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At the minute, I’m quite excited by Crossfit. I’ve posted about it before but I was chatting to Vicennes last night about it so thought I’d get something down. Basically, it’s a cross-disciplinary exercise programme, run via the internet with daily workouts (Workouts of the Day) posted on the homepage of their main site (rest days are also allocated). So one can follow along and chat about results via the comments section or accompanying message board. So far, so interesting web-based social phenomena, but what really makes the site interesting for me is two things - the programme itself, and the way it’s graded.
The programmes blend of disciplines is largely Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics and interval training (some other bits are thrown in). More about the reasons behind this here. (PDF link). Olympic weights are used because big whole body compound exercises (compound = requiring use of lots of muscle groups, as opposed to isolation exercises which build single muscles/ muscle groups) are in themselves quite challenging, and require the development of a degree of skill, agility and flexibility, and thy build great strength. I’ve been doing a few basic movements at a weightlifting club and they are a lot of fun. Gymnastics is in because gymnasts have unrivalled upper body strength, and again, the movements are challenging and develop flexibility and so forth.
Interval training is short sharp bursts of maximum intensity exercise – ie rowing or sprinting full out for 20 secs, resting ten secs, repeating x8. Weirdly, this actually seems to make you fitter and stronger than say, running half an hour. Something about rates of adaptation and exertion. The sports science is in the link. I can vouch for this from my own experience. I’ve never felt fitter than when I was doing shuttle runs twice weekly (see upthread).
However, you might look at the Crossfit website and unless you are Kelly Holmes (Hi Kelly!) think, hmm, those workouts would kill me. Which is true (Handstand pressups? Yeah, right). I think there have been two in the last month that I’ve been able to do straight off. But, as I said they are graded, and people working with them are encouraged to via the message board to butt up against their limits slowly, rather than storm the ramparts. There are plenty of people doing it who’ve gone from a completely sedentary lifestyle and are working their way up. There’s a fair few pensioners doing it and lots of kids. You halve or quarter the insentity, step down the weight listing, substitute easier exercises or whatever.
I think it’s the best and most comprehensive exercise programme I’ve seen. The only downer is you need access to a gym to do it (which I don’t have, 24-7). I think however, I’m going to commit to it and do the bits I can, when I can. I'd like a new physical challenge. I quite fancy trying to learn a handstand. |
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