Welcome Crossfit Basics Group!
Our goal is to elicit as broad an adaptational response as possible. The Crossfit program specializes in not specializing. Participants whether they be the general public, rangers, or grandmas can be prepared for any physical challenge they may face.
The defining characteristics of Crossfit are constantly varied functional movements put together in a manner that creates as intense a workout out as possible for the individual. When you maximize intensity, you maximize the adaptational response.
Every workout is scalable (intensity is adjusted) to match your current fitness level. You don't need to be in the best shape to get started, only have a desire to get there.These functional movements are natural, total body, core to extremity motions that the body uses on a daily basis. To this end CrossFit combines elements of gymnastics, olympic weightlifting, and endurance intervals to build not just endurance or strength but also awareness of the body, athleticism, and mental fortitute. Weight loss is a nice side effect of what we do, but not our primary concern. If you are a perfect size and can't do a pullup or sprint or have no balance, then you have work to do.
About 10 years ago
crossfit.com started as an open source website, an experiment, making the "Workout of the Day" available for free to anyone who wants to try it from where ever they are, home, in another gym, etc. Thousands of people over the globe have taken on the challenge and religiously post their daily results to the crossfit.com website. The website has demos of every exercise, options to scale the workout for every fitness level, and substitutions of exercises if you are short on equipment.In the last few years or so "affiliates" have been opening up so that followers of the Crossfit program no longer have to workout of their garage gym or local Y but can do the "Workouts of the Day" with a group of fellow Crossfitters and receive unlimited coaching support. As of March 2nd 2009, there are 1,000 affiliates globally.
In the current fitness paradigm, 99% of all media and research is seeking to answer the question, "What's the least I can do to look good or not be sick?" We aren't concerned with looking good or what your last cholesterol screen said (although these benefits come naturally with the program). The CrossFit paradigm seeks to answer the questions "What am I capable of?" "Am I ready for anything life might challenge me to?"
Crossfit is not for everyone (yet) the same way Harley Davidsons are not for everyone, but our Crossfitters are passionate about the program and the community it brings together and they love the results they see. Our goal for our clients as well as ourselves it to be able to say we are in the best shape of our life.
It won't be easy, but it will definately be worth it.
The CrossFit Startup Guide, Part one (from CrossFit.com)