity to push yourself to your extremes. Which will make you cry, but leave you looking ripped and amazing.
Perception about CrossFit
What you see in media about CrossFit, is generally their annual games. Performed by highly dedicated and trained professionals. The reason media highlights them more, is due to their high intensity, high adrenaline and fast paced action. A treat for aspiring athletes and CrossFitters. Hence don’t build perceptions from what you see, go to a local box and take a trial session.
10 benefits of CrossFit workouts:
- Weight loss – CrossFit workouts combine multiple muscle groups for completing a task. The high intensity interval training in CrossFit is a great way to charge up your body, which increases metabolism and fat burn rate. If you maintain a healthy diet, cut back on sugars and unnecessary carbs, you’ll be able to see tremendous transformation quickly.
- Camaraderie – In CrossFit community building is the cornerstone. It has gained popularity and a cult following by the way it has motivated millions to be a part of its family. If you ever go to a CrossFit box, you’ll see athletes pushing each other to complete tasks. Which gives its athletes a sense of belonging, be a part of a big team, where you are competing to make each other fitter. CrossFit is a workout program which induces sport like qualities of team building and camaraderie.
- Complete body fitness – Most of the traditional workouts concentrate on one muscle group at a time. Like cardio, strength and flexibility on a macro level. CrossFit combines all these and much more in their daily WODs. These movements give your body a total overhaul. CrossFit is a great workout for people with sedentary jobs as it works your entire body everyday.
- Cuts out monotony – CrossFit has introduced new words for fitness fanatics – WODs, AMRAP, EMOM, etc. All these put together make a mix bag of workouts every day for their athletes. This is one of the USPs of CrossFit, you’ll never get bored of the routine. Most of the programs are not repeated for 30 days or more. WODs are designed keeping in mind body parts involved, focus on strength or cardio, new skill development, etc. This way they are able build a new routine every day without injuring or over stressing any single body part.
- Competitive – Most of the CrossFit workouts are time bound, which make athletes push their boundaries to achieve the target. Secondly the community factor adds to the competition. Every athlete is trying to beat the time and be on top of the class. The glory of seeing your name on top of the board is an achievement in itself. Plus these workouts prepare you to compete in CrossFit games which carry high cash rewards.
- Indoor and outdoor – Many CrossFit exercises take you outdoor, close to nature. A study conducted by Harvard has shown that, time spent in nature leads to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. Nature gives you a sense of well-being and CrossFit gives you an opportunity to be in nature. Hence losing some pounds was never so picturesque.
- Functional movements – Traditional workouts focus on specific muscle groups, which could make you sore and bored. CrossFit workouts are compound movements which work on bigger muscle groups, used in our day to day life. Like lifting, pulling, squatting, jumping, etc. After these workouts, you’ll breeze through your daily chores, making you more independent and confident.
- Builds confidence – Gymnastic exercises that are intertwined in this program look like a work for super-human. But when you are able to pull them off, after a month or two of training, your self esteem reaches a new high. Showing off your new skills to your friends and family, becomes the highlight of your evenings.
- Basic equipment – CrossFit routines majorly involve body weight movements and barbell workouts. So if you have a bar and a barbell, you are sorted for 100 different WODs and more. Minimal equipment allows CrossFit athletes to workout from any gym, home or outdoors. CrossFit has taken a lot of insights from army boot-camps and elite armed forces training techniques, which majorly rely on body weight and high intensity training.
- Power packed – Regular workouts require a slow paced progression from cardio to weight training. This could take 30 minutes to multiple hours. However in CrossFit you get high octane action, packed in 60 minutes. Making CrossFit the choice of working professionals, students and fitness junkies.
Conclusion
A majority of the population still considers workout as a visit to a gym or a run outdoor. But since the introduction of CrossFit, we have got fun, new ways of staying healthy and fit. These workouts are diverse and flexible enough to be practised by firefighters and school children. Giving this sport the much deserved hype and appreciation. CrossFit can be practiced by any age group, profession or fitness level. Try it today and stay fit and active for years to come.
