What is CrossFit?
If you walk by your local CrossFit gym, chances are you’ll see a bunch of sweaty people working
out or high-fiving each other with smiles on their face. But what makes this different than any
other fitness class you might try?
Fitness
CrossFit defines fitness as “work capacity across broad time and modal domains.” That’s a
fancy way of saying we believe that being fit means having the ability to do anything physical for
any length of time. Run a 5k? Check. Lift something heavy? Check. Play with your kids or
grandkids? Check. Survive the zombie apocalypse? Check.
The mission of CrossFit is to make everyone healthier by maximizing their fitness, and in line
with this goal, CrossFit is a strength & conditioning program designed to improve GPP (general
physical preparedness). We want people to be physically prepared for any potential challenge in
their life. So how do we do that?
The official definition of CrossFit is “constantly varied, functional movements executed at high
intensity.” What does that mean? These three concepts — variance, functionality, and intensity
— comprise the foundation of the program, and each one has a unique purpose.
Constant Variance
Constantly varied means intentionally changing the stimulus of the workout day-to-day. Since
our goal is to create a broad base of fitness, we understand it’s better to improve all domains
together rather than bouncing from specialty to specialty. Think of two gardeners –– one who
focuses entirely on one plant for weeks at a time versus another who spends a few minutes
tending each flower in his garden on a regular basis. Whose garden will flourish more?
Functional Movements
Functional movements are exercises that are parallel to real-life. Squatting is sitting down and
standing up, deadlifting is bending over to pick up something, burpees are getting up from the
ground, and running is getting from point A to point B. These movements are especially effective
because they train multiple parts of the body simultaneously, and therefore they produce a more
powerful response from all of your anatomical systems –– muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular,
hormonal, and neurological.
High Intensity
Exercise research overwhelmingly demonstrates that high intensity training produces positive
results. Contrary to common misconceptions, this doesn’t mean you push yourself to your
absolute limit in every session. What it DOES mean is that you work hard relative to your
physical and mental capacity. “Threshold training” is the term we use to describe reaching just
outside of your comfort zone to achieve appropriate levels of intensity.
Community
In addition to the workouts, CrossFit gyms are built around their community. We’re a group of
people who share a definitive passion for training. I’m sure you’ve heard the joke, “How do you
know someone does CrossFit? They’ll tell you!” And that’s not wrong. We’re proud of who we
are and what we choose to do. We don’t shy away from hard work because we know that’s what
makes us better — better athletes, better friends, better parents, and better human beings in
general.
Mindset
The founder of CrossFit once said, “The greatest adaptation to CrossFit takes place between
the ears” and after over a decade of experience, I fully agree with that.
Through the challenges we confront in the workout each day, we not only grow our muscles, we
also develop self-efficacy, or the belief that we are capable of achieving our goals. This is a vital
skill that supports us not just in the gym, but in our careers, our relationships, and all other
aspects of our life.
Why CrossFit Donelson?
So why choose CrossFit Donelson? For many of our members, they initially joined for the
convenience of having a gym in their neighborhood. For others, they’re here because they like
the positive results they’ve experienced, and almost everyone here will tell you that the friends
they’ve made and the support they’ve received from both their peers and coaches is what
continues to motivate them. Whatever your reason is, CrossFit Donelson is the best place to
find a community, improve your fitness, or have fun learning something new. Contact Us or
schedule a Free Intro to find out how we can help you grow into the best version of yourself.
