Crossfit is a new workout routine that is all about real world application. They think that specializing makes you too weak in one area to be functional in another. For example, if you are a great endurance runner then you are specializing in being able to run very long distances. However, if you need to push your car out of the mud or snow, you won’t be strong enough to do it. Crossfit proposes that you need to be good or great across several different physical domains.
What are some of these domains which I speak of, that you need to work on when you Crossfit? Some of these are strength, stamina, power, flexibility, balance, and so on, and if you are good at all of these, then you can live your life without limitations. If you are really big and strong, you may not be able to last for a long time in a physical activity. That is not to say that these people are out of shape, just that specializing has made them useful for a limited number of things.
Another real world example would be a flood, and you need people to help you carry sandbags and build a wall. If someone is weak and can’t lift an eighty pound bag of sand more than a few times they are useless. If someone is really strong and can carry two at once but can only do it ten times, they become useless pretty quickly. However, as Crossfit states, if someone is strong and has good stamina, they can carry the bag and do it hundreds of times.
What types of exercises does Crossfit promote? A ton of full body exercises that burn a ton of calories and tone every muscle on your body. Some of these exercises include squats, deadlifts, presses, thrusters, rowing, running, push ups, and a ton more that work the entire body. The reason full body exercises are the primary exercises used is that they give you the biggest bang for your buck.
Crossfit equipment or Crossfit gear is all over the place on the internet with several high quality vendors. You’ll need this kind of equipment to do a number of the exercises. A good barbell will cost a few hundred dollars, but you can buy one for around a hundred dollars. Also, a set of bumper plates is pretty important on that list. With a good barbell and a good set of bumper plates, you can do several different Crossfit exercises, and all of the Olympic lifts.
