Three gym buffs tell us what made them fall hard for these tried-and-true workout trends.
Looking for a new workout? Three fitness fanatics share how they found their one true love.
Cross Fit
Ballet- and Pilates-inspired workouts are great if you want to build long, lean “beauty” muscles, but thanks to CrossFit, I’ve grown to appreciate the glamour of women who deadlift, pull up and muscle up—and not because the effort will shrink them into perfectly tiny packages of female beauty. No offence to pliés and jetés, but lifting heavy stuff is a rush.
Too many fitness classes operate along strict gender lines, with guys pumping iron in the hope of becoming Captain America-like in one room and women whittling themselves into McDonald’s french fries in another. CrossFit brings the sexes together—almost. “Our membership is about 60 per cent women,” says Rob Sinclair, owner, coach and general manager of CrossFit Solid Ground in Markham, Ont. “For many athletic women, this is an outlet for athleticism that hasn’t existed for them since high school.” It’s also a great place for a non-sporting nerd (I spent my high school career on the sidelines) to live out her wannabe jock dreams.
The workout changes every day (bye-bye, boredom), and you do everything from Olympic-style lifts (deadlifts, squats) to gymnastics (muscle-ups, handstand walks) to rowing, skipping and sprinting—all the while giving it everything you’ve got. One of the biggest pluses for me is that CrossFit doesn’t measure fitness using one standard—for example, cardiovascular endurance or how far you can run—but instead defines it according to a combination of factors, including cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, agility and balance. Translation: I track how many reps I complete and the weight I lift, so my gains speak loud and clear.
Though CrossFit has become big business for brand sponsors like Reebok, it has its share of detractors who argue that the focus on high reps and high intensity is a formula for injury. The truth is, injuries do occur. According to a 2013 study published in The Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research, injury rates in CrossFit are similar to those of gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting—both undoubtedly intense sports. I’ve dealt with epic muscle soreness, bruises and barbell-related blisters (the worst!), but I’ve never seriously injured myself. A good gym—you may have to shop around—prioritizes good technique and safety.
Beyond the physical and mental challenges, CrossFit is insanely fun. Getting sweaty and strong and having a laugh with friends while you do it is a nice escape from the mundane, often lonely realities of adult life.