The Clarity of CrossFit

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By Kaila Crozier

When people think of how to spend their time, they often resort to going to the gym. While going to the gym is good for one’s body and soul, people often go to popular chain gyms such as Edge or Planet Fitness to release their stress. However, another popular way of working out is called “CrossFit,” and while it seems intense, it is infinitely scalable.

People often perceive CrossFit as this type of gym that gives people multiple injuries and encourages “fake” pull-ups, yet it is far more than simply a gym. Mainly, CrossFit gyms blend multiple different facets into one workout. Moreover, some of these areas include gymnastics, Olympic weight-lifting, HIIT, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), conditioning, and strength. At first, glance, incorporating all these fitness variations seems impossible, but they are all necessary for life.

Back in September 2020, I started doing CrossFit as a means to push myself to the next level. Before CrossFit, I had tried a range of ways of working out. In 2018, I started my gym journey at a popular gym that many people went to; while it was private, it had everything I needed. However, the clientele was mostly older people twice my age, which often made it uncomfortable to work out. Then, COVID-19 struck, and like many other people, I was stuck doing home workouts and running.

My home workouts often consisted of going to my local high school and using old football equipment such as tires and weighted plates. Also, I supplemented these workouts with running, lots of running, which ranged anywhere between 25-50 miles a week. While it was difficult at first, I managed to get my mile time below seven minutes and have a resource to exert my stress. However, running also showed me that I am far more capable of doing incredible things with my body. So, I decided to try CrossFit and began to understand my body’s true capabilities.

Every workout we do in CrossFit usually seems like a challenge, from using barbells to climbing ropes. Between AMRAPS (As many reps/rounds as possible) and EMOMS (Every minute on the minute), each workout strengthens us and makes us healthier people. With each workout being formatted differently, different body parts are being used, increasing our longevity. However, what makes the workouts enjoyable and memorable is the team aspect.

In CrossFit, you are often doing the workout with a team that’s there to support you until you finish. Especially with workouts ranging anywhere between 5 to 35 minutes, having a supportive team behind you, every rep is essential for growth. Before doing CrossFit, working out by myself was the norm, and it was often difficult to push forward. But, when I started working out with a team, pushing myself became so much easier.

While CrossFit is fun and exciting, I often try to blend CrossFit with other activities. Thankfully, I go to a gym that offers various programs aside from CrossFit to have a variety of our fitness routines. My gym provides other outlets such as; Torch (Hiit/Conditioning), Cycle, Barbell Club (Olympic Lifting), and a Run Club. I often enjoy running a couple of times a week to maintain my cardio and release my stress. Overall, doing CrossFit has been one of the best additions to my life. While it is difficult on some days, I am blessed that I have such a supportive gym behind me. If you haven’t tried CrossFit yet, I highly recommend it. Especially with its infinite ways of scalability, CrossFit can be for everyone.