CrossFit: It Ain't Your Mama's Workout

If you participate in any type of physical activity, you've probably heard some buzz about the latest fitness trend - CrossFit. To be sure, CrossFit has been around since 2000 and has probably surpassed the "trend" category. Sometime within the past two years, CrossFit reached a tipping point in Indy. Up north, we have CrossFit Indy North in Noblesville, Inner Strength CrossFit in Castleton, CrossFit Fishers, CrossFit Carmel, CrossFit Zionsville and CrossFit Broad Ripple and downtown we have CrossFit Naptown.

So what exactly is CrossFit? I hear that question often and I have a hard time coming up with a concrete explanation because every workout, or WOD (workout of the day), is uniquely different. CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity. It's 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.

In other words, CrossFit is not easy.

Torture devices at CrossFit Zionsville: therabands for modified pull-ups, kettlebells and box jumps as tall as I am.

I've done many different types of workouts: hot yoga, pilates reformer, zumba, TRX, spinning, kickboxing, CompuTrainer and barre to name a few. I can very confidently state that CrossFit is the toughest workout I've done to date. You won't see anyone walking on a treadmill and reading Vogue. There are no pretty elliptical machines with built-in televisions. The only machines are rowers, powered solely by your muscles, not electricity. There are also plenty of intimidating torture devices including barbells, kettlebells, climbing ropes, squat stands, ab mats and PVC pipes.

The format is simple: a warm-up and a WOD. The actual workout is usually 20 minutes or less, but it's the most challenging 20 minutes of your life. Really. No joke. Here is what a typical class looks like:

Warm Up

Jump rope for 5 min, score = number of missed jumps (shoot for low score)

5 min to establish max reps on DU's or practice DU's

Strength:

1a. DB Seated Press 3x10

1b. 1 Legged lunge on Bench 3x10 (5 on each leg then switch = 1 set)

1c. DB Row 3x10

Conditioning:

"Fran"

21-15-9

Thrusters 95/65

Pull-ups

It ain't your mama's workout. I can only box jump on the shortest box, I have to "assist" my pullup by placing my feet in a theraband and when doing double unders, wait, I cannot yet do a double under. But in the CrossFit world, it's not necessarily about who can do the most pullups in five minutes or who can jump on the highest box. Each gym (what CrossFit refers to as "box") has its own mini community. The same members work out together at the same classes, they cheer each other on during workouts and they even share recipes. (CrossFit athletes commonly eat Paleo - a diet based on eating meats, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, seafood and some nuts and seeds.)

Luckily, I've found a wonderful new box in Zionsville. A dear friend, Elyse Merchant, spent three years after college personal training, assistant coaching and lead coaching at other CrossFit gyms. She realized that opening up Crossfit Zionsville was a personal BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) and went after it. Taking a class with Elyse can be summed up in one word: inspiring. It's not only her skills, her abilities, her strength and her passion that inspires me; it's her way of coaching and making everyone - from the most advanced to the most amateur - feel welcome.

Coach Elyse cheering me on during a 500 meter row.

The workout today involved a warm-up of practicing our jump rope skills for 10 minutes. Don't let this fool you because the jump rope routines were nothing like what you did in first grade during recess. Split jumps, one leg jumps, heel-click jumps, double under jumps, you name it, it was in there. We jumped rope for five minutes for accuracy and recorded the number of missed jumps (the aim was to get the lowest score). Next, we moved to the wall and did four rounds of a 20 second handstand hold or kick-up. I opted for the kick-ups. The actual WOD consisted of three rounds for time of: 30 wall balls, 30 ab mat sit-ups and a 500 meter row.

And then you pass out.

CrossFit is, simply stated, hard. But if you find the right coach who welcomes you and all the whining and injuries and needs that come with you (er, me), it's rewarding. Almost everyone starts at the same level when they begin doing CrossFit, but, like any feat in life, those who stick with it, consistently keep at it several times a week and are mentally willing to put in the hard work, achieve the most success. Elyse at CrossFit Zionsville offers an intro class every Thursday at 6pm and it's a great way to start learning the different movements and the correct form.

Do one thing a day that scares you - check!

My support crew at CrossFit Zionsville.