Five Reasons Why CrossFit Works

"I use my "Six Minute Ab" DVD every night before bed and I still look fat! What gives?!"

I'm sure many of you can relate when I say I have tried many different forms of conventional fitness - mostly because a), from one to the next they are simply ineffective; b), I would see results in one area, but I would be lacking in others; and c), I was simply desperate to look good in a bikini!

In no particular order, because they are all AWESOME reasons, I have put together five reasons why CrossFit works, not only for athletes and the elite, but for anyone and everyone regardless of age, gender, and level of fitness.

1. We look DAMN good, but more importantly, we're strong as %*#$!

The difference between conventional forms of fitness and CrossFit is that in the former you 'look' strong, fit, lean; but in the latter you ARE strong, fit, lean. For the first seven months, CrossFit Mississauga was operating out of a globo gym, and we all got to see the same people day in and day out exercising on the main gym floor, and day in and day out we saw the same people doing the same exercises on the same days of every week: weights first, then elliptical, or the chest and back combo. The list goes on. What was interesting to see was people from the main floor come in, check out what we had going on, and say with confidence, "Yeah man, I train 7 days a week, I can handle this," or, "I run everyday on the treadmill for an hour," and actually putting them through a workout and seeing the look on their faces afterward: priceless. Sure, they looked great! Hell, some of them looked better than any of us, but the strength was simply not there. CrossFit enables people to get that strength, along with the other nine principles we adhere to, and still manage to look great and feel great.

2. Zone, zone, zone.

Many of these alternative forms of conventional fitness, just like CrossFit, are accompanied by a dieting program to help you shed the pounds and look lean; and I'm sure that if you do stick to the program results will show. It's all scientific. But for CrossFit, the Zone is where it's at. From my own experience, I have noticed that cutting out all grains, starches, refined sugars, dairy and alcohol has helped increase my performance all across the board. Eating clean is the key to success, so if you want those PRs, get cracking on the Zone: it works!

3. It's not only for the young and the vivacious! And it's definitely for chicks too!

There is a wide age range that CrossFit appeals to which I believe is a great advantage to this type of training program; and along with the age range, it is equally as beneficial for men as it is for women. Since everything is scalable there is no room for feeling any sort of discouragement. What one person can do at 135 pounds, another can do at 45 - it's that simple. And simple modification is what is key to appealing to the general public. They want to be able to do the same workout that the biggest and strongest guy or girl in the room is doing, and even though they may not be at the same strength level [yet], they know that if they continue working hard they will get to that point. Old or young, male or female, CrossFit is for you!

4. Confidence: wear it like it’s going out of style.

I'm not the first to say just how much my lifestyle has changed since I began training. If you read the entry prior to this you will know exactly what I am talking about. Nobody likes to feel crappy about their selves, it's not fun! Anyone who is a CrossFitter can agree when I say that when you get that awesome PR on a clean, a squat, or one of the benchmarks like Fran, you walk into rooms feeling MUCH taller than you really are. I've gone into the gym after having a bad day and left feeling like I had the best day ever. Nothing can compare that feeling; and it carries throughout every other aspect of your life - at work, at home, at school, and with relationships.

5. Community is the key to success.

After having the chance to visit a number of different affiliates, I notice one thing in common. One of the most important components of a gym: a sense of community. Time and time people have experienced being pushed through workouts literally by strangers - I including - but there is an instant bond made through watching each other work through the pain. When we see a fellow CrossFitter pushing through a workout, we feel that pain he is going through, and we know that that extra push from someone makes all the difference and gets us those PRs we want. We feel proud of each other and share enthusiasm, which is very unique and special; and there's nothing like looking up on that whiteboard and seeing your pal reach that number one spot he has worked his butt off for. Not once in my own experiences have I not been able to walk into a CrossFit gym and feel like I’m walking into my own home. You can’t get that anywhere else.