Is CrossFit Training The Right Choice for Me?
CrossFit is an approach to working out that draws on elements of several different strategies. The key is that every element of your training involves functional movements at a high rate of intensity. Do you think this kind of workout is right for you? Here are some signs that giving this approach to fitness a try is worth the time and effort.
It’s Okay If You Are Out of Shape
Here’s a quality that many people overlook when it comes to CrossFit training. Anyone can do it. You don’t have to be in great shape at the beginning. All you really need is a checkup with your doctor and some general guidelines on how much exertion is safe for you at present.
Since CrossFit workouts can involve any combination of exercises that produce steady and intense movement, you get to choose elements that are on a par with your current health level. Assuming you stick with it, you can replace some of those elements later with exercises that are more challenging. The point is to not let your current condition prevent you from working out.
You Love Variety
Some people love rigid workouts that never change. Others thrive on variety and love the challenge of doing something different from time to time. If you are in the latter category, this approach to working out is definitely for you. Start off with a routine that included elements of walking, bicycling, and swimming. Later on, vary things by substituting rowing for swimming, and lifting some weights in place of walking. As long as you are incorporating intentional movement into each routine and making sure every muscle group is getting a workout, mixing things up a bit is just fine.
You Want Something That Can Be Done at Home and at the Gym
Some days you like going to the gym. Other days you like to work out at home. With CrossFit, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds.
While all you really need for the gym is workout clothes, it’s easy to find the right equipment for home workouts at one of the local or online fitness stores. Build a nice collection and keep it handy for days when it’s raining, you work late, or something else interferes with those trips to the gym. You get to keep on track and enjoy the benefits that come from working our regularly.
You’re Ready to Commit to a Schedule
In order to get the most out of CrossFit, it pays to stick with a schedule. If you commit to working out every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, there’s a better chance of reaching your fitness goals. Remember you can vary the routines from one day to the next if you like.
The key is to stay on schedule even if you are out of town on business. Remember the home gym equipment you bought? Take some of it along so you can work out in your hotel room. It never hurts to stay in a hotel with a fitness center.
You Want a Workout That Helps You Feel Better
CrossFit, like other approaches to exercise, usually attract people who want to feel good about the way they look. There’s another aspect to consider. Working out is also good for the mind and emotions. It alleviates stress, restores emotional balance, and sharpens the mind. When you enjoy the routine, that only increases the mental and emotional benefits. Since you already know that variety is something you love, this strategy for exercise lets you improve your emotional state as well as tone and build the muscles.
You Want to See Results Sooner Rather Than Later
Since CrossFit makes it easy to incorporate several different forms of exercise into one routine, you are likely to see results fairly quickly. Feeling better in general may occur in a matter of days. You may notice that a few of those extra pounds are gone after a week. You have to tighten the belt an extra notch in a couple of weeks. When people start commenting that there’s something different about the way you look, and they mean that in a positive way, you definitely know the workout is taking you on the right track.
Why not get started today? Choose your first combination of exercises and invest in the equipment that you need. Remember to purchase some type of crossfit software so you can track your activity and monitor the results. In a few months, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without working out several times a week.