Explosive weightlifting, sprinting and gymnastic exercises require extreme physical exertion to maximize one\u2019s strength, stamina, flexibility, power, speed, agility and balance \u2014 all done in 30 minutes or less.<\/p>\n Creative and humbling, CrossFit taps into one\u2019s Olympian renegade spirit where failure is not an option. Comfort zones and self-imposed limitations are non-existent in this fitness environment. And yet, CrossFit reigns among the fastest-growing workouts with participants ranging from children to seniors. Workouts, scaled to match all fitness levels, appeal to those willing to walk the path of the hardcore.<\/p>\n \u201cCrossFit\u2019s generic workload is scaled to accommodate individual fitness levels,\u201d said Mike Stoll, owner of Hillcrest CrossFit and its Level II trainer. \u201cThe physical needs of a Navy SEAL and my grandmother are roughly the same. Both move through a full range of motion during daily activities; the Navy SEAL roughs it through Afghanistan while my grandmother lifts a 20-pound bag of cat food. Each would deadlift \u2014 a functional exercise that translates to daily activities \u2014 but at different weights. So both can \u2014 and do CrossFit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCrossFit can be easy or hard, that\u2019s the beauty of the workout,\u201d said Paul Estrada, co-owner and head coach of CrossFit Elysium. \u201cIt\u2019s no<\/em> about elite competition. It es<\/em> about movements that are applicable to daily activities which allows people to live healthier and more independent lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Workout regimens known as WODs (workout of the day) condense and intensify the ordinary and traditional. WODs lasting 12 to 20 minutes combine biking, running, climbing and rowing drills with Olympic power-lifting moves (the clean-and-jerk, the snatch and the power-clean); barbell exercises, kettlebell swings and burpees; with less conventional full-body weight movements (rope climbing, tire flipping, sandbag carries, hoisting gymnastic rings<\/a> and plyometric box jumping). Movements occur as as many repetitions as possible or \u201cfor time\u201d segments (posted completed repetitions). Experienced clients span a 12-day rotation with a two-day recovery; beginners three days on, two days off.<\/p>\n Founded in 2000 by Greg Glassman, a former collegiate gymnast from Santa Cruz, California, CrossFit has more than 10,000 worldwide affiliates known as \u201cboxes\u201d \u2014 open industrial warehouse spaces with rubber flooring. They are bordered by classic 1950s-style, almost archaic weight-room equipment. Memberships vary in price and commitment; some affiliates welcome drop-ins, while others request a three-month membership commitment. Fees can double those of a full-service facility without offering modern gym equipment or a variety of classes. No Zumba here.<\/p>\n Posted daily, WODs are divided into three levels by a diminishing degree of difficulty. Hero,<\/strong> most challenging; Villain<\/strong>, WOD cut in half; and Sidekick<\/strong>, a WOD scaled to a beginner\u2019s workout. Benchmark Hero<\/strong> workouts are awarded female names after hurricanes and male names of military heroes lost on the battlefield.<\/p>\n CrossFit is used by the military, fire and law personnel, professional athletic teams, mainstream athletes, weekend warriors, even couch potatoes with a desire to achieve higher fitness levels.<\/p>\n \u201cCrossFit\u2019s about reciprocity,\u201d said Nick Mararac, a member of CrossFit Elysium. \u201cCoaches need to know a client\u2019s capabilities and clients need to express what he or she is capable of. It\u2019s an efficient workout that offers a dynamic range of fitness, unlike running, a single-minded sport. You\u2019re in, you\u2019re out and you\u2019ve worked hard without judgments based on fitness levels.\u201d<\/p>\n Mararac described how CrossFit aided in his recovery from leukemia. \u201cChemotherapy not only depleted more than 30 pounds of weight and body mass, it robbed me of my confidence. I didn\u2019t like existing in this capacity, so I went back to what I loved \u2014 CrossFit. Elysium\u2019s coaches scaled my workouts to suit my needs. CrossFit was a good compliment on my road to recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n As CrossFit gains widespread popularity, it\u2019s not without its pros and cons. Although research indicates that when performed safely, bouts of shorter, high-intensity movements improve fitness levels and boost health markers more so than steady state training, CrossFit\u2019s risk of injury can outweigh its benefits if exercises are performed with an overload of weight, poor form, excessive repetitions and without proper guidance.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone investing in CrossFit needs to know their body well or buyer beware,\u201d said Sam Berry, MS, SSCS, FMS, and a presenter for the American Council of Exercise. \u201cMove well primero<\/em> before you move on. Precision and progression are paramount to performing CrossFit\u2019s challenging movements. Poor habits and complacency have no place in CrossFit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough each box has its own rules, our clients go through a series of fundamental classes and coaching sessions that teach movement basics y<\/em> safety before they attend a regular class,\u201d Stoll said. \u201cClients aren\u2019t thrown into class and expected to learn by watching others perform. We slide people into the classes when they\u2019re ready and scale their movements until they get up to speed. I call it an on-ramp for preventing injuries. And I have no problem telling anyone to take a break.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCrossFit Elysium has a thorough screening process,\u201d Estrada said. \u201cHealth histories are documented to ensure that proper modifications are made. CrossFit keeps the movements simple for beginners and acclimates the workouts to ensure proper form, technique, safety and recovery. But CrossFit\u2019s not for everyone, although there\u2019s no way to gauge who stays. Our most dedicated members and those who\u2019ve been here the longest are the very same I thought would bail out the quickest. People who stay want a healthier, happier lifestyle and love what we do and how we do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Well-known for its community vibe and \u201cin-it-together\u201d mentality, cheers and applause are as common at CrossFit Hillcrest and CrossFit Elysium as the clean-and-press. \u201cOur clients are the best part of my job,\u201d Stoll said. \u201cEveryone\u2019s friendly and enthusiastic; we\u2019re all on the clock and those who finish early encourage and cheer others.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur coaches know everyone by name,\u201d Estrada said. \u201cWe\u2019re a circle of friends that help each other. Our waiver includes a positive environment clause that states if you create a negative environment, if you\u2019re a Debby Downer or an overall jerk, we have the right to ask you to leave. We branded our box as Elysium \u2014 the last paradise of the Greek heroes and warriors \u2014 because we\u2019re a paradise away. CrossFit Elysium is the last gym you\u2019ll ever need to go to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCrossFit can be hell,\u201d Stoll said. \u201cBut it\u2019s a community of people committed to going through that hell together. Ask any one of our members what do you love most about CrossFit Hillcrest and without a doubt, it\u2019s about the hometown vibe. Like solders in a foxhole, we\u2019re in this together.\u201d<\/p>\n Stoll described CrossFit boxes as the antithesis of a \u201cglobo-gym,\u201d a term personified by Hollywood\u2019s version of the perfect gym.<\/p>\n \u201cCrossFit will never be a gym with mirrored walls, shiny equipment and pretty trainers who sip juice and chat,\u201d he said. \u201cCrossFit is a counter culture of rebels who went against the giant industry of the globo-gym to say we\u2019re going to do this our way by stripping down to the basics. CrossFit\u2019s the place you go to workout hard to achieve results with no distractions. And it\u2019s here to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"rope](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/rope-climb-uptown-200x300.jpeg\")
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