Every new year brings with it fresh motivation to take better care of our body and mind. While the narrative usually revolves around how many people fail in their new year fitness resolutions, no one talks about those who succeed. You are 40% more likely to stick to a fitness lifestyle if you set a resolution versus if you don’t.
If you are new to the world of fitness, most people make the mistake of going with whatever their friends or family recommend. For example, if people around you are runners but you have a natural inclination towards powerlifting, you might still end up with endurance running. Within a month or less, you will realize that it’s not working out. Then you are back to where you started from.
Without going into the debate of which fitness approach is better, today, we will focus on CrossFit – a perfect combination of strength, endurance, balance, agility, and mental strength.
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is both a sport and a modern approach towards fitness. Unlike other fitness models, CrossFit does not focus on developing one aspect of physical competence. You would not be solely focusing on making your muscles bigger in CrossFit, neither would you devote all your time chasing new deadlift PR. Instead, CrossFit gyms and workouts focus on the holistic development of various physical skills.
To give you an example, this is what a sample CrossFit workout looks like:
- Bodyweight squats – 10 reps
- Crunches – 10 reps
- Push-ups – 10 reps
- Ring rows – 10 reps
- Burpees – 5 reps
With these movements, there are three main ways to work out in a CrossFit gym, commonly called a CrossFit Box.
- EMOM – Each Minute on Minute
- WOD – Workout of the Day
- AMRAP – As Many Rounds As Possible
Let’s say you go with the EMOM model. You will try to finish maximum rounds of the above workout in a minute. If you are done in less than a minute, the reaming time goes for rest.
In AMRAP, you try to complete as many rounds of this workout as you can.
Workout of the Day refers to the given set of movements and exercises that you will work on a given day.
With a combination of these models, CrossFit gyms give you a gruelling workout with every session.
Who should go for CrossFit?
Anyone can opt for CrossFit workouts, unlike powerlifting, weightlifting, or bodybuilding. Boxes usually tailor programs to suit different skill and endurance levels.
You should choose CrossFit if you want to develop every aspect of your physical well-being. However, CrossFit is an extremely demanding training module at an intermediate to advanced level. Before committing yourself to a CrossFit program, consult your physician and/or personal trainer to understand whether it is the right option for you.
