What is CrossFit?
Updated: Jan 4, 2019
What is CrossFit?
CrossFit is in essence several things, so we’re going to break it down into what we at CrossFit Ancoats believe are the key components.
CrossFit is a training program
Firstly CrossFit is a structured training program that is centred around functional movements. So what is ‘functional movement’ I hear you ask.
Functional movements are natural, safe, every day movement patterns that are essential for day to day living. In fact they’re so universal that you’re probably doing variations of them already, I’d even be confident to say you’ve used at least 1 functional movement already today!
These movements are compound, meaning they move more than one joint at a time. However they are irreducible (you can’t break them down into separate movements and get the same benefits).
These functional movements allow us to move large loads over long distances quickly.
A good example is a squat.
It’s an every day movement that involves standing from a seated position. It requires movement at both the hip and the knee. and you can’t break it down into separate parts and still get the same effect (ie. standing up).
This training program is constantly varied and performed at relative high intensity. This means that unlike the typical gym routine that repeats workouts weekly, CrossFit workouts change daily and only repeat here and there (normally months apart) in order to evidence progress. We vary 4 different elements of the workout, time, load, reps and movements.
Relative high intensity means working at a rate that takes you out of your comfort zone, the easiest way to understand relative high intensity is to experience it. Many CrossFit gyms/boxes, offer free taster sessions, and this is the best way to feel that intensity.
In a sentence this makes CrossFit ‘Constantly varied functional movement performed at (relative) high intensity’
Our training program is evidence based, we record all our workout results be that the time it took us to complete the workout, the number of repetitions we completed in a workout, or the load we lifted during a workout. Why do we do this? Because the only way to improve our score is to work harder and to do this we have to be fitter. This way when we do repeat a workout we can see how much we’ve improved.
Our focus is on objective performance, not on subjective body image. We want to improve and increase our overall fitness and work capacity across broad time and modal domains.
CrossFit is a community
Broad, general and inclusive - this is central to our community. Anyone from any walk of life can be a part of our community.
CrossFit sessions are performed as a group with beginners and experienced members of our community working out and supporting each other. The workout is carefully scaled to fit your level of intensity and experience and this way we all sweat together, we all work hard together, we all improve together, we all celebrate together. Our community is highly supportive of each other, we all have a shared focus and goal. High fives, fist bumps and cheering are a very common sight in and after a workout!
After the workout is done the social side often continues outside of the gym with drinks and food.
CrossFit Ancoats is a second home for it’s members, it’s somewhere you can come and be sure to see friendly faces, get support when you’re not feeling great and celebrate when you have good news.
CrossFit Ancoats, Manchester doesn’t have members, it has family.
CrossFit is a Sport
CrossFit is considered as ‘the sport of fitness’, however no different to running, dance or swimming, it isn’t always a sport or a competition between 2 or more people. In fact most of the time the competition is between the you of today and the you of yesterday.
However on occasion there are competitions, workouts performed individually or by a team that are comprised of 1 or more workouts that are scored and compiled for prizes or just for fun.
These competitions usually have several divisions that include Male, Female, Mixed teams, Scaled and Rx.
Whether you compete or spectate these competitions can be fun and inspiring. Intra-box (CrossFit Ancoats athletes only), local, national and even international (like the CrossFit Games) are held throughout the year. It can be incredible to see what the human body is capable of!
Is CrossFit for me?
Everyone can do CrossFit, it will improve your life and leave you fitter and healthier. It’s for everyone but not everyone will enjoy it. The only way to find out is to give it a go. Sign up for a free taster, meet some of our family, experience a workout and see if it’s for you.
We look forward to meeting you.
