CrossFit: Details & Advantages

What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is one of the fastest growing body strength and conditioning exercises founded by Greg Glassman, a former gymnast. It involves active workout programs that combine strength training, speed training, explosive plyometric, style weightlifting, body weight exercises, and endurance exercises among others. Unlike traditional weight lifting, CrossFit is a strict workout program targeting all the components of physical fitness including muscular strength, stamina, cardiorespiratory fitness, body endurance, flexibility, power, coordination, and balance. The mantra for CrossFit is to forge a broad, general, and inclusive fitness. The workout program recommends a daily eating plan of 30% of fat, 30% protein, and 40% carbohydrates. You can accomplish this by eating vegetables, meat, seeds, nuts, fruits, and healthy unprocessed carbs.

CrossFit Exercises

CrossFit involves a broad range of explosive exercises carried out in a circuit format. The main activities are pulling, pushing, squatting, running, and rowing. The workouts are short but highly intense, and you may need up to 15 minutes in order to complete. One exercise follows after the other with small resting time between each. The following are few examples of CrossFit exercises:

Power Cleans- This involves pulling a weighted bar from the floor in a forceful and quick manner with the target of bringing it up to the front of your shoulders.

The Snatch-This exercise involves the rapid pulling of a weighted bar from the floor to the chest level and up over your head with your arms held straight.

Burpees- A body weight exercise beginning with individuals at an upright position, then do a quick push-up after which you assume a squatting position and lastly jump straight-up to the achieve the initial starting form.

Thruster-It is another exercise that begins with individuals standing upright. A weighted bar is held in front of the shoulders followed by a squat down up to the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor after which you quickly stand back up and press the weighted bar over your head.

Advantages of CrossFit

  • The CrossFit workout is a highly intense program that takes a relatively short time to complete.
  • It involves numerous workout exercises that are ever changing hence decreases the risks of becoming bored.
  • The workout program can be done at home hence you do not need to acquire expensive exercise equipment.
  • You do not necessarily have to register as an affiliate member to carry out the workout.
  • Performing highly intense exercise has a greater effect on metabolism and overall muscular development.
  • Studies show that performing intense exercise make your body more efficient at using oxygen, in turn ceasing risk for heart disease and cancer.
  • Classes are always led by a certified coach that will scale and modify exercises to meet the needs of the individual.
  • Classes run no longer than 1 hour.

Conclusion

The CrossFit program is a fantastic workout regime that you can perform on your own or at a CrossFit affiliate. Should you decide to go on your own, you might require a good base level physical fitness facility at your home. You can get details on how to set-up a cross-fit garage gym from the CrossFit website.