REVIEW: CrossFit is intense, full-body workout

By Annabelle Zhou and Emma Harris,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

Emma and Annabelle, workout partners for life, decided to try the increasingly popular CrossFit, a strength and conditioning program. We had already done a modified CrossFit workout with our swim team but we wanted to see what the real deal was like.

To embrace the warm weather and an active lifestyle, we biked all the way across town to CrossFit Davis on Second Street.

Upon arriving at the buisness complex where the gym is located, we found CrossFit in a small and unassuming room, affectionately dubbed a ‘box’ by CrossFitters.

Kirsten Pedri, the instructor and co-owner of the gym, excitedly welcomed us and saved us from standing awkwardly in the corner. As newbies, we needed to learn all about wild new things like WOD (workout of the day), AMRAP (as many reps as possible), snatches and push presses in the month-long introductory class ‘On-Ramp’ offered every Tuesday and Thursday.

Every class is similarly structured: we started with a warm-up that took us on a run around the block to the parking strip behind the CrossFit room, and then did exercises called inchworms.

After warm-up, we were given a quick break for water before heading inside the gym for the strength and skills portion. We were taught the hang power clean and given 10 minutes to practice three repetitions EMOM–every minute, on the minute. The hang power clean is one of the many terms, like snatch and push press, to describe a weight-lifting motion.

Another break separated the strength portion from the WOD, which involved more cardio and less weights. That day’s WOD consisted of tabata burpees and kettlebell swings.

A tabata workout consists of 20 seconds of working out followed by 10 seconds of rest for eight repetitions or four minutes, which may have been the longest and most grueling four minutes ever. Thankfully, we were given a full minute of rest between the transition from kettlebell swings to burpees.

The loud workout music, encouragement yelled from the instructor and atmosphere of friendly competition really got us working as hard as we could. It was almost a competition betewen which would drop down to the floor faster; our bodies doing the burpees or our accumulating sweat.

Lastly, the group fetched foam rollers to stretch out our very tired muscles. Our muscles were full of lactic acid and the pressure of the foam roller really helped relieve the stress in a good kind of painful way.

Crossfit, though certainly intense and not for the fainthearted, was fun (though a little pricey), and we would recommend it. Prospective CrossFitters can start On-Ramp classes on any Tuesday. If you’re under 18, bring your parents to sign the waiver.