One of my favorite topics in the entire world is Health & Fitness. I love it because it’s the gateway to gaining control of the many other categories in life.
Being healthy and strong is big for intentional living, leadership, and doing quality work. When it comes to being a leader it’s really hard for someone to buy into your ideas, follow your direction, or join your team when you’re health is in shambles.
In other words, you have to have your own shit together before you can effectively take responsibility of anything or anyone else.
Now that I’ve been out of school and entered the world of business, fitness has become a huge part of my life. I’ve transferred my competitive hockey spirit and put it right into my fitness game.
Let’s begin.
#1 Health & Fitness is a lifestyle. It’s a daily ritual. It’s a habit. It’s something you do every single day. There is no end.
This is where I see people get caught up, they think short term when it comes to fitness. It’s great to have short term goals (lose 10lbs, get 10lbs stronger), but it’s not a great framework for long term results. I haven’t taken more then a week off from the gym in 5 years, and that’s why I succeed.
#2 There is no right or wrong training regimen. As long as your bringing intensity to you’re workouts, pushing yourself, lifting properly, recovering, and getting out of your comfort zone – it’s all good.
Everyone has different goals. You can achieve them body building, training for triathlons, or being a yogi.
Most people are familiar with CrossFit nowadays but just incase you’re not – What is CrossFit?
CrossFit was founded by a man named of Greg Glassman in 2000.
CrossFit is promoted as both a physical exercise philosophy and also as a competitive fitness sport. CrossFit workouts incorporate elements from high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, powerlifting, gymnastics, calisthenics, strongman, and other exercises.
With that being said here are the 7 reasons to consider CrossFit as the foundation for your training regimen:
1) The Set It & Forget It Factor
Every single one of us has a lot going on in life. When I first got into the sport, one of the things I loved most was I could walk into the gym and not think about what muscles to workout, what exercises to do, what weight t0 select, or how long I should rest.
All I had to do is show up and commit to work hard. The workout is already established, the exercises, the reps, the weight, everything is set in stone. No excuses, this is fitness made easy. Show up and work hard, one less thing to think about.
Although I do mix a lot of my own stuff in nowadays and tweak things here and there; I still follow programming that is provided for me and love it.
2) I Have My Own Personal Trainer By My Side at All Times
This is a game changer. Every CrossFit class is managed and motivated by a certified coach. If you’re not doing the classes, no problem there is most likely 5 certified trainers there working out with you.
The coach is there to explain the workout, help you scale it if you can’t do it prescribed, and teach you the proper techniques. Again, fitness made easy.
Having a coach watching you, pushing you, and there as a resource for all your fitness questions makes a world of difference when it comes to results.
A lot of my coaches have become my good friends and I make it a goal to learn as much as I can from them.
3) Social / Community
Crossfit 305 – Miami, FL
Not only do I receive a great workout, but I also get to integrate another very important part of my life: SOCIAL.
CrossFit was built around a a culture of community. It’s one of the reasons why the business model exploded. It’s human nature to crave being part of a community.
There is nothing better then spending time with like-minded people.
I’ve built some of my best relationships in the gym. Along with getting in a kickass workout, I also can unwind, connect with people, and talk some smack. Two birds with one stone.
4) Intensity
CrossFit is a sure fire way to up the intensity in your fitness game.
CrossFit is built around “MetCons” – Metabolic Conditioning (cardiovascular conditioning or “aerobic” conditioning).
Metabolic Conditioning workouts, or MetCons for short, are fast paced, high intensity workouts completed in a short period of time that will challenge your cardiovascular capacity, put your metabolism into overdrive, and rapidly burn fat.
These suckers have you leaving the gym feeling mighty fulfilled. I often leave feeling like Superman.
5) Functional Fitness
This was another thing that really got me hooked when I first started.
I love the idea of functional fitness. I wanted the work I put in the gym to carryover to other activities in life.
I wanted to maximize the return on investment.
For example, since crossfitting I became a much more advanced snowboarder.
The Rocky Mountains
Functional training uses movements that closely mimic the natural movements we do in every day life.
Ask yourself: Can I run, jump, push, pull, pick-up, squat, crawl, climb, carry, and throw all with no problem?
6) That Feeling After a Nasty Workout
Other crossfitters will know what I’m talking about here. I don’t expect everyone to get this but once you experience it, you will know what I’m sayin’.
Some of the MetCons you can put together are straight up NASTY. Most of the time I get nervous before a workout starts because I know how fucking painful they are.
When you push thru a workout as hard as you can, you get to the point where all you want to do it quit, but you keep going. You eventually can’t breath and you can’t see. You suck it up and finish the damn workout.
The aftermath is you collapse to the floor in a very strange state. You can’t see, hear, or speak. You’re trying to figure out what the fuck just happen to you. THIS IS THE MOMENT.
You are 100000% present to the moment and have nothing else on your mind. Nothing else matters, you’re not thinking of the bills, your job, responsibilities, or what you’re doing next.
People who have experienced this moment, know what I’m talking about.
7) Everything Else is Easy
A friend showed me a Will Smith quote a few years ago that really stuck with me.
“One key to life is running. When you’re running, there’s a little person that talks to you and says, “Oh I’m tired. My lung’s about to pop. I’m so hurt. There’s no way I can possibly continue.” You want to quit. If you learn how to defeat that person when you’re running. You will know how to not quit when things get hard in your life.”
This voice comes up regularly at the CrossFit gym. Will Smith was right.
Problems before are no longer problems. You’ll complain less, and you’ll be more confident in your actions.
Easy livin’
Make that difficult phone call? Sure.
Open up a conversation with a stranger? No problem.
Trying something new? I’m down.
To summarize this article:
As long as you’re moving, getting uncomfortable, and working hard; there is no wrong way to exercise.
The theme here in my reasons to consider choosing CrossFit as a foundation for fitness is the return on investment. It’s big.
The work you put in the gym will show up everywhere. It’ll show up in your social life, your personality, your business, your recreation, and your health.
There’s not that much thinking involved either. Show up, work hard, listen to your coach, and eat clean.
So now the question begs..what is your style of training? What do you like about it? Let me know below.
Much love,
Kyle
Comment below.