by Coach Shawn
At Railroad, our group classes will utilize the CrossFit Method at least three days per week.
These classes are for all skill levels, from the beginner to the advanced.
They combine calisthenics or bodyweight exercises, aerobic, work, weights, and more. Every day is a different challenge.
Part of the definition of CrossFit is defined as constant variance meeting functional movements paired with high intensity.
What do our people love about these particular components of CrossFit?
Constant Variance
The variance element keeps training fun.
There will be movements that we find ourselves good at or naturally progress at faster and there will be movements that challenge us and take a lot more time to develop.
Strengths and weaknesses.
Always learning and improving.
It makes fitness feel like a fun game of constant evolution.
Beyond the specific movements, there is a really fun variance element in how we feel from workouts.
In what we call the stimulus of a workout,
Which means what’s the feel/intended feel or intent of this workout: a short sprint, a grind, a steady paced workout, or a long “marathon” feel workout are all examples.
The variance in stimulus provides an unknown element. Especially as different movement pairings also provide different responses.
All of which make training so unique, surprising and rewarding.
And build a broad wide base of fitness.
Functional movements
Simply put, so many of the movements that we train on a regular basis have an amazing carryover to everyday life.
Whether that’s picking something up off the ground, sitting to a standing position, stepping up onto something, lifting something over our heads.
The movements that we train make those tasks much easier.
They also develop a strong sense of self trust and confidence in capability within our own bodies.
Which allows us to tap into our own versions of physical freedom.
We aim to continually improve: cardio, strength, flexibility, balance, accuracy, stamina, muscle endurance, agility, power and speed.
To be the most well rounded versions of ourselves.
Intensity
Before diving into intensity, here’s what it intensity is not:
going as fast & hard as you can, every single day and time you work out.
That’s been my experience of what most people think CrossFit is on the outside. Wreckless abandon to form at unsustainable efforts.
Intensity to us simply means you’re given a task or a set amount of work or a fixed time to work and how much work can you complete in that time?
It means improving your ability, efficiency and overall fitness to do things.
With paying attention to moving well while also challenging your own capacity (having an elevated heart rate, being fatigued etc.)
And at Railroad, we teach within each session pacing and strategy.
How to best approach the particular stimulus and challenge of the day to guide our people.
Like gears of a bicycle.
To better steer towards safety but also optimal
results.
Accessible
Part of the beauty within Crossfit is its adaptability and inclusivity.
Every workout can be customized and adjusted to the individual’s fitness level, needs, injury etc.
Which makes training even more fun.
I can work out next to a 65 year old who’s challenging themselves appropriately, to a mom in her mid 40’s to a fit early 30 year old male and everyone in between.
We all can have our own tweaks and variations to meet what’s best for us, with others and still feel the push, motivation and inspiration.
Community
The Crossfit Community is unlike anything out there.
Shared care, kindness, generosity and of course willingness to embrace challenges and better ourselves.
That shared mentality.
We all can understand the effort that is being put forth in a given workout.
We all experience struggle, feel the challenge, overcome and develop physical and mental resilience.
There is a strong mutual respect in shared effort.
Not load, not score, not speed, but effort.
Effort earns respect.
Your peers will become your friends, your support system, your accountability and your gym family.
They’ll pick you up when you are down and celebrate your victories with you.
They will help push you to the best version of yourself.
They want to see you win.
For everyone
Crossfit is not just a workout.
Not just a workout routine.
It’s a lifestyle.
A community.
A way of being.
It helps teach us about embracing challenges, pushing past our own perceived limits and comfort zones.
Teaches us to celebrate our own progress and the progress and victories of those around us.
No matter the size.
And each day we get better, together.
Are you ready to be part of something bigger than yourself?
Start here: book a FREE CONSULT with a Coach.
