FITNESS

Trainer Siddharth Mohanta demystifies Crossfit and tells us how just about anyone can be a part of the movement

Crossfit

Crossfit, superficially, is a strength and conditioning programme – it is different modalities of fitness put together to bring out an extensive training routine. In Crossfit, one is not the best at one thing, but good at multiple things. We work on making everyday athletes, those who can not only run a 20-minute five-kilometre, but also back squat a 100 kilograms. The basic goal is not to specialise and not to get into a routine.

Crossfit, at its core, however, is more personal. It is a sport. It is a community of like-minded people who are trying to do better every day – just like teams in any sport: they want to improve their game, build strategies and work with each other and strong coaches to bring out the best in them. It also caters to people from all walks of life and of all ages – whether it’s a 60-year-old grandmother or an 18-year-old college kid, they’re both in the same class and doing the same workout.

“Our understanding is that the needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree, not kind,” Greg Glassman, CEO and Founder of Crossfit INC, once told CNBC. “One needs functional competence to stay out of the nursing home. The other one wants functional dominance to win medals.”

What does Crossfit involve?

In Crossfit, we work towards functional independence, like getting up from a chair or bending down to pick up something from the floor and not having to think about doing it. These might sound like simple tasks, but for someone to be able to do them when they are 60, 70 or 80 years old, they need to start from an early age. How often do we get to hear our elders say that they could do a certain task when they were young and now their age does not allow them do a lot of those things? Crossfit is just trying to make you more functional in your daily life.

Then comes the sports aspect of it. Where do you take your fitness? Everything that we see when we Youtube Crossfit is competitive Crossfit – crazy workouts and some really fit men and women doing some out-worldly exercises – is a small part of Crossfit.

“Deciding not to do Crossfit because you saw the Crossfit Games on TV is like deciding not to run because you saw The Olympics running marathon.”

Who should attempt Crossfit?

“Bodies (are) defined by how they perform and not by how they look”, Camille Leblanc-bazinet, Winner, Crossfit Games 2014. Anyone who needs functional independence, a fitter and healthier lifestyle, and a strong community of people who share workouts, emotions and pain, and not to mention the food, should try Crossfit. That more or less makes all of us.