Over the past 3 weeks we've taken a look at some of our primary offerings here at Harbor Park Health & Fitness including Bootcamp, Personal Training, and Anchor. Today we look at our original offering, CrossFit, which was what gave us our start and put us on the proverbial map.
You might be wondering what exactly CrossFit is. At its core, it's a training methodology. And the reason we love it so much is because it is the BEST methodology for getting in incredible shape. And that's not opinion, it has been proven time and time again that its the most effective and efficient training method. No disrespect to any other methodology, because we support anything that gets people active and moving!
What makes CrossFit so effective is the method of how we put our workouts together. Truth be told, CrossFIt uses the same movements that have been around for decades - squats, presses, push-ups, pull-ups, deadlifts, jumping, biking, running, etc - nothing new there. But the magic is in the intensity at which we attack a workout. By combing strength training and calisthenics and doing them at high intensity, we've found that you can build muscle and burn a lot of calories at the same time. Historically these were done as two distinct parts of a workout, "strength" and "cardio." By blending the two, you can get the same results in a fraction of the time.
So what does that mean for you? It means you don't have to go to the gym for 90 minute sessions doing boring strength work and then follow it up with even more boring cardio. Those days are done! You get the same benefit in a 45 minute CrossFit session. And because we vary the workouts every day, you get different movements every, which keeps things fresh and exciting.
With all that being said, the reason CrossFit has truly been such a worldwide phenomenon over the past decade is because of how CrossFit gyms deliver the methodology. You get a highly qualified trainer (here at Harbor Park, anyways) who walks you through every step of the workout to ensure you don't get lost or confused. Since the gym creates the workouts, you don't have to stand around at the gym wondering what machine to use next - again, we take care of that for you. Your trainer watches you throughout the entirety of class to make sure you're safe and exercising proper technique. Lastly, the people you do it with are top of the line. There is something about what CrossFitters do - busting their butts every day - that makes such a quality environment. It weeds out the bad apples. You know, the ones who seem to complain about everything and say that "nothing works for me." They don't last here. It's just a bunch of people who are super supportive and want to see you succeed. It's such a contagious and positive environment and you really need to experience it to understand it.
Now, we realize that CrossFit gets some mixed opinions, some not so great. There's a few reasons for that. The first is that people don't understand what it truly is. They see the amazing athletes on TV or on social media and think that's what it's like in every CrossFit gym. I understand this because how I always viewed golf - everyone crushing 300 yard drives and one-putting every green. That's what I saw on TV and on social media so I was afraid to go golf with my buddies. How could I compete? Until I finally went and realized that they were nothing like what I expected. They dinked and dunked as many shots as me. But they enjoyed it and had fun with it. CrossFit is the same way, 99% of CrossFit members are just average people just like you. They do it because they enjoy it, not because they are professionals.
Another important consideration is that CrossFit Affiliates are 100% owned and independently operated. This means that CrossFit Headquarters gives no input into how a CrossFit gym is ran, the owner has all the freedom in the world. Because of that, there is no consistency among gyms. Some gyms are highly professional while some are not professional at all. Some are ran by business people and some are run by college kids. Some cater to high level competitive athletes and some cater to an average population. So understand that you could have two very different experiences depending on what your specific needs and desires are. If you go to a highly competitive gym, don't expect a lot of hand holding. If you go to a more professional gym, expect things to be a little slower and more beginner friendly. Do your homework and make sure your needs are met at the gym you are interested in.
And if you do want to experience it, don't wait! Just go do it. Because as soon as you do you'll thank yourself. Don't believe me? Schedule a free trial class with us and we'll prove it to you!
