Crossfit: A Great Alternative Workout

Crossfit is a method of staying physically fit that breaks many of the traditional molds. Because of this, many folks shun the program as being too risky, faddish, or macho.

The truth is however, that crossfit offers a great alternative to the stifling boredom that comes with running on treadmills and spinning on ellipticals like a rodent.

I've been working out in various forms for 30 years. Heading to the gym had become such a chore that I started finding excuses for not going. Crossfit made working out fun and interesting again.

The workouts tax your system and make you realize how out of shape you actually are. There's an intensity level built into every workout that gets your adrenalin pumping; it becomes addictive.

When you step into a crossfit facility you don't see treadmills, stationary bikes or any of the normal stuff you see in mainline gyms. Instead you see weights, kettle bells, 20-pound medicine balls and Olympic gymnastic rings. You also see people struggling through grueling exercises and loving every minute of it.

In order to do crossfit, you don't need to belong to a crossfit gym. You can go to crossfit.com and the work out of the day (WOD) is posted. You do a WOD 3 days in a row, then take a rest day. You can do this from the comfort of your own mini-garage gym.

There is some equipment involved, however. Essentials are a weight set, preferably rubber bumper plates, a pull up bar and some kind of dip station.

A lot of the exercises however are calisthenics. You'll be doing lots of sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, air squats, and short sprints.

Be warned: the workouts are extremely intense. When you are starting out you'll want to scale the workouts down to workable weights and repetitions. You shouldn't try to complete the WOD as prescribed even if it looks harmless. There's a good chance you'll injure yourself or be so sore you won't be able to move the next day.

Before embarking on a WOD be sure to peruse the crossfit.com website for tips and videos on how to perform the exercises.

If you're stumped go into the FAQ section and you'll probably find what you need. If you're still at a loss, go into the forums and ask the veterans. The crossfit community forum is very supportive as long as you've exhausted the FAQ section.

I have been doing the crossfit WODs for a while now, and I am most impressed with how easily I can transition into other sports without feeling weak.

For example, Every Spring I start whitewater kayaking. Usually it takes a couple of sessions to feel strong in my boat. This year though, I felt like I'd been kayaking all winter. Crossfit kept me in such great shape that I could start kayaking where I'd left off the previous season.

For me crossfit is a great alternative to traditional gym workouts. The intensity and variation is different every workout, so you never get bored and constantly push yourself to beat your previous time.