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Lynn Bizri

10 Reasons You Should Try CrossFit

With more than 11,000 affiliate locations (known as boxes) worldwide, CrossFit is spreading and it’s no longer just a sport for the super fit, with everyone from elite athletes to stay-at-home moms engaging in this high-intensity, constantly varied exercise program.

For those who don’t know, CrossFit is a high intensity fitness program with workouts based on functional movements taken from gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more.

Here are ten reasons why you should try CrossFit:


1. The community.



The first things you’ll probably notice when you walk into a box is that it is a social environment. While it may seem intimidating at first, you’ll quickly realize how supportive and helpful the CrossFit community is. Advanced athletes will share training tips with you, fellow teammates will stay behind to cheer you on while you finish your workout, and at some point, you’ll feel like you’re part of a family.


2. Everything is scalable.



Just because you can’t deadlift 300 pounds, doesn’t mean you can’t do CrossFit. In fact, CrossFit doesn’t force you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. For every exercise in a CrossFit workout, there is at least one modification to scale the exercise to your level of fitness and you’ll still be doing a workout that’s challenging, but doable.


3. It’s a lot of fun.



A lot of people refer to CrossFit as ‘recess for adults’ because CrossFit isn’t just another boring gym routine. During a typical CrossFit workout or ‘WOD’ you could find yourself jumping a rope, throwing medicine balls, doing box jumps, climbing a rope, or even doing a handstand. And because WODs are constantly varied, you rarely find yourself doing the exact same exercise.


4. You get fitter, faster.



Since CrossFit is based on constantly varied, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), it means you can spend less time at the box and still get the same –or even better- results than you would have gotten doing low or moderate intensity exercise. Research also shows that interval training is more effective at boosting your metabolism and transforming your body from flab to fab.


5. You can measure your progress.



CrossFit is all about measurable progress. CrossFitters keep track of their PRs (personal records) for specific workouts and lifts via a notebook or an app, which makes it easy to see improvements in strength and stamina over time. Benchmark workouts, which are built into CrossFit sessions, allow you to periodically measure your progress and see your gains in fitness.


6. You’ll love what your body can do.



CrossFit isn’t only designed to help you create a beautiful, lean physique that looks great, but it also pushes you to your limits and allows you to do things that you never thought you could do. With time, you’ll not only have the strength to do movements like pull-ups and push-ups and have the stamina to run for miles, but you’ll also perfect that one move you’ve working on for months and it will feel amazing.


7. It provides personalized training.



One of the perks of the small class sizes in CrossFit is that coaches are able to give individualized feedback on form and technique, and potentially prevent you from making mistakes that could cause injury. They also make an effort to get to know every one of their athletes so that they can help them with setting and reaching their goals.


8. It promotes clean eating.



Very few exercise programs come with a diet plan, which is a mistake considering the role that diet plays in weight loss, sports performance and overall health and longevity. CrossFit boxes, on the other hand, offer nutritional guidance and help you learn about the recommended Paleo dietary plan, which involves eating whole, unprocessed foods like lean protein and a lot of fruits and vegetables.


9. You’ll become more flexible and mobile.



CrossFit isn’t only about pushing your limits in high-intensity workouts and lifting heavy but also includes exercises and drills that increase flexibility and mobility. These help CrossFitters and athletes in other sports move better and more efficiently (both during training and in everyday life) and help prevent injury.


10. It’s life changing.



While you may start out thinking you’re just trying a new workout at a new gym, you’ll soon realize that it’s not just your workout that’s getting a makeover. Not only will you feel better physically, but many CrossFitters notice shifts in various areas of their lives – they start eating healthier, sleeping better, performing better at work and even feel happier.



Convinced? Here are some boxes/gyms where you can try Crossfit in Lebanon:

– Crossfit B-Town (Australia Street, Raouche)
– Crossfit 961 (Sahab Building, Khaled Chehab Street, Raouche)
– Crossfit Live Better (Genesis Gym, Verdun Main Street)
– CrossFit Bliss (inside U-Energy, Bliss)