Give CrossFit & Functional Training a try if you are tired of Regular Gymming

“Pain is weakness leaving the body”

I love working out and have been a fitness enthusiast for some time now.

So, this post is for all of you who love working out at the gym and are looking out for venues to further push yourselves to become more. To become what you were meant to be.

Do you feel after regular gymming for two to three years, your body is not reacting to any of the exercises anymore.

No matter how much more of strength training we do, we still feel like there is no change happening. This may also be the case because our bodies might have become too stiff and is not as flexible and mobile enough as it used to be.

Well, after my first Devils Circuit run I found out there are other variation of exercises that can be done to gain muscle and strength apart from the normal gymming. Things like CrossFit, Calisthenics, Pilates, Power Yoga, Zumba etc.

What caught my attention was ofcourse crossfit – just for the energy that goes into it.

These are the two quotes that I could relate to the most when it came to CrossFit training:

“Look in the mirror. That’s your competition.”

“Life is not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving.” – Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone – Rocky)

I stay in Central Mumbai and was not able to locate a proper CrossFit gym around my area. Some of them had functional training but did not have good trainers and equipment’s. After a lot of searching, saw an ad at fitternity.com regarding a CrossFit gym in Mulund west, by the name 9th Gear Fitness Club. I checked it online first and the same day went to see the gym, enquired about the trainer, the timings, fees and was pleased with what they had to offer. I was ready to give it a shot.

As of date, I have completed twelve sessions under guidance of Siddharth Shah and I can honestly say, it is really good to try these exercises which focuses on making the core much stronger and helps in making you more mobile and flexible.

Every single exercise focuses on involving the core and getting the posture and form right.

To start with there is a 5-10 min of stretches that helps in mobilizing the body. These things are really helpful before doing any kind of strength training workout. As with normal gymming we tend to ignore the basic stretching and mobilizing our body.

So what is CrossFit?

It is a fitness program that combines a wide variety of functional movements which you have to complete in a given amount of time or do it for a given number of sets/repetations. By continuously changing the types of exercises performed, muscles used and intensity, CrossFit workouts is the best to “surprise your body”. The workouts are based on each individual’s level of physical fitness and can be adjusted by simply adjusting the weight load, duration and intensity of the workouts.

So is CrossFit for everybody ?

It ofcourse can be followed by both men and women for sure. As for age, well thats something you will have to consult with the trainer and go ahead with as i have seen people of all ages do crossfit(i.e seen on youtube videos.)

Some of the Workouts in Crossfit that I have come across/done till date

• Burpees
• Snatches
• Dips
• Sit-ups
• Push-ups
• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Bench press
• Power cleans
• Hang Cleans
• Holds
• V-ups
• Hollow Rocks
• Kettlebell Swings

(You can search for these terms on youtube for the form and how its to be done.)

And a few interesting terminologies that you will hear in CrossFit

WOD: Workout of the Day

AMRAP: As Many Repetitions (or Rounds) As Possible

EMOM:  Every Minute on the Minute

While I write this article with some sweet muscle pain that i feel, I am sure after 3-4 months of this training I will be more fitter and stronger. So, what are you waiting for, just go for it!

I have always been asked why do you travel so much to go to a gym. I just tell them…

“If you can travel 30 mins to 1 hour for wealth…then why not travel 15-20 mins extra for health.”

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Pics Courtesy: Siddharth Shah
Pics Taken at: 9th Gear Fitness Club