« Love berries? Think Blue! | Main | Quote for the week »
Can anyone predict the future of fitness?
By Christina | August 29, 2008
As you may know, I spend a lot of my time in search of… (remember that tv program?) the latest, greatest, hippest, most likely to bring about results workout or fitness gear on the market to keep me, as a professional, up to date on what’s happening in my field.
The latest, greatest, self proclaimed future of fitness is called CrossFit. This program is based on constantly varied high intensity functional movements. The workouts incorporate a broad spectrum of exercises that include but are not limited to gymnastics and weight lifting. Gymnastics can be defined as actions that control your body weight. Exercises would include pushups, box jumps, pull-ups, squats and ring dips. Weight lifting would be any exercise that moves an external object. Add to the mix monostructural movements such as running, swimming and rowing and you have a CrossFit class.
CrossFit includes the ten elements of fitness, (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, speed, power, co-ordination, accuracy, agility and balance) into a series of workouts that would produce the best overall fitness. Wow!
At the heart of the workout is the philosophy, “that which is measured improves” and it is firmly entrenched in the CrossFit method. The athletes record every workout and use that information to gauge their improvements and help determine the areas they need to work on.
The CrossFit workouts involve a high intensity approach that sees participants using compound movements in an ever-changing variety of combinations. The elements of the session are based on constantly changing activities so there is no standard workout. That is my personal favorite type of workout as well. Keep the mind and body guessing.
Topics: Fitness Fads, General |