What is CrossFit?
You may have heard the term CrossFit before, and maybe even seen the CrossFit Games on television. But in its simplest terms, CrossFit is a unique fitness method that utilizes a variety of athletic movements to help build strong and healthy individuals of all levels and all ages. CrossFit is a trademarked fitness program developed by over several decades of work and refinement. But a few elements of this CrossFit regimen remain the same.
On the most basic level, CrossFit is: constantly varied, functional movements, performed at a high intensity.
Constantly Varied
The original training and competition models embraced a truly varied training style where elements of workouts, or WOD's (Workout of the Day) were picked at random. The idea is that you will be ready for anything from running, lifting, jumping, etc. In 12 Labours CrossFit terms: your workout will be different everyday.
We have refined the constantly varied concept to include group classes with purposeful programming. Our goal is to help you develop strength, body awareness, and proper movement patters that lead to a well-rounded (and injury-free) athlete. Whether your goal is to get stronger, faster, or to simply improve your overall fitness; this general physical preparedness (GPP) programming can help you get there.
Functional Movement
Living a healthy life is more than just going to the gym consistently. It is about being able to apply what you do in the gym to your everyday life. Have you ever counted how often you stand up and sit down from chairs (squat), or pick things up from the floor (deadlift)?
Chances are, you have experienced some type of functional movement in your life. We teach these concepts in a gym setting. Weightlifting, gymnastics, running, rowing, and more are what we believe to be the core movements of life. There is typically an additional "real world" benefit to what we teach at 12 Labours CrossFit. Not only does this training improve body awareness, you will find that a more functional approach to your fitness can improve other elements of your life from your posture to overall injury prevention.
High intensity
You will be challenged. You will be pushed. At your speed, and at your level. Intensity simply defines the power or effort that you exert over a period of time, that period of time being your workout of the day (or WOD). The reason that people have success with training is because of intensity. Every group class is 60-minutes long including a coach-led warm up, an instructed workout, and proper cool-downs and stretching.
Within the class, our workouts can range from 5-30+ minutes, in which case you adjust your effort as needed. The more work you can complete in less time defines your intensity; and that is what helps you get fitter, faster. If this sounds a lot better than spending hours at the gym, unassisted, and unsupported: join us for a session.
Universally scalable
The best part about starting CrossFit is that there is absolutely no minimum fitness requirement. There is no need to "get more fit" before starting, or to fit any other arbitrary fitness standard. When you walk in to 12 Labours CrossFit, we help you start where you are, with what you have.
Whether this is your first workout or a seasoned veteran, we can do the same workout with proper alterations to the movement requirements. Our needs as athletes may differ in degree, not kind.