CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program built on constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity. It utilizes weight-lifting, body-weight movements, and mono-structural cardio elements (running, rowing, etc.) in constantly varied combinations. By performing full-range, functional movements across a wide variety of times, loads, and distances, CrossFit workouts train the body across all energy pathways, develop dramatic increases in strength and power, and elicit a profound neuro-endocrine response. Consequently, participants enjoy unparalleled improvement in fitness and body composition. Not only does CrossFit provide dramatically superior fitness and weight loss results, it is more enjoyable than conventional workout programs due its constantly changing nature and use of natural movement patterns.
CrossFit also provides an extremely high level of carry-over to life outside the gym as it uses universal motor patterns found in everyday life. Why? 1. Functional movements are safe, they develop useful core strength, and they are the best rehab movements you can do. 2. Segmented training produces segmented results. The use of weight machines and isolation work of body parts does not develop the profound increases in physical capacity produced by CrossFit workouts. If the only place you would ever do a particular movement is at the gym, it probably doesn’t have particularly potent transfer to sports or life outside the gym.
Finally, the CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability. “It has long been our contention, our observation, that people’s needs differ by degree, not kind. Olympic athletes and our grandparents both need to fulfill their potential for cardio-respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, speed, power, coordination, accuracy, balance, and agility. One is looking for functional dominance; the other is looking for functional competence. Competence and dominance manifest and optimize through identical physiological mechanisms. We scale our program by altering rest, load, intensity, etc. while utilizing the same exercises for everyone whenever possible.” –Greg Glassman, CrossFit Founder
Although CrossFit workouts are scalable to meet the needs of senior citizens, they are powerful enough to have been incorporated by U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Army Special Forces units, The United States Marine Corps, and the Canadian Armed Forces. Believe us, if it works for the world’s elite warriors, CrossFit will work for you!