In the past, I've had a problem with exercising. To be honest, I hated it. I hated running most of all. Unfortunately, without joining a gym, that's all I really could do. Snowboarding usually keeps me in shape in the winter, but that really isn't enough. I really like hiking, but by summer I'm so out of shape that I don't enjoy it. I had an issue with joining a gym because I felt like I would get bored and not know what to do if I went. Plus, the whole "meat market" aspect of it was unappealing.
Mid April I was introduced to a different form of training/exercising called CrossFit.
It takes parts of gymnastics and strength training and combines it with cardio for a very formidable workout. Work outs are based a lot on natural weight and movements. It incorporates the whole body and really works everything.
Here is a description from www.crossfit.com:
You start with the same warm up every day."CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police
academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units,
champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes
worldwide.
Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad,
general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival,
many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the
specialist.
The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability
making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of
experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart
disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and
intensity; we don’t change programs.
The needs of Olympic athletes and
our grandparents differ by degree not kind. Our terrorist hunters, skiers,
mountain bike riders and housewives have found their best fitness from the same
regimen."
3 Sets of 10 of:
- Overhead Squat
- Sit-up
- Back-extension (almost opposite of a sit-up)
- Pull up (assisted in my case till I am a lot stronger)
- Dips (also assisted till I am stronger)
After that, there is a specific W.O.D. (Workout of the day). This is usually about 15-20 long. Sometimes it is timed and you do as many reps as possible, sometimes you do a set amount of reps. It kicks your butt, that's for sure. You scale it up or down depending you your level, more weight or less weight and sometimes less reps than what is posted.
Example WOD:
3 rounds for time(as fast as you can):
Run 400m
KBS x21 -16kgs (kettlebell swing)
Pull-ups x12 (jumping pull ups in my case)
Every day is something different and you're almost always sore the next day or even next couple days.
The best part about CrossFit for me is it changes every day which keeps things interesting and it's quick. I'm usually done in around an hour.
After about 2 months of going twice a week I already feel amazing. I don't get winded very easily and I am stronger. I can even do a handstand against the wall, something I could never do before. The small CrossFit gym I go to is just that, small. This makes for a much more intimate and non intimidating workout experience. There are all levels, ages and body types that go to my gym, which I think is great. It's not just a bunch of beefy guys and perfect females. The gym I go to in Woodinville: http://www.agogegym.com/
I just wanted to share this. I'm working towards the best shape I've ever been in and it's awesome. I also hope that maybe someone else with a strong aversion to exercise (like me) might see this and become interested like I did. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment