What is CrossFit?

What is CrossFit?  This is probably a question that has been asked of me 100 times, and each time Im asked, I find myself giving a different answer.  It is not the easiest thing to define, because its always evolving and growing.  If you have seen the CrossFit games on ESPN, than you probably have one idea of what it is.  If you have ever been to a CrossFit gym, then you have seen another component of what CrossFit is.  If you go online and check out their website then you probably have yet another viewpoint on what constitutes Crossfit.  While all of this will help you to understand what CrossFit looks like, here is what you need to know to understand what it is, and how to follow it….

CrossFit is defined as constantly varied functional movements executed at a high intensity.  Let me break this definition down a little bit to explain in more detail.  The first part of the definition is constantly varied.  This refers to the exercises and workouts done  by CrossFitters.  They are always doing something different from day to day.  They are always mixing up the length of their workouts, their exercises, their rep scheme and their equipment.  A good example to help elaborate further on this is the marathon runner.  While he or she may be very, very good at running over a long distance, that is all that they are good at.  They only train by running and consequently hurt all other aspects of fitness by never varying their training.  Their endurance will be phenomenal, but I have yet to see a marathon runner with a good amount of power, strength and agility.  By constantly varying your training to include weightlifting, endurance, gymnastics, agility, ect, you will be good at any given task thrown at you on any given day, thus being a more well rounded and more efficient athlete.

The second part of the definition is functional movements.  This refers to the exercises that CrossFitters use in their workouts.  When you sit up and down in a chair, you are performing a squat.  When you reach down to pick up your car keys that you dropped on the ground, you are performing a deadlift.  CrossFit incorporates these types of everyday movements into their programming so that your overall health and life will benefit from your training regimen.  Most CrossFit exercises stem from a list of 9 basic functional movements that we as human beings perform in everyday life, the squat and deadlift being two of them.  Each of the functional movements, and there are hundreds related to the basic 9, are multi-joint, compound movements.  This means that they involve multiple muscle groups and require a tremendous amount of energy to perform them.  This insures that the athlete becomes leaner, while getting stronger, while becoming more balanced and healthy overall.

The last part of this definition is high intensity.  Intensity = results.  If you want to lose weight, make your workout as intense as possible.  If you want to handle tasks better under pressure, make you workouts more intense.  No matter what your goals are, intensity is how you get there.  While some workouts are only 5-10 minutes long, if done correctly they should feel like they were 10x longer.  You have to push yourself as hard and as fast as you can.  You have to push the limits of what you are comfortable with.  Try the exercise with 10lb more than you have attempted before.  Try and finish the workout a whole minute faster than you ever have before.  Push yourself beyond your limits.  It is when you are an out of breath, sweaty mess on the floor contemplating what the heck you got yourself into, that you know you have pushed the envelope of intensity.  You get out of it what you put into it.  Everyone gives 100% each and every time they perform a CrossFit workout, and I have yet to see a person who follows CrossFit, who puts their all into a workout to make it as intense as possible, who is not in the best shape of their life.






-Nick Johnson