WE WOULD ALL like to be in a bit better shape. We’d all like to be a little more proficient at an activity.
But if you’re not planning on dropping everything and devoting the rest of the prime of your life to a single pursuit, where do you start? What if running doesn’t quite do it for you? What’s the fastest way to get fit? Why do those solid looking people keep going on and on about CrossFit?’
“One of the things that attracts people is that members might never do the same session twice,” says Ian O’Leary who, along with Kevin Kennedy runs a CrossFit gym on the southside of Cork City.
“For new people coming into our gym the term we use is mixed modality training.
“Five years ago, even now, some people who want to get fit will say: ‘I’m going to start running’. People who want to get stronger will just start lifting weights, people who want to get toned will do bodyweight or people who want to get flexible will start doing yoga.
“CrossFit’s a way of incorporating everything into that. You’re looking for a broad general fitness. We’re not just focused on weightlifting, we’re not just focused on cardio, we’re not just focused on bodyweight – we’re pulling all these elements in to a complete training package.”
‘Training’ is the critical word for O’Leary and he is keen to differentiate it from exercise. Rather than aiming to bust a gut from minute one, he asks a maximum of 14 participant in each session to lay down building blocks to allow them put in greater effort with each passing week.
“Some people might do a 10-minute high intensity thing and they’d be like: ‘that’s very short, I was hoping to do a bit more’. But the intensity and pushing themselves hard for those 10 minutes is more beneficial than them going out for a 5km run or a 30 minute jog at a very low intensity. We’re trying to get across that it builds power and speed, it burns body fat, it builds muscle and just keeps your body working.
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“Generally we find our members get very lean. They get strong, they get fast and they get fit. In terms of composition: it’s not body-building — for the most part members will get strong, good physiques, a very athletic body composition.”
As a straightforward route to accessing a strength and conditioning coach in a room full of weights, CrossFit can undoubtedly be useful for anyone looking to build explosive power or agility for team sports. Those hoping to specialise in one particular field, though, should do just that. CrossFit is for the Jack of all Trades.
There are locations offering CrossFit training all over Ireland, but here’s how a 60-minute session pans out at CrossFit Cork:
Stage 1: Warm up (10-15 minutes):
“You’re going through a dynamic range of motions getting the muscles warm, getting the blood pumping and prepared for the next movement,” says O’Leary.
This can involve anything from squatting or lifting weights to reach a particular goal or instead doing varied sets and repetitions of weights.
The skill side of this section may involve suspension on gymnastic rings, handstands or picking up a new power-lifting technique.
Stage 3: High intensity.
“This is what most people would associate with CrossFit, where you’re pushing yourself pretty hard,” says O’Leary.
“Even with that, the intensity will vary. We try and get across to our members that when you come in the movement is all you need to think about: You want to do a perfect squat rather than trying to do 10 half-arsed squats as fast as you can.
“It’s all about focusing on movement. The high-intensity could be anything from three rounds of a 400m run, 10 push-ups and 10 deadlifts. Or five pull-ups and five box jumps (x 10). It could involve skipping or kettlebells, all weightlifting movements, it could involve all bodyweight movements… the room for variety is infinite.”
By the time you come through all that, then you’ll certainly be feeling a shape coming onto your body and you’ll understand why it’s hard to forget about CrossFit.
I’ve been with Kev & Ian for 5 years training , that’s hardly a fad. In their gym there is triathletes , basketball players , gymnasts , mountain road & track runners , water polo players , rowers, hockey teams , gaa teams , soccer players. I’ve seen people who have never played sport from all walks of life come in get fit , get confident & make friends. Crossfit is growing because it is the best & gets results. Be the best you there is , join a xfit gym!!
It’s just repacked way to extract money from people by alluding to some need to follow a mysterious program to get fit
TRX, Crossfit, etc etc
All completely irrelevant to anyone who does any form of cardio and standard gym training. Ben Dunnes shake up of the industry with €180 a year membership and one to one personal trainers for €25 has made the end of good old party days of €60 for a session or €25 for a class!
Kettlebells are the same, a genius old invention made modern and cool again by a guy who couldn’t attract women to his gym as they wouldn’t lift dumbells because they didn’t want ‘to get muscley’. So he put a handle on his dumbbell plates, painted them different bright colours and made a fortune.
The people who knock crossfit are the ones on the outside looking in! Crossfit is addictive because it’s goal orientated, with the goalposts moving beyond all expectations!! The results are quickly visible in the skills attained, from double under skipping to Hand Stand Push Ups or bar and ring muscle ups (impressive stuff in any gym), or just look in the mirror. These things are attainable by even your most average joe/Josephine, with enough training, and threatens your most avid gym goer who has not experienced a crossfit gym!!! Crossfit is constantly evolving and getting better with every new member taking on his/her first WOD…, and when you’re nailing all the WODS at RX or RX+…. Well my friend, you’ve reached fitness Nirvana!!! Crossfit does what it says on the tin, join the rest of us addicts.. Don’t knock it until you’ve knocked out a WOD;-)!!!
Negativity generally comes from people too afraid to get off their asses & try. The only down point would be the tendency to pick up injuries more often, although that could also have a lot to do with the individual rather than the gym – having said that, it’s probably just easier to call it cult-ish or whatever, rather than actually giving it a go.
As someone who trains twice a week playing football and then has game at weekends and also goes to the gym 4 days a week at lunchtime I am not sold on CrossFit.
Why? Yea it makes you lean and yes it pushes you, but I think it only makes you good at one thing .. CrossFit. If you are doing enough honest work and have the right weight program I don’t see the benefit of it… And yes I have done it. Anyone from our football team who have done it have got one thing .. Injuries. CrossFit is good if you are doing CrossFit alone .. It’s doesn’t really take anything else into consideration.
I don’t believe it to be a fad either, it has it’s merits just not for someone who have sporting commitments that involves running around a field.
I do an alternative to CrossFit called Freeletics, it’s an excellent programme to follow and you don’t need a gym or any equipment really. Just download/buy the programme and head down to your local park. Obviously it’s a lot easier and more enjoyable to do it with a friend.
Dynamic compound exercise in a shiny new package, see soviet/east german sport science in the 60′s. If its your thing then fantastic but it doesnt make you fitters or stronger than any other exercise.
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Bit of a fad and The gyms are a ridiculous price.
I’ve been with Kev & Ian for 5 years training , that’s hardly a fad. In their gym there is triathletes , basketball players , gymnasts , mountain road & track runners , water polo players , rowers, hockey teams , gaa teams , soccer players. I’ve seen people who have never played sport from all walks of life come in get fit , get confident & make friends. Crossfit is growing because it is the best & gets results. Be the best you there is , join a xfit gym!!
Yeah that doesn’t sound cultish and weird at all.
You’re right, it doesn’t.
You want results? Change your program every 6 weeks, get more sleep & more water into you.
It’s just repacked way to extract money from people by alluding to some need to follow a mysterious program to get fit
TRX, Crossfit, etc etc
All completely irrelevant to anyone who does any form of cardio and standard gym training. Ben Dunnes shake up of the industry with €180 a year membership and one to one personal trainers for €25 has made the end of good old party days of €60 for a session or €25 for a class!
Kettlebells are the same, a genius old invention made modern and cool again by a guy who couldn’t attract women to his gym as they wouldn’t lift dumbells because they didn’t want ‘to get muscley’. So he put a handle on his dumbbell plates, painted them different bright colours and made a fortune.
Fools and their money.
The people who knock crossfit are the ones on the outside looking in! Crossfit is addictive because it’s goal orientated, with the goalposts moving beyond all expectations!! The results are quickly visible in the skills attained, from double under skipping to Hand Stand Push Ups or bar and ring muscle ups (impressive stuff in any gym), or just look in the mirror. These things are attainable by even your most average joe/Josephine, with enough training, and threatens your most avid gym goer who has not experienced a crossfit gym!!! Crossfit is constantly evolving and getting better with every new member taking on his/her first WOD…, and when you’re nailing all the WODS at RX or RX+…. Well my friend, you’ve reached fitness Nirvana!!! Crossfit does what it says on the tin, join the rest of us addicts.. Don’t knock it until you’ve knocked out a WOD;-)!!!
Well said.
crossfit: “the difference between building a house and getting really good at putting nails in a piece of wood”
Negativity generally comes from people too afraid to get off their asses & try. The only down point would be the tendency to pick up injuries more often, although that could also have a lot to do with the individual rather than the gym – having said that, it’s probably just easier to call it cult-ish or whatever, rather than actually giving it a go.
As someone who trains twice a week playing football and then has game at weekends and also goes to the gym 4 days a week at lunchtime I am not sold on CrossFit.
Why? Yea it makes you lean and yes it pushes you, but I think it only makes you good at one thing .. CrossFit. If you are doing enough honest work and have the right weight program I don’t see the benefit of it… And yes I have done it. Anyone from our football team who have done it have got one thing .. Injuries. CrossFit is good if you are doing CrossFit alone .. It’s doesn’t really take anything else into consideration.
I don’t believe it to be a fad either, it has it’s merits just not for someone who have sporting commitments that involves running around a field.
Asking for injury doing crossfit….and losing dem gainz brah
I do an alternative to CrossFit called Freeletics, it’s an excellent programme to follow and you don’t need a gym or any equipment really. Just download/buy the programme and head down to your local park. Obviously it’s a lot easier and more enjoyable to do it with a friend.
I can stop talking about it
Dynamic compound exercise in a shiny new package, see soviet/east german sport science in the 60′s. If its your thing then fantastic but it doesnt make you fitters or stronger than any other exercise.