Monday 11 July 2016

Francis St. Holder Explains CrossFit

As a professional in Washington Dc who is committed to his own fitness, Francis St. Holder explores many different exercise styles, such as the popular regimen of CrossFit. This newer form of fitness has grown in popularity and regularity around the world, to the point where there are even CrossFit Games televised on ESPN. People who are new to the CrossFit world may be intimidated by the language used on the Internet and in the gym. Here, Mr. Holder explains the most commonly used CrossFit terms.

To become good at CrossFit, an athlete must understand the principles of the program. Developed and used by everyone from tactical military personnel and law enforcement officers to martial artists and professional athletes, the premise of CrossFit is that the program is ever-changing and highly unpredictable. This constant fluctuation that is built into each workout keeps the body and mind active. CrossFit is appropriate for men and women.

A Box is the area where a person chooses to do their CrossFit program exercises. This Box could be located in a professional gym or even at home. What sets this area apart from others is that it contains all of the necessary equipment that a CrossFitter will need, such as free weights, kettlebells, and a pull-up bar. A proper CrossFit Box will not have extra equipment that is unnecessary or distracting.
All CrossFit routines are focused on ten physical skills that the creators deem necessary for optimum physical fitness. These include cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, strength, stamina, power, flexibility, speed, agility, accuracy, coordination, and balance.

CrossFit routines are delivered as a WOD or Workout of the Day. These are individual programs that are given as daily suggestions for a workout that meets the needs of the ten physical fitness goals. Each WOD can be completed as an AMRAP (as many repetitions as possible) style or using the for time method which involves counting how many reps the person accomplishes in a given time. With both styles, a score is calculated based upon number of reps and speed of completion, which makes CrossFit a highly competitive workout system.

While the standard WODs are rigorous, those who are looking for an even more grueling routine will want to try the Hero WODs offered by CrossFit. These daily workouts are named after fallen servicemen, firefighters, and police officers that died in the line of duty. Each is very difficult and should only be tried by athletes who have a handle on the basic WODs.

For an even more difficult and gut-wrenching experience, CrossFitters complete the WODs that are named after women, such as the Fran, Isabel, and the Grace.  Francis St. Holder finds these to be challenging but incredibly rewarding in the end.