What Is Crossfit?

If you've been reading about the Paleo diet – you’ll almost certainly have come across Crossfit. Perhaps you do it? Or perhaps you've been wondering what it is – and what the link is with Paleo?

I only started crossfit a few months ago, having gone to “normal” gyms before. I've made so many big improvements since I started. There’s a big focus on technique and form and I feel like I'm finally engaging the right muscles and making progress.

What is Crossfit?

CrossFit is a form of fitness that combines weight training, athletics and gymnastics into one. During Crossfit workouts, functional movements are performed in an almost infinite number of ways at high intensity. The philosophy behind CrossFit is to not specialise in only one specific area, which is why no two sessions are the same!

Training consists of a warm-up, a technical part to learn the CrossFit movements and a 10-20 minute during intensive training called WOD (Workout of the Day). Results of the WOD are often tracked by writing them down on a whiteboard. This adds an extra competitive element to it and builds up a great team atmosphere in the Crossfit box.

During training, you may use barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, tires, sandbags, ropes and pull-up bars. The exercises are based on natural body movements such as pushing, pulling, thrusting, throwing, lifting, jumping, climbing and running, rather than the artificial movements so many people use in conventional gyms on resistance machines.

The goal of CrossFit is to get fit and healthy – regardless of age or background.

Why the Paleo link?

Crossfit promotes a natural Paleo diet to their athletes. With Crossfit being based around HIIT (high intensity interval training), lifting heavy things and being anything but “chronic cardio”, it fits in well with the paleo framework.

Why is Crossfit better than a “conventional” gym?

CrossFit doesn't believe in specialisation or routine. The workout program is different every day, but always with short bursts of high intensity. All workouts are set up in such a way that people of every level can participate, by using different weights or changing the number of reps.

CrossFit doesn't work with machines because they force you into isolated, artificial movements. Crossfit uses functional movements. The whole body gets involved: lifting, throwing, running and jumping.

Get Involved!

More and more crossfit boxes are opening all around the world. Most boxes offer introductory sessions, so you can find out what it’s all about. What have you got to lose?!

I’d love to hear how you workout and whether or not you've tried Crossfit. Let me know in the comments below!