CrossFit

I hope everyone is having a good start to their week. Tuesdays are hard, keep going strong. Today I will start Trendy Tuesdays. This is a little break from my more technical posts. Every Tuesday I will talk about a new trend in fitness or one just in general. This week I will take a look at CrossFit.

CrossFit is a fairly new trend in fitness that is picking up huge popularity in both cities and small towns. The general synopsis is that a bunch of people get together in a warehouse type location and workout using Dead Lifts, Olympic Lifts, Squats, Pull Ups, Headstand Push Ups, and anything that doesn't require a machine like at a gym. They mostly use dumbbells, Kettleballs, medicine balls, and barbells. The objective is to perform a workout system of constantly varied functional movements executed at a high intensity level. Does it sound hard? It is.

Pros of CrossFit are quite rewarding, and a reason why classes sell out and are rather pricey in some parts. The exercises they do are extreme and require multiple reps at fairly heavy weight. With proper form and a good instructor, you can build muscle and agility really quick. CrossFit is also very competitive because you are going against the clock with people in your class. This makes it a lot more fun than working out by yourself. Overall, the workout will get you in better shape in a quick amount of time.

Cons of CrossFit are ones that need careful consideration. Some CrossFit gyms have instructors who earned a certificate after taking a moderately easy exam and that's the extent of their knowledge. This is dangerous if bad advice is given. I am not saying all instructors are like this, many are highly trained and should be your first choice, but others are just doing it for a quick paycheck. Make sure to research your instructor before you choose a gym. With all the power lifting and heavy weights in high reps, it is easy to injure yourself or set yourself up for joint and muscle problems 10 years from now. Proper technique and training needs to be enforced. If you are just starting out exercising after years of not, then start off with easier classes and build yourself up. These courses are intense and not for the weak.

In conclusion, if you have the money and are already in pretty good shape, I would say CrossFit is an amazing workout to do to get in even more shape. It is definitely not for everyone, and you should research everything you can before attempting it. Stay fit.