WHY AND WHY NOT OPT CROSSFIT

If someone is new to CrossFit then CrossFit is a good way to gain fitness. Anybody can use this as this is the fitness program with a number of functional movements done together in a timed manner to achieve overall workout as a result. This includes pull-ups, push-ups, squats, lifting weight, running, gymnastics and even rowing together with some other movements. I was introduced to Bikram Yoga in San Diego. I did it for four months and decided to do something different that is shorter and smarter way to get fit.

It was the starting day of 2012 and a holiday when CrossFit held an endurance class in Malvern, PA asking us for rotating squats together with push-ups with air squats and inhaling a pie with a cupcake as well as having some beer or Cocacola after each exercise. I did skip the empty carbs and then opted to skip three foods/beverages but went for one set of 50 air squats. Other exercisers told me that they do not do so usually but I did not listen. I watched other gym members were just having fun but I was taking it all seriously.

Here it is all about CrossFit – an intro for you. How it works and tell briefly how people proceed.

• You need to eat only vegetables, seeds and nuts but have some fruit avoiding sugar but adding starch. Your intake should only be enough for supporting this exercise smartly avoid putting on fats.
• You need to practice and have major lifts: That means only have deadlift, snatch, clean and jerks, presses and squats. Go for gym basics like having pull-ups, rope climbing, dips, doing push-ups, having rock-holds, sit-ups, presses for hand-standing with splits, flips and pirouettes. Do not skip biking, rowing, running and swimming etc, doing both in hard and fast manner.
• You need to do it five to six days a week mixing and combining these items adding creativity. Do not make it a routine keeping your workouts intense but shortest possible.
• Meanwhile try learning new sports and play around avoiding boredom.

Gaining fitness by CrossFit is all about:

1. You are improving your ten physical skills that include cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, accuracy, balance, agility, strength, stamina, power, strength, coordination and flexibility.
2. You will be performing these tasks well.
3. You will increase your ability delivering energy through three major metabolic pathways which are oxidative, glycolytic and phosphagen.

As I proceeded and progressed during past eight months, I may share pros and cons of CrossFit that I may summarize for readers. My experience is based on a single CrossFit box (people call it a box using gym language) and you might be having different experience at a different places where you may attend.

Pros

• High level of intensity – Things at gym are all relevant to your own personal levels. One action may be easy for others but hard for you but unless you are altogether out of shape, these should not be hard on you. However, in the beginning do not compare yourself with an athlete. You need to train yourself hard but that should be according to stamina and your physical condition. Professional trainers design each exercise according to candidate’s abilities and physical situation.

• Short Workouts are only 5-10 minute exercise to warm-up followed by 10-20 real workout of the day (WOD). This way it takes around 45 minutes to come out of gym helping your body to become further strong. The WOD though, is just 20 minutes maximum but that is of a focused intensity.

• Being flexible and adaptable for different fitness levels is always good as life is like that. Each person is different and there are fit people like athletes and there are people from corporate world who have long sitting hours hardly getting time for fitness but with lot many mental pressures. This way each person has specific needs and requirements. Further each person has varied choices too. In all cases starting point for everybody is the same but down the road everybody behaves differently. One can be good at one thing but gets tired doing the other activity that is why trainers design training program for each candidate individually to bring better results but usually in most cases people cannot do pull-ups. In most cases for instance, at CrossFit people attempt horizontal pull-ups as their feet reach the ground assisting them stepping onto a large rubber strap that removes part of their bodyweight doing pull-ups. Making progress, they use bands needing lesser assistance each time and they reach a point when assistance is not really needed.

• As a matter of variability, gyms ask to do some exercises as a routine. There is really a large variety of such combinations but some standard workouts really help measuring progress. The doer reaches the peak performance when gym names a doer a “Hero WOD” encouraging them to become further fit like army people. There are as much as around sixty names for WOD routines and opting from this much of variety, one does not get bored and the body keeps getting a new challenge each day attempting something new.

• The gym trainers do the home work for you by making list of daily routines so the fitness candidate does not have to ponder on daily ‘things to do’. That way people enjoy doing same thing daily in a group but each day attempting a different challenge. The person therefore, keeps focus on movements instead of making a plan.

• This being a group work and everybody is doing the same, nobody fears singling out while individual scores are noted on a white board. This approach keeps all encouraged to do more but there is no rivalry within the hall, keeping all happy. Individually thinking, everybody wants to display a better progress on the white board doing the best he/she can do which encourages you to push a bit harder to post a good time or a good score. The competition is never malicious and never makes you feel bad about what you’re capable of doing. The group members encourage and support each other as they talk in an open environment in presence of coaches providing in-time tips and techniques.

• The CrossFit box, actually a gym, makes a community arranging charity events; throw parties for fund raising together with sharing exposure to fat free food. Sometimes as the group starts, there is a dinner to kick-off the event and adding fun to targets. This way CrossFit is another name for community development for a positive cause and a noble focus of attention. This way people enjoy having fun gaining fitness and in parallel helping the community.

• Fun – The workouts are difficult, but the challenge and camaraderie is fun as loud music blasts from the gym speakers give a message that is strong enough. Coaches give you just the right amount of encouragement to push harder. There are smiles all around (at least when you’re done with the WOD).

• Healthier by osmosis – Being part of a community has another positive effect on members. Everyone trying to be healthier means you learn to be healthier by being around like-minded people. Imagine if you joined a bar, you would drink even if you are not even a casual drinker. You’d likely drink alcohol a lot more.  When you join a gym of people enthusiastic about improving their health, you get healthier. These aren’t people running like gerbils on treadmills but people are focused on their goals and open to trying new strategies. You’ll learn those strategies and can get advice from people who’ve implemented them. You are the average of the 5 people with whom you spend the most time. If you want that average to trend healthier, try CrossFit.

Cons

• CrossFit is a burden on individual pockets asking for $100 and then reaching $200 per month. Of course, such services may also be freely available in some gyms too. There are hourly classes on weekdays right from 6 am till 7 pm except the time when people are usually at work. Yoga courses are once a day at various timings and kickboxing classes are held twice a week. This all adds up to $150 per month and goes much beyond that several pockets cannot afford for the gym alone. May be going to CrossFit is okay for few months only.I found some amazing CrossFit deals in Doha. Compare CrossFit with a personal trainer, then it stands out to be economical while their trainers are good at personal relations and client handling as they give good attention and that is all a luxury avoiding person needing fitness would require. The trainers do explain tips and techniques of the game and simplify the activity creating a pleasant environment helping to do the needful with speed and ease. Later one can continue the gym even privately as many things are available over internet too because many of CrossFit associates post their reviews and share experience on social media and the like.

• As and when we choose a workout, injury is likely to occur as we proceed but taking such risks is natural for the betterment of the self. In case of CrossFit, one feels like competing and doing things quickly and thus becomes prone to injury during workouts. Shaping one’s behavior and approach is well taken care of at CrossFit by their trainers as they keep encouraging the people to take the right path. In all cases though, one should accept the responsibility for the risks involved. If the physique demands to go slow then one must not hurry and remain patient. In all cases the speed of attempting new exercises should be moderate and of natural pace to avoid serious injuries.

• Because of the variety of exercises and having different varied programs, the candidates for fitness tend to lose their focus with divided attention. This way they tend to attempt various things at a given time but that can be shear wastage of time and resources. The trainers at CrossFit play a pivotal role in shaping the overall client theme at the place. In case one approaches CrossFit to gain strength for a specific sport area then this aspect should be openly discussed but in general a regular fitness program serves most of the purposes. In all cases with having focus on an objective, anybody may achieve better results.

• Feeling of cult is such a different mindset while working at CrossFit and people have similarity in thinking alike. It is very important to have one’s own thinking instead of thinking collectively – remember everybody has independent and unique physique. Think critically what is good for you not to the group as a whole. It is important to be independent and more important is to have enough knowledge about your own health, addressing fitness issues and your own body struggling to get fit through nutrition and training. Besides attending classes, one needs to read about the subject thoroughly so one can shun off feeling of cult. There is of course, no harm in having and nurturing the positive community feeling by remaining positive in attitude.

The Blessing Ahead

As you join CrossFit, you will feel an affiliation and a sense of nearness with the organization, the trainers and the people around. For getting healthier, $250 a month do not sound unreasonable and you are expected to say “worth it!”. With all positive things around the name, the prospects are worth trying and then get used to it.  It is of course a good alternative to paying medical bills and getting other treatments from doctors. This is high quality health focused training when you opt to be healthy and feeling better down the road after years and years developing a positive attitude towards life and saving yourself too. Feel the health and feel comfortable at CrossFit. This is all worth trying and worth spending. As and when you are within the company of health loving people, you are likely to love health and once you are on road to health, you are likely to reach your target conveniently and knowingly. This causes a very much clear orientation of individuals helping them to know themselves better and identifying their objective better with a target oriented approach.

Qatar Blog

Author & Editor

Women's Fitness Qatar is a community page that aims to help women achieve their fitness goals by providing the latest artilce on the realms of health & fitness.