In the beginning, fitness was too general. A few “squat thrusts” followed by some “rigorous calisthenics” was the order of the day for exercise pioneers. Then came evolution, and the gym culture became incredibly specialized. Getting in shape, “experts” rationalized, was simply a matter of doing x sets of y exercise z times per week. The CrossFit
® era, however, might be the next one to grace the history books of fitness, particularly if you’re looking to parlay your gym toils into success in your other athletic endeavors.
As the general population strives to become more fit in less time, it only made sense that a smarter, more efficient workout protocol would emerge from the periphery and take hold. But CrossFit (www.crossfit.com) isn’t such a drastic departure from what you’re already used to. A combination of familiar exercises done at breakneck pace, CrossFit attacks 10 separate domains of fitness — cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy — as opposed to just one, as with most routines. In other words, CrossFit makes you a better athlete who is more resistant to injury.
Newbie exercisers should embark on an exercise program with an air of caution. Any intense full systems (cardiovascular, strength, balance, and flexibility) program should be preceded by some form of base training. The base phase of any program will determine how much intensity an individual can handle. Therefore, to elicit training success you need to first develop a training base by increasing the frequency and duration of your exercise routine. Keep in mind that it is also important to train all systems adequately from both cardiovascular and strength perspectives. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), 30 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity most days of the week is optimal to maintaining health.
CrossFit — not for everyone
Skateboarders and runners, for example, stand to benefit little from exhaustive workouts involving curls and bench presses. Better to train skills that actually translate into performance, which is what CrossFit is all about. Here’s what you need to know about CrossFit and what it means to you as a recreational athlete and gym goer.
What is CrossFit?
Designed more for the generalist who desires a broad spectrum of fitness attributes, CrossFit combines functional movements such as sprints, pull-ups, lunges, and Olympic exercises with high intensity and constant variety. Former Marine and current CrossFit LA owner Andy Petranek believes that CrossFit’s biggest benefit is that it replicates real life.
“CrossFit helps anyone get into the best shape of their life, regardless of what it is they’re trying to get in shape for,” says Petranek. “That’s because it’s 100% applicable to your life. Because of the movements that we practice, there isn’t a chance you’ll encounter something outside the gym that your body won’t be prepared for.”
Petranek uses the example of a person picking up a suitcase. “That person is likely doing something that they have practiced in the gym,” he says, citing dead lifts, full-body lifts that require a great degree of core involvement.
CrossFit loyalists can visit the parent company’s website daily for a “Workout of the Day,” or WOD. Many WODs can be done without the benefit of the gym, making them practical and accessible to nearly anyone looking to get in shape. Participants can leave comments and share ideas on how to make workouts tougher or easier, or opine on their respective degrees of difficulty. Petranek’s gym also posts its workouts online (www.crossfitla.com).
One such workout — which builds strength, stamina and mental fortitude — is called “The Murph.” For this man-maker, you’ll run a mile, then do 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 bodyweight squats — then run another mile. It might seem daunting, but this once-in-a-blue-moon workout sits at the extreme end of the CrossFit curriculum. A more typical gym visit would involve more palatable combinations of sprints, bodyweight exercises, and gymnastic-type moves, followed by a stretch and cool-down to stoke recovery.
The bottom line is that by the time you complete a month in a CrossFit gym, you will have enhanced your athleticism exponentially and, if Petranek and his cohorts have their way, torn up your old routine.
An individualized approach based on prior fitness level is key to success and adherence. Striving to become lifetime participants of physical activity is important. Jumping straight into a CrossFit workout could cause an individual to experience significant DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness), making their exercise foray a negative one.
What CrossFit is not
CrossFit is unlike any standard gym-based exercise program in that it does not adhere to the tunnel-visioned philosophy of “build muscle and burn fat.” By design, it avoids a narrow focus — CrossFitters who follow the WODs as prescribed are not likely to do the same workout twice in six months.
“Most of the people who are recreational athletes don’t have a lot of time to work out and don’t really know what to do,” says Petranek, a self-confessed former “big arms” guy in the gym. “They try cookie-cutter stuff, but it doesn’t seem to correlate to what they’re interested in. How do bigger pecs and arms help you on the skateboard? They don’t. CrossFit delivers the most bang for the buck in terms of time, effort, and movements practiced. You’re actually preparing for your sport instead of just working on bigger muscles or six-pack abs. You get better at your sport at the CrossFit gym.”
Petranek also says that you won’t find many workouts that go longer than 20–30 minutes from first rep to last. “It’s a common misconception that the best athlete is the one who can endure for the longest. For most people, that has absolutely no application to what they want to do,” he says. “Most people are doing their sports for shorter duration or are called on to do things in real life that take 10–60 seconds.
CrossFit nutrition
By and large, the CrossFit culture is big on food — veggies, lean meats, fruit, nuts, seeds — but Petranek is less concerned with what’s on your plate than with when you pick up your fork.
“Don’t get overwhelmed by needing to be on a diet perfectly to have success in your performance or athletic endeavors,” he says. “There are a lot of situations I’ve been in where the best choice was something at a 7–Eleven
® and I needed to eat. Eating in a timely fashion is more important than the quality of food you eat. There are definitely circumstances where something is better than nothing. Do you have hard-boiled eggs or a PowerBar
® Performance Energy bar or an energy drink in your gym bag? The key to eating for performance is in the preparation.”
CrossFit workouts, however, can reveal diet deficiencies pretty quickly because of their intensity. “Pre-workout nutrition with our workouts fluctuates from one person to another,” he says. “Some can have a huge meal before and be fine; some can have two sips of sports drink and barf. I typically reach for a PowerBar
® Energy Gel, which is high in carbs and easily digestible with some water. And I’m good to go.”
Petranek returns to timing of food intake when the subject of post-workout recovery comes up. In addition to the usual host of recovery quickies, such as a PowerBar
® Recovery beverage, he says that it’s imperative to have an actual meal at the ready.
“Within an hour, you have to eat a good meal,” he says. “Consider the quality of food you eat post-workout. It’s important. But timing is more important. Having a balanced, whole-food meal available to you post-workout is important.”
Along with hydration, Petranek recommends that you fuel properly ahead of your workout. “If you’re taking sips of water during a 20-minute workout, chances are you’re just doing it to take a break,” he says, “which is counterproductive to what CrossFit is all about. You can go longer without water than you might think.”
He’s a bit of a hard-liner on water, he admits, but he wouldn’t be a CrossFit instructor if he weren’t.
Ready to get in the best shape of your life? Visit www.crossfit.com or stop in at CrossFit LA (www.crossfitla.com).
Unless otherwise noted, all trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland. CrossFit is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. 7–Eleven is a registered trademark of 7–Eleven, Inc.
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During, Energy, Stamina, Strength training, Shape
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