If you want the official mantra of what CrossFit CEO and Founder Greg Glassman thinks defines fitness, it’s this:
‘Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, skipping rope, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.’
What is CrossFit?
Created by Greg Glassman in 1995, CrossFit is essentially a strength and conditioning program that was designed to improve and maximize the general physical fitness and performance levels of its participants.
Essentially, it’s focused on making certain you can physically handle anything that life throws at you. This is achieved by not specializing in any particular exercise discipline, but instead incorporating a broad range of strength, cardio and gymnastic routines.
The cornerstone of CrossFit is an array of continuously varied, functional movements performed at high intensity levels for short time periods. Movements like sprinting, rowing, jumping rope, climbing rope, flipping tires, weight lifting, carrying heavy objects, and several body weight exercises are incorporated into daily workout routines.
Crossfit’s unofficial mantra is to create athletes who are equipped with ‘general physical preparedness.’
CrossFit operates around a schedule of daily workout routines, more commonly known as WODs – Workout Of the Day routines. A complete workout can usually be performed in less than 20 minutes (although some are timed, and many are much longer, up to an hour and beyond).
CrossFit incorporates a wide range of strength, cardio, plyometric and gym equipment. A single workout may include rowing machines, Olympic barbells and bumper plate weights, a plyometric box, dumbbells, jump ropes, climbing ropes and metal rig for pull-ups and other movements.
Other workouts might include running, weighted medicine balls or large, heavy tires. It’s up to the CrossFit athlete or their coach to determine the daily schedule and workout activities to be performed. Your coach will work out a plan to help build strength and cardiovascular fitness over a period of time known as a cycle.
CrossFit can benefit just about anybody that’s looking to improve the quality of their daily life, enhance their capability to perform physical tasks, or anyone who just wants to look and feel better.
Because CrossFit incorporates such a broad range of physical activities, the program creates power, strength, balance, athleticism and endurance, while burning fat for good measure! Everyone, men, women, old and young can all achieve exceptional results if they’re willing to put in the effort and time. The only limitation with CrossFit is how far you’re willing to push yourself each day.