Let’s be frank here and say that CrossFit gets a pretty bad rap in the fitness industry! The new kid on the block, people are quick to diss this new philosophy and those drinking the “kool aid”!

With CrossFit gyms (or boxes as they are called) popping up as quicker than Starbucks, it doesn’t look like this training style is going anywhere! In fact there looks to be about 13,000 CrossFit gyms in the world today and it’s showing no signs of slowing down either!

What is CrossFit?

The CrossFit model was founded by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai in 2000. The idea was crafted many years before that as Glassman, a teenage gymnast thrived to be stronger.

He learned that by incorporating weightlifting into his program, he could be stronger than any other gymnast! In less than twenty years Greg Glassman has built one of the most successful fitness programs ever and even introduced a new sport to the world!

All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements, and use exercises derived from weightlifting, gymnastics, running, rowing and are performed at relatively high intensity. The ethos is; if you do CrossFit then you will be capable of taking on any sport or task that comes your way!

You may already have your view made up about CrossFit but forgot all that for now and check out our top reasons CrossFit rocks!

1. Community:

Think of the days where you struggle to motivate yourself… Getting to the gym is the biggest struggle! With CrossFit it becomes more than just a training session, it’s a support unit. You will never have to workout alone again and this helps with consistency; you won’t want to miss a session if you feel you’re letting someone down. It’s also great that when you go to the dark side, your team mates will be rooting for you from the sidelines, pushing you to get that last rep!

2. Muscular Endurance

This means that your muscles will be able to perform high intensity reps over an extended period of time without tiring. This is a fantastic ability that can be transferred to any activity in your life, it means that soon you will have extra energy for hikes, cycles or even just running around after the kids! One study showed that CrossFit participants increased muscular endurance by 22 percent and their aerobic capacity by 6 percent.

3. Confidence enhancing:

Getting out of your comfort zone and surprising yourself is a big deal. Our bodies are capable of many great things and the more you push yourself, the more you will create a sense of belief about yourself. That means if you have ever suffered with negative body image, you will start to see yourself in a different light. A bad-ass superhero light if anything! Get ready to be stronger, faster and more confident.

4. Scalable Sport:

When you look at any CrossFit class, you’ll notice a variety of people; different ages, skill levels and goals. Everyone can do the WOD’s (Workout of the day) to the best of their ability. Scaling is greatly encouraged especially to anyone new starting out. The loads, repetitions and exercises can all be scaled to produce the same fitness for each different level. Can’t do a pull up? You can use a band or try ring rows. The bars are too heavy? You’ll start out with pvc pipes! There is always an alternative for you.

5. Small Group Training:

CrossFit classes are usually kept to a minimum size, never more than 20 with two coaches on the floor. This means if your form starts to drift you’ll be corrected straight away, reducing the risk of injury. It always means that you are getting educated more than a globo gym and you are essentially getting personal training with this method!

6. Promotes Good Nutrition:

As soon as you begin your CrossFit training you will quickly learn about good nutrition, especially the Paleo diet! The paleo diet/caveman diet is what the CrossFit industry prescribes, there are lots of different variations such as the primal diet, but overall they promote a focus on lot’s of nutritious unprocessed wholefoods. Many of the gyms host seminars or paleo challenges to get you started and give you an in-depth understanding of this nutrition methodology.

7. It’s Fun:

A lot of people refer to CrossFit as an adult playground! With people trying out handstands, hanging out of bars or tumbling around the ground, it’s pretty apt. With people working longer hours and harder than ever before it’s important to trigger those happy emotions and forget about our worries for an hour or so. With the community vibe so powerful at CrossFit gyms it becomes more than just a workout, you are part of a team and that is fun. It’s hard to get bored because it’s constantly varied, meaning each day presents you with a new workout!

What are your favourite reasons for doing CrossFit? We’d love to hear them in the comments or on our Facebook page.