Are you fit for CrossFit?
Combine fitness, stamina and a challenging workout with a good diet.
Are you looking for a new fitness challenge? CrossFit is a programme that focuses on core strength and condition and dietary guidance. It is the discipline of performing functional movements that are constantly varied at high intensity. CrossFit will dramatically improve fitness, endurance and health for both men and women. Working out as a group encourages camaraderie, competition and the fun of sport makes it a very enjoyable fitness programme.
CrossFit aims to train you to perform successfully at multiple, diverse and randomised physical challenges. It can be scaled through load and intensity to fit all pre-existing physical issues, and can be tailored to suit all fitness types and ages.
The building blocks of CrossFit include a combination of the correct diet (which forms the basis of health), fitness and good metabolic condition.
The fitness side includes:
- gymnastics for range of motion and body control;
- rowing and weightlifting to build stamina and endurance, and
- various sporting disciplines, either on a personal level or against others, to improve skill mastery and competitiveness.
Classes are generally offered for an hour and include a warm up, a skills development segment, a high intensity workout of the day (WOD), followed by stretching. In order to track your progress or to encourage a bit of competition, your performance on each WOD is timed, scored and ranked. It is about maximising the amount of work done in the shortest amount of time.
A range of equipment is used for the regimes. This includes rowing machines, kettle bells, dumbbells, barbells, jump rope activities, pull-up bars, power sled, gymnastic rings, resistance bands and others.
CrossFit is a blend of –
- Olympic weight lifting
- calisthenics
- gymnastics
- swimming
- strongman type exercises
- girevoy sport
- high-intensity interval training
- powerlifting
- weight lifting
- plyometrics
- aerobic exercises
- running
- body weight exercises
- indoor rowing
Benefits include –
- respiratory and cardiovascular endurance
- flexibility
- power
- stamina
- strength
- speed
- balance
- accuracy
- agility
- coordination
Get it right
Before you start, it is important to establish that the CrossFit trainer is adequately qualified and certified to work with you. The trainers should be willing to design a programme to meet your personal needs by taking your fitness level and state of health, age, sex and other details into consideration. Exercise is always best performed with the correct technique from day one. Perfect each exercise first in order to gain the best benefit and to reduce your risk of injury. As with any new exercise and dietary programme, always see your GP for a check-up before starting.
CrossFit Games
Games are held to allow athletes to compete in workouts. These are tough tests aimed at finding the strongest and fittest athletes. You can compete as an individual or as a team. There are separate categories for men and women, teenagers, Masters, groups as well as couples.
CrossFit caution
Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is the breakdown of muscles from extreme exertion, or injury. Although very rare, it is a serious condition that you must be aware of if you start CrossFit. ER or rhabdo is more common when strenuous exercise is done in high temperatures and high humidity conditions. Other factors that may lead to ER include a lack of hydration, too short rest periods in between intense exercise regimes, low fitness levels and intense physical training. If you experience extreme pain, soreness and swelling in your muscles and/or your urine turns very dark, go to the nearest causality department for immediately treatment.
Resources
- CrossFit Inc., www.CrossFit.com
- CrossFit Defined, www.CrossFitDefined.com